All Day  Saturday & Sunday

ALL DAY NO. A0901-629 March 22
Rough Creek – Canton Watershed *8:30 AM
Hike 8, Drive 54, 2200 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Lenny Bernstein, 828-236-0192, lsberns@att.net
*Note later start time. The town of Canton has recently built trails in its watershed and opened the area to hikers. Come and join the leader in exploring this new hiking area, on a loop hike mostly on old roads and with nice views. We should see some early spring flowers and who knows what else. Topo: Canton

SATURDAY NO. A0901-270 March 28
Cedar Rock Mtn.- John Rock Loop *9:00 AM
Hike 8, Drive 80, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Victoria Tripp, 828-348-4505, torrose@gmail.com
P400 *Note later start time. This trip features two of the spectacular bare rock faces in the Pisgah National Forest, with great views from both. Starting at the Fish Hatchery, we’ll have our major climb up to Cat Gap and then on to Cedar Rock for lunch enjoying the view. We’ll return via John Rock. Second meeting place: Pisgah Fish Hatchery at 9:40 AM. Topo: Shining Rock.

ALL DAY NO. A0901-636 March 29
Coontree-Bennett Gap-Pressley Cove Lollipop *9:00 AM
Hike 8.4, Drive 75, 1900 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Ashok Kudva, 828-698-7119, ashok.kudva@mchsi.com
P400 * Note later start time. Meet at Westgate at 9:00 AM to form carpools to accommodate an optional post-hike supper near Brevard, and meet the leader at Pisgah Forest Bi-Lo at 9:30 AM. This hike is an extension of the popular half-day Coontree Loop hike. We start ascending the left branch of Coontree trail, proceed in and out on Bennett Gap and Pressley Cove trails and descend on the right branch of Coontree trail to the cars. We will visit an old homestead chimney, a remnant of the farming community between Pressley Cove and Maxwell Cove. Topo: Pisgah Forest; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780

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Half Day Sunday Hikes

HALF-DAY NO. H0901-172 Mar. 22
John Rock Loop *12:30 PM
Hike 5.7, Drive 72, 1300 ft. ascent, Rated C-B
Nonmembers, call leader, Lucy Prim, 828-693-6580, 32lucette@gmail.com.
P400 *Note early start time. 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 1:10 PM.

HALF-DAY NO. H0901-046 Mar. 29
Bent Creek Loop #12, MST side *1:00 PM
Hike 5, Drive 15, Rated C-C
Nonmembers, call leader, Gerry McNabb, 828-274-0057, gerrymcnabb@charter.net.
P400 *Note early start time. This loop hike will pass by Lake Powhatan and ascend to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail via the Sherman Stambaugh Trail. We will then descend on the Sleepy Gap Trail and wander along the Explorer and Pine Tree Trails.

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All Day Wednesday

WEDNESDAY NO. W0901-349 Mar. 25
Buck Spring Trail *8:00 AM
Hike 12, Drive 85, 1200 ft. ascent, Rated A-B
Brenda Worley, 828-684-8656, clworley@bellsouth.net
P400 *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Pisgah Ranger Station at 8:40 AM. Starting at the Buck Spring Trailhead at US 276 we will hike 6 miles up to the Pisgah Inn. We will have lunch on the back porch of the Inn with great views to the south. Then hike 6 miles back on the same trail to our cars. Topos: Cruso, Shining Rock; also Natl. Geo. PRD map #780

WEDNESDAY NO. W0902-545 Apr. 1
Bent Creek #11-Boundary Trail 8:30 AM
Hike 8.5, Drive 25, 1700 ft. ascent, Rated B-A
Stuart English, 828-883-2447, stuengo@citcom.net
P400 From Bent Creek Gap we will follow the MST to the Bent Creek boundary trail, on to Ingles Field Gap, to Ledford branch Rd and down to Deer Lake Lodge trail and the Rice Pinnacle parking lot. Great views. Car shuttle. Second meeting place: Ingles parking lot across from Biltmore Sq. Mall on NC 191 at 8:45 AM. Topos: Dunsmore Mt., Skyland; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780 and Bent Creek Trail map.

Reports for Wednesday hikes during the eNews publication week will appear in the following eNew--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 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.