Trailhead
New Boots • Gathering • Grapevine • Springer Fever
A.T. Companion • Headlamp Material • Work Trips • Side Trails
Cumberland Trail Conference hosts BIG DIG 2004 The Cumberland Trail Conference invites "ya’ll" down to Tennessee May 16th — June 26 to help build the Cumberland Trail for BIG DIG 2004. Our BD’03 was the first year for this 6-week program; in which we had participants from many organizations, including ALDHA, to help complete 10 miles of new trail. Focusing on the "gorgeous gorges" just north of Chattanooga, near Soddy Daisy, Tenn., the Big Dig welcomes volunteers from around the country. Based at the Dogwood Camp, a church retreat located only 10 minutes from trail corridor access sites, the Big Dig features a comfortable place for out-of-town volunteers to stay, kitchen facilities (volunteers from out of town will be provided 3 meals per day!), wonderful lakefront grounds on which to roam or enjoy a swim in the creek after trail building hours, and perfect spots for the interactive educational sessions that are always a major strength of CTC’s programming. Work crews will be formed daily from volunteers who have committed to as little as a day, or as much as — well — the whole 6 weeks! They’ll be transported into this extravagantly beautiful area to spend their day creating a safe and inviting footpath for hikers to follow. The goal is to have this 30-mile section of trail completed in the Rock/Possum/Soddy Segment of the Cumberland Trail State Park, Tennessee’s newest and first linear State Park. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available — from trail building to cooking to photography. CTC encourages ALDHA members to come together this spring and help create history by building the "trail of dreams" that will be enjoyed and cherished by generations to come. A BIG DIG thank you to ALDHA member Tim Hart who contributed five weeks to the program and did a program for us at The Gathering. We benefited from his trail building skills as well as his "Triple Crown" trail adventures! For more information on the Big Dig or about the Cumberland Trail, call CTC at (931) 456-6259, or check the website (www.cumberlandtrail.org). More details at http://www.cumberlandtrail.org/bigdig.html I look forward to seeing you there! Happy Trails!
Stacy L. Mikkalsen
ALDHA Coordinator