Landslide on Appalachian Trail in Smokies repaired

Last month the Great Smoky Mountains posted an advisory on the park website regarding a trail construction project near the Pecks Corner area. At the time they didn't mention what the project entailed, only that there could be delays of up to 15 minutes in trying to pass through the area.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) recently posted a press release on their website explaining that the project was the result of a fifty foot long landslide along the Appalachian Trail.

The ATC, along with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Smoky Mountains Hiking Club and the NPS Appalachian Trail Park Office worked together to repair the effected area. The landslide was ten miles from the nearest road near Pecks Corner in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and fell more than 200 feet down the slope.

The landslide that damaged the A.T. was identified by a Smoky Mountains Hiking Club ridge runner, the project was coordinated by the ATC, the construction was completed by the professional trail staff of the GRSM, and the project was paid for by the NPS Appalachian Trail Park Office.

The project involved drilling directly into the rock face and cutting out a new “bench” for the A.T.’s treadway, taking the GRSM trail crew approximately 6 days. “Complex projects such as this and their successful completion are typical of the strong public/private partnership used to manage and protect the A.T. and are critical to the health of the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains,” said Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson.

Pecks Corner is located near the junction of the Appalachian Trail and the Hughes Ridge Trail - roughly 6 miles east of Charlies Bunion.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com