The Cherokee Hiker AUGUST 2018 Volume 35, Issue 8 Cherokee Hiking Club, Inc. 198 Crews Drive Benton TN 37307 www.cherokeehikingclub.org CHC Hike and Events Calendar. August August 7, 2018 - Tuesday - Tellus Science Museum, Cartersville, GA This a nonhiking hot weather event. We will visit the Tellus Museum, a Smithsonian Institute affiliate natural history and science museum. Following the museum, we will have a buffet lunch at Grand Oaks Mansion, in downtown Cartersville. Museum cost is $13.95 for seniors and $15.95 for non-seniors. Buffet lunch is $15 per person cash only, which includes buffet, drinks and dessert, in a circa 1901 Victorian style mansion. Event Leader Ann Gray 423-240-8863 so that she can make reservations for the buffet, at least three days in advance. Meet in the Food City parking lot at 2310 McGrady Drive (off APD 40) at 8:30 am. Attendees must contact Ann to make reservations for the buffet. August 9, 2018 Thursday There will be no club meeting this August. The next club meeting will be Thursday September13th. Aug 11 - Saturday - Hiwassee River float trip - Gee Creek Campground put In to Patty Bridge Meet at Gee Creek put in at 2:00 pm adjacent to the group camping area and we will organize shuttle. Everyone is responsible for their own watercraft, and necessary equipment. Life preservers must be worn. Bring your own water and snacks. Event Leader Clayton and Ruth Pannell crpannell@comcast.net, ruthm.pannell@yahoo.com, 423-263-9730 Aug 17-26 - Friday-Sunday - Backpacking trip in the Weminuche Wilderness Area in southern Colorado. Trip will involve a shuttle from Durango, Colorado to the Molas Lake trailhead, hiking a 50 mile loop with approximately 8000 foot elevation gain, six days and five nights. Two passes will involve hiking through gaps with elevations of around 12500 foot elevation. Hike will conclude with a shuttle from Purgatory Flats back to Durango. Due to recent fires and a slide on the tracks, the Durango-Silverton Railroad is not accommodating backpackers the rest of the season. This caused a shuffle in the original trip plans. Actual hike will begin on August 19 and conclude on August 24, with cushion time on each end for acclimation to elevation and one day down time in Durango. Hike Leader Jack Callahan Note: This hike is full. Hike leader Jack Callahan at jackn1945@bellsouth.net.
September Sept 7 - Friday - Murphy River Walk, Murphy, NC Easy 3 mile round trip, well graded, some paved, and some boardwalk sections of the trail, with portions along the Hiwassee and Valley rivers. Walk will include a discussion of "date nails" at the Historic L&N railroad bridge across the Valley River. After the walk we will eat at "Shoebooty" restaurant in downtown Murphy. Meet behind the Ocoee Hardees on US 411 at 9 am to carpool to Murphy. For those nearer to Murphy, plan on meeting at 10:30am at the trailhead parking lot adjacent to the old L&N railroad depot on Hiwassee Street in Murphy on the left just after you cross the Hiwassee river bridge. Hike Leader Jack Callahan, contact jack if you plan to attend at jackn1945@bellsouth.net. Sept 13 - Thursday - Club Meeting Location to be determined. Recent Hike and Event Reports Jul 15 - Sunday - Hiwassee River Float Trip Float from Gee Creek put in to Patty Bridge. Sue Robinson handled the float and organized the shuttle. There were 10 participants who joined us for the float. There was only one turbine in use so it was a lazy trip, about 4 hours. The river was well used this afternoon and there were large groups of tubers and others drifting along. A slightly overcast day held the heat down and everyone had a great time.
July 19-22, 2018 -Thursday-Sunday - Four day three night backpacking trip from Newfound Gap to Cosby Campground in the Smokies. This hike will be rescheduled...stay tuned. July 23, 2018 Monday Tour of the VW assembly line This event is on hold till the plant resumes tours. Currently there are equipment modifications being made for a new vehicle line. Cherokee Hiking Club Meeting Minutes July 12, 2018 This meeting was held at the Etowah community center with 23 in attendance. It was originally scheduled to be at the senior center, but due to the doors being locked it was moved to the community center. Hope all who made the trip up made it to the community center. Apologies for any inconvenience. Meeting started at 7:00pm after our potluck supper Treasury report provided by Randy Morris: previous balance of $1,886.94. $60 in with new memberships and one renewal. $20 out for Tennessee state. Noted that we have had more new members this year than in past. Best wishes to Jana Hawkins for speedy recovery from ATV accident. Currently in Starr regional hospital. -AT backpacking trip in the Smokies cancelled. -Lula lake s offer to give our club free access for day trip in exchange for trail maintenance was declined as it is too far to travel to make it feasible for our members. -reminder that its time to start nominating committee for next years officers. -Christmas party planning: James Anderson has offered his house for our Christmas party again this year. -James had also offered his house for monthly meeting in October and Ann and Bill Gray had offered their house for monthly meeting/pizza party in September. Conflict in schedule may see if these can be switched. Also possibility of upcoming meeting to be held Wesley church in Etowah. Past hikes -scenic spur to rainbow falls led by Ed Sullivan. 6 attended for a beautiful 3+ mile hike.
- 6/23 piney falls led by Sue Robinson. 10 in attendance for another beautiful 3 mile hike Upcoming hikes/events -7/23 VW plant tour cancelled as plant has had a shutdown-8/7 Tellus museum in Cartersville, GA with lunch at the grand oak mansion afterward. Contact Ann Gray for information and to reserve your spot. -it was decided to skip the August monthly meeting -8/17-26 Colorado backpacking trip scheduled. Leon Bates spoke about the Smokey Mountain Wildflower pilgrimage held yearly in April which has a nominal fee to attend, and also spoke about the wildlife week that is held yearly on second week of May that is free. Meeting ended at 7:35pm Respectfully submitted by Sue Robinson, secretary