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SATURDAY No. A0502-288 Apr. 23 Kanuga Conference Center 8:30 AM Hike 8.5, Drive 60, 800 ft. ascent, Rated B-C Barbara Passmore 828-667-8684 bpsss354@netzero.net We have been fortunate to receive permission to hike at Kanuga Conference Center for this pleasant hike over varied terrain. We will hike over well-maintained trails including the Doug Stirling Trail to the Wolf Mtn. overlook, with lunch on scenic Eagle Rock. Second meeting place: Parking lot at rear of Mountain Bank, corner of US 25 & White St. in Hendersonville. Topo: Horseshoe

ALL DAY No. A0502-033 Apr. 24 Ramsey Cascades 8:00 AM Hike 8, Drive 160, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated B-AA Tom Sanders 828-252-6327 mel&tgs@main.nc.us 900M This is one of the classic spring wildflower hikes in the Smokies. Sixty-foot high Ramsey Cascades is located in a rich forested glen with an amazing variety of wildflowers and a grove of old-growth tulip trees. The drive and effort to reach this trail are a small price to pay for the reward. Second meeting place: Pilot Truck Stop at exit 24 off I-40 at 8:30 AM. Topo: Mt. Guyot

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 No. H0502-450 April 24 Graveyard Fields 1:30 PM Hike 4, Drive 40, Rated C-C Heather and Barry Fletcher 828-299-4776 hmflet@aol.com P400 Enjoy a moderate loop hike to the spectacular waterfall with a side trip to the Yellowstone Prong falls. Second meeting place: Graveyard Fields Parking Lot at BRP Milepost 418.8 at 2:15 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.

WEDNESDAY No. W0502-120 Apr. 27 Charlies’ Bunion-Kephart Prong 8:00 AM Hike 10.2, Drive 140, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated A-B Elisabeth Feil, 828-684-8719 hofeil@brinet.com 900M, SB6K? An outstanding rock outcrop along the AT, stunning views, and a great wildflower display are the highlights of the trip. Starting at Newfound Gap, we hike 4 miles to the Bunion, then along Dry Sluice Gap, Grassy Branch and Kephart Prong Trails down to US 441. (There is an optional side trip over Mt. Kephart (6000 ft) to The Jumpoff, which adds another 2 miles. We’ll make our decision when we get there.) This hike is moderate to strenuous about 1500 ft uphill and 2800 ft down. Car shuttle. Second meeting place: Quality Inn at Junction US 19 and US 276 in Maggie Valley at 8:40 am. Topos: Clingmans Dome, Mt Guyot, Smokemont; also Nat’l. Geographic GSMNP map

WEDNESDAY No. W0502-310 May 4 Jones Gap: Rim of the Gap Loop 8:00 AM* Hike 7, Drive 80, 1800 ft. ascent, Rated B-A Jo Anderson, 828-693-7081 jobob@mehsi.com Starting at Jones Gap State Park (NOTE: $2 fee per person for park entry), we will hike up the Rim of the Gap Trail with views of the Gap as we ascend. On top, a loop up on to the ridge, then down the # 8 connector to the river. *Meeting places: Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form car pools, and meet leader at east side of Ingles Parking lot at 8:40 AM. (take I-26 to exit 53, then turn right on upward Rd. go 1 mile to Ingles at US 176. Additional meeting place: Jones Gap parking lot at 9:00 am. Topos: Cleveland, Table Rock; also Mountain Bridge Wilderness map.

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.

ALL DAY No. A0502-444 Apr. 17 Avery Creek Loop 8:00 AM Hike 10, Drive 75, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated A-A Chip Miller 828-298-4449 backpacker54nc@bellsouth.net P400 We’ll climb the Avery Gap and Buckhorn Gap trails to Buckhorn Gap, passing by Twin Falls. Next will be the Black Mtn. trail to Club Gap, with return downhill on the Avery Creek Trail. Second meeting place: Pisgah Ranger Station at 8:30 AM. Topos: Pisgah Forest, Shining Rock; also Nat’l. Geographic Pisgah Ranger District map

Post Hike Report: 10 hikers enjoyed sunny weather for the Avery Creek Loop hike this past Sunday. Lunch time was at Buckhorn Gap Shelter. The first of the spring flowers are popping up along this trail. Nice view of Looking Glass Rock from the ridge top as we headed toward Club Gap. After our 10 mile hike we stopped for ice cream at "Dolly's" just outside the front entrance into Pisgah. A nice sweet treat for the end of our hike. Chip Miller

Half Day Hike No. H0502-162 April 17 Mt. Pisgah from Elk Pasture Gap 1:00 PM Hike 5.5, Drive 30, Rated C-A Elisabeth Feil 828-684-8719 hofeil@brinet.com P400 Note early start time. This moderate car-shuttle hike starts at Elk Pasture Gap (BRP and NC 151). The first two miles up to Little Pisgah Mtn. are steep (1100 ft in two miles). Then we'll descend to the Mt. Pisgah parking lot and climb another 700+ feet to the summit. Great views in good weather. Return from the parking lot. Second meeting place Mt. Pisgah Parking Lot.

Post Hike Report: We did it again, change the plan that is. Since I did not have a chance to scout the trail up from Elk Pasture Gap, we hiked from the Inn to the top of Mt. Pisgah and back. There were 12 of us, a good group. The weather was absolute gorgeous, with clear the views all the way to the Smokies and the Blacks. At this high elevation (5000+ ft) only three blooming plants were found: Bluets, Round-leaf Violets, and Trailing Arbutus. Elisabeth Feil

WEDNESDAY No. W0502-455 Apr. 20 Lower Mt Cammerer Trail 8:00 AM Hike 8, Drive 120, 1000 ft. ascent, Rated B-C Tom Sanders, 828-252-6327 mel&tgs@main.nc.us This moderate in and out hike from the Cosby Camp Ground area of the Great Smokies hopefully will coincide with yellow Trillium, Showy Orchis and Dwarf Iris which thrive here in late April. In any event, Lower Cammerer is a beautiful trail with a gradual incline up and then down. Second meeting place: Pilot Truck stop at Exit 24 of I-40 at 8:30 AM Topo: Hartford

Some CMC hikes in the Pisgah Ranger District have recently been impossible to do as scheduled. Due to damage from the September 2004 hurricanes, certain Forest Service roads have been closed, requiring us to design replacement hikes. In each case, replacement hikes have been selected in the same general area, and have retained the same departure times and second meeting places. The replacement hikes have been described in the E-Newsletter, and it is suggested that you check the E-Newsletter whenever you’re planning to go on a hike scheduled for the Pisgah Ranger District. As of 4/17, these roads and trails are still closed: •FS 1206 Yellow Gap Rd. from Yellow Gap to Wolfe Ford Rd. •FS 475 from the Fish Hatchery to 1 mile north of Gloucester Gap •Daniel Ridge loop trail, due to concrete bridge at the trailhead being washed out; •Farlow Gap Trail, probably due to bridges washed out (not verified) The good news is that the National Forest folks are working on the problem, and we’ve been told that contracts for repairs have already been awarded. For the latest information on the closures, take a look at www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/press/storm.htm

Benton MacKaye Trail Association (BMTA)

The Benton MacKaye Trail Association (BMTA) has some good news to share with you and those of your organization. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary this year, we are preparing for the Grand Opening of our 300-mile trail!

The Ribbon Cutting will be held on July 16 at Mud Gap off the Cherohala Skyway. All are welcome to join us for the festivities. I'll be happy to send you the details as well as a list of other celebratory events if you like. Or you can visit our website, www.BMTA.org .

With our focus shifting away from construction and toward the maintenance and enjoyment of the newly opened trail, the BMTA would now like to work through local hiking organizations like yours to get more people involved in hiking and maintaining trails. In doing this we hope that more hikers will come out to walk and maintain the BMT.

To help build up local hiking organizations as well as our own, we would like to offer your members a discount to join the BMTA. This year, as a current member of Carolina Mountain Club , they will receive a $5 discount when joining the BMTA. (Membership forms are available on our website. Note discount on form.)

We would also like to extend an invitation to your members to join us on our new recreational outings ('fun hikes'). Participating in these hikes will provide the opportunity to meet and share in the enjoyment of the trail with others from the regional hiking community. All outings are on the BMT; in Georgia, on the new Tennessee/North Carolina extension, or the route through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. These hikes are detailed in advance on our website. If your organization is interested in adding these outings to your hike schedule, please feel free. We will also be happy to notify you of these events by email.

Looking forward to meeting and hiking with you. Sincerely, Diana Ristom Publicity Director, BMTA

The CMC is starting a Hike Information exchange system on www.Yahoo.com which can be used to exchange information relating to hiking. This group system is intended to help coordinate off schedule hiking activities that benefit the club and it's members. For example, a hike leader may need to scout a hike but cannot find anyone to go along or maybe someone needs directional help to adequately hike a trail.

The email address used to communicate is cmchikeinfo@yahoogroups.com . The address to use to join is: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cmchikeinfo/ You have to be a yahoo member (free) to join. When you join you will need to provide your name in the setup in the "Real Name" field. This is desirable for people to know who you are. If you have any questions please contact me. Don Walton