June 2005 "Tour de Cut" Hikers to View Old Growth and Roadless Forests: Vanishing Landscapes on Virginia's National Forests

Mark your calendars! On June 18, 2005, Virginia Forest Watch and the Virginia Chapter of Sierra Club will be holding a "Tour de Cut." Begun a few years ago, the "Tour de Cut" is a two-part walking and driving tour of some highly scenic national forest lands in Virginia's national forests and other cut-over national forests lands that have unfortunately been degraded by commercial logging . Virginia Forest Watch and Sierra Club are opposed to commercial logging on public lands. Past attendees have found this to be a fun and educational way to experience the beauty of our commonwealth's forests and to learn firsthand about some of the threats from commercial logging to these very lands.

During the drive to these areas we will pass by the giant MeadWestvaco factory, one of the largest pulp and paper manufacturers in Virginia. As we go north, we will also pass through beautiful country just south of Bath County and the beautiful Hot Springs area of Virginia.

Our first stop will be the site of the controversial Hoover Creek timber sale, an area that was cut in 2003 and 2004. This sale area contains old growth forests estimated at 200 to 300 years old and rich, diverse forest tracts filled with basswoods, white oaks, black gums, and cucumber magnolias. We will pass through the logged stands as well as uncut forests between the logged stands to give people a glimpse of what this magnificent area looked like before logging occurred.

Afterwards, we will break for lunch and head across the road to the Oliver Mountain roadless area, a 13,000 acre roadless area overlooking Lake Moomaw. The roadless area is located between Warm Springs Mountain in Virginia and Little Allegheny Mountain on the West Virginia border. We will hike on all or a portion of a scenic loop trail consisting of the Jackson Trail, the Oliver Mountain Trail, and closed connecting roads.

Difficulty:
The hike to the Hoover Creek old growth area will require some off-trail hiking through moderate terrain (with some fairly rugged sections as we approach the old growth section). The Oliver Mountain hike will be a trail hike through moderate terrain. Plenty of time has been allocated to each hike to allow hikers of varying ability to attend.

Meeting Time:
Saturday June 18, 2005, at 9AM

Meeting Location:
In front of the James River Ranger District office, 810 Madison Ave., Covington, Virginia

Directions:
The ranger's office is located just off of Interstate 64 approximately 40-45 miles west of Lexington, Virginia. Exit Interstate 64 at Exit 16, on the east side of Covington, Virginia. Take and immediate left onto U.S. 60. You will pass a boarded-up Burger King and a motel on your right (north side of U.S. 60). Immediately after the the motel, and immediately before reaching a Shell gas station, you will see a brown Forest Service sign to the Ranger District Office on your right. Turn right and go up a small hill to the ranger district office. We will park in the large parking lot in the front.

If are interested in joining us in this "Tour de Cut" or have questions, please contact Sherman Bamford at bamford@rev.net, (540) 343-6359 or Dave Muhly (Sierra Club) at (276) 688-2190.