Carolina Mountain Club

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February 29, 2008

Hiking News | CMC Calendar

What's Happening in the Next Two Weeks

Parkway Expected to Remain Closed at Craggy Gardens for More Than A Year

Visitor safety is the reason One of the Parkway's favorite destinations (Milepost 364.6) will be closed for at least the next 12 months. A 500 foot retaining wall constructed in 1942 has been known for water seeps and after 60 years, mortar joints have weakened, dissolved, or simply washed away. Tight quarters, rebuilding the road bed, and the need to retrieve the culturally significant stones create an unsafe situation for vehicular traffic at the site. The principal detour will be through Little Switzerland at the Museum of North Carolina Minerals, but other detour routes will permit access to points south and Mt. Mitchell.

From the Blue Ridge Parkway News, Feb. 2008.

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Trekking in Nepal slide show at Diamond Brand

On Tuesday, March 11, 7 pm, Bill Miller will present “Trekking in Nepal”. Bill owns and operates a photo and video production business as well as an adventure travel business. He enjoys hiking, biking, paddling and climbing. He has been on ten trips to the mountains of Tibet, India and Nepal, and is looking forward to trekking the Himalayas with his nine-month-old daughter Gracie once she gets a little older. See www.diamondbrand.com.

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Other Important News

First Chance this Spring to extend the MST south. Join Us !!!

When: March 22, 2008
This is your first opportunity to give something back for all the fun and enjoyment you have had on the trails the past year. We hope to have a large group help us complete another piece of the MST going south to the Sctt Creek over look, south of Balsam Gap, BRP mile 449
Meeting Place: Moose Café at 9:00 AM for car pooling.
Parkway Maintenance Office, Balsam Gap intersection with Rt. 74/23 south of Waynesville or BRP Mile 447 Overlook @ 9:30

Tools will be available but if you have digging tools of your own, please bring them. Please call all your friends and acquaintances and invite them. The bigger the group, the more the fun!!! Piet Bodenhorst

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Help Requested from A.T. Day, Section and Thru Hikers for Survey

Barbara Freidt, a graduate student at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, is doing a research project on the AT hiking experience, and requests your help with a survey. She says it should take 10-15 minutes and is anonymous.

If you are interested in details, go to the survey at https://periwinkle.ts.odu.edu/surveys/PWXZAR/ .

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Loaded Guns in the National Parks?

Right now, a visitor cannot carry a loaded gun in a National Park but Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn has proposed a bill that would overturn regulations on firearm possession in National Parks and Wildlife Refuges that have been in effect since 1987. This amendment would prohibit the Secretary of Interior from enforcing regulations currently in place that require gun owners to have their guns unloaded and stored while visiting most units of the National Park System. That would include the Appalachian Trail. Senator Coburn’s amendment could dramatically degrade the experience of park visitors and put their safety at risk if units of the National Park System were compelled to follow state gun laws. It would increase poaching and much worse.

Read all about it from the Coalition of National Park Retirees, the people who know the parks best and can voice their opinion.

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Requests for Trail-related Activities

Periodically CMC gets requests from outside groups for our club to help them with a trail related activity. For example, a college outdoor group may want to spend a day hiking or maintaining a trail. We would like to be able to respond and help when appropriate, so we have decided to appoint someone to coordinate this decision making. I've agreed to be our first Outside Request Coordinator. If you get a request, please pass it to me, Jim Reel, and I'll investigate and facilitate the process. Thanks, Jim Reel!

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Machu Picchu and beyond! From Amy Binderim - (Last time in the eNews)

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 - (last time in the eNews)

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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Spring Barbeque - Saturday April 19

The third annual Spring Barbeque will be held at the beautiful NC Arboretum on Saturday April 19 from 2:00 - 8:30. CMC members, their families and friends are welcome. You do not have to be a member to attend.

There will be two hikes in the Arboretum, both ending at the new Baker Visitor Center. Paula Robbins will lead the first at 2:30, taking time to identify spring wild flowers. At 3:00, Sherman Stambaugh will lead a leisurely hike starting on the Carolina Mountain Trail. Both are easy loop hikes of about 5 miles. We will return with plenty of time to enjoy the Arboretum, the Bonsai exhibit, and visit with friends.

At 6:00, Bubba Q will again serve barbeque pork and chicken, sides and dessert. The program will be an "Old Timers" event. A special invitation is issued to current members or past members of 25 years or longer. Bring your old timey gear, old documents, old pictures and old stories to share with the group.

The price is still $13 per person (no gate entry charged). Please send checks, made out to CMC, by April 12 to Les Love 25 Scenic View Dr. Weaverville 28787. Questions? Call Les at 658-1489 or lesrlove@charter.net.

Oh yeah, you'll be able to see what picture is all about.

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Heard on the Ground

CPR Class

Check out the CPR class on March 8 either in the morning or the afternoon and the best part is that it is FREE. Please let anyone know who might be interested. Don Walton

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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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Heard on the Trail

MST Hikers on the Trail

We have two hikers crossing the state at this time and they both have their own websites dedicated to their MST hikes. You can follow both of them as they cross the great state of North Carolina on the MST.

Becka Walling at http://hikingnc.blogspot.com/
Harry Oxnard at http://harryohikesthemst.blogspot.com:80/2008/01/gear-prep.html

The Small Print

The eNews comes out on Fridays. So ... The next issue will come out on Friday, March 14. 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 March 12, 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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