Carolina Mountain Club

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July 2, 2010

CMC Calendar

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From Your Editor

Keep on hiking!

Even volunteers get vacations. I'm off for a few weeks, so there won't be an eNews until August 13.

But there are plenty of hikes. So please keep sending those hike reports and pictures to Dave Wetmore. And, of course, keep on hiking. Thanks. Danny

What's Happening in the Next Few Weeks

Mow the Roans - July 16 - 18

How do the Roan balds stay bald? With a lot of help from a lot of volunteers.

If you want to be one of them, join the Grassy Ridge Mow-Off on Friday to Sunday July 16 to 18. This weekend is organized by the Southern Appalachian Highland Conservancy.

Wilderness First Aid and Social at Diamond Brand Outdoors

Wilderness and Remote First Aid - July 10th & 11th:

Presented by and located at the Henderson County Chapter, American Red Cross, this class is geared towards the outdoor enthusiast. Learn how to deal with emergencies when they occur to you or someone in your party, and learn how to manage emergencies with only the gear you have on hand.

Time: 9 am to 5 pm Saturday, 12 pm - 8 pm Sunday

Cost: $125

For more information contact - (828) 693-5605 or sign up online at  www.hcredcross.org

Diamond Brand customers receive a $10 discount off the registration.  Bring in a Diamond Brand receipt for $50 or more dated May 2010-July 2010 and get $10 off the registration price of the class. Receipt must be presented at the time of registration. Receipts can be faxed to 693-5605 or emailed to andream@hcredcross.net for phone registration. This does not apply to the online registration.  

Dudes & Divas Summer Social - July 15th, 6 pm - 8 pm

Summertime begs to be celebrated, so at Diamond Brand we're doing just that. We're calling it "Dudes and Divas," an evening of good times and great people, and everyone is welcome to attend. We will have social mixer games, food and drinks and other fun stuff.

A Walk for Sunshine Movie - July 20

Fine Arts Theatre in Asheville will show A Walk for Sunshine, the movie about hiking the Appalachian Trail, on Tuesday July 20 at 7 P.M.

A Walk for Sunshine is an entertaining adventure which will fill viewers with inspiration to go after their dreams. Half of the proceeds of the tickets will benefit the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

Other Important News

Blue Ridge Parkway Story about CMC Trail Building

What would bring a dentist, a colonel, an electrician, a postal worker and an engineer together? The answer is National Trails Day, an annual celebration that encourages appreciation, awareness and enjoyment of America’s trails.  This event was celebrated at the most visited National Park Service site in America: The Blue Ridge Parkway.

Volunteers from Western North Carolina gathered on the parkway near Waterrock Knob with a common purpose – to extend a section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail by 800 feet through dense woods.

Of the more than two-dozen people present, at least three had never built a trail in their life.  That didn’t matter, because they were with the Carolina Mountain Club, whose mission is to enjoy and maintain the trails in the region.

Read the whole story. It's about us!

Mountains-to-Sea News

Friends of the MST now have a beautiful new website. They're asking members to contact their North Carolina legislators and urge them to support three items: 

• A bill which would allow a specialty license plate for the MST. These plates are not only a fun way for people to show their support of the MST.  They've made a big difference for other parks and trails at no cost to state government, and one could make a big difference for the MST too.
• Continued funding of $108,000 for the Adopt-A-Trail program which makes small grants to support trails all over the state. The budget is so tight this year that we are concerned that this great program may be eliminated entirely unless legislators hear from people who care about it.
• Continued funding for the state's four conservation trust funds that help acquire land and easements for trails, parks, clean water, farmland protection and wildlife. Over the last two years, these funds have helped acquire key tracts for the trail in Guilford, Alamance and Johnston counties. 

Legislators appreciate knowing what their constituents care about.

A reminder: If you're a CMC members, you are automatically a member of Friends of the MST members for 2010. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail is a North Carolina state park and we're asking support from our North Carolina legislators. For all the details, look at the latest FMST newsletter.

Assault on Plott Balsam - Sept. 4

We are making another try on Saturday, Sept. 4, to reach Plott Balsam since our Memorial Day attempt had to be ended early.  This is a difficult hike, and you should be in excellent shape to attempt it.  See details in our third quarter hike schedule http://www.carolinamtnclub.com/Hiking/Schedules/sundays-all-day-10-3rd.asp.

Becky Smucker bjsmucker@gmail.com

Awards Nominations:  Your Input is Needed by Sept. 1

Each year CMC sets up a committee to consider which of our members we might want to recognize for their outstanding contributions to our Club.

We have two main awards, and they serve different purposes.  The Distinguished Service Award recognizes a member for extraordinary service to CMC over at least five years.  The Award of Appreciation is for an exceptional contribution during the past year.

The committee needs your input and your nominations if you know of someone who deserves an award this year.  Guidelines are included with a nomination form as an insert in the third quarter Let’s Go. It's also on our website at Service Awards where you will also find a list of members who have received these awards since they were established.  Nominations must be received by September 1.

Contact Becky Smucker, Chair, with questions bjsmucker@gmail.com

North Carolina Bartram Trail Map now available

The North Carolina Bartram Trail Society has produced a beautiful interpretive map of the entire North Carolina section of the Bartram Trail. William Bartram was an 18th century writer and naturalist who visited the North Carolina mountains in 1775.

The trail is about 79 miles long and goes from the North Carolina/Georgia border south of Highlands to Cheoah Bald. The map can be bought from area outfitters and on the web.

Hiking Challenge

Janet Martin completes the Smokies 900M

Janet Martin has just finisehd hiking all the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park - that's 800 miles. That means she must have walked at least 1,200 miles to accomplish the Smokies 900M. Janet writes:

The strangest experience in the Smokies happened on the very last night.   Well, actually early on the last morning. When nature called, I crawled out the tent only half awake.  As the night was graced by a lovely full moon, there was no need for a headlamp.  Cautiously, I meandered away from the tent sites.  While squatting among some rocks, some fireflies near the picnic table caught my attention. Strangely,  the fireflies were in pairs.  Slowly, I realized the lights were staying a steady distance above the ground, were shining green, and did not flicker.

Suddenly fully awake, I watched the luminous green lights noiselessly scurry in my direction.  I froze.

I didn't twitch, bat an eyelid or sneeze as six sets of green lights hurriedly passed between the tent and me in succession toward the creek. I hustled back to the tent.  Too small for a bear, too large for a rodent. What had I seen??

The mystery was solved early the next morning.  Another hiker noted that some wild hogs had torn up the ground near the picnic table.  I missed being the park's first fatality from a hog stampede by only 10-15 feet!  Possibly, the hogs were attracted by the six large baking potatoes left by earlier campers.  One more reason to leave no trace of your visit in the wilderness.  

Someone send a message that completing all the hikes must have been a "lot of work."  It wasn't.  The hikes were fun and interesting, and the planning of routes provided a puzzle challenge.  But, it was not a solo challenge.  From the initial  prodding of Danny Bernstein and Tom Sanders through the concluding backpack with Tish Desjardins, Don Gardner, Bob Hysko (shown above) and Cindy McJunkin, several CMC members provided encouragement, laughter, fond memories, and active support for which I am sincerely grateful.

The Smokies are full of natural wonders to be discovered.  If you're not crazy enough to complete 800+ miles, aim for the recently announced Smokies Challenge Program, which awards a pin after completion of 100, 250 and 500 miles. Janet Martin

Heard on the Ground

Blow-downs on Pilot Rock Trail cleared by Friday Pisgah Crew

I  reported a trail issue on Pilot Rock Trail between 0.7 and 1.1 mile south of Buckspring Gap on 6/11.

There were several trees fallen on the trail. On 6/18 a dozen members of Pete Petersen’s Friday Pisgah Crew with two chainsaws, two weed-whackers and several loppers cleared the trail. A late summer hike using Pilot Rock Trail is on CMC schedule.  Many thanks to Pete’s people for the prompt action. -Photo by Ashok Kudva. Ashok

Adopt a Section of the A.T.
Garenflo Gap to Deer Park Shelter, 3.4 miles

Adopt a Section of the MST
Richland Gap Access to Richland Balsam Access (3 Trees) 1.2 miles
Double Top to Old Bald Access, 1.1 miles

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

Maintenance Reports created by Jim Ariail

Heard on the Trail

We've left the CMC cocoon

Sharon (Smokyscout) and I are now past Mount Mitchell on our trek across the state on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

We've been using Walt Weber's book which has been invaluable. The high quality of the CMC trail maintenance has made the ups and downs easy. As long as we have reliable white circles to follow, we're good.

Though we've already done over 100 miles outside the CMC area, now we've been thrust out of the CMC cocoon for good.

Thanks to Walt Weber for a such a reliable trail guide.

Thanks for the CMC trail crew and section maintainers for a great trail. We'll keep you posted on the MST world east of CMC. Danny

Check out the documentary on the Blue Ridge Parkway, shown on local TV stations around North Carolina. Sharon and I represent the hiking constituency in the film.

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 August 10 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.

Westgate parking - Park in the northernmost part of the lot - past EarthFare, in the last row of parking spaces.

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.