Kingsport Times/News

HIGH KNOB. Known for bringing home the bacon, Virginia congressman Rick Boucher can bring the rain, too.

“All I have to do is schedule an outdoor event,” Boucher, D-9th District, told a throng gathered on the flank of a mist-enshrouded, rain-drenched mountain in Wise County on Monday, “and I can help break a drought.”

Lousy weather didn’t cost U.S. taxpayers a dime on Monday, either, but Boucher brought a little of the green to forest-oriented discussions at Norton’s Flag Rock Recreation Area with the announcement of three projects for the Jefferson National Forest’s Clinch Ranger District.

First up is one yet to develop, but huge on the hearts and minds of his constituents. On Halloween arsonists destroyed the
much-beloved High Knob Observation Tower. Monday’s announcement was originally scheduled to be held at the tower site, but heavy fog and persistent rain showers prompted a move to Flag Rock for shelter purposes.

Calling High Knob “one of the rare treasures of our region’s natural heritage,” Boucher said he “strongly share(s) your
determination that the High Knob Observation Tower is rebuilt.”

Boucher said his office will organize a task force to coordinate fund-raising and planning efforts to rebuild the landmark structure that, until Halloween, graced the highest point in the Clinch Ranger District. On a clear day visitors could view a 100-mile radius of the region to include a vista into five states.

The task force will develop strategies to rebuild the tower, he said, including developing a plan “that enjoys adequate funding, and together we will rebuild the observation tower at High Knob.”

The second project includes $40,000 in federal grant funds awarded by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to make improvements to Chief Benge’s Scout Trail, a 24-mile hiking trail that links the High Knob tower site to Little Stony Falls in Scott County.

A year ago the Dungannon based Clinch Coalition partnered with the Clinch Ranger District to apply for the grant to construct two information stations, install new footbridges and steps, and make other improvements to the trail. Total cost of the project is a little more than $60,000, but Boucher said in-kind services — mostly labor — will be provided by the U.S. Forest Service, and citizen volunteers will add another $8,000 worth of labor. Boucher said Wise Lumber & Supply Co. has also offered $500 in lumber and other materials.

On yet another forest front, Boucher said a $500,000 federal appropriation he had set aside two years ago will be released for a groundbreaking next spring for new horse riding trails in the High Knob area. The money awaited plans to be completed for the equestrian trails, Boucher said, and predicted they will be a boost to the area’s growing tourism economy.

Tourism in Wise, Lee and Scott counties brought in $47 million last year, Boucher said, and improvements to High Knob — including eventual restoration of the tower — will restore some shine to one of the region’s most attractive natural gems.

State Delegates Bud Phillips, D-Clintwood, and Terry Kilgore, R-Gate City, joined Boucher’s foggy mountain breakdown and praised burgeoning partnerships between government, private organizations and concerned individuals.

“The High Knob area is, in fact, what I consider to be one of Virginia’s seven national wonders. This is truly a magnificent
place,” said Phillips. When good things happen in the region, he said, that’s usually because local people and groups — such as the Clinch Coalition and the Wise County Chamber of Commerce — join forces to make them happen.

Phillips said the “true balance” is to protect natural assets while ensuring access, and the projects announced Monday achieve that goal. Kilgore praised Boucher’s announcement of a tower task force and grass-roots efforts on the trails projects.

Clinch Coalition President Diana Withen said the people’s forest was diminished by the meanspirited act of one or two people on Halloween.

“As more and more citizens feel ownership of this beautiful forest, and all the resources within it that contribute to our
quality of life, then the vandalism that we have seen (with the destruction of the tower) will diminish and hopefully never happen again,” she said.

“Today, we come together to celebrate a new partnership between local citizens and our professional forest managers.”

Withen said her group envisions a “new, bigger and better High Knob Tower. One that includes a nature center that will educate the young people to respect and protect High Knob.”

1. Change of Pace–As you leave your car and the roadway behind, prepare to slow your pace to enjoy the rich variety of sights, sounds, and smells of the equivalent of a Canadian forest. Only at high elevations can many of these plants and animals survive in the South.

2. Witherod Viburnum (Viburnum cassinoides)–The bark of “Shonny Haw” or “Appalachian Tea” was often brewed into a tea by the Shawnee Indians, and later by settlers, to control fevers. Clusters of small white flowers in spring are followed in late summer by dark blue fruit which provides food for wildlife, giving another common name “Wild Raisin”.

3. Balsam woolly Aphid (Adelges piceae)–You see many dead Fraser Firs killed by the balsam woolly adelgid. During the feeding process, the adelgid injects a substance into the tree, causing an abnormal growth that blocks off the tree’s conductive tissue. Continued loss of water and nutrients eventually causes the tree’s death. As the firs die and fall, they open spaces for fir seeds to sprout and grow into mature trees, beginning the cycle again.

Some scientists believe the Balsam Fir will continue to survive here in this manner, with each new generation of trees becoming more resistant to adelgid damage. As you walk the trail, watch for young firs sprouting up from the forest floor. Red Spruce needles are four-sided and prickly. The cones hang down. Fraser Fir needles are flat, shiny dark green on top, whitish below. The cones are upright on the branch.

4. Mountain Maple (Acer spicatum)–The fir and spruce of higher elevations share the forest with a number of deciduous trees. Spruce and fir are evergreen, while deciduous trees lose their leaves each fall. Primarily a northern tree, Mountain Maple occurs at elevations above 3000′ in the Appalachians, often growing in the shade of other taller trees. Deer browse on the young twigs and leaves, and ruffed grouse eat the buds.

5. American Mountain Ash (Sorbus americana)–Although called an “Ash,” the Mountain Ash is a member of the rose family. Creamy white flower clusters in late spring are followed by brilliant red berries in fall, attracting many birds. Known as the Rowan-tree in the British isles, early settlers here made a tart jelly from the fruit. (See #7)

6. Blowdowns–Attacked by adelgids, ice storms, and wind, these dead and downed trees play a vital part in renewing the forest as they decompose to create new soil. Opening up the forest to sunlight allows spruce and fir seedlings as well as ferns and mountain ash to gain a foothold. Rotting logs also provide homes for beneficial insects, rodents, salamanders, and other creatures important to the life cycle of the forest.

7. Red-berried Elder (Sambucus racemosa pubens / S. Pubens)–Another northern plant, the Red-berried Elder, resembles the American Mountain Ash. Both have compound leaves, clusters of white spring flowers and brilliant red fall berries. The low, shrubby elder has opposite branching leaves and cone shaped flower heads and berry clusters. The taller Mountain Ash branches alternately with flat-topped flower heads and berry clusters.

8. Now You See It, Now You Don’t–The forest scene is constantly changing, from night to day, winter to summer and year to year. Each trip down the trail is different. Perhaps the bloom of the speckled wood lily in May or the climbing buckwheat vine with its arrowhead-shaped leaves on lush red stems in July will catch your eye. You may hear a raven’s throaty call or catch a glimpse of a deer in late afternoon. Regardless of season, nature has an unlimited number of pleasures to share if you look closely.

9. Change is a Constant–Change is a constant at Richland Balsam. These fallen trees once grew atop this boulder, snaking their roots over it and into the shallow soil. Life is short here for trees lacking a firm attachment.

HALFWAY TO THE SUMMIT–You are now halfway to the summit and one-third way around the trail.

10. Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis/ B. lutea)–Birch seeds frequently germinate atop fallen trees, sending down roots to the soil. The roots straddle the log. In time the log decays, leaving a birch on “stilts.” Easily identified by its shiny bark, yellow birch requires 35-40 years to reach maturity and can live as long as 200 years.

11. Forest Floor–Pause in your climb to note the tiny world atop the nearby stump. Decaying, it provides food and a suitable habitat for mosses, lichens, and even a few young Fraser Firs. As adjacent mature firs succumb to adelgids, these tiny survivors begin the cycle again.

12. Aphids at Work–Mature firs infested with the balsam woolly adelgid appear to have white lint on the bark. This is actually the “woolly” covering of the adelgid. Once adelgids are visible at eye level, the tree will die in 1-2 years. Examine the nearby trees for adelgids, but take care where you step, for at your feet are their successors-hundreds of tiny Fraser Firs in nature’s nursery.

13. Firs– The Fraser Fir is closely related to the Balsam Fir of the far north. Some scientists believe they were once the same tree until the climate warmed here over 5,000 years ago, leaving the surviving firs on cool mountain tops. Since that time, the firs here changed enough to be considered a separate species from their northern counterparts.

Summit Richland Balsam Mountain 6410′ Elevation–The term “Balsam” is commonly applied to Fraser Fir and Red Spruce by Southern Highlanders. The spruce, with its rough bark and prickly needles like a man’s beard, is sometimes called “He-Balsam”, while the smooth barked fir with its shiny flat needles is called “She-Balsam.” Both are here, can you tell the difference?

14. Lichens (Pseudevernia cladonia)–Lichens are made up of two kinds of plants living together, each benefiting the other. The fungus provides water and minerals to each and the algae manufactures food that is used by each. The density of the lichens on the tree branches here is due to continuous high humidity from fog.

15. Changes–Notice a difference in the trail? With less sunlight, the forest is cooler and wetter. Look for the changes this makes in the plant life. The boulder uphill has an unusual white stripe through its center, created when molten quartz forced its way into crevices while the rock was still deep within the earth.

16. Forest Animals–Although many different animals inhabit the spruce-fir forest, you may have difficulty seeing them. Instead, look and listen for signs of their presence. Deer tracks in soft soil and the sounds of red squirrel and winter wren are common. The saw-whet owl and red-shouldered hawk also frequent Richland Balsam.

17. Hobble Bush (Viburnum lantanoides/ V. Alnifolium)–Creamy white blooms in May and June mark the Hobble Bush, named for its habit of rooting at branch tips, forming loops which may trip or “hobble” the unwary walker. Fall brings scarlet berries that turn black as they ripen, providing food for many birds.

18. Catawba Rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense)–Whether a lone bush or a whole mountainside, the large clusters of purple-flowered Catawba Rhododendron defy comparison. Mountain people call this “laurel.” “Laurel hells” and “laurel slicks” refer to its dense virtually impenetrable thickets. On steep, exposed slopes it will thrive on little soil, where other shrubs would die.

19. Mosses and Lichens–This immense boulder provides a home to two plant groups - mosses and lichens. Mosses are abundant due to high moisture and deep shade. Lichens, with their combination of food-producing algae and fungus that support the plant, can live where no others plants can.

20. Windthrow–Firs felled by wind open the forest floor to sunlight where “pioneer” shrubs such as blackberry and elderberry thrive. In time they will be shaded out by other plants. On sunny, warm days the fragrant aroma of nearby firs can be sensed all around.

21. Fire Cherry or Pin Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica)–This is one of the first trees to appear after a natural disaster such as fire or other disturbance. Its growth is fast and its life is short, surviving long enough to act as nursery cover for the spruce and fir seedlings to get a start.

22. Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)–The drooping white flower clusters of the “Sarvisberry” or “Shadbush” dot the mountainsides in early spring, often before the toothed-margin leaves appear. Whether growing as a shrub or a small tree, the June-ripening berries provide food for a wide variety of wildlife as well as man.

23. Man and the Forest–From the small seedlings atop Richland Balsam to the corridor of firs here, the ever changing nature of this unique forest is apparent. Over the coming years, the character of this trail will continue to change dramatically, due to man’s introduction of a tiny, yet destructive insect, the balsam woolly adelgid.

Return to Parking Area–We hope you’ve had an enjoyable walk, learning about the Spruce-Fir forest and the plants and animals associated with it. Please come again.

Thumper’s Chief Benge Scout Page…Lots of good info

History of Chief Benge 

Legislators were instrumental in designating $1.6 million toward state’s acquisition of largest privately-owned tract in Washington County
ABINGDON, VA — March 14, 2007 — The Nature Conservancy in Virginia today applauded Sen. William C. Wampler Jr. and Del. Terry G. Kilgore for their efforts to appropriate $1.6 million in the state budget toward the Department of Forestry’s acquisition of Brumley Mountain in Washington County.

Brumley Mountain is a well-known landmark in Washington County. The decommissioned Clinch Mountain fire tower sits on the property, along with a series of unusual rock crevices called the Great Channels of Virginia. The Great Channels were formed by eroded sandstone believed to be more than 400 million years old.  

“We want to commend Senator Wampler and Delegate Kilgore for their tremendous leadership in helping designate $1.6 million from the state budget toward this acquisition—a substantial portion of the funding needed to transfer Brumley Mountain into public ownership,” said Michael Lipford, Virginia executive director of The Nature Conservancy. “Thousands of acres of forestland are permanently lost to development in the commonwealth every year and opportunities to protect large blocks of intact forest like Brumley Mountain are increasingly uncommon. Virginia’s forests need champions, and that’s exactly what Senator Wampler and Delegate Kilgore are for southwest Virginia’s unique natural landscapes.”

The Nature Conservancy acquired the 4,836-acre property in March 2004, protecting a key area of intact forest. The Conservancy first became interested in Brumley Mountain nearly 15 years ago. Before the Conservancy purchased the land, it had been slated for potential residential development.

“Protecting Brumley Mountain is the right thing to do for conservation and for our economy in southwest Virginia,” said Sen. William C. Wampler Jr. “The creation of a new state forest in Washington County provides the opportunity for sustainable forest management, while also providing public access for hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation.”

Del. Terry G. Kilgore expanded on the economic importance of protecting Brumley Mountain, noting that a new, publicly accessible state forest provides potential opportunities for expanding a growing sector of the regional economy—tourism.
 
“The success of the Virginia Creeper Trail in nearby Abingdon demonstrates the potential that our natural assets can contribute to the region’s bottom line,” Kilgore said. “Southwest Virginia is defined by its mountains and forests. It pays to protect them.”

The Conservancy is currently working with the local nonprofit Mountain Heritage on its initiative to establish a hiking trail that would pass through the Brumley Mountain tract, connecting Hidden Valley Lake in Washington County to Laurel Bed Lake in Russell County.

“Mountain Heritage and the Conservancy believe a new state forest and ridgetop trail will showcase the incomparable natural beauty of southwest Virginia for local residents and tourists and will promote further protection of these resources,” said Frank Kilgore, founder of Mountain Heritage.

Previously, the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation provided a $1.2 million grant to the Department of Forestry for acquisition of the property. This latest appropriation of $1.6 million would help bring the Department of Forestry much closer to completing its acquisition of the entire property. The Conservancy and the Department of Forestry are working to secure the remaining funds needed to complete the property transfer.

The ecological value of the property lies primarily in its interior forest habitat, which is critical to maintaining wildlife diversity. Many neotropical migratory songbirds, including warblers and vireos, depend upon large blocks of forest habitat for breeding and foraging. Unfragmented forests also provide natural corridors for wide-ranging animals such as black bear and bobcat, and clean mountain streams are critical habitat for fish, salamanders and other aquatic species.
The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working to protect the most ecologically important lands and waters around the world for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

DAMASCUS, Va. - The Mount Rogers National Recreation Area is one of the best hiking and backpacking areas in the East.

The 120,000-acre tract in southwest Virginia ranks right up there with Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee for being among the very best.

It features three wilderness areas, high-mountain country and more than 350 miles of hiking trails.

Now there’s a new way to explore Mount Rogers: a seven-trail, 134 and one-half mile adventure for hikers, bicyclists and equestrians.

It’s called the Ridges and Rivers Route and winds from Abington, Va., in the southwest to Pulaski, Va., in the northeast. The route runs through the heart of the federal recreation area in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests and extends beyond the park boundaries to the two cities.

It follows the Virginia Creeper, Beech Grove, Iron Mountain, Hickory Ridge, Virginia Highlands Horse, Mike’s Gap and New River trails.

The route includes existing trails and roads. It varies from narrow single-track trail to well-maintained roads to old railroad rights of way. It ranges from rugged and rocky to railroad flat.

At Abington, you will start to the northeast for 19 and one-half miles on the Virginia Creeper, a national recreation trail that follows an old railroad grade. It will take you through Damascus, a village of nearly 1,100 that is a real trail town, complete with outfitters with bike rentals and shuttle services.

The white-blazed Appalachian National Scenic Trail from Georgia to Maine runs down the main street of Damascus. It will host a major trail festival on May 18-20.

Also running through Damascus are the 34-mile Virginia Creeper that gets 250,000 visitors a year, the 4,247-mile Trans-America National Bicycle Trail, the 43-mile Iron Mountain Trail and the Daniel Boone Heritage Trail.

It is also a stop on Virginia’s 250-mile Crooked River Musical Heritage Trail, a driving tour of the state’s old-time music.

The RRR route continues to the east from Damascus to the Straight Branch parking lot, although the Virginia Creeper Trail continues another 14 miles to Whitetop Station in nearby North Carolina.

From here, the route gets narrow, steep, rocky and rough. You are on the Beech Grove Trail for a short time, connecting with the Iron Mountain Trail. You will be on the Iron Mountain trails for 10.1 miles before you pick up the Virginia Highland Horse Trail that is blazed with orange diamonds.

You follow that trail for 51.5 miles. (It runs 67.2 miles in all.) You then jump to Mike’s Gap Trail before connecting to the New River Trail.

Follow the rail-trail, a Virginia state park, for 34 miles to Pulaski. The trail runs next to the pretty New River that flows north into West Virginia, where it is known for its white-water rafting.

In many places, the route is a narrow trail with private, often-posted property on both sides. RRR users are asked to stay off the private property.

It is a route that has limited road access and is far from potable water, telephone or cellular service and rescue services.

There are a lot more hiking options in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, which was established in 1966 and is easily accessible off Interstate 81.

The heavily forested Comers Creek Falls Trail leads to a pretty waterfall on the head waters of Comer Creek.

It is a short, easy, round-trip hike of 1 mile. The trailhead is accessible off state Route 16 south of Sugar Grove and the park headquarters.

Comers Creek runs into the South Fork of the Holston River.

The trail also connects to the Iron Mountain Trail and the Appalachian Trail.

Dickey Knob Trail is a 4.8-mile round-trip hike. It begins near the Raccoon Branch Campground and is a narrow path that offers cliff-side views of Rye Valley, Sugar Grove and beyond.

The trail is not marked but is easy to follow. It’s a steady climb and a moderate hike. Mountain bikes are allowed on the trail.

One loop possibility is the Rushing Waters Circuit Trail, a 15.3-mile loop on the Appalachian, Virginia Creeper, Beartree Gap, Iron Mountain and Feathercamp trails.

You can begin the loop at the Creek Junction Trailhead about 10 miles east of Damascus on the Virginia Creeper Trail.

The loop runs along often-gushing Whitetop Laurel Creek and offers striking views of Whitetop Mountain and Mount Rogers, the highest peak in Virginia at 5,729 feet.

The second half of the route runs along the crest of Iron Mountain with some panoramic views.

A warning: Only foot traffic is allowed on the Appalachian Trail. No bikes and no horses.

For more information, contact the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, 3714 Highway 16, Marion, VA 24354; 276-783-5196 or 800-628-7202. The Internet site is www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/mr/.

You can also contact the Friends of Mount Rogers, a nonprofit friends-of-the-park group, through the park headquarters.

Visitors can camp in the recreation area, and lodging is available in towns around the park.

The park offers lodging in two rental cabins: Sunrise Cabin and Blue Springs Gap Cabin. Call the headquarters for rental information.

More information is also available by contacting the Blue Ridge Travel Association of Virginia at 800-446-9670 or http://www.virginiablueridge.org/.

Also, the New River Highlands Resource Conservation and Development Council, 100 USDA Drive, Wytheville, VA 24352; 276-228-2879.

The trail will, when completed, stretch twenty-two miles along some of the most scenic surroundings in the eastern United States according to Frank Kilgore, volunteer legal counsel for Mountain Heritage. “Less than two years ago we proposed that the state of Virginia purchase a 5000 acre tract on Clinch Mountain from The Nature Conservancy and at least one third of those funds have been designated with the balance being pursued by local legislators, especially Senators William Wampler, Jr. and Phillip Puckett and Delegates Terry Kilgore and Joe Johnson. Congressman Rick Boucher has also advocated this project.”

Kilgore noted that with the easement from Brumley Cove Baptist Camp in hand and assuming the transaction with The Nature Conservancy goes through, it will then be a matter of raising the funds and volunteers to install the trail from Hidden Valley along the mountain’s crest to Hayter’s Gap on Route 80 for the first segment of the trail. “From there we hope to obtain additional easements across private land to complete the route to Laurel Bed Lake, and early indications are good that we can do that.”

Reverend Steve Collins, chairman of the Brumley Cove Baptist Camp, stated that his members and board looked forward to having a regulated and maintained trail that will benefit the camp, the community and the public along one of the biggest stretches of uninterrupted ridge top in Virginia. “We are glad to be a part of this. The easement we gave Mountain Heritage specifically allows it to be transferred to the Commonwealth of Virginia when the time is right to do so. Our land, we believe, will be better protected from illegal hunting and trespassing if we have the trail there and users help us monitor and protect it. We may establish additional campsites on our property for hikers and bikers that will allow them a handy rest stop. At the same time this would also enhance our outreach efforts of the camp that our churches have encouraged over the past three decades.”

Kilgore was quick to thank Reverend Collins and the other members of his board, including Fred Meade of Castlewood, who brought the parties together. Kilgore also noted that his late friend, Charles Kennedy, who is credited with leading the movement to save the 5000 acre tract of land now being purchased by the state and the unique rock formation known as ‘The Channels’ would have been very happy to see the trail take this important step. “Charlie visualized a trail from Hidden Valley Lake to intersect with the Appalachian Trail at Burke’s Garden someday. Who knows, it could happen if enough landowners and the state of Virginia pulled together. It would be the most scenic ridge top trail one could imagine if it did occur. That would be a good way for us to honor Charlie, join in the goals of Brumley Cove Baptist Camp and provide a great source of exercise and relaxation for our citizens, especially our young people. This would be the dream trail of all time in far Southwest Virginia.”