Return to the "POINTER VIEW"November 16, 2001
Return to the "POINTER VIEW"
November 16, 2001
Story and photos by Cadet 1st Class Skip Boston
Company G1
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| Cadet 1st Class Barry Degrazio uses a winch and maneuvers a rock into place to use as a step. |
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,160-mile series of trails that spans the eastern United States from Georgia to Maine. On Sept. 28, members of the U.S. Military Academy’s cadet Company G-1 braved 40-degree temperatures to ensure the trail would remain accessible to all those who wanted to survey its beauty.
After some initial guidance from experienced volunteers, the fourteen-person cadet team split up into four groups and each group was accompanied by members of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. Their mission: place stone steps along the switchbacks of the trail that runs through the Bear Mountain State Park. The steps are used to minimize erosion along sections of the trail that are steep and otherwise dangerous.
Cadet 1st Class Dominic Trippodo said the whole experience was worthwhile.
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| Yearling Darcy Jones helps another volunteer prepare an area on the trail for one of the steps. |
"I decided to participate in this project to get the chance to learn something about our environment and have the ability to improve it," he explained. "Our efforts will be evident for at least 30 years; we made adjustments to the trail that reduce erosion and preserve beauty."
Cadets learned how to select stones, most of which weighed several hundred pounds, and use picks, shovels and steel bars to place them on the trail.
The fourteen USMA members worked more than five hours making adjustments to the trail. As back-breaking as the work was, Cadet 4th Class Russell Toll said it was a welcome break from the everyday stress and frenzy of the academy.
"I was glad to leave the academic stress of the garrison behind, get back to nature and do something that helps the community," he added.
