All Day  Saturday & Sunday

ALL DAY NO. A0901-268 Jan. 25
Hospital Rock – Rainbow Falls *8:15 AM
Hike 10, Drive 95, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Matt Sowles, 864-855-6861, sowleman@charter.net
*Note later start time. Meet at Westgate at 8:15 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Jones Gap State Park parking lot at 9:00 AM. Hendersonville hikers will meet at Cracker Barrel at Exit 53 of I-26 at 8:45 AM. This is a challenging hike in Jones Gap State Park in S.C. Hiking past Hospital Rock, we will enjoy a great view at lunchtime from Pretty Place. After lunch we will walk along a road for a short distance, then turn downhill past beautiful Rainbow Falls onto a newly constructed trail down to the river and back to our cars. NOTE: $2/car parking fee at trailhead. Topos: Cleveland, Standingstone Mtn.; also Mountain Bridge Wilderness map

SATURDAY NO. A0901-632 Jan. 31
Cantrell Lodge History Hike *8:30 AM
Hike 9, Drive 55, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Danny Bernstein, 828-236-0192, danny@hikertohiker.com
P400 *Note later start time. This hike takes the South Mills River Trail to the Cantrell Lodge site and chimney, following an old logging railroad grade. On the way, we’ll cross three pedestrian suspension bridges and a couple of unusual carsonite signs. On our return, we’ll take some side trails and return on the former route of the Mullinax Trail, then called the Mullineaux Trail. Second meeting place: Turkey Pen parking lot at 9:00 AM, but notify leader first. Topo: Pisgah Forest; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780

ALL DAY NO. A0901-493 Feb. 1
Pine Mtn. Loop II
(strenuous) *8:30 AM
Hike 10, Drive 20, 2400 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA
Joanne Tulip, 828-299-3495, tulipinnc@aol.com
P400 *Note later start time. Hike up to Pine Mtn. from the Bent Creek side via Explorer loop, Chestnut Cove Trail and MST. Bushwhack up to Pine Mtn from BRP, then down other side to MST, down Ruth’s Ridge and the Lower Sidehill Trail to cars. Second meeting place: Ingles Parking lot across from Biltmore Sq. on NC 191 at 8:45 AM. Topos: Enka, Dunsmore Mtn.; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780

ALL DAY NO. A0901-633 Feb. 1
Mackay Mtn. Roadless Area *9:00 AM
(moderate)
Hike 8, Drive 70, 1400 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Brent Martin, 828-369-7084, brent_martin@tws.org
*Note later start time. This hike will cover approximately 8 miles through remnant old growth forest with spectacular views of the Black Mtns. and surrounding area. About half of the hike will be along a ridgeline. Second meeting place: parking lot adjacent to McDonalds at Exit 64 of I-40 at 9:20 AM. Topo: Old Fort

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Half Day Sunday Hikes

HALF-DAY NO. H0901-153 Jan. 25
Cove Creek/Caney Bottom Loop *12:30 PM
Hike 5, Drive 80, 1300 ft. ascent, Rated C-B
Nonmembers, call leader, Lee Belknap, 828-698-9394, rivergypsy@sprintmail.com
P400 *Note early start time. Meet at Westgate at 12:30 PM to form carpools, and meet hike leader at the Pisgah Ranger Station off US 276 at 1:10 PM. A pleasant walk through the woods, with streams, waterfalls, and bridge crossings.

HALF-DAY NO. H0901-637 Feb. 1
Destination Center / Folk Art Center / MST *12:30 PM
Hike 5.8, Drive 20, Rated C-C
Nonmembers, call leader, Don Walton, 828-654-9904, donwalton@bellsouth.net
*Note early start time. The hike starts at the Destination Center Parking Lot at the MST blue blaze access. This includes the new 1.4 mile loop passing by the BRP Headquarters Building, then crossing the BRP near US 74 and heading east on the MST towards the Folk Art Center. We will return to the access trail to complete the loop under the BRP back to the parking lot. Second meeting place: Destination Center Parking Lot on the BRP at 12:45 PM.

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All Day Wednesday

WEDNESDAY NO. W0901-457 Jan. 28        Scout Date: Friday Jan. 16
AT: Brown Gap to Max Patch and return 8:30 AM
Hike 7, Drive 100, 1100 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Mary Beth Gwynn, 828-254-2042, mbgcmc@gmail.com
An in and out hike on the AT, with a steep uphill for the first mile, then leveling off into moderate ups and downs, with a final climb to the top of Max Patch for lunch. If we’re lucky, it will be clear for the beautiful views. Second meeting place: Pilot Truck Stop, exit 24, off I-40 at 9:05 AM. Topo: Lemon Gap

WEDNESDAY NO. W0901-629 Feb. 4
Rough Creek Trail - Canton Watershed 8:45 AM
Hike 7.5, Drive 54, 1800 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Ken & Carol Deal, 828-281-4530, cnkdeal@charter.net
This is a new hiking trail opened in the spring of '08 in the Canton Watershed. During this loop hike, we walk uphill in the morning, largely on old roads, to a ridgeline with long distance views. Shortly after we start down, we'll have lunch on rocks overlooking a lovely valley. After lunch, we return downhill, crossing Rough Creek on a bridge. Topo: Canton

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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.