CMC Weekly News
12/17/03
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Mountains to Sea Trail Construction moves on!!
Piet Bodenhorst just brought me up to date on the new trail construction between Balsam Gap (Waynesville) and Heintooga Road. He reports that his crews have worked three times on :
Section #1 having completed .75 of a mile of trail through the woods with a .25 mile to go to complete Section 1 at the Entry Ramp to the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP).
Section #2 will be entirely on the BRP 1.3 miles to Old Orchard Overlook. Piet is working with Larry Hulquist, BRP Landscape Architect, who is completing a standard trail signage program to be used on the BRP and on the MST trails.
Section #3 will be on trail for about 100 yards then on Hood Road, a dirt road, for a total of 2 miles.
Section #4 will be trail built through the woods 1.5 miles to Cascades Overlook.
All of the above sections have been approved to build by the BRP and the NC Park System and will be completed by the end of 2004. There are a total of 14 sections to get to Heintooga Road, the Cherokee Reservation Border.
This is a great step forward in our new quest to finish the MST to Heintooga road. As you remember we just completed the relocation at Firescald Ridge on the AT and a few years ago the CMC completed the now legendary section over Potato Knob by Black Balsam. This officially focuses the CMC trail building resources to this area for the near future. Piet informs me he welcomes anyone who is interested in working on this project. He needs and welcomes all help he can get. This is your chance to help a little or a lot on a project that will likely be another legendary creation by the Carolina Mountain Club. Don Walton.
Longtime CMC Member (29 Years) Sherman Stambaugh's Wife Dies
Dorothy Stambaugh
Asheville - Dorothy McGrath Stambaugh, 83, passed away peacefully the morning of Monday, Dec. 15, 2003. She was originally from Charleston, S.C., where she graduated from Saint Francis Xavier Hospital as a Registered Nurse. She served in the Navy Nurse Corps as a Lieutenant during World War II and was respected in her position as Head Ward Nurse at her very young age. She cared for many of our soldiers returning from war and was a comfort to them and their families.
Mrs. Stambaugh lived in Asheville since 1955 with her husband of 57 years, Sherman Stambaugh, and their six daughters and son. Dorothy was beloved by her children and husband and will be remembered for her love and humor, her thoughtfulness and care for her family and others, her beautiful letters, her wonderful Southern Charleston cooking and her beautiful Irish songs.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Kathy. She is survived by her husband, Sherman Stambaugh; daughters, Joy Lee, Sandra Stambaugh, Jane Ross and Diane Stickney, all of Asheville, Sharmon Stambaugh of Anchorage, Alaska, and Tim Stambaugh of Chapel Hill; grandchildren, Sean Moser of New York and Jennifer Baron of Morrisville, whom she helped raise, four other grandchildren, Sarah, David, Emily and James; new great-grandson, Aidan; and her beloved sons-in-law. She will be missed greatly by them all. Memorials may be made to Asheville Botanical Gardens. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Published: 2003-12-16. Asheville Citizen Times
Southern Regional Management Committee
Dear Southern Club Presidents--This is just a quick reminder for your calendars and your club newsletters. The Southern Regional Management Committee will meet at Spruce Pine, NC, March 19-21, 2004. We'll be sending more detailed information in mid January after we've had a planning meeting, but I wanted to send you a reminder now. We're hoping for especially good attendance this year because we'd like to get some good feedback from the clubs and agency partners about ATC's strategic initiatives. This input will help to shape how ATC will be structured in the future, especially the regional offices. We're looking for suggestions on how ATC can best support club efforts and how you want to participate in ATC governance. Happy holidays!! Marianne Skeen Southern Region Vice Chair
Board Approves Reorganization Plan, Added Staff, New Emphases
The Appalachian Trail Conference Board of Managers has adopted a bold and
ambitious plan to restructure the organization to better protect and manage the
Appalachian Trail. The plan emphasizes strategies to raise ATC's profile with
the hikers and the general public, better connect it to the volunteers in the
affiliated clubs who handle most of the day-to-day, on-the-ground Trail work,
and increase stable sources of future income to support its mission.
The strategic plan was endorsed by a 25-2 vote during a meeting on November 22
outside Shepherdstown, W.Va. The vote marked the end of the planning phase of a
process that dates to 1991 but was accelerated a year ago when ATC and the
National Park Service's Appalachian Trail Park Office began a joint planning
project. The plan calls for a major change in the governing structure of the
organization, changes in the staffing structure, substantial expansion of the
organization's regional presence, raising the Conference's public profile, and
new emphasis on environmental-quality issues. Most of the changes described in
the plan will be implemented over the next two years. Further details can be
found here. December 2, 2003
Annual Hike the Hill
Dear Trails Advocate: American Hiking Society (AHS) invites you to participate in our annual Hike the Hill: Trails Advocacy Week, scheduled for February 29 - March 3, 2004. This is an opportunity for you to talk directly to the policy-makers here in Washington, DC about your trails and projects. AHS offers guidance and lobby training for both newcomers and experienced advocates. Our advocacy efforts for 2004 will focus on full funding for trails and recreation management within the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management and other trail-related legislation and policies such as federal transportation law reauthorization. Advocacy Week officially begins on Sunday, February 29, with discussion and training on trail policy issues and advocacy skills through Monday morning. Participants begin their lobby visits on Monday with the rest of the week almost entirely devoted to your congressional meetings. We will hold a debriefing session one evening to discuss your lobby visits and next steps for trail advocacy. We are also planning an event for Congress Members on Capitol Hill. American Hiking Society's Board of Directors invites all Advocacy Week participants to a reception and silent auction on Saturday evening, February 28 to welcome you. Advocacy Week 2004 will take place at the Wyndham City Center Hotel, located at 1143 New Hampshire Avenue, near the Foggy Bottom metro station. Room rates are $129 for single/double occupancy. Call 1-800-526-7495 by Feb 6, 2004 to reserve your room. Refer to American Hiking Society to receive the group rate. Register online at http://www.americanhiking.org/policy/advo_week.html or download and return the registration form to me at the address listed below. The final agenda and supporting materials will follow.
AHS Hiker’s Store
Just in time for the holidays, the online AHS Hiker’s Store (formerly the Hiker’s Emporium) is coming back! Starting next week, the Hiker’s Store will be reopened and better than ever. AHS members can now hike in pride, sporting trail-tested and fashionable “wears” all displaying the famous AHS boot logo. The store contains high-quality brand items such as Layer’s® Cool-Max shirts, Life is Good® pigment-dyed tees, organic cotton tote bags, and Nalgene® water bottles. All items are viewable by logging onto www.AmericanHiking.org/hikers_store , and ordering is simple, secure, and seamless. The site also includes a form for those who wish to mail or fax an order. The store is your one-stop shop for all AHS membership discount promotions, links to outdoor retailers, Trail Finder subscriptions, trail tools, and National Trails Day merchandise. Be on the lookout for member-only specials. Remember, AHS gear makes great holiday gifts too!
Give the Gift of AHS Membership
Did you know that it’s possible to give an AHS membership as a gift? The gift of membership in AHS is the one size fits all, perfect gift that keeps on giving for everyone on your holiday shopping list. You can purchase gift memberships online at www.AmericanHiking.org/join/ctg/giftmem.html or you can call Phillip Dodge, Membership Coordinator at (301) 565-6704 ext. 207.
Annual FMST Meeting
Anyone that is interested in going along with me to this meeting, you are very welcome to attend. Please contact me if interested. Don Walton
Dear FMST Task Forces: I hope that each of you are enjoying the Holiday season thus far. As you know we have time on our agenda for Task Force reports at our Annual meeting on January 31, 2004. We will have all of the AV needs if you want to come with a power point presentation. We also welcome displays of photos and maps of the MST work you have done over the years as well. We will also add "door prizes" this year at the meeting. They range from outdoor products to gift cards. If you would like to submit some items to the list let me know, we would be glad to accept them. Please take a moment to account for all of your volunteer hours spent on the MST this year, its time to close some grants and file reports with NC State Parks. You can mail your hours to Allen de Hart at 3585 US-401-South, Louisburg, NC 27549. Hope you have a good holiday. Jeff Brew
What you need for a day hike
Bringing the proper equipment will add greatly to your enjoyment, your safety, and the enjoyment and safety of the group. This stuff is essential if you are going out in the woods for more than a couple of hours. Make sure that you are comfortable with your equipment and you know where it all fits in. Do not carry anything in your hands; do not tie a jacket around your waist. Everything should fit in your daypack. Carry your wallet and keys in your daypack, at all times. In your daypack: Two quarts of water in plastic water bottles (not soda bottles) Lunch and snacks Rain jacket (no matter what the forecast) Long sleeve shirt (no matter what the forecast) Sunglasses Wool or fleece hat and gloves Insect repellent Sunscreen Tissues Personal first aid kit Small flashlight Plastic bag for trash If it is not the height of a warm summer, add: Warm fleece hiking sweater or jacket Rain pants How to dress: Shorts and a short-sleeve T-shirt as the bottom layer. Hiking boots that are well broken-in and that go over the ankles Good hiking socks (not sports socks). Sunhat with a wide brim Bandanna which you need to keep handy Dress in layers: Your first layer should be a short-sleeve t-shirt (synthetic, not cotton) even if it seems cool in the morning. You will warm up. Your second layer should be a long-sleeve shirt (also synthetic). If you need extra layers, you will have your warm hiking sweater and rain jacket. Shorts give you more mobility and keep you cooler; pants give you more protection from insects and brush. Questions, comments, additions to the list? Send to danny@hikertohiker.org