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. A1102-599 June 25
Daniel Ridge-Caney Bottom – Cove Creek Falls Loop *8:40 AM
Hike 10, Drive 80, 1800 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Brenda Worley, 828-684-8656, cell: 828-606-7297, clworley@bellsouth.net
P400, WC100 *Form carpools at Westgate, and meet leader at Pisgah Ranger Station at 9:15 AM. We’ll start with the 4-mile Daniel Ridge Loop, ending at Toms Springs Falls, a 100 foot falls. From these falls, we’ll follow an old FS road, go down an unmapped trail to Caney Bottom Trail. Here we’ll loop around to Cove Creek Trail and 60-foot Cove Creek Falls, then back to Caney Bottom Loop and eventually back to our cars on Davidson River Road (FS 475). Topo: Shining Rock; also NatGeo. map #780

SUNDAY NO. A1102-135 June 26
Mt. Mitchell – Cattail Peak 10:00 AM
Hike 7, Drive 70, 1900 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Bev MacDowell, 828-684-1000, bevmacdowell@charter.net
SB6K We will enjoy the great views as we hike the ups-and-downs of the Black Mountains Crest Trail as far as Cattail Peak for lunch, return via the same route, then walk the Balsam Nature Trail. Optional supper at the Mt. Mitchell Restaurant after the hike. Second meeting place: Craven Gap at 10:20 AM. Topo: Mt. Mitchell; also South Toe/Big Ivy FS map RG355 and NatGeo map #779

SUNDAY NO. A1103-703 July 3
Tuckasegee Gorge (Bernard Elias Favorite Hike series #3) *8:15 AM
Hike 4, Drive 120, 700 ft. ascent, Rated C-C
Ted Snyder, 864-638-3686, tedsnyderjr@bellsouth.net
*Form carpools at Westgate, and meet leader at Toxaway Post Office (turn right from US 64 to NC 281 north and go 1.5 miles) at 9:30 AM. NOTE: Strenuous and very hazardous. For agile and experienced hikers with good balance. Requires shoes with non-slip soles for extended walking in stream on slippery rock. Sometimes this trip is named “The Potholes” after thousands of precision drilled potholes of every size. We climb over, under and through jumbles of bungalow-sized rocks in a de-watered river gorge. Lunch at Bonas Defeat. Swimming optional. Carry dry shoes for the hike out. Topos: Big Ridge, Lake Toxaway

SUNDAY NO. A1103-267 July 10
Horsepasture River 8:00 AM
Hike 8, Drive 105, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Kathleen Hannigan, 828-230-4883, Kathleen.hannigan@pgnmail.com
WC100 Swimming hike! Come to see the Gorges State Park area. We will begin the hike with a trip downstream to Windy Falls near Lake Jocassee. We will then return upstream to hike alongside the Horsepasture River to see the waterfalls – Rainbow, Turtleback, Drift and Stairway. Several swimming breaks will be taken. Second meeting place: Pisgah Forest Bi-lo at 8:35 AM. Topo: Reid; Also Sierra Club guide to Jocassee Gorges.

SATURDAY NO. A1103-539 July 16
Downhill to Pilot Mountain *10:00 AM
Hike 6.3, Drive 70, 1800 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Charlie Ferguson, 828-265-2677 (cell: 828-778-2431), ccf108@gmail.com
P400 *Form carpools at Westgate, and meet leader at BRP Cold Mountain Overlook at 10:40 AM. Hike down the Art Loeb Trail from the parkway, starting at Shuck Ridge, down to Farlow Gap, over Sassafras Knob, down to Deep Gap and up to our Pilot Mountain lunch spot with its great views. We head back the same way, except going around Sassafras rather than over it. Topos: Sam Knob & Shining Rock; also NatGeo map #780

SUNDAY NO. A1103-047 July 17
Iron Mtn. Gap to Indian Grave Gap *7:45 AM
Hike 10.8, Drive 120, 2800 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA+
Jeff McGurk, cell: 864-921-6469, jbsbestfan@hotmail.com
*Although usually done as a key swap, this AT hike will be done as one-way with special arrangements, and a trail lunch will be provided at Beauty Spot. Hike limited to 15 people—contact leader for reservations. From Iron Mountain Gap we will hike several thousand feet up and over Unaka Mountain and then, after a short downhill, up to Beauty Spot for a leisurely lunch. After lunch, we will only have about 3-1/2 downhill miles to our cars. We should see a fair amount of wildflowers and a nice view from Beauty Spot. Topos: Unaka Mtn, Little Bald Knob; also NatGeo map #783 and AT TN-NC map #2

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Half Day Sunday

HALF-DAY No. H1102-465 June 26
Flat Laurel Creek, Little Sam Knob, MST Loop 12:30 PM
Hike 6, Drive 80, 1000 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Nonmembers, call leader, Joe Burchfield, 828-298-8413, Burchfield@niu.edu
P400 Beginning at the Sam Knob parking lot, hike Flat Laurel Creek Trail to Little Sam Knob Trail and enjoy views of Sam Knob. Turn up Sam Knob Trail with views of Little Sam and Mt. Hardy. Then head north on MST, with great views, to FS 816 and our cars. Second meeting place: BRP Cold Mtn. Overlook at 1:10 PM. MST Profiles book, pg. 34

HALF-DAY NO. H1103-068 July 3
Balsam Gap to Little Butt 11:00 AM
Hike 4.6, Drive 55, 1300 ft. ascent, Rated C-B
Nonmembers, call leader: Jorge Munoz, 828-658-0606, jorgemunoz1927@hotmail.com
We will take the Big Butt trail from Balsam Gap on the BRP, following the ridgeline to Little Butt, a short bushwhack at almost 6000 ft, and return via the same route. We will stop at Point Misery for views of the Black Mtns. Topos: Montreat, Mt. Mitchell; also South Toe River PNF map.

HALF-DAY NO. H1103-666 *July 10
Pink Beds - Cradle of Forestry Loop 12:30 PM
Hike 5.6, Drive 90, 550 ft. ascent, Rated C-C
Nonmembers, call leader: Ashok Kudva, home: 828-698-7119, (cell: 828-674-1374), Ashok.Kudva@att.net
P400 *Form carpools at Westgate, and meet leader at the Pisgah Ranger Station at 1:10 PM. From the left branch of Pink Beds Loop Trail, we will go over the Barnett Branch Boardwalk, built by the CMC Friday Pisgah Crew last fall. After climbing over the Barnett Branch Trail and Soapstone Ridge around Rich Mountain, we will descend on a forest service road to the Cradle of Forestry. We will visit a logging locomotive and logging history placards before returning to the cars. Topo: Shining Rock; NatGeo map #780

HALF-DAY NO. H1103-318 July 17
East Fork of Pigeon River *12:30 PM
Hike 5, Drive 74, 600 ft. ascent, Rated C-C
Nonmembers, call leader: Renate Rikkers, 828-298-9988, rerikkers@aol.com
P400 *Wilderness area – limit of 10 hikers. Call leader for reservation. This in-and-out hike starts at the Big East Fork parking lot and goes towards the headwaters of the Pigeon River. The river is crystal clear and we will have opportunities to go down to the river and play at one of the swimming holes—bring a swim suit if interested. Second meeting place: BRP Cold Mtn. Overlook at 1:10 PM. Topo: Shining Rock; also NatGeo map #780

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All Day Wednesday

WEDNESDAY NO. W1102-459 June 29
MST: NC 128 to Greybeard overlook 8:00 AM
Hike 8.9, Drive 80. 2000 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Ann Gleason. 828-859-9387, gleason.ann@gmail.com
We will head up into the cool old-growth Balsam and Spruce forests south of Mt Mitchell. There are several scenic overlooks and we will stop for lunch on one of them. Car Shuttle. Second Meeting Place: Craven Gap on BRP at 8:30 AM. Topos: Mt Mitchell, Montreat., Also MST profiles,p. 66-69.

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WEDNESDAY NO. W1103-311 July 6
Panthertown Valley from East Entrance *8:30 AM
Hike 8-9, Drive 100, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Jill Gottesman, 828-587-9453, (cell: 828-545-5236), jill_gottesman@tws.org
*Form carpools at Westgate, make stop at Pisgah Forest Bi-Lo at 9:00 AM for additional hikers, and meet leader on NC 281 NORTH, at intersection with US 64, at 9:20 AM. The intent is to enjoy a moderate hike, and visit some of the beautiful waterfalls in Panthertown valley. A dip in the water is a possibility. The exact route will be decided during a scouting hike. Topo: Big Ridge; also Guide to Panthertown map

Scout Report:  This hike route, about 8 miles, took us in a clockwise loop around the Panthertown Valley. Total ascent was about 1000’, with no steep ascents. There is one step 500’ descent from Big Green. Starting at the Cold Mountain Gap trailhead, we hiked to and crossed Greenland Creek, hiked up Big Green Mountain and enjoyed the view as we ate lunch, and hiked down the steep trail to Granny Burrell Falls on Panthertown Creek. We then picked up the Panthertown Valley trail and hiked by the old pine plantation, the sandbar pool, and took a detour up the Powerline trail to see Warden’s Falls. Our final stop was Schoolhouse Falls before picking up the road switchbacks that took us back up to the Cold Mountain Gap trailhead. The scout hike was approximately 6 hours, with a leisurely pace and stops at the mountain view, sand island, and waterfalls. An alternate to hiking up Big Green Mountain is taking the Great Wall trail that skirts the base of the mountain and Panthertown Creek.  Along the way we saw these flowering plants: Flame Azalea. Rhododendron Minus, Mountain Laurel. Bowman’s Root, Fly Poison, Blue-Eyed Star Grass, Galax and an unidentified white fragrant azalea (Rhododendron Viscosum?).
   

WEDNESDAY NO. W1103-339 July 13
AT: Garenflo Gap to Hot Springs *9:00 AM
Hike 7.5, Drive 90, 1100 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Tish Desjardins, cell: 828-380-1452, desraylet@aol.com
*Form carpools at Westgate, and meet leader at parking lot at corner of US 25/70 and NC 208 at 9:40 AM. This AT sequence hike offers nice variety, with a beautiful hardwood forest, Deer Park shelter and moderate climbs and descents. We’ll make a stop for ice cream in Hot Springs. Car shuttle. Topos: Lemon Gap, Spring Creek, Hot Springs; also AT TN-NC map #4

WEDNESDAY NO. W1103-734 July 20
Jones Meadow to Allen Gap 8:00 AM
Hike 9, Drive 100, 900 ft. ascent, Rated A-C
Carroll Koepplinger, 828-667-0723, carrollkoepp@bellsouth.net
LTC This scenic hike climbs up to the AT from Jones Meadow, and then follows the AT south to Allen Gap, with a side trip to the Camp Creek Bald tower. There is a 3130 ft. descent. 6.5 mile car shuttle. Topos: Greystone, Davy Crockett Lake, Hot Springs; also NatGeo map #782

Email your hike reports to Danny Bernstein.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 Bonnie Allen, 828-645-0357, bonnie@allencats.com

Wednesday Hikes are submitted by Charlie Ferguson, 828-625-2677 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.