Laurel Fork Gorge Bridge Replacement - 1999 |
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Last Revised: March 08, 2007 |
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On January 7-8, 1998, torrential rains struck northeast Tennessee and western North Carolina. Carter County, Tennessee was hit especially hard, with widespread flooding and seven deaths caused by ten inches of rain during a 24 hour period. The lower two bridges on the A.T. in Laurel Fork Gorge were completely destroyed. The center span of the upper bridge (the Koonford Bridge) was also destroyed, but temporary repairs were quickly made by TEHCC on January 17, 1998 (please see our Koonford Bridge page for text and photos of that project). A temporary blue-blazed route for the A.T. to bypass the two destroyed bridges was completed in May 1998. Because Laurel Fork Gorge is in a wilderness area, the two replacement bridges had to be rustic in appearance, and constructed using non-mechanized means. Due to the length of the stringers (40 feet plus) and wilderness area requirements, TEHCC informed the Forest Service that we could not replace the stringers (the long poles that are the backbone of the bridge). The Forest Service chose to use a private contractor to replace the bridges, selected a bridge design by October 1998, and set June 1999 for completion of the replacement bridges. The new bridges were completed and opened for hikers on April 28, 1999, and the temporary blue-blazed route has been closed. Below is an article and photos that appeared in the Elizabethton (Tennessee) Star newspaper on March 22, 1999 showing a team of mules dragging the stringers to the bridge sites; permission to post the article here was obtained. The photos were taken and e-mailed to TEHCC by Eric McCarty. Additional information and photos will be posted to our web site as they become available. Photos (click on the small photo to see a larger photo): |
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The text of the Elizabethton Star article. (54KB) Photo courtesy of Elizabethton Star. |
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Dragging one of the stringers to the bridge site. (95KB) Photo courtesy of Elizabethton Star. |
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Another shot of the mules dragging a stringer to the bridge site. The bridges will cross Laurel Fork in the Pond Mountain Wilderness. (124KB) Photo courtesy of Elizabethton Star. |
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Look this mule in the face...is he happy about pulling a 4,500 pound stringer over a mile to the bridge site? (115KB) Photo courtesy of Elizabethton Star. |
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Dragging one of the stringers across Laurel Fork. (105KB) Photo courtesy of Elizabethton Star. |
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Another shot of dragging a stringer to the bridge site. (159KB) Photo courtesy of Elizabethton Star. |
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Below are photos taken by TEHCC member Steve Banks during construction of the bridges. The photos were taken on March 29, 1999. The first (downstream) bridge was under construction, and the bridge supports for the second (upstream) bridge were being reset. Photos (click on the small photo to see a larger photo): |
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Jerry Cunningham leads our group into Laurel Fork Gorge from Dennis Cove (192KB). Photo courtesy of Steve Banks. |
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Steps in Laurel Fork Gorge (182KB). Photo courtesy of Steve Banks. |
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Sign in Laurel Fork Gorge (190KB). Photo courtesy of Steve Banks. |
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Workers reset one of the bridge supports for the upper bridge (183KB). Photo courtesy of Steve Banks. |
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Workers reset one of the bridge supports for the upper bridge (159KB). Photo courtesy of Steve Banks. |
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A worker on the lower bridge under construction (188KB). Photo courtesy of Steve Banks. |
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A worker on the lower bridge under construction (159KB). Photo courtesy of Steve Banks. |
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Lumber for the new bridges at the edge of the Laurel Fork Wilderness Area (183KB). Photo courtesy of Steve Banks. |
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Below are photos taken by TEHCC member Frank Williams during construction of the bridges. The photos were all taken on the same day in early April. The first (downstream) bridge was almost finished, and construction on the second (upstream) bridge was just getting underway, with the stringers in place. Photos (click on the small photo to see a larger photo): |
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The lower (downstream) bridge, almost finished (60KB). Photo courtesy of Frank Williams (TEHCC). |
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The steps on the trail-south end of the lower bridge (62KB). Photo courtesy of Frank Williams (TEHCC). |
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The trail-south end of the lower bridge; rhododendrons are on both sides of the Trail (74KB). Photo courtesy of Frank Williams (TEHCC). |
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Bruce Cunningham on the almost-completed lower bridge (61KB). Photo courtesy of Frank Williams (TEHCC). |
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Another shot of Bruce Cunningham on the almost-completed lower bridge (65KB). Photo courtesy of Frank Williams (TEHCC). |
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View from the trail-north end of the lower bridge (55KB). Photo courtesy of Frank Williams (TEHCC). |
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Another view of the steps on the trail-south end of the lower bridge (62KB). Photo courtesy of Frank Williams (TEHCC). |
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Contractor crew working on the upper (upstream) bridge (70KB). Photo courtesy of Frank Williams (TEHCC). |
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The upper bridge from the trail-north side of Laurel Fork (68KB). Photo courtesy of Frank Williams (TEHCC). |
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Bruce Cunningham looks over the stringers for the upper bridge (67KB). Photo courtesy of Frank Williams (TEHCC). |
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A backpacker uses the unfinished upper bridge (62KB). Photo courtesy of Frank Williams (TEHCC). |
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Bruce Cunningham talking with a member of the construction crew after crossing the upper bridge. View is from the trail-south side of Laurel Fork (54KB). Photo courtesy of Frank Williams (TEHCC). |
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