Charles Evans, of Arbovale, has been hired into a new position as the trail maintenance coordinator for the Snowshoe Highlands Area Recreation Collaborative.
The Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau hired Evans into the position as part of an agreement with the USDA Forest Service and Monongahela National Forest that addresses deferred maintenance trail work on the Marlinton-White Sulphur and Greenbrier Ranger districts. The work in the agreement is funded by the Great American Outdoors Act and will contribute to the ongoing efforts to support the growing recreation economy in and around Monongahela National Forest.
“Trail maintenance is paramount to the user experience and trails are a key asset to Pocahontas County’s success in a recreation-based economy,” Evans said. “The trails here are special and spectacular, they are the veins of our forests, bringing life into our communities.”
The Snowshoe Highlands Ride Center, which is part of the Snowshoe Highlands Area Recreation Collaborative, is West Virginia’s only International Mountain Bicycling Association ride center, designated an IMBA silver-level bicycling destination in 2020.
An IMBA Gap Analysis was completed in January 2022 and has set the course of actions to achieve the goal of becoming one of only seven Gold-Level ride centers in the world. Along with the Monday Lick Contemporary Trail System funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission and set to start construction this summer, continued trail development at Snowshoe Mountain Resort, and a sign plan under development, this trail maintenance program will enhance the opportunity to become the East Coast’s first Gold-Level ride center.
Two trail maintenance crew leads will also be hired this summer. Apply by July 31 at https://pocahontascountywv.com/jobs-employment/
For more information contact Charles at sharccoordinator@gmail.com
This trail maintenance program is made possible through a cost-share agreement between Monongahela National Forest and the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau through the Great American Outdoors Act, with additional support from the Benedum Foundation, Snowshoe Mountain Resort and the Snowshoe Highlands Area Recreation Collaborative.
