Wednesday hikes submitted by Ann Gleason, 828-859-9387, gleason.ann@gmail.com . Driving distance is round-trip from Asheville. All Wednesday hikes assemble at Westgate Shopping Center parking lot near CVS (Exit 3B off I-240) UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. Some hikes will have second meeting places as described in hike listings. Please contact the hike leader if you are not sure of the meeting location.

Note: there are two hikes on October 3 - pick one.

WEDNESDAY NO W0704-408 Oct. 3
Wolf Ford Loop 8:00 AM*
Hike 9, Drive 80, 1200 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Greg Goodman, 828-684-9703,
P400 Start at the gauging station and hike the South Mills River trail to Wolf Ford, Squirrel Gap, Horse Cove and to FS 5018, then along Funnel Top Ridge, left onto Soapstone Ridge and back to cars. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Pisgah Ranger Station at 8:30 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map

WEDNESDAY NO. W0704-585 Oct. 3
Chestnut Mtn., Searcy Creek Loop 8:00 AM*
Hike 6-7, Drive 75, 800 ft. ascent, Rated C-C
Larry Ballard, 828-891-4318, leballard@cytechcis.net
P400 On this new and moderate hike, we’ll hike up FS 5095 from FS 475 to near the summit of Chestnut Mtn., then do a short, steep but easy bushwhack in open woods down to the Butter Gap Trail. We’ll follow this trail north, then west onto the Long Branch Trail and return on FS 5095. Along the way we’ll stop at a great overlook. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Pisgah Ranger Station at 8:35 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780

WEDNESDAY NO. W0704-584 Oct. 10
Butter Gap Loop 8:00 AM*
Hike 9, Drive 75, 2000 ft. ascent, Rated A-AA
Tom Bindrim, 828-273-3880
P400 One of Tom's favorites for near 30 years, we'll use parts of the Cat Gap Loop, ALT, and all of the Butter Gap trail through the beautiful Grogan Creek watershed to Picklesheimer Fields. Moderately paced, lots of stops, long lunch, expect late return. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Pisgah Fish Hatchery at 8:45 AM. Topos: Shining Rock, Rosman; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780

WEDNESDAY NO. W0704-560 Oct. 17
Rube Rock/Groundhog Creek Loop 8:00 AM
Hike 9, Drive 100, 1900 ft. ascent, Rated A-A
Danny Bernstein, 828-236-0192, danny@hikertohiker.com
A beautiful loop hike, rich in fall foliage, located in the Harmon Den area of Pisgah Nat'l. Forest. We'll start at Brown Gap, then hike the A.T. to Rube Rock Trail which descends into the Pigeon River Gorge. Then we'll climb the Groundhog Creek Trail, to the A.T. and back to Brown Gap. Second meeting place: Pilot Truck Stop off I-40 at Exit 24 at 8:30AM. Topo: Waterville, also Harmon Den & Hot Springs Area Trail Map, USFS map.

WEDNESDAY NO. W0704-204 Oct. 24
Max Patch Ramble 8:00 AM
Hike 7.5, Drive 100, 1100 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Adrian Lotherington, 828-484-9132, jaloth@charter.net
A late fall hike that may be our last opportunity to scale this beautiful section of the AT before Jack Frost descends! We will begin and end at Max Patch, one of WNC's most stunning views. Second meeting place: Pilot Truck Stop at Exit 24 off I-40 at 8:30 AM. Topo: Lemon Gap.

WEDNESDAY NO. W0704-586 Oct. 31
MST: Chestnut Cove to French Broad River 9:00 AM*
Hike 6.2, Drive 25, 900 ft. ascent, Rated B-C
Ashok Kudva, 828-698-7119, ashok.kudva@mchsi.com
P400 From Chestnut Cove on the BRP we descend on the MST along several ridges to Bent Creek. Along the way there will be views of Biltmore House, Asheville and French Broad River. Car shuttle. *Note later start time. Only meeting place: Ingles parking lot across from Biltmore Square Mall on NC 191. Topos: Dunsmore Mtn., Skyland; also MST Profiles book, pg. 56 - 57

WEDNESDAY NO. W0704-365 Nov. 7
Mt. Mitchell Ramble 8:30 AM*
Hike 8, Drive 75, 1400 ft. Ascent, Rated B-B
Ruth Hartzler, 828-251-0886 ruthmtn@charter.net
*Note later start time. A loop on several trails in the Mt Mitchell area, including the Old Mt Mitchell Trail, Camp Alice Road and Commisary Ridge Trail. An optional side trip to Mt Craig and Big Tom. Second meeting place: Craven Gap on BRP at 8:45 AM. Topos: Montreat and Mt. Mitchell, also PNF South Toe River, Mount Mitchell & Big Ivy Trail Map.

WEDNESDAY NO W0704-587 Nov 14
Catawba Falls 9:00 AM*
Hike 4, Drive 40, 600 ft. ascent, Rated C-C
Don Walton, 828-654-9904, donwalton@bellsouth.net
*Note later start time. Please call Don Walton in advance for reservations. This hike is a first for the CMC in at least 20 years, and will be conducted jointly by CMC and the Foothills Conservancy. The Foothills Conservancy (www.foothillsconservancy.org) has recently purchased a 23 acre property with loan funds to secure public access to the trail, and the USFS is working to acquire the property and add it to Pisgah National Forest. Since the 1870s when Rufus Morgan photographed the Catawba Falls, people have hiked along the Catawba River to view these spectacular waterfalls. After years of being off-limits, the falls are now on their way to becoming open to the public. The first falls is a moderate hike; however, the upper falls is very difficult and should not be undertaken lightly. Second meeting place: Parking lot adjacent to McDonald's at Exit 64 of I-40 at 9:20 AM. Topo: Black Mountain

ALL DAY NO. W0704-582 Nov. 21
Gauging Station – Pink Beds loop 8:30 AM*
Hike 9, Drive 85, 900 ft. ascent, Rated B-C
Stu English, 828-883-2447, stuengo@citcom.net
P400 This will be a pleasant loop from the gauging station, covering parts of the S. Mills River, Buckhorn Gap, Black Mtn,. Barnett Branch and Pink Beds Loop trails. *Meet at Westgate at 8:30 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Pisgah Ranger Station at 9:05 AM. Topos: Shining Rock; Pisgah Forest; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780

WEDNESDAY NO. W0704-404 Nov. 28
AT: Lemon Gap to Garenflo Gap 8:00 AM
Hike 7.4, drive 125, 1720 ft. ascent, rated B-A
Charlie Ferguson, 828-333-5165, ccf108@gmail.com
We will start the hike northbound on the AT at Lemon Gap and climb about 700 ft. up to the Walnut Mt. Shelter. The trail descends 600 ft. to Kale Gap through open forests and begins to ascend through Catpen Gap on up to the summit of Bluff Mt. (4686 ft.) on well graded trail. There should be some worthwhile views at the top and on both sides of Bluff Mt. The descent down Bluff Mt is buffered by switchbacks and tapers out to a fairly easy hike half way down. It is all downhill from Bluff Mt. to Garenflo Gap about three miles. Car shuttle. Topo: Lemon Gap

WEDNESDAY NO. W0704-182 Dec. 5
Green River Cove in the Green River Game Lands 8:30 AM*
Hike 7, Drive 80, 800 ft. ascent, Rated B-C
Becky Elston, 828-749-1886, belston@cytechusa.com
Enjoy the curvy drive down Saluda's favorite mountain road and then hike to enjoy almost continuous views of the Green River and lunch alongside the river. Maybe kayakers will entertain after their pass thru "the narrows." *Note later start time. Meet at Westgate at 8:30 AM to form carpools, and meet hike leader at Texaco station off Exit 59 of I-26 at 9:05 AM.

WEDNESDAY NO. W0704-492 Dec 12
Cookie Hike / Bent Creek Ramble 8:30 AM*
Hike 7, Drive 20, 1000 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Ken and Carol Deal, 828-281-4530, cnkdeal@charter.net
P400 *Note later start time. Moderate loop hike in the Bent Creek area. We will start from a parking area off Bent Creek Road beyond Lake Powhatan. We will hike up to the MST, follow it past Sleepy Gap, and descend to the Lake Powhatan picnic area for lunch and a cookie feast. The afternoon walk back to the cars is approximately 2 miles. Bring some cookies to share. Second meeting place: Ingles parking lot across from Biltmore Square at 8:45 AM. Topo: Asheville; also Nat’l Geo PRD map #780 and Bent Creek Trail Map

WEDNESDAY NO. W0704-588 Dec. 19
Coontree loop extended 8:45 AM*
Hike 7, Drive 70, 1500 ft. ascent, Rated B-B
Bruce Bente, 828-692-0116, bbente@bellsouth.net
P400 We’ll hike the Coontree Loop, but extend it by including the Perry Cove and Bennett Gap trails, with a short road walk on FS 477 to connect the two. *Note later start time. Meet at Westgate at 8:45 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Coontree Picnic area at 9:30 AM. Topo: Shining Rock; also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780

WEDNESDAY NO. W0704-589 Dec. 26
Shut-in Trail & Lake Powhatan loop 8:30 AM*
Hike 9, Drive 15, 1000 ft. ascent, Rated A-B
Tom Sanders, 828-252-6327, tomary2@charter.net
P400 *Note later start time. This loop follows the Shut-In Trail south, then descends Sleepy Gap Trail, skirts Lake Powhatan and finishes with 3 miles on the Bent Creek Gravel Road. Second meeting place: BRP French Broad Overlook at 8:45 AM. Topos: Asheville, Dunsmore Mtn., also Nat’l. Geo. PRD map #780