Nov 5 TRLT Outdoor Challenge Day 5

 Company Mill Preserve and Hagan Stone Park

Since moving to North Carolina in 1975, I have been driving by this old dam and mill site on Company Mill Road near Erect. Earlier this year, I was surprised to learn the dam and adjacent property is now a preserve, complete with hiking trails. The greater surprise was that there are over 3 miles of trail leading to Hagan Stone Park which has a 3.5 mile perimeter trail. 

We parked in the tiny parking area which could hold 8 vehicles if cars parked right next to one another. Trailheads rarely see that. I've read that the mill was right in the parking area, or nearby. The first neat feature is the dam which impounds Big Alamance Creek. Just starting out, we are drawn to this well constructed wetland overlook.

The boardwalks here are first class. There are about 4 or 5 of these structures going over wetland areas.

Once a pond, now an extensive wetland, surrounds Big Alamance Creek somewhere out there.

We did see some big trees

This hand hewn log structure sits in the midst of several acres of Wisteria. There is a 1/2 mile lollipop loop here, with a nice spot for lunch. Our lunch spot had a peaceful view of a wooded valley. After lunching, we made the return trek through the Wisteria jungle. There is much evidence of former farming here. A couple old roads converge. Rusted fencing and a gate remain. We can see a drainage to our right with large boulders at the bottom. 

Next up on the parade of buildings, are these two structures. One is obviously a tobacco drying barn. The usual suspect rusty debris is found around this rea.

Our hike continued into Hagan Stone Park, following the Chatfield Trail. Generally, the trails in the park are wide and muddy. The amount of invasive vegetation is stunning. Although the walking was easier here, I couldn't wait to get back on the Company Mill Preserve trails for the return.  

Cute faces on what appears to be play dough.

Nov 4 TRLT Outdoor Challenge Day 4

 County Trek Spot - Birkhead Loop Hike

Last week's hurricane remnant dropped some trees around the county, so let's take a look at the Birkhead damage today. I'm hiking the 11.2 mile loop from Tot Hill trailhead. I met the only two hikers of the day before I could even break a sweat. It's Crystal and friend getting some miles in for the TRLT Outdoor Challenge. She mentions a tree down - says I can't miss it.

Here it is, about a minute walk from the lower junction with Forester Trail right smack in the middle of the Birkhead Mountain Trail. It looks worse than it really is.

Here it is from the other side. The crown of the tree came down over the trail. It is many many small branches can easily be ripped up by a chainsaw in a few minutes. To me it looks like a no brainer - one sawyer and one swamper can handle in short order. It is not in the wilderness, so have at it with a chainsaw. Small bar chainsaw would do the trick.

side one

It is clear sailing on BMT to Robbins Branch Trail. Down to Robbins Branch and then this. A massive Oak has been uprooted and taken out a medium sized Maple for good measure. This is right in the area where we have had massive trees down previously. 

side 2

The good news here is that, again, it is the crown of the tree that is over the trail. We are in the wilderness so it's manpower not horsepower. This one can be cut with good handsaws. Two cuts of about 8 inches are needed and many small cuts to get all the crown branches. Looks like a crew of 4 to take turns on the handsaws. 

I'm feeling pretty good about the trail, as I round the turn onto Hannahs Creek Trail and hike to the end of the trail at the BMT junction. We all know the monster that lays there. Even if we had a tuned crosscut, this would be a hellava cut to make.

My suggestion here, is to cut the small tree out of the rootball and make a slight trail detour to where the big tree can be easily stepped over. The reroute would be less than 10 feet. 

I'm back bebopping on the BMT now and almost to the unnamed side trail when things get ugly. First obstacle is the small tree above. The trail went between the large rootball and the new small rootball. We'll have to cut the small one to reroute the tree about two feet to the left. 

This area, from here to Camp 5 has many very large oaks down - not over the trail but in the nearby forest. This small maple has come down over the trail and can be cleared with handsaws.

This blowdown is from June 2019. The SAWS crew did not make it this far on their last day, so it still sits there. There are many overhead hazards and hard to predict binds with this one. I think it is above our pay grade.

Just beyond here, on the ascent to Camp 5 is a small pine across the trail above thigh high that can be cut. 

Newly downed trees are waypointed above except the first one I mentioned.

Nov 3 TRLT Outdoor Challenge Day 3

 Blue Heron Loop Trail at Haw River SP

I'm doing an AM and PM hike today. Haw River State Park is one of the newer state parks, having been established for only 15 years. The main hiking trail is a 4 mile loop which borders for about a mile along the Haw River wetland.

A different geology going on here. The rusty red rocks here must be responsible for the the trailhead's name - Iron Ore Belt Access. 

the wetland

Once the trail crosses a power cut, you enter a forest sprinkled with massive Eastern Red Cedars. They are very impressive trees and somehow escaped the sawmill. There was a very successful mill in Greensboro, specializing in Eastern Red Cedar products, back in the day. In 1954 my father built what became our family home in Guilford, Connecticut. He lined the two closets in the master bedroom with cedar. Last year (2019) when I was cleaning out the home and preparing it for sale, I ran across a box of leftover cedar, obviously saved from the closet construction in 1954. The back of each piece is embossed "BROWNS SUPERCEDAR CLOSETING-GREENSBORO NC".

NC Zoo has Hiking Trails too!

The Purgatory Trail has been around for a long time. It leads from the zoo's overflow parking area, up Purgatory Mountain. The mountain gained some fame as the hideout for young Quaker boys forcibly conscripted into the Confederate army as told by Bill Johnson in his historical fiction "Moon Over Purgatory" novel. 

We follow the newly constructed Middle Mountain Trail to its other end on Woodell Country Road. I am surprised to see a large parking area and signage. Although, it does not appear anyone has hiked here recently. It is a pleasant forest experience and the trail has been constructed with an excavator, smoothing it out nicely. 

An observation tower above the canopy in planned. Wow!

Now it is up Purgatory on a rocky trail, where we see the sign indicating an observation tower is in the plans. That would make this a wildly popular trail. 

After retracing back partway, we take the next trail, Moonshine Run. This is an out and back adding a mile to our hike. Lots of rhyolite outcrops along here. 

Overall, this is a 5.5 mile hike. That is very impressive and so close to Asheboro. 

Nov 2 TRLT Outdoor Challenge Day 2

 New Hope Overlook Trail at Jordan Lake SRA

Day 2 finds us about an hour from home, hiking a trail we've never been to before at Lake Jordan State Recreation Area.

New Hope refers to New Hope Creek, one of the creeks which was dammed along with the Haw River to form Jordan Lake. If you follow the outline of the lake from the dam, that is essentially New Hope Creek. It winds its way toward Durham and back northwest of Chapel Hill. The Lake was originally named New Hope Lake and the dam New Hope Dam. Before its completion, the name was changed to honor former NC Senator B Everett Jordan. 

The timeline for the lake begins in 1945.

1945: A September hurricane floods the Cape Fear River, hitting Fayetteville particularly hard. The government puts the US Army Corps of Engineers in charge of a flood control plan. A dam is proposed right where the Haw River and New Hope Creek conflow. 

1963: Congress authorises funding

1963-1970: Relocation of those in the lake area takes place. 

1970: Project begins

1983: It's ready

Our hike begins in a Loblolly forest. Throughout the hike, we move from one forest type to another. Evidence of logging is apparent throughout. We even explore what appears to be an old loading deck. The ground is so soft here you have to walk slowly not to sink in too deep. That is where we see the old Ford pickup below.

We pass through two "walk in" camp areas. The sites are spaced nicely apart. The trail follows the shoreline of the lake but never right on the lake. Debris from high lake levels is evident all along the shoreline. It consists of trees and wood debris. Surprising, not much trash in this floodplain. 

Very few hikers were out today and when we did encounter a few, it was easy to step aside as Covid trail etiquette now requires.  

Nov 1 TRLT Outdoor Challenge Day 1

 Luther Place to Walker Creek Trailhead

It is the first of 27 days of the Three Rivers Land Trust's Virtual Outdoor Challenge. Our activity today is a 6ish mile hike on the Uwharrie Trail from Luther Place to Walker Creek Trailhead. Walker Creek trailhead has just transferred from private ownership to the US Forest Service. Although the trailhead is not yet open to the public, we are accessing the trail from Luther Place trailhead as an "out and back" hike. It was a rain delayed start at 11am. After a recent wind and rain storm, I'm expecting to find some trees down. There is plenty of stick and branch debris in the trail. 

A temporary sign for the new trail will have to suffice until the real ones are ready. This signpost is at the junction of the Luther Spur and the Uwharrie Trail.

The Uwharrie Trailblazer saw crew had their saws singing at the September work day by Walker Creek.

A very unique trail blaze. It's hard to get these things to grow just right.

Walker Creek had some water flowing today. There is a better place to cross in high water, just upstream from the designated crossing.

The very picturesque Biscuit Rocks just downstream from the crossing, are always worth a short detour.