All Day  Saturday & Sunday

SATURDAY NO. A0803-547 Sept. 27
MST west from Balsam Gap *9:00 AM
Hike 7, Drive 80, 1600 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Marianne Newman, 828-257-2136, marianneln@msn.com
*Note later start time. Come to see the MST extension that CMC has been building for the last 6 years. We did a similar hike 1-1/2 years ago, but six subsequent CMC work days have extended the new trail farther uphill. We will hike the MST from Balsam Gap to the end of trail and perhaps a little farther. Car shuttle. Second meeting place: Rest area beyond Waynesville on US 23/74 at 9:30 AM. Topo: Hazelwood

ALL DAY. NO. A0803-475 Sept. 28
Hump Mountain from Yellow Mtn. Gap *8:30 AM
Hike 9, Drive 130, 2400 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA
Jim Reel, 828-738-0751, jimr57@yahoo.com
*Note later start time. Meet at Westgate at 8:30 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Burnsville McDonald’s at 9:00 AM. We will hike from Roaring Creek Road to Yellow Mountain Gap at which point we join the AT, along an open ridge to Little Hump Mt and on to Hump Mt where we’ll have lunch on a grassy bald at 5587 ft. We’ll return to Yellow Mtn. Gap and take the Overmountain Victory Loop back to the cars. The fabulous vistas and open meadows make the drive and moderately strenuous hike very much worth while. Topos: Carver's Gap, White Rocks Mtn.

ALL DAY No. A0804-355 Oct. 5
AT: Devil Fork Gap to Carmen 8:00 AM 
Hike 11, Drive 95, 1900 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Lenny Bernstein, 828-236-0192, lsberns@worldnet.att.net
Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the signing of the National Scenic Trails Act (which designated the A.T. as the first National Scenic Trail) with a hike along nine of the most scenic miles on the A.T. It features two shelters, including Jerry’s Cabin, a historic gravesite and beautiful views from atop Big Butt. We then go down Fork Ridge trail to Carmen. Car shuttle. Topos: Flag Pond, Greystone; also Nat’l. Geo. French Broad & Nolichucky Rivers map #782

ALL DAY No. A0804-619 Oct. 5
Isom Mine, Cattail Creek *8:00 AM
(moderate)
Hike 9, Drive 90, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated A-B
Jake Blood, 828-319-9559, thebloods@hotmail.com and
John Whitehouse, 828-682-3217, johnwhitehouse@verizon.net
This new CMC loop hike begins and ends at the cabin of one of the hike leaders on the west side of the Black Mtn. range. It ascends to 5700 ft. on an old logging railroad right-of-way. Lunch at an abandoned mica mine with spectacular views of the Blacks and the upper Cane River valley. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leaders at the Cattail Community Center on Cattail Creek Rd. 2.2 miles from NC 197 at 9:00 AM. Topo: Mt. Mitchell; also Nat’l. Geo. Linville Gorge Mount Mitchell map #779

Half Day Sunday

HALF-DAY No. H0803-318 Sept. 28
Big Ridge Overlook to Beaver Dam Overlook *1:00 PM
Hike 4.4, Drive 35, Rated C-C
Nonmembers, call leader, Paula Robbins, 828-281-3253, paularww@bellsouth.net
P400 *Note early start time. This in-and-out hike along the MST near milepost 403 of the Blue Ridge Parkway is a good one for beginners. It will feature some fall wildflowers and good views. Second meeting place French Broad Overlook of the Blue Ridge Parkway at M.P. 393 at 1:10 PM.

All Day Wednesday

WEDNESDAY No. W0804-625 Oct. 1
Devil’s Courthouse-Daniel Ridge Creek *8:30 AM
Hike 8.5, Drive 74, 2100 ft. ascent, Rated B-AA
Ashok Kudva, 828-698-7119, ashok.kudva@mchsi.com.
P400, SB6K: *Meet at Westgate at 8:30 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Cold Mtn. Overlook at 9:10 AM. From Devil’s Courthouse overlook, we will proceed on the MST, do a steep descent on the Art Loeb Trail and Farlow Gap Trails to Daniel Ridge Creek, Along the way we’ll view old mica mine tailings and waterfalls, then retrace our steps to the BRP/ALT intersection. This hike will feature a 360 degree mountain vista from Devil’s Courthouse, a fabulous view of Pilot Mountain from Chestnut Bald overlook and Silvermine Bald, and early fall foliage colors. Optional in-and-out climb to Chestnut Bald for SB6K fans. Short car shuttle. Topos: Sam’s Knob, Shining Rock; also Natl. Geo. PRD map #780

WEDNESDAY No. W0804-076 Oct. 8
Craggy to Little Snowball Hike 8:30 AM
Hike 7.2, Drive 38, 2630 ft. ascent, Rated B-AA
Don Walton, 828-654-9904, donwalton@bellsouth.net.
From Bee Tree Gap at Craggy Gardens, we’ll go 135 feet on MST South, then get on Snowball trail over high rocks (Hawkbill Mtn.) to Little Snowball tower site for great views. We’ll return on the same route. Second meeting place: Bee Tree Gap at 9:00 AM. Topo: Craggy Pinnacle; also USFS South Toe River, Mt. Mitchell & Big Ivy Trail Map

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 Paula Robbins 828-687-1651 paularww@bellsouth.net and 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.