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

Contents


• Next Two Months at a Glance
• 1996 Anniversary Section Hikes
• The 50th Anniversary T-Shirts Are Here
• TEHC Third Saturday Maintenance
• Hiking
• Backwoods Clinic Series
• For The Record
• Upcoming Events
• Call For Volunteers

NEXT TWO MONTHS

1996 ANNIVERSARY SECTION HIKES

Steve Wilson Reporting:
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of our hiking club, a series of hikes has been organized to cover the 126 miles of Appalachian Trail which TEHCC maintains.  Several individuals have expressed an interest in learning more about the various sections of the local A.T. and/or hiking all 126 miles during the 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.  Several hikes will be repeated and make-up hikes can be scheduled as needed.  These can be a group hike listed in the newsletter or several people who get together for a spur-of-the-minute hike.  Individuals who hike all 126 miles of our section will receive an award at the club's fall dinner meeting.  Save the form and fill it in as you hike each section.  The hike leader will be responsible for turning in a trip report on each hike.  If you have any questions about this report please contact the newsletter editor.  The hike leader should send this report to the newsletter editor who will keep a record of each hiker and which sections they have completed.

Goals:

• The anniversary hikes will promote our section of the A.T.
• Allow club members to learn about the various sections.
• Increase awareness of the importance of trail maintenance.

Guidelines:

• Individuals must hike all 125 miles during the 1996 calendar year, and submit a trip report for each hike.
• Participation must be recorded in the club's newsletter.

Award:

• An enhanced 50th anniversary tee shirt

THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY T-SHIRTS ARE HERE
They come in three colors and two different styles (crew neck and three button henley) and also in short and long sleeve. We've taken our Club patch, enlarged it about four times and put it on the back. A 50th Anniversary logo is on the left sleeve and our name is on the left front. The shirts are heavy duty and either preshrunk or a cotton/poly blend. The natural is an unbleached cotton. The shirts will be available at the Winter Dinner Meeting, March 3, 1996, or by mail.
Mail to: Ted Malone, 117 Lakeside Drive, Gray, Tennessee 37615

_____WHITE  _____MEDIUM  _____GRAY  _____NATURAL
___short sleeve: or ___long sleeve: ___medium ___large ___extra-large
___henley short: or ___henley long: ___medium ___large ___extra-large
_____short sleeves at $10 each =       $___________ 
_____long sleeves at $12 each  =       $___________ 
_____henley short sleeve at $14 each = $___________
_____henley long sleeve at $16 each  = $___________
     Postage is $1.00 per shirt =      $___________
     $TOTAL =                          $___________
Make checks payable to TEHCC

Your Name: __________________________________________________________

Address:   __________________________________________________________
 
_____________________________________________________________________

Home Phone Number: _____ / __________________________________________

TEHC THIRD SATURDAY MAINTENANCE

Trail Maintenance Targeted For The Next Few Months
Leaders: Ted Malone and Ed Oliver
Our March Third Saturday (the 16th) will be dedicated to blowdowns. April (the 20th) could see more blowdown removal and/or we will finish the renovations on the Yellow Mountain Barn. It would be good if we could have the log bridges on Jones Branch installed before the hikers come thru in May. After May we should be able to relax a little but we need volunteers to help with these projects, in fact we really need two crews. One crew could concentrate on blowdowns and one to work on the barn and bridges. A chainsaw crew could rack up some miles that would count toward the Anniversary Hike. We also need a good leader for this crew, the position is open. As always these dates depend upon the weather.

HIKING

A.T. - Devils Fork Gap to Sams Gap
Leader: Emmett Dougherty
Scheduled for Saturday, March 2, 1996
Rating: Difficult
This 8.2 mile hike will cover the section of the A.T. from Devils Fork Gap to Sams Gap. This winter hike should have some rewarding views. There are several steep grades on this section. We plan to meet at Burger King in Colonial Heights for a 6 AM departure. Please call the hike leader for more information or if you plan to go.

A.T. Hike #1, McQueens Gap to Damascus
Leader: Steve Banks
Scheduled for Saturday, March 9,1996
Difficulty: Moderate
This is the first in a series of hikes during 1996, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club!! Those who complete the entire series of hikes will receive special recognition from the Club! We will start at McQueens Gap, and head north along the A.T., at first on the ridge top of Holston Mountain, on fairly level trail, and then we'll make a long gentle descent into Damascus, "the friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail". The total distance is about 11 miles. Let's meet at the Colonial Heights Burger King, for an 8:00 AM departure. Bring water, lunch, and clothing appropriate for the weather. For more information, contact Steve Banks.

A.T. Hike #2, McQueens Gap to Cross Mountain at Tenn. 91
Leader: Collins Chew
Scheduled March 23, 1996
This is the second in the series of hikes to cover the section of the Appalachian Trail maintained by the TEHCC and is part of the 50th anniversary celebration. This is a 10.3 mile section with relatively level trail and perhaps a total of only 1500 feet of climbing. It covers a long section of Holston Mountain and turns near the Double Spring Shelter to reach Tenn. 91 on Cross Mountain. We may find some early wildflowers. Bring lunch, water, and appropriate clothing for the anticipated weather which can be quite severe at this time of year. Meet between McDonalds and Burger King in Colonial Heights at 8:00 AM. Round trip drive is about 120 miles. Call Collins Chew at 239-6237 for more information.

A.T. - Sams Gap to Spivey Gap
Leader: Emmett Dougherty
Scheduled for Saturday, April 20, 1996
Rating: Difficult
This 12.7 mile hike on the A.T. will start at Sams Gap. We will hike up to Big Bald (5,516 feet). The summit of Big Bald offers a spectacular view. This hike is rated difficult because of the steep climbing and the length. Bring lunch and wear clothing appropriate for the weather. Meet at Burger King in Colonial Heights for a 6AM departure. Please call the hike leader for more information or if you plan to go.

BACKWOODS CLINIC SERIES

by Mahoney's Outfitters. The clinics are usually held on a Monday or Tuesday night at 7:30PM in the store. Each part of this series provides reading materials and some provide samples, all you need to do is sign up. Space is limited and each clinic is offered according to demand and teacher availability. All clinics are free of charge. For more information on clinics or to register call Mahoney's or stop by their store in The Peerless Center at 2513 North Roan Street in Johnson City.
Upcoming Clinics are:
From a Day Hike to a Thru Hike: Tuesday, March 12, 1996. A clinic to help you prepare for a trip on the A.T. from Georgia to Maine, or any distance in between. Instructor Dave "Mookie" Watson, 92 thru hiker. Scheduled: 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Women in the Wilderness: Tuesday, March 26, 1996. A program for women who want to get involved in the wilderness. The clinic will address the special needs and issues that will help you feel more comfortable in an outdoor setting. This is a women's only clinic. Instructor Dixie "Snapshot" Hoilman. Scheduled: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM.
Backpacking 101: Tuesday, April 2, 1996. For anyone who wants to log a few miles in the back country, this clinic is designed to outfit you with the knowledge you need. The clinic will focus on gear and general know-how, including some inside tips on saving weight, time, and money. Instructor Becky Walker. Scheduled 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM.
Camp Cooking: Tuesday, April 16, 1996. This clinic provides information on the joys of cooking, including food dehydration. You will leave this clinic ready to start saving money, eating healthier and making your time in the woods more delicious. Instructor Dixie Hoilman. Scheduled 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM.
Family Adventure, Family Camping: Tuesday, April 23, 1996. This clinic will prepare you to take the whole family camping. This clinic will cover information on equipment, clothing, and also teach you some tips/tools you can use to get the family more involved in the outdoor experience. Instructor Becky Walker. Scheduled 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM.

FOR THE RECORD

Mt Rogers Backpacking Trip
January 20-21, 1996
Gether Irick, Reporting For Trip Leader: Dewey Fuller
Total Hiking Distance: 9 Miles
Number Participating: 5
On January 20-21, we did the annual TEHC winter backpacking trip - this year to Mt Rogers/Grayson Highlands. The group split up and hiked in to the new shelter near Rhododendron Gap from Massie Gap and from Elk Garden. There was deep snow only in sheltered places, but the exposed ridges were covered with ice and frozen ground - many falls, but no serious injuries. Daytime views were spectacular and the moonless, night sky was so clear that it was not easy to pick out the constellations.
We fed corn to the "wild" ponies and to the mice: the latter stayed out of our packs, but shredded any paper within reach. Temperature bottomed out at +10-15 with about 15 MPH wind...brisk! Enjoying this cool weather experience was: Don Baker, Dewey Fuller, Owen Holbrook, Gether Irick and Eric Middlemas.

Bear Tree Gap to Damascus, Va on the A.T.
January 27, 1996
Collins Chew Reporting
The day was beautiful for the 11 mile hike on the A.T. with cool, sometime breezy weather under mostly clear skies. The early overcast made the surrounding mountains appear big, black, and ominous. The sky quickly cleared, but later held small, white clouds. Views were great through the leafless trees. Taylor's Valley was particularly appealing from our mountain viewpoint.

The immediately preceding heavy rains made Whitetop Laurel Creek a raging torrent with large standing waves. I saw it a month ago as a quiet, stream idly flowing below ice which extended from the banks halfway to the middle. All streams which could pose problem crossings had bridges, and with modest difficulty, we kept our feet dry.

A few springs had become pressurized with small fountains (2 inches) bubbling above the flat water surface at their mouth. About a dozen people who planned to come were apparently scared off by the heavy rains, floods and weather reports of the previous day. That was a shame as the day was about as good as it gets for hiking. Hikers were Don Kreh and Collins Chew.

UPCOMING EVENTS

A.T. - Spivey Gap to Damascus
Leader: Emmett Dougherty
(Scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 1996 through Saturday, May 11, 1996)
Rating: Difficult
I am planning a backpacking hike covering TEHCC's section of the A.T. to celebrate our 50th Anniversary. I plan on starting at Spivey Gap and reaching Damascus in time for A.T. days on May 11, 1996. Anyone interested please contact Emmitt Dougherty for more details.

A.T. Dayhikes, Gettysburg Area
(Scheduled for May 23-27, 1996)
Leader: Kevin Edgar
Rated Difficult
The Appalachian Trail in southern Pennsylvania is scenic and varied, including several state parks, the beautiful Pennsylvania farm country, and passing through the pretty village of Boiling Springs. The battlefields of Gettysburg will be nearby throughout most of our hikes.

We will hike the A.T. from the Maryland border to the crossing of U.S. 11, near Carlisle, in four or five day hikes. The elevation change is not great in this area, but at least two of the day hikes will be greater than 15 miles in length. We plan to stay in country inns or bed-and-breakfasts. We should enjoy some great hiking, and those who are so inclined will have the opportunity to do some sightseeing before, during, or after the hikes at one of the nation's most important historic sites. Please contact the leader by March 15 if you're interested in joining in. We will need to make reservations early for this holiday weekend.

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

A NEW TRAIL FOR THE NEW SOUTHVIEW COMMUNITY PARK
Contact: Garry S. Luttrell
The Sullivan South Area Community Chest contacted TEHCC asking for help in flagging, designing, and construction of a hiking trail in the wooded portion of the 15 acres of property they plan to develop as a community park. The property is located near the intersection of Rock Springs Road and Moreland Drive. The finished trail should be less than half a mile in length, and the work should be less demanding than some of our sections of the A.T. that have lots of roots and rocks. The Steering Committee does not want this work to interfere with our higher priority A.T. work. A "Colonial Heights Trail Team", independent of TEHCC, needs to be formed to oversee this work. It is suggested that this work be planned for after normal work hours on weeknights such as "Trail Tuesdays". Several successful A.T. projects, such as the relocation above Watauga Dam Road, have been worked on afterhours during the work week with good results. If you are interested in being a part of this team contact me. If you can only put a few hours a month into this work, consider helping out. Also, if you are interested in being the Team Leader, organizer, and primary liaison with the SS Community Chest, let me know that too. This group will flag and design the trail shortly, and the support the "Colonial Heights Trail Team" provides to the Sullivan South Area Community Chest will depend on the response for a volunteer base.