Cherokee Hiking Club
198 Crews Drive, Benton, TN 37307
Past
Activities
2009
Contact the
Webmaster
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
January 2009
Sun, Jan 4
-
Annual Calendar Planning Meeting, 2PM
Thu, Jan 8 - Monthly Club Meeting,
6:30 PM, Antonio's Restaurant in Cleveland,
1511 Benjamin
Circle NW
Sat, Jan 10 -
Bald River Trail, 9.6
miles, moderate, leader Randy Morris
Sun, Jan 18 – Athens Regional Park Trail,
3.1 miles, easy, leader Jane Bohannon
Sat, Jan 24 - North Chickamauga Creek,
8 miles, moderate, leader James Anderson
Sat, Jan 24 - BMTA NC/TN Work Trip,
North of Lost Creek Campground (www.bmta.org),
leader Rick Harris
February 2009
Sat, Feb 7 - Rocky Flats Trail, 4.5 miles moderate
(joint with Hiwassee Hiking Club),
leader Esther Nunley
Thu, Feb
12 -
Monthly Club Meeting,
6:30 PM
Sun, Feb 15 - Fort Loudon State
Historic Park, 3.7 miles, easy (joint with
Hiwassee Hiking Club), leader
Bob Lee
Sat, Feb 21 - Rock Creek Segment of
Cumberland Trail, 8-8.5 miles, mod-strenuous, leader Randy Morris
Sat, Feb 28 - BMTA TN/NC Worktrip,
South of Lost Creek Campground (www.bmta.org),
leader Rick Harris
March 2009
Sat, Mar 7 -
Big Frog Moonlight Hike, 12 miles, strenuous, leader James Anderson
Thu, Mar 12 -
Monthly Club Meeting,
6:30 PM
Sat, Mar 14 - Cohutta Hike, CANCELLED 16-18 miles, Strenuous+, leader Bill & Diana Ristom
Sat, Mar 14 - Old Copper
Road, CANCELLED 4.8miles, easy (joint with
Hiwassee Hiking Club), leader
Esther Nunley
Sat, Mar 14 - Tellico
River Cleanup, leader Debbie Flower
Sun, Mar 15 - Turtletown
Falls, 3 miles, easy, leader Marc Bernatti
Sat, Mar 21 -
Warrior’s Passage National Recreation Trail, 6.2 miles, moderate,
leader Rick Harris
Sun, Mar 22 - Scenic
Spur Trail, 3.5 miles, easy, leader Randy Morris
Sat, Mar 28 -
CANCELLED due to severe weather, rescheduled
for April 28 Cumberland Trail, Piney
River Segment, 10 miles, moderate (joint with
Hiwassee Hiking Club), leader
Esther Nunley
S/S, Mar 28-29 - BMTA TN/NC Worktrip, N from Sandy Gap (www.bmta.org),
leader Rick Harris
April 2009
Sat, Apr 4 - John Muir Trail Cleanup, 3-6 miles,
easy, leader Debbie Flower
Thu, Apr 9 - Monthly Club Meeting,
6:30 PM
Sat, Apr 11 - John Muir Trail Wildflower Hike, 3 miles easy, leader Leon
Bates
Sat, Apr 18 - BMTA Hike (www.bmta.org)
Sat, Apr 18 - Cleveland State Community College "It's Good to be Green" Fair
(CHC will have a booth there)
·
“Dear Randy &
The Cherokee Hiking Club, Thank you for your participation at “It’s All About the Green!” It was a
lot of fun to have you there. I hope that the club will participate again next
year. Thanks for all your support!” ---Sincerely—Suzanne Bennett, Cleveland
State Community College
W/T, Apr 22-23 - Cohutta Hickory Creek Backpack, 6 miles, moderate, leader
Karen Young
Sat, Apr 25 - BMT Section 2 – Three Forks to Skeenah
Creek, 12.2 miles, strenuous, leader Randy Morris
Sat, Apr 25 - Cumberland Trail, Piney
River Segment, 10 miles, moderate (joint with
Hiwassee Hiking Club), leader
Esther Nunley
Sat, Apr 25 - BMTA TN/NC Worktrip, Topoca Section (www.bmta.org),
leader Rick Harris
May 2009
Sat, May 2 -
CANCELLED Chattanooga Riverwalk Bike
Trail, 16 miles, easy, (joint with Hiwassee
Hiking Club) leaders Debbie Flower & Esther Nunley
T-S, May 7-10 -
SEFTC Mtg (Cumberland Gap) - may include chain saw and
cross-cut certification along with hikes and presentations
Sat, May 16 - Falls Branch Falls,3 miles, moderate,
leader Randy Morris
Sat, May
16 - Monthly Club Meeting,
after the Falls Branch Falls hike at the Harris residence
Sun, May 17 - BMT Unicoi Gap to TN 68, 4.5 miles, easy, leader Al Rymer
(506-9350 cell, or 808-0011 home). Dinner afterwards at Hog Heaven at Tellico
Plains. Meet at Hardee's in Tellico Plains at 3:30 PM to carpool to the
trailhead for the hike.
Sat, May 23 - BMTA TN/NC Worktrip, South from Sledrunner Gap (www.bmta.org),
leader Rick Harris
Sun, May 24 - Rhododendron Trail, 2.5 miles, easy, leader Jane Bohannon
Sun, May 24 - BMTA TN/NC Worktrip, South from Sledrunner Gap (www.bmta.org),
leader Rick Harris
Sat, May 30 - Lower Hiwassee River Canoe Trip, (joint
with Hiwassee Hiking Club),
leaders Rick & Brenda Harris.
We will float the Hiwassee. Bring
your own canoe or come with someone who has a canoe. Meet at highway 411 and
highway 30 at 10:00 am for shuttle. We plan to canoe from Reliance down to
the Patty Bridge. Contact Rick Harris at 423-253-6358 or
HarrisRi@aol.com
June 2009
Wed, Jun 3 -
Conasauga River Trail in Cohutta
Wilderness, 6.0 miles, moderate, leader Karen Young
Sat, Jun 6 - Trails Day BMTA Walk-Through, (www.bmta.org),
leader Rick Harris
Sat, Jun 13 - Raven Cliffs,
5 miles, moderate, leader Gail Gray
Sun, Jun 14 - Big Frog Wilderness Hike,
SAFC (Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition), Jeff Hunter
Jun 13-20 - Buffalo River Canoe-Camp Trip - TN Valley Canoe Club,
leaders Gary & Dee
Harwell
Sat, Jun 20 - Mt. Leconte, 11 miles, strenuous, leader Esther Nunley (joint with
Hiwassee Hiking Club)
CANCELLED DUE TO SCHEDULE CONFLICT
S/S, Jun 27-28 - Virginia Creeper Bike Trip, 17-34 miles, leaders Gary & Dee Harwell
Sat, Jun 27 - BMTA TN/NC Worktrip, leader Rick Harris (www.bmta.org).
We plan to work on the Heart of Darkness area between Beaverdam Bald and Round
Top.
Sun, Jun
28 - Monthly Club Meeting,
7:30 PM, at the Gray's home
July 2009
Sun, Jul 5 - Conasauga River
Swimming Hole, 5 miles, moderate, leader Karen Young
Sun, Jul 12 - Lake McKamy to Benton Falls, 4.5 miles, easy, leader Bob Lee
(joint
with Hiwassee Hiking Club)
Sun, Jul 12 - Little Frog Wilderness Hike,
SAFC (Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition), Jeff Hunter
Sat, Jul 18 -
Farr Gap to the
beaches of Chilhowee Lake via Tallassee Mountain. Difficult, about an 8 hour
hike. contact Rick Foster, (423) 442-2849
Sun, Jul 19 - Hiwassee River Canoe Trip, leaders Esther Nunley & Clayton
Pannell. Meet at US 411 and TN 30 (the road to Reliance, about 5 miles
south of Etowah on US 411) in the parking lot across the road form the store at
1:30 PM. We plan on floating from the boat ramp in Reliance to Patty bridge.
Please bring your own canoe, life jackets, food, water, (rain gear) and the
people to ride in your canoe. Note: if the water is low we may float from
the Gee Creek campground to Patty. We will work out our shuttle after we meet.
Contact Clayton Pannell 423-263-9730 or Cell Phone 435-1848 or Easter Nunley
423-507-8817 or 423-920-8660.
Sat, Jul 25 - BMTA TN/NC Worktrip,
leader Rick Harris (www.bmta.org).
We plan to work on the section between Waucheesi Bald and Unicoi Gap.
Sat, Aug 1 - Sycamore Creek, 4 miles,
easy, leader Jane Bohannon (joint with
Hiwassee Hiking Club)
Sun, Aug 9 - Whigg Meadow, 3.2 miles, easy, leader Rick Harris
Thu, Aug 13 - Monthly Club Meeting,
6:30 PM
Sat, Aug 15 - Smokies High Altitude Hike, leader Randy Morris & Rick Harris
Sun, Aug 16 - Bald River Gorge
Wilderness Hike, SAFC (Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition), Jeff
Hunter
Sat, Aug 22 - BMTA TN/NC Worktrip, leader Rick Harris (www.bmta.org)
Sat, Aug 29 - Hooper Bald and Huckleberry Knob, 4 miles, easy, leader Bob Lee
(joint with Hiwassee Hiking Club)
Wed, Sep 2 - Jack’s River Trail
S end, 5 miles, easy, leader Karen Young
Thu, Sep
10 - Monthly Club Meeting,
6:30 PM
Sat, Sep 12 - Blood Mountain, 4.5 miles, moderate, leader Gail Gray
F-S, Sep 11-13 - Indian Boundary Camping with Day Hikes in Citico Wilderness,
leader James Anderson
CANCELLED
Sun, Sep 13 - Citico Creek Wilderness
Hike, SAFC (Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition), Jeff Hunter
S/S, Sep 19-20 - Len Foote Hike, hike in 5 miles to the inn to spend night, difficult,
leader Gary Harwell
Sun, Sep 20 - Hiwassee River Canoe Trip, leaders Esther Nunley & Clayton Pannell
(joint with Hiwassee Hiking Club)
Fri-Sun, Sep 25-27 - BMTA Backpack in the Smokies (www.bmta.org)
Sat, Sep 26 - BMTA TN/NC Worktrip, leader Rick Harris (www.bmta.org)
October 2009
Sat, Oct 3 - Fiery Gizzard, 5-10
miles, moderate/strenuous, leader Randy Morris & Debbie Flower
Thu, Oct
8 - Monthly Club Meeting,
6:30 PM
Sat, Oct 10 - Hangover Lead Bob Bald, 9 miles, difficult, leader Rick Harris
CANCELLED
Sun, Oct 11 - BMTA hike (www.bmta.org)
Sat, Oct 17 - Wagon Train Trail Brasstown Bald, 4 miles, moderate, leader Ann Gray
CANCELLED
Sun, Oct 18 - Lookout Mountain Bluff Trail, 4.5 miles, easy, leader Gail Gray
Sat, Oct 24 - BMTA TN/NC Worktrip,
leader Rick Harris (www.bmta.org)
Sat, Oct 31 - Cumberland Trail, Laurel Falls Segment, 5 miles, easy/moderate,
leader Bob & Effaleda Lee (joint
with Hiwassee Hiking Club)
CANCELLED
Sat, Nov 7 - John Muir Trail Cleanup, 3-6 miles, easy, leader Debbie Flower
Friday-Sunday, Nov 6-8 - Benton MacKaye Trail Assn Annual Meeting Hikes
Announcing the 2009 Annual Meeting
of the Benton MacKaye Trail Association
Friday November 6 – Sunday November 8
Coker Creek Village, Tennessee
The BMTA Board of Directors would like to personally invite each of you to join us for this year’s meeting. The weekend’s events will center in an idyllic setting, featuring an informative keynote speaker, and will offer a variety of hikes sure to satisfy both the casual and the seasoned hiker. The event can only be improved by your attendance so mark your calendar and make plans to join us!
Location: Coker Creek Village is located on State Hwy 68 between Ducktown and Tellico Plains, Tennessee. It lies very close to the geographic center of the BMT in the heart of the Cherokee National Forest. The retreat has been in operation for several decades by the same family and offers bunkhouse accommodations as well as private cabins. The food is reputed to be excellent and the portions generous. Information on how to make your reservation is on our website at www.bmta.org as well as in our latest newsletter. More information on Coker Creek Village can be found at www.cokercreekvillage.com
Keynote Speaker: This year’s featured speaker for the Saturday night meeting will be Bob Richards, the Greenways and Trails Program Coordinator for the State of Tennessee. Bob has a rich and diverse history of involvement with the outdoors beginning with his time in the Boy Scouts as a youth and ranging through his formal education in Forestry at U.T. and his professional endeavors as a State Naturalist, a State Park Planner, a Trail Funds Grant Writer, and as a Director with the Girl Scouts of America, to name a few. In his off time, Bob still finds time to perform volunteer trail work in a park near his home. Go to http://www.state.tn.us/environment/recreation/greentrails.shtml for more information about the Greenways and Trails Program.
The Annual Meeting would not be the great event it is without hiking! Rick Harris, the TN Director of Trail Maintenance for the BMTA arranged the following offering of hikes for the 3 day period. The hike itinerary is subject to change based upon the number of participants and the weather for the weekend. If you decide ahead of time which hikes you would like to participate in please send a message to HarrisRi@aol.com and let Rick know your intentions so he can make tentative plans for shuttles, etc.
Friday November 6
Short: Unicoi Turnpike Trail #117, 3 miles, mostly downhill. Leave from Coker Creek Village Parking Lot at 2PM. Shuttle required. Leader: Marc Bernatti, sweep Liz Carter. This trail follows the old route across the mountains used first by the Cherokee, then the settlers, then the military, then for the Trail of Tears.
Long: BMT Section 15a-c, Sandy Gap to Unicoi Gap, 8.3 miles, mostly downhill. Leave from Coker Creek Village Parking Lot at 9 AM. Shuttle required. Leaders: Rick & Brenda Harris. This section first climbs from Sandy Gap to Six Mile Gap, then winds over a few knobs as it generally trends downhill toward Unicoi Gap.
Saturday November 7
Short: Coker Creek Falls Trail #183, 3.2 miles, mostly downhill. Leave from Coker Creek Village Parking Lot at 1PM. Shuttle required. Leader: Rick Harris; Sweep Brenda Harris. This trail leaves from the Falls parking lot, first going by Coker Creek Falls, then generally following Coker Creek downstream to its junction with the BMT and the Hiwassee River. This is a very scenic trip.
Moderate: BMT Section 14b-c, Unicoi Gap to TN68, 4.7 miles, mostly downhill. Leave from Coker Creek Village Parking Lot at 9AM. Shuttle required. Leader: George Owen; Ken Jones sweep. This section runs briefly uphill, then mostly downhill all the way to TN68. A possible side trip to Buck Bald would add a couple of miles to this distance.
Moderate: BMT Section 14a, TN68 to Coker Creek, 4.0 miles, mostly downhill. Leave from Coker Creek Village Parking Lot at 1PM. Shuttle required. Leader: George Owen; Ken Jones sweep. This section runs mostly downhill all the way to Coker Creek. A side trip to Coker Creek Falls on the return drive may be included if time allows. This one may be cancelled due to repaving of the Hiwassee River Road starting this Saturday.
Long: BMT Section 14a-c, Unicoi Gap to Coker Creek, 8.7 miles or longer, depending on side trips, mostly downhill. Leave from Coker Creek Village Parking Lot at 9 AM. Shuttle required. Leader: George Owen; Ken Jones sweep. This is the combination of the two moderate hikes, noted above.
Sunday November 8
Short: BMT Section 12e Lost Creek Segment, 3.3 miles, mostly level. Leave from Coker Creek Village Parking Lot at 9AM. Shuttle required. Leader: Bill Hodge, sweep Tom Waters. This trail follows Lost Creek from Lost Creek Campground to the forest service gate on FS 173 about a mile south of the Hiwassee River. Lost creek is a beautiful creek in a deep gorge with several cascades.
Moderate: BMT Section 13d-13e, John Muir Trail, 5.7 miles, hilly. Leave from Coker Creek Village Parking Lot at noon. Shuttle required. Leader: George Owen, sweep Pam Richards. This is the BMT and a National Recreation Trail over the new reroute from Towee Creek to Wildcat Creek, then along the old Hiwassee riverbed to Coker Creek.
Long: BMT Section 16a-b, Beaverdam Bald to Sandy Gap, 7.0 miles, mostly downhill. Leave from Coker Creek Village Parking Lot at 9 AM. Long shuttle required. Leaders: Rick Harris and Jeff Hunter. This is infamous section is arguably the most isolated of the BMT and offers great opportunities to see native wildlife. We will start from Beaverdam Bald at 4620 foot elevation and take a manway down to the BMT at Sledrunner Gap, then will follow the crest of the mountain range down about 2000 feet in elevation to Sandy Gap (with several significant climbs over knobs on the way, including Rocky Top, Round Top, Nit Top and Hazelnut Knob. This is a tough hike, but one which everyone should do at least once in their lifetime. This hike affords great views into both Tennessee and North Carolina.
Thu, Nov
12 - Monthly Club Meeting,
6:30 PM
Sat, Nov 14 -
Clear Creek Clemmer Combo, 8 miles, moderate, leader James Anderson
Sat, Nov 21 -
Cumberland Trail Rock Creek
Segment, 5-9 miles,
moderate, leader Esther Nunley (joint with
Hiwassee Hiking Club)
Sat, Nov 21 - BMTA TN/NC Worktrip,
leader Rick Harris (www.bmta.org)
Sat, Nov 28 - Linda Davis Memorial Chattanooga River Walk, 8 miles, easy, leader
Belinda Mantooth,
423-338-6417. We will eat lunch at the Boat House Restaurant along the trail
after the trip.
Sun, Nov 29 - Unicoi Turnpike, 3 miles, easy, leader Marc Bernatti,
423-261-2573
Sat, Dec 5 - Tremont Loop Hike to
Metcalf Bottoms, 9.2 miles, moderate, leader Randy Morris
Fri, Dec
11 - Monthly Club Meeting and Christmas Party,
6:30 PM, Antonio's Restaurant in Cleveland
Sat, Dec 19 - BMTA TN/NC Worktrip,
leader Rick Harris (www.bmta.org)