Carolina Mountain Club
Hike - Save trails - Make friends
November 21, 2008
Bear Hunting Season Oct 13 - Nov. 22
Deer Hunting Season Nov 24 - Dec 13
Bear Hunting Season Dec 15 - Jan 1
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| Upcoming Hikes | Hike Reports | CMC Calendar |
| Happenings in the next two weeks | Help extend the MST |
| Other News | Surprise party for Bernard Elias |
| Conservation | Greater Smoky Mountain Coalition Update |
| Heard on the Ground | Adopt a piece of the MST |
| Heard on the Trail | Where in the world is the Smokies 900 website? |
| The small print | Deadlines, change of addresses and other details |
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What's Happening in the Next Two Weeks Last Chance this Year to extend the MST south. November 22 This was postponed from last week because of the weather. This is your last opportunity to give something back for all the fun and enjoyment you have had on the trails this past season. We hope to have a large group help us complete another piece of the MST going south to the Scott Creek over look, south of Balsam Gap, BRP mile 449. We only have a small piece to finish this section. The next piece is already flagged and partially cut.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 449 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 ---------------------- Back to Top Surprise 90th Birthday Potluck Party for Bernard Elias
When: Saturday afternoon, December 6. Time: 1:00 – 3:30 Dec. 6, but please arrive before 1:00 if possible. Place: Trinity Episcopal Church at 60 Church Street in downtown Asheville, in Tuton Hall. Parking in lot beside building. Map at Trinity Episcopal Church Food: Potluck, so bring something to share. Drinks, dinnerware provided. Gifts: Please don’t bring any, but we will be collecting $1-2 at the door to get gift cards for Bernard to his favorite restaurants. Bring: Besides food, bring photos and stories to share. You can bring photos along when you come, or digital photos may be sent ASAP to Gerry McNabb at gerrymcnabb@charter.net putting the words “Elias Birthday pictures” in the subject line. Physical chrome slides can be mailed to his home address at Gerry McNabb, 122 Cloverleaf Lane, Asheville, NC 28804. RSVP: Marlene Santa Maria at marlena98@hotmail.com, if possible, so we have an idea of how many will attend (the space is plenty large for all of us). Also let her know if you’re interested in helping with decorations and setting up. Two years ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing Bernard Elias for the Mountain Xpress. You may want to read the article on all of Bernard's accomplishments. Danny ---------------------- Back to Top Three-State Park Weekend – April 17 to 19, 2009
You’ll walk on Stone Mountain’s 700-foot granite rock dome and see an amazing field of moonshine equipment. Hanging Rock and Pilot Mountain State Parks, in the ancient Sauratown Mountains, have high quartzite cliffs, moderate woodland trails, and isolation from other mountain ranges. We’ll stay in well-appointed cabins for two days at Hanging Rock or you’re welcome to camp. All details are coming soon but for now, save the date. Each cabin has two bedrooms with two twin beds, so get your group of four people ready and I'll let you know how to reserve a cabin. If you have questions, call or email Danny Bernstein (828-236-0192). ---------------------- Back to Top Western NC Lookout Towers & New CMC Challenge Program - Nov. 24
Peter will discuss his new book Hiking North Carolina's Lookout Towers and talk about the hiking, history, and preservation of western NC fire towers, including Shuckstack Tower in the Smokies. He'll also introduce the club's newest challenge program, the Lookout Tower Challenge (LTC), which challenges hikers to reach 24 fire lookouts in western NC spanning the Nantahala National Forest, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Pisgah National Forest, Appalachian Trail, and several NC state parks. Henderson County Public Library, 301 N. Washington St., Hendersonville, NC 28739, (828) 697-4725. ---------------------- Back to Top In Memoriam - Chase Ambler A CMC member for some 14 years, Chase Ambler, died October 24, at Memorial Mission Hospital. He had worked in maintaining trails and had his own section immediately north of the Craggy Visitor Center. Despite severe knee problems, he maintained the section from the parking lot to the top of the pinnacle. He may be more widely known among our members as the grandson of Dr. Chase P. Ambler, builder of the Rattlesnake Lodge, the site of which is one of the club's favorite half-day hike destinations on the MST. (According to our CMC history website, Dr. Ambler was Chairman of the committee that formed the southern chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club in 1920. It was the forerunner of, and was replaced by, the Carolina Mountain Club in 1923. Dr. Ambler was one of the six incorporators of the CMC at that time.) Chase was retired from The Asheville School where he was swimming coach for many years and taught physics. He was also an avid mountain climber, climbing many in Switzerland, the Americas, and he even conquered Denali (Mt. McKinley) in Alaska; a month-long ordeal, he once told me. Gerry McNabb. See the website on Dr. Amble at: http://www.rattlesnakelodge.com/clippings.htm ---------------------- Back to Top Future of Shuckstack Lookout Tower Uncertain ---------------------- Back to Top
Adopt a Section of the Appalachian Trail Davenport Gap to Waterville School Rd. 2.4 miles Adopt a Section of the MST Walnut Cove Overlook to Hardtimes Road 1.2 miles If you're interested in either the A.T. or MST, email Don Walton. ---------------------- Back to Top Maintenance Reports created by Don Walton
---------------------- Back to Top Smokies 900 New Website For those who've wondered where the Smokies 900 website has gone to, it was moved to www.900miler.com I'm not taking any chances. I'm going to print out the application form now - who knows where it will move to next. Danny New Look for the Let's Go Watch for a new look for our Let's Go newsletter. It will be cheaper, easier to read, more environmentally friendly and the photos will look better. Coming to your mailbox soon. Lost and Found On today’s half day hike to Twin Falls, someone left a brown winter jacket (down or some other fill) in a white surburban. I have contact info to provide to the jacket’s owner when found. Thanks, Lee Belknap ---------------------- Back to Top The eNews comes out on Fridays. So ... The next issue will come out on Friday, December 5. 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 news and maintenance reports by Tuesday evening at 9 P.M. before the newsletter comes out, that is, by Tuesday evening December 2, 2008 to Danny Bernstein at danny@hikertohiker.com. Include your email address at the end of your story. I can only accept the Wednesday hike report by Wednesday evening. 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 ---------------------- Back to Top |
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Danny Bernstein
danny@hikertohiker.com
All CMC members and interested past members are invited. Please help spread the word. This is being organized by Marlene Santa Maria and committee. 
Come and hike in Stone Mountain, Hanging Rock, and Pilot Mountain State Parks. The picture is of the Big Pinnacle in Pilot Mountain State Park.
Join CMC member Peter Barr at the Henderson County Public Library at 4:00pm on Monday, Nov. 24 for a 45 minute presentation on North Carolina lookout towers.
The Carolina Mountain Club recently introduced the incorporation of a new challenge program, the Lookout Tower Challenge (LTC), encouraging hikers to reach 24 lookout towers throughout western North Carolina. Already, the future of several of these towers is in jeopardy, including the Shuckstack Lookout. Read all the