If you’ve followed Land O’ Sky Trout Unlimited for the last couple of years, you know that we’re not afraid of a big project—or a few setbacks along the way. Our mission has always been clear: protect and restore native brook trout waters in Western North Carolina. And while that sounds noble (and it is), it often involves muddy boots, buried rebar, lost equipment, and, sometimes, hurricanes.
This is the story of how we launched one of our most ambitious conservation programs, got knocked back by Hurricane Helene, and are now gearing up to dive back in—literally.
Phase I: The Big Launch (2023–2024)
Back in the fall of 2023, our chapter committed to installing 10 HOBO temperature loggers in some of our region’s most important trout streams. Why? Because tracking water temperature is one of the best ways to understand and protect brook trout habitat. If streams get too warm, trout populations can collapse. Data gives us the power to spot problems early and advocate for solutions.
By May 2024, after months of teamwork, scouting, hammering rebar into creek beds, and a few wrong turns down forest roads, we hit our goal: 10 temperature monitoring sites up and running across Curtis Creek, Newberry Creek, the South Toe, and more.
By June 2024, every single one was recording as planned. Phase I: complete!
Phase II: Expanding the Vision
With success under our belts, we didn’t stop there. That summer, our Board approved Phase II—an additional 10 sites, strategically expanding into Buncombe, Yancey, Mitchell, and Madison counties.
Teams were organized, leaders stepped up, and safety rules were set: no one goes out alone, and everyone brings back not just the data, but stories from the field. We were excited, energized, and ready for long-term monitoring.
Then… Helene came to town.
Hurricane Helene: A Force of Nature
On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene unleashed historic rainfall and flooding across western North Carolina. Roads washed out, power lines came down, and access to much of the Pisgah National Forest was cut off. Many USFS bridges and roads were totally destroyed.
By fall 2024, we should have been back out in the streams, taking second readings from Phase I and setting up new sites for Phase II. Instead, Helene rolled through with torrential rains, landslides, and flooding that likely swept away most—if not all—of our stream monitors.
Access to USFS lands was shut down. What started as a pause turned into months of waiting.
But here’s the silver lining: conservation work is about persistence. And just like trout themselves, we’ve learned to survive and adapt to changing conditions.
Back on Track: Spring–Summer 2025
This spring, our volunteers got back out there. Parker and Kip searched Curtis Creek, Big Camp Rock Branch, and Newberry Creek. The verdict? Rebar was found, but several loggers were buried under debris—or gone entirely. As Parker put it, “We should be prepared to replace all three.”
Then came a surprise win: in June, the N. Fork Ivy Creek logger—the very first one we installed—was recovered in great condition! It had endured Helene’s chaos, kept right on recording, and delivered valuable data. True, the stream bed had shifted so much that the logger was left high and dry, but the fact it survived at all was cause for celebration.
Our Coldwater Research partners at NC Wildlife helped pull and download the data. Their words said it best: “Everyone should be proud of this install as it made it through an unbelievable amount of force!”
Looking Ahead: October and November 2025
Now, the focus is clear: get back into the field, replace what was lost, and relaunch the program. With monitors and equipment already in hand, our teams are gearing up for installs this October and November. We’ll be hiking in where roads are still impassable, working in pairs for safety, and bringing back the tools we need to keep this project alive.
Our Chapter Board is all-in, our volunteers are committed, and our mission remains steady: collect the data that will help safeguard native brook trout for generations to come.
Why It Matters
Every logger in the water is more than a piece of gear. It’s a small guardian of coldwater streams, a silent witness to changing conditions, and a tool that helps us advocate for these fragile ecosystems.
Yes, we’ve faced setbacks. But that’s part of conservation. It’s muddy, messy, unpredictable—and absolutely worth it.
So here’s to trout that refuse to quit, volunteers who keep showing up, and loggers that can survive a hurricane. We’ll see you in the creeks this fall.
If you would like to join this Chapter Conservation Program, please contact Jay at johnjhawthorne@gmail.com.