CMC Bi-Weekly Hike News

09/14/2005

Fontana Weekend Details

Looking Ahead ...

Looking Back ... with hike reports

Looking Ahead

All Day  Saturday & Sunday

ALL DAY NO. No. A0503-474  Sept. 18 Porter Creek to Brushy Mtn. 7:30 AM* Hike 11.8, Drive 160, 2500 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA Danny Bernstein 828-236-0192 danny@hikertohiker.org  900M *Note earlier start time. The first mile of the hike is on the Porter Creek Trail, in the Greenbrier section of the Smokies where we will see a cemetery and a SMHC cabin, used until 1981. Then we veer west to start the climb on the Brushy Mountain Trail to Brushy Mountain. The trail, rocky in spots, goes through old growth hemlock forest. At the top, we can see Mt. LeConte and Gatlinburg below. Second meeting place: Pilot Truck Stop at exit 24 off I-40 at 8:00 AM. Topo: Mt. Le Conte; also Nat’l. Geographic GSMNP map

SATURDAY No. A0503-314 Sept. 24 MST: Double Top to Balsam Gap 8:00 AM* Hike 10, Drive 90, 500 ft. ascent, Rated A-C Marianne Newman, 828-454-1036, marianneln@msn.com  Have you ever wanted to hike that long MST ridge down to Balsam Gap? Here is your chance in the downhill direction, enjoying the views along the way. Car shuttle. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at rest stop beyond Waynesville on US 23/74 at 8:30 AM. Topo: Hazelwood

ALL DAY  No. A0503-074  Sept. 25 Tanawha Trail 8:00 AM Hike 13.3, Drive 150, 1300 ft. ascent, Rated AA-B Don Gardner, 828-754-4067, gardog3@charter.net  A fragile and ancient ecosystem, rhododendron and laurel tunnels, hardwood coves, boulder fields and great views make this a special trip. Optional supper stop at Little Siena. Second meeting place: parking lot adjacent to McDonald’s at exit 64 of I-40 at 8:20 AM. Topo: Grandfather Mtn.

Half Day Sunday

HALF DAY   No. A0503-064   Sept. 18 Fletcher Creek via Spencer Branch Trail 1:00 PM* Hike 6, Drive 6, Rated B-C Greg Goodman, 828-684-9703 P400 *Note early start time. From the Trace Ridge Trailhead, we will hike in a moderate loop along the Big Creek Trail, past the Hendersonville Reservoir, and along the Spencer Branch, Middle Fork and Fletcher Creek Trails. There will be a few stream crossings. *Meeting places: Meet at Westgate at 1:00 PM to form carpools, and meet leader at pull-out just before North Mills River Recreation Area at 1:30 PM.

HALF DAY   No. A0503-035   Sept. 25 Looking Glass Rock 1:00 PM* Hike 6.2, Drive 60, Rated B-B, Elevation gain 1,669 Jane and Lew Blodgett, 828-274-7863 P400 *Note early start time. A moderately difficult well-graded trail leads to the top of this mountain with beautiful views along the way. In-and-out hike. Second meeting place: Ranger Station on US 276 at 1:30 PM.

WEDNESDAY. No. W0503-II Sept. 21 The AT across Firescald Ridge. This hike will include 3 miles of trail that took five years to construct, along with some beautiful views. We will go out on the Firescald relo and return to our cars via the old AT. Note: The trail goes along an extremely rocky ridgeline, and the hike will take longer than the distance suggests. Leader: Dave Wetmore, 828-884-7296, dwetmore@citcom.net. Meet at Westgate, 8:30 am. 5.8 miles, 1460 feet elevation gain. Driving distance: 96 miles. If there is any possibility of lightning, we will do a different hike, one selected by the group.

WEDNESDAY.  No. W0503-040   Sept. 28 MST in Marion 8:30 AM Hike 4.8, Drive 60, 1500 ft. Ascent, Rated C-B Don Walton, 828-654-9904, donwalton@bellsouth.net  We will spot cars, then hike along the MST from Woodlawn Picnic area down to the North Fork of the Catawba River, where we will see the now completed footbridge, the longest on the MST. We will go out on the Forest Service Rd. to Creek Road. Second meeting place: parking lot adjacent to McDonald's at exit 64 of I-40 at 8:50 AM.

Looking Back......

All Day  Saturday & Sunday

ALL DAY No. A0503-250 Sept. 4 Douglas Falls – Locust Ridge Circuit (strenuous) 8:00 AM Hike 11, Drive 60, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated A-A Mike Ellis, 828-658-1830, michael.f.ellis@gmail.com  SB6K This popular diversified hike features beautiful Douglas (Carter Creek) Falls, a climb through a hemlock forest to the MST, and a scenic lunch stop at the BRP Greybeard overlook. Optional climb to Craggy Dome (6080 ft.) during lunch stop. After lunch, we’ll see great views from a high mountain meadow leaded with ripe blueberries, and then bushwhack down Locust Ridge. Topos: Montreat, Craggy Pinnacle

From Mike Ellis - leader

Arrive trailhead 9:00. Began hike 9:15. Ended hike: 5:00 PM. Weather: Excellent. Clear skies, 70's, low humidity. All trail sections in good shape and recently maintained. Blueberry fields perhaps 1 week past prime but still yielding berries. Best views in hike from atop a 15' boulder beside trail north of Bullhead Mtn. Bushwhack section of hike made much more difficult by leader error. Left Locust Ridge too early. Encountered rough terrain and acres of stinging nettles. All ended well thanks to fine weather and route-finding skills of hikers.

ALL DAY No. A0503-473 Sept. 4 Mt. Mitchell – Maple Camp Bald loop (strenuous) 8:30 AM Hike 8.5, Drive 70, 1600 ft. ascent, Rated B-A Ruth Hartzler, 828-251-0886, ruthmtn@aol.com SB6K Note later start time. We’ll do a strenuous loop with great views, starting at Mt. Mitchell, following the MST/Mt. Mitchell Trail and Buncombe Horse Range Trails, stopping at Maple Camp Bald, then taking the Big Tom Gap Trail 191-A up to the Crest Trail, and returning via Big Tom and Mt. Craig. Two steep ascents make this hike strenuous. Second meeting place: Craven Gap at 8:45 AM Topo: Mt. Mitchell; also PNF South Toe River, Mt. Mitchell & Big Ivy trail map.

From Ruth Hartzler - Leader

Scouting this hike was a small adventure. We had reports that Connector 191A from the Buncombe Horse Trail to Big Tom was impassable. The connector has been, at best, a very steep manway. So, we didn’t know if there were
blowdowns, washed-out tread, or just overgrown. Since Stuart was interested in including 191A as part of a longer loop hike, a group of four set out to scout the scheduled hike, and do whatever maintenance on 191A that we could to make it passable. It took us about an hour-and-a-half of clipping and sawing small branches to make the connector hikeable. Fortunately, there were no blowdowns. Since part of the connector was difficult to follow, the leader wanted to scout again. A second scouting trip also cleared part of the Buncombe Horse Trail, which was overgrown with blackberries. Thanks to Stuart, Joanne, Bruce and Tommie for clearing trails, scouting and camaraderie.

Hike day was another fabulously sunny, clear September day, perfect for high elevation hiking. After explaining to the hiking group assembled at Westgate that the hike was a lot steeper than the moderate rating in Let’s Go, a group
of tough hikers set off for the second meeting place. Unfortunately, one hiker waiting at the second meeting place was not prepared for a steep hike, and graciously agreed to skip the hike.

The hike started at the Mt. Mitchell parking lot, and immediately headed steeply down the MST. Early discussions revealed that almost half the group, including the leader, was originally from Philadelphia. So, we knew we had a good group! After a quick snack break at the intersection, we headed west on the Buncombe Horse Trail. Several large patches of Grass of Parnassus were still blooming. Butterflies fluttered among the Joe Pye Weed. The sun shined brilliantly. A few remaining blueberries were delicious. We enjoyed great views from Maple Camp Bald while we ate lunch. The Mt. Mitchell tower was clearly visible way above on the crest. So we couldn’t forget the steep climb remaining.

Most of the group didn’t even seem to notice how steep the trails were. A few quick stops to enjoy a patch of pink turtleheads and the grand views from the ridge, and to take photos, and we were back at the cars. Several of us had
done the hike three times, and it was worth it.

ALL DAY No. A0503-337 Sept. 11 Shining Rock from Black Balsam 8:30 AM Hike 11, Drive 65, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated A-A Lenny Bernstein, 828-236-0192, lsberns@worldnet.att.net  SB6K, P400 Note later starting time. This hike was cancelled twice in 2004--the third time’s the charm! We will take the Art Loeb Trail from FS 816 to Shining Rock (6040’), climbing Black Balsam (6214’), Tennent Mtn. (6040’) and Grassy Cove Top (6040’) along the way. This will be your chance to bag four SB6K peaks while enjoying beautiful views covering the area from Pilot Mtn. to Cold Mtn. We’ll return via the Ivestor Gap Trail to get a different perspective on the same area. Wilderness area hike limited to 10 people. Please contact hike leader to reserve your place. Second meeting place: BRP Cold Mtn. overlook at 9:10 AM. Topos: Shining Rock, Sam Knob; also Natl. Geographic map of Pisgah Ranger District.

From Lenny Bernstein, leader

Third Time’s A Charm

This was the third time I have tried to lead this hike. In March, 2004, it had to be canceled because the Parkway was closed by ice. In September, 2004 it was canceled because the Parkway was closed in the aftermath of Hurricane Francis. But on Sunday the Parkway was open and the weather was good, so 18 of us headed for Shining Rock.

Wait a second – you took 18 people on a hike in a wilderness area? Isn’t that against the rules? Yes, it is – but more about that later.

The hike started at the end of F.S. 816. We walked down the road to the MST crossing, then took the Art Loeb Trail to Black Balsam and Tennent Mountains. There were hazy views from both mountains, but no one seemed to mind. After Tennent we were in blueberry country. The blueberries were well past their peak, but again nobody seemed to mind. The pace of the hike slowed as CMCers munched their way along. When we got to Ivestor Gap, we split into two groups of nine before entering the wilderness area. Many thanks to Danny Bernstein who lead the group that took the Art Loeb Trail and climbed Grassy Cove Top on the way to Shining Rock. I took the other group and approached Shining Rock via the Ivestor Gap Trail. We climbed Grassy Cove on the way back, so all participants collected the four 6BK peaks they had been promised. The two group rejoined briefly at Ivestor Gap, then everyone ambled along at their own pace back to the parking lot.

All-day hikes submitted by Bruce Bente 692-0116, bbente@cytechusa.com . Driving distance is round-trip from Asheville. All Saturday and Sunday hikes assemble at Westgate Shopping Center near I-240 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

Half Day Sunday

HALF-DAY   No. A0503-172   Sept. 4 John Rock Loop 1:30 PM Hike 57, 1200 ft elevation, drive 40, Rated B-B Tom Sanders, 828-252-6327, tomary@charter.net  P400 This moderate in-and-out hike on the Butter Gap Trail starts at the Fish Hatchery. Second meeting place: Fish Hatchery at 2:00 PM.

From Tom Sanders, leader

Sixteen hikers took advantage of a perfect day to do the hike entitled Pickleshimer Fields.Actually the hike follows Cat Gap Loop Trail from the Fish Hatchery, then Butter Gap Trail out an hour and a half and return. This route has a great variety of environments, which we all enjoyed.

HALF DAY   No. A0503-466   Sept. 11 Buck Spring Lodge Site 1:30 PM Hike 4.4, drive 30, Rated C-C Don Walton, 828-654-9904, 828-713-9375 walt7258@bellsouth.net  We will visit the Buck Spring Lodge site to look at the site cleared by CMC last fall, including a two-mile hike to the source of water for the lodge. We will look at the spring house and the hydraulic ram water system, including the remains of the dam to provide the thrust for the ram.

From Don Walton, leader

Buck Springs Lodge (BSL). There were 11 hikers today consisting of 3 new to CMC hikers from Boston, MA and Spartenburg, SC. We also had our CMC oldest active hiker, Sherman Stambaugh with us today. Sherman is just back from picking up 5 more high point states up north with his daughter Sharma. What an inspiration to us all! We first hiked part of the old Biltmore House Shut In Trail out to the BRP tunnel and back. Then we toured the newly cleaned up Buck Springs Lodge site with two side tours to the root cellar and the Spring House. We then headed toward the high light of today's hike to the site of the self powered, hydraulic ram pump; the water supply for the BSL. This site is along a stream about a mile across and below the Blue Ridge Parkway. Thanks to Walt Weber for providing all of this knowledge about the BSL, our old time CMC member Sherman Stambaugh indicated; I have hiked all of these mountains and I never knew this existed! We then returned to the cars via the old road to the campgrounds and the trail along the BRP. A great day had by all in the WNC mountains!

Half Day hikes submitted by Paula Robbins 828-687-1651 paularww@bellsouth.net and Pat Elias 828-281-3253 patelias@bellsouth.net . Leaders: Mail please mail your sign-up sheets. Meet at Westgate unless otherwise noted.

All Day Wednesday

WEDNESDAY  No. W0503-326   Sept. 7 Tanyard Gap, Lover's Leap, Pump Gap Loop 8:30 AM Hike 7, Drive 72, Ascend 2000 ft., Rated B-A Jay Bretz, 828-658-1220, williambretz1220@msn.com  Start at Tanyard Gap to Lover's Leap. Great views of the French Broad and Hot Springs. Return via Silvermine and Pump Gap Trails, back to Tanyard Gap. Second meeting place: Rose's Department Store parking lot in Weaverville, across from McDonald's, exit 25/70 at 8:45.

Wednesday Hikes are submitted by Paula McNabb, 828- 274-0057 gcmcnabb@charter.net and Ann Gleason, 828-859-9387, cowbonetail@yahoo.com . The meeting place for each hike will be designated by the hike leader and will appear in the hike description. Driving mileage will be listed, round trip, from the first designated meeting place.