Stewardship work in the Cheat Canyon area continues. On a scorching hot day this past summer the posts were placed for a new, improved gate at the Cheat Canyon and Lower Big Sandy Takeout in Jenkinsburg. Dave Hough from Mountain Streams joined Keith Pitzer from Friends of Cheat and Charlie Walbridge from American Whitewater to dig the holes and set the post. The new gate was installed by Preston Machine Company of Kingwood a few weeks later. It looks pretty bombproof!. The gate was painted a bright yellow color by Friends of Cheat board member and campground owner Ralph Teter so that late-night drivers won't drive into it accidently.

The gate purchase was financed by the sale of Cheat River Access stickers at the Cheat Festival this past spring. I you didn't buy a sticker, now's the time! These stickers are available for $20 by mail from Friends of Cheat, 119 South Price St. #206, Kingwood WV 26537. Phone orders can be made by calling 304-329-3621; credit cards are accepted.

Recently students from Greg Corio's Outdoor Adventure Program at West Virginia University conducted cleanups at both Jenkinsburg and Rockville. Groups of 15 students get a lot done in a short time! At Jenkinsburg they worked hard to remove trash from several badly abused campsites below the Blue Hole on the Big Sandy. At Rockville the cleanup focused on the Friends of Cheat land to the upstream left of the bridge and the remains of the old hermit cabin at the trailhead to Wonder Falls. Both areas are clear of trash and look good.

Charlie Walbridge
Board Member, Friends of Cheat
Route 1, Box A43B; Bruceton Mills, WV 26525
304-379-9002; ccwalbridge@cs.com