UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. (AP) — In a rugged patch of the Appalachian Trail in eastern Tennessee, volunteers size u
p a massive, gnarled tree lying on its side. Its tangled web of roots and dark brown soil, known as a root ball, is roughly the size of a large kiddie pool.
The collection of volunteers and staff from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and local organization
s, doesn’t plan to move the tree. Instead, their job is filling the gaping holes left by it and many other downed trees along iconic East Coast trail.
Almost a year since Hurricane Helene tore through the mountains of the Southeast, restoration is
still ongoing. In places like the Appalachian Trail it’s powered primarily by volunteers, at a time when federal resources are strained and uncertain. That labor
made up of people spanning several generations and continents, aims to not only return the trail to its former glory but make it more resilient against future inclement weather.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Appalachian Trail,” said Jake Stowe, a program support specialist with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
Stretching more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) miles from Georgia to Maine, the trail attracts more tha
n 3 million people every year, according to the conservancy. Some committed hikers traverse its entire length to cross it off their bucket list. Others visit sporadically just to indulge in its scenic views.
Last September, Helene killed more than 200 people and wrecked entire towns. Many rural businesses have struggled due to the drop in tourism, Stowe sa
d, such as in places seeing fewer trail hikers. Directly after the storm, more than 430 miles (690 kilometers) of the trail were closed, the conservancy said. That’s down to 5 miles (8 kilometers) today.
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Hikers still have to take detours around two damaged sections of the trail, both in Tennessee, according to the conservancy.
One spot where a bridge collapsed requires a 3.6-mile (5.8-kilometer) walking detour. The other location is near the destroyed Cherry Gap Shelter, where an Associated
Press journalist accompanied volunteers this week making the area passable again for visitors who currently have to take a 6-mile (10 kilometer) detour.
Fixing trails is hard work
Local groups typically take on day-to-day trail maintenance, such as hacking back plant overgrowth, Stowe said. Larger organizations like the Appalachian Trail Conservancy step in to assist with severe damage, although in Helene’s case, safety concerns delayed restoration.