Wednesday hikes submitted by Charlie Ferguson, ccf108@gmail.com . Driving distance is round-trip from Asheville. All Wednesday hikes assemble at the FAR REAR (NORTH END) of Westgate Shopping Center near I-240 exit 3B UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. Some hikes will have second meeting places as described in the schedule, and start times vary.

New Directions to Westgate (Call leader for directions to other meeting places)

New Wednesday Hike the MST series:
Barth Brooker, the president of the CMC, will be leading a series of relaxed pace medium length hikes of the MST on Wednesdays.  The series of hikes will cover most of the MST the CMC is responsible for maintaining - from Mount Mitchell to Balsam Gap near Waynesville.  It is expected that it will take a number of months to complete.  There will be a pause in the winter while the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed.  The meeting place for each hike will be at the Folk Art Center - milepost 382 on the Parkway at 10:00 AM.  Meeting at the trailhead for each hike may be possible.  The distance covered is of easy to medium difficulty. The pace will be relaxed so the hikes will end anywhere from 2:00 - 3:30.   Most hikes will involve a short car shuttle.  These hike will not be announced in the Let's Go newsletter so check this Wednesday hike schedule for updates.  The first hike is on Sept. 22.  Great for those who don't need a challenge.  Scroll down on this page for each hike's details.  Hikes will be added on each Wednesday as they are developed and experience with the first one are evaluated.

Some hikes may have a scout date listed, if the hike leader is open to others hiking the scout. If you want to go on the scout then call the hike leader.

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-504 July 7
Bull Gap to Lane Pinnacle 8:30 AM
Hike 10, Drive 30, 2900 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA
Tom Sanders, 828-252-632, tomary.avl@gmail.com
Hike on the MST from Bull Gap, past the Rattlesnake Lodge site, Rich Mountain, and up to good views from our lunch stop at Lane Pinnacle. Second meeting place: Bull Gap at 9:00 AM. Topo: Craggy Pinnacle; also MST Profiles book, pg. 56-59

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-289 July 14
Glassmine Overlook to Stepps Gap 9:00 AM
Hike 7, Drive 80, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Paula Massey, 828-299-0226, massey.paula@gmail.com
SB6K A beautiful hike through an old balsam forest and some open views. Features two peaks over 6000, Blackstock Knob and Mt. Gibbes. This route has been worked out by Cave Dog and Tom Sanders, with a shortcut bushwhack off the MST around the north side of Potato Knob and on to Clingmans Peak and Gibbes. Car Shuttle. Topos: Mt. Mitchell, Montreat; also PNF S. Toe River, Mt. Mitchell & Big Ivy Trail Map and MST Profiles book, pg. 62-63

Scouting report for July 14th hike - It is indeed a beautiful hike through an old balsam forest, including moss covered rocks and wonderful evergreen smell, along with some great views. Once we leave the MST to head over to our 6,000 plus Mt. Gibbes we must work our way through high grasses and blackberry bushes, as well as some blow downs - so if leaving a well-defined trail to venture off to Mt. Gibbes doesn't sound adventurous, then this hike is not for you. And long pants are recommended.  Paula.  There may be an option to skip the trip to Mt Gibbes, which would involve picking our way through the forest, sometimes actually walking on something that looks like a trail.  The alternate will be an easy walk down a gravel road.  Charlie

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-246 July 21
Around Coffee Pot Mountain *9:00 AM
Hike 7.5, Drive 40, 1400 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Charlie Ferguson, 828-625-2677, ccf108@gmail.com
P400 *Form carpools at Westgate, and meet leader at Trace Ridge Trailhead at 9:30 AM. 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 stop to see the Hendersonville Reservoir and dam. Topo: Dunsmore Mtn; also NatGeo map #780

Scout Report:  Jeanie and I scouted this hike from the Parkway down the Trace Ridge Trail to the Trace Ridge trailhead, then to the Hendersonville Reservoir and up the Spencer Branch Trail back to the Parkway at Beaver Dam Gap Overlook.  The trails were in good condition with only one downed tree, requiring climbing over.  We did some light pruning and lopping.  This should be a pleasant walk through the woods.  On the Spencer Branch trail we saw one beaver dam and upstream evidence of other beaver activity.  Along the way there were some wineberry growth along the trail.  Wineberries are close relatives of raspberries from Asia and are considered invasive.  They were in flower and there were some ripe ones which were quite tasty.    Note: At this time the FS 5000 road (Wash Creek Rd.) from the N. Mills River Campground to the Hendersonville Reservoir Rd is closed.  If it is still closed on the day of the hike we will have to drive down FS 5000 from Bent Creek Gap.  If the Parkway gate at Bent Creek Gap is closed (it was on Sunday the 4th) we will have to drive through The Bent Creek Area to get to the gap and then down FS 5000 to the Trace Ridge Trailhead.  If you plan on meeting us at the trailhead, keep this in mind.  There will be a Second Meeting Place at the French Broad Overlook on the BRP at 9:15.  Charlie.
 

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-067 July 28
Douglas Falls & Craggy Gardens *9:00 AM
Hike 8, Drive 45, 2300 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA   Douglas Falls only : 6.7 mi, 1700 feet, B-A difficult.
Jeanie Danner, 828-625-2677, bjbd4111@gmail.com
WC100 *First meeting location: back parking lot of the Folk Art Center. From the Craggy Garden Visitor Center we’ll hike the MST down to the trail to Douglas Falls. The falls are quite high and should have a good amount of water after a rain. We’ll hike back the way we came and on to the Craggy Gardens Picnic area, up to the top which was recently cleared to make more open views, and back to the cars at the Visitor Center. There is an option for people to do just the falls for a 5.6-mile hike. Second meeting place: Craven Gap at 9:10 AM. Topo: Craggy Pinnacle, Montreat; also FS Big Ivy map

Scout Report: Douglas Falls had a little more water flowing than the other times I've been there. Hopefully with some more rain on Saturday, Sundays hike should be rewarding.  This hike is somewhat more difficult than the description above would indicate.  Much of the trail, including the MST part, is rough and rocky which will give ankles and knees a workout.  The Douglas Falls trail has a lot of high weeds on the sides, sometimes obsuring the trail a bit.  The Douglas Falls part is 6.7 miles and 1700 feet of climbing.  It felt like 2500 when I finished due to the rough trail and I hadn't done the Craggy Gardens part of the hike yet.  The Craggy Gardens part is 2.4 miles and about 600 feet of ascent.  That makes a total of 9.1 miles and 2300 feet of climbing making it a A-AA hike.  With the difficulty of the rough trail, it's even worse.  So it's not really a moderate hike.  My guess is that many people will opt to not do the Craggy Gardens part of the hike once we finish the Douglas Falls part.  Charlie

-------- Note: 2 hikes this Wednesday ---------------

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-543 Aug. 4
Junaluska Gap - London Bald 8:00 AM
Hike 9, Drive 180, 2500 ft. ascent, Rated B-AA
Brent Martin, 828-587-9453, brent_martin@tws.org
Hikers: form carpools and meet leader at the trailhead.  We’ll hike around and over London Bald, through a fern-covered forest floor and with views of the Nantahala Ridge spine and Nantahala Lake. The route uses the Junaluska, Diamond Valley, Appletree and London Bald trails along the ridge that separates Macon and Cherokee counties. Second meeting place: Junaluska Gap trailhead at 10:00 AM Topo: Topton; also NatGeo maps #785 & 784

Note: Brent plans on meeting people at the Junuluska Gap trailhead. Please contact Brent today so that he is assured that someone will be at Westgate and knows how to get to the trailhead.  Here is a map to the Trailhead: Westgate to Junaluska Gap

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-665 Aug. 4
MST from NC 128 (Mt. Mitchell Road) to a waterfall and back *10:00 AM
(easy alternate hike)
Hike 6.5, Drive 62, 500 ft. ascent, Rated C-C
Marcia Bromberg, 828-505-0471, mwbromberg@yahoo.com
*Only meeting place: back parking lot at the Folk Art Center. A gentle hike along the MST to a field beyond a lovely waterfall and return. We'll have views along the Blue Ridge Pkwy. on the drive up to Mt. Mitchell Road where the hike begins. Topo: Montreat, Mt. Mitchell.

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-369 Aug. 11    NOTE CHANGE IN SECOND MEETING PLACE, due to closure of Blue Ridge Parkway.
Buckeye Gap - Bearpen Gap *9:00 AM 
Hike 6, Drive 80, 1000 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Bruce Bente, 828-692-0116, bbente@bellsouth.net
P400 *Form carpools at Westgate, and meet leader at Pisgah Forest Bi-Lo at 9:30 AM. We will start by hiking a section of the MST that leads through a lush forest of spruce and birch. The forest floor is covered with mosses and ferns. We will hike through areas that in past years have yielded abundant blueberries and will stop to do some picking. Short car shuttle. Topo: Sam Knob; also NatGeo map #780

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-367 Aug. 18
Art Loeb, Grassy Cove Ridge to Bridges Camp Gap 8:30 AM     (Important: This hike has to change to a different one due to Parkway closing)
Hike 8.5, Drive 65, 1650 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Laura Frisbie, 828-337-5845, laurafrisbie@charter.net
P400, SB6K, WC100 Beginning with a climb up to Black Balsam (6214 ft.) we’ll follow the ridgeline to Tennent Mtn (6040 ft.) and Ivestor Gap. Then we’ll hike down Grassy Cove Ridge to the Big East Fork of the Pigeon River. Two stream crossings, one or both of which will be wet. From there we’ll hike to Skinny Dip Falls with a possible swim, and then end at Bridges Camp Gap. Car shuttle. Wilderness area hike, limit ten, so contact hike leader for reservation. Car Shuttle Second meeting place: BRP Cold Mountain Overlook at 9:20 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; NatGeo #780

Scout Report: (hike changed: see new hike below)   I just scouted my 2nd hike as a newbie hike leader and both are thanks to Charlie Ferguson and Jeanie Danner. On this last one, Charlie introduced the idea of inviting other leaders and Brenda Worley and Kathleen Hannigan joined us on the Art Loeb, Grassy Cove Ridge to Bridges Camp Gap hike. It didn’t take me long to appreciate what a fabulous hike Charlie had assigned me! I heard it called a “jewel” and a “gem” and my word was “magical.” It also didn’t take me long to be red faced and gasping for air in the first 300’ climb. We were soon all gleefully stuffing yum yum yummy wild blueberries into purple mouths! I’ll be leading this hike on August 2nd and November 3rd (it is worth duplicating!) so if you haven’t been on this hike, I promise, you won’t want to miss it. There is over 3000’ descent and two wet crossings, so I was very glad to have my poles (fresh out of way too long storage). Laura

Here is the replacement hike:
WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-242 Aug 18
Sam Knob – Devil’s Courthouse Loop *8:30 AM
Hike 8.5, Drive 75, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
SB6K, P400 *Form carpools at Westgate, From FS 816, we’ll ascend Sam Knob (6040 ft.) with its 360 degree views, then hike though high meadows on the Flat Laurel and Little Sam Trails and the MST via Devil’s Courthouse (with its great views). We then return via the MST across FS 816 and up to the summit of Black Balsam (6214 ft.), then down to our cars. Second Meeting Place Sam Knob trailhead at 9:30.  Not in the Wilderness - no reservation needed.  Topo: Sam Knob; also NatGeo. map #780

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-151 Aug. 25
Shining Rock from Big East Fork 8:00 AM  (note time change from Let's Go newsletter)
Hike 8.5, Drive 60, 3100 ft. ascent, Rated B-AA
Stan Endlich, 215-290-8299 , sjemiata@gmail.com
SB6K, P400 We’ll hike from the Big East parking lot up the steep Chestnut Ridge trail over Dog Loser and Old Butt knobs to lunch at Shining Rock (6040 ft.) with its exceptional views. We’ll return via a steep descent to and then along the North Fork of Shining Creek. Wilderness area hike, limit ten, so contact hike leader for reservation. Second meeting place: Big East Fork trailhead at 9:20 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; also NatGeo map #780

Scout Report:  We would like to thank the Wilderness Maintenance Crew, led by Becky Smucker for all their hard work in making these trails hikable - a couple of months ago we would not have been able to do this hike.  Four of us, Jim Ariail, Stan Endlich, Beth Ransom and Charlie Ferguson started up the Shining Creek trail from the Big East parking lot and hiked for a half mile.  We arrived, huffing and puffing, at the beginning of the Old Butt trail that goes up Chestnut Ridge, and then really started climbing.  The 1400 feet over 1 mile climb is one of the steepest of any CMC scheduled hike.  Frequent stops for air and water allowed us to arrive alive to where the trail ascends at a "normal" rate.  That 1400 feet felt like 2800.  On the way, we went over Old Butt and Dog Loser and then to Shining Rock. As it's name suggests, Chestnut Ridge has many young American Chestnut trees growing on it.  These sprout up from old rootstock, grow for a number of years and then die from the blight.  We picked blackberries by the handful on the way to Shining Rock, then ate lunch on the top - altitude 6040 feet.  The top of Shining Rock is covers with ripe blueberries which we sampled but didn't have enough time to take what we wanted.  There's lots of little side berry picking trails at the top but we managed to find the trail to the Shining Creek trailhead.  The trip down is mostly on a very rough, rocky and tiring trail.  It was beautiful but we were tired when we got back.  If you want to go on this hike, note that it is very difficult.  Jim will be unable to lead this hike so Stan agreed to lead it in his place.  Charlie   8-14  there is still a couple of spots open - call Stan.

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-629 Sept. 1
Rough Creek *8:45 AM
Hike 7.5, Drive 54, 1800 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Ken & Carol Deal, 828-281-4530, cnkdeal@charter.net
*Only meeting place: Home Depot at Exit 44 of I-40. This is a rarely used trail in the Canton Watershed. During this loop hike, we walk uphill in the morning, largely on old roads, to a ridge line with long distance views. Shortly after we start down, we'll have lunch on rocks overlooking a lovely valley. After lunch we return downhill, crossing Rough Creek on a bridge. Parts of this trail have been overgrown at this time of year in the past, so it would be well to be prepared for that. The hike passes through shoulder-high jewelweed, Joe Pye weed, and thistles. Topo: Canton

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-423 Sept. 8
Pilot Rock, Laurel Mtn, Slate Rock Creek Trails *9:00 AM
Hike 7, Drive 90, 1450 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Stuart English, 828-883-2447, stuengo@comporium.net
P400 *Meet at Westgate to form carpools, and meet leader at Pisgah Ranger Station at 9:40 AM. We’ll hike up the Slate Rock Creek Trail, one of the gems of Pisgah Nat’l. Forest, and then a connector up to the Laurel Mtn. Trail, which we’ll follow for a while. We’ll turn downhill on the Pilot Rock Trail, stopping to enjoy the views along the way. Short car shuttle. Topo: Dunsmore Mtn.; also NatGeo map #780

Scout Report:  Ted Connors, Ashok Kudva, Barbara Morgan, and I scouted two hikes I am leading in September in the Pilot Rock, Slate Rock area. We went up Slate Rock Creek, found the Laurel Mountain Connector, followed the Laurel Mountain Trail to the Pilot Rock Connector, and then returned to Yellow Gap Road on the Thompson Creek Trail. None of us had ever set foot on Thompson Creek Trail, but I had heard horror stories about it. Supposedly it was overgrown, unmaintained, and a vertical elevator shaft for over a mile. We were pleasantly surprised. Many thanks to Pete Peterson’s Pisgah Friday crew who had obviously done some exhausting summer work here. The trail was a virtual wide boulevard, recently weedeated and easy to follow. The map doesn’t show all the much appreciated switchbacks that helped us down the steeper parts. It turned out to be one of the nicest trails I have walked and was well maintained from one end to the other for 2.5 miles. One thing however, it was over 90 degrees yesterday when we scouted it. If that is the case on September 8, I will come up with an alternate hike.

For this hike we will return to Yellow Gap on Pilot Rock Trail. On Saturday September 25 we will go up Pilot Rock Trail, lunch at Buck Springs Overlook and return by Thompson Creek. Both hikes have significant climbs that are more difficult in hot weather.  Stuart

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-242 Sept. 15
Sam Knob – Devil’s Courthouse Loop *8:30 AM
Hike 8.5, Drive 75, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Laura Frisbie, 828-337-5845, laurafrisbie@charter.net  (note change of hike leader)
SB6K, P400 *Form carpools at Westgate, and meet leader at BRP Cold Mtn. Overlook at 9:20 AM. From FS 816, we’ll ascend Sam Knob (6040 ft.) with its 360 degree views, then hike though high meadows on the Flat Laurel and Little Sam Trails and the MST via Devil’s Courthouse (with its great views). We then return via the MST across FS 816 and up to the summit of Black Balsam (6214 ft.), then down to our cars. Topo: Sam Knob; also NatGeo. map #780

-------- Note: 2 hikes this Wednesday ---------------

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-193 Sept. 22
MST: Bearpen Gap to NC 215 via Mt. Hardy 8:00 AM
Hike 9.1, Drive 90, 1700 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Barbara Morgan, 828-738-3395, bcmorg@hughes.net
SB6K, P400 This MST hike leads through a beautiful forest of spruce, birch, rhododendron and maple, with mosses and ferns lining the forest floor. A special feature is a short side trip up 6110 ft. Mt. Hardy, with first-rate views on its north side. Partly through the Middle Prong Wilderness area, limit 10, so call leader for reservation. Car shuttle Second meeting place: Rough Butt Bald overlook at 9:00 AM. Topo: Sam Knob; also NatGeo map #780 and USFS Shining Rock Wilderness map.

Scout Report:  On Monday September 6, Carroll Koepplinger, Bob Hysko, and I scouted this hike. This hike will be done Sunday, September 12 led by Carroll Kopplinger with a second group led by Bob Hysko, and on September 22 by Barbara Morgan.  This is a wilderness hike with a limit of 10 per group, so be sure to contact the hike leader for a reservation. We started at Bearpen Gap about 9:45 and finished the scout at Hwy 215 about 6:30, although trail/route finding added about 2 hours to the trip. Barbara

WEDNESDAY Relaxed MST hike - Sept. 22
French Broad Overlook to Sweeten Creek Road 25A  10:30 AM
HIke 6.4 miles, not much elevation gain, Rated B-C
Barth Brooker, 828-299-0298, barthb@bellsouth.net
An easy start to hiking the MST.  Meeting Place - Folk Art Center.  Call Barth if you want to meet at the French Broad Overlook MP 394.

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-051 Sept. 29
White Oak Flats, Pounding Mill, Hickey Fork *9:00 AM
Hike 8, Drive 85, 1900 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Tish Desjardins, 828-656-2191, desraylet@aol.com
*Form carpools at Westgate, and meet leader at US25/NC208 intersection at 9:45 AM. Since the Forest Service has built a splendid new footbridge over Hickey Fork, CMC is now able to schedule this hike which we have not done in 10 years. A nice loop hike using three different trails and finishing on the newly and heavily rebuilt Hickey Fork Rd. Second meeting place: Meet leader at US25/NC208 intersection at 9:45 AM. Topos: White Rock, Greystone; also NatGeo map #782

WEDNESDAY Relaxed MST hike - Sept. 29
Sweeten Creek Road 25A to the Folk Art Center 10:00 AM
HIke 6.9 miles, about 500 feet elevation gain, Rated B-C
Barth Brooker, 828-299-0298, barthb@bellsouth.net
Meeting Place - Folk Art Center.