All Day  Saturday & Sunday

ALL DAY NO. A0903-337 July 5
Shining Rock from Black Balsam *8:30 AM
(strenuous)
Hike 11, Drive 65, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Lenny Bernstein, 828-236-0192, lsberns@worldnet.att.net
SB6K, P400 *Note later start time. In honor of the 40th Anniversary of the Art Loeb Trail, we’ll take the ALT from FS 816 to Shining Rock (6040 ft.), climbing Black Balsam (6214 ft.), Tennent Mtn. (6040 ft.) and Grassy Cove Top (6040 ft.) 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: Cold Mtn. Overlook (BRP M.P. 412) at 9:05 AM. Topos: Shining Rock, Sam Knob; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780

ALL DAY NO. A0903-657 July 5
Carvers Gap – Yellow Gap 8:00 AM
(moderate)
Hike 8, Drive 130-140, 2300 ft. (SB), 1100 ft. (NB) ascent, Rated B-AA (SB) or B-B (NB)
Bruce Bente, 828-692-0116, bbente@bellsouth.net and Carroll Koepplinger, 828-667-0723, carrollkoepp@bellsouth.net
SB6K Key swap hike. From Carvers Gap, the NB direction will hike north on the AT through open meadows with spectacular 360º views and many Gray’s Lilies in bloom, with a side trip over Grassy Ridge Bald (6160 ft.) to a scenic lunch spot. We’ll then return to the AT and follow it north past the AT shelter barn, and turn down to our cars at the end of Roaring Creek Rd. Second meeting place: Burnsville McDonalds at 8:40 AM. Topos: Carvers Gap, White Rocks Mtn.; also Nat’l. Geo. Cherokee & Pisgah Nat’l. Forests map #783

SATURDAY NO. A0903-658 July 11
Gabes Mtn. – Maddron Bald Trails *10:00 AM
Hike 7.8, Drive 150, 1400 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Janet Martin, 502-494-9309, jaykaymartin@msn.com
900M *Note later start time. This hike is on a mostly gentle trail from Cosby Campground in GSMNP through dense laurel and rhododendron with a short, steep side trip to the bottom of Hen Wallow Falls. Then we’ll continue westward and turn right onto the Maddron Bald Trail to our cars. Car shuttle. Topos: Hartford, Luftee Knob; also Nat’l. Geo. GSMNP map #229

ALL DAY NO. A0903-473 July 12
Mt. Mitchell/Maple Camp Bald *8:30 AM
Hike 8.5, Drive 70, 1600 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Bob Hysko, 828-645-4626, rhysko@yahoo.com
SB6K *Note later start time. We’ll do a moderate loop with great views, starting at Mt. Mitchell, following the MST, Mt. Mitchell and Buncombe Horse Range Trails. We’ll stop at Maple Camp Bald, then take the Big Tom Gap Trail #191-A up to the Crest Trail, and return via Big Tom and Mt. Craig. Second meeting place: Craven Gap at 8:50 AM. Topo: Mt. Mitchell; also PNF South Toe River, Mt. Mitchell & Big Ivy trail map

ALL DAY NO. A0903-120 July 19
Charlies Bunion – Kephart Prong 8:00 AM
Hike 10.2, Drive 140, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated A-B
Michael & Kathy Cornn, 828-698-3672, mcornn@aol.com
900M An outstanding rock outcrop along the AT and stunning views are the highlights of the trip. From Newfound Gap, we’ll hike 4 miles to our lunch spot at Charlies Bunion, then hike Dry Sluice Gap, Grassy Branch and Kephart Prong Trails down to US 441. Note that this hike has 2800 ft. of descent. Car shuttle. Second meeting place: Maggie Valley Town Hall at 8:30 AM, but call leader first. Topos: Clingman’s Dome, Mt. Guyot, Smokemont; also Nat’l. Geo. GSMNP map #229

SATURDAY No. A0903-405 July 25
Mills River Overlook to Pisgah Inn, and return *8:30 AM
Hike 9.2, Drive 30, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Barbara Morgan, 828-738-3395, bcmorg@hughes.net
P400 *Note later start time. We will start at the BRP Mills River Overlook (M.P. 404.5) and follow the MST across Little Pisgah, past the site of the old Buck Spring Lodge, to the Pisgah Inn. There are two steep climbs, with switchbacks. We’ll retrace our steps back to the Mills River Overlook after lunch. Topos: Dunsmore Mtn., Cruso; also MST Trail Profiles, pg. 53-54 and Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780

ALL DAY NO. A0903-659 July 26
Elk Park – Yellow Mtn. Gap 8:00 AM
Hike 8, Drive 140-150, 2000 ft. (NB),
2400 ft. (SB) ascent, Rated B-AA
Tom Sanders, 828-252-6327, tomary.avl@gmail.com and Steve Bowers, 828-273-1117, farawaysteve@yahoo.com
Key swap hike. From Elk Park, southbounders will climb Hump Mtn. to a junction with the AT, then hike open meadows with spectacular 360º views through Bradley Gap and up over Little Hump Mtn. We’ll stop to see the only AT shelter that is in an old barn, and then hike down to our cars at the end of Roaring Creek Rd. Second meeting place: Burnsville McDonalds at 8:40 AM. Topos: Carvers Gap, White Rocks Mtn.; also Nat’l. Geo. Cherokee & Pisgah Nat’l. Forests map #783

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Half Day Sunday Hikes

HALF-DAY NO. H0903-173 July 5
Courthouse Falls via Summey Cove *12:30 PM
Hike 5.4, Drive 80, 1,143 ft. ascent, Rated C-B
Nonmembers, call leader, Stuart English, 828-883-2447, stuengo@citcom.net
*Note early start time. Meet at Westgate at 12:30 PM to form carpools, and meet hike leader at Pisgah Forest Bi-Lo at 1:10 PM. Hike starts at the Summey Cove trailhead on NC Route 215 above Balsam Grove and follows this trail 2.2 miles to its end at FS 140, with a side trip down and back to Courthouse Falls. Continue for 3.1 miles on FS140 to its termination at NC 215.

Scout Report: The big climb of this hike starts out with a steep 500-600 foot climb up to a ridge line and then descends steeply down the other side of the ridge. The trail continues and ends at Forest Service Road 140. The side trip to the beautiful Courthouse Falls is not that steep down or up and the falls is one of Transylvania County’s best. There is a three mile road walk after the two mile trail walk on FS 140, an open, well traveled forest service road. On July 5 there will probably be some traffic on this road. The redeeming feature is that after a short hill climb, the road descends and levelly follows the beautiful Courthouse Creek back to highway 215 where we will shuttle back to the trail head.-- Stu

HALF-DAY NO. H0903-349 July12
Buck Spring Trail *1:00 PM
Hike 6.2, Drive 50, Rated B-C
Nonmembers, call leader, Lucy Prim, 828-693-6580, 32lucette@gmail.com
*Note early start time. Meet at Westgate at 1:00 PM to form carpools, and meet hike leader at second meeting place: Pisgah Inn parking lot near convenience store at 1:30 PM. This pleasant down-hill hike starts at the Pisgah Inn and ends at US. 276, with a car shuttle.

HALF-DAY NO. H0903-463 July 19
Big Ridge Overlook to Elk Pasture Gap *1:30 PM
Hike 4.4, Drive 50, 600 ft. ascent, Rated C-C
Nonmembers, please call leader, Paula Robbins, 828-281-3253, paularww@bellsouth.net
P400 *Note early start time. Meet at Westgate at 1:30 PM to form carpools, and meet leader at BRP French Broad River Overlook at M.P. 393 at 1:45 PM. See the Turk’s Cap Lilies in bloom.

HALF-DAY NO. H0903-655 July 26
Looking Glass Overlook to Big East Fork Parking Lot on US 276 *12:15 PM
Hike 5.5, Drive 70, Rated C-C
Nonmembers, please call leader, Bobbi Powers, 828-667-5419, bobbip@netzero.net
*Note early start time to allow for car shuttle and swimming. All hikers must contact leader since there is a maximum of 10 hikers per group through Shining Rock Wilderness. Assistant hike leader(s) will be recruited depending on interest. We’ll shuttle cars down to the end of the hike at Big East Fork Parking Lot and then go to Looking Glass Falls Overlook (MP 417) to start the hike. This downhill-all-the-way (about 1000’ down) hike begins at the MST, then connects to the Big East Fork Trail via the Bridges Camp Gap Trail. The hike goes through Shining Rock Wilderness and along the East Fork of the Pigeon River with its awesome boulders and rapids and a special swimming hole where, weather permitting, we will stop for a swim. Second meeting place: Cold Mountain Overlook (BRP M.P. 412) at 12:50 PM. Car shuttle.

All Day Wednesday

WEDNESDAY NO. W0903-507 July 8
Little Paint Creek *8:30 AM
Hike 8.5, Drive 78, 1800 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Brenda Worley, 828-684-8656, clworley@bellsouth.net
From Allen Gap, we will climb on the AT to Deep Gap to connect with Little Paint Creek Trail. We will proceed along, through and across the creek under Buzzard Roost Ridge to reach Paint Creek Trail, fording the creek several times, to finally reach Little Paint Creek campground. Wet boots and socks or water shoes – take your pick. Hiking poles. 10-mile car shuttle. Second meeting place: Allen Gap at 9:20 AM. Topo: Hot Springs; also NatGeo map #782

WEDNESDAY NO. W0903-654 July 15
Squirrel Gap, Cantrell Creek Loop *8:30 AM
Hike 10, Drive 55, 1600 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Greg Goodman, 828-684-9703, greggoodman@bellsouth.net
P400 *Meet at Westgate at 8:30 AM to form carpools and meet leader at Boylston Baptist Church on NC 280 at 9:00 AM. From the Turkey Pen trailhead we hike on these trails: S. Mills River, Pounding Mill, Squirrel Gap, Cantrell Creek, S. Mills River, back to the trailhead. Wet stream crossings. Hiking shoes are required and wading shoes are recommended. Topo: Pisgah Forest; also NatGeo map #780

WEDNESDAY NO. W0903-654 July 15
Squirrel Gap, Cantrell Creek Loop *8:30 AM
Hike 10, Drive 55, 1600 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Greg Goodman, 828-684-9703, greggoodman@bellsouth.net
P400 *Meet at Westgate at 8:30 AM to form carpools and meet leader at Boylston Baptist Church on NC 280 at 9:00 AM. From the Turkey Pen trailhead we hike on these trails: S. Mills River, Pounding Mill, Squirrel Gap, Cantrell Creek, S. Mills River, back to the trailhead. Wet stream crossings. Hiking shoes are required and wading shoes are recommended. Topo: Pisgah Forest; also NatGeo map #780

WEDNESDAY NO. W0903-343 July 22
Mount Mitchell Loop
via Commissary Ridge *9:00 AM
Hike 7, Drive 60, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Lee Silver, 828-668-7147, leehsilver@aol.com
SB6K *Only meeting place: lower parking lot Folk Art Center on BRP. We will hike from the ranger station to the summit, returning via the Camp Alice Road to the ranger station. Topos: Mt Mitchell, Montreat; also USFS South Toe River map

WEDNESDAY NO. W0903-405 July 29
Mills River Overlook
to Pisgah Inn, and return 8:30 AM
Hike 9.2, Drive 30, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Barbara Morgan, 828-738-3395, bcmorg@hughes.net
P400 We will start at the BRP Mills River Overlook and follow the MST across Little Pisgah, past the site of the old Buck Spring Lodge, to the Pisgah Inn. There are two steep climbs. We’ll retrace our steps back to the Mills River Overlook after lunch. Topo: Dunsmore Mtn., Cruso; also MST Trail Profiles, pg. 53-54 and NatGeo map #780

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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.