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.
WEDNESDAY HIKES
All-day hikes submitted by Ann Gleason, 828-859-9387, gleason.ann@gmail.com . 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 are not sure of the meeting location.
WEDNESDAY NO. W0602-I Apr. 5 Leader’s Choice 8:00 AM Hike about 8, Drive not far, Rated B-B Kathie Giddings, 828-696-9808, kmgiddings@highstream.net The leader promises to find an interesting moderate hike in the nearby area. Come out to enjoy the early spring weather and blooms. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at the Bi-Lo parking lot in Pisgah Forest at 8:30 AM.
WEDNESDAY No. W0602-518 Apr. 12 Five Waterfalls in South Carolina 8:00 AM* Hike 6, Drive 200, 500 ft. ascent, Rated B-C Jack Fitzgerald, 828-685-2897, suejackfitz@bellsouth.net Visit five great waterfalls in SC: Spoonauger, King Creek, Yellow Branch, Issaqueena, Station Cove. All in and out hikes with 1-2 miles round trip for each. Long drive and long day but well worth it with waterfalls and spring flowers and maybe a visit to “Bob’s Place”. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form car pools, and. meet leader at Cracker Barrel, exit 53 on I-26 at 8:30 AM.
WEDNESDAY No. W0602-519 NO. W0602-519 Apr. 19 Raven Cliff Falls, The Cathedral Rock, Dismal Trail Loop 8:00 AM* Hike 9, Drive 95, 2300 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA Ann Gleason, 828-859-9387 gleason.ann@gmail.com Hike to 412 ft Raven Cliff falls in Caesar’s head state Park where we cross ther suspension bridge and descend 120 ft down “the cathedral”. We then cross Matthews creek on a cable crossing with a steep ascent up the Dismal Trail to a large rock outcropping with great view of the falls, then return to parking lot. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form car pools, and meet leader at Bi-Lo Parking lot in Pisgah Forest at 8:30 AM. Additional meeting place: Raven Cliff Parking lot on US 276 at 9:00 AM. NOTE: $2 fee per person for park entry. Topo: Table Rock; also Mountain Bridge Wilderness map
WEDNESDAY No. W0602-520 Apr. 26 Clawhammer Via Pressley Cove 8:30 AM Hike 7-8, Drive 70, 2400 ft. ascent, Rated B-AA Ruth Hartzler, 828-251-0886, ruthmtn@charter.net P400 Note later start time. This new hike for CMC will start with a steep climb on the Pressley Cove Trail, then finish the climb on the Black Mt. Trail. Great views at lunch from the Clawhammer overlook. Second meeting place: Pisgah Ranger Station at 9:05 AM. Topo: Pisgah Forest; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map 444
WEDNESDAY No. W0602-444 May 3 Avery Creek Loop 8:00 AM* Hike 10, Drive 75, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated A-A Susanna Whitaker, 828-684-5948, susannwhit@earthlink.net P400 A lovely spring hike featuring waterfalls, beaver dams, violets, bluets, jack-in-the-pulpit, plus some of the largest wake-robin trilliums found anywhere. We’ll first climb to Buckhorn Gap via Twin Falls, then follow the Black Mtn. Trail to Club Gap, with our return downhill on the Avery Creek Trail. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Pisgah Ranger Station on US 276 at 8:35 AM. Topos: Pisgah Forest, Shining Rock; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map
WEDNESDAY No. W0602-060 May 10 Pilot Mtn. Photo/Flower hike 8:00 AM Hike 6.5, Drive 80, 1900 ft. ascent, Rated B-A Gerry McNabb, 828-274-0057, gerrymcnabb@charter.net P400 This hike is designed for photography and is timed for the peak of bloom for the rare pink-shell azaleas. Expect to see many other flowers in bloom on this slow-paced hike with many stops for pictures and sight-seeing. Second meeting place: Pisgah Ranger Station at 8:35 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map
WEDNESDAY No. W0602-445 May 10 Pilot Mtn., Farlow Gap, Daniel Ridge Trails 8:00 AM Hike 11, Drive 80, 2500 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA Bruce Bente, 828-692-0116, bbente@cytechusa.com P400 This will be the longer version of the photography hike listed above. We will also climb Pilot Mtn. to see the pink-shell azaleas, but will continue on the Farlow Gap and one leg of the Daniel Loop Trails. Possible wet creek crossing at end of hike. Short car shuttle. Second meeting place: Pisgah Ranger Station at 8:35 AM Topo: Shining Rock; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map
WEDNESDAY No. W0602-517 May 17 South Mills River Ramble 8:00 AM* Hike 11.5, Drive 70, 2500 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA Tom Bindrim and Joan Lemire, 828-273-3880 P400 A nice ramble at a moderate pace, including Funneltop, Cantrell Creek and the Rigby Cutoff. Some off-trail hiking. Bring extra food in case we get back later than expected. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leaders at the Bi-Lo parking lot in Pisgah Forest at 8:30 AM. Topo: Pisgah Forest; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map
WEDNESDAY No. W0602-163 May 24 Linville Gorge, Sandy Flats to Pine Gap 8:00 AM Hike 7, Drive 130, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated B-A Don Walton, 828-654-9904, donwalton@bellsouth.net Strenuous hike! We’ll first descend 1300 ft. in less than a mile from Sandy Flats trailhead, then hike upstream along the Linville Gorge in the depths of the gorge. One of the great streams of WNC. Then out of the gorge via the Pine Gap Trail. Short car shuttle. Second meeting place: Parking lot adjacent to McDonald’s off I-40 at exit 64 at 8:20 AM. Topos: Ashford, Linville Falls; also Linville Gorge Wilderness map
WEDNESDAY No. W0602-521 May 31 MST: Mt. Pisgah to Bent Creek Gap 8:30 AM Hike 9.4, Drive 45, 1900 ft. ascent, Rated B-A Becky Smucker, 828-298-5013, bsmucker@charter.net P400 Note later start time. We will start with a round trip up and down Mt. Pisgah, stopping to enjoy the view, and will then follow a beautiful section of the MST northbound to Bent Creek Gap. Expect good views along the route. Car shuttle. Second meeting place: BRP French Broad overlook at 8:40 AM. Topos: Cruso, Dunsmore Mtn.; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map & MST Profiles, pg. 53-55
WEDNESDAY No. W0602-063 June 7 Big East Fork, Art Loeb Trail, Shining Creek Loop. 8:00 AM Hike 13, Drive 70, 2800 ft. ascent, Rated A-A Tom Sanders, 252-252-6327, tomary2@charter.net P400 A beautiful but strenuous hike (the leader’s favorite) with three of WNC’s most beautiful streams. Up Big East Fork, then Grassy Cove Ridge, and the Art Loeb Trail to Shining Rock Gap, with great views, and then down Shining Creek. 2 stream crossings that may have to be waded. Wilderness area, limit 10, so reserve by calling or emailing leader. Second meeting place: Big East Parking area on US 276, 3 miles north of BRP at 8:45 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map
WEDNESDAY No. W0602-008 June 14 Bee Tree Gap to Tanbark Tunnel 8:30 AM Hike 6.5, Drive 30, 1100 ft. ascent, Rated B-B Elisabeth Feil, 828-669-4616, hofeil@brinet.com Note later start time. A moderate hike over Lane Pinnacle with excellent views, interesting rock formations and many wildflowers. There are several steep but short ups and downs and a long, well-graded descent. Second meeting place: Folk Art Center lower parking lot at 8:45 AM. Topo: Craggy Pinnacle
WEDNESDAY No. W0602-165 June 21 Mt. Le Conte via Boulevard, Alum Cave Trails 8:00 AM Hike 13, Drive 150, 2400 ft. ascent, Rated AA-AA Ted Connors, 828-697-7166, tcconnors@mchsi.com SB6K, 900M This great hike features 6593 ft. Mt. Le Conte and good views from the AT, Boulevard Trail, our lunch spot at Cliff Top overlook, and the Alum Cave Trail. Topos: Clingman’s Dome, Mt. Le Conte; also Nat’l. Geo. GSMNP map
WEDNESDAY No. W0602-355 June 28 Looking Glass Rock, 8:00AM Hike 6, Drive 70, 1800 ft. ascent, Rated C-A Ruth Hartzler, 828-251-0886, ruthmtn@charter.net P400 A moderately difficult well-graded trail leads to the top of this interesting pluton. There are excellent viewpoints from the overlook at the end of the trail just beyond the summit. From the top of Looking Glass, we will identify the location of a proposed USFS timber sale in the vicinity of Case Camp Ridge. The proposed sale involves timber on 165 acres viewable from Looking Glass. Second meeting place: Pisgah Ranger Station on US 276 at 8:35 AM.