All Day  Saturday & Sunday

ALL DAY NO. A0903-660 Sept. 6
Chimney Tops from Newfound Gap 8:00 AM
(strenuous)
Hike 10.4, Drive 140, 3250 ft. ascent,
Rated A-AA+
Jeff McGurk, 864-801-1314, jbsbestfan@hotmail.com
900M For the 900M fans, we’ll do an in-and-out hike on the AT from Newfound Gap to Indian Gap, then follow the Road Prong and Chimney Tops trail. Expect spectacular views, steep climbs and wet feet from the many stream crossings. Second meeting place: Maggie Valley Town Hall at 8:30 AM, but call leader first. Topos: Clingman’s Dome, Mt. Le Conte; also Nat’l. Geo. GSMNP map #229

ALL DAY NO. A0903-469 Sept. 6
MST: Craggy Gardens to Bull Gap *8:30 AM
(moderate)
Hike 7.6, Drive 40, 1400 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Ashok Kudva, 828-698-7119, ashok.kudva@mchsi.com
*Note later start time. This pleasant hike on the MST will start at the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center and feature Lane Pinnacle and the Rattlesnake Lodge site. Car shuttle. Second meeting place: Craven Gap at 8:50 AM. Topos: Montreat, Craggy Pinnacle; also MST Trail Profiles, pg. 63-65

ALL DAY NO. A0903-396 Sept. 13
Pilot Rock/Pisgah/Thompson Creek *8:00 AM
Hike 11, Drive 80, 3000 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA
Charlie Ferguson, 828-625-2677, ccf108@gmail.com
P400 *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Pisgah Ranger Station at 8:40 AM. We will climb 1500 feet in 2 miles up the well-graded Pilot Rock trail, with a gentler 2 miles before climbing 750 feet in 2/3 miles up Mt. Pisgah trail to our lunch spot on the summit of Mt. Pisgah, and then down the Thompson Creek trail. Expect great views along the way. Topos: Dunsmore Mtn., Cruso; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780

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Half Day Sunday Hikes

HALF-DAY NO. H0903-009 Sept. 6
Ox Creek Road to Rattlesnake Lodge *1:00 PM
Hike 4.4, Drive 30, Rated C-C
Nonmembers, call leader, Jim Ariail, 828-505-0443, jimariail@yahoo.com
*Note early start time. This in-and-out hike along the MST will feature the historic Rattlesnake Lodge site. Hikers form carpools at Westgate, then drive to meet leader at the Second meeting place: Folk Art Center lower parking lot at 1:15 PM.

HALF-DAY No. H0903-533 Sept. 13
MST: Pisgah Ledges Section *12:30 PM
Hike 5.2, Drive 70, 1540 ft. ascent, Rated C-B
Nonmembers, call leader, Tom Joyce, 828-885-2152, tominbrevard@webtv.net
P400 *Note early start time. Meet at Westgate at 12:30 PM to form carpools, and meet leader at Cold Mountain Overlook (BRP M.P. 412) at 1:05 PM. Car shuttle. This will be a pleasant fall ramble along the MST from Bridges Camp Gap to Pigeon Gap and the Cold Mountain Overlook. Highlight of the hike will be a fairly steep ascent to 5056 ft Green Knob, one of the best viewpoints on the MST.

All Day Wednesday

WEDNESDAY Strenuous NO. W0903-214 Sept. 9
Kimsey Creek Trail/Standing Indian Circuit *8:00 AM
Hike 11, Drive 170, 2800 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA
Brent Martin, 828-369-7084, brent_martin@tws.org
*Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader in Franklin at the Roller Mill shopping center, in front of K-Mart, on US 64 at 9:30 AM. A stop will be made at the rest stop beyond Waynesville on US 23/74 at 8:30 AM. The Hike is known for its beautiful forest, rushing streams and excellent vistas. We’ll hike up the Kimsey Creek Trail to the AT, and the AT to our lunch spot, Standing Indian - the highest mountain on the AT south of the Great Smoky Mountains. Topo: Rainbow Springs

WEDNESDAY Moderate NO. W0903-420 Sept. 9
Tanyard Gap to Allen Gap *8:30 AM
Hike 8.8, Drive 80, 2100 ft. ascent, Rated B-AA
Tish Desjardins, 828-656-2191, desraylet@aol.com
*Meet at Westgate at 8:30 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at parking lot on US 25 at intersection with NC 208 at 9:10 AM. Great views from Rich Mtn. tower, a visit to Spring Mtn. shelter and one of the prettiest sections of the AT in our area highlight this pleasant hike. Car shuttle. Topo: Hot Springs

WEDNESDAY Strenuous NO. W0903-132 Sept. 16
Mt. Mitchell from Black Mtn. Campground *8:00 AM
Hike 12, Drive 103, 3600 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA+
Rich Sampson, 704-453-9059, richsampson360@gmail.com
SB6K, LTC *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Mt. Mitchell overlook (MP 350) on the Blue Ridge Parkway at 8:45 AM. From the Black Mountain Campground ascend by MST to Mt. Mitchell and return. Topos: Celo, Mt. Mitchell, Burnsville; also USFS South Toe River map

WEDNESDAY Moderate NO. W0903-476 Sept. 16
South Mills River, Mullinax Trail and Laurel Creek Trail *8:30 AM
Hike 8.6, Drive 50, 1200 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Sawako Jager, 828-687-2547, Baiko70@aol.com
P400 South Mills River to Mullinax Trail, to Laurel Branch Trail, then to Bradley Branch, then back by Pea Gap to trailend. Creek crossings – bring water shoes and hiking poles. Second meeting place: Boylston Baptist Church parking lot at 9:00 AM. Topo: Pisgah Forest

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Hike Reports should be emailed to Dave Wetmore, dwetmore@citcom.net before the Wednesday preceeding an eNews issue. Reports for Wednesday hikes during the eNews publication week will appear in the following eNews

All-day hikes submitted by Bruce Bente 692-0116, bbente@bellsouth.net . Driving distance is round-trip from Asheville. All Saturday and Sunday hikes assemble at Westgate Shopping Center near I-240 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

Half Day hikes submitted by Lucy Prim 828-693-6580 lucette32@mchsi.com. Wednesday Hikes are submitted by Charlie Ferguson, 828-398-0213 ccf108@gmail.com and Ann Gleason, 828-859-9387, gleason.ann@gmail.com .

The meeting place for each hike will be designated by the hike leader and will appear in the hike description. Driving mileage will be listed, round trip, from the first designated meeting place.
Leaders: Mail please mail your sign-up sheets. Meet at Westgate unless otherwise noted.