Looking Ahead

All Day  Saturday & Sunday

ALL DAY No. A0701-056 Mar. 4 Black Mountain Ramble 8:00 AM (strenuous) Hike 9.4, Drive 60, 2600 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA Becky Smucker, 828-298-5013, bsmucker@charter.net  P400 This great winter hike starts at Turkey Pen parking area, then over Sharpy Mtn. and around Black Mtn., ending at the Pisgah Maintenance parking lot. A long uphill, but with good views from our lunch spot at Black Mtn. Second Meeting place: Intersection of NC 280 and Turkey Pen Rd. at 8:30 AM. Car shuttle. Topo: Pisgah Forest; also Nat’l. Geographic PRD map

ALL DAY. No. A0701-327 Mar. 4 Ridgecrest Ramble 9:00 AM (moderate) Hike 6-7, Drive 40, 1400 ft. ascent, Rated B-B Ruth Hartzler, 828-251-0886, ruthmthn@charter.net  A good winter hike, following the Rattlesnake, Rhododendron and Adventure Trails. This moderate hike in the Ridgecrest area offers a number of great scenic overlooks as it meanders along the ridgelines, and includes Rattlesnake, Copperhead and Lookout Mtns. Second meeting place: Parking lot adjacent to McDonald’s at exit 64 of I 40 at 9:20 AM. Topo: Montreat

BACKPACK No. A0701-549 Mar. 10 - 11 Winter Backpack in the Smokies: Big Creek Loop. Hike 16.5, Drive 110. 3200 ft. ascent, Rated A-A Chip Miller, 828-654-9331, backpacker54nc@bellsouth.net  This two-day, one-night backpack will start at the Big Creek trail head, for a 5.3 mile hike to backcountry campsite 37, with ascent of 1250 ft. Sunday we will ascend 1250 ft. on the Low Gap trail to reach the Appalachian Trail. From this junction we will hike to the Mt. Cammerer tower built back in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps. GREAT VIEWS!! (side trail, in & out). Back on the AT we will hike to the Chestnut Branch Trail and follow it back to the Big Creek Ranger Station. Sunday’s total miles will be 11.2 (5.4 headed downhill ). Limited to 8 participants experienced in winter backpacking. Space is limited, because backcountry campsite 37 is "Rationed"! Verify that you can attend before reserving a spot. For meeting place and time, call leader. Topos: Waterville, Hartford, also Nat'l Geo. GSMNP map.

ALL DAY No. A0701-550 Mar. 11 Paris Mtn. State Park 8:30 AM* Hike 9.9, Drive 130, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated A-A Danny Bernstein, 828-236-0192, danny@hikertohiker.org  *Note change to Daylight Savings time today. Located between Traveler’s Rest and Greenville, Paris Mountain State Park is one of the oldest protected areas in South Carolina. Originally, the lakes were the source of Greenville’s water supply. We will walk on well-maintained trails, enjoying good winter views, early spring flowers and warmer weather than in Asheville. Second meeting place: NE corner of Cracker Barrel parking lot at exit 53 of I-26 at 9:00 AM. Topo: Paris Mtn.

Half Day Sunday

HALF-DAY NO. H0701-553 Mar. 4 Montreat Loop #4 1:00 PM
Hike 5, Drive 40, 1000-ft. ascent, Rated C-B
Nonmembers, call leader, Joe Burchfield, 828-298-8413, jdburch@wpo.cso.niu.edu
A moderate hike ascending the Lookout Trail over Lookout Rock and then following the East Ridge Trail to Sourwood Gap. Return will be by the Toll Road, the Buck Gap Trail, and the Old Trestle Road to the Lookout Trail. There will be a moderately steep ascent and a short rock scramble combined with an easy walk. Second meeting place: Parking lot adjacent to McDonald's in Black Mountain off exit 64 of I-40 at 1:20 PM.

 HALF-DAY No. H0701-498 Mar. 11 High Windy 12:30 PM*
Hike 6, Drive 40, Rated B-B
Nonmembers, call leader, Renate Rikkers, 828-298-9988, rerikkers@aol.com
*Note early start time, and that this is the first day of DST. From the grounds of the 12,000-acre Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, we will combine the Carolina Loop Trail with the High Windy Trail for a gradual but steady ascent to the 4370-ft. summit of High Windy for rewarding views. *Only meeting place: Parking lot adjacent to McDonald’s in Black Mountain off exit 64 of I-40.

All Day Wednesday

WEDNESDAY No. W 0701-308 Feb. 28 Ox Creek - Rich Knob 8:00 AM Hike 8, Drive 20, 1850 ft. ascent, Rated B-A Don Walton, 828-654-9904, donwalton@bellsouth.net . From Ox Creek Rd. climb to Rich Knob on the MST via Rattlesnake Lodge. Topo: Craggy Pinnacle

WEDNESDAY No. W0701-545 Mar. 7 Bent Creek #11 - Boundary Trail 8:30 AM Hike 8.5, Drive 25, 1300 ft. ascent, Rated B-B Stuart English, 828-883-2447, stuengo@citcom.net  P400 From Bent Creek Gap we will follow the MST to the Bent Creek Boundary Trail, on to Ingles Field Gap, to Ledford Branch Road and down to Deer lake Lodge Trail and the Rice Pinnacle parking lot. Great winter views. Car shuttle. Second meeting place: Ingles parking lot, across from Biltmore Square Mall on NC 191 at 8:45 AM. Topos: Dunsmore Mt., Skyland; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map and Bent Creek Trail map

WEDNESDAY No. W0701-344 Mar. 14 Pulliam Creek in the Green River Gamelands 9:00 AM Hike 6.5, Drive 60, 1000 ft. ascent, Rated C-B Becky Elston, 828-749-1886, belston@cytechusa.com  This pretty in-and-out hike goes along Pulliam Creek for part of the way. We may see kayakers on the Green River. Second meeting place: NE corner of parking lot of Cracker Barrel off Exit 53 of I-26 at 9:30 PM. Topo: Cliffield Mtn; also Trails of the Green River Game lands map

Looking Back......

All Day  Saturday & Sunday

ALL DAY No.0701-541 Feb. 18 Brushy Ridge Trail to Henson Waterfall 8:00 AM
Hike 5.2, Drive 150, 1600 ft. ascent, Rated C-A Don Walton, 828-654-9904, donwalton@bellsouth.net
This new Linville Gorge hike was recently scouted by Don in one of his Linville Gorge explorations. It goes down into Linville Gorge, including Huckleberry Rock overlook, Henson Falls and a nice view of the Linville River. Second Meeting Place: Parking lot adjacent to McDonald’s at exit 64 of I-40 at 8:20 AM. Topo: Linville Falls; also PNF Linville Gorge Wilderness map

A small crew of 4, including a new hiker--soon to be CMC member and MST Section Maintainer braved the zero wind chill factor from the top of Linville Gorge down to Henson Creek Falls and a seldom seen view point of the gorge. Actually we were shielded nicely all day from the wind so was a very pleasant day in the woods. This new CMC hike should be repeated again for all to enjoy. Don Walton.
Photo supplied by Don Walton.

SATURDAY No. 0701-547 Feb. 24 MST west from Balsam Gap 8:30 AM*
Hike 8-9, Drive 75, 1400 ft. ascent, Rated B-B Marianne Newman, 828-454-1036, marianneln@msn.com
  Note later start time. Come to see the MST extension that CMC has been building for the last 5 years. We will hike the MST from Balsam Gap for about 4 miles, then retrace our steps back to our cars. *Meet at Westgate at 8:30 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at US 23/74 rest stop past Waynesville at 9:00 AM. Topo: Hazelwood

Twenty-two people turned out on a beautiful day to check out the Mountains to Sea trail from Balsam Gap to its current ending point beyond the Woodfin Cascades overlook on the BRP. The official blazed route involves a bit of older trail, a bit of Parkway, quite a stretch of dirt road, and a lovely section of new trail leading up to a fine view point. Several people on the hike knew well and personally how much work goes into trail-building of this sort. We're all very grateful.

The human interest highlight of the day was the surprise reunion of first cousins Kathleen Hannigan and Karen Rowe. In the course of chatting, K & K discovered that their fathers are brothers. No wonder they looked kind of familiar to each other.
Since the hike turned out to be a little longer than anticipated (no one had GPS'd it till now and the trail isn't yet on the maps), we walked back on the Parkway for a total of about 10 easy miles. Marianne. Pictures by Bruce Bente and Ashok Kudva

ALL DAY No. 0701-548 Feb. 25 AT: Sams Gap to Big Bald 8:00 AM
Hike 13, Drive 55, 2600 ft. ascent, Rated AA-AA Jay Bretz, 828-658-1220, williambretz1220@msn.com
  This will be a challenging AT hike up to see spectacular views from the summit of Big Bald. With luck, we’ll see rime ice above Sams Gap and hike in snow at the higher elevations. Topo: Sams Gap

No hike because of the weather.

Half Day Sunday

Half-Day No. H0701-153 Feb. 18 Caney Bottom-Cove Creek Loop 12:30 PM*
This hike is different from the planned hikebecause the Avery Creek road is under construction and closed until sometime in March.
Hike 6, Drive 80, 1000 ascent, Rated B-B
Non-members call Stuart English, 828-883-2447, stuengo@citcom.net
P400 *Note Early Start Time We will park at the entrance to the Cove Creek group camp ground, follow Caney Bottom Trail (with a side trip to Jackson Falls), then Cove Creek Trail, stopping at beautiful Cove Creek Falls. Then we will follow Cove Creek Trail back to Caney Bottom trail and back to our cars. Two of the Pisgah Ranger District's hidden treasures.
*Meet at Westgate at 12:30PM to form carpools and meet hike leader at the Pisgah Ranger Station at 1:10 PM.

Eight people turned out on a cold, but beautiful day. From the Cove Creek Group Camp parking area, we started on Caney Bottom Trail, took a side trip on an unmapped trail to Toms Spring Falls, a falls according to Kevin Adams,(noted waterfall photographer) about 100 feet high. We found it spectacular. Then we retraced our steps back to the Caney Bottom Trail and followed it to the junction of Cove Creek Trail. From there we went to Cove Creek Falls, a 50 foot waterfalls. By then, I felt it was too late to commit ourselves to completing the loop, since we had well over half of it before us. So we headed back, took Caney Bottom Trail around the campgrounds, and followed the road through the campground to our cars. Everyone agreed that seeing the waterfalls had satisfied our objective for the day. Stuart

HALF DAY NO. H0701- 552 Feb. 25 Dupont Forest: Lake Imaging P.L. #2 12:30 PM*
Hike 5, Drive 94, 1200 ft ascent, Rated C-B
Nonmembers, call leader, Rusty Breeding, 828-692-0359, bree_lw@planetusa.net
*Note early start time. From the Lake Imaging parking lot, we will climb the newly re-opened Jim Branch Trail, and on a combination of other trails, we will visit Lake Dense, High Falls and Triple Falls, ending at the Hooker Falls parking lot. Short car shuttle. *Meet at Westgate at 12:30 PM to form carpools, and meet hike leader at parking lot of Bi-Lo at intersection of US 276 and NC 280 in Pisgah Forest at 1:00 PM.

A rainy morning. A drizzly afternoon. Clouds hanging on the treetops. Forty degrees. Nobody came. The leader went shopping. Rusty.

Wednesday

WEDNESDAY No. W0701-554 Feb. 14 Bent Creek Loop #12: MST - Arboretum 8:30 AM Hike 8.5, Drive 22, 1400 ft. ascent, Rated B-B Sherman Stambaugh, 828-254-1736 P400 This hike is a loop on some of the Bent Creek area trails, including Small Creek and a connector trail from the Lake Powhatan area to the MST. We'll then hike north on the MST to Hard Times Road and return to the cars through the Arboretum. Second meeting place: Ingles across from Biltmore Square Mall on NC 191 at 8:45 AM. Topo: Dunsmore Mt.; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map and Bent Creek Trail map

After every Wednesday hike I've been on this year, I've said that it couldn't get any colder. Guess what. It did. The coldest Wednesday yet was February 14. Sherman Stambaugh, our oldest active hiker at 86, led us from Lake Powhatan to the MST and the parkway. Part of the hike was on an unmaintained trail that Sherman and Chase Ambler did a lot of work on years ago to make it hikeable. The temperature was in the 20s and the wind chill must have been in single digits. When we reached the parkway, it was blowing snow and the wind was almost unbearable. We walked along the ridgeline until we reached Hard Times Road and followed it back into the arboretum.

Every now and then Sherman would say something like what a great day it was to be hiking. As we walked back through the arboretum, Sherman did all the things a good hike leader should do, stopping and showing us all the improvements that have been made lately. When we got back to our cars, Don Walton's GPS said that we had hiked 9.5 miles and climbed about 1400 feet. Sherman had led us on a pace of 2.1 miles an hour. Sherman not only represents an ideal hike leader, he exemplifies the benefits of the body and spirit that a
lifetime of hiking endows. Knowing that Sherman doesn't have email, I offered to send in a hike report for him. He simply said, "Its not that important." Guess what again. It is. Stuart English.

WEDNESDAY No. W0701-327 Feb. 21 Ridgecrest Ramble 9:00 AM Hike 6-7, Drive 40, 1400 ft. ascent, Rated B-B Ruth Hartzler, 828-251-0886, ruthmthn@charter.net  A good winter hike, following the Rattlesnake, Rhododendron and Adventure Trails. This moderate hike in the Ridgecrest area offers a number of great scenic overlooks as it meanders along the ridgelines, and includes Rattlesnake, Copperhead and Lookout Mtns. Second meeting place: Parking lot adjacent to McDonald’s at exit 64 of I-40 at 9:20 AM. Topo: Montreat

I’ve hiked with the CMC for over 15 years, but today’s hike was a first for me. Read on! Although the weather forecast was chancy, 18 hikers assembled at the second meeting place in Black Mountain, ready to defy the weather.  After a short drive to Ridgecrest, we parked at the tennis courts.  We briefly hiked the Rattlesnake Trail.  Then we took the Lake Trail, enjoying scenic views of the lake.  We hiked the fairly steep Rattlesnake Trail to the summit connector.   After scrambling up the steep, rocky Rattlesnake connector, we were rewarded with clear, long-range views in most directions.   At this point, one hiker asked if he could make a statement. The leader quieted the group, and Kent Mason got down on one knee, opened a jewelry box containing a beautiful ring, and asked Martha Kelsy to be his wife.  She readily agreed.  Everyone clapped and cheered!  On the way back down the rocky connector, one hiker fell, but bravely continued the hike with several bruises.  The hikers proceeded in high spirits to the Copperhead overlook, then to Lookout Mountain.  As we ate lunch, clouds and mist started closing in on the 360-degree views.  About 30 seconds of rain fell, providing enough moisture in the air for a rainbow in the lower mountains -- a good omen for our newly engaged couple.  We finished the hike on the East Ridge and Adventure Trails in sunshine, with a brief stop at the Royal Gorges Overlook. See photos of the hike, including the marriage proposal at
http://gone-hiking.com/ridgecrest/RidgecrestRamble-2-21-07.html.   Thanks to Tommie, Joanne and Mary for showing me this hike.  Ruth

All-day hikes submitted by Bruce Bente 692-0116, bbente@bellsouth.net . Driving distance is round-trip from Asheville. All Saturday and Sunday hikes assemble at Westgate Shopping Center near I-240 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

Half Day hikes submitted by Paula Robbins 828-687-1651 paularww@bellsouth.net.

Wednesday Hikes are submitted by Charlie Ferguson, 828-398-0213 ccf108@gmail.com and Ann Gleason, 828-859-9387, gleason.ann@gmail.com .

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.
Leaders: Mail please mail your sign-up sheets. Meet at Westgate unless otherwise noted.