1996 CELEBRATING TENNESSEE EASTMAN HIKING & CANOEING CLUBS 50th ANNIVERSARY
JANUARY
THE TENNESSEE EASTMAN
HIKING & PADDLING NEWS

Contents


• Next Two Months at a Glance
• Hiking
• Paddling
• For The Record
• Upcoming Events

NEXT TWO MONTHS

1996-1997 Members elected to TEHCC steering committee are Kathy Hall, Ted Malone, and Steve Wilson.

HIKING

TEHCC January Maintenance Project
Scheduled: A Saturday in Jan., 1996
Leader: Ted Malone
We hope to build two log bridges on Jones Branch above the Nolichucky Expeditions pending final approval of design from the Forest Service. Lack of approval is the reason for the missing work date. These are really fun projects to do in that they do not require a massive undertaking and they provide a lot of convenience and safety for the hikers that use them. We'll need a good team to help carry the decking in and move the logs to the site and put them in place. If this project is a no go we have an alternate (as always). Call if you can make it.

Mount Rogers Area Backpack: Jan. 20-21, 1996
Difficulty rating = M
January in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area usually means snow and spectacular 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains and fields. Some years the snow is measured in feet instead of inches so getting in (and out) can take time and lots of effort. We will stay at the Thomas Knob shelter located about 1/2 mile from the summit of Mount Rogers. The hike in is about 2 miles from the Massie Gap parking area and about 4 miles from Elk Garden Gap. Road condition will dictate which of these starting points will be used. Contact Dewey Fuller for details.

A.T. between U.S. 58 and Damascus, Virginia
Leader - Collins Chew, January 27,1996
Here is an opportunity for an easy, low-level winter stroll to enjoy views through leafless trees without having to drive to high elevation with its normally icy roads. This will also be an early start on the EASTMAN Section Hike-through by doing the next section North of the EASTMAN Section. We will leave a car at Damascus, Virginia and drive to the next crossing of the A.T. at U.S. 58. We will then hike back to our car after walking 4.6 miles on the A.T. and climbing (and descending) about 1,000 feet along Iron Mountain.  If you want more than that, we can then either walk the final mile on the A.T. along the Creeper Trail into Damascus or drive past the place we left our car at U.S. 58 and start another 6 mile hike from Bear Tree Gap, returning to the car originally left at U.S. 58. This choice insures that those wanting a short hike will not have to do more but allows more for those wishing a longer hike if the weather is nice. Trip will be cancelled if the roads are snow-covered or icy. Bring lunch, water, and adequate clothing for possibly severe weather. Highest points are between 3,000 and 3,500 feet. Round trip drive is about 120 miles; hike about 5 miles (or 11 only if you wish). The short hike has a climb of about 1,000 feet while the total for the longer hike is about 2,000 feet. Those desiring the short hike may leave for home on arriving at their cars near Damascus. Meet between the Burger King and McDonalds in Colonial Heights at 8:00 AM on Saturday, January 27. Call Collins Chew for more information.

PADDLING

Leader's Choice (Scheduled Jan. 6)
Leader: Mike Morrow
Rating II-III
Please contact the trip leader for details.

Watauga Gorge or Doe Gorge Jan. 13 & Feb. 17, 1996
Leader: Dewey Fuller
Class IV-V
Monsoon season in the Southern Appalachians should be in full swing January and February and there should be plenty of water for a run on one of our smaller steep creeks like the Watauga or the Doe. If water levels are not right for one of these, we will make an alternate run of equal or lesser difficulty.

Leader's Choice (Scheduled: Sat, 20 Jan 96)
Leader: Bob Tonnies
Rating: II-III
Depending on the weather and precipitation, we'll be looking at something like the French Broad, the lower Nolichucky or the Toe. I'll have to dust off my paddle and boat; since Jackson made his appearance this past summer, I haven't been getting as much river time. Please contact the trip leader for details.

For the Record

Dec. 2 and 3, 1995 Hike to Thomas Knob Shelter: South Beyond 6000 - Luftee Knob, Big Cataloochee, or Something
Garry Luttrell Reporting:
This turned out to be the "or something". If you will remember, the weekend of Dec. 2, 3, was the weekend that the temperature was in the 60s, there was a clear blue sky both days, and just a great weekend to spend at mile high Thomas Knob Shelter, next to Mt. Rogers. With a mid-day departure from Kingsport, the shortest route from Massie Gap was selected for Saturday, going on the A.T. to the base of Wilburn Ridge, then following the horse trail to shortcut to Rhododendron Gap, then shortcutting again to tie into the A.T. onto Thomas Knob. The return route on Sunday was across Wilburn Ridge. On Saturday night, it was a stargazer's delight, especially after the 3/4 moon set at about 4 am. One topic of discussion under the almost full moon was wolves. We were rehashing some hiking tales, and one thing I mentioned was that I was thinking about leading a backpack trip to Isle Royale in Lake Superior some time in '96. It just so happened that one fellow in the shelter, Bob Myers (who earlier couldn't find the shelter, and I led him; therefore, I will count him as participating on my club hike), was involved with restoration of the last 21 remaining Lobo Wolves at Cane, Pa, and the transport of them to, where else...Isle Royale, to avoid extinction of the species. Some of the facts he told: A large dog might have a jaw clamp force of 400 lb/sq in. whereas a Lobo Wolf's is 1600 lb/sq in. When two male wolves fight they start shoulder to shoulder and the one that eats the other is the winner. When they chase a large animal for a kill, they take turns on chasing it until it drops. They will stare eyeball to eyeball with the exhausted prey for a while, then rip open the belly and eat it from inside to out...to stay warm. Do I really want to go to Isle Royale? The other resident of the shelter that night was Roy Wade, a through hiker, who had started in Ga. in April, made it to Mt. Katahdin, and was hiking back to Ga. and he was loving it. He mentioned that Shaw, who runs the Hiker Boarding House in Monson, Maine, just prior to the 100 mi. of wilderness, has some competition now, and even though his health is declining, he remains the crusty, foul-mouthed, storyteller that I remember from a few years ago. Roy is from Ga. and Bob is from Raleigh, N.C. and they had prearranged to meet at Thomas Knob shelter. I told them about the TEHCC and they were interested in paying the $4 for the outside mail list. Bob plans to send me his address. As I walked back down to Massie Gap by the wild ponies, I thought about how close I came to staying home by the TV, and watching the Fla. - Ark. game. Which activity would have been more interesting and rewarding, watching the SEC game, or spending the evening on Thomas Knob? I was hiking alone, but count two new friends Bob Myers and Roy Wade as fellow hikers on this trip.

Eleventh Edition Of "Appalachian Trail Guide to Tennessee-North Carolina" Garry S. Luttrell reporting:
I just got my copy of the new trail guide in the mail the other day and it really looks good.  You will like the new maps, with the new format for the profiles.  Thanks, Kevin Edgar, Field Editor; Steve Banks, TEHCC Guidebook Compiler; Collins Chew; Ray Hunt; Darrol Nickels; Morgan Sommerville, ATC; and Pete Irvine, USFS, for such an outstanding job.  It's something the TEHCC, CMC, SMC, and the entire ATC can be very proud to own and use.  If you remember back in 1993 and 1994, I had a very short term of service as the Field Editor, and I put an article in the Newsletter asking for stories, tales, ghost stories, history, etc. related to the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina, that we could use in the next edition of the A.T. Guide.  Many of you responded, and much of what you provided shows up throughout the 11th edition.  Thanks for your input, and if you want to continue sending stuff, you can send it to me, or Kevin; I am sure he will be glad to get it.  A special thanks to Robert M. (Bob) Harvey of Florissant, Missouri, who sent lots of good information.  He also sent me a copy of some bluegrass music by Herb Winters and the Walker Mountain Boys, including one song, "The Mystery in the Big Holston Mountain", which talks about a load of lost gold on the mountain.  If you want to listen to it sometime, to attempt to figure out where it is, let me know.  If you find it, we'll split it 50 / 50.  Bob's tape renewed my love of bluegrass music, and I now have several selections.

UPCOMING EVENTS

TEHCC Annual Maint. Dinner Meeting
Sat, Feb 10, 1996 Leader: Ted Malone
The Maintainers dinner meeting will again be held at the Eastman Cabin with dinner starting at 5:00. Look for more info in the Feb TEHCC News issue.

Winter Dinner Meeting, Sunday March 3, 1996
Garry Luttrell reporting
Please note that the Winter Dinner Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, March 3, 1996, and make your plans now to attend. The program plans are coming together; We had one planning meeting in December, and the second meeting is scheduled for Thursday night, Jan. 11, 7pm, at Eastman Employee Center. If you have some interesting stories, experiences, or have some old hiking or canoeing gear for the old-fashion display, etc. to share at the Dinner Meeting, come to the 2nd planning meeting, or contact Collins Chew or me. Our vendor displayer for the Dinner Meeting is Mike Brown of Trail Sports, Ltd/Mike's Shoe Repair on Fort Henry Drive. In addition to carrying the better name brand hiking boots, Mike also handles some Factory Remanufactured boots...a good idea for someone just getting started in hiking to get a quality pair of boots at a reduced cost.

Rental Equipment Auction
Garry Luttrell reporting
We also plan at the Winter Dinner Meeting to auction some of the rental equipment that is not frequently used, may currently need repair work, or has been repaired several times. The first group of items to be auctioned is listed below to give you an opportunity to come by B-89 to examine if you wish. You can send in an envelope with a bid for an item by mailing it to David Allen, 287 Lakeview Circle, Kingsport, Tenn. 37663. On the outside of the envelope, write the rental equipment item no. you are bidding for, such as HT-2. The bids will be opened at the Dinner Meeting and the highest bid received for each item will be the opening bid. If no further bids are received from the floor, the item is sold. Items so far:
HT-10, 2P Eureka Timberline Tent currently has a broken zipper - Minimum bid: $15
HT-2, 4P Eureka Timberline Tent has had zipper problems in the past, but repaired. Small holes in floor patched with tent repair tape - Minimum bid: $25
HT-13, 4P Eureka DomeTent has had some holes in floor repaired with tent repair tape - Minimum bid: $25
HT-1, 4P Eureka Dome Tent, small holes in floor, and has had problems in the past with zippers, but repaired - Minimum bid: $25
HT-9, 2P Eureka Timberline Tent, has had zipper problems in the past, but repaired. Not being used - Minimum bid: $25
HB-22, Medium Kelty Tioga, women's turquoise backpack. Not being used. Minimum bid: $25
HB-20, X-small Kelty Child's Pack, red, not being used - Minimum bid: $10
HB-25, Camp Trails Astral, not being used - Minimum bid: $20
HB-15, Lowe Backpacker, Internal Frame, Navy, not being used - Minimum Bid: $30

Anniversary Hikes
Steve Wilson Reporting:
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the hiking club, a series of hikes have been organized to cover the 126 miles of Appalachian Trail which the club maintains. Several individuals have expressed an interest in learning more about the various section of the local A.T. and/or hiking all 126 miles during a year, so this series of hikes will allow an organized effort towards these goals. Everyone is welcome to participate in any or all of the anniversary hikes. The hikes are planned for the second and fourth Saturday of each month starting in March and will cover approximately 10 miles per outing. We will begin at the north end of our section at Damascus and work southward to Spivey Gap over the course of 8 months and 15 day hikes. The details of each hike will be decided by the trip leader. Individuals who hike all 126 miles of our section will be recognized at the club's fall dinner meeting. See the upcoming schedule for more details.