September 27, 2006

        Please send me your hiking news, hike and maintenance reports by Monday evening before the newsletter comes out, that is, by Monday evening October 9 to Danny Bernstein danny@hikertohiker.org. Include your email address at the end of your story. Thank you.

What's Happening the Next Two Weeks

Water Contamination near Sams Gap - From Howard McDonald

I received a phone call from Jan Lounsbury on Saturday alerting me to the following problem. John Fletcher of the ATC also received an e mail message from Jan which contained the following.

" I need to send out an alert regarding a site where some hikers may camp occasionally in the Madison County area near Sams Gap. There should be no camping, using water supplies, or consuming food products grown on the property at 13931 US Hwy 23 N in Mars Hill, NC."

Jan told me the problem is hepatitis A from the well water. Most of the people affected were from the Rainbow Group and were from various parts of the nation. Madison County has put up signs at the Hogback Ridge Shelter and the Bald Mountain Shelter to warn hikers of this problem. If you are on the trail and contact hikers, please alert them to this notice. Howard McDonald

See Neal Andreae's report on the area.

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NOC weekend

There may be a couple of motel rooms still open Call Nantahal Outdoor Center at 1.888.905.7238 X-221 to talk to Barbara. I will send out another email to everyone who has signed up.
Also, there is a place for a man in a cabin. If you are interested, contact Bruce Bente (692-0116).

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Slogan Contest - Entries due September 30 - Last time in the eNews

Write a slogan for our club that describes CMC and what our club is all about. We are a club that maintains trails, leads hikes and promotes conservation of the trails, National Forest and Parks in our area. A catchy one or two line phrase is what we are looking for. So get creative and submit your entry no later than September 30 !! Send your entry by e-mail to backpacker54nc@bellsouth.net or by mail to CMC, PO Box 68, Asheville, NC 28802, Attn: Chip Miller. The winning slogan writer will receive a $100 gift certificate to Diamond Brand.

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Yellowjackets - Information you can use now!

Yellowjacket wasps often become a nuisance, especially from August through October, as they build up in large populations and scavenge for human food ... See the complete article sent in by Bruce Bente.

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Other Important News

Charlie Ferguson finishes the SB6K

I had been to about 5 of the SB6K peaks without knowing about the SB6K challenge program. I had my first real taste of the SB6K this May when I went on the 3 day SB6K Smokies backpack, led by Tom Sanders. I went on that hike just for "fun", without much concern for the challenge itself. I learned a completely new meaning for "fun" that weekend. It was a major experience of "challenge" as well. I guess fun and challenge mean the same thing in the CMC. After that I figured it would be all downhill from there.

Well, not exactly - some major uphill was ahead. The CMC hike schedule included many of the SB6K peaks that were needed to fill in the blanks. All I had to do was show up. Dave Wetmore, the master of difficult hikes, helped me with 4 of the more difficult ones. Becky Smucker and Steve Pierce were my hiking buddies on many of the hikes. One step at a time and great people to hike with made it happen without much sense of personal "doing". Well, my muscles and joints often had a different opinion the next day. I thought I would be celebrating peak #40, with lots of CMC hikers, on the October 15 "Blacks Beyond 6000" hike, but I wound up scouting that hike this week with Steve Pierce. It would be fun to do the hike on the 15th with hikers interested in doing the SB6K. Charlie Ferguson.

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Learn about Chimney Rock Park and Hickory Nut Gorge State Park - October 17

CMC members are invited to join the Conservation Committee for a presentation and discussion with Mike Horak of The Nature Conservancy at 7:00, Tuesday, October 17. Mike will be filling us in on the Chimney Rock Park acquisition efforts, the about-to-be Hickory Nut Gorge State Park, current projects in expanding public funding for conservation at the state level, and other efforts of the Conservancy in our area. These are topics that impact all of us. We will be meeting at the Nature Conservancy’s office at 545 Merrimon Avenue which is in the basement of the brick Raymond James building. Use the driveway on the north (left) side of the building and pull around behind, or park in an adjacent business lot which is OK to do in the evening per Mike, and enter the basement from the rear. Rumor has it there might be refreshments. Becky Smucker

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Annual dinner on Friday, October 27

The CMC Annual Dinner and Meeting will be held on Friday, October 27 at The Chariot, 715 N. Church Street, Hendersonville. (See map). The evening will start with a social hour at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:00 p.m., and the Club’s Annual Meeting at 8:00 p.m. Dale Ditmanson, Superintendent of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be our guest speaker. See all the details on the dinner and annual meeting.

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Submit Awards Nominations by October 15

Put your thinking cap on and come up with some names for the Awards committee to consider for the club's TWO annual awards,  the "Distinguished Service Award" and the "Award of Appreciation".
We need the name of your nominee,  & how long has this person been a member of CMC. Also, for the "Distinguished Service Award "please  list the contributions to the operation and goals of CMC. For the "Award of Appreciation" please state the record of exceptional service to the club during the past calendar year. Also list who else will be able to provide the committee with additional information about the nominee. You can e-mail your choices to backpacker54nc@bellsouth.net or mail your written nominations to: CMC , PO Box 68, Asheville, NC 28802. There will be a  nomination form in the next "Let's Go" newsletter too !  Deadline for nominations is October 15.

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From Don Gardner, the Challenge Committee Chair

The annual CMC banquet is October 28th. At the banquet the Club awards those hikers who have completed the SB6K, the 400mile challenge and/or the Western North Carolina Loop during the year. If you have achieved either one of these milestones during the year, it is necessary for you to submit your information to Don Gardner, Chair of the Challenge Committee. Contact information is gardog3@charter.net and the mailing address is 1003 Charlesmont Court, Lenoir, NC 28645. Information must be received as soon as possible.

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Wilderness First Aid Course offered again by CMC - Nov. 18-19.

Do you feel competent handling a crisis out in the wilderness? The CMC is offering a Wilderness First Aid Course on November 18 and 19 at Warren Wilson College. This 16 hour course will be taught by Landmark Learning.
The CMC is funding some of the cost for each person which includes a 2-year certification. To register: send a check for $75 made out to CMC, including your address, home phone # and e-mail address, also a business size
self-addressed stamped envelope to: Marlene Santa Maria, 49 Apple Tree Way, Asheville, N.C. 28805. Any questions, call 299-9095 or Marlena98@hotmail.com.

This announcement is also in the Let's Go. Over the years, people have joined CMC just to attend this course. If you want to take this valuable course, send in your registration to Marlene ASAP.

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Mount Leconte Weekend Hike May 19-20, 2007 - Last time in the eNews for now.

Are you ready for this sunset?

Come and enjoy the outstanding sunrise and sunset views of Mt. Leconte. To do that, you need to stay up there overnight. Mt. Leconte Lodge, atop Mt. Leconte (6593ft), is accessible only by hiking 10-16 miles roundtrip. It is extremely luxurious with linens - no need to bring a sleeping bag.

Reservations are very difficult to get unless they are made a year in advance. We are planning to reserve some cabins for the night of Saturday, May 19. Plans are to hike on Saturday up to the lodge and do the return hike Sunday. Hike routes will be defined later.

Each cabin has 2 double bunk beds to accommodate 4 people. They have seven freestanding cabins for 4 people in each, one 2-cabin lodge for 8, two 3-cabin lodges for 12 each. Cost per person in 2006 is $97.50, based on 4 person occupancy per cabin , plus optional $8 for wine with dinner. I propose having 4 people of the same gender or 2 couples share each cabin. Coffee or hot chocolate at check-in, dinner at 6 PM , breakfast at 8 AM and drinking water to fill our containers for the return trek will be provided. They have outdoor flush toilets.

Reservations for the 2007 season (with new rates) open on October 2. LeConte Lodge will honor a confirmed reservation only if they receive a check before November 1.

If you want to go on this weekend hike, e-mail Ashok Kudva at ashok.kudva@mchsi.com ( call 828-698-7119 if you do not have an e-mail). On September 24 I will mail them our application with a total headcount. If we get the reservation, which I understand will be by lottery, I will send a group e-mail and request a check for the exact amount made out to me within a week.
Ashok Kudva, ashok.kudva@mchsi.com Tel: 828-698-7119, cell: 828-674-1374

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Conservation

CMC Council takes a position on Chimney Rock Park

The Carolina Mountain Club strongly supports the State of North Carolina in its ongoing efforts to purchase the Chimney Rock Park property. This unique, stunningly beautiful parcel could form an exciting and effective linchpin in the newly forming Hickory Nut Gorge State Park. It is an irreplaceable regional and state treasure with significant portions designated by the state as Natural Heritage areas. It deserves protection.

You can write to your North Carolina representatives, including Governor Michael F. Easley at:

Office of the Governor
20301 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-0301

Read the letter sent by Becky Smucker on behalf of the CMC.

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Heard on the Trail

Please read this! It will save you (and me) a lot of grief!

If you are a CMC member and have a change of address or other contact information, please send it to Jean Gard at jeangard@charter.net. Do not send it to me (your editor) and do not just hit reply. Put Jean's email in your address book. If you don't get the Let's Go, first check that your membership has not lapsed. Then notify Jean, not me. If you are not a member, you must unsubscribe and resubscribe yourself.

How does this eNews work? When I send out the email message telling you that the eNews is ready, all I am sending you is a link to the latest eNews on the CMC website. If you can't get the eNews by clicking on the link, you can always go to the website directly. If you have trouble getting the eNews, please go to your ISP, not me. I send you an email message - that's all I can do.

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