Carolina Mountain Club

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February 15, 2008

Hiking News | CMC Calendar

What's Happening in the Next Two Weeks

Safety in the Woods Program Cancelled

"Safety in the Woods" program at Diamond Brand that was scheduled for Saturday, Feb 16 has been canceled. The rangers have been dispatched to fight fiires in other areas.

The U.S. Forest Service has put out a pamphlet on the subject. See www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/press/preventing_crime.pdf

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Long Distance Hiking Program

On Tuesday, February 26, 7 pm, Diamond Brand will present Dan Rogers on “Long Distance Hiking.” Dan has backpacked over 8,000 miles including the Appalachian Trail and a 2001-2002 walk of 3,400 miles across America. He is author of America, One Step At A Time. He has spoken at numerous venues and has been featured on the Fine Living Channel’s Radical Sabbatical. He is the Director of Camp Daniel Boone but will take a leave of absence to hike the Pacific Crest Trail beginning April 17.

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Other Important News

75 hikes on the 75th Anniversay of the Smokies.

The Fontana Hiking Club out of Fontana Village is putting together a program for the Park's 75th anniversary that many of you may find interesting. The program is titled "75 on the 75th." The idea is for in 2009 to complete every mile of trail in the Smokies. It has been broken down to 75 day hikes. We are hoping to get a good half dozen who may commit to such an endeavor, and many more who will use the shuttle services we will provide to complete miles they are currently working on. Please write hike@fontanavillage.com if you are interested.
I am also looking for some feedback. The schedule currently is on basically an alternate of one hike one week and two hikes the following. Tentative schedule has these hikes on Saturdays and Sundays. Is it best to assume this would work for most people? I look forward to hearing your input and see how many are interested in this opportunity. Happy Trails - Jerry Span

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Machu Picchu and beyond! From Amy Binderim

I am in the initial phase of planning a trip to Peru to hike the Inca Trail in Septermber. I need to get as many hikers as possible to make this a fun and affordable expedition!! If anyone has time off from Sept. 2 to Sept. 18* please contact me as soon as possible. Hiring of guides, etc. need to be made 3 to 4 months before departure. Also, I would like any information from folks who have been there before. I am roughly figuring - Dray 1 fly to Lima. Day 2 travel by train or plane to Cusco. Day 3,4,5 acclimatize in Cusco. Day 6,7,8,9 hike to Machu Picchu and return to Aquas Calientes by bus or foot and a soak in the "hot springs".(spend the night here). Day 10 take the train to Cusco and from there, who knows?? *return date to US is flexible. Give me a call 216-3914 or e-mail athikerbabe@gmail.com.

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Exotic Invasive Plant Workshop June 5th from 9 to 4 at Chimney Rock Park

This workshop will focus on management of invasive, non-native plant species in parks. Information will be given on management and eradication, regulatory information, interpretive and educational ideas, and teaching tools and goals. Field work on identification and eradication.

Lunch will be limited by time, so please bring a bag lunch. This workshop will have an indoor session before lunch and an outdoor field work session after lunch, so please dress appropriately. We will be working with chemicals, so long sleeves and pants are suggested. Please bring leather work gloves and goggles, if you have them.

This workshop is free to the public but space is limited to 20 persons, so sign up quickly. Please contact Ranger Katharine Scala to sign up for the workshop 828-433-4772 or Katharine.Scala@ncmail.net

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Volunteer for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Office - A second try

The Asheville office of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) seeks a dedicated volunteer for a minimum of seven days (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.) to work closely with ATC staff to update the regional directory. Ability to follow up with ATC partners by phone is required. The update will include a transition to a new format in Excel (and related data entry), synchronization with Outlook, and a final hard copy produced using Word; excellent computer skills are mandatory.

This is a great opportunity for someone who has an interest in learning more about the dynamic partnerships that make up the Appalachian Trail. Schedule is flexible for work around Feb.27. A commitment to see the project through is firm. Volunteer will work at the ATC office, located in the Forest Supervisor’s Office for the National Forests of North Carolina building at 160 Zillicoa Street (just off Broadway, near I-26). Contact Leanna Joyner at (828) 230-5468 or ljoyner@appalachiantrail.org for more information or to volunteer.

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Heard on the Ground

Building the MST

For several weeks we have been encouraging the Blue Ridge Parkway people to approve the extension of the access trail from the new BRP Destination Center to the MST to provide us with some local winter trail work. The extension was to be from the Destination Center to the far end of the the parking lot for the Destination Center. The extension was approved at the end of last week with a slight modification. The modification came
as a total surprise to us. They want the extension to go from the Destination Center to the Rt. 74A. This will provide a loop trail of about 1.5 miles which will run along the west side of the BRP from the Destination
Center down to 74A across the BRP to the east side where the MST enters the woods. A hiker would then follow the MST on the east side of the BRP back to the access trail leading back under the BRP to the Destination Center. Needless to say it should be an extremely popular little loop trail for visitors and locals.

I would say that this falls under the category of Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Barth Brooker.

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Attention Interested Sawyers!

March 14th and 15th- Cross Cut at GSMNP –Ridgerunners, SMHC, and AT Clubs-overnight accommodations available.

March 21st- Class room component for all chain saw participants at GSMNP visitor’s center

March 22nd- Field portion I for Chainsaw certification: GSMNP location-Smoky Mountain Trail Riders have registration priority

April 5th- Field Portion II for Chainsaw certification: Haywood County Location TBA-Backcountry Horsemen of NC have registration priority

Please instruct your club members and participants to download and send in the course application at the link below. www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.851183/k.6196/Become_a_Certified_Sawyer.htm

Let me know if you have concerns or comments, and thanks everyone for taking the time to get certified. -Andrew, ATC

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Adopt a Section of the Appalachian Trail

No sections are available now. If you want to be on a waiting list, email Don Walton.

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Adopt a Section of the MST

Richland Balsam Access(3 Trees) to Cowee Overlook Access, 1.8 miles

If you're interested, email Don Walton.

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Maintenance Reports created by Don Walton

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The Small Print

The eNews comes out on Fridays. So ... The next issue will come out on Friday, February 29 . This will allow the Sunday and Saturday hike leaders a little more time to send in their report; Wednesday hike reports for the hike just before the eNews comes out will be published in the next eNews.

So send me your hiking news, hike and maintenance reports by Wednesday evening at 9 P.M. before the newsletter comes out, that is, by Wednesday evening February 27, 2008 to Danny Bernstein danny@hikertohiker.com. 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.

How to join the Carolina Mountain Club
1. Go to www.carolinamtnclub.org
2. Click on “How to Join” (upper-left on web page)
3. Print out the “CMC Application Form”
4. Fill it Out, write a check for your dues and ...5. Mail to CMC, PO Box 68, Asheville NC 28802

       For CMC members only - Send all address and email changes to Jean Gard at jeangard@charter.net. If you are a non-member subscriber, you need to go back into "subscribe" and change it there yourself.

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