CMC Bi-Weekly Hike Reports
Looking Back - January 9, 2009
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Hiker leaders, please send all your eNews hike reports and photos to Dave Wetmore at dwetmore@citcom.net.
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ALL DAY No. A0804-589 Dec. 21
After 4.5 miles we descended on the Sleepy Gap and Pinetree Trails to Lake Powhatan, where we had lunch. We then continued on the Bent Creek Road, taking the footpaths along the creek, and then back to the trailhead. This is an excellent hike, especially for someone living near Asheville. It is only about 10 miles from the city. At 9.5 miles it is a good distance,and it has enough uphill to provide a good workout. Unfortunately, many members probably declined to go along with us because they thought the weather might be bad, but it wasn't. Too bad! We had a really good time. Tom. Photo by Ted Connors. SATURDAY No. A0804-246 Dec. 27
Eleven hikers met at Westgate including two first time hikers with the club. We met two more hikers at the Trace Ridge trailhead parking area. From there we went up the Trace Ridge trail up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The trial then meandered up and down along the ridge. Soon most hikers were shedding their extra clothing as the temperature rose. Lunch was at Beaver Dam Gap on the BRP, with great views but some wind. We ended lunch as the wind picked up speed. We returned the way we came until we reached the Spencer Branch trial. This trial goes by a well built beaver dam. There were a few streams to rock hop across, with only a few getting their boots wet. We ended the hike by passing the old Hendersonville Reservoir and then up to the cars. Michael. Photos by Ted Connors. ALL DAY No. A0804-406 Dec. 28 At Westgate one other hiker showed up and so did the rain. We decided that it was not a good day to hike. I went on to Bi-Lo to see if anyone was there. No one was there. Michael NEW YEARS DAY NO. A0901-281 Jan. 1
Our traditional New Year's Day hike in the Green River Gamelands was popular this year. 22 people came for a friendly breakfast and conversation at the Cracker Barrel, with good service from their great staff. With their help, we put 5 tables together in a long row to seat everyone together, arousing much interest from customers and staff as to who our group was. One waitress chuckled that she'd much rather be hiking with us than working. 28 people started and finished the actual hike in beautiful clear weather, enjoying the warm sun on a cold day as we hiked down to and then up alongside the Green River. At one point one hiker played hike-and-seek with us, which will result in a discussion at the next meeting of the Hiking Committee, but fortunately, it turned out well for everyone. Some folks stayed at the Pulliam Creek trail junction while the rest of the hikers went down to the big rocks for lunch. An added treat was watching two groups of kayakers maneuver around the rocks and disappear downstream. The Pulliam Creek crossing was easy for everyone, with low water and the handrail log installed two years ago by CMC (see photo), and the handrail for the bridge at the trailend was good and sturdy. Bruce. Photos by Bruce Bente ALL DAY NO. A0901-564 Jan. 4
ALL DAY NO. A0901-631 Jan. 4 Four brave hikers set out on an overcast, misty but relatively warm morning to enjoy the beautiful sites of Dupont State Forest. These included High Falls, Triple Falls, Lake Dense, Lake Julian, old airstrip and Bridal Veil Falls. Within 45 minutes, the weather turned beautiful with gorgeous blue skies and temperatures rising into the 60's. Due to the recent rains, the falls where full of water and put on a grand display of power and beauty. The group took their time at each site including a 40 minute lunch break at Lake Julian. The creeks were full also. This made for a moderately difficult creek crossing just 1 mile from the end of the hike. This did not dampen our spirits. With wet boots we joyously finished a wonderful hike. What a beautiful day! Jay HALF-DAY No. H0804-429 Dec. 21 HALF-DAY No. H0804-500 Dec. 28 My hike was canceled. Only two people showed up and it was sprinkling, so they went for a walk at the Arboretum. Paula HALF-DAY NO. H0901-295 Jan. 4 We had an injury event about half way through the hike. Marcia Bromberg broke her right ankle. So, I and seven other CMC hikers stayed back with her and the other sixteen hikers went on to finish the hike with an appointed person, George Grunewald who carried my trail map with him. The seven who stayed back with me performed superbly well with assignments. The point man was Don Walton who cell phoned for rescue help. Afterward, he, Joe Burchfield, Heidi Saugen, and Nan Welsh hiked out and met the rescue teams and all hiked back up the trail with a stretcher and medical supplies. Gail Lamb, myself, Linda McCrea, and Dwight McCarter stayed with Marcia. Our extremely helpful hikers helped carry the stretcher out and the ambulance met us at the woods exit on the dirt road at Pump Gap trail. Marcia was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital in Asheville. The rescue personnel were from three agencies: Madison County EMS; Country Volunteer Fire Dept.; and Hot Springs Volunteer Fire Dept. They did an outstanding job and perhaps the club could send "thank you" letters to them and, maybe, some sort of appreciative token. Tish, substituting for Tom Sanders. Update: Marcia was operated on Tuesday January 7 and is resting comfortably. She now starts the long recovery process. We hope to see her back on the trail real soon. WEDNESDAY No. W0804-493 Dec. 17 Nine hikers turned out for the Pine Mountain II hike, despite ominous predictions of rain. The weather turned out to be wonderful, although being overly warm was a bit of a problem! Not what you'd expect for mid-December. The hike began off Bent Creek Road about 10:00, ascended through a matrix of trails, roads, and bushwhacks to the BRP and on to the summit of Pine Mountain. As the clouds were high and views were excellent, the group decided to go on out to Double Top for a relaxing lunch and a panorama of views to the SW. After lunch, we completed our loop with lots of bushwhacking and more portions of road and trail back to the cars parked at the intersection of Bent Creek Road and Cold Knob Road. Barbara. WEDNESDAY No. W0804-545 Dec.24 The hike for Wednesday, December 24, 2008 was canceled because of rain. Our apologies to the seven who showed up at the two meeting places, especially, Tracy Mitchell from Raleigh, who was in Asheville visiting and wanted to join us. Hopefully we will see you another time and on another hike, Tracy. Stuart. 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. |
When two of us gathered at Westgate for this hike, the weather was cold and especially windy. At French Broad Overlook, we picked up two more, the wind was dying down, and we set off. Ascending the Shut-In Trail the wind almost disappeared, the sun began to come out, and suddenly we realized that this was going to be one of these perfect winter days for a hike. The wind had blown away the clouds, and this enhanced the excellent views along the ridge.
After some doubts about leading the hike because of rainy weather forecasts, I was encouraged by two avid hikers looking for adventure and exercise to go ahead in spite of almost certain bad weather. Fortunately, as is often the case, the weatherman was right about rain, (it drizzled all of about five minutes) but primarily wrong as the day was mostly sunny, beautiful and unseasonably warm. The hike was very strenuous starting with over a 3 hour and 3,000’ steady uphill climb to the summit of Greybeard Mountain, but rewarding with many beautiful views from the Seven Sisters ridgeline and Greybeard. The lunch spot on Rocky Knob offered grandstand views of the surrounding valleys and ridgelines (including the majestic Great Craggies and the southern end of the Black Mountain Range. Enjoying some much deserved relaxation in the warm sunshine made leaving difficult, but the short daylight encouraged us to be on the way before it got too late. The descent on the Greybeard Trail offered beautiful scenery of a different kind with lush woods and a cascading stream. We completed the hike right at 5pm, having spent about 8 wonderful hours on the trail. Paul. Picture by Paul Benson.