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	Photo by Graham Cullen Ranger Erin Thomas, seen in shadow, digs a trench in which to place a log, making a water bar during Sunday’s trail work day. Pictured at top is Dave Jordahl, president of the West Chapter of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club.

Jordahl, president of the West Chapter of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, often has what he calls a "dedicated and talented network of volunteers," as he did during June's National Trail Day event, when more than 10 volunteers showed up.

Other times, he is the only one there, working on his own to do maintenance work.

On average, Jordahl has about two or three volunteers assisting him.

The volunteers usually clear "blow-downs," or fallen trees, from the trail, and construct erosion control structures, or check log dams placed to slow the flow of water onto the main trail.

Events are posted in the local paper and on the PATC website, indicating a specific meeting place and time, but Jordahl said he never knows how many people may show.

"I have been working on the trails as a PATC volunteer for Cunningham Falls State Park since March 2002, and at Gambrill since June 2005," he said. Jordahl leads about four to five organized trail trips in the spring and fall, and occasionally visits on his own to complete leftover jobs.

"Trails don't maintain themselves," Jordahl said. Along with the physical work of creating the check dam "steps," he said a lot of trail maintenance is just inspecting the area, looking for changes to previous work or finding new projects.

Jordahl will usually end his trail work by mid-November, though he will help out in emergency situations during the winter months, such as damage caused by ice storms or other natural disasters. To avoid the hot summer days and too many trail users, he takes a break from the work around mid-June.

The Middletown resident said it is most gratifying to hear passersby thanking him and his volunteers for their hard work maintaining the trail.