All Day Saturday and Sunday Hikes
3rd Quarter 2005
Hike Ratings
First Letter Second Letter
Distance Elevation Gain
AA: Over 12 miles AA: Over 2,000 ft.
A: 9-12 miles A: 1,500-2,000 ft.
B: 6-9 miles B: 1,000-1,500 ft.
C: Under 6 miles C: Under 1,000 ft.
All-day hikes submitted by Bruce Bente 828-692-0116, bbente@cytechusa.com. Driving distance is round-trip from Asheville. All Saturday and Sunday hikes assemble at Westgate Shopping Center near I 240 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. Some hikes will have second meeting places as described in hike listings.
ALL DAY No. A0503-095 July 10 Hemphill Bald from Polls Gap 8:00 AM Hike 9.5, Drive 95, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated A-B Bruce Bente, 828-692-0116, bbente@cytechusa.com After a stroll through open forests, the trail emerges into open fields stretching along the GSMNP boundary, with exceptional views all the way to our lunch stop at the big rock on Hemphill Bald. Second meeting place: Quality Inn (US 19 entrance) at jct. of US 19 and US 276 in Maggie Valley at 8:30 AM. Topos: Dellwood, Bunches Bald
ALL DAY No. A0503-246 July 17 Around Coffee Pot Mtn. 9:00 AM* Hike 7.5, Drive 50, 1400 ft. ascent, Rated B-B John Pawcio, 828-299-8126, jpawcio@tycovalves.com P400 *Note later start time. We’ll circle Coffee Pot Mtn., by hiking up Trace Ridge Trail to Beaver Dam Gap on the BRP and returning on the Spencer Branch Trail, with a stop to see the Hendersonville Reservoir and dam. Second meeting place: North Mills River Recreation area parking lot at 9:30 AM, but must phone leader first. Topo: Dunsmore Mtn.; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map
ALL DAY No. A0503-469 July 24 MST: Craggy Gardens to Bull Gap 8:30 AM* Hike 8.7, Drive 40, 1650 ft. ascent, Rated B-A Jorge Munoz, 828-658-0606, jmunoz@buncombe,main,nc.us *Note later meet 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
SATURDAY No. A0503-243 July 30 Forney Creek Circuit to Fontana Lake 8:00 AM Hike 10, Drive 145, 800 ft. ascent, Rated A-C Ray Sanow, 828-231-7669, raysray@charter.net 900M This is your chance to go hiking and swimming on the same day. This moderate hike begins at the end of the Road to Nowhere, through the tunnel, then continues along the Lakeshore Trail and along cascading Forney Creek to our lunch spot at the Fontana Lake shoreline. Second meeting place: Rest stop beyond Waynesville on US 23/74 at 8:30 AM. Topo: Noland Creek
ALL DAY No. A0503-357July 31 Pisgah Ridge Loop 8:30 AM* Hike 7.5, Drive 70, 1000 ft. ascent, Rated B-B Becky Smucker, 828-298-5013, bsmucker@charter.net P400 *Note later start time. We’ll do a scenic circle of the entire Graveyard Fields area, using the Pisgah Ridge Trail and MST to lunch at a beautiful overlook. Then we’ll follow the Graveyard Ridge Trail, with a side trip to one of the Yellowstone Falls. Second meeting place: BRP Cold Mtn. overlook (M.P. 412) at 9:10 AM. Topos: Shining Rock, Sam Knob; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map and USFS Shining Rock & Middle Prong Wild. map
ALL DAYNo. A0503-193 Aug. 7 MST: Bearpen Gap to NC 215 via Mt. Hardy (strenuous) 8:30 AM* Hike 9, Drive 85, 1400 ft. ascent, Rated A-B Carroll Koepplinger, 828-667-0723, carrollkoepp@bellsouth.net SB6K, P400 *Note later start time. This MST hike leads through a beautiful forest of spruce, birch, rhododendron and maple with mosses and ferns lining the forest floor. A special feature is a short side trip up 6110 Ft. Mt. Hardy, with first-rate views on its north side. Partly through the Middle Prong Wilderness, so limited to ten. Phone leader for reservation. Second meeting place: Cold Mtn. O/L on BRP (M.P. 412) at 9:10 AM. Topo: Sam Knob; also USFS Shining Rock & Middle Prong Wildernesses map and Nat’l. Geo. PRD map
ALL DAY No. A0503-470 Aug. 7 Fork Mtn. – Birdstand Mtn. 8:00 AM (moderate) Hike 9, Drive 85, 550 ft. ascent, Rated A-C Larry Modlin, 828-251-5092, lmodlin@warren-wilson.edu P400 For the P400 fans, here is a chance to bag a remote trail from the Black Balsam parking lot down to NC 215. Be prepared for a 3200 ft. descent, with only a short climb up Birdstand Mtn. There will be a wet-foot crossing of the West Prong of the Pigeon River at the end of the hike. Car shuttle. Topos: Shining Rock, Sam Knob; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map and USFS Shining Rock & Middle Prong Wild. map
ALL DAY No. A0503-471 Aug. 14 Wagon Rd. Gap - Bridges Camp Gap – Big East 8:00 AM Hike 11, Drive 70, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated A-A Tom Sanders, 828-252-6327, tomary@charter.net P400 We will hike from Cold Mtn. overlook up to Green Knob (Penny Rock) and to Bridges Camp Gap on the MST, then drop down to the Big East Fork Trail along the Pigeon River to Big East. Short car shuttle. Second meeting place: BRP Cold Mtn. overlook (M.P. 412) at 8:40 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map and MST Trail Profiles, pg. 50-51
ALL DAY No. A0503-044 Aug. 21 Lost Cove 8:00 AM Hike 7.5, Drive 140, 1000 ft. ascent, Rated B-B Les Love, 828-658-1489 lesrlove@aol.com This hike in the Wilson Creek area features spectacular waterfalls and the best swimming anywhere. Bring your bathing suit. Be prepared for several wet-foot stream crossings. Optional supper at Little Siena. Second meeting place: parking lot adjacent to McDonald’s at exit 64 of I-40 at 8:20 AM. Topo: Grandfather Mtn.; also USFS Wilson Creek map
SATURDAY No. A0503-462 Aug. 27 Buladean to Roan High Bluff Picnic Area 8:00 AM Hike 5.5, Drive 110, 3400 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA+ Dave Wetmore & Don Walton, 828-884-7296, dwetmore@citcom.net This key swap hike is a new one for the Club. We'll take the little-known Cloudlands Hotel service road between Buladean to the Cloudlands site near Roan High Bluff. Most of the hike follows old roads up Shell Ridge to the Cloudlands Hotel site on Roan Mtn. Topo: Bakersville
ALL DAY No. A0503-472 Aug. 28 Sam Knob – Little Sam Loop 8:00 AM* Hike 10, Drive 75, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated A-A Tom Bindrim & Joan Lemire, 828-273-3880 SB6K, P400. Everyone has been to Sam Knob. How many of you have been to Little Sam Knob? Today we do both, using some MST, Little Sam and Sam Knob trails, and some off-trail. Hopefully great scenery. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leaders at Cold Mtn. O/L (BRP M.P. 412) at 8:40 AM. Topo: Sam Knob; also USFS Shining Rock & Middle Prong Wildernesses map and Nat’l. Geographic PRD map
ALL DAYNo. A0503-250 Sept. 4 Douglas Falls – Locust Ridge Circuit (strenuous) 8:00 AM Hike 11, Drive 60, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated A-A Mike Ellis, 828-658-1830, michael.f.ellis@gmail.com SB6K This popular diversified hike features beautiful Douglas (Carter Creek) Falls, a climb through a hemlock forest to the MST, and a scenic lunch stop at the BRP Greybeard overlook. Optional climb to Craggy Dome (6080 ft.) during lunch stop. After lunch, we’ll see great views from a high mountain meadow leaded with ripe blueberries, and then bushwhack down Locust Ridge. Topos: Montreat, Craggy Pinnacle
ALL DAY No. A0503-473 Sept. 4 Mt. Mitchell – Maple Camp Bald loop (strenuous) 8:30 AM Hike 8.5, Drive 70, 1600 ft. ascent, Rated B-A Ruth Hartzler, 828-251-0886, ruthmtn@aol.com SB6K Note later start time. We’ll do a strenuous loop with great views, starting at Mt. Mitchell, following the MST/Mt. Mitchell Trail and Buncombe Horse Range Trails, stopping at Maple Camp Bald, then taking the Big Tom Gap Trail 191-A up to the Crest Trail, and returning via Big Tom and Mt. Craig. Two steep ascents make this hike strenuous. Second meeting place: Craven Gap at 8:45 AM Topo: Mt. Mitchell; also PNF South Toe River, Mt. Mitchell & Big Ivy trail map.
ALL DAY No. A0503-337 Sept. 11 Shining Rock from Black Balsam 8:30 AM Hike 11, Drive 65, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated A-A Lenny Bernstein, 828-236-0192, lsberns@worldnet.att.net SB6K, P400 Note later starting time. This hike was cancelled twice in 2004--the third time’s the charm! We will take the Art Loeb Trail from FS 816 to Shining Rock (6040’), climbing Black Balsam (6214’), Tennent Mtn. (6040’) and Grassy Cove Top (6040’) along the way. This will be your chance to bag four SB6K peaks while enjoying beautiful views covering the area from Pilot Mtn. to Cold Mtn. We’ll return via the Ivestor Gap Trail to get a different perspective on the same area. Wilderness area hike limited to 10 people. Please contact hike leader to reserve your place. Second meeting place: BRP Cold Mtn. overlook at 9:10 AM. Topos: Shining Rock, Sam Knob; also Natl. Geographic map of Pisgah Ranger District
ALL DAY NO. No. A0503-474 Sept. 18 Porter Creek to Brushy Mtn. 7:30 AM* Hike 11.8, Drive 160, 2500 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA Danny Bernstein 828-236-0192 danny@hikertohiker.org 900M *Note earlier start time. The first mile of the hike is on the Porter Creek Trail, in the Greenbrier section of the Smokies where we will see a cemetery and a SMHC cabin, used until 1981. Then we veer west to start the climb on the Brushy Mountain Trail to Brushy Mountain. The trail, rocky in spots, goes through old growth hemlock forest. At the top, we can see Mt. LeConte and Gatlinburg below. Second meeting place: Pilot Truck Stop at exit 24 off I-40 at 8:00 AM. Topo: Mt. Le Conte; also Nat’l. Geographic GSMNP map
SATURDAY No. A0503-314 Sept. 24 MST: Double Top to Balsam Gap 8:00 AM* Hike 10, Drive 90, 500 ft. ascent, Rated A-C Marianne Newman, 828-454-1036, marianneln@msn.com Have you ever wanted to hike that long MST ridge down to Balsam Gap? Here is your chance in the downhill direction, enjoying the views along the way. Car shuttle. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at rest stop beyond Waynesville on US 23/74 at 8:30 AM. Topo: Hazelwood
ALL DAY No. A0503-074 Sept. 25 Tanawha Trail 8:00 AM Hike 13.3, Drive 150, 1300 ft. ascent, Rated AA-B Don Gardner, 828-754-4067, gardog3@charter.net A fragile and ancient ecosystem, rhododendron and laurel tunnels, hardwood coves, boulder fields and great views make this a special trip. Optional supper stop at Little Siena. Second meeting place: parking lot adjacent to McDonald’s at exit 64 of I-40 at 8:20 AM. Topo: Grandfather Mtn.
Fontana Hiking Weekend Oct. 1-2 This weekend’s events will be based at Fontana Village Resort near Fontana Dam in the Smokies. We will schedule a variety of hikes of different lengths for Saturday, Oct. 1 and Sunday, Oct. 2. Additional information will be posted on the CMC E-Newsletter, including descriptions of the planned hikes and Fontana Village information, including reduced room rates for this event. For those without access to the Internet who wish a paper copy of this information, please telephone Bruce Bente at 828-692-0116.
Half-Day SUNDAY Hikes
Half-day hikes submitted by Paula Robbins, 828-281-3253, paularww@bellsouth.net . Driving distance is round-trip from Asheville. All hikes assemble at Westgate Shopping Center (Exit 3B off I-240) UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. Some hike will have second meeting places as described in hike listings.
HALF-DAY No. H0503-295 July 10 Pump Gap Loop 1:30 PM Hike 5.5, Drive 80, Rated B-B Jorge Munoz, 828-658-0606, jmunoz@buncombe.main.nc.us This moderate loop hike starts at the Silvermine Trail Head. After a good climb to the ridge, we will visit an old cemetery, cross the AT and return on the Pump Gap Trail. Hopefully, rhododendron should still be in bloom.
HALF DAY No. H0503-463 July 17 Big Ridge Overlook to Elk Pasture Gap 1:30 PM Hike 4.4, Drive 25, total ascent of 600 ft., Rated C-C Ken and Carol Deal, 828-281-4530, KMCDeal@aol.com P400 We will do a moderate hike from the Big Ridge Overlook to Elk Pasture Gap and return on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. If we're lucky we will see lots of Turk's Cap Lilies in bloom at that time near the Mills River Valley Overlook.
HALF-DAY No. H0503-349 July 24 Buck Spring Trail 1:30 PM Hike 6.2, Drive 50, Rated B-C Diane Hankins, 828-298-2870 (before 9 PM) P400 This moderate downhill hike starts behind the Pisgah Inn and ends at US 276. short car shuttle. We’ll take time to identify the flowers we see.
HALF DAY No. H0503-464 July 31 Balsam Gap to Greybeard Overlook 1:30 PM* Hike 3.6, Drive 44, total ascent 600 ft., Rated C-C Pat Elias, 828-687-1651, patelias@bellsouth.net A pleasant walk through the woods, stopping for a snack at an open area with great views. Short car shuttle. *Only meeting place: Back parking lot at Folk Art Center on BRP.
HALF-DAY No. H0503-054 Aug. 7 John Rock via the Old Horse Cove Trail 1:30 PM Hike 4, Drive 40, Rated C-B, Elevation gain, 1300 ft. Laura Stallard, 828-697-1579 P400 This moderate in-and-out hike begins at the Fish Hatchery at the opposite end of the parking lot from the Wildlife Visitor Center onto the Horse Cove side of Cat Gap Trail (orange blaze). The John Rock Trail starts at a right hand junction off Cat Gap Trail. Second meeting place: Fish Hatchery at 2:00 PM.
HALF DAY No. H0503-112 Aug. 14 Black Balsam Knob, Tennent Mtn. via Art Loeb, Shining Ledge Trails 1:00 PM* Hike 5, Drive 70, Rated B-B Paula Robbins, 828-281-3253, paularww@bellsouth.net P400 *Note early start time. This moderate loop hike begins at Forest Service Road 816 off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Second meeting place: Pisgah Inn parking lot near Convenience Store.
HALF DAY No. H0503-403 Aug. 21 Dupont Forest: Fawn Lake P.L. #5 12:30 PM* Becky Elston, 828-749-1886, belston@cytechusa.com Hike 6, Drive 90, Rated B-C *Note early start time. A moderate loop hike covering portions of six different trails and featuring Reasonover Creek. There is one “boots-off” creek crossing--bring suitable footwear and a towel. *Meet at Westgate at 12:30 PM to form carpools, and meet leader at side parking lot of Pisgah Forest Bi-Lo at 1:00 PM.
HALF-DAY No. H0503-465 Aug. 28 Sam Knob Loop 1:30 PM Bruce Bente, 828-692-0116, bbente@cytechusa.com Hike 5-6, Drive 70, Rated C-C SB6K, P400 This will be a loop hike from the Black Balsam parking lot. The route will include Sam Knob (6040’) and hiking in beautiful high-altitude open meadows. Possible blueberry sightings.
HALF-DAY No. H0503-172 Sept. 4 John Rock Loop 1:30 PM Hike 57, 1200 ft elevation, drive 40, Rated B-B Tom Sanders, 828-252-6327, tomary@charter.net P400 This moderate in-and-out hike on the Butter Gap Trail starts at the Fish Hatchery. Second meeting place: Fish Hatchery at 2:00 PM.
HALF DAY No. H0503-466 Sept. 11 Buck Spring Lodge Site 1:30 PM Hike 4.4, drive 30, Rated C-C Don Walton, 828-654-9904, 828-713-9375 walt7258@bellsouth.net We will visit the Buck Spring Lodge site to look at the site cleared by CMC last fall, including a two-mile hike to the source of water for the lodge. We will look at the spring house and the hydraulic ram water system, including the remains of the dam to provide the thrust for the ram.
HALF DAY No. H0503-064 Sept. 18 Fletcher Creek via Spencer Branch Trail 1:00 PM* Hike 6, Drive 6, Rated B-C Greg Goodman, 828-684-9703 P400 *Note early start time. From the Trace Ridge Trailhead, we will hike in a moderate loop along the Big Creek Trail, past the Hendersonville Reservoir, and along the Spencer Branch, Middle Fork and Fletcher Creek Trails. There will be a few stream crossings. *Meeting places: Meet at Westgate at 1:00 PM to form carpools, and meet leader at pull-out just before North Mills River Recreation Area at 1:30 PM.
HALF DAY No. H0503-035 Sept. 25 Looking Glass Rock 1:00 PM* Hike 6.2, Drive 60, Rated B-B, Elevation gain 1,669 Jane and Lew Blodgett, 828-274-7863 P400 *Note early start time. A moderately difficult well-graded trail leads to the top of this mountain with beautiful views along the way. In-and-out hike. Second meeting place: Ranger Station on US 276 at 1:30 PM.
HALF DAY No. H0503-467 Oct. 2 Dupont Forest: Cascade Lake P.L. #1 12:30 PM* Hike 5+ miles, Drive 75, Rated C-C Rusty Breeding, 828-692-0359, bree@planetusa.net Note early start time. Hike begins at 1:30 PM at the Cascade Lake Road parking lot. One boots-off creek crossing; bring water shoes. Highlights: Bridal Veil Falls from the top and Big Rock overlook. *Meet at Westgate at 12:30 PM to form carpools, and meet leader at side parking lot of Pisgah Forest Bi-Lo at 1:00 PM.