CMC Weekly Hike News

02/23/05

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Looking Ahead....

All Day Saturday & Sunday

SATURDAY No. A0501-420 Feb. 26 AT: Allen Gap to Tanyard Gap 8:30 AM Hike 8.8, Drive 80, 2100 ft. ascent, Rated B-AA Joanne Tulip 828-299-3495 tulipinnc@aol.com Note later start time. Great views from Rich Mtn. tower, a visit to Spring Mtn. shelter and one of the prettiest sections of the AT in our area highlight this pleasant winter hike. Car shuttle. Topo: Hot Springs

ALL DAY No. A0501-255 Feb. 27MST: NC 80 – Black Mtn. Campground 8:30 AM Hike 8, Drive 90, 700 ft. ascent, Rated B-C Tommie Boston 828-686-5029 (828-273-2638 30 min. or less before departure) tambee2@aol.com For variety, we’ll reverse the direction in which this hike was last done. Expect good winter views as we hike south on the MST from Buck Creek Gap at NC 80 to Black Mtn. Campground, crossing a couple of times over the section of the BRP that is now closed due to hurricane damage. Car shuttle. Only meeting place: the back parking lot at the Folk Art Center. Topos: Old Fort and Celo; also PNF South Toe River, Mt. Mitchell & Big Ivy trail map.

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. H0501-434 Feb. 27 Laurel Mountain Trail 12:45 PM* Hike 5.4, Drive 40, Rated C-C Greg Goodman 828-684-9703 This in-and-out hike will start from FR-1206 and go along some old logging roads with moderate ascents up Black Mountain to Rich Gap, where there will be nice views of the North Mills River Valley. *Meet at Westgate at 12:45 PM to form carpools, and meet the leader at the North Mills River Recreation Area at 1:30 PM.

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

ALL DAY No. W0501-399 Feb. 23 John Rock-Cedar Rock Loop 8:00 AM* Hike 10, Drive 80, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated A-A Brad Van Diver, 828-669-2740 bravandi@cs.com P400 A lovely winter hike. Beginning at the fish hatchery, we first skirt the eastern side of John Rock to Cat Gap, then follow the Art Loeb Trail through Sandy Gap, and then pass the stunning white cliffs of Cedar Rock. We'll continue to the shelter at Butter Gap for lunch, then return to our starting point via Grogan Creek and Picklesimer Fields. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Pisgah Fish Hatchery at 8:30 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; also Nat'l Geographic Pisgah Ranger District Map.

ALL DAY No. W0501-440 March 2 Mountains-to-Sea from French Broad Overlook 9:00 AM Hike 8, Drive 25-50, Rated C-B (subject to change) Elisabeth Feil, 828-684-8719 hofeil@brinet.com A nearby winter wandering with Elisabeth. We’ll decide what looks best, depending largely on how far the Parkway is open. This may be a car shuttle. Hike may be strenuous. Second meeting place: French Broad Over-look on Blue Ridge Parkway at 9:15 AM.

ALL DAY No. W0501-290 March 9 Shut-In – (MTS) and Bent Creek 8:30 AM* Hike 7-8, Drive 0, 1000 ft. ascent, Rated B-B Siro Del Favero, 828-277-2546 From the French Broad Overlook we will embark on a brisk hike through Bent Creek via Shut-In, Cascades, CMC extension, CMC, Wesley Branch, and Old Mill Trails back to the overlook. *Only meeting place: Ingles parking lot on NC 191, across from Biltmore Square.

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.

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Looking Back......

All Day Saturday & Sunday

ALL DAY No. A0501-049 Feb. 20 Walnut Bottom 8:00 AM Hike 11.6, Drive 110, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated A-B Marianne Newman 828-454-1036 marianneln@msn.com 900M For a change, this time we’ll do this hike in the winter, following a spectacular mountain stream through a beautiful forest to Walnut Bottom. Features to be seen on this hike are the Rock House, Mouse Creek Falls and Dead Man’s Curve. *Meeting places: Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet the leader at Pilot Truck Stop at exit 24 off I 40 at 8:30 AM. Topos: Waterville, Cove Creek Gap and Luftee Knob; also Nat’l. Geo. Map of GSMNP

Post Hike Report: A small group of optimists had a lovely day hiking along Big Creek to Walnut Bottom. The few spatters of rain we encountered didn't interfere with our enjoyment of the woods and streams. A brief but steep bushwhack in search of Rock House led us to a fine rock shelter, but not one that matched the official description. Two lovely surprises were the newly resurfaced trail (no more rocks, at least until the horses chew things up again) and the otter we watched running along the creek bank at lunchtime. Marianne Newman

Half Day Sunday

HALF DAY No. H0501-320 Feb. 20 Swannanoa River Ramble Noon Hike 5.5, Drive 20, Rated C-C Diane Hankins, 828-298-2870 (before 9 PM) Note early start time. Leisurely paced hike at Warren Wilson College includes the River Trail and Dam Pasture Trail through the woods to an old dam site. Suitable for anyone over 10 years of age (Those under 18 MUST be accompanied by an adult.). Only meeting place is Oteen Ingles (near the VA Hospital on Tunnel Road) parking lot at the Post Office flagpole.

All Day Wednesday

ALL DAY No. W0501-101 Feb. 16 Big Laurel River 8:45 AM* Hike 7.2, Drive 50, Rated B-C Becky Elston, 828-749-1886 belston@cytechusa.com Trail follows Big Laurel River to the confluence with the French Broad River, lunch here. Pass thru Runion, which was a thriving logging town in the early 1900's. Fairly rocky in spots. Meet at Westgate at 8:45 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Ingles on Hwy. 25/70 at the Marshall Bypass at 9:30 AM.

Post Hike Report: Had a great hike. 10 hardy souls braved the weather report of rain and went. Only rain we had was at lunch and of course it quit raining right after everyone had donned their rain gear. Fun to see Chuck out of costume and into hiking clothes. -----

HikingNews....

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HIKE LEADER SURVEY COMPILATION

Forty people handed in completed surveys. Two of them didn’t do the back side. Almost never do percentages add up to 100%. . Seventy-five percent of the respondents signed their names. Of those adding comments, 82% signed their names. Italicized choices were generated during the compilation phase The hikers are a minority subset of the Club members. The leaders are a minority subset of the hikers. The leaders who took this survey are a minority subset of the leaders. Generalizations on these data are risky. In the broader context, there were 181 hikes in 2004, with 81 leaders. Forty-two percent of the leaders led only one hike. In 2003 there were177 hikes and 71 leaders. —Dave Wetmore

1. How many years have you been a hiker?

Less than five years 7% Five to ten years 14% More than ten years 75%

2. How many years have you been leading hikes?

Less than five years 27% Five to ten years 27% More than ten years 40%

3. How many hikes do you lead a year?

Less than four 55% Four to Six 30% Six or more 7%

(In 2004, 78% of all the leaders led less than four hikes, 15% led four to six hikes and 3% led six or more hikes.)

4. What do you think about the number of hikes you lead each year?

I’m leading about the right number. 68% I’m leading too many 0% I’d lead more if I was asked 23%

5. I prefer to lead hikes in the (check all that apply)

Winter 20% Spring 25% Summer 15% Fall 48% Any Season 43%

6. I prefer to lead hikes

in the Blacks 10% in the Craggys 13% in the Shining Rock area 15% in the Smokies 5% Green-River and DuPont area 2% Bent Creek 2% Mills River 2% Pisgah Forest, south of Parkway 2% no geographical preferences 58%

7. I like to lead (check all that apply)

Half-day hikes 48% All day hikes 85% Backpacking Trips 5% Easy Hikes 15% Moderate Hikes 80% Hard Hikes 38%

8. I prefer to lead

Wednesday Hikes 45% Saturday Hikes 12% Sunday Hikes 60% No preferences 12%

9. I consider myself to be knowledgeable in the following areas (check all that apply)

People/Leadership Skills 65% First Aid Skills 32% Route Finding 45% Tree/Plant Identification 30% Area History 25%

10. I would like to improve my knowledge in the following areas (check all that apply)

People/Leadership Skills 25% First Aid Skills 22% Route Finding 45% Tree/Plant Identification 60% Area History 60%

11. I first found out about the CMC from

Friends 62% CMC Web Site 2% Let’s Go 0% Newspaper 25% ATC Conference 2%

12. The major reasons I joined the CMC are

to learn the area 65% to enjoy nature 82% to get exercise 70% to meet new people 62% to gain hiking skills 35% other 2% Maintenance 2%

13. Can you think of anything the Club can or should do for hike leaders?

“Hold a workshop. Cover all types of hikes (half-day, all day, backpacks, etc.). I would be willing to help.”

“Make mentoring available”

“Tee shirt or sweatshirt with “Hike Leader””.

“Provide a system of mentoring.”

“Encourage us in any way possible”

“Loads, call and ask me.”

“No”

“Mentors for newcomers”

“Need greater flexibility re: dates of hikes to lead”.

“Massages”

“Establish a list of hike leaders willing to fill in for a scheduled leader.”

“Give them whistles and a clear set of calls to control hikers they can’t see.”

“I think the idea of slow, moderate hikes is excellent. Such hikes attract a large following of people”

“Have a workshop for potential leaders. Ask potential leaders to scout hikes.”

“Sponsor a map and compass course”

“I think a workshop would be a great idea. We’ve led several hikes but I still feel like a novice.”

“Mentor! Train!”