Outings List for March February 2018 Harvey Broome Group (HBG) Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club

Transcription

1 Outings List for March February 2018 Harvey Broome Group (HBG) Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club Everyone is welcome! You do not have to be a member to participate in any Sierra Club event. For more information on an outing, contact the "leader" of the outing (the "Preregister with" person in the listing) or the Outings Chair, Ron Shrieves, ronshrieves@gmail.com. Many outings are limited as to the number of participants, so check in early to secure your spot. In any event, please make contact with the outing leader several days (preferably a week) in advance. Where no prefix is given with a phone number, assume it is 865. Unless otherwise stated, driving distances are approximate, one-way, from downtown Knoxville, TN. ALL wilderness hikes require hiking shoes/boots, and hikers must always be prepared for various potential weather conditions with proper gear, such as a poncho or rain suit for rain, warm clothes for a cold snap, and a hat and sun protection for hot weather. See our Outings page on the HBG website: For each hike, "Rated" refers to degree of difficulty, and although ratings are subjective, the following system provides guidelines for the rating: "easy" is suitable for beginning hikers, with hike distances up to 6 miles on established trail, and only moderate ascent and descent; "moderate" is suitable for the established hiker, with distances up to 10 miles, possibly rocky terrain, and perhaps some steep ascent and descent, rock scrambling, and water crossings; "strenuous" is only for the established hiker, with distances above 9 miles, difficult terrain (sometimes off established trails), and probably steep terrain. If in doubt as to your readiness for an outing, please don't hesitate to discuss it with the outings leader. All participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard liability waiver. To read the liability waiver before you choose to participate on an outing, contact Ron Shrieves for a print copy. In the interest of facilitating the logistics of some outings, it is customary that participants make carpooling arrangements. The Sierra Club does not have insurance for carpooling arrangements and assumes no liability for them. Carpooling, ride sharing or anything similar is strictly a private arrangement among the participants. Also please visit the HBG website at Feel free to join us at our Program Meeting on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m., at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Church, 2931 Kingston Pike. Our strategy Meeting is on the fourth Tuesday of every month, at 7:00 p.m., at The Church of the Savior, 934 N. Weisgarber Rd. Knoxville, TN NOTE "Naturalist Rambles" is a new series of eight family friendly outings, led by Mac Post, that are intended to increase your naturalist observations skill and experience the natural ecosystems of east Tennessee. Join an experienced Naturalist and use all of your senses to explore and make discoveries about the natural world. We will look at the animals and plants living in ponds, streams, fields, and forests. We ll have educational encounters with salamanders, birds, interesting plants, and insects. Learn how to become more observant when traveling through the natural world. These rambles will be 2 to 4 hours long that will move slowly at a pace set by participants to observe, study, photograph, and discuss what we discover. Families are encouraged to bring children along for a fun and educational day outside. You do not have to be a member of the Sierra Club to participate. Outings: 4 March (Sat). Dayhike - Cades Cove, GSMNP. This is an off-trail exploratory hike, with emphasis on getting a feel for the life of the former residents of the Cove. We'll start at the kiosk at the entrance to Cades Cove and head down the trail to the John Oliver cabin. From there we will head off trail and explore some old homesites and the Pearl Harbor Tree. Distance about 4-5 miles, rated easy. Driving distance, 45 miles. Preregister with Denise Bivens: denisebivens@gmail.com: phone

2 11 March (Sat-Sun). Backpack - Hannah Mtn &Rabbit Creek Trails, GSMNP. With Parson s Branch Road still closed, this hike will unfortunately start off with an approximately 2.5 mile road walk up to the trailhead at Hannah Mt, about a 700 foot incline. From there, we will take a 7.6 mile pleasant hike along Hannah Mountain to the junction with Rabbit Creek. We ll hike about a mile down Rabbit Creek Trail to our campsite by Rabbit Creek. Campsite 15 is a spacious level site with a capacity of 12. These require a backcountry reservation for $4 per person. First day distance will be about 11 miles. The second day will be about 4 miles, but starts off with a tough 800 foot climb to Coon Butt. Hike is rated strenuous for distance, and the road walk and hike to Coon Butt on the second morning are difficult climbs as well. Driving distance, 50 miles. There will be a small shuttle involved in this hike; we will work out details when I see what the response is. Preregister with Conrad Ottenfeld: co11505@charter.net; home phone ; cell March (Sat). Dayhike - Old Sugarlands Trail, GSMNP. This trail ultimately climbs about 1,000 feet to its junction with the Bullhead Trail, but we may not get that far, due to the recent fire damage, but never mind, as there are several interesting historical relics to examine along the way. These are mostly remnants of CCC facilities used during the construction of park infrastructure in the 1930's and 40's. Also, there's the opton of visiting the "Stone House," a bit of a mystery. Distance 6-8 miles total, depending on how far up the trail we go. Rated moderate. Drive: 45 miles. Pre-register with Ron Shrieves: ; ronshrieves@gmail.com ( preferred). 1 April (Sat-Sun). Backpack - Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. The approximately 125,000 acres of the Big South Fork NRRA protects a unique river and its tributary gorges and plateaus, all of which provide a variety of recreation activities. Our backpack will be from the Honey Creek Trailhead to Leatherwood Ford, utilizing the new connector trail between the two. The route is generally downhill and we ll be crossing the O&W Bridge, and will camp a bit before or after the bridge. We may do a day hike over to the Honey Creek Overlook of the BSF River. A highlight will be Devil s Den, a huge stand alone rock house, and Echo Rock that juts out across the Big South Fork River. Backpacking hiking mileage is about 6 miles total with some optional mileage and the backpack is rated Easy. Drive 69 miles from Knoxville one-way, about 1.5 hours. Preregister with Will Skelton: H ; C ; whshome@bellsouth.net. 8 April (Sat). Naturalist Ramble - Classic Cove Hardwood Forest, Porters Creek Trail, GSMNP. This trail has spectacular wildflowers from late March through April, so bring your wildflower books and cameras along. The trailhead is located in the Greenbrier area (About six miles east of Gatlinburg highway via US-321). The trail offers good wildflower viewing. Lunch at SMHC cabin is possible. Hiking distance 4 miles round trip. Rated easy. Families are encouraged to bring children along for a fun and educational day outside. You do not have to be a member of the Sierra Club to participate. One-way drive: 52 miles. Preregister with Mac Post: ; mpost3116@aol.com ( preferred) 22 April (Sat). Canoe/ kayak float - Wildlife Float, Rankin Wildlife Management Area, Douglas Lake. We'll explore backwaters accessible only by canoe or kayak and hopefully observe some migratory birds that visit this wetland paradise. The float is suitable for paddlers with reasonable flat-water paddling skills - no currents to contend with. The paddle trip will commence at 4 PM, making a loop from the Leadvale boat ramp for a late afternoon outing (sunset about 8:15 pm). Limited to 4 boats in addition to the leader. You can expect about 4-5 miles of flatwater paddling. You'll have to arrange your own canoe/kayak rentals if you need a boat. For rentals, you might try Michael Sledjeski of the Rankin Bottoms Project, mtnsylva@earthlink.net, or one of the outfitters in the Knoxville area. A similar trip is scheduled in May (see below) as necessary to accommodate additional participants. One-way drive: 50 miles. Pre-register with Ron Shrieves: ; ronshrieves@gmail.com ( preferred). 29 April (Sat-Sun). Backpack - Piney River segment of the Cumberland Trail. This segment of the Cumberland Trail is located near Spring City. The trail was one of the ten original Bowater Company Pocket 2

3 Wilderness Areas. It is a linear trail alongside Duskin Creek and the Piney River of about 7.5 miles starting at Duskin Creek and ending at Shut In Gap. The trail includes a number of interesting features steel suspension bridges, an old narrow gauge railroad bed, waterfalls and cascades, rock houses, and wildflowers. The trail is noted for its wildflowers and at this time of the year. We will begin the backpack at the Duskin Creek parking area, hike downstream crossing a couple bridges and passing White Pine Cascades and Hemlock Falls, camp near Rockhouse Branch to allow exploration of the old lumber camp and the creek, hike out over a 100-foot suspension bridge, see lots of amazing wildflowers, and end the backpack at the Piney River trailhead (Shut In Gap Road). We will do a car shuttle. The driving distance is about 60 miles from West Knoxville. Preregister with BJ and Bob Perlack: perlack@aol.com; May (Sat). Canoe/ kayak float - Wildlife Float, Rankin Wildlife Management Area, Douglas Lake. This trip is a repeat of the Rankin float trip in April, except at higher lake levels, and with less emphasis on migratory birds. We'll meet about 3 pm and drive to the boat launch, launching our boats by 5 PM (sunset about 8:30 pm). Expect to paddle about 5 miles. Group size will be limited as necessary to facilitate birding activity. One-way drive: 50 miles. Pre-register with Ron Shrieves: ; ronshrieves@gmail.com ( preferred). 13 May (Sat). Dayhike - Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area Day Hike. The 125,000 acre Big South Fork NRRA protects a lot of land with diverse ecosystems. We ll explore the northern portion of the NRRA on this day hike, doing what s called the Blue Heron Loop. We ll explore unique rock formations like Devil s Jump Overlook and Crack-in-the-Rock. We ll also hike through the old mining community of Blue Heron and Mine18 and see an old narrow-gauge tramway bed for hauling coal. Much of the hike will be above the NRRA s namesake, the Big South Fork River. The hike is about 6.4 miles total and is rated Moderate. Drive distance, about 85 miles. Preregister with Will Skelton: H ; C ; whshome@bellsouth.net. 20 May (Sat). Dayhike - Mt. Cammerer, GSMNP. We'll take the shortest route to Mt. Cammerer, via 2.5 miles on the Low Gap Trail, then 2.1 miles on the AT, and another 0.6 mile on the side trail to the fire tower. The fire tower sits at 4298 ft of elevation, and has wonderful 360 degree views. Hike distance 10.4 miles out and back, with 3215 ft elevation gain, rated strenuous. Drive time is approximately 1.5 hr.; distance, 64 miles. Preregister with Denise Bivens: denisebivens@gmail.com: phone May (Sat). Naturalist Ramble - Pine/Oak Forest, Turkeypen Ridge Trail, GSMNP. This relatively level low elevation trail has some areas that were former settler farms but generally follows the south and east flanks of Turkeypen Ridge. There should be plenty of wildflowers in a diversity of dryer habitats as we move from exposed ridge to protected creeks including a cascade on Pinkroot branch. Total distance is 5 miles including a stretch on Schoolhouse Gap Trail and is rated easy. A short shuttle is involved. Families are encouraged to bring children along for a fun and educational day outside. You do not have to be a member of the Sierra Club to participate. One-way drive: 47 miles. Preregister with Mac Post: ; mpost3116@aol.com ( preferred) 10 June (Sat). Dayhike - Clingman s Dome, Appalachain Trail, Goshen Prong & Little River Trails. This approximately 14 mile shuttle hike starts off with a short, unnecessarily difficult climb up to the Clingman s Dome Tower, otherwise, this hike is predominantly a spread out 4400 drop down the Goshen Prong Trail and the Little River Trail before ending at Elkmont campground. This hike is rated strenuous for distance. Driving distance 65 miles. There will be a shuttle involved in this hike; we will work out details when I see what the response is. Preregister with Conrad Ottenfeld: co11505@charter.net; home phone ; cell June (Sat-Sun). Backpack - Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area Backpack (Jefferson National Forest, Virginia). The Mt. Rogers NRA and adjacent Grayson Highlands State Park, in southwest Virginia, make for one of the most scenic backpacking areas in the southeast, with huge open grassy meadows fringed by spruce trees and rhododendron bushes, usually flowering in June. Portions actually look like the western US. 3

4 We ll start and end in Grayson Highlands State Park, making a loop into much of the NRA s Crest Zone, hiking mainly on the Appalachian Trail and the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail, and will camp at an off-trail campsite that s pretty much undiscovered in the heart of the area. Total mileage will be around 9 miles. Rated Moderate. Drive distance 174 miles; drive time, 3 hours. Preregister with Will Skelton: H ; C ; whshome@bellsouth.net. 24 June (Sat-Sun). Backpack Roan Highlands, Cherokee NF. Our destination, the Roan highlands, will provide a welcome respite from the summer heat, though we will have to earn it. We'll take the little used Overmountain Victory Trail from Hampton Creek Natural Area to it's intersection with the AT at Yellow Mountain Gap, where we'll turn left to gain the summit of Little Hump. We have several options for camping; on the top of Little Hump, in the gap between Little Hump and Big Hump, or on Big Hump, depending on the weather and group's energy level. We'll gain about 2500 feet. This hike is more difficult than it first appears. The first 2 miles are through exposed cattle fields and can be brutally hot. Most of the elevation gain is concentrated in the last 3 miles or so, making for some difficult hiking, especially with full packs. Water sources are few and far between. We'll return the way we came. Total hiking distance over two days about 11 miles, +/-, depending on where we camp. Total one-way driving distance is about 120 miles. Hike leaders: Brad Reese and Rob Davis. Please note that this is a joint hike with the Harvey Broom group of the Sierra Club. Pre-register with Brad Reese: bradktn@gmail.com; ( preferred). 8 July (Sat-Sun). Backpack - Shining Rock Wilderness Proposed Addition Backpack (Pisgah National Forest, NC). Several areas surrounding the Shining Rock Wilderness in North Carolina (off the Blue Ridge Parkway and near Waynesville) are proposed for wilderness designation. One such area is called Sam Knob, which at 6,050 feet overlooks the main Ivester Gap trailhead for the Wilderness. We ll do this backpack to Sam Knob, starting at FS Route 215, passing Bubbling Spring Branch Waterfall, and hiking to a large grassy meadow campsite below Sam Knob. We ll probably day hike to the knob s summit, about 1.4 miles, for the incredible views from the top.. We ll later hike out the way we came in. Backpacking hiking distance will be about 5.6 miles total. Rated Easy. Drive distance, 113 miles. Preregister with Will Skelton: H ; C ; whshome@bellsouth.net. 15 July (Sat). Dayhike - Clingmans Dome to Newfound Gap on the Appalachian Trail, GSMNP. My favorite section of trail in the Smokies. This is a great summertime hike due to the elevation and tree cover. This section of trail is ethereal, a place where I'd expect to see fairies and other mythical creatures. This 7.3 mile hike is rated moderate. Drive, 60 miles one-way from Knoxville, about 1 hr 45 minutes. Preregister with Denise Bivens: denisebivens@gmail.com: phone The following outing was erroneously listed as July 22 on an earlier draft: 29 July (Sat). Naturalist Ramble - Aquatic Stream Diversity. Snorkel Citico Creek with the US Forest Service Fisheries Biologists. Streams in the Cherokee National Forest have an extraordinarily diverse assemblage of fish. In the clear waters of the snorkeling sites, it is typical to see 15 to 20 species of fish on any given day. Several thousand fish will be present on any given day. The experience is like swimming in an aquarium full of fish. Turtles, tadpoles and salamanders are all usually present. Cost is $25 per snorkeler and includes Forest Service Biologist guide, lifeguard, wetsuits, masks and snorkels. Families are encouraged to bring children along for a fun and educational day outside. The Forest Service trequires that children must be 12 years of age. You do not have to be a member of the Sierra Club to participate. Driving distance 55 Miles oneway. Preregister with Mac Post: ; mpost3116@aol.com ( preferred) 12 Aug (Sat-Sun). Backpack - Shining Rock Wilderness Backpack, Pisgah National Forest. Shining Rock Wilderness in North Carolina (off the Blue Ridge Parkway and near Waynesville) is one of the three original wilderness areas in the Eastern US. It is certainly one of our best, and the HBG has done backpacks in the area in early August since the mid-1970 s. The wild blueberries are usually plentiful and ripe then. We ll backpack about 5.5 miles on Saturday across the Black Balsam Knob (6,214 feet) to Ivester Gap and then down along 4

5 Cove Ridge to a camp at Greasy Cove Gap. Sunday will be 5.3 miles down Greasy Cove Prong and the East Fork of the Pigeon River to US 276. There will be several creek crossings. Hiking distance will be about 10.8 miles total. Rated strenuous. Drive distance, 113 miles. Preregister with Will Skelton: H ; C ; whshome@bellsouth.net. The following outing has been rescheduled from Saturday, Aug 19 to Sunday, Aug 20: 20 Aug (Sat). Dayhike - Honey Creek Loop, Big South Fork NRRA. This 5 mile loop is strenuous and rated difficult. The trail has some of the best geological features in BSF. The strenuous rating is due to the fact that there are obstacles you have to climb up/down, fat man squeezes to maneuver through. Hopefully the blueberries will be ripe! Drive 69 miles from Knoxville one-way, about 1.5 hours. Preregister with Denise Bivens: denisebivens@gmail.com: phone Aug (Sat). Naturalist Ramble - Spruce-Fir Forest, Clingmans Dome, GSMNP. Hike distance is 2.5 miles, rated easy but there is an elevation gain to the Clingmans Dome tower. We ll take it slow using the more forgiving By-Pass trail. From this highest point of the park, and the entire Appalachian Trail, will stay entirely in the Spruce-Fir zone of the Smokies, We will stop by the air-quality monitoring station and discuss the current trends in air pollution in the park and impacts on ecosystems. Families are encouraged to bring children along for a fun and educational day outside. You do not have to be a member of the Sierra Club to participate. Drive distance, 66 miles. Preregister with Mac Post: ; mpost3116@aol.com ( preferred) 16 Sept (Sat). Naturalist Ramble - Monarch Butterfly Migration Monitoring and Citizen Science, Cades Cove, GSMNP. Who doesn t love running around in a sunny field with a butterfly net? Monarchs migrate en masse to Mexico every year for the winter, and we would like to learn more about their migration and population status by tagging them. Migrating monarch butterflies have been monitored in Cade s Cove for many years. Participants also catch and identify other butterfly and insect species. We ll set up on a spot in Cades Cove and catch butterflies from there. Bring a lunch since late morning to early afternoon is the best time. Families are encouraged to bring children along for a fun and educational day outside. You do not have to be a member of the Sierra Club to participate. One-way drive: 40 miles. Preregister with Mac Post: ; mpost3116@aol.com ( preferred) 23 Sept (Sat). Canoe/ kayak float - French Broad River. This go-with-the-current float covers 10.5 miles from the TN 66 bridge to the Seven Islands public access point on the French Broad. Though far from pristine, this river does have some interesting sights and a bit of wildlife (and some not-so-wild life). There may be some shoal water, but no whitewater. Basic canoe/kayak skills are required. Adverse wind conditions are another possible "hazard." Sorry but we cannot provide boats, so you will have to contact a local outfitter and make your own arrangements for boats, paddles, and pfds. One-way drive: 25 miles. Pre-register with Ron Shrieves: ; ronshrieves@gmail.com ( preferred). 30 Sept (Sat-Sun). Backpack - Savage Gulf State Natural Area. If you like waterfalls and nice bluff vistas, this is a great backpack. Starting at the Stone Door parking area in the Savage Gulf State Natural Area, we'll take the relatively easy and flat 4.2 miles long Big Creek Rim Trail to the Alum Gap campground, stopping along the way to admire the views from several nice overlooks. After we set up camp we'll hike the three mile round trip to visit the impressive Greeter Falls, upper and lower. The next morning we'll break camp and take the decidedly tougher Big Creek Gulf trail back to the Stone Door. Along the way we'll take a short side trail to see the Ranger Creek Falls, for a total of about 5.8 miles. Total distance is about 13 miles between the two days. Drive distance, 150 miles. Pre-register with Brad Reese: bradktn@gmail.com; ( preferred). The following outings has been cancelled: 7 Oct (Sat). Dayhike - Low Gap, Appalachian Trail & Lower Mt. Cammerer Trails, GSMNP. This is a difficult 16 mile loop hike that has spectacular vistas from the Mount Cammerer fire tower, one of the few remaining in the park. We ll start this hike up Lower Mount Cammerer Trail to the Appalachian Trail, 5

6 continuing up to the Mount Cammerer Trail. There will be a short hike out to the old CCC stone fire tower, where we ll have lunch. Hopefully the fall colors will be good. We ll return back on this loop hike by way of the Low Gap Trail. This hike is rated strenuous for both distance and elevation gain. Driving distance 60 miles. Preregister with Conrad Ottenfeld: co11505@charter.net; home phone ; cell Oct (Sat-Sun). Backpack - Frozen Head State Park. We'll follow the steep Chimney Top Trail from behind the Park visitor center to the Mart Field campsite, where we'll stop for the night. Although this is only a hike of five and a half miles or so, the steep ascent will test our legs and our lungs. In the morning we'll continue on the chimney top trail, taking a few short detours to visit the fire tower and a nice rock house, before descending the North Old Mac trail back to the trailhead. The total mileage for the second day is about five miles. total hiking miles: Distance from Knoxville: 50. Pre-register with Brad Reese: bradktn@gmail.com; ( preferred). 21 Oct (Sat). Naturalist Ramble - Northern Hardwoods Forest, Thomas Divide Trail, GSMNP. These forests are remnants of a time when glaciers forced northern forests south. As the climate warmed and glaciers receded, forests types shifted to our present day configuration. However the northern hardwood forests, similar to those in New Hampshire and New York, found refuge on the cool upper slopes of our southern Appalachian mountains. Today northern hardwood forests are found in the higher elevations of the national park. They are composed chiefly of deciduous trees and give us some of the best fall color in the mountains. This hike goes through northern red oak forest over 200 years old. We will ascend gently for 1.8 miles on the Thomas Divide Trail or as far as we get and then return to the trailhead. Families are encouraged to bring children along for a fun and educational day outside. You do not have to be a member of the Sierra Club to participate. Total distance is 3.6 miles and rated easy. One-way drive: 55 miles. Preregister with Mac Post: ; mpost3116@aol.com ( preferred) 28 Oct (Sat). Dayhike - Charles Bunion and the Jumpoff, GSMNP. Starting at Newfound Gap, we'll head along the AT for 2.7 miles, then, after about 1/10 of a mile on the Boulevard Trail, we'll follow an off-trail path our to the Jumpoff. The Jumpoff is a 1000 ft near vertical drop with spectacular views of Charlies Bunion. Then we'll return to the AT, and continue for another 1.3 miles to Charlies Bunion, a big rock outcropping with even more spectacular views. We'll return to Newfound Gap using the AT. This hike is 9 miles long, with 2086 ft elevation gain, and is rated moderate. Drive time, about 1.5 hours; distance, 60 miles. Preregister with Denise Bivens: denisebivens@gmail.com: phone Nov (Sat-Sun). Backpack - Walls of Jericho Backpack. The Walls of Jericho area is located on the TN-AL state line west of Chattanooga in a couple of wildlife management areas. We ll do a shuttle backpack, starting at the Tennessee trailhead, hiking to a campsite below the Walls of Jericho, exploring the Walls of Jericho, and then hiking out to the Alabama Trailhead. The Walls of Jericho area was originally owned by the Texas oil magnate Harry Lee Carter until acquired by the Nature Conservancy for transfer to the WMAs. The main feature is a huge natural rock amphitheater that s part of a deep forested canyon in which Davy Crockett once hunted. Hiking distance will be about 7 miles total. Rated Moderate. Drive distance 197 miles; drive time, 3 hours. Preregister with Will Skelton: H ; C ; whshome@bellsouth.net. 11 Nov (Sat). Naturalist Ramble - Virgin Cove Hardwood, Albright Grove, GSMNP. Not many low elevation cove hardwood forests remain. Albright Grove is a special place where tulip poplars, Frazier magnolias, silverbells and maples have grown into giants. It is hard to believe that the Smokies were once so heavily forested. For the hike to this unique place we will use the Maddron Bald Trail to Albright Grove Loop trail and then return. Families are encouraged to bring children along for a fun and educational day outside. You do not have to be a member of the Sierra Club to participate. Total distance is 6.9 miles and rated moderate. One-way drive: 60 miles. Preregister with Mac Post: ; mpost3116@aol.com ( preferred) 6

7 18 Nov (Sat). Dayhike - Honey Creek Loop, Big South Fork National River And Recreation Area. This is a rather difficult 5.6 mile loop trail. Originally, it was one of the ten Bowater Pocket Wilderness Areas and is now one of two state natural areas located within the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. The trail is very rugged and requires crossing a number of small creeks, climbing a series of ladders up and down the bluff, scrambling through boulders, and hiking up the Honey Creek drainage. The trail includes a number of waterfalls, a spectacular rockhouse, and one of the best views from an overlook 250 feet above the South Fork of the Cumberland River. Quite simply it is one of the best trails on the Cumberland Plateau. The hike is strenuous and requires about 5 to 7 hours to complete depending on how much time is spent enjoying the trail. The driving distance is about 75 miles from West Knoxville. Preregister with BJ and Bob Perlack: perlack@aol.com; Dec (Sat). Dayhike - Cades Cove off-trail, GSMNP. This hike uses old roads/trails in the area between the Dan Lawson cabin and Forge Creek Road. These roads/ trails are shown in the 1931 area topo map. Nevertheless, this hike is "off trail, since the old roads are not maintained, and for a short stretch involves bushwhacking through a bit of rhododendron. We ll go up Cades Branch, which runs beside the Dan Lawson Place, cross a low gap to get over into the Whistling Branch watershed, then descend Whistling Branch (crossing #1) for a short distance before ascending Whistling Gap. From there we'll follow some old trails that descend to Mill Creek (crossing #2) and connect with the Cades Cove Loop Road. Along the way we ll see several old house sites and perhaps even a few relics from the 1930s or earlier. A short hike along or parallel to the Loop road get s us back to the Dan Lawson Place. Distance about 5.5 miles, rated strenuous due to blowdowns and rhododendron. Two creek crossings. One-way drive: 49 miles. Pre-register with Ron Shrieves at or ronshrieves@gmail.com ( preferred). Pre-register with Ron Shrieves: ; ronshrieves@gmail.com ( preferred). 9 Dec (Sat). Dayhike - Piney Falls and Stinging Fork State Natural Areas, Grandview and Spring City. This dayhike combines two short spectacular waterfall hikes Piney Falls and Stinging Fork. Both hikes are in the Walden Ridge section of the Cumberland near Spring City and are separated by a distance of about 10 miles. Each trail is no more than 3 miles roundtrip; however, there are some potentially slippery trail sections and some elevation change. The Piney Falls hike features the 80 foot upper falls with a concave ledge circling behind and around the falls. Below the falls is a large pool that drops over the 40 foot lower Piney Falls. This hike also features gorges, overhangs, and old growth forest. Stinging Fork Falls is a segment of the Cumberland Trail. This hike features the overlook into the Stinging Fork Gorge and the creek cascading over a 35-foot fan shaped fall into a blue-green pool. This trail was one of the original Bowater Paper Company Pocket Wilderness Areas. The drive from West Knoxville is about 60 miles. Preregister with BJ and Bob Perlack: perlack@aol.com; Jan 2018 (Sat). Dayhike - Spruce Flats Falls, GSMNP. This hike will start at the Tremont Institute. From the Institute we will take the Falls Trail to Spruce Flats Falls. This section to the falls (about a mile) is somewhat steep with some difficult parts, but well worth the effort. At the falls there are a series of cascades that drop 100 feet. Spruce Flats Falls is perhaps one of the nicer lesser known falls in the park. We will then go above the falls and find an unmaintained trail (i.e., old railroad bed). Parts of this unmaintained section of the loop are overgrown with rhododendrons, littered with some fallen trees, and will require crossing Spruce Flats a few times. Some remnants of Little River Lumber Company can be seen along this stretch. About half-way through the hike we ll find the junction of the Meigs Creek, Lumber Ridge and Meigs Mountain trails. We will take the Lumber Ridge trail back to Tremont. The Lumber Ridge Trail will mostly be downhill with an elevation loss of more than 1000 feet. The driving distance is about 30 miles from our meeting location in Maryville. This hike is rated moderate. Preregister with BJ and Bob Perlack: perlack@aol.com; The following outing has been rescheduled from Saturday, Jan 27 to Saturday, Jan 20: 20 Jan 2018 (Sat-Sun). Backpack - Winter Backpack, Little Frog Wilderness. The Little Frog Wilderness, adjacent to the Ocoee River near Ducktown, TN and the infamous Copper Basin, is a great example of how 7

8 relatively small areas can be set aside to preserve critical wilderness. Rated moderate. Driving distance, 75 miles. Pre-register with Ron Shrieves: ; ( preferred). 10 Feb 2018 (Sat). Dayhike - Twin Arches (Big South Fork National River And Recreation Area ) and Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area. We will do the approxiamtely 1.5 mile hike to the Twin Arches, part of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. This hike has views of rock houses and the fabulous Twin Arches, one of the world's largest natural natural bridge complexes. Then we will return to our vehicles and drive over to Pogue Creek Canyon (7 miles, 20 minutes) for a 3-mile hike in some fantastic rock formations; rated moderate. This 3,000-acre natural area is also located on the Cumberland Plateau in Fentress County ( Driving time, 2 hours; distance, 91 miles. Preregister with Denise Bivens: denisebivens@gmail.com: phone Feb 2018 (Sat). Naturalist Ramble - Ijams Nature Center. Ever wonder what plants and animal do in winter? We ll see how various plants and animals can remain active in the winter and have some activities that explore the survival strategies of the animal that we find. The ponds may even have signs of breeding amphibians that come out of dormancy to breed and lay eggs early in the year. Families are encouraged to bring children along for a fun and educational day outside. You do not have to be a member of the Sierra Club to participate. One-way drive: 5 miles. Preregister with Mac Post: ; mpost3116@aol.com ( preferred) The following outings has been cancelled: 24 Feb 2018 (Sat). Dayhike - Rainbow Falls to Mt. LeConte, return by Trillium Gap Trail, GSMNP. This will be a difficult 13 mile hike to Mt. LeConte by way of Rainbow Falls Trail on the approach, and returning by Trillium Gap Trail. We are sure to see fire damage on this trail, but I expect to see Mother Nature starting her restoration process as well. We ll have lunch at the Lodge before heading back down. There will be about a 3800 foot elevation gain heading up the mountain, making this a strenuous hike for both distance and elevation. Driving distance, 45 miles. Preregister with Conrad Ottenfeld: co11505@charter.net; home phone ; cell Interested in becoming a member or just receiving our monthly newsletter? Just visit our website and click on the appropriate link on the right-hand side of our home page: 8