Hoodlums Winter Crosscut Work
By Tom Moran
The SNP North District Hoodlums conduct monthly trail maintenance trips from March through November, but winter weather doesn’t lend itself to large group activities. Still, periods of warmer weather (think 40’s or higher) happen and there is a crew ready to seize these opportunities and get out in the park. A small group of Hoodlums – Justin Corddry, Dan Hippe and Tom Moran – couldn’t bear the idleness of winter and late in 2023 started heading out on good days to target more remote and problematic trail sections. This effort attracted like-minded individuals and now an active group of over 15 can be tapped on short notice, for often challenging outings. Dubbed the “Eager Beavers” by Wayne Limberg, the expanding crew is forging its own identity as a winter group of Hoodlums that keep the saws moving.
Fitness is a must. Winter work is all about clearing blowdowns from trails, often far from Skyline Drive. Because many of these more remote, rugged trails are in Wilderness areas of the park, powered tools are not used – the crews almost exclusively utilize crosscut saws as the big weapons of choice, complemented by the usual trail maintainers kit of loppers and smaller hand saws. Six-to-eight-mile hikes with steep elevation gains are the norm, not the exception. Unlike on regular Hoodlums outings, the Eager Beavers don’t engage in step-building, rolling grade dip construction, side-hilling or other trail repair – this is 100% about clearing trails for hikers.
A number of these trails feature multiple stream crossings – Jeremys Run, Piney Branch, Thornton River, even Little Devils Stairs can’t be accessed without stream crossings that often are too deep for hiking boots to ford. The crews employ knee boots and hiking poles for crossing, and are careful to avoid stepping on ice-covered boulders. A slip in the wrong place can wreck an outing.
Initially the Eager Beavers primarily used a 42” club saw as their primary tool. Dickey Ridge maintainer Joe Phillips joined the group and brought his own crosscut saw. Dave Nebhut has his own. Bruno Carlot tried the club saw, loved working with it and bought his own. Justin Corddry couldn’t be left out, he just received a new (old) one and is eager to give it a go. The growing popularity of the crosscut within the Eager Beavers is no fluke. They can be used anywhere in the park, while chainsaws can’t be used in any of the Wilderness areas. They require less safety kit (e.g. helmets, chaps, ear protection etc) and don’t require certification so any and all crew members participate fully in the cutting process. They are lighter, quieter, keep everyone engaged and are effective.
While Shenandoah doesn’t require crosscut certification for use in the park, safety is still critically important, and the crew doesn’t rush into cutting before conducting a full assessment of the area, potential safety hazards, and expected impact of gravity and bind on a given cut. While SNP doesn’t require certification, other public lands do, such as National Forest administered properties through which the AT passes in southwest Virginia and North Carolina. Hurricane Helene did significant damage to hiking trails in those areas and, while volunteers are needed to help re-open the trails, the lack of crosscut certification is an impediment. Five of the Eager Beavers – Justin Corddry, Joe Phillips, Bruno Carlot, Dan Hippe and Tom Moran have enrolled in crosscut certification classes administered by the Appalachian Trail Conference, with the goal not just to improve their skill levels but also to open up the opportunity to volunteer outside of SNP.
With improved weather late in February the pace of outings has increased sharply, as the Eager Beavers focus on remaining multiple-blowdown hot spots before the spring hiking season picks up and regular Hoodlums outings begin. With the expanded team and increased deployment of crosscut saw capability, the group is making strides in keeping its trails in good hiking condition.
