Important Notice: Parking at Westgate has changed. Park only in the far north line of parking spaces past Earth Fare. Click here for a map.
All Day Saturday & Sunday
SUNDAY NO. A1002-370 June 20
South Mills River 8:00 AM
Hike 12.5, Drive 75, 1100 or 750 ft. ascent, Rated AA-B or AA-C
Stu English, 828-883-2447, stuengo@citcom.net and Charlie Ferguson, 828-625-2677, ccf108@gmail.com
P400 *Form carpools at Westgate, and meet leaders at Pisgah Ranger Station at 8:35 AM. This is another of the P400 hikes that is scheduled during a summer month because of its nine stream crossings. Plan to wear water shoes for the section between Cantrell Creek and Wolfe Ford. Two hiking poles are recommended for the stream crossings. The trail follows the old logging railroad grade, so look for old trestles at stream crossings. This hike will be done as a key swap. Topo: Pisgah Forest
SATURDAY NO. A1002-401 June 26
Laurel Mtn.- Slate Rock Creek 8:30 AM
Hike 9, Drive 70, 2500 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA
Brent Martin, 828-369-7084, brent_martin@tws.org
P400 We’ll hike up Laurel Mtn. trail to Sassafras Gap, then drop down to the Slate Rock Creek trail and follow this beautiful trail back to FS 1206. Short car shuttle. Topo: Dunsmore Mtn.; also NatGeo map #780
SUNDAY NO. A1002-566 June 27
Roans in Bloom 8:30 AM
Hike 8, Drive 150, 1000 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Tom Sanders, 828-252-6327, tomary.avl@gmail.com
SB6K A beautiful AT hike with some of WNC’s finest views. Expect rhododendrons and flame azaleas to be in bloom, with perhaps an early Gray’s Lily. From Carver’s Gap we’ll go north past Grassy Ridge (6160 ft.) to a scenic overlook for lunch, then double back south to Carvers Gap. From here we’ll drive up to see the Rhododendron Gardens and the vista from Roan High Bluff (6287 ft.). (small fee to enter garden area) Topo: Carvers Gap; also NatGeo. map #783
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Half Day Sunday
HALF-DAY No. H1002-453 June 20
Max Patch Ramble 12:30 PM
Hike 5.5, Drive 104, 800 ft ascent, Rated B-C
Nonmembers, call leader, Gail Lamb, 828-275-4500, galmb46@bellsouth.net
Awesome panoramic views and summer wildflowers make this moderate hike a favorite. We will go to the top of Max Patch, then a combination of Appalachian and Buckeye Ridge trails. This will take us north through meadows, woods and across a small stream. We will break at the AT shelter and return on the AT. Second meeting place only if I-40 is open: Pilot Truck Stop at exit 24 at 1:00 PM.
HALF-DAY NO. H1002-002 June 27
MST: NC 128 to Balsam Gap *12:30 PM
Hike 5, Drive 60, 1500 ft ascent, Rated C-B
Nonmembers, call leader, Joe Burchfield, 828-398-8413, burchfield@niu.edu
*Note that the only meeting place is the back parking lot of the Folk Art Center. This scenic portion of the MST features great views, rocky climbs, and hiking through a dark spruce forest as it crosses Blackstock Knob (6320 ft). Although only 5 miles long, this hike ascends 1500 feet. Hikers must be capable of this amount of climbing. Topo: Montreat; also NatGeo. map #779; also MST Profiles pp 62-63.
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WEDNESDAY NO. W1002-471 June 23
Cold Mtn. Overlook to Bridges Camp Gap to Big East 8:00 AM
Hike 9.7, Drive 55, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Tom Sanders, 828-252-6327, tomary.avl@gmail.com.
P400 Hike from Cold Mtn Overlook up to Green Knob (Penny Rock) and to Bridges Camp Gap on the MST, then down to US 276. Short car shuttle. Wilderness area, limit 10, so contact leader for reservation. Second meeting place: Cold Mtn. Overlook at 8:40 AM. Topo: Shining Rock
WEDNESDAY NO. W1002-137 June 30
Carvers Gap to Grassy Ridge Bald, Roan Mtn. *8:00 AM
Hike 11.9 Drive 130, 2400 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA
Tish Desjardins , 828-656-2191,desraylet@aol.com
*Form carpools at Westgate, and meet leader at McDonald’s in Burnsville at 8:40 AM. Hike from Carvers Gap north on AT to Grassy Ridge side trail, then return on the AT to Roan High Knob and Roan High Bluff, and return to trail head. 360 degree panoramic views and flowers. Topo: Carvers Gap
Email your hike reports to Dave Wetmore.The deadline for reports is 9:00 p.m. on the Tuesdays before an eNews comes out. Reports for Wednesday hikes during the eNews publication week will appear in the following eNews--The Editor.
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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 appears in the hike description.
Driving mileage is round trip, based on the first designated meeting place. Meet at Westgate unless otherwise noted. |
