Carolina Mountain Club

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April 2, 2010

CMC Calendar

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From Your Editor

Spring is Here!

Spring has returned. Daffodils have been blooming for a week. I've seen spring beauties in the Smokies and I've got my first case of poison ivy. And that's no April Fool joke! Danny

What's Happening in the Next Two Weeks

Volunteer with the Elk Bugle Corp

Would you like to spend some time in the Cataloochee Valley, look after the elk and visitors, be mistaken for a park ranger, and wear a cool uniform?

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park Volunteers-in-Parks program is looking volunteers to assist with managing people and elk in Cataloochee Valley. As an Elk Bugle Corps volunteer, you'll be providing visitor information on responsible elk viewing practices and elk behavior and helping with parking and traffic management. It's a blast!

If you're interested, you need to go to one of two informational meetings and new volunteer orientation sessions, held in Cataloochee Valley at the ranger station on April 15 and 17, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. All potential volunteers will be required to attend one of the orientation sessions as well as one full day of training during the last week of April and the first week of May. Anyone who is interested in volunteering and attending one of the orientation sessions is asked to email Ranger Mark LaShell, mark_lashell@nps.gov.

Other Important News

CMC Spring Social - April 24

Sign up for the CMC Spring Social. Easy hikes, good food, musical entertainment and good conversation with our fello members. Look at all the details.

Map and Compass Course Changed

Some of the side trails which are used in our map course exercise are clogged with blow down. The map reading course will be postponed until this coming fall.  In place of it we will offer a GPS course. The course is not device- or brand-specific; but will make you a more intelligent and efficient GPSr user. If you are contemplating buying a GPSr, this course will help you avoid unwise decisions.

The course will be held on May 15th, from 9:00 until 12:00. After a couple of hours in the classroom we will go outside and do some exercises. For further information and to register, please email Dave Wetmore at dwetmore@citcom.net before May 8th.

Peter Barr, Chair of the CMC Challenge Committee, is Walking the Appalachian Trail
 
On March 22, I will start from Springer Mountain in Georgia to begin a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.  Those who may be interested in following my journey can visit my journal at http://www.PeterOntheAT.com.  I am also hoping to raise a dollar for every mile that I hike on the AT for the restoration of the Shuckstack fire tower in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  To find out more about my campaign and help the Shuckstack fire tower, visit http://www.SaveShuckstack.com.

I hope to run into many CMCers on the trail when I reach North Carolina.  I also hope everyone enjoys following along my journey.  See you on the trail!

Peter J. Barr
"Whippersnap"
GA->ME 2010

Interview

Carol and Ken are the Real Deal by Bobbi Powers

For these transplanted Chicagoans, Carolina Mountain Club activities form a large part of their active retirement life style. In November 2005 they received the Distinguished Service Award from CMC for their many contributions, and each treasures a beautiful carved walking stick.

Read the whole interview!

Conservation Matters

Meet the Southern Appalachian Highland Conservancy

In the early 1950’s, the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) decided to replace 24 miles of A.T. road-walking in Tennessee with 72 miles of new trails. The new route traversed the summits of Roan High Knob and Roan High Bluff and crossed Carvers Gap to the grassy balds of the Roan Highlands. Early on, the group realized that a narrow focus on protecting the Appalachian Trail corridor would not be enough to preserve the many-textured treasures of Roan and the Southern Appalachian Highlands. Read the whole story.

Heard on the Ground

Adopt a Section of the A.T.

Lemon Gap to Bluff Mtn, incl Walnut Mtn. Shelter, 3.9 miles

Spring Mountain Shelter to Allen Gap, 3.7 miles

Adopt a Section of the MST

Richland Gap Access to Richland Balsam Access (3 Trees) 1.2 miles

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

Maintenance Reports created by Don Walton

Heard on the Trail

What if Hiking Became an Olympic Sport?

In a shocking revelation that's rocking the hiking community today, Smoky Scout has publicly admitted to using steroids during her quest to hike all 800+ miles of trails in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Read the whole story at http://hikinginthesmokys.blogspot.com/. And then remember what day this is!

The Small Print

Hiker leaders, please send all your eNews hike reports and photos to Dave Wetmore at dwetmore@citcom.net

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 April 13 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.