October 11, 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 23 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

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 P.M. on 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. The Raymond James building is less than a tenth of a mile north of The Hop ice cream parlor and on the same side of Merriman Ave. 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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Steve Longenecker to make an educational presentation with his falcon.

Steve Longenecker and "Frightful," the peregrine falcon in his care, will make educational presentations at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education (PCWE) on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 12:00 and 2:00 pm. No charge, of course!

Frightful has done many programs this past spring and summer, with North Carolina Outward Bound instructors and local camps, so meeting the public should not be a problem for the falcon. Steve Longenecker, with Falling Creek Camp (Tuxedo), holds both State and Federal permits that allow him to display the bird to the public. He was formerly the School Nature Program director for the Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools.

Longenecker has been involved with raptors since the late 1970's, first as a rehabber, then as an educator. His goal with the falcon is to give his audiences an opportunity to learn about the bird in a very personal way. Longenecker often says that some people are born with a bird in their heart and he wants to give the public a chance to find out if that might be true for them!

The falcon will be available outside the PCWE building, located at the NC Wildlife Resources Commission Fish Hatchery, about a mile from U.S. Highway 276, on Forest Service Road #475. The turn for the Fish Hatchery is just before the parking area for viewing Looking Glass Falls. For further information, Contact Steve Longenecker at (828) 254-9726 or (828) 230-3735, or e-mail him at sfl@ioa.com

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Other Important News

Steve Pierce Finishes the SB6K

When I retired from teaching I thought I needed a physical challenge. I started hiking with the CMC and soon learned about the SB6K challenge. My first peak was Cold Mountain on a CMC hike on May 30, 2005. My 40^th peak was Craggy Dome reached on September 28, 2006 with Charlie Ferguson. In between were all the other peaks that provided me with challenges and rewards. I could not have completed the challenge without the expertise of many hike leaders. A special thank-you goes to Tom Sanders who led a 3 day backpacking trip in the Smokies to bag 8 of the tough peaks there. I also want to thank Becky Smucker and Charlie Ferguson who shared many of the hikes with me and provided good company and encouragement on the trail. Thanks to all who went before and have added to the collective wisdom, knowledge, and lore of the routes to the remote peaks. I found the SB6K challenge to be personally fulfilling and a wonderful way to see areas of our mountains that many people will never see.I especially enjoyed the time spent with fellow CMC hikers on the trail.

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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. There have been some changes since the last eNews.

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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 nformation 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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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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Build another piece of the MST

Come and built another piece of the MST on November 4. See all the details.

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Heard on the Trail

Online hiking discussions

Do you belong to any online hiking groups? Are they helpful? What do they discuss? Let us know. Danny

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A big thank you to CMC

We would like to say Thank You from the bottom of our hearts to the following people:
Gail Lamb, Jean Gard, Lucy Prim, Joan (sorry I don't know her last name) and Mr. Cook.
On Sept, 10th, you people were wonderful and committed after Vincent was stung by a yellow jacket and had to be rescued by the Brevard and Skyland Rescue Squad and EMTs. Thank you all for staying with us and helping with his recovery. Thanks again.
Jean and Vincent Chan.

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