Important Notice:  If you are parking at Westgate park only in the far north line of parking spaces beyond Earth Fare. Click here for a map.

All Day  Saturday & Sunday

SATURDAY No. A1003-615 Sept. 11
Black Balsam Loop via Graveyard Ridge Trail & ALT *10:00 AM
Hike 6, Drive 70, 1200 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Marcia Bromberg, 828-505-0471, mwbromberg@yahoo.com
P400 *Note later start time. Begin at FS 816, north on MST to Graveyard Ridge Trail. Left on Graveyard Ridge Trail to Ivestor Gap. Return on Art Loeb Trail over Tennant and Black Balsam. We’ll stop at Ivestor Gap for possible late blueberries, and at the high points to enjoy great views! Second meeting place: Cold Mtn. Overlook (BRP M.P. 412) at 10:50 AM. Topos: Sam Knob, Shining Rock; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780

SUNDAY NO. A1003-193 Sept. 12
MST: Bearpen Gap to NC 215 via Mt. Hardy 8:30 AM
Hike 9, Drive 85, 1775 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Carroll Koepplinger, 828-667-0723, carrollkoepp@bellsouth.net
SB6K, P400 This MST hike leads through a beautiful forest of spruce, birch, rhododendron and maple with mosses and ferns lining the forest floor. A special feature is a short side trip up 6110 Ft. Mt. Hardy, with first-rate views on its north side. Optional supper after the hike at Pisgah Inn, with return via NC 151. Partly through the Middle Prong Wilderness area, limit 10, so call leader for reservation. Second meeting place: BRP Cold Mountain Ovelook) at 9:10 AM. Topo: Sam Knob; also USFS Shining Rock & Middle Prong Wildernesses map and Nat Geo. map #780

SUNDAY NO. A1003-700 Sept. 19
Beech Gap and Hyatt Ridge Trails 8:00 AM
Hike 11.7, Drive 130, 3000 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA+
Tim Hawkins, 828-550-1340, hawkth59@yahoo.com
900M This new CMC hike in the Smokies will feature the border where old growth forest meets one of the last logged areas of the park. We will hike through a wild section of the Park and see a beautiful campsite and an impressive bridge over Raven Fork. Short car shuttle. Second meeting place: Maggie Valley Post Office at 8:30 AM, but contact leader first. Topos: Bunches Bald, Smokemont; also NatGeo map #317

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Half Day Sunday

HALF-DAY No. H1003-533 Sept. 12
MST: Pisgah Ledges Section *12:30 PM
Hike 5.2, Drive 70, 1540 ft. ascent, Rated C-B
Nonmembers, call leader, Tom Joyce, 828-885-2152, tominbrevard@webtv.net
P400 *Form carpools at Westgate, and meet leader at BRP Cold Mountain Overlook at 1:20 PM. Car shuttle. This will be a pleasant ramble along the MST from Bridges Camp Gap to Pigeon Gap and the Cold Mountain Overlook. Highlight of the hike will be a fairly steep ascent to 5056 ft Green Knob, one of the best viewpoints on the MST. Car shuttle. MST Profiles book, pg. 38-39

HALF-DAY NO. H1003-172 Sept. 19
John Rock Loop 12:30 PM
Hike 5.7, Drive 72, 1300 ft. ascent, Rated C-B
Nonmembers, call leader, Tom Sanders, 828-252-6327, tomary.avl@gmail.com
P400 This moderate loop hike, with good views from the top, starts at the Fish Hatchery parking lot. Second meeting place: Fish Hatchery parking lot, off FS 475, at 1:15 PM.

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All Day Wednesday

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-242 Sept. 15
Sam Knob – Devil’s Courthouse Loop *8:30 AM
Hike 8.5, Drive 75, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Laura Frisbie, 828-337-5845, laurafrisbie@charter.net  (note change of hike leader)
SB6K, P400 *Form carpools at Westgate, and meet leader at BRP Cold Mtn. Overlook at 9:20 AM. From FS 816, we’ll ascend Sam Knob (6040 ft.) with its 360 degree views, then hike though high meadows on the Flat Laurel and Little Sam Trails and the MST via Devil’s Courthouse (with its great views). We then return via the MST across FS 816 and up to the summit of Black Balsam (6214 ft.), then down to our cars. Topo: Sam Knob; also NatGeo. map #780

WEDNESDAY NO. W1003-193 Sept. 22
MST: Bearpen Gap to NC 215 via Mt. Hardy 8:00 AM
Hike 9.1, Drive 90, 1700 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Barbara Morgan, 828-738-3395, bcmorg@hughes.net
SB6K, P400 This MST hike leads through a beautiful forest of spruce, birch, rhododendron and maple, with mosses and ferns lining the forest floor. A special feature is a short side trip up 6110 ft. Mt. Hardy, with first-rate views on its north side. Partly through the Middle Prong Wilderness area, limit 10, so call leader for reservation. Car shuttle Second meeting place: Rough Butt Bald overlook at 9:00 AM. Topo: Sam Knob; also NatGeo map #780 and USFS Shining Rock Wilderness map

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.