Looking Ahead

All Day  Saturday & Sunday

ALL DAY No. A0601-423 Mar. 26
Pilot Rock, Laurel Mtn., Slate Rock Creek Trails 8:00 AM Hike 10, Drive 90, 1600 ft. ascent, Rated A-A Ruth Hartzler, 828-251-0886 P400 We will hike up the Pilot Rock Trail, stopping to enjoy the views. Then we’ll turn downhill on the Laurel Mtn. Trail and a no-name trail to the Slate Rock Creek Trail, one of the gems of Pisgah Nat’l. Forest. Short car shuttle. Second meeting place: North Mills River Recreation Area parking lot at 8:30 AM, but call leader beforehand. Topo: Dunsmore Mtn.; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map

SATURDAY No. A0601-224 March 25
Table Rock – Pinnacle Loop 8:00 AM Hike 10.8, Drive 120, 3200 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA+ Lenny Bernstein, 828-236-0192, lsberns@worldnet.att.net This is a great hike with good views, starting from the Nature Center parking lot at Table Rock St. Park. Our first objective will be Bald Rock near Pinnacle Mtn. with glorious views. Then after a climb to Pinnacle Mtn for lunch, we’ll walk the ridgeline to Table Rock with more great views, then down steeply to our cars. $2 parking fee. Additional meeting places: Cracker Barrel at exit 53 of I-26 at 8:30 AM (park at north end of parking lot near Upward Rd.), and Table Rock State Park (at Nature Center parking lot) at 9:15 AM. Topo: Table Rock

ALL DAY  No. A0602-507 April 2
Little Paint Creek 8:00 AM* (strenuous) Hike 8-9, Drive 78, 1800 ft. ascent, Rated B-A Stuart Tauber, 828-254-0824, sdtauber@charter.net *Note time change to DST. Hikers must call leader before attempting this hike. From Allen Gap, we will climb south on the AT to Deep Gap to connect with Little Paint Creek Trail (#11). We will proceed along, through and across the creek under Buzzard Roost Ridge several times to reach FS 31B and then Paint Creek Trail (#10), fording the creek several times, to finally reach Little Paint Creek campground. The creek crossings are challenging as is the trail. 10-mile car shuttle. Topo: Hot Springs; also Nat’l. Geo. French Broad & Nolichucky Rivers map

ALL DAY  No. A0602-209  April 2
Buckwheat Knob – Coontree Loop 9:00 AM* (moderate) Hike 8, Drive 67, 1900 ft. ascent, Rated B-A Les Love, 828-658-1489, lesrlove@charter.net P400 *Note later start time and time change to DST. From the trailhead at Coontree Picnic area, we’ll climb along beautiful Coontree Creek through open forest up to Bennett Gap and on to Buckwheat Knob for lunch, then return via the other segment of the Coontree loop. A moderate woodland hike with exceptional views from the ridgeline. Second meeting place: Coontree Picnic area at 9:40 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map

Half Day Sunday

HALF-DAY No. H0601-501 March 26
Hickory Nut Gap to Ferguson Peak 1:30 PM Hike 5, Drive 30, Rated C-C Jane and Lew Blodgett, 828-274-7863 An in-and-out hike from US 74 in Fairview. A fairly steep climb is rewarded with excellent views to the west.

HALF-DAY No. H0601-171 Apr. 2
Cat Gap Loop 1:30 PM* Hike 5, Drive 40, 1100 ft. Ascent, Rated C-B Barbara Rathbone-Shoaf, 828-667-8684 or 336-769-1188, bpsss354@netzero.com  or barbararathboneshoaf@gmail.com  P400 This is a moderate loop hike on the Cat Gap Loop Trail. *Second meeting place, Fish Hatchery parking lot at 2:10 PM.

All Day Wednesday

WEDNESDAY No. W0601-113 Mar. 22
Cold Mountain from Camp Daniel Boone 8:00 AM Hike 11, Drive 70, Rated A-AA Tom Sanders, 828-252-6327, tomary2@charter.net SB6K. Here is your chance to climb the mountain immortalized by Charles Frazier, as well as to enjoy outstanding views if the weather permits. From Camp Daniel Boone we will ascend 2500 ft. to the summit at 6030 ft., returning by the same route. Strenuous, so you should be in good shape. Wilderness area, limit 10, so call leader for reservation. Second meeting place: trailhead above Camp Daniel Boone. Topos: Waynesville, Cruso

WEDNESDAY No. W0601-345 Mar. 29
7 Gaps and 7 Knobs 9:30 AM Hike 6.5, drive 25, rated B-B Paula Robbins, 828-281-3253(before 9pm), paularww@bellsouth.net Hike begins at Bent Creek Gap near the Blue Ridge Parkway. First mile is on the MST, last mile is on Laurel Branch Rd. off the Bent Creek Gap Rd. Maybe early wildflowers will be seen. Second meeting place: Ingles parking lot across from Biltmore Square Mall on NC 191 south of I-26 at 9:45 AM.

WEDNESDAY NO. W0602-I Apr. 5 Leader’s Choice 8:00 AM Hike about 8, Drive not far, Rated B-B Kathie Giddings, 828-696-9808, kmgiddings@highstream.net  The leader promises to find an interesting moderate hike in the nearby area. Come out to enjoy the early spring weather and blooms. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at the Bi-Lo parking lot in Pisgah Forest at 8:30 AM.

Looking Back......

All Day  Saturday & Sunday

ALL DAY No. A0601-505 March 12
The Other Cold Mtn. 8:00 AM* Hike 8-10, Drive 120, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated B-A Dave Wetmore, 828-884-7296, dwetmore@citcom.net Many people have climbed the Cold Mtn. above Waynesville, but how many have climbed the other Cold Mtn., in Panthertown Valley? This will be a new hike for the CMC, and the exact route will be determined after a scouting trip and more info will be posted in the E-Newsletter. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Bi-Lo parking lot in Pisgah Forest at 8:30 AM. Topo: Big Ridge; also Panthertown Trail Map

Twelve people joined the leader to make what was an unlucky occasion for only one hiker, who had an encounter with a briar. It was a warm but slightly cloudy day with less than perfect seeing conditions for a hike with great views. The Little Green Creek ford was shallow enough that nobody complained of wet feet. The trip up to Shelton Pisgah (with its expansive views) was quick and easy. Two hikers (“Everest” Bente and “Denali” Cirvello) reached the summit of Shelton Pisgah while the rest of us waited below the treeline.
We had lunch at High Bethel, enjoying its great views and trying to figure out what mountains we were looking at. The trip down the Little Green manway was the usual twisty, winding streamside manway, but the creek was low enough so that nobody got wet, or, if they did, they didn’t mention it. Dave.

It was a cool (some would say cold) day with high clouds and some smoke in the air as the result of a large controlled burn in Tennessee, but we still had excellent views as nine of us hiked along the Cataloochee Divide Trail. From The Swag, where we had lunch, we could make out a handful of skiers on the Cataloochee Ski Resort slopes. After lunch most of the group decided to continue on to Double Gap and hike down the Hemphill Bald Trail rather than returning to McKee Branch. However, Kent Godfrey needed McKee Branch for his Smokies 900, so he and Jim Rule took the shorter route. We found them about 2 ½ hours later stretched out enjoying what little sun there was and wondering why we had taken so long – our route was 2 miles longer. From there we continued along the Caldwell Fork Trail, over its 14 bridges to the Cataloochee Road trailhead. The Boogerman Trail was offered as an alternative to anyone who wanted a still longer hike, but since our hike was already 14 miles long, nobody took up the offer. The promised early spring wildflowers never appeared, but it was a great hike. Lenny.

All-day hikes submitted by Bruce Bente 692-0116, bbente@cytechusa.com . 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 Sunday

HALF-DAY No. H0601-102 March 12
Coontree Loop 1:30 PM* Hike 3.7, Drive 35, Elevation gain 1200, Rated C-B Joe Burchfield, 828-398-8413, burchfield@niu.edu
P400 This hike is a loop along both sides of a lovely creek, with views along Coontree Mountain ridge on top. Some steep areas. *Second meeting place, Pisgah Ranger Station on US 276 at 2:10 PM.

Nineteen hikers including six guests gathered at the Coontree Picnic Area on a warm but intermittently overcast afternoon. We followed the eastern branch of the Coontree Loop trail in a moderately strenuous ascent to Coontree Gap where we were greeted by a welcome breeze across the ridge top. We then followed the ridge with good views of the Avery Creek Valley to our right and the Davidson River Valley to our left. At our lunch stop we had a fine -- though somewhat hazy -- view of Looking Glass Rock. Decending along the western branch of the trail we passed through dense rhododendron groves and past interesting rock outcrops before the trail opened again in the Coontree Creek Valley. This is a relatively short hike, but it provides a good aerobic workout -- as a number of hikers new to the trail discovered -- and an interesting variety of scenery in its small compass. I think we all agreed that it was a delightful way to spend Sunday afternoon. Joe Burchfield

HALF-DAY No. H0601-325 Mar. 19
Tanyard Gap to Rich Mountain 1:00 PM* Hike 5, Drive 64, 1365 ft. Ascent, Rated C-B Jorge Munoz, 828-658-0606, jmunoz@buncombe.main.nc.us  *Note early start time. After a gradual climb on the Appalachian Trail, we will be rewarded with an outstanding view of the Hot Springs area from the fire tower.

Half Day hikes submitted by Paula Robbins 828-687-1651 paularww@bellsouth.net. Leaders: Mail please mail your sign-up sheets. Meet at Westgate unless otherwise noted.

All Day Wednesday

WEDNESDAY No. W0601-509 Mar. 8
Dupont Forest: Sky Valley P.L. #1 8:40 AM* Hike 9+, drive 80, 1200 ft. ascent, rated A-B Rusty Breeding, 828-692-0359, bree@planetusa.net *Note later start time. This lovely hike will start at the Sky Valley parking lot in Dupont State Forest. It’s mostly easy, with a steep climb up to Stone Mountain, the highest peak in Dupont State Forest. *Meet at Westgate at 8:40 AM to form carpools, and meet the leader at 9:15 AM at the Bi-lo parking lot in Pisgah Forest. Topo: Standingstone Mtn.; also Dupont Forest Trail Map

Twenty-eight hikers turned out on a promising morning. The afternoon temperature reached 60 degrees, then a light overcast cooled us pleasantly. The hike began at Dupont Forest's Guion Farm parking lot on Sky Valley Road. The first landmark was the former rifle range where the equipment shed and target standards still stand. A warm-up climb took us 200 feet up Hickory Mountain where you only get views are at this time of year, when leaves are off. We looped back across the rifle range and down hill to hike a few hundred yards along the paved road before starting the 1000 foot climb up Stone Mountain. A few feet to the left of the stone cairn marking the top, we found a better lunch spot – a bald rock with an unobstructed view. If you cover the Channel 62 tower to the left with your hat, the view is reminescent of Maine's 100-mile wilderness. One hazy peak in the distance is South Carolina. Back at the bottom we followed the dirt road for a few hundred feet and then finished our hike along Shoals Creek Trail arriving at our cars at 3:00 p.m. Rusty.

WEDNESDAY NO. W0601-I Mar. 15
Mystery hike 8:00 AM* Will be rated B-B. Kathy Giddings, 696-9808, kmgiddings@highstream.net  Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at the Pisgah Ranger Station at 8:40 AM, and a hike choice will be made.

The Wednesday Mystery Hike turned out to be a new hike for the leader, and the thirteen hikers that showed up to enjoy (I hope) a good hike and a new experience.
The hike started at the the Pressley Gap trail head, where we climbed 1200 feet to the Black Mtn. trail, then on to Thrift Cove and Sycamore Cove. The weather was cold and windy at the higher elevations, but as the day progressed the weather improved, and we enjoyed a leisurely lunch sitting in the sun. Our 9+ mile hike ended with a nice walk back to the PRS via the river trail. Many thanks to Charlie Ferguson for tracking this hike with his GPS. Kathie Giddings

Wednesday Hikes are submitted by Paula McNabb, 828- 274-0057 gcmcnabb@charter.net and Ann Gleason, 828-859-9387, cowbonetail@yahoo.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.