Les Love is the president of the Carolina Mountain Club, the oldest and largest hiking and trail maintenance organization in the Southeastern United States.

If you’ve ever set foot on the Appalachian Trail or Mountains-to-Sea Trail in Western North Carolina, odds are the Carolina Mountain Club helped clear the way. Now more than a century old, the member-run volunteer organization helped build both trail corridors through the region and continues to maintain over 400 miles of trails across Western North Carolina—while also leading more than 200 hikes per year.

In this episode, Les reflects on the aftermath of Hurricane Helene—from watching trees fall in his own yard to the club’s challenges in helping to reopen trails. He shares how the Carolina Mountain Club supports first-time volunteers, explains what a typical trail workday looks like, and explores the legacy of the club.

Carolina Mountain Club
carolinamountainclub.org
Join the club
Learn about volunteer opportunities

Theme Music
The song "Goa" was written by Lyndsay Pruett and performed by the Jon Stickley Trio.

Jeff Hunter is the Southern Appalachian Director with National Parks Conservation Association, which is dedicated to enhancing and protecting public lands for present and future generations.

Twenty-five years ago, a thru hike on the Appalachian Trail set Jeff—then working in telecommunications in New York—down a new career path focused on conservation. Today, he’s based in Burnsville, North Carolina, and his work focuses on Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

Later in this episode, Jeff shares details on an avian study and a collaborative project focused on improving wildlife’s ability to safely cross Interstate 40 in the Pigeon River Gorge.

But first, we focus on urgent issues: the impact of the Trump Administration’s mass firing of federal workers, including those in the National Park Service, and the status of recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

Important Links

National Parks Conservation Association

Congressman Chuck Edwards
Washington, D.C. office: (202) 225-6401

Senator Ted Budd
Washington, D.C. office: 202-224-3154

Senator Thom Tillis
Washington, D.C. office: (202) 224-6342

Anna Alsobrook and Hartwell Carson are the incoming and outgoing French Broad Riverkeepers for MountainTrue, an Asheville, North Carolina-based nonprofit advocating for clean waters, resilient forests, and healthy communities across Western North Carolina.

Hartwell has been the veteran French Broad Riverkeeper, working to protect and clean up the French Broad River through scientific research, education, advocacy, fundraising, public engagement and outdoor recreation. Now, as Clean Water Director, he’s expanding his focus to protect waterways across Western North Carolina. Anna, formerly MountainTrue’s Watershed Science and Policy Manager, is now stepping into the role of French Broad Riverkeeper.

In this episode, Anna and Hartwell share how Hurricane Helene affected the French Broad River and what recovery efforts look like months later. They discuss the ongoing challenges of restoring the river, the vital role of the French Broad Riverkeeper, and how water quality science informs their work. We also explore broader clean water initiatives, the biggest threats facing the river today, and how the community can get involved in protecting this important natural resource.

Mountain True
mountaintrue.org
French Broad Riverkeeper
MountainTrue on Instagram
French Broad Riverkeeper on Instagram

Theme Music
The song "Goa" was written by Lyndsay Pruett and performed by the Jon Stickley Trio.