CMC Bi-Weekly Hike NewsCMC Bi-Weekly Hike News
November 23, 2007
See the report on the Hike Inn.
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| Half Day Sunday Hikes |
| Wednesday Hikes |
Looking Back ... with hike reports
| All Day Saturday and Sunday Hikes |
| Half Day Sunday Hikes |
| Wednesday Hikes |
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ALL DAY NO. A0704-582 Nov. 25 ALL DAY NO. A0704-441 Dec. 2 ALL DAY NO. A0704-583 Dec. 2 HALF-DAY No. H0704-579 Nov. 25 HALF-DAY No. H0704-430 Dec. 2 WEDNESDAY NO. W0704-404 Nov. 28 WEDNESDAY NO. W0704-182 Dec. 5
On November 6-8, 18 CMC members enjoyed three days of hiking, fun, and fellowship in the beautiful North Georgia Mountains. The Len Foote Hike Inn is a lodge that must be reached by hiking. It is in the Amicalola Falls State Park and is a gateway to the Southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. The Inn is an environmentally efficient structure with an elaborate organic waste system and partial solar energy. We were treated one evening to a talk by Richard Judy, who through hiked the A.T., as did his son and daughter at different times. The weather was perfect; although cold and invigorating, approximately 20 miles of hiking was accomplished in the three days. Our thanks go to Chris Ogden for organizing this event. Stuart. Photos by Stuart English. See more pictures taken by Ashok Kudve at http://community.webshots.com/album/561392182QpLDHv The Hike Inn is off the approach trail to the Appalachian Trail. The picture above on the right shows the beginning of the trail on the summit of Spring Mountain. The building is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, the first in the state of Georgia, which means it was built as a very green building. They give a tour to guests, explaining all the ecological things they do, such as composting toilets (yes,they went into details as to how they work) and worms which eat biodegrade food and paper. But they have to balance that with getting enough guests to hike the five miles and stay in a place with bathroom down the hall and "fancy" dorm food. So they provide sheets and towels which is so unecological (all that laundry) instead of asking guests to bring their own sleeping sheets and towels. I remember little from our stay in Amicalola Falls when we did this section of the A.T. in 1995. On that trip, we had stayed at the inn on the road the evening before starting the A.T. and the Hike Inn had not been built yet. Danny ALL DAY NO. A0704-590 Nov. 11
While there's no such thing as a bad hike, some hikes are a cut above the rest. Linville Gorge hikes are definitely in that category. Thanks again for leading a terrific hike. Ted Conners ALL DAY NO. A0704-409 Nov. 18
Continuing on to the Cold Spring Branch and Tom Miller trails we then picked up the Jones Gap trail on our return to the cars. Along the way we came across an open campfire that was still smoldering left by some careless campers. We proceeded to get water from a spring that was only 15 yards away to make certain that there were no embers left. There was even a tin can near the fire that the campers could have used to put the fire completely out. Is it a wonder why some forest fires start by a few careless campers (read here, idiots)? We then proceeded on to view the Jones Gap Falls which are beautiful even with the low flow of water. We reached our cars at 3:25 pm after hiking eleven miles with around a 2,000 ft elevation gain. Spending about 30 minutes in the parking lot after the hike with pleasant conversation eight of us then had dinner at Applebees in Hendersonville. Carroll. Photo by Ted Conners. HALF-DAY NO. H0704-434 Nov. 11 HALF-DAY NO. H0704-286 Nov. 18
WEDNESDAY NO W0704-587 Nov 14
ALL DAY NO. W0704-582 Nov. 21
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. |
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Ten hikers made the trip to the Linville Gorge. We descended the Conley Cove Trail and explored a secret cave that is large enough to sleep a band of Indians and I am sure it did at sometime. It also is not secret anymore! At a point on the way down there is a perfect view of why Table Rock is named. We made our way over the rocks and downed trees going upstream along the Linville River on the Linville River Trail. At the Babel Tower Intersection we decided to make our way to the top of the Tower and we were glad we did. All day the weather and the views in the gorge and on the tower were simply breathtaking. This being a wilderness and rugged in its own way always makes for a special walk in the woods. Don Walton. Photo by Ted Conners. 
Another fantastic day for a fall hike! Nine experienced and friendly hikers left the parking lot at Jones Gap State Park at 9:15 am to start a pleasant hike on an absolutely beautiful day that could only be thoroughly enjoyed in the mountains. The moderate hiking along the Jones Gap Trail onto the Bill Kimbal Trail seemed like a cakewalk. Then the realities of the climb to the top of El Lieutenant stared us in the face (literally, due to the fact that you basically faced the rock cliff as you climb). I would match this very strenuous climb, (which is about a 1,000 ft. climb) with almost any other steep climb that the club experiences. We reached the top at 11:30 am and took a much needed 20 minute break in the deep layer of fallen leaves. 
Twenty two people hiked the Sycamore Cove Trails on a day some of us thought might be a little chilly after the windy, cold snap we experienced a few days prior. However, as often happens, it turned out to be good hiking weather, where one needed only to take off a layer or two. New and interesting hikers joined the regular Sunday afternoon hikers comfortably. Pat
Forty-one great hikers, great weather and a new hike made for a nice days in the woods. We assembled at the trail head and discussed the Foothills Conservancy’s recent land purchase and the resulting long term ability to be able to publicly access the Catawba Falls area. We then hiked up to the old power generating plant which can still be seen across the river. This power plant was fed through a wooden and iron chute from Dam #1 upstream about ½ mile. We then stopped at the lower falls and offered the hikers the choice of going to the upper falls. The trail to the upper falls is about ½ mile and steep. Two-thirds of the group choose to go up. The upper falls are worth the trip and everyone was glad they went. We returned on the same trail and were back at the cars by 2pm. Don. Photo by Don Walton. 
Thirteen hikers met at the Ranger Station in Pisgah Forest on a sunny, warm day for our loop hike from the gauging station on the head waters of South Mills River to Buckhorn Gap, over Rich Mountain on the Black Mountain trail and down Barnett Branch Trail into the Pink Beds and back to our cars. As I had hoped, enough leaves were down so that we had great views from the ridge line of both the Davidson River and Mills River watersheds. Another highlight was hiking down into the Pink Beds; a high wide plateau in the shadow of the parkway, and seeing the new forest service bridges. For years this part of the Pink Beds Loop had been closed due to beaver flooding. But the beavers are back at work and now have the Barnett Branch trail closed off on the trail across the middle of the Pink Beds. One sobering thought; on the way in and out on Yellow Gap Rd., we saw a police investigative team evidently working on the Bryant case. Stuart.