Trail Work Weekend
with Carolina Mountain Club

April 11-13, 2025

Carolina Mountain Club (CMC) is a trail maintenance organization in Western NC, responsible for maintaining over 90 miles of the Appalachian Trail. In the wake of Hurricane Helene in September 2024, the volunteer trail work they coordinate is even more critical. We'll join CMC's Remote Overnight Crew for two days of trail work near Kale Gap on the Appalachian Trail. We'll hike in to the work site Saturday morning, do a full day of trail work, camp out, and work a half day Sunday before heading back to Hot Springs. Arrive Friday for a guided day hike on the Appalachian Trail and dinner as a group in town.

Weather in the mountains can be unpredictable. Hikers should be prepared for cold temperatures overnight, especially at higher elevations. Temperatures on trail can be 15-20 degrees cooler than in Hot Springs, NC.

Cost:

$380 per person
Discounted price of $330 per person if you plan to bring your own backpacking gear (backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, tent, trekking poles).

This trip will run if there are a minimum of 3 participants signed up. If the minimum has not yet been met, we'll contact participants two weeks before the trip to discuss options. The maximum group size is 9 participants.

In addition to your guide, this price includes backpacking gear, food while you're on trail, transportation between the meet-up location and the trailhead, and any necessary backcountry permits and fees. Price also includes access to a pre-trip Zoom call, where you can ask questions about your upcoming trip. CMC will provide all necessary tools for trail work, but hikers should bring their own work gloves. Long sleeve shirts and pants are recommended. Price does not include personal items.

We encourage all participants to make a donation to Carolina Mountain Club to support their continued work on the Appalachian Trail.

Sign-Up Details:

In order to sign up for this trip, please go to our Trip Calendar and select the trip start date (April 18, 2025). You will find the trip listed there. 

A few weeks before the start of the trip, we will be in contact via email with an information packet for you to fill out. This includes a waiver, health form, and gear request form. At that time we will also send a detailed packing list and any trip-specific information.

Itinerary:

This trip meets at 11:30am on Friday April 18 in Hot Springs, NC.

You will meet your guide at our basecamp and bunkhouse, the Appalachian Trail-er (200 Lance Ave, Hot Springs, NC 28743). Your guide will discuss safety, weather, and logistics for the trip, then you'll enjoy a guided Half Day Hike near Hot Springs for the afternoon. After your hike, enjoy dinner in town as a group. After dinner, your guide will hand out your gear and help you pack your backpacks.

Saturday morning, you'll meet up with the CMC crew and hike in to the work site! You'll participate in a full day of trail work, then camp out as a group Saturday night. Sunday's trail work is about a half day, then you'll return to Hot Springs.

Trip finishes mid-afternoon the last day. Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather, trail conditions, and participants needs and abilities. Please inform our admin team or your guide ahead of time if you have a time constraint the last day of your trip.

Trip Difficulty Rating:

As this trip is quite a bit different from our normal offerings, our normal Trip Difficulty ratings don't apply. Participants should be able to complete a full day of manual labor (similar to a full day of yard work) and should have some experience with camping. Participants don't need to have any previous trail maintenance experience; all necessary skills will be taught on the trip.

Guide:

Your guide for this trip has not yet been determined. All of our guides have extensive backcountry experience and are passionate about sharing their knowledge with other people. All of our guides have Wilderness First Aid (or higher) and CPR certifications. 

What we Provide:

Food: BRHC provides all on-trail food. You will have the ability to choose your own food from our wide selection, and you will carry your own food during the trip. We do our best to cater to requests, though it is important to keep to lightweight foods appropriate for backpacking. If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions, please inform our team in your pre-trip paperwork. For this trip, a meal in town is included on Friday evening.

Individual Use Gear: BRHC provides high quality, ultralight, cottage industry backpacking gear to make your experience as comfortable as possible.  We offer the following five pieces of gear at no additional cost:
Backpacks - We use a lightweight 60L pack. We will ask for your height and weight in order to fit the pack appropriately to you.
Tents - We provide a one-person tent, or and two-person tent if you are sharing with a partner or friend.
Sleeping Bags - We use a 20 degree synthetic sleeping bag with sleeping bag liners.
Sleeping Pads - We provide hikers with a closed-cell foam pad, for its excellent combination of weight and durability. Inflatable sleeping pads are available for an additional rental fee.
Trekking Poles - These will provide you with some added stability while hiking, and may be used to set up your tent.

Community Gear: BRHC provides all community gear for the trip, including water filters, camping stoves and fuel, bowls, utensils and cups; trowels, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer; first aid kit; and navigational aids.

What to Bring:

We will send all participants a detailed packing list a few weeks before the trip. You are expected to bring your own clothing/footwear, a headlamp, two 1L water bottles (Nalgene or disposable Smart Water bottles are good options), personal medications/toiletries, and approved optional items. Generally, comfortable trail shoes are better than heavy hiking boots. Please pack synthetic or wool athletic clothing rather than cotton. Cotton does not dry quickly and will not keep you warm when wet. For most trips you will need only one outfit to hike in, one outfit to sleep in, a raincoat, and a warm layer. A beanie and lightweight gloves are appropriate in most seasons as temperatures cool down in the mountains at night. You will not need a new set of clean clothes for each day, make-up, hair products, scented products or deodorant. Just bring a toothbrush and toothpaste and enjoy going all natural for the trip!

Cancellation Policy:

Trip cost includes a 15% non-refundable administrative fee. Hikes may be cancelled up to 1 month before the trip for a refund (minus the 15% admin fee). Within 1 month, a 50% refund will be offered. Within 1 week, no refunds will be offered. If Blue Ridge Hiking Company cancels the trip due to severe weather, we'll offer a refund less the 15% admin fee. We are unable to offer exceptions to this policy; we strongly recommend all hikers purchase travel insurance to cover their trip.

Hikers may reschedule their trip once (at least 1 month before their trip) free of charge. Additional changes to their reservation date may result in a rescheduling fee.

We hike rain or shine! While it is incredibly rewarding, backpacking is an endurance sport, and it can be challenging and/or uncomfortable at times. Maintaining a positive mindset, even when it is uncomfortable, is key to enjoying your time in the wilderness. With our focus on lightweight gear, our goal is for your pack to weigh around 25lbs (or no more than 25% of your body weight).

If your guide does an exceptional job, please show your appreciation with a tip. Our team of highly trained professional guides never expects but always appreciates a tip. Industry standard gratuity for a guided backpacking trip is 20-25% of trip price.

If you have any questions regarding this trip, you can reach our office by phone at 828-713-5451 or by email at trips@blueridgehikingco.com.