Carolina Mountain Club

Hike - Save trails - Make friends

January 9, 2009

Happy Hiking Year!

From Your Editor

The eNews is getting bigger and more complex. People inside and outside the club have realized that it is a powerful tool and are sending me a lot of material. And that's great!

So Dave Wetmore will be taking over the hiking pages after this next issue. Hiker leaders, please send all your eNews hike reports and photos to Dave Wetmore at dwetmore@citcom.net. Danny

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What's Happening in the Next Two Weeks

Hiking New Year Resolutions

What are your hiking New Year's resolutions - beyond hiking more? Here are some that you should consider.

1. Lead a hike. If you've been hiking for a while with CMC, you're probably ready to lead a hike. Contact the hike schedulers: Bruce Bente for all-day Sunday hikes, Charlie Ferguson or Ann Gleason for Wednesday hikes, and Lucy Prim for Sunday half-day hikes. They'll mentor you and get you started.
   
   
2. Do some trail maintenance. If you want to join a trail crew on either Monday, Wednesday or Friday, contact Jeff Dektor. For a Saturday crew, contact Becky Smucker. If you want to adopt a piece of trail, look below and then contact Don Walton.
   
   
3. Parks only get by with the help of some friends. Join a Friends group. Almost every park and forest has a friends group. Here are a few ideas:
   Friends of the Smokies
   Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway
   Friends of the MST
   
   
4. Join a conservancy. Conservancy protect private land from development and buy land. Here are a few ideas.
   Southern Appalachian Highland Conservancy
   Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy
   Foothills Conservancy
   
   
5. And, if you've subscribed and enjoyed the CMC eNews and are not a member, it's time to join Carolina Mountain Club.

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Diamond Brand Programs featuring CMC Members

Five CMC hikers will present a program on The Way of St. James on Tuesday January 13 at 7 P.M. at Diamond Brand. It's worth coming out and "joining" their walk.

Want to try winter backpacking? Join experienced winter backpacker, our own Dave Wetmore to learn on how to avoid frostbites. A series of four workshops starts Saturday Jan. 17.

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Other Important News

Communications Survey

This is another reminder to fill out the communications survey. For the data to be meaningful, we need to hear from a certain percentage of the membership. So far we are well below this.

Send your surveys 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. If you do not have a survey, email me and I will send you one electronically, or you can pick up a copy of Let’s Go at Diamond Brand with the survey inserted. Stuart English

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CMC Archives at UNCA Ramsey Library

Find out what's in the CMC Archives located in the Special Collections at UNCA. An archive party will be held on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 6 P.M. Save the date and look for more information soon. This new event is arranged by Becky Smucker.

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Summer Trail Crew Opportunity in the Smokies

This just in - a chance to work on trails and get paid for it. It looks like the deadline has passed but you should still check it out if interested. Here's the announcement.

The picture, taken by Danny Bernstein, is of Tobias Miller, South District Trail Supervisor for the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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Southeast Foot Trails Coalition Conference - May 7 - 10

The 2009 conference will be held in Kentucky on May 7 - 10. Meetings and some activities will take place at Pine Mountain State Resort Park in Pineville, KY. Other activities will be held at nearby Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. Park staff will lead guided hikes.

We will have educational sessions and group breakout discussions. There will be social activities including a square dance on Friday evening and a visit to the Hensley Settlement at CGNHP on Saturday evening for a cookout and some night sky / night hike activities. A special public ceremony is planned to recognize the connection of Cumberland Trail and Pine Mountain Trail at Cumberland Gap. Please save the date and join us for all of the activities. Registration will open in January. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the conference in May. Pass the word on to others in the southeast who share our interest in foot trails. If you have questions, please contact me at dennis.crowley@win.net

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Conservation

Southern Environmental Law Center's Top Ten Most Endangered in the South

The Southern Environmental Law Center has come out with the top ten most endangered areas in the South. Two are in North Carolina. Check it out. Photo from the SELC website.

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Heard on the Ground

A Big Thank You from A.T.C.

As the year comes to a close, ATC would like to thank the Carolina Mountain Club for all the work you have done in 2008 to make your section of the Appalachian Trail a special place for recreation, inspiration, and renewal for the thousands of people who enjoyed it. As ATC's liaison to the hiking community, I'd like to take this opportunity to share some words of appreciation we're received from hikers this year. Laurie Potteiger, Information Services Manager, Appalachian Trail Conservancy

For as long as I live I will never forget my times on the Trail. An infinite thank you to all the Trail maintainers. Greta Franklin, "Grettle" 2008

I owe a big, giant, super duper thank you ... to the volunteers who keep the trail alive and continue to make it what it is. Anthony Magee, "Chili Pepper" 2007-2008

The trail is maintained very well. The volunteers are doing a great job. Rex A. Hale," Stumble Foot" 1999-2008

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Adopt a Section of the Appalachian Trail

Spring Mountain Shelter to Allen Gap, 3.7 miles

Adopt a Section of the MST

None. You need to get on the waiting list

If you're interested in either the A.T. or MST, email Don Walton.

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Maintenance Reports created by Don Walton

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Heard on the Trail

Sierra Club Trips with Jim Reel

Jim Reel is a Sierra Club leader and is leading two trips this year: one to the Commanche Peak Wilderness and one in Mt. Rogers. Check out these trips.

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The Small Print

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 20, 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
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 Marcia Bromberg at mwbromberg@yahoo.com. Do not resubscribe yourself to the eNews. That will be done automatically.
If you are a non-member subscriber, you need to go back to the CMC home page > News >Subscribe and change it there yourself.

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