Carolina Mountain Club
Hike - Save trails - Make friends
December 19, 2008
Merry Christmas and a Happy Hiking Year!
Bear Hunting Season Dec 15 - Jan 1
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| Upcoming Hikes | Hike Reports | CMC Calendar |
| Happenings in the next two weeks | Merry Christmas and a Happy Hiking Year! |
| Other News | Please fill out the Communications Survey |
| Conservation | There is good news and there is bad news. |
| Heard on the Ground | Adopt an MST section |
| The small print | Deadlines, change of addresses and other details |
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From Your Editor This eNews is coming out early because your editor is leaving for a couple of weeks. (Yes, there is hiking outside the Southern Appalachians.) The next eNews will come out January 9, 2009. Deadlines, deadlines, .... Hike reports are an eNews favorite. I would like to encourage all leaders to send a hike report as soon as the hike is over. However, the report for the Wednesday hike just before the eNews comes out will be published in the next eNews. Danny ---------------------- Back to Top What's Happening in the Next Three Weeks Tree Planting in Hot Springs - January 7 The restoration workshop to plant native trees in Hot Springs has been changed to January 7th. This restoration planting follows manual and chemical control of exotic invasive species including Mimosa, Privet, Japanese Knotweed, Oriental Bittersweet, Multiflora Rose and Chinese Silvergrass. The project area is adjacent to Lover's Leap Significant Natural Heritage Area within the Pisgah National Forest. Contact jjudkins@appalachiantrail.org if you are interested in attending. ---------------------- Back to Top Communications Survey By now everyone should have received the Communications Survey in the Let’s Go newsletter. We would like to hear membership input about our three avenues of communication: the hard copy Let’s Go, the eNews, and our website. We have produced a survey that we feel covers all the bases, but we would be glad to hear any additional comments on a separate piece of paper mailed to Attn: Stuart English Carolina Mountain Club P. O. Box 68 Asheville, N. C. 28802 Or you can simply email me your additional comments at stuengo@citcom.net. Remember, this is your club and these are your services. Stuart English ---------------------- Back to Top ATC Looking for Seasonal Trail Crew ATC is now accepting applications for seasonal trail crew staff. If you or someone you know is interested in a position, please send them to ATC's seasonal employment webpage at www.appalachiantrail.org/trailcrewemployment The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to the preservation and management of the natural, scenic, historic, and cultural resources associated with the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in order to provide primitive outdoor-recreation and educational opportunities for Trail visitors. To become a member, volunteer, or learn more, please visit us at www.appalachiantrail.org ---------------------- Back to Top Bernard Elias's Party Bernard's party was a great success, thanks to wonderful planning by Marlene. See Gerry McNabb's slide show. You'll need Flashplayer, a free Windows product. Just click on the link and Flashplayer should start.
---------------------- Back to Top Three-State Park Weekend – April 17 to 19, 2009
Check out all the details here. If you have questions, call or email Danny Bernstein (828-236-0192). ---------------------- Back to Top
Diamond Brand supports CMC again Diamond Brand Outdoors is supporting CMC members for the fourth year by giving each family or individual memberships a $20 gift certificate. This past year, they gave members almost $14,000 a year in gift cards. In addition, they have supported several CMC projects such as Hike Leaders dinners and the National Trails Day project. Thank you, Diamond Brand. ---------------------- Back to Top Rocky Fork on the Way to Protection Tennessee’s gateway to the Southern Appalachian Mountains – the 9,624-acre property known as Rocky Fork – is now one step closer to being protected, with the property’s acquisition by The Conservation Fund and the USDA Forest Service from New Forestry, LLC. As part of the overall acquisition, The Conservation Fund acquired 7,387 acres, which the organization will temporarily hold as it raises money to transfer this portion of the property to the state of Tennessee and the U.S. Forest Service for permanent ownership and management. The U.S. Forest Service acquired an additional 2,237 acres of the Rocky Fork tract, which is now part of the Cherokee National Forest. Read the whole press release.
The photo (by Danny Bernstein) is of the Rocky Fork property from the I-26 rest stop in TN. ---------------------- Back to Top
Guns in National Parks - the Final Ruling
The administration did not listen to the vast majority of comments from people who said "no" to allowing guns in National Parks. Nor did they listen to the professionals such as the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, the Association of National Park Rangers, and the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). The cartoon is from the Asheville Citizen-Times. Appalachian Trail Conservancy and CMC both also came out in opposition to this ruling. “If you’re allowed to carry a concealed weapon on Main Street, you’re allowed to carry that weapon in a national park and wildlife refuge,” an Interior Department spokesman said. Look at the ruling and the directive from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But guns are still forbidden in North Carolina state parks. Danny ---------------------- Back to Top Think Big - Revitalize our National Parks Put National Parks on President-Elect Barack Obama's Primary Agenda. This idea was first brought to my attention by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. Change.Org is letting us tell the President-Elect what we think is important to the direction of our country. It allows anyone (who registers, of course) to put forth ideas. The most popular idea will be sent to the Obama team. Anne Whisnant, a historian and author of Super-scenic Motorway: a Blue Ridge Parkway History, proposes to revitalize our national parks by employing young people in a new type of CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp.). I don't know why they have to be young and they certainly don't have to be male, but other than that, I think it is a great idea. Look at her idea and if you agree, vote for it. ---------------------- Back to Top Adopt a Section of the Appalachian Trail Get on the waiting list 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 The eNews comes out on Fridays. So ... The next issue will come out on Friday, January 9. 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 January 6, 2009 to Danny Bernstein at 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 ---------------------- Back to Top |
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Danny Bernstein
danny@hikertohiker.com
Come and hike in Stone Mountain, Hanging Rock, and Pilot Mountain State Parks.
Congratulations to Morgan Sommerville (Regional Director for GA, NC, and TN Appalachian Trail Conservancy) and all the other folks who have been involved in this, including our Conservation Committee. Becky Smucker.
The Bush administration has finalized a decision to allow concealed, loaded firearms at 388 of 391 national park sites. That includes the Smokies.