August 23, 2006

        Please send me your hiking news, hike and maintenance reports by Monday evening before the newsletter comes out, that is, by Monday evening September 4 to Danny Bernstein danny@hikertohiker.org. Include your email address at the end of your story. Thank you.

What's Happening the Next Two Weeks

Wednesday Hike Scheduler Needed

In the opinion of your editor, the hike schedulers may have the most important job in the club. Look at the job description and consider becoming one of the Wednesday Scheduler. See all the details.

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Other Important News

Rusty Breeding finishes the A.T.

From Rusty - I finished section hiking the AT on August 3rd. I would like to thank all the people who helped make the accomplishment possible: All the CMC hike leaders who led hikes on the AT in North Carolina and Tennessee; Anita Baker and Amy Treverton who let me tag along from Wesser to Fontana in 1991 – the first entry in my databook; Emily Terrell who took me through the Smokies in 1996; especially to Nancy Seymour Walter who invited me to hike with her and Margaret Suits in 1997, thus making me realize that doing the whole thing might be possible; and thanks to Joanne Tulip who continued to hike with me after Nancy completed the trail in 1999.  I can truthfully say that I enjoyed the adventure; even getting wet wasn't all that bad. Finding all the back road trail crossings was an adventure in itself. Perhaps the most fun was meeting all the other hikers with the same dream. (I hope I haven't forgotten anybody....)  Rusty Breeding. bree@planetusa.com

And from Nancy Seymour. Rusty Breeding has finished hiking the AT trail.  She hiked 5 miles in NJ in 107 degree weather, then hiked 10 miles in 110 degree weather all by herself as Mary and I could not take the heat then did another 5miles in a little cooler weather 90.  She completed the trail by her 75th birthday. 

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Becky Smucker finishes the SB6K Challenge

On Sunday, August 20, Becky Smucker finished her South Beyond 6000 at the top of Chestnut Knob. She hadn’t really planned on doing this challenge, but early this year discovered that she had already done more than half of the forty, so decided to go ahead and finish. “Doing this program got me to places I wouldn’t have gone otherwise, and to several I don’t plan to see again,” she confesses, “but it gave me a better sense of the layout of the topography, and a tidy little feeling of accomplishment. Thanks especially to Tom Sanders who took a group of us on a three-day trip to the Tri-Corner area in the Smokies for eight peaks, to Bruce Bente for fitting a lot of the peaks I needed into our club hike schedule, and to Charlie Ferguson who helped me bag the last few and brought sparkling wine and goodies to the top to celebrate the finish.”

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From Don Gardner, the Challenge Committee Chair:

The Challenge Committee is looking for several (at least two) members to become active with the Committee. We have lost a few members over the past couple of years and need to rebuild the Committee.

The current members are: Don Gardner, Chair gardog3@charter.net , Tom Sanders tomary2@charter.net , and Amy Treverton athikerbabe@yahoo.com

The Committee is responsible of coordinating the Challenges that the Club administers. Those are:

--South Beyond 6,000 (SB6K)—Hiking the 40 qualifying peaks over 6,000 feet (this challenge is conducted jointly with the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club)

--Pisgah 400 (P400)—Hiking the roughly 400 miles of trails in Pisgah forest

--Smokies 900 miles (900M)—This is a challenge that is under the jurisdiction of the 900 Miler Association, but many members of the Club are working towards achieving this challenge. It is to hike the roughly 900 miles of maintained trails within the boundaries of the Smokey Mountain National Park.

--Western North Carolina Loop—This is a roughly 400 mile hike that includes part of the AT and MST, and includes hiking all 40 6,000’ peaks. This is a route that Tom Sanders put together and is still under development.

As the new chair of the Committee, I am looking to get this Committee active and to proactively promote and enhance the familiarity of all members with these challenges. I encourage you to contact me if you would like to help your Club through participation on this Committee. Thank you. Don Gardner gardog3@charter.net

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Beginning Map Reading - Saturday October 21

On October 21st, the CMC again offer the beginning map reading course; a mixture of classroom and field work. It is designed to help you find out where you are on a trail. For information contact Dave Wetmore at dwetmore@citcom.net or 884-7296. Pre-registration is required, and there is a class limit of 10.

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Slogan Contest - Entries due September 30

Write a slogan for our club that describes CMC and what our club is all about. We are a club that maintains trails, leads hikes and promotes conservation of the trails, National Forest and Parks in our area. A catchy one or two line phrase is what we are looking for. So get creative and submit your entry no later than September 30 !! Send your entry by e-mail to backpacker54nc@bellsouth.net or by mail to CMC, PO Box 68, Asheville, NC 28802, Attn: Chip Miller. The winning slogan writer will receive a $100 gift certificate to Diamond Brand.

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Submit Awards Nominations

Put your thinking cap on and come up with some names for the Awards committee to consider for the club's TWO annual awards,  the "Distinguished Service Award" and the "Award of Appreciation".
We need the name of your nominee,  & how long has this person been a member of CMC. Also, for the "Distinguished Service Award "please  list the contributions to the operation and goals of CMC. For the "Award of Appreciation" please state the record of exceptional service to the club during the past calendar year. Also list who else will be able to provide the committee with additional information about the nominee. You can e-mail your choices to backpacker54nc@bellsouth.net or mail your written nominations to: CMC , PO Box 68, Asheville, NC 28802. There will be a  nomination form in the next "Let's Go" newsletter too !  Deadline for nominations is October 15.

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Conservation

CMC Members Write Letters

After the last eNews discussing the status of Chimney Rock Park, your editor got this letter from one of our members living in Charlotte.

...The most outstanding tract of the entire Gorge, however, still hangs in the balance. Chimney Rock Park, as you are well aware, is on the market and at risk of falling into private ownership. As a past Carolina Mountain Club Maintainer for the Appalachian Trail, I am writing to urge you to get personally involved in keeping the State and the present park owners at the bargaining table until an agreement is reached to buy and preserve the park for future generations of North Carolina children. Read the whole letter.

Rock the house (From the Mountain Xpress)

In a surprise addition to the (Bumcombe County) board's "new business" agenda, the commissioners voiced their support for state acquisition of Chimney Rock Park. Fourth-generation owner Todd Morse has put the Rutherford County attraction up for sale for $55 million. The commissioners unanimously agreed to draft a letter supporting Lake Lure Mayor Jim Proctor's plea that the state buy the property. Chairman Ramsey urged a strongly worded statement, saying, "Let's amend it to say 'use all possible efforts.'"

And lest the specter of slope development at Chimney Rock be overlooked, Don Yelton, a frequent source of public comment at Board of Commissioners meetings, observed, "There are million-dollar views down there."

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Conservation Committee Status Report

The Conservation Committee has been in existence for about a year. So, it’s time for an update on what we have been doing and where we are going, as representatives of the CMC. Our charter is to inform Club members of issues that may affect hiking and the hiking experience, encourage Club members to voice their opinions on some of the more important issues, and recommend to the Council key issues with positions generally accepted by Club membership. When approved by Council, the Committee will communicate Club positions publicly.

The Committee has recommended three key issues for Council approval. Council voted to support the monetary settlement/no road alternative to the North Shore Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Most Council members attended the public comment hearing in Asheville, and club members spoke at the Asheville and Bryson City hearings in support of the monetary settlement. As a result of Council’s vote to oppose block sales of Forest Service Land to fund the extension of the Secure Rural Schools & Community Self-Determination Act, the Conservation Committee submitted written comments opposing block sales of Forest Service land. Also, CMC was listed on the Stop I3 Coalition’s website, after Council voted to oppose the construction of Interstate 3.

The Conservation Committee is currently learning more about Forest Service timber sales. We sponsored a CMC Wednesday hike up Looking Glass Rock to observe the area of a proposed timber sale in the area of Case Camp Ridge. We continue to monitor the two national parks in our area, GSMNP and BRP, by participating in the Great Smoky Mountains Coalition and the North Shore Road Coalition. We are discussing forest management issues as related to hiking, and looking at long term issues.

We network with regional conservation organizations that are actively working to protect our hiking environment. We are sponsoring a joint natural history hike with the Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project on September 10. We especially thank the National Parks Conservation Association, Sierra Club, Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition, Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project, Western North Carolina Alliance, Wildlaw, and the Southern Environmental Law Center for their diligent efforts on behalf of the hiking community.

The Conservation Committee has lively discussions on wilderness management, timber sales, and trail preservation issues, and what CMC can do. We need to know what the club membership thinks is important. So, join us at our monthly meetings on the third Thursday of each month. Contact Ruth Hartzler (828-251-0886 or ruthmtn@charter.net) for time and place, or contact a committee member to voice your opinion. We also need new committee members to learn about and research issues, attend government agency and conservation meetings, or simply voice your opinion. Our current members are Danny Bernstein, Rachel Doughty, Chip Miller, Becky Smucker, and Ruth Hartzler, chair. Ruth Hartzler, ruthmtn@charter.net

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Goats on the trail

When we offer to let people Contact Us , there truly is no limit to the imagination of what might be sent in -- as this recent submission proves:

"Hello, Ya'll do not allow any 'pack' animals on the Benton MacKaye, but I will be hiking the entire trail next year and was wondering if I could get a 'pass' or something for my goat, not as a 'pack' animal but for its milk. It provides me with superb nutrition on the trail. I can have fresh goat's milk and other benefits are yogurt, kefir, and fresh goat's milk ice cream. I ask for some kind of exemption as a BIG favor for me."

Now, we like goats. (see Mother Earth News, issue #192 ) But beyond the absurdity of taking one's milking goat on a 300-mile hike, there are animal cruelty issues, among others (!). And while it would be entirely feasible to keep an active yogurt culture alive in one's pack, the extra weight (not to mention the possibility of making a huge mess) would not seem worth it. At least, not to some!

Of course, the BMTA has no say over which animals are allowed on public lands, and this gentleman was so advised. But if you're out working on trail and happen to hear 'ba-a-a-a', or see a hiker with a milk goat following along, remember you read it here first.

'Reprinted with permission of the Benton MacKaye Trail Assn

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Hiking shoes found

Someone left a pair of hiking shoes near a tree in the Westgate parking lot where we meet before a hike. Charlie Ferguson has them. Contact him at ccferguson@email.com

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