Introduction
One attractive aspect of my years maintaining the Pinhoti is that the work is done by various clubs and individuals who all seem to be interesting characters. John makes continuous references to clubs, to individuals, and to their Pinhoti sections in everyday conversations and emails. Here are a few thoughts on the major groups:
Dan
The northern part of the Alabama Pinhoti out of the Talladega National Forest from Old Jackson Chapel Rd in Georgia to US 278 east of Piedmont is maintained by the ATA or Alabama Trails Association.
Members: Gene, Phillip, John, (Hugh, Carrol, Joe, less active in 2018)
12.8 miles total
This club is still active in 2018. The current president I believe is Phillip A. They built three shelters: Spring Creek, Hawkins Hollow, and Davis Mountain, and all of the trail, and the various Hurricane Creek Bridges. Mike Leonard negotiated land purchases and rights from Cave Springs, Georgia beyond this club's section to Rabbittown Road 55??? Davis Mountain and Flagpole Mountain are the outstanding sites.
Appalachian Trail Club of Alabama ATCA
In January 2013, Kenny closed the ATCA. That club had adopted the sections from US 278 south to US 78, 64.4 miles. Kenny, Tom, Van, Howard, John and Hugh were key members. This was a hard working group, who repaired roofs and installed steps and cooking shelves at shelters, as well as doing an excellent job of trail maintenance. In 2018, they still work as a group, though the club has long since closed down. (The Wilderness Rangers now have responsibility for the Dugger and Cheaha Wildernesses.) (The former Bell Telephone Pioneers Section became part of the ATCA Section of the Pinhoti.)
The Birmingham Metro group of the AHTS, Alabama Hiking Trail Society, Brandon, had proposed to take over the ATCA section. As a group they have worked on the Choccolocco Dam area and the Cheaha Wilderness area just a few times in the past 5 years (2018).
Telephone Pioneers
Bell Telephone Pioneers had from US 78 to US 431 perhaps up until the early 1990's??? website Tom and the ATCA did most of the work.
Anniston Outdoors Association
The Anniston Outdoor Association (AOA) still (2018) has the section from US 431 south to Abel Gap Road or County Road 24. They have an annual autumn work day and still perform some light maintenance on their section in 2018.
President – Keith
Alabama Hiking Trail Society
AHTS maintains from County Road 24 to the north end of the Cheaha Wilderness,
plus 8.9 miles from Clairmont Gap (Guntertown Rd.) to US Hwy 77 Porter Gap,
plus Horn Mountain (16 miles),
plus 11.8 miles from Bull Gap (Hwy 148) to FS 603-c Trammell Trailhead, (Rebecca Mountain),
plus the road walk from FS603-c (Sylacauga area) to US231 (CR56 Junction),
plus 7 miles of new trail over Terrapin Hill,
plus a few miles of road walk through Weogufka,
plus 5 miles of new trail over Flagg Mountain to the picnic shelter and official southern terminus of the Alabama Pinhoti National Recreation Trail.
The section maintained by the AHTS is interrupted by the Cheaha Wilderness / Wilderness Ranger Program Section, Vulcan Trail Association Section, and historically, the Horn Mountain Trail Club Section.
In 2018, the president is Dr Rev Jeff H.
Rick and Nimblewill were charter members. The club purpose is to develop Alabama's portion of an interconnected interstate hiking trail network.
The AHTS, the Friends of Flagg Mountain, local volunteers, and Nimblewill Nomad, and Joe J are restoring and protecting Flagg mountain and its historic CCC structures.
The VTA or Vulcan Trail Association had adopted the section south of Cheaha Wilderness from Adam's Gap south to Clairmont Gap. Most of that work in the past 5 years (2018) has been done by Marion & Emily C, Dan B & John.
Horn Mountain Trail Club
HMTC closed September 2012 by President Hugh H (“Solo”). Most of the maintenance had been done by Hayward W, Blister Bob B, Mark & Barbara M, Phillip A, and John in the last years. AHTS took over the section. They rebuilt the Horn Mountain picnic shelter.
The Wilderness Ranger Program claims responsibility for both Cheaha and Dugger Wilderness (and Sipsey, off the Pinhoti) sections. (????? website) The rangers focus on obscuring false side trail spurs, obscuring undesirable campsites and fire rings, and doing light trail maintenance. A November 2018 walkthrough from Adams Gap to Cheaha State Park found many blowdowns accumulated over the past few years, including several forcing hikers off trail.
Individuals and clubs can adopt the responsibility to maintain sections of the Pinhoti Trail.