All Day  Saturday & Sunday

ALL DAY NO. A0901-001 Jan. 11
Case Camp – Seniard Ridge Loop 8:00 AM
Hike 8 or 9.8, Drive 80, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Cindy McJunkin, 828-712-9646, mcjfive@aol.com
P400 This loop hike features a short steep climb up to the MST, some MST hiking, and 50-ft. frozen cascades along the closed BRP. Possible additional distance to see additional ice sheets, depending upon weather. After lunch with a great view of the surrounding mountains, we’ll hike through some beautiful woods on the Seniard Ridge trail. Second meeting place: Pisgah Ranger Station at 8:30 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; also pg. 50 of MST Profiles book and Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780

ALL DAY NO. A0901-203 Jan. 18
Tanyard Gap –AT – Lovers Leap – Pump Gap loop *9:00 AM
Hike 9, Drive 70, 2200 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA
Tish Desjardins, 828-656-2191, desraylet@aol.com
*Note later start time. After the hike there will be a potluck supper in the nearby Bear River Community Lodge. Hikers are requested to contribute food for the supper. Food will be taken to a refrigerator before the hike. Please phone the leader to coordinate what food to bring. We’ll do a moderate loop in the Hot Springs area, starting and ending at Tanyard Gap. We’ll start on the AT up to Mill Ridge, then continue over Lovers Leap down to the river. Next we’ll road-walk to the Silvermine Trailhead and take the Pump Gap Trail back up to the AT and retrace our steps to Tanyard Gap. Topo: Hot Springs

Half Day Sunday Hikes

HALF-DAY NO. H0901-434 Jan. 11
Laurel Mountain Trail *12:30 PM
Hike 5.4 miles, Drive 40, 700 ft. ascent, Rated C-C
Nonmembers, call leader, Greg Goodman, 828-684-9703, greggoodman@bellsouth.net
P400 *Note early start time. Meet at Westgate at 12:30 PM to form carpools, and meet leader at the North Mills River parking area at 1:00 PM. This loop hike will start at FS 1206, go along a ridge trail toward Black Mountain, and return via the Laurel Mountain Trail. There should be good views of the Mills River Valley.

HALF-DAY NO. H0901-381 Jan. 18
Snowball Trail *12:30 PM
Hike 5.5, Drive 50, 900 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Nonmembers call leader, Jorge Munoz, 828-658-0606, jmunoz@buncombe.main.nc.us
*Note early start time. This is a moderate in-and-out hike with a steady climb (some hikers consider it to be steep) to High Rocks (Hawkbill Mtn.). Diverse and centennial trees to be admired all the way on the ridge. Stop for a snack at Snowball Mountain before return. Second meeting place: Craven Gap on Blue Ridge Parkway at 12:50 PM.

All Day Wednesday

WEDNESDAY NO. W0901-101 Jan. 14
Big Laurel River *8:45 AM
Hike 7, Drive 60, 300 ft. ascent, Rated C-C
Becky Elston, 828-749-1886, belston@cytechusa.com
Trail follows Big Laurel River to the confluence with the French Broad River, lunch here. Pass thru Runion, which was a thriving logging town in the early 1900's. Fairly rocky in spots. *Meet at Westgate at 8:45 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Ingles on US 25/70 at the Marshall Bypass at 9:30 AM. Topo: Hot Springs

WEDNESDAY NO. W0901-053 Jan. 21
East Fork Pigeon River *8:30 AM
Hike 7.5, Drive 74, 1200 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Barbara Morgan, 828-738-3395, bcmorg@hughes.net
P400 *Wilderness area, limit 10, so contact leader for reservation. A stroll along one of WNC's most beautiful streams, the East Fork of the Pigeon River, which is often spectacular in the winter. We will ascend to Dark Prong for lunch and then return. Second meeting place: Big East parking area on US 276, north of BRP at 9:15 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780

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.