Carolina Mountain Club

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March 28, 2008

Hiking News | CMC Calendar

What's Happening in the Next Two Weeks

Spring Hiking with Spring Wildflowers at Diamond Brand - April 8

On Tuesday, April 8 at 7 pm, Danny Bernstein will present a slide show, Spring Hiking with Spring Wildflowers at Diamond Brand Outdoors, 2623 Hendersonville Rd., Arden, 828-209-1501.

Danny is a long time hiker and an Appalachian Trail end-to-ender. She is author of Hiking the Carolina Mountains. She leads hikes, writes an outdoor column for the Mountain Xpress and edits this newsletter. Refreshments will be served.

For Charlotte readers, I'll be at Jesse Brown Outdoors on Thursday March 27, 6:30 P.M. Sharon Corners 4732 Sharon Road – Suite 2M, Charlotte, 704-556-0020.

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Map Course Offered, April 5

Can you read a map? Learn to use a topographical map for hiking. The course will be taught Saturday, April 5th, by Dave Wetmore at the National Park Service’s new Destinations Center - for CMC members only, and there is no fee. Bring your compass and a copy of the Dunsmore quad, which can be purchased at any good hiking store. Participants must pre-register by contacting Cindy McJunkin via email at mcjfive@aol.com or by phone 828-712-9646.

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Hiking the Western North Carolina Heritage

Shortoff Mountain

Shortoff Mt. is the defining hike to get a good preview of Linville Gorge. This rock mass, at the lower end of the gorge, looms dramatically over the foothills and Lake James. And what a wonderful panorama! As you climb, you’ll have constant views of Lake James and at the top, Linville Gorge and the Black Mountain range, including Mt. Mitchell.The hike starts on an access trail which connects to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, going trail east.

It's only 3.3 miles (round trip) with a 1,650 ft. ascent. Too short for an all-day hike, too long a drive for a half-day hike. So the solution is to combine this hike with Lake James State Park, where you’ll see the blunt-end cut of Shortoff Mt. from below. Lake James offers about 4 miles of flat, flat trails. Danny.

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Other Important News

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 this picture is all about.

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ATC Photo Contest

You've been admiring the photographs on the ATC calendar for years. Now you can submit your favorite. Check it all out at http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.2718649/ and send in your work.

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Into the Woods Celebration and Auction for Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition

On Friday, April 18th, the Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition presents the fifth annual Into the Woods Celebration and Auction from 6pm-10pm at the historic On Broadway in vibrant downtown Asheville. The fundraiser includes great food, locally brewed beer, environmentally friendly wine, a fantastic silent auction with something for everyone, and bluegrass fusion music by Brushfire Stankgrass. Tickets are $35. Reserve yours by calling 828-252-9223 or email nicole@safc.org. Come celebrate Earth Day with us!!

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Trailfest in Hot Springs

Save the date - Saturday April 26 brings music, dancing, and the world famous duck race to town to celebrate the Appalachian Trail. For more information, music lineup and agenda: http://www.hotspringsnc.org/. Please email with any questions! Many thanks, Julie Judkins (828-254-3708)

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ATC Biennial Conference 2009 - July 17-24, 2009 in Castleton, Vermont

The GMC will host the 2009 Appalachian Trail Conservancy Biennial Conference at Castleton State College. We need hundreds of volunteers to plan and run the conference, which will accommodate 800-1000 outdoor
enthusiasts. (The last time the GMC hosted the ATC Biennial Conference was in 1985 at Green Mountain College.)

We need volunteers to lead hikes and excursions; register and greet guests; sell T-shirts; staff workshop information centers; manage logistics including signs, parking and camping; and much, much more. We need you NOW and for the event itself.

It is not too early to add your name to the growing list of potential volunteers. If you have a particular interest, let us know and we will be happy to accommodate you. (Our greatest need for volunteers will be Friday, July 17 - Monday, July 20.) Please contact Jean Anderson at jeanoutdoors@aol.com to let her know when you would like to help out. And thank you. For more information, visit www.Vermont2009.org.

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Heard on the Ground

A.T. Trail Maintenance Reports

Big Stamp to Little Bald
While I am not new to the Trail, having hiked on it for the first time in 1968 and completed a thru hike in 2000, I am new to maintaining. Howard introduced me to my section sometime late last summer, and I was up to it a couple of times in the fall, but this week was my first spring walkthrough.

My section looked great, if I don't mind saying so. The tread looks good, there were three small downed trees that were easy enough to pull off the trail, and the usual assortment of winter sticks and leaves in the pathway. I cleaned out both springs and they are both flowing well. I plan to touch up all/most of the blazes on my next trip.

Someone else put up a report last fall that there could be some new waterbars on the climb up to Little Bald, and I agree. These would be between the 2nd and 3rd false summit, going north. I gave Randy (section maintainer Little Bald to Spivey Gap) a ride so he didn't have to walk up the hill, and he showed me a tool he uses to clean out the water bars and showed me how to clean them out, but after he went on to his section I was using my boot heel. Do we have a supply of those to check out?

There needs to be a new sign for "water" or "spring" at the north spring (not at the shelter but at the campsite further north) for hikers coming south on the trail. The door on the privy is completely off - do I buy new hardware and fix it or does someone else? And I raked the poop pile last fall so it could molder over the winter, but it's getting kind of full in there. I have no experience with replacing/moving privies, but someone else may want to throw an eye in there sometime and offer up a second opinion.

It was a gorgeous, sunny day up on the ridge. There were a few patches of snow here and there, but it has mostly melted. When I was through I climbed to the top of Big Stamp in the light of the early evening and looked out at the entire world bathed in a soft orange glow. Wednesday was my 51st birthday, and standing on top of a southern bald on the AT watching the sun set, well, at that moment there wasn't any place on the planet I would have rather been. I plan on working this section of the Trail for a long time. Doug

Rice Gap to Devils Fork Gap
It was a dark and stormy day when Lenny and I did a walk-through on our A.T. section, Devils Fork Gap to Rice Gap, yesterday. No maintenance problems and plenty of water in the streams. It started raining after about two hours. With lots of hand sawing, we weren't even half-way down with our 4.9 mile section. So we soldiered on. The Law of Unintended Consequences is fully at work. The area the ATC cleared to create a view just south of Frozen Knob is now an unattractive campsite with evidence of two fires and lots of trash. We cleaned up the trash and broke up the fire ring, but it looks like it will be an on-going problem.

The highlight was meeting three groups of hikers. Nick and Laura from Cincinnati were on their first week on the A.T. We gave them a ride back to their car so they could do another section instead of retracing their stpes. Two older fellows were thru-hiking and didn't have time to stop. We want to commend the trail crew for the excellent job they did clearing a large tree blocking the trail at stream crossing about a mile north of Rector Laurel Road. It was obviously a lot of work. Danny.

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Great Saturday Workday

Look at some pictures.

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Attention Interested Sawyers!

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

NC128 to Buncombe Horse Range Trail Head (BHRT) at Camp Alice, 3.0 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

Graybeard Profile

This is the hike profile of the Graybeard hike on Sunday March 23. It's a graphic way of seeing how much up and down the hike is. This graph was sent in by Ashok Kudva, one of several CMC hikers with a GPS.

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The Small Print

The eNews comes out on Fridays. So ... The next issue will come out on Friday, April 11. 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 April 9, 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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