TRAILMARKER The Piedmont Hiking and Outing Club Newsletter March-April 2018 Since 1982 Volume 36 - Number 2 Photo courtesy of Ken Yates New Year s Day Hike - PHOC hikers brave chilly weather on a hike up to Cook s Wall at Hanging Rock State Park Visit us on the Web http://www.piedmonthikingandoutingclub.org
Page 4 March-April Trailmarker PHOC History Corner Hello All, I went through the PHOC newsletters for March and April in the eighties and nineties to see what hikes the club used to do in those months and are not doing anymore. I also went through some albums to get some pictures of those hikes. Maybe it is time for someone to research these hikes and get them back on the schedule anytime of the year. First, the weekend trips: From 1985 to 1995 we went to Merchant's Mill Pond canoeing for a weekend. Lately they have been going in May. We also went to Emerald Isle Beach for many years in the nineties in April. There were several backpacking trips to Shining Rock, Grayson Highlands and Deep Gap. Here are some of the shorter or closer to home hikes or outings that were done NC Zoo, Morrisette Winery, Morrow Mtn SP, Badin Lake, Hagan Stone Park, Duke Forest, Salem Lake, Umstead SP, Cedar Rock Park. The longer or farther away hikes are the AT at Burkes Garden, Devil s Hole Branch, Tanawha Trail, Upper Creek and Harper s Creek, Wilson A History of PHOC Club Hikes and Outings by Gale Magann Creek, Bob s Pocket Wilderness, Crabtree Falls, Beartree Gap Loop, Dragon s Tooth, James River Face and Natural Bridge, Apple Orchard Falls and Brush Mountain with the Audie Murphy Memorial. We also went day skiing at WinterPlace, WV a few times. So if you are interested, talk to some of the long time members to start you on the way to new trails. Beartree Gap Loop hike, Virginia About our Hike Rating System Our rating system provides a useful, general gauge of a hike s difficulty. It factors in distance and elevation gain and is intended to help you choose hikes that you will find most enjoyable. R0-R10 These are more walks than hikes. They re usually close to home, the trails are flat, and distances are generally short. An after-dinner walk around the block would be rated R1 or R2. Our Wednesday Night Walks are R5. R10-R20 Most of these hikes will be in the lower mountains and foothills. Distances will be about 5-8 miles, with vertical ranging from 500-1000 feet... not easy if you re new to hiking! Trails will be dirt and rock. As long as you re in moderately good shape, you should be able to enjoy the outing. R20-R30 Hikes in the low end of this range will be too hard and overly stressful for many new members. Plan on an all-day trip, with at least 4 hours of continuous hiking in rugged and steep terrain. At a minimum, be sure to pack two quarts of water, lunch, a snack, and rain gear. R30-R40 These are strenuous hikes. They will usually be 10+ miles, with climbs of 2000+ feet. They re appropriate only for those who have done a number of lower rated hikes. R40+ These hikes are usually 12 or more miles with 3000 feet or more of elevation gain. They re appropriate only for fit, experienced hikers. Check with hike leader about the trip if you are wanting to do this trip for the first time. See Outings Protocol on pg 14.
Trailmarker March-April Page 5 Outings Wednesday Night Walkers will meet every Wednesday evening in the parking lot beside Tex & Shirley s at the Friendly Shopping Center at 6:30 pm for a brisk walk before dinner. The group will have rotating leaders. The leaders are Carol Parks, John Hanson, Barbara Hanson and Joe Regan. The group will go to dinner after the walk. If bad weather cancels the walk, the group will still meet at 6:30 and go to dinner. Dates for Wednesday Night Walks & Dinner: March 7 April 4 March 14 April 11 March 21 April 18 March 28 April 25 March 3 Laurel Bluff & Reedy Creek Trails @ 9 am Greensboro Watershed Let s meet at 9:00am and hike the Laurel Bluff and Reedy Fork watershed trails. Proceed North on Lake Brandt Road, past the marina on the left, park in the gravel lot, before the bridge that crosses the dam for the Laurel Bluff Trail. No need to call. 7.5 miles [R-15] March 3 Roan Mountain AT between Carvers Gap & 19E This challenging two version hike will be on the Appalachian Trail along the NC/TN border. One group will start from 19E and hike 15 miles to Carvers Gap climbing 5,300 vertical feet, the other group in the opposite direction climbing 2,600 vertical feet. The groups will meet for lunch and exchanging keys eliminating the need for a long shuttle. This hike is for fit and experienced hikers only. Bring water, lunch, rain gear, and warm clothing as the weather is unpredictable. Please email me for meeting places and times. Uphill: 15 miles, 5300 feet [R-68]; Downhill: 15 miles, 2600 feet [R-41]. March 3 Brinegar Cabin Doughton Park Let s hike up the Cedar Ridge Trail in Doughton Park (Blue Ridge) to Brinegar Cabin, and, appreciate the view of Longbottom Valley while having lunch. We will then hike back down Cedar Ridge to the parking area. The trail up to Brinegar Cabin is a gentle, steady pull for about 4 miles, but this is an out and back and all reasonable paces will be accommodated. Please call for time and place. 9 miles [R-35] March 3-8 Paddle with the Manatees -Thursday Citrus County, Florida Step back to Old Florida and join us as we paddle a beautiful stretch of rivers flowing out to the Gulf of Mexico. This remote coastal region of West Central Florida is mecca for ecotourist and paradise to kayakers and wildlife enthusiasts. Winter is the perfect time to kayak on these spring-fed rivers well known for their manatee sanctuary status and nesting areas to thousands of migratory birds. This paddle is offered as a two-part series that will run March 2018 and then again in March of 2019. March 3-8, 2018 we will venture to the lower section of the region and paddle on a collection of spring-fed rivers that meander through coastal swamplands and state owned wilderness management areas Homosassa Springs/Halls River, Chassahowitzka Springs/ River, Weeki Wachee Springs/River, and Kings Bay/Crystal River. Not only will you have an opportunity to paddle alongside manatees, but you ll also have a chance to spot alligator, dolphin, river otter, bald eagle, and the whooping crane. You ll also have time for hiking and touring through local state parks, national
Page 6 March-April Trailmarker wildlife refuges and an archeological park. The Class 1 waters of this region experience some tidal influence but are flat and calm enough for beginner paddlers to feel comfortable, yet beautiful and scenic enough to please an avid adventurer. Group accommodations are included in the trip. The second part of this paddle will be offered in March of 2019. On that trip, we ll venture to the upper section to paddle the Suwannee, the Waccasassa and the Cedar Keys a cluster of islands off the Gulf Coast. Please contact me if you are interested in joining us on either paddle and for more info. Each trip is limited to 12. March 4 Watershed Hike Sunday @ 1 pm Nat Greene/Palmetto Trails Join me for an 8.5 mile loop starting at the Nat Greene trailhead at the far end of Lake Brandt marina. We will walk as far as the greenway, take this for a short distance to the Palmetto trail and loop back on the Nat Greene trail. Please let me know if you will be joining me. [R-10] March 8 Jerusalem Market Thursday @ 7 pm 310 South Elm St Join me for the yummiest Middle Eastern food in town! Authentic cuisine, a relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff make this establishment one of my go-to places. Please let me know by Thursday at lunchtime if you plan to attend. March 10 Daffodil Flats, Linville Gorge We will start at the Pinnacle Trail Head and go to the junction of Lead Mine Trail and take it to the Linville Gorge Trail. We go north on the LGT to Daffodil Flats where we will spend time enjoying the daffodils. We proceed north and take the LGT to Conley Cove and ascend out of the gorge. Daffodill Flats is an old homestead with an impressive display of daffodils that were planted years ago. This is an 8-mile hike with steep descents, extremely rocky trails, and a long steep climb out of the Gorge. We will do this as a shuttle. Since this is a wilderness area I must limit the hike to 12 experienced and strong hikers. We will leave Big Lots in Clemmons at 6:30 sharp. [R-54] March 10 Rock Castle Gorge Virginia About 75 miles from Winston-Salem and Greensboro is one of the best hikes we do. It has some steep uphill, scenic ridges and fields, and strolls among rocks and streamside. Contact me for meeting details. 10-11 miles [R-43] March 10 @ 9 am Nat Greene Trail Greensboro Watershed Join me for a 7.5 mile hike on the Nat Greene Trail (out and back). Coming from Greensboro on Lake Brandt Rd headed north, turn left into the Marina parking lot just before the bridge over the lake. Park at the left end of the parking lot. Departure time is 9:00 am. Please let me know if you will be joining me. 7.5 miles [R-8] March 11 Sunday at 1:30 Owl s Roost Loop Bur-Mil Park Let s meet at 1:30 PM at the Wildlife Center in Bur-Mil Park and hike the Owl s Roost watershed trail from the fishing pier to the greenway, and then back again, using the fire lane trail for part of the return trip. Proceed North on 220, past Horse Pen Creek (on the left), then right at the traffic light at Owl s Roost, and then left into Bur-Mil Park. Bear right at the clubhouse, and park in the circular driveway at the bottom of the hill, just below the Wildlife Center. No need to call. 7 miles [R-12]
Trailmarker March-April Page 7 March 12 Monday @ 7 pm PHOC Monthly Meeting Slide Show & Talk Wainwright Coast-to-Coast Trail, England New Garden Friends Meeting 801 New Garden Road, Greensboro 27410 In September 2017, Vance and Jon walked the 190-mile Wainwright Coast-to-Coast Trail, from St. Bee s on the Irish Sea to Robin Hood s Bay on the North Sea. Four friends (Locke Clifford, Jay Devaney, Bob Douglas and Bob McLelland) joined them for the first 65 miles through the Lake District. Vance and Jon will present a slide show of the walk, with commentary, and answer questions. The evening will begin with snacks and a social at 7 pm, followed by a short business meeting. The program will start at 7:40 pm. DIRECTIONS: New Garden Friends is on New Garden Road, directly across from Guilford College. Go north on New Garden from Friendly Avenue, turn left at the first light, into the rear parking lot. March 17 Bluff Ridge/Primitive & Flat Rock Ridge Trails Doughton Park This hike will be a loop ascending Bluff Ridge/ Primitive Trail and descending on Flat Rock Ridge Trail. There is a steep 2.8 mile section near the beginning. We will regroup at the top for lunch at the rustic shelter constructed for the AT when it was originally located on that portion of the Blue Ridge crest. From there we hike along the Bluff Mt. Trail and descend for 5 miles on the Flat Rock Ridge Trail back to the parking area. Please contact me for place and meeting time. 13 miles, 3300 ft elevation. [R-46] March 17 Pilot Mountain State Park Mountain & Grindstone Trails Let s honor St. Patrick by driving the snakes off Pilot Mountain while hiking the connected pair of loops that include the combination of Mountain and Grindstone trails and the combination of Ledge Spring and Jomeokee trails. The departure from the park office will be at 9:00 a.m. Carpooling will be possible from Winston-Salem and from Carolina s Diner. If interested in this hike, let me know by 5 pm on Friday and please indicate where you intend to join the group. 9 miles, 1700 ft. elevation gain. March 17 Laurel Bluff Reedy Fork Loop @1:30 pm Join me for an easy hike at Lake Brandt beginning at the Laurel Bluff trailhead. From Greensboro, go north on Lake Brandt Road. The parking lot is on the right, just before you cross the dam. Please let me know if you will be coming. 7 miles. March 18 Sunday at 1:30 pm Piedmont Watershed Trail Lake Brandt Greensboro Let s meet at 1:30 pm and hike the Piedmont watershed trail out and back for a total of 6 easy miles. Proceed North on Lake Brandt Road past the marina on the left, cross over the bridge at the dam, and park in the gravel parking lot on the left. 6 miles [R-9] March 22 Thursday @ 7 pm Restaurant Outing Pho Hien Vuong 4109-A Spring Garden St. Let s meet for dinner at 7 pm at the Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Hien Vuong, Greensboro. This is an informal, casual atmosphere restaurant with outstanding food. Please call or email me before noon Thursday so I can let them know how many will be attending. March 24 The 5 peaks of Hanging Rock From the Visitor Center we will hike up to Hanging Rock, and then continue on to Wolf Rock, House Rock, Cook s Wall and then to
Page 8 March-April Trailmarker Moore s Knob. From there we will hike down the steps from Moore s Knob and then around the lake. Expect good views and a good workout. Please contact me for details. 10 miles [R-30] March 24 Corridor & Yadkin River Trails Pilot Mountain State Park This is a shuttle hike; leave Carolina Diner at 8 am; leave the Food Lion parking lot off of highway 52 north exit 218 at 8:30. We will drive to the Yadkin River trail parking lot to set the shuttle; we will then drive to the Corridor trailhead to start the hike. Restroom facilities are available at the beginning, middle and end of the hike. Please email me for details. 12 miles [R-28]. Corridor Trail is a 6.6 mile moderately graded hiking trail meandering through pine and hardwood forests connecting the mountain and river sections of Pilot Mountain SP. It then links into the Yadkin River Islands Trail, which continues to the river parking lot. The Corridor is a 100-yard-wide tree tunnel cutting through a countryside dominated by farms, timber and a few ranches with some rock hopping over a few creeks in places. 1300 feet of elevation gain. Yadkin River Trail is a 5.4-mile loop at the Yadkin River section of Pilot Mountain SP consisting of 2.5 miles along a very scenic portion of the river, and about 2 miles on a nature trail with an overlook of an eagle s nest across the river. There will be a few stream crossings on this trail. 300 ft. elevation gain. March 24 Linville Gorge Shortoff Mountain the Gorge will be enjoyed at the top, where we will stop for lunch before heading back down Shortoff. Carpooling should be available from Greensboro and from Clemmons; please contact me for details. 11 miles [R-36] March 24 @ 9 am Bill Craft Trail Taylor Preserve Plainfield Rd Please join me for this out and back hike of approximately 7 miles of quiet, scenic trail off Plainfield Rd. Directions: Head north on Church St, crossing over Pisgah Church Rd. Cross Lake Townsend twice, turn left onto Plainfield Rd. Trailhead is on the right after about a mile. Or head north on Lake Brandt Rd, turn right onto Plainfield Rd. Trailhead will be on your left. March 25 Bill Craft Trail Sunday@ 1:30 pm Plainfield Road Please join me for this out and back hike of approximately 7 miles of quiet, scenic trail off Plainfield Rd. Directions: Head north on Church St, crossing Pisgah Church Rd. Cross Lake Townsend twice, turn left onto Plainfield Rd. The trailhead parking lot is on the right, after about a mile. Or head north on Lake Brandt Rd, turn right onto Plainfield Rd. The trailhead parking lot will be on your left, after a few miles. Feel free to contact me, if you have any questions. March 25 Sunday New Member Orientation & Walk Lake Higgins Marina Greensboro This strenuous out-and-back hike begins with a lovely walk along the Linville River. If that doesn t take your breath away, then surely the steep ascent to the top of the mountain will. Do stop to catch your breath and enjoy the stunning views of Lake James while climbing. Additional views of the surrounding peaks and Thinking about joining but wondering what it is all about, new member and not sure how to get started, or recent member needing a refresher course? Meet with us at 1:30 pm in the small conference room at Lake Higgins Marina on Hamburg Mill Road in Greensboro. Participants will hear about the PHOC, its outings, appropriate
Trailmarker March-April Page 9 gear for PHOC hikes and tips for staying safe on the trail. The orientation will take about 45 mins. Afterward we hope you will join us for a short walk in the woods. Those interested in walking should bring water, a snack, and wear appropriate outdoor clothing. The orientation and walk should wrap up no later than 5 pm. If you need additional information please contact Butch or Terri. We look forward to seeing you in the conference room and/or on the trail. March 30 Friday @ 10 am Good Friday Paddle & Picnic Oak Hollow Lake Marina 3431 N. Centennial St. High Point, NC 27265 Marina # 336-883-3494 Please join me for a Good Friday paddle and potluck picnic at Oak Hollow Lake in High Point, NC. Time: 10 am meet and rent gear. We will paddle for a couple of hours and have a late potluck picnic lunch in the marina area. Please pack a cooler with salads, sandwiches, or something similar to share. The marina has 8 kayaks and gear for a rental fee of $12.00. Launching your own kayak fee is $2.00 senior or $4.00 regular. PFD is required. As before, we are somewhat at the mercy of the weather and City of HP policies regarding boat rental availability. Please notify me well in advance if you will need a boat. Joel Deaton has generously loaned boats for this fun day in the past. I will transport them to the marina and back to Joel. Hopefully, it will be a lovely spring day! If interested please email or call me for details. March 30 - April 1 Black River Friday-Sunday Paddle/Camp This is a 3 day/2 night paddle/camp along the pristine Black River in Eastern NC. There are no rapids but we might encounter trees to pull over. The first day s paddle is easy at about 4 miles to camp. This is primitive camping with no facilities. Next day we paddle about 9 miles to go through the Three Sisters Swamp with cypress trees about 1,750 years old or older. Some of the cypress knees are 6 feet and higher. Quite a mystical treat. After 3 more miles, we ll camp. It s about 5 miles more to the take-out and is about 22 miles total. You ll need a kayak or canoe, paddle, and life jacket. Boats 10-14 feet work well. 14 foot boats will have a bit more difficulty maneuvering amongst the trees in the swamp but otherwise do well. Dry bags are better than garbage bags for tents, sleeping bags, etc. Some paddling experience is needed. I need to limit the trip to 10 people. More details to come. March 31 Mt. Rogers Area Virginia Highlands HT Cabin Ridge, AT North Spring has finally arrived, and with it diminished prospects for being caught in late developing unpleasant weather surprises. We are all ready to enjoy once more the spectacular vistas of the Mt Rogers area. So I invite you to join me for a hike just outside the northwest boundary of Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia. We will start from the backpackers parking lot at Grayson, hiking south on the AT, veer west on the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail, and continue on the Cabin Ridge Trail before coming out to open meadows with huge and sweeping vistas of our favorite peaks. After lunch, we will start walking northbound on the AT, alternating between wooded areas and open spaces affording majestic views of the surrounding ranges. As we approach the base of Wilburn Ridge, there will be two options: the first being to hike over the rocky ridge and view the spectacular surrounding vistas; and the second option being to go around, rather than over Wilburn Ridge by way of the Crest and Rhododendron trails. Both groups will meet again at the base of the last bald of Wilburn Ridge to complete the loop back to base. The area seems to be a favorite of the famous Grayson ponies who will take every opportunity to grab snacks from hikers packs. Although
Page 10 March-April Trailmarker this is mostly a moderate hike, it does offer some modest terrain challenges: more than 80% of the route is very rocky and frequently very muddy, with low areas of standing water and mini-creek crossings. Hiking with poles is definitely a plus. Please email or call if you plan to join us. 10 miles, +/- 1800 ft. [R-32] March 31 Stone Mountain State Park 336-299-4461 Let s drive over to Stone Mountain State Park for a moderately easy 7 miles along the Stone Mountain Loop Trail plus a hike over to Cedar and Wolf Rock. Please call for meeting time and place. 8 miles [R-25] April 7 Hanging Rock State Park Multi-trail loop April 7 at 8 am Lake Brandt Loop Bur-Mil Park Let s meet at 8 am at the Wildlife Center in Bur- Mil Park and hike the Lake Brandt Loop. This consists of hiking the Owl s Roost watershed trail starting at the fishing pier, crossing over the Michael Weaver Bridge and then hiking the Nat Greene trail, crossing over the dam on Lake Brandt Road, hiking the Piedmont trail, and returning to the Wildlife Center on the Lake Brandt Greenway. (See directions on March 11 outing, page 7.) No need to call, but please do if you have questions. Lunch afterwards is an option. 11 miles [R-12] April 6-8 Backpacking Trip Friday-Sunday TN 91 to Damascus Let s meet at the visitor center and head toward the Wolf Rock trail. We will then proceed to Wolf Rock, House Rock and Cook s Wall. Afterwards, we will make our way over to the Moore s Wall loop trail, go up to Moore s Knob and descend down the stairs back to the visitor center. Bring water and lunch or snack. Call or email for meeting time. +/- 9 miles. [R-29] April 7 MST from Stone Mountain SP to Doughton Park This hike will require a car shuttle. This will be a strenuous hike using the MST and the Cedar Ridge trails. We will hike from Stone Mtn. State Park to Doughton Park. There will be lots of climbing in the first 6 miles of the hike until we reach the ridge. We will then hike on the ridge for 3.8 miles with occasional ascents and descents. We will then descend to the Doughton Park parking area using the Cedar Ridge trail. Please contact me for meeting details. 15 miles, 3600 feet [R-51] Arrive Friday morning at Woodchuck s Hostel in Damascus and join an optional 10-mile day hike, or arrive late Friday afternoon and join us for dinner at the Harvest Table Restaurant owned by author Barbara Kingsolver. Spend Friday night at the hostel after having a beer at the Damascus Brewery if time permits. morning the hostel s 2 shuttles will take us to the intersection of the Appalachian Trail and TN 91. From there we ll hike 11.3 miles to the Abingdon Gap Shelter, spend the night and then 10.1 miles in the morning back to the hostel the last 3 miles are mostly downhill. Optional early dinner afterward at Mojo s Trailside Cafe & Coffee House in Damascus. Hostel $25/person including a large breakfast, $30 for each shuttle divided by the number of riders. Elevation ascent 3942 ft., elev. descent 5526 ft. 21.4 miles [R-40] April 8 Lake Townsend Trail Sunday @ 1:30 Greensboro Watershed Trails Let s meet at 1:30 pm for an easy, scenic hike along the wooded southern edge of Lake
Trailmarker March-April Page 11 Townsend. From Battleground Ave or Lawndale, proceed East on Pisgah Church, continue East on Lees Chapel, to Yanceyville Road. Turn left at the light at Yanceyville, and proceed 1.9 miles to the Osprey-Lake Townsend parking lot. It is on the left, just around the corner from the Reedy Fork Baptist Church. No need to call, but please do if you have questions. 8 miles [R-12] April 9 PHOC Monthly Meeting Monday @ 7 pm Slide Show & Talk Kayak Outings New Garden Friends Meeting 801 New Garden Road, Greensboro 27410 In April, Joel Deaton will present PHOC kayak outings and how you can participate. Pictures of past paddling trips to Puget Sound, Portugal, Florida, and South Carolina will be shown along with our more local weekend and day trips. In 2017, we paddled at locations from the Nantahala Gorge to Bear Island. The 2018 schedule of planned trips and day paddles will be presented. Find out what it takes for you to join the adventures. April 14 Doughton Park Loop Blue Ridge Parkway Join me hiking this club favorite close to home combining a good workout with beautiful views. This is a long strenuous hike up Cedar Ridge, along Bluff Mountain and down Flat Rock Ridge trails. Bring lunch and plenty of water. Please contact me for details, 17 miles, 3500ft. [R-52] April 14 Rock Castle Gorge Woolwine, VA This Blue Ridge Highlands hike is similar to the Doughton Park hikes. It is a club favorite, perhaps the finest hike we do. Starting at the old CCC campground off Route 8 (after passing through Woolwine, VA), there is a strenuous climb up to the grassy meadows of the Blue Ridge Parkway after which we will have lunch at an old abandoned AT shelter with magnificent views. After lunch we will begin our descent, passing through grassy meadows and then into the gorge where we will pass through a maze of large boulders, cross over Rock Castle Creek and then follow the creek back to our cars. Your hike leader has slowed down, and will be sweeping. Hike-ahead hikers should proceed at their own pace, and there is no need to wait for the hike leader at the shelter, or once back at the cars. Carpooling should be arranged accordingly. Call or email for meeting time, place and directions. 10 mi. [R-40] April 15, Sunday Service for John Furnas Sandy Mitchell is sending out a letter to all club members with details. April 19 Natty Greene s Kitchen + Market Thursday @ 7pm 2003 Yanceyville Street Join me for an evening of good food at Natty Greene s newest location in the Revolution Mill complex, on Yanceyville Street, Greensboro The Kitchen + Market features an in-house butcher, baker and restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, a mezzanine space, an open kitchen, and a neighborhood market. Contact me if you need additional information. April 20-22 Friday - Sunday Spring Road Trip Jones Gap & Caesar s Head State Parks Cleveland S.C. Those who are able to leave Friday will carpool and drive down to Jones Gap State Park and do a 8 mile hike to Rainbow Falls and Hospital Rock approx 2500 feet of elevation gain [R-33]. On we will go to Caesar s Head Park and do Raven Cliff Falls Trail. There will be a 13-mile [R-54] version for stronger hikers and an 8-mile [R-32] version for moderate hikers. Sunday we will do Jones Gap Falls and Rim of the Gap Trail 11 miles [R-40]. The parks on the
Page 12 March-April Trailmarker S.C. side of the N.C./S.C. border are top notch beautiful State Parks. Lodging info for Friday and nights and updates will be sent by Google Groups as we get closer. April 21 Mountain-to-Sea Trail Jumping-Off Rock to Jeffress Park Ashe/Wilkes Counties This hike is 13 miles of rolling terrain with panoramic views of the mountains in the northwest part of the state. We will keep a sustained pace over a series of long up and downhills throughout the entire hike suitable for those who like a good endurance workout without unending steep climbs. The terrain alternates between open windy meadows and sheltered forests. Layered clothing is strongly recommended given the time of year. Contact me for meeting time. [R-40] April 28 Roan Mountain AT between Carvers Gap & 19E Scenic two-version hike on the Appalachian Trail along the border of NC and TN. One group will start from Hwy 19E and hike 15 miles south to Carvers Gap climbing 5,300 vertical feet, the other group in the opposite direction covering the same 15 miles with 2,600 vertical feet. The groups will meet for lunch and exchange keys. This outing is for fit and experienced hikers only, bring water and lunch. Please email me for meeting details prior to Friday before the hike. Southbound 15 miles, 5300 feet [R-68]; northbound 15 miles, 2600 feet [R-45]. April 28 Allegheny Mountain-to-Sea Trail Doughton Park April 21 Greensboro Watershed @ 9 am Piedmont & Nat Greene Trails On the eve of Earth Day let s take bags to pick up litter along the two trails that our club helps maintain. We will meet 9 am at the Nat Greene trailhead at the Lake Brandt Marina, then hike north across the bridge to the Piedmont Trail and follow it to its western end. After crossing the lake to Bur-mil Park we will continue on the Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway to the Nat Greene Trail and will follow that back to the Lake Brandt Marina. Please let me know the evening before that you plan to join us. 8 miles [R-16] April 26 Thursday @ 7 pm Restaurant Outing Bangkok Café 1203 S. Holden Rd. #C Let s meet for dinner at 7 pm at this laid back, casual atmosphere Thai restaurant with a Trip Advisor rating of 4.5 out of 5. Please call or email me before noon on Thursday so I can let them know how many will be attending. Beginning at the Basin Cove Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the southwest corner of Doughton Park, we will hike to Brinegar Cabin where we will break for lunch approximately 8 miles. We will hike another 3 miles to Devil s Garden Overlook above Stone Mountain State Park for a 11-mile, moderately strenuous hike. A car drop-off will be required, so be sure to let Susan know where you will be carpooling from (Carolina s Diner in GSO or McDonald s in W-S). This hike will be limited to 15 people due to the logistics of car drop-off. Please contact Susan no later than noon on April 27 if interested. [R-26] April 28 Nat Greene and Palmetto Trails at 9 am Greensboro Watershed Join me for an 8-mile hike on the Nat Greene and Palmetto trails with views of Lake Brandt. We will meet at the Nat Greene watershed trailhead at 9 am. Bring water and a snack. Call or email me if you have questions. [R-12]
Trailmarker March-April Page 13 April 28 Lake Townsend Marina 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Join me for free Sailboat rides and Pontoon rides. Crafts for kids including: burgee making, coloring and knot tying. Boats on display and much more! Food will be available for purchase. Learn about sailing and learn how sailing relates to STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Free admission. Call or email me for details. April 29 Sunday @ 2:00 pm SPRING FLING Bur-Mil Park Shelter #2 Join us at 2 pm for our annual celebration of Spring with a good ole American Cook Out. Bring your favorite side dish, appetizer, or dessert to share and a serving utensil for your dish. The club will provide hot dogs, hamburgers, (beef and veggie), condiments, plates, cups, silverware, tea, and soda. Bur-Mil Park regulations allow beer and wine in all shelters, but no glass containers are allowed. More specifically, beer must be in cans, and wine in plastic containers or cardboard boxes. Feel free to bring a lawn chair and/or yard games. Festivities and meal begin at 2 PM. Proceeding North on 220, turn right at the light onto Owl's Roost and then left into Bur-Mil Park. Turn left again into the parking lot by the swimming pool as soon as you enter the park. Shelter #2 is the one on the left. There is no charge, guests included, but please RSVP so we will know how many hot dogs, hamburgers, buns, etc. to buy. April 27-29 AT Backpacking Trip Friday-Sunday Davenport Gap-Hot Springs We will travel to Hot Springs, N.C. and leave our cars there. We will be shuttled to Davenport Gap and start hiking north across Snowbird Mountain and if time permits, to the summit of Max Patch and camp there Friday night, one of the best camping experiences to be had on the AT. We will then proceed onto Lemon Gap and Walnut Mountain and then to Bluff Mountain where we will camp night. We will hike into Hot Springs Sunday morning and then drive home. This is one of the most beautiful sections of the AT and is for experienced backpackers only. Elevation gain is over 7,000 ft. in 3 days with a distance of 34 miles R-50 average each day. We will leave Big Lots at Clemmons at 6 am. Due to the shuttle I must limit the trip to 10 people. The cost of the shuttle is $20/person. April 29 Kayaking Sunday @ 1:00 pm Lake Brandt Join us for an afternoon on the water and an introduction to the wonderful world of paddling. Kayaking is an excellent way to travel to destinations you can t reach on foot. This outing is geared for beginners; however, we welcome all level of paddlers. We ll cover basic kayak gear, paddle strokes, entering, exiting and maneuvering a boat as well as general safety tips followed by a guided tour of the lake. Kayak rentals are available at the marina where we will meet. Some loaners may also be available for free. Email Nancy if you are interested in joining us. SAVE THE DATE! June 14-17, 2018 Coastal Kayak Trip Wilmington, NC Join us for a 4-day/3-night rendezvous to one of North Carolina s most popular paddling destinations on the coast. Three separate day trips are planned as we venture into a freshwater river, a blackwater tributary and the region s deep blue intracoastal waterway. Each paddle will range 6-8 miles and include a visit to a local barrier island (Keg Island aka Shark s Tooth Island). Trip is limited to 12. Contact me if interested.