ALL DAY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY HIKE

Also in the hike descriptions, the terms easy, moderate or strenuous reflect the overall trail conditions, the physical challenge and other factors influencing hike difficulty. If you have questions, or if the weather for the day of the hike is questionable, CONTACT THE LEADER.

SB6K For hiking all 40 peaks above 6000’. For information, contact Dave Wetmore dwetmore@citcom.net .

P400 For hiking every trail in Pisgah Ranger District. For information, contact Dave Wetmore dwetmore@citcom.net.

900M For hiking every trail in GSMNP. For information, contact John Gallemore kelarco@aol.com .

Wednesday hikes submitted by Paula McNabb, 828-274-0057, gcmcnabb@charter.net . Driving distance is round-trip from Asheville. All hikes assemble at Westgate Shopping Center near I-240 exit 3B UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

No Hike Scheduled July 6 No hike is scheduled because the Appalachian Trail Conference biennial meeting is being held July 1-8 in Johnson City, TN, with CMC as a co-host.

WEDNESDAY No. No. W0503-249 July 13 Buckeye Gap and Haywood Gap Trails Circuit 8:00 AM Hike 9.5, drive 80, 1400 ft. Ascent, Rated A-B Susanna Whitaker, 828-684-5948, susannwhit@earthlink.net P400 Our hike is in the Middle Prong Wilderness area, limited to 10 hikers. Please call the leader for reservations. Buckeye Gap, Haywood Gap, partly on MST. Several stream crossings. Trailhead will be Rough Butt Bald. Second meeting place: Cold Mtn. overlook, BRP M.P. 412 at 8:40 AM.

WEDNESDAY. No. W0503-447July 20 MST Mt. Pisgah to Beaverdam Overlook 8:30 AM Ray Sanow231-7669, raysray@charter.net P400 This moderate hike will start with a round trip up and down Mt. Pisgah, will then follow the MST northbound to Beaverdam Overlook. Good views. Short car shuttle. Second meeting place: BRP French Broad Overlook at 8:40 AM. Topos: Cruso, Dunsmore Mtn. and MST profiles, pp 53-55.

WEDNESDAY No. W0503-384 July 27 Black Balsam (MST) to Skinny Dip Falls 8:00 AM* Hike 5.5, Drive 65, Ascend 400 ft., Rated C-C Siro Del Favero, 828-277-2546 P400 Starting at Black Balsam, will hike to the second (lower) falls for lunch. Then hike on to Skinny Dip Falls, then to Looking Glass Overlook. Car shuttle. *Meet at Westgate at 8:00 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Looking Glass Overlook, BRP M.P. 417 at 8:45 AM.

WEDNESDAY No. W0503-219 Aug. 3 Flat Creek Trail 8:30 AM Hike 5, Drive 95, Rated C-C Diane Hankins, 828-298-2870 (before 9:00 pm) 900M Leisurely paced high elevation hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Hike from Heintooga Ridge Rd. (BRP M.P. 458) to the picnic area and back to the road. Topo: Bunches Bald; also Nat’l. Geo. GSMNP map

WEDNESDAY. No. W0503-475 Aug. 10 Hump Mountain/ Yellow Mountain Area 8:30 AM Hike 9, Drive 130, Ascend 2400 ft., Rated B-AA Adrian Lotherington, 828-350-8065. We will hike from Roaring Creek Road to Yellow Mountain Gap at which point we join the AT, along an open ridge to Little Hump Mt and on to Hump Mt where will have lunch on a grassy bald at 5587 ft. We return to Yellow Mt Gap and take the Overmountain Victory Loop back to the car park. The fabulous vistas and meadows full of flowers make the drive and moderately strenuous walk very much worth while. ONLY MEETING PLACE. Rose's car park, across from McDonalds at the 25/70 Weaverville exit. Topos: Carver's Gap, White Rocks Mtn.

WEDNESDAY. No. W0503-476 Aug. 17 South Mills River, Mullinax Tr., Laurel Creek Tr. 8:15 AM Hike 9, drive 50, rated B-C Greg Goodman, 828-684-9703 P400 Loop hike. S. Mills River to Mullinax Trail, to Laurel Branch Trail, then to Bradley Branch, then back by Pea Gap to cars. Bring sandals to cross creeks, one of which may be knee-deep. Second meeting place: Boyleston Baptist Church on NC 280 at 8:45 AM. Ed Hauschild will assist in leading.

WEDNESDAY. No. W0503-357 Aug. 24 Pisgah Ridge Loop 8:30AM* Hike 8.5, Drive 70, 1000 ft. ascent, Rated B-B Kathie Giddings, 828-696-9808, kmgiddings@highstream.net P400 Starting at the Graveyard Fields parking lot, we will follow the Pisgah Ridge trail to the MST and lunch at a beautiful overlook. Then we will continue on the MST to Graveyard Fields, follow a trail to one of the Yellowstone Falls, then on to Skinny Dip Falls. *Meeting Places: Meet at Westgate at 8:30AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Cold Mtn. overlook, BRP M.P. 412, at 9:15A.M.

WEDNESDAY. No. W0503-477 Aug. 31 THEME HIKE: Geology of the Grandfather Mountain Window 8:10 AM* Hike 6, Drive 100, ca. 1000 ft. Ascent, Rated B-B Brad Van Diver, 828-669-2740 (participants must call), bravandi@cs.com The Grandfather Mountain Window is a gigantic erosional hole through stacked thrust fault sheets, where the underlying rocks, aged .75 to 1.0+ billion years, are exposed. This hike will take us up along the crest of GM to the summit at Calloway Peak, with several stops to observe geologic features. En route, we will pass through, around and over a Disneyland of huge talus blocks, with ladders placed at strategic spots. Views are outstanding. Entrance fees are as follows: age 60+ $12, age 13-59 $14. We will also be able to visit the Nature Museum, Wildlife Habitats, and other attractions lower on the mountain. Come join the fun. *Meeting places: Meet at Westgate at 8:10 AM to form carpools, and meet leader at parking lot adjacent to McDonalds at Black Mountain (Exit 64 from I-40) at 8:30 AM.

Aug 31, Wed. Geology Hike Postponed to November 2

Due to a health problem in his household, Brad Van Diver will not be able to lead the Geology Theme Hike planned to Grandfather Mountain on the last Wednesday in August as planned. Since no one else has the geological background that Brad has, the hike for that Wednesday will not take place. But look at it as an opportunity. Hikers showing up at Westgate at 8:10 a.m., Aug. 31, may elect to take another high-altitude hike to perhaps Mt. Mitchell, Black Balsam or Sam’s Knob in its place, but no leader has been found to officially lead the August Wednesday hike that had been scheduled. Brad says he has rescheduled his geology trip to Grandfather Mountain November 2.

WEDNESDAY No. W0503-326 Sept. 7 Tanyard Gap, Lover's Leap, Pump Gap Loop 8:30 AM Hike 7, Drive 72, Ascend 2000 ft., Rated B-A Jay Bretz, 828-658-1220, williambretz1220@msn.com Start at Tanyard Gap to Lover's Leap. Great views of the French Broad and Hot Springs. Return via Silvermine and Pump Gap Trails, back to Tanyard Gap. Second meeting place: Rose's Department Store parking lot in Weaverville, across from McDonald's, exit 25/70 at 8:45.

WEDNESDAY. No. W0503-247 Sept. 14 Ivestor Gap Blueberry Hike 8:30 AM Drive 75, hike 6, rated B-C Ken and Carol Deal KMCDeal@aol.com or 281-4530 for reservations. . P400 Our traditional hike to the picking fields of Grassy Cove Top in the Shining Rock Wilderness. Limit 10 hikers. Call for reservation. *Meeting Places: Meet at Westgate at 8:30AM to form carpools, and meet leader at Cold Mtn. overlook, BRP M.P. 412, at 9:15AM.

WEDNESDAY. No. W0503-II Sept. 21 The AT across Firescald Ridge. This hike will include 3 miles of trail that took five years to construct, along with some beautiful views. We will go out on the Firescald relo and return to our cars via the old AT. Note: The trail goes along an extremely rocky ridgeline, and the hike will take longer than the distance suggests. Leader: Dave Wetmore, 828-884-7296, dwetmore@citcom.net. Meet at Westgate, 8:30 am. 5.8 miles, 1460 feet elevation gain. Driving distance: 96 miles. If there is any possibility of lightning, we will do a different hike, one selected by the group.

WEDNESDAY. No. W0503-040 Sept. 28 MST in Marion 8:30 AM Hike 4.8, Drive 60, 1500 ft. Ascent, Rated C-B Don Walton, 828-654-9904, donwalton@bellsouth.net We will spot cars, then hike along the MST from Woodlawn Picnic area down to the North Fork of the Catawba River, where we will see the now completed footbridge, the longest on the MST. We will go out on the Forest Service Rd. to Creek Road. Second meeting place: parking lot adjacent to McDonald's at exit 64 of I-40 at 8:50 AM.