Wednesday Hikes-3^rd Quarter 2003

HIKING WEEKEND AT

LAKE FONTANA

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.

Wednesday Hikes

Submitted by Kenneth & Carol Deal, 281-4530, KMCDeal@aol.com. Next schedule: Paula McNabb, 274-0057

gcmcnabb@charter.net.

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. 8056 July 2

Pilot Rock Trail/ 8:30 A.M.

Laurel Mt. Trail to Pisgah Inn,

Thompson Creek Trail back

Hike 8.5, Drive 20, Rated B-A

Jack Fitzgerald, 685-2897

suejack@brinet.com

Hike up the well graded Pilot Rock Trail to connector to top of Laurel Mountain Trail, to M-S-T to Pisgah Inn for lunch. Either eat at the Inn restaurant, or pack your lunch and eat on the lawn. Return via the Thompson Creek Trail. Short car switch. Total altitude gain, 2,000 ft. Moderate. Meeting place: Pisgah Forest Ranger Station Maintenance parking lot.

ALL DAY No. 8057 July 9

AT Hike Brown Gap to 9:00 A.M.

Max Patch and return.

Hike 7, Drive 50, Rated B-B

Ken & Carol Deal, 281-4530

kmcdeal@aol.com

A moderate in and out hike on the AT, steep at first, then leveling off into rolling ups and downs, with a final climb to the top of Max Patch for lunch. Beautiful views. Meeting place: Pilot Truck Stop, exit 24 off I-40.

ALL DAY No. 8058 July 16

Forney Creek to 8:30 A.M.

Lake Fontana in the Smokies

Hike 7.5, Drive 125, Rated B-B

Sherman Stambaugh, 254-1736

From Bryson City we will take the Road to Nowhere and start our hike at the tunnel to Forney Creek and Fontana Lake. This is your opportunity to swim in the lake, if you want to. The water is warm this time of the year. Don’t miss the fun. The trail along Forney Creek is spectacular. First meeting place: Westgate. Second meeting place: Rest stop west of Waynesville on Hwy. 19, at 9:00 A.M.

ALL DAY No. 8059 July 23

Wintergreen Falls 8:30 A.M.

Hike 8, Drive 35, Rated B-B

Numa Carter, 684-9610

This is a newly constructed trail in Gorges State Park. Moderate hike to scenic falls. Lunch at the falls. First meeting place: Pisgah Forest Bi-Lo. Second meeting place: Frozen Creek Parking Lot, Gorges State Park, at 9:00 A.M.

ALL DAY No. 8060 July 30

Dupont Forest 8:30 A.M.

Reasonover Road Hike

Hike 6, Drive 90, Rated B-B

Rusty Breeding, 692-0359

bree@planetusa.net

A moderate hike in the Dupont Forest area, which will include two creek crossings, one of them boots-off. We’ll see Fawn Lake, Corn Mill Shoals, Bridal Veil Falls, Lake Julian and the Reasonover Creek Trail (new to CMC). First meeting place: Westgate. Second meeting place: Buck Forest (Dupont State Forest) parking lot on Dupont Road, 9:30 A.M. Map: Dupont Forest trails. Topo: Standingstone Mtn.

ALL DAY No. 8061 August 6

Looking Glass Rock 9:30 A.M.

Hike 6.2, Drive 9, Rated B-B

Chuck Rosen, 298-2246

Moderate and popular hike in the Pisgah Forest. We have a 3.1 mile climb up to the 3,969 ft. summit (elevation gain 1,369 feet), with magnificent views of Pisgah Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. We will stop at the North Face viewpoint on our descent for another wonderful view. Meeting place: parking lot at the work center near the Pisgah Ranger Station on Hwy. 276. Topo: Shining Rock.

ALL DAY No. 8062 August 13

Penny Rock or Leader’s Choice 9:00 A.M.

Hike 6-7, Drive ?, Rated B-B

Boyd Brasington, 254-8675

boydb@buncombe.main.nc.us

A nearby hike may be substituted for Penny Rock. Contact leader for more information. Leader will set a moderate pace. Car shuttle. First meeting place: French Broad Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Second meeting place: Cold Mountain Overlook, where Hwy. 276 crosses Blue Ridge Parkway at approximately 9:30 A.M.

ALL DAY No. 8063 August 20

AT Hike Brown Gap to 8:30 A.M.

Snowbird and return

Hike 11, Drive 45, Rated A-AA

Curt Holladay, 628-9477

caholady@bellsouth.net

An in and out AT hike. We will start at Brown Gap and ascend Harmon Den Mountain, then descend to Deep Gap. From Deep Gap there is a steep ascent to the top of Snowbird. After lunch on Snowbird we’ll return to Brown Gap. Estimated cumulative climb, 2900 feet. Only meeting place: Pilot Truck Stop on NC 209, Exit 24 off I-40.

ALL DAY No. 8064 August 27

Blueberry Hike 8:30 A.M.

Hike 6, Drive 20, Rated B-C

Fred Chaffee, 692-8937

Our traditional yearly hike to the picking fields of Grassy Cove Top in the Shining Rock Wilderness. Limit 10 hikers. Call for reservations. Meet at the work center near the Pisgah Ranger Station for carpooling to Big Sam parking area. Topos: Big Sam, Shining Rock.

ALL DAY No. 8065 August 27

Blueberry Hike 10:15 A.M.

Hike 6, Drive 0, Rated B-C

Ken & Carol Deal, 281-4530

kmcdeal@aol.com

A second hike will leave for the picking grounds from the Big Sam parking lot, meeting there at 10:15. Call Ken or Carol for reservations for this hike.

ALL DAY No. 8066 September 3

Hump Mountain 8:30 A.M.

Hike 8, Drive 130, Rated B-A

Tom Marshall, 645-7249

We’ll hike from Roaring Creek Road to Yellow Mountain Gap, and then along an open ridge on the AT to Hump Mountain, a grassy bald at 5,587 ft. Great views of the Highlands. Meeting place: McDonalds at the 25/70 Weaverville Exit. Topos: Carver’s Gap, White Rocks Mountain, TN.

ALL DAY No. 8067 September 10

MST-Forest Service 9:00 A.M.

Road 316, Black Balsam to

Skinny Dip Falls

Hike 6-7, Drive 7, Rated B-B

Siro A. DelFavero, 277-2546

Starting at Black Balsam, we’ll hike to the lower falls at Graveyard Fields for lunch. Then we’ll go on to Skinny Dip Falls and end at the Looking Glass Rock Overlook. Car shuttle. Meeting place: Looking Glass Rock Overlook at Milepost 417.

ALL DAY No. 8068 September 17

Pisgah Ridge Loop 9:00 A.M.

Hike 7.5, Drive 15, Rated B-B

Kathie Giddings, 696-9808

kmgiddings@juno.com

This is a rescheduling of a recent hike that was re-routed because of a Parkway closing. Starting at the Graveyard Fields parking lot, we will follow the Pisgah Ridge Trail to the MST, and lunch at a beautiful overlook. Then we’ll proceed on the Graveyard Ridge Trail to the parking lot. This hike has nice views along the way. Meeting place: Cold Mountain Overlook at Wagon Road Gap parking area on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Hwy. 276. Topo: Sam Knob/Shining Rock.

ALL DAY No. 8069 September 24

Bill Kimball Trail 8:00 A.M.

Hike 6, Drive 45, Rated B-B

Ned Stallard, 697-1579

Starting at Raven Cliff parking lot we hike down to and along the scenic Saluda River, and return with a strenuous climb around “El Lieutenant”. First meeting place: Fresh Market, Hendersonville.Second meeting place: Raven Cliff parking lot at 8:30.

ALL DAY No. 8070 October 1

Crabtree Bald 8:30 AM

Hike 7, Drive 70, Rated B-AA

Jay Bretz, 658-1220

Williambretz1220@msn.com

This is a rescheduling of a favorite club hike. Few hikers were able to do it in February due to rain and cold. This trail takes us through pasture and woods to the 5,320 foot summit of Crabtree Bald. Views, in good weather, of all the 40 mountain peaks in Western North Carolina that are over 6,000 feet. Fairly strenuous but gradual 2,355 foot climb. First meeting place: Westgate. Second meeting place: Pilot Truck Stop on NC 209, Exit 24 off I-40. Topo: Fines Creek.