The Cherokee Hiker December 2010 Volume 26, Issue 12 ~CHC Hike Calendar~ Cherokee Hiking Club, Inc. 2349 Varnell Road Cleveland, TN 37311 www.cherokeehikingclub.org December 4, 2010 Saturday. Big Frog Hike (11-12 miles, strenuous) December 12, 2010 Sunday. December Monthly Club Meeting/Christmas Party January 9, 2010 Sunday. Annual Hike Planning Meeting/January Monthly Club Meeting DECEMBER HIKES December 4, Saturday - Big Frog Hike Hike leader: James Anderson. Hike rating: strenuous; length: 11-12 miles roundtrip. The hike will be about a 11-12 mile roundtrip to the top of Big Frog Mountain, depending upon what trail we take. We will probably take one of the lesser hiked trails. It will be strenuous and will include over 2,000 feet of elevation change. However, it isn't a difficult trail to hike as the climb is steady and the trail is good. With the leaves off by then we should have some great views. Se will going on the Licklog trail. Anyone interested in going should call James Anderson by 8:00 pm of that Friday evening for specifics of when and where to meet. Other hikes and events in December: be sure to check the club website at http://www.cherokeehikingclub.org for more December hikes and other events that may be planned on short notice. *NOTE: As a courtesy, ALWAYS contact the hike leader in advance of the hike to facilitate planning. OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST December Monthly Club Meeting/Christmas Party: December 12, Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m., at Black Bear Cove Resort. Please bring a gift worth $10.00 for the Dirty Santa gift exchange. There will be a buffet meal. Email Randy no later than noon Monday, December 6 if you plan to attend. If your email is not cooperating, you may call him, but please note that an email is greatly preferred. Directions: If traveling south on Highway 411, turn left onto Highway 30 at the Hiwassee Corner Market near Delano, and head toward Reliance. Black Bear Cove is 0.3 mile on the left. If traveling north on Highway 411, turn right onto Highway 30 at the Hiwassee Corner Market. Black Bear Cove Resort is 0.3 mile on the left. 1
The cost of the meal will be $11.99 plus tax (drink not included) and will feature a huge, wonderful buffet with prime rib, salmon, a chicken dish, tenderloin, several pastas, 14 vegetables, various salads, fruits, and several desserts YUM!!! The club voted at the October meeting to pick up the tip for everyone (as we have done the last couple of years). The club will have a nice room reserved for our meeting. Debbie Flower will once again lead a spirited, thoughtful and creative officer initiation ceremony after the meal. We encourage everyone to participate in the gift exchange although it is not mandatory. The gift that you bring, while it should not be expensive, should be something of value; so please make your gift something you would not mind taking home. Notes from Randy Morris, our outgoing club president: As noted in the November meeting minutes below, discussions were held in the October and November meetings concerning the reduction of the number of club meetings for 2011. The following was decided upon: We will combine the January Hike Planning Meeting and the regular club meeting for January. The combined meeting for 2011 will be held Sunday afternoon, January 9, 2011 @ 2 p.m. at the Family Resource Agency offices located at 3680 Michigan Avenue Road in Cleveland. James Anderson has graciously agreed to host this meeting for the club. Hike leaders, please make plans to attend if possible. We will combine the June/July as well as the August/September club meetings thus reducing the number of meetings during the summer, traditionally a time of club hikes held less often. Dues: please remember that as we approach Christmas and the New Year, your 2011 Cherokee Hiking Club Membership Dues are due in January of 2011. Dues are $15. Please include anyone in your immediate family that would like to be a part of our organization. Checks may be brought to the Hike Planning Meeting on January 9, 2011, the December Meeting/Christmas Gathering on December 12 or can be mailed to Ann Gray at the club s address 2349 Varnell Road, Cleveland, TN 37311. We had a great 2010 and look forward to an even better 2011! Attention New Members: anyone who joined after October 1, 2010 will not have to renew until 2012. Join the rest of the Cherokee Hikers on Facebook! The club now has 54 friends on Facebook. To connect, press the CTRL button on your keyboard, and then click the image below to navigate to the CHC Facebook page. Recent Hike & Event Reports Loop Trip to Benton Falls October 31, 2010, Sunday Five members and one guest of the Cherokee and/or Hiwassee Hiking Clubs had a fantastic afternoon to enjoy the out of doors. Even with 4-5 inches of rain during the past week, the falls had less water than expected. Some leaf color was observed and the sky was as blue as could be. Our guest had taught English to university students in China for four years, and it was interesting to hear her tell about China's culture. 2
Hikers were Effaleda and Bob Lee (leader), Jane Bohannon, Brook Mueller, Karen Young, and guest Sherry Clevenger. Our picture is shown below. Possum Gorge Hike November 13, 2010, Saturday Five hikers enjoyed a beautiful day along the Possum Gorge Segment of the Cumberland Trail. We were joined by approximately 60 trail runners competing in a 50 km race of the Rock, Possum and Soddy Gorge segments. Actually, we were passed by them early in our hike. It is amazing that the winner of the race completed the approximately 30 mile race in less time than it took us to hike 10 miles! Although the drought had taken its toll on Immodium Falls and the Possum Creeks (Little and Big) so that they were only a fraction of their normal flows, the interesting rock formations, large hemlocks and white pines, as well as a few places of late autumn color, treated us to some spectacular scenery. We also enjoyed a long distance view of the mountains in the Cherokee and Cohutta forest ranges from a short spur trail on top of one of the gorges. Everyone agreed that by the end of our hike we had definitely gotten a workout from the ups and downs of the trail and the extremely numerous rock steps. To celebrate we enjoyed a nice dinner at the Heartland Grill in Dayton. Hikers were James and Phyllis Anderson, Sheila Bailey, Sunni Campbell and leader Randy Morris. The group is shown below, just after passing Stack Rock in the Little Possum Gorge. Late autumn colors were found along the trail. 3
Turtletown Falls Hike November 20, 2010, Saturday Not counting the dogs out for a tag-along Mutt Trek, this was an all-member hike. The day remained overcast and the temperature stayed just right for this hike. Surprisingly no other hikers were out on this trail that Saturday. Like the hike at Coker Creek, the Forest Service has done a great job of fixing up the trail. The descent to the first set of falls, The Twins, was stepped with two-foot pieces of 8 x 8 s, which made for solid footing, and the new guard rail provided balance. This same new step construction was also found in other places on the trail that had become deteriorated. Considerable side hill work was also evident along the trail. Like the upper Twins, the Lower Cascade Falls were flowing strong as well. Except for scrambling over and around a couple of blow-downs across the trail, this was a comfortable hike for everyone. The return up along the ridge overlooking Hiawassee Gorge provided an aerobic workout for everyone. The great hiking weather, comfortable trail, great scenery, pleasant company and the brief workout made for an enjoyable Saturday outing. Enjoying it were Brenda Harris (with Jake), Jane Bohannon, Esther Nunley (with Leather), Karen, Kathy (with Rosie), and Marc Bernatti, hike leader (with Essie). The group, minus the dogs, is shown below. 4
Cherokee Hiking Club Minutes November 11, 2010 Leon and Pat Bates home in Benton The monthly meeting of the Cherokee Hiking Club was held at 6:30 p.m. on November 11, 2010 at the home of Pat and Leon Bates. We would like to thank them for hosting. There were twenty members and one guest present. Following a potluck supper, President Randy Morris called the business meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Minutes of the previous meeting were read by Secretary, Jane Bohannon, and were accepted as read. Treasurer Ann Gray reported the current balance. Old business: Randy discussed plans for the Sunday, December 12 meeting/christmas party at Black Bear Cove Resort. Bring a gift worth $10.00 for the Dirty Santa gift exchange. The buffet/meeting starts at 1:00 p.m. There will be a room reserved for the club. Email Randy if you plan to attend. The club voted to accept the following nomination of officers for the year 2011: President: Sunni Campbell Vice-President: Bill Kamm Secretary: Jane Bohannon Treasurer: Ann Gray Newsletter Editor: Rebecca Levings Webmaster: Rick Harris 5
Publicist: Deborah Flower. There will be an installation of officers at the December meeting. Thanks to Debbie Flower for her work on making contacts to recruit these officers. We voted to decrease our number of meetings as follows: we will combine the June/July meeting. The Hike Planning Meeting in January will serve as the January monthly meeting. The August/September meeting will be combined. Randy reminded us of the American Trails National Symposium which will be held at the Chattanooga Convention Center November 14-18. Registration is still open. New business: Plans for the Hike Planning Meeting will be finalized at the December meeting. Hikes completed: Reports were given on the following hikes: Scenic Spur Trail, Lookout Mountain Bluff Trail, and Lake McKamy Loop. Upcoming hikes: Randy will lead the Possum Creek Segment of the Cumberland Trail. Sunni Campbell will lead the Linda Davis Memorial River Walk. Marc Bernatti will lead Turtletown Falls, and James Anderson will lead Big Frog. The meeting was adjourned at 8:22 p.m. Next meeting: Black Bear Cove Resort on Sunday, December 12 at 1:00 p.m. will be the site of the next monthly meeting/christmas party. See more information on this meeting above. Respectfully submitted, Jane Bohannon, Secretary Cherokee Hiking Club, Inc. 2349 Varnell Road Cleveland, TN 37311 6