History and future as seen by an outsider: Part 3
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In My Humble Opinion
Jodi McDade
Last week I ended with the first of a series of planning meetings that were held by the Flagg Mountain Strategic Planning Committee that started the ball rolling for what would become not only a county-wide, state-wide, but NATION-wide project that is still continuing and growing to today.
I know I get “wordy,” but this has been such an important part of my life for so long I just feel the need to share details. So many of you were part of this journey, and I want to share our successes with those who were not aware of the hard work and time that has been put into Flagg Mountain and the Pinhoti National Hiking Trail.
Nothing can work without a PLAN! But many different groups who understood the importance of having a short- and long-term plan spent many hours, days and weeks, etc. putting them together. Plans for small things and large things were decided, and the most important one was where the money was going to come from.
Alabama Hiking Trail Society was running the mountain from donations from the people who came to the mountain, and they were able to meet the basic needs. Alabama Forestry Commission was providing the local Ranger, Ricky Porch, and equipment to open the mountain up for visitors. Other organizations who helped so much were the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Hugh Kaul Foundation, the Recreational Trails Program, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Alabama Historical Commission, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Coosa County Commission.
Another main source of assistance was Mike Leonard with the Conservation Fund and the Alabama Pinhoti Trail Association. One of the reasons he was so interested in Flagg Mountain was he was also one of the people who was establishing, extending and funding the Pinhoti Trail. The Conservation Fund had been buying land adjacent to Flagg Mountain and the Weogufka State Forest to extend the Pinhoti from the Talledega National Forest.
As an attorney, Mike knew how to negotiate! He worked with the Forever Wild Program, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Development Affairs, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and other private donors to purchase more land. Other projects were also funded by him and the Conservation Fund.
During much of 2017-19 while AHTS was concentrating on the area of the cabins and bringing people to the mountain, these other groups were making long-term plans for a renovation of the Fire Tower, repairing the roads, bringing potable water to the property, and hiring the experts that could make them happen.
Both the Alabama Trails Commission and Alabama Trails Foundation, with the leadership of Paul DeMarco and Cindy Ragland, joined into the work at Flagg and put improvements for the Pinhoti on the fast(er) tracks! Somewhere along the line, State Forester Bruce Springer retired from the AFC and was replaced by another wonderful man, Rick Oates. He stepped right in and went to work improving the Weogufka State Forest and Flagg Mountain.
AHTS also went through a change in leadership when Callie Thornton stepped down as president, but new leadership came in with Nathan and Kimm Wright who were active in the hiking community. They helped develop more activities at Flagg Mountain with trail runs and promotions along the Pinhoti and Florida trails.
More and more people from all over continued to find out about Flagg Mountain and come rent cabins, hold family reunions, have weddings, and just enjoyed the magic of the area. First Fridays on Flagg continued to bring in more and more people to enjoy the fellowship, food and entertainment.
AFC also began to call on the State Legislature for funding and recognition. All of this time we had an ally in Montgomery – then Rep. Mark Tuggle, who also had a background in forestry himself! And it turned out that Rep. Tuggle and his daughter, DeForest, were also experienced hikers!
They both fell into the Flagg Mountain family, bringing in more organizations and promotions with them. Both of them have hiked the entire Appalachian Trail at least once (I can’t keep up with all these hikers!). At one point, DeForest filled in as caretaker on Flagg Mountain. And she has worked in several organizations and companies that support the hiking communities.
Back to her dad, Mark, who stepped down from being a legislator himself in 2018 to become the chief of staff for the last two speakers of the House. With his contacts within the Legislature, Mark was able to draw attention and support for the efforts of AFC at Flagg Mountain. He was instrumental in gaining financial sources and bringing Gov. Kay Ivey into the fold!
During Sunny Eberhart’s stay at Flagg Mountain, he was called on by many media sources to give interviews and tours of the cabins, tower and trails. His contacts and celebrity within the hiking communities around the world drew in more hikers and visitors. I truly feel that without him this story would be very different.
I’m closing in on the last few years of this journey. I’ll stop here for this week and again pick up where I have left off next week.
Again, please understand all of this information is coming from my files and memories. I know I have left people out, but I would be writing a book if I included everyone. And every single person who has stepped on Flagg Mountain or the Pinhoti Trail are part of this amazing history!