OHT Maintenance 03/07/09 (After the Ice Storm)

We asked these folks to come along.  No way!

We would do our maintenance backwards today.

So crossing Buck Branch was first on our agenda.

Even getting to our section was an obstacle!

...but we finally get there with a nice start.

First our group picture, less one......me!

Now uphill

...and it wasn't long before ........

We met some of the damage.  The higher we got the worse it got!

Lou was our inspector and "whistle man" for the day!

Some thru hikers from Fort Smith heading west.

Not sure who Char was posing for? Jimmy was wondering also!

It was going to take team work to get the job done today,

Amazing.....mess!

These were just some of the tree tops

Sometimes we had to stop to figure out how to get through,

...but finally we did.

....only to find more of the same on the other side.

We put Donna on the tall stuff!  She's tall!

Our arms would get very tired by the end of the day.

The rest of us did the ground stuff.

Even Radio had to rest from time to time!

...but there was an endless amount of work still to do.

....and our group picture in front of the Famous Rock

...and more downed trees

Pamela looking a little overwhelmed!

...and it was overwhelming at times.  Well, most of the time.

We met ourselves coming and going!

 We didn't have pictures to show the big stuff. 

The chainsaw crew was behind the lead group. 

Finally lunch and a little rest.

It just felt good to sit down.

...and to make funny faces!

Lorraine resting!

Bill on the manual "chainsaw' crew

Lorraine wondering how she got in this mess.

Jimmy consoling Char...yeah sure!

Carol did eat a "good" breakfast!  Thanks.

Crossing the unnamed creek

...and then it would be uphill again

This is really a big tree...really!

We were wondering if it would ever end!

...and a splintered tree

...and some uprooted trees where the trail used to be.

We needed to get home.

This is what it looked like when we reached our cars.