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Appalachian recreation management students begin work on a new trail section at Buckeye Knob. After the line of the trail has been flagged off, the top layer of grass, topsoil and organic material is removed with picks and mattocks. Photo by Matt Jones

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Leaders from the Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Team explain the day’s goals and objectives for trail building on Buckeye Knob to members of the Sustainable Trail System Management class at Appalachian State University. Photo by Matt Jones

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Students from Kristian Jackson’s Sustainable Trail System Management class listen to instructions for the afternoon. Photo by Matt Jones

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The loose, newly exposed soil is packed down with a tamping tool and by students repeatedly walking over the section of the trail. Photo by Matt Jones

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Appalachian senior lecturer Kristian Jackson carries a log down the in-progress trail toward a section of stairs being built with a number of large logs. Photo by Matt Jones

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A work in progress — this staircase is cut into the trail to aid hikers and rock climbers who might be carrying heavy loads and climbing gear to one of the many rock climbing sites in the area. Photo by Matt Jones

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A nearly finished section of trail that leads to a popular bouldering location on Buckeye Knob. Photo by Matt Jones

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The trail crew gathers for a photo and a breather. Photo by Matt Jones

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This hand-drawn map on a plank of wood helps climbers navigate the various boulders at Buckeye Knob. Photo by Matt Jones

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App State students ace final exam trailblazing Buckeye Knob

Edited by Elisabeth Wall
Posted July 22, 2019 at 12:05 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. — At the end of spring semester 2019, students in Appalachian State University’s Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education (RMPE) pitched in to help an Access Fund conservation crew establish the official climber’s trail to Buckeye Knob — one of Boone’s premier bouldering destinations.

For the final exam of their Sustainable Trail System Management class taught by Kristian Jackson, senior lecturer in the RMPE department, the students applied what they learned during the semester and built 700 linear feet of new trail in this location, just outside of Boone.

Carolina Climbers Coalition (CCC), one of the nation’s leading climbing stewardship organizations, acquired Buckeye Knob to sustain and preserve the property. Access Fund, a national advocacy organization that keeps U.S. climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment, helped CCC make the purchase.

Story and photos submitted by Matt Jones, an Appalachian senior from South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, majoring in recreation management.

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Kristian Jackson connects humans and the environment — by building trails and a legacy
Kristian Jackson connects humans and the environment — by building trails and a legacy
April 2, 2019

The senior lecturer in the Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education taps into his passion for mountain biking to teach students while enriching the community.

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About the Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education

The Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education in Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences is an innovative, diverse and forward-thinking academic unit consisting of two undergraduate programs. The recreation management program prepares students for careers as professionals in three concentrations: commercial recreation and tourism management, outdoor experiential education, and recreation and park management. The health and physical education program prepares students for careers as K-12 health and physical educators, school-based activity directors and coaches. Learn more at https://rmpe.appstate.edu.

About the Beaver College of Health Sciences

Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences (BCHS), opened in 2010, is transforming the health and quality of life for the communities it serves through interprofessional collaboration and innovation in teaching, scholarship, service and clinical outreach. The college enrolls more than 3,600 students and offers 10 undergraduate degree programs, nine graduate degree programs and four certificates across six departments: Nursing, Nutrition and Health Care Management, Public Health and Exercise Science, Recreation Management and Physical Education, Rehabilitation Sciences, and Social Work. The college’s academic programs are located in the Holmes Convocation Center on App State’s main campus and the Levine Hall of Health Sciences, a state-of-the-art, 203,000-square-foot facility that is the cornerstone of Boone’s Wellness District. In addition, the college supports the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness and has collaborative partnerships with the Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Program, UNC Health Appalachian and numerous other health agencies. Learn more at https://healthsciences.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian

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Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian
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