Carolina Mountain Club

Hike - Save trails - Make friends

February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hiking News | CMC Calendar

        Please send me your hiking news, hike and maintenance reports by Monday evening before the newsletter comes out, that is, by Monday evening February 26, 2007 to Danny Bernstein danny@hikertohiker.org. Include your email address at the end of your story. Thank you.

       The CMC Calendar is meant to answer the perennial question "When is this happening again?" It is also meant to prevent conflicts between competing CMC events. Please check it often.

       For CMC members only - Send all address and email changes to Jean Gard at jeangard@charter.net.

What's Happening in the Next Two Weeks

Magic on the Appalachian Trail - Thursday Feb. 22nd.

Come and hear a panel of “celebrity” Appalachian Trail hikers who will be discussing the world of the Appalachian end-to-ender. If you love the trail, are curious about it, or just want to be a part of an interesting discussion this is the event for you! A couple of CMC members will be speaking.

It's on Thursday, February 22nd at 9:30 pm at Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company, Merrimon Avenue. Yes, you read the time right - 9:30 P.M. But it will be fun and lively. This event is sponsored by: Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company, Mast General Store, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Asheville Parks and Recreation.

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If you don't know what ABS is, neither do I. Renowned local guide and wilderness canoeing expert Burt Kornegay - founder of Slickrock Expeditions - will explain it all when he speaks at Diamond Brand Outdoors in Arden on Tuesday, Feb 27th at 7 p.m. For more information call 828.684.6262.

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Other Important News

Great Southeastern Hiking Festival - May 3 to May 6

The Great Southeastern Hiking Festival will be held at the Montreat Conference Center - our own backyard – on May 3 -6. The Festival, which will attract hikers from all over the Southeast, is sponsored by the American Hiking Society. Each day, there will be hikes, workshops and great entertainment. This conference is held biannually in order to build a conservation constituency among trail volunteers, conservation organizations, and agencies and link up a 5,000 mile hiking trail network in the southeast.

Carolina Mountain Club, represented by Danny Bernstein, is one of the co-hosts. Bruce Bente, CMC councilor for hiking, created the hiking schedule for the Festival, and many CMC members will be leading hikes. Our Conservation Committee is offering a workshop, Creating a Conservation Committee for Your Club.
On Friday evening, Buncombe Turnpike, a local blue grass band, will play and on Saturday evening, singer-songwriter, Christine Kane, will be the main event.

Come for a day or for the whole festival. For more information, see www.greatsehikingfestival.org

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Conservation

Congress expected to axe revised plan for forest sale. Sale would include more than 273,000 acres to help schools

By Mary M. Shaffrey, JOURNAL WASHINGTON BUREAU - Wednesday, February 7, 2007

President Bush's proposed federal budget revives an idea that drew sharp criticism last year - the sale of
federal forestland, including more than 5,600 acres in North Carolina.

Bush would like to sell more than 273,000 acres of forest land nationwide to help pay for rural schools.

This year's plan is different from the 2006 proposal, in that half of the money raised from the sales would remain in the individual states and go toward conservation efforts.

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Chimney Rock Part of a New State Park.

Gov. Mike Easley announced that the state of North Carolina has agreed to purchase the landmark Chimney Rock Park in Rutherford County from the Morse family’s Chimney Rock Company.  The park will become the centerpiece of a new state park under development in Hickory Nut Gorge.  The agreement sets a purchase price of $24 million for the 996-acre park and its signature 315-foot spire that overlooks Lake Lure.

For more information on the acquisition of Chimney Rock Park, please visit the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation website at http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/ncparks.html

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Joint Legislative Commission on Land and Water Conservation

Ten CMC members attended a meeting held by the Joint Legislative Commission on Land and Water Conservation on January 4 at AB Tech. The meeting was one of three held by the Commission across the state to get public input and present its draft recommendations. The main recommendation is to increase state funding for land and water conservation and historic preservation from $805 million to $1.8 billion over five years. Of the $1 billion increase, $175 million would go to the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. This fund improves and expands state and local parks, with special emphasis on trails and urban forest protection. The remainder of the $1 billion increase would go to other existing state land, water and cultural conservation trust funds. Since the meetings, the Commission issued its final report recommending $1 billion increase in funding.

CMC’s position, as approved by Council, is:

The Carolina Mountain Club believes that funding for the acquisition, protection, and maintenance of public lands should be a priority for the State of North Carolina. Accordingly, the Carolina Mountain Club requests the State of North Carolina to substantially increase funding for land and water conservation. The Carolina Mountain Club supports the draft recommendation of the Joint Legislative Commission on Land and Water Conservation to increase state funding $1 billion from $805 million to $1.805 billion over five years. A key objective of the CMC is to encourage the conservation of our natural scenery and the hiking experience in Western North Carolina and surrounding areas. Pressures from increasing population growth demand prompt and fully-funded action by the state to protect our natural treasures.

Ruth Hartzler presented CMC’s position. Becky Smucker, Bob Taylor, Rachel Doughty and Jessie James presented their individual statements about the importance of acquisition of lands for protection as population and development pressures increase dramatically in North Carolina.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, and the City of Asheville are several organizations supporting the Commission’s recommendations as part of a broad coalition of over 240 organizations called Land for Tomorrow. Ruth Hartzler, CMC Conservation Committee chair.

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Heard on the Ground

Trail Work is Fun

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Adopt an MST Section

The following sections of the Mountains to Sea Trail are available for adoption:
FS Road 816 to Dark Prong Gap(1.6 miles),
Rainbow Gap to NC 128 (2.6 miles),
NC 128 to Buncombe Horse Range Trail Head at Camp Alice (3 miles).

These are all beautiful sections that provide great personal satisfaction in caring for them. Contact Don Walton at donwalton@bellsouth.net or 654-9904.

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Maintenance Reports created by Don Walton

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Heard on the Trail

From Amy Binderim

If you have missed me on hikes recently, I have a good explanation. After scouting and hiking the trail to Hump Mountain back in July, I noticed a hip pain which was not there before. Pushing myself, I continued to do a few more hikes. As the pain worsened (Aleve did not help), I decided to go to Dr. Dement to have some professional advice. X-rays showed osteoarthritis and bone degeneration on my left hip and some in my back. I was instructed not to hike for the present time and I will have to have a hip replacement in three to five years. Thankfully, I can continue biking and swimming and workouts at the YMCA. If there are other functions, parties, or end of hike dinners, I will try to attend those. I will miss everyone and the camaraderie we had on the trail and will just enjoy the photos on the web site. Amy

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