ALL DAY SUNDAY HIKE SCHEDULE

Third Quarter 2003

 

 

For the last weekend of September, CMC will revive a historic club practice of scheduling a hiking weekend at Fontana Village near Lake Fontana, and hiking trails in this area. Following are the hikes that are presently scheduled. We will add additional moderate and easy hikes as desired by the people attending the hiking weekend, to be sure that everyone has an opportunity to hike some of the interesting trails in this area. Detailed information about lodgingH, campgrounds, meals and ferry service across Lake Fontana will be distributed in the next month in the weekly CMC Newsletter that is distributed by E-mail. For people who do not have E-mail, please telephone Bruce Bente at 692-0116 to receive a paper copy of information about the Hiking Weekend. (See Page 4)

 

HIKE SCHEDULE

Third Quarter 2003

 

Hike Ratings

First Letter       Second Letter

Distance           Cumulative

            Elevation Gain

AA: Over 12 miles        AA: Over 2,000 ft.

A: 9-12 miles    A: 1,500-2,000 ft.

B: 6-9 miles      B: 1,000-1,500 ft.

C: Under 6 miles           C: Under 1,000 ft.

 

Also in the hike descriptions, the terms easy, moderate or strenuous reflect the overall trail conditions, the physical challenge and other factors influencing hike difficulty. If you have questions, CONTACT THE LEADER.

 

 

All-day hikes submitted by Bruce Bente

692-0116, bbente@cytechusa.com, with the assistance of Tom Sanders. Driving distance is round-trip from Asheville. All Saturday and Sunday hikes assemble at Westgate Shopping Center near I-240 UNLESS

OTHERWISE  NOTED.

 

ALL  DAY NO.   No. A0303-237       July 13

Plott Balsams    7:30 AM

Hike 9, Drive 90, 3400 ft. ascent

Rated B-AA+

Amy Bindirim 298-1882 athikerbabe@yahoo.com

Features four over-6000 peaks. Note earlier starting time. Here is your chance to climb all four of the 6000-footers in the Plott Balsams, and see spectacular views of the Smokies and nearby mountains. From Waterrock Knob, we will follow a very rough, steep trail over Browning Knob to Lyn Lowry and Plott Balsam. Then we will hike back to our starting point and then to the top of Yellow Face. The hike is strenuous due to the rough trail and climbing over fallen spruce trees on steep slopes. Wear long sleeves and pants. Topos: Hazelwood, Sylva North

 

ALL  DAY   No. A0303-238   July 20

Flat Laurel Creek Rock Hop    8:00 AM

Hike7-8, Drive 80, 1600 ft. ascent, Rated B-A

Rob Resnick 255-8066 reschrio@aol.com

An old favorite hike of Alan Barton, this is certain to be an extraordinary hiking experience for CMC hikers. Starting at NC215 where Flat Laurel Creek crosses, we will parallel the creek for a short distance, then enter the creek and scramble our way up for 2-3 miles, enjoying as many holes and chutes as possible. Hikers should be agile, unafraid of heights, and prepared to boulder jump and rock hop. A necessity is wearing quick drying shorts and good gripping shoes that you don’t mind getting wet. Cameras and lunch should be waterproofed. After the rock hop, we will continue to Sam Knob and return to our cars via dry trails. Hike leader reserves the right to modify all or part of the hike respective of weather and other conditions. Topo: Sam Knob

 

SATURDAY   No. A0303-239    July 26

MST Sequence Hike:   8:00 AM

Craven Gap – Craggy Gardens Picnic Area

Hike 10.2, drive 35, 3700 ft. ascent,

Rated A-AA+

Lenny and Danny Bernstein 236-0192 lsberns@worldnet.att.net

A good uphill past Rattlesnake Lodge, where we'll admire the information sign that CMC has worked on preparing. Then on to Lane Pinnacle with its excellent views, before finishing at Craggy Gardens Picnic Area. Topo: Craggy Pinnacle

 

ALL DAY   No. A0303-240    July 27

MST Sequence Hike:   8:00 AM

Craggy Gardens Picnic Area – NC 128

Hike 12.4, drive 50, 3100 ft. ascent,

Rated AA-AA+

Lenny and Danny Bernstein 236-0192 lsberns@worldnet.att.net

Features one over-6000 peak. Another good uphill, over Blackstock Knob (6320 ft.), to NC128. Lots of good views and varied terrain. Topos: Craggy Pinnacle, Montreat

 

ALL DAY    No. A0303-241   Aug. 3

(strenuous) Mt. Kephart via      8:00 AM

Sweat Heifer Creek Trail

Hike 12.8, Drive 140, 1800 ft. ascent

Rated A-AA

Tom Sanders 252-6327 mel&tgs@main.nc.us

Features one over-6000 peak. This Smokies hike features spectacular scenery at the Jumpoff and at Charlies Bunion. From Newfound Gap, we will hike on the AT to Mt. Kephart (6217’) and the Jumpoff, and from there to Charlies Bunion. After lunch, we will return via the AT, and then down the Sweat Heifer Creek (rarely hiked by CMC) and Kephart Prong Trails. Topos: Clingmans Dome, Mt. Leconte, Mt. Guyot, Smokemont

 

ALL DAY   No. A0303-242    Aug. 3

(moderate) Sam Knob –           8:30 AM

Devils Courthouse Loop          

Hike 9, Drive 75, ascend 800 ft., Rated A-B

Ruth Hartzler 251-0886 ruthmtn@aol.com

Features two over-6000 peaks. Note later starting time. From FS 816 we will ascend Sam Knob (6040 ft.) with its 360 degree views, then follow the Flat Laurel, Little Sam and MST via Devils Courthouse (with its wonderful views). We then return via the MST across FS 816 and up to the summit of Black Balsam (6214 ft.), then down a manway to our cars. Second meeting place: Cold Mtn. overlook on BRP at 8:40 A.M. Topo: Sam Knob

 

ALL DAY  No. A0303-243    Aug. 10

Forney Creek Circuit    8:00 AM

to Lake Fontana

Hike 10, Drive 140, 800 ft. ascent, Rated A-B

Les Love, 658-1489 lesrlove@aol.com

This is your chance to go hiking and swimming on the same day. This moderate hike begins at the end of the road to nowhere, through the tunnel, then continues along the Lakeshore Trail and along cascading Forney Creek to our lunch spot at the Lake Fontana shoreline. Topo: Noland Creek

 

ALL DAY NO.  No. A0303-244      Aug. 17

Firescald Knob Dedication       8:00 AM

Hike 6-8, Drive 105, 1000 ft. ascent

Rated B-B

Jorge Munoz 658-0606

jmunoz@buncombe.main.nc.us

Come join us for the dedication of the AT relocation over Firescald Knob. We will drive to Camp Creek Bald where the dedication ceremony will be held at 10:00am, then hike northwards on the AT, including hiking over the AT Firescald Knob relocation in one direction and returning on the original AT. Topo: Greystone

 

BACKPACK   No. A0303-245      Aug. 22-24

Road to Nowhere Backpack    5:00 PM

Hike 41, Drive 200, 5000 ft. ascent

Rated AA+-AA+

Larry Modlin 251-5092

lmodlin@warren-wilson.edu

Join us on a three-day backpacking trip, covering the controversial site of the proposed extension of the “road to nowhere” in the Great Smoky Mtns. National Park. The walk will total about 41 miles, averaging about 14 miles per day.  The first night of camping will be at Fontana Lake and the second night at Hazel Creek. We will leave Asheville Thursday at about 5PM, spend the night at the Hike Inn near Fontana, and then be transported to the tunnel at the end of the road to nowhere near Bryson City.  We will try to visit the seven cemeteries and other notable sites along the way. This hike is limited to ten people; please phone Larry for reservations. Topos: Noland Creek, Tuskeegee, Fontana Lake

 

SATURDAY   No. A0303-246         Aug. 30

Around Coffee Pot Mountain    8:00 AM

Hike 7.5, Drive 40, 1400 ft. ascent, Rated B-B

Neal Andreae 698-2546 nandreae@gowebway.com

We’ll circle Coffee Pot Mtn., by hiking up Trace Ridge Trail to Beaver Dam Gap on the BRP and returning on the Spencer Branch Trail, with a look at the Hendersonville Reservoir. Second meeting place at North Mills River Recreation area parking lot at 8:30 AM. Topo: Dunsmore Mtn.

 

ALL DAY   No. A0303-247    Aug. 31           

Blueberry hike  8:00 AM

Hike 8, Drive 70, 1000 ft. ascent, Rated B-C

Tom Sanders 252-6327 mel&tgs@main.nc.us

One of the secrets to good berry picking is not letting other people know where you’re going. We will pick in an area bordering the Shining Rock Wilderness, and with luck you will fill your containers. Also bring rain gear. Topo: Shining Rock

 

ALL DAY  No. A0303-248    Sept. 7

(strenuous) AT Sequence Hike:             8:00 AM

Spivey Gap to Nolichucky River          

Hike 11, Drive 110, 1400 ft. ascent, Rated A-B

Paul Benson 667-4279

pbenson@buncombe.main.nc.us

An AT sequence hike on the first section north of CMC’s maintenance sections. This hike features beautiful woods and striking views of the Nolichucky Gorge as we drop down to the end point at the hostel at the Nolichucky River. Topo: Chestoa

 

ALL DAY   No. A0303-249    Sept. 7

(moderate) Buckeye Gap and   8:00 AM

Haywood Gap Trails Circuit

Hike 9, Drive 80, 1400 ft. ascent, Rated B-B

John Pawcio 299-8126 jpawcio@tycovalves.com

Our hike is in the Middle Prong Wilderness area, so is limited to 10 hikers. Please call the leader for reservations. The trails are primarily old railroad grades with interesting relics from the old lumber camps. From Buckeye Gap, we will descend on the old RR grade to our grassy lunch spot, then climb along the Haywood Gap Stream to the MST and follow the MST back to the starting point. Topo: Sam Knob

 

ALL DAY   No. A0303-250    Sept. 14

Douglas Falls—  Locust Ridge Circuit          8:00 AM

Hike 11, Drive 60, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated A-A

Bruce Bente 692-0116 bbente@cytechusa.com

Features one over-6000 peak. This popular diversified CMC hike features beautiful Douglas (Carter Creek) Falls, a climb through a hemlock forest to the Mountains-to-Sea trail, with an option to climb 6080' Craggy Dome (an over-6000' peak) during our lunch stop. After lunch, we'll see great views from a high mountain meadow loaded with blueberries, and then bushwhack down the manway on Locust Ridge. Topos: Montreat, Craggy Pinnacle

 

ALL DAY   No. A0303-233    Sept. 21          

Linville Gorge: Sandy Flats        8:00 AM

to Brushy Ridge

Hike 7.3, Drive 100, 3500 ft. ascent

Rated B-AA+

Don Walton 298-5084 walt7258@bellsouth.net

We'll descend on the Sandy Flats trail to the river, then hike upsteam 2 miles on a rocky, up-and-down trail in the depths of the gorge. One of the great streams of WNC. Then we'll cross the river and ascend the steep Brushy Ridge trail.  If the river level is too high, we'll climb out of the gorge via the Pine Gap trail.  Map: Linville Gorge Wilderness; Topos: Ashford and Linville Falls

 

HIKING WEEKEND AT

LAKE   FONTANA

Following are the hikes that are

presently scheduled.

 

SATURDAY   No. A0303-252         Sept. 27

Fontana Lake/Little Fork          8:00AM

Copper mines

Hike 13, Drive 10 from Fontana Village 2400 ft. ascent, Rated AA-AA

Dave Wetmore 884-7296

dwetmore@citcom.net

NOTES: The only meeting place for this hike is the Fontana Lake Marina. Note the start time, designed to allow time for exploring the copper mine area. We will take a ferry across the lake to the trailhead, and return by ferry in the evening. This is an in/out hike whose first half is a gradual, steady climb up the Hazel Creek and Sugar Fork Trails. We’ll see the Ritter Ponds and drying kilns, the site of the town of Medlin, an interesting cemetery, the site of Horace Kephart’s cabin and the seven tunnels at the Adams-Westerveldt copper mine. Topos: Tuskeegee, Thunderhead Mtn.

 

ALL DAY  No. A0303-253    Sept. 28          

Lakeshore Trail from    8:30 AM

Hazel Creek to Fontana Dam

Hike 9.5, Drive 10 from Fontana Village, 1850 ft. ascent, Rated A-A

Dave Wetmore 884-7296

dwetmore@citcom.net

NOTE: The only meeting place for this hike is the Fontana Lake Marina. Note the later start time. We will take a ferry across the lake to the trailhead. The new segment of the Lakeshore Trail will take us past the Proctor Cemetery, Franklin town site and numerous home sites. Then it’s down to Eagle Creek and across the finger ridges to old highway NC 288 and then finish by hiking over Fontana Dam. Topos: Tuskeegee, Fontana Dam

 

ADDITIONAL FONTANA HIKING WEEKEND HIKES

Following is a tentative list of additional hikes. This list will be amended to do the hikes that people express an interest in hiking.

 

Copper Mines, Graveyards, and Old Townsites

This very easy hike is actually an excursion by boat to the Ecola Branch Copper Mines and then to Proctor and the historic Proctor cemetery. Topos: Fontana Dam, Tuskeegee

 

Shuckstack Fire Tower

Hike 5, 2800 ft. ascent

A 2.5-mile hike on the AT to an awesome view of Fontana Lake and the mountains south of the park. Topo: Fontana Dam

 

Ghost Highway

Hike 2.5, 500 ft. ascent

An easy hike over Fontana Dam and then along a section of NC 288, abandoned over 50 years ago when the dam was built. See abandoned homesites. Topo: Fontana Dam

 

Footsteps of the Past

Hike 6, 1750 ft. ascent

The Hazel Creek valley was originally settled from the Tennessee side of the mountains. The last part of the trip over the mountains came down from Soapstone Gasp on Bearpen Branch. We’ll walk up Bearpen Branch to the Gap and back down. We’ll see an abandoned car and an old cabin site. Topo: Tuskeegee

           

ALL DAY   No. A0303-254   Oct. 5

(strenuous)       8:00 AM

Green Knob via Snooks Nose 

Hike 11, Drive 65, 3400 ft. ascent

Rated A-AA+

Carroll Koepplinger 667-0723

carrollkoepp@cs.com

This is a strenuous trip from Curtis Creek that climbs up and over the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Green Knob fire tower. Great views along the way as well as at the lunch stop on the summit of Green Knob. Topo: Old Fort

 

ALL DAY  No. A0303-255    Oct. 5

(moderate) MST from 8:30 AM

Black Mtn Campground to NC 80

Hike 8, Drive 90, 1000 ft. ascent, Rated B-B

Tommie Boston, 686-5029 Tambee2@aol.com

Note later starting time. We will hike north on the MST from the Black Mtn. Campground, on the first section of the MST north of CMC maintenance. We will climb the north slope of Laurel Mtn, to Buck Creek Gap at NC 80, crossing the BRP a couple of times. The only meeting place will be the back parking lot at the Folk Art Center. Topos: Celo and Old Fort.

Half-Day Hikes