WEDNESDAY HIKES
Hike Ratings
First Letter Second Letter
Distance 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.
All day hikes submitted by Paula McNabb 828-274-0057, paulamcnabb@charter.net (new address). Driving distance is round trip from Asheville. Hikes will assemble at Westgate Shopping Center near I-240 exit 3B UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. Some hikes will have second meeting places as described in the hike listing. Please phone the hike leader if you aren’t sure of the meeting location.
WEDNESDAY. No. W0601-296 Jan. 4 MST:Parkway HQ to Folk Art Center 10:00 AM* Hike 5, drive 0, rated C-C Paula McNabb 274-0057, paulamcnabb@charter.net *Note later start time. An enjoyable winter hike on the MST. Will begin at Parkway headquarters. *Only meeting place: Blue Ridge Parkway Headquarters parking area, north end of lot. Map: MST Profiles book, pg. 60-61
WEDNESDAYNo. W0601-186 Jan. 11 Little Pisgah Mountain 8:30 AM* Hike 9, drive 20, 1500 ft. ascent, rated B-B Don Walton, 828-654-9904, cell phone 828-713-9375, donwalton@bellsouth.net *Note later start time. A pleasant hike, close to home for our coldest month. We’ll hike from Hickory Nut Gap through an open meadow to see the view from the summit of Little Pisgah Mtn. Topo: Bat Cave
WEDNESDAY No. W0601-1700 Jan. 18 Butter Gap Trail 8:30 AM* Hike 7.4, drive70, 1150 ft. ascent, rated B-B Stuart English, 828-883-2447, stuengo@citcom.net P400 *Note later start time. Begin hike at the Fish Hatchery, moving onto Cat Gap Trail, and then onto Butter Gap, mostly following Grogan Creek. *Meet at Westgate at 8:30 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at the Fish Hatchery at 9:15 AM.
WEDNESDAY No. W0601-001 Jan. 25 Case Camp – Seniard Ridge Loop 8:00 AM* Hike 9, Drive 80, 1300 ft. ascent, Rated A-B Bruce Bente, 828-692-0116, bbente@cytechusa.com P400 This loop hike features a short steep climb up to the MST, some MST hiking, and 50 ft. frozen cascades along the closed BRP. After lunch with a great view of the surrounding mountains, we’ll hike through some beautiful woods on the Seniard Ridge Trail. *Meeting places: Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Pisgah Ranger Station at 8:35 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; also MST Trail Profiles pg. 50 and Nat’l. Geographic PRD Map
WEDNESDAY No. W0601-508 Feb. 1 Green River Gamelands: Bishop Branch-Pulliam Creek 8:30 AM* Hike 6.5, Drive 70, 1200 ft. ascent, Rated B-B Becky Elston, 828-749-1886, belston@cytechusa.com *Note later start time. Meet at Westgate at 8:30 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at 9:00 AM at the Cracker Barrel off I-26, exit 53, northwest corner of the parking lot. This is a nice loop hike in the Green River Gamelands, with great winter views.
WEDNESDAY No. W0601-439 Feb. 8 Pounding Mill Trail 8:00 AM* Hike 8, Drive 55, Rated B-C Greg Goodman 828-684-9703 P400 This hike takes the South Mills River Trail to the Pounding Mill Trail and on to Squirrel Gap Trail. We’ll continue onto Pea Gap and then return on the South Mills River Trail. Moderate. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Boyleston Baptist Church on NC 280 at 8:30 AM.
WEDNESDAY No. W0601-399 Feb. 15 Loop around John Rock and Cedar Rock 8:00 AM* Hike 10, Drive 70, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated A-B 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 Mtn. We reach 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 8:40 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map
WEDNESDAY No. W0601-279 Feb. 22 Montreat Railroad Trestle Grade Hike to Pot Cove 9:30 AM Hike 6, drive 30, Rated B-C Gerry Mcnabb, 274-0057, gerrymcnabb@charter.net . An in-and-out hike to Pot Cove from the Lookout Trail parking area. Second meeting place: Parking lot adjacent to McDonald’s parking lot in Black Mountain at 10:00.
WEDNESDAY No. W0601-489 Mar. 1 Bad Fork - Trace Ridge Loop 8:30 AM* Hike 8, Drive 60, 1700 ft. ascent, Rated B-B Pat Elias, 828-687-1651, patelias@bellsouth.net P400 *Note later start time From Trace Ridge parking area, we will hike a short distance (10 minutes) along a gravel road to the Bad Fork Trail, which will take us to the BRP on a steep 800 ft. ascent. From the BRP, we will have a long, steady climb to Ferrin Knob, then down to Beaver Dam Overlook for lunch. After lunch, we continue down the Trace Ridge Trail. *Meet at Westgate at 8:30 AM to form carpools and meet leader at N. Mills River Recreation parking lot at 9:00 AM. Topo: Dunsmore Mtn; also Nat'l. Geo. PRD map.
WEDNESDAY No. W0601-509 Mar. 8 Dupont Forest: Sky Valley P.L. #1 8:40 AM* Hike 9+, drive 80, 1200 ft. ascent, rated A-B Rusty Breeding, 828-692-0359, bree@planetusa.net *Note later start time. This lovely hike will start at the Sky Valley parking lot in Dupont State Forest. It’s mostly easy, with a steep climb up to Stone Mountain, the highest peak in Dupont State Forest. *Meet at Westgate at 8:40 AM to form carpools, and meet the leader at 9:15 AM at the Bi-lo parking lot in Pisgah Forest. Topo: Standingstone Mtn.; also Dupont Forest Trail Map
WEDNESDAY NO. W0601-I Mar. 15 Mystery hike 8:00 AM* Will be rated B-B. Kathy Giddings, 696-9808, kmgiddings@highstream.net Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at the Pisgah Ranger Station at 8:40 AM, and a hike choice will be made.
WEDNESDAY No. W0601-113 Mar. 22 Cold Mountain from Camp Daniel Boone 8:00 AM Hike 11, Drive 70, Rated A-AA Tom Sanders, 828-252-6327, tomary2@charter.net SB6K. Here is your chance to climb the mountain immortalized by Charles Frazier, as well as to enjoy outstanding views if the weather permits. From Camp Daniel Boone we will ascend 2500 ft. to the summit at 6030 ft., returning by the same route. Strenuous, so you should be in good shape. Wilderness area, limit 10, so call leader for reservation. Second meeting place: trailhead above Camp Daniel Boone. Topos: Waynesville, Cruso
WEDNESDAY No. W0601-345 Mar. 29 7 Gaps and 7 Knobs 9:30 AM Hike 6.5, drive 25, rated B-B Paula Robbins, 828-281-3253(before 9pm), paularww@bellsouth.net Hike begins at Bent Creek Gap near the Blue Ridge Parkway. First mile is on the MST, last mile is on Laurel Branch Rd. off the Bent Creek Gap Rd. Maybe early wildflowers will be seen. Second meeting place: Ingles parking lot across from Biltmore Square Mall on NC 191 south of I-26 at 9:45 AM.