Carolina Mountain Club

Hike - Save trails - Make friends

April 16, 2010

CMC Calendar

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From Your Editor

I always knew that CMC was the premier hiking and trail maintaining club in Western North Carolina. But as I approach my fifth year as eNewsletter editor, I realize how much the rest of the hiking world depends on us to answer questions about the area.

There are no stupid questions and I try to answer each question I get. When I don't know the answer, I say so. The web has made us so much more visible to the world and they want to know about our great trails. Danny

What's Happening in the Next Two Weeks

CMC Spring Social - April 24

It's not too late to sign up for the CMC Spring Social to be held at the NC Arboretum. Do it today!

Easy hikes, good food, musical entertainment and great conversation with our fellow CMC members.

Look at all the details.

Runners' Night, Wednesday, April 21st, 7 pm

Kick off the spring running season with Diamond Brand's Runners' Night.

The evening will begin with a group run at 5:30 pm with a 3 or 6 mile group run starting off at Fletcher Community Park Shelter.  Afterwards, we will meet back at Diamond Brand for the Runners' Night, which starts at 7 pm.  Enjoy great give-aways and a presentation from Miriam Nelson, a local Physical Therapist.

All running gear and apparel will be 20% off!  Visit Frugal Backpacker next store for other great Runners' Night discounts.  For more info, contact Sarah at smerrell@diamondbrand.com.

Other Important News

Hiking partner[s] Wanted to Hike and Fish Rocky Mountain National Park in Late August

We will stay at YMCA of the Rockies either in lodge rooms[up to 4 people] or cabins[$124./night+]. We can carpool and drive or fly and rent car. Last year several CMC members did a similar trip so we can get info from them on hikes.
 
RMNP has 14,000 foot peaks and 265,000 acres of hiking and wild trout fishing! 350 miles of trails. See the official park website.

Since time is critical, please reply ASAP to George Grunewald  www.chicagoboomer@hotmail.com
 

 
 

GPS Course on May 15

A GPS course will be held on Saturday May 15 from 9 A.M. to 12 P.M.

The course is not device- or brand-specific; but will make you a more intelligent and efficient GPS user. If you are contemplating buying a GPS, this course will help you avoid unwise decisions.

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.

Volunteers Needed to Test New Website

As most of you know, we are beginning to work on redesigning our website.

As new modules are developed, they will need to be worked with and debugged before installing.  We need 8-12 active member volunteers to help us in the testing process, just to try things out and see if they are functional and easy to use.  We need folks from the whole spectrum of computer-savviness, from nerds to techno-cripples, and from different functions in the Club.

All we need is your time to try things out when called on occasionally, and your willingness to give us feedback.  We don’t really know how long this process will take, but be ready for it to last as long as a year.

Get in on the action by contacting Becky Smucker at bjsmucker@gmail.com.

What's Happening at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy

ATC’s Regional Partnership Committees (RPCs) are the main channel for communication between individual Clubs, such as CMC, and the rest of ATC’s organization. CMC is a member of the Deep South RPC, which met on April 10. Don Walton and Lenny Bernstein are CMC's representatives to this committee.

Read Lenny Bernstein’s report on this meeting.

Cades Cove Loop will Reopen Saturday April 24

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has announced that the popular Cades Cove Loop is expected to reopen Saturday, April 24, about a month earlier than had been projected.

In recognition of the completion of this long-overdue project and of National Park Week, the park is planning two celebratory events. A Field Day has been set for Saturday, April 24 when only bicycles and pedestrians
will be permitted on the road until noon.

On Sunday morning, April 25 the Park and the Friends of the Smokies are planning a one-time-only “Cades Cove Loop Lope”, which will offer pre-registered runners a choice of the
full 11 mile loop or a 3.5 mile loop course.  

Conservation Matters

Prescribed Burn in Cataloochee - Details and Ecological Explanation

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has announced a prescribed burn in the Cataloochee Area. Here are the details from the park. There's always concern when a prescribed burn is planned. Read a good, clear explanation from Ben Prater of Wild South.

Heard on the Ground

Adopt a Section of the A.T.
Assistant Section Maintainer for Garenflo Gap to Deer Park Mtn Shelter

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

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 27 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.