Category: News

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ATC Family Hiking Day – Saturday, Sept 26, 2015

AT – Indian Grave Gap to Beauty Spot

Leader: Mike Watts, 423-963-1593
Rating: Moderate per TEHCC, Moderate-to-strenuous per ATC for 4.6 m round trip, 1000’ elevation gain

This Saturday event is planned to participate in the ATC’s Family Hiking Day.  Beauty Spot is a natural grassy bald (4,437’) with excellent views of the Roan and Black Mountains. The overlook was recently improved by the Cherokee National Forest Hotshots (June newsletter) who removed some of the trees which had grown up over the years. Let’s leave Colonial Heights, TN at 9am to meet at Indian Grave Gap around 10am. Bring plenty of water, comfortable footwear, appropriate clothing/sun protection, and lunch. The hike itself will take roughly three and half hours depending on how much lunch/sightseeing time is desired on the bald. For further information, check the trail wiki or call the hike leader.

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F/B: Bays Mountain Park – Lake Road/Chinquapin Trail, Sunday, August 23, 2015

For Second Class rank, a Boy Scout is to use a map and compass to take a five mile hike. Bays Mtn Park offers a good location as the topo map can also be oriented with the lake and surrounding ridges. The needed distance is readily covered by following Lake Road with a side diversion on the Chinquapin Trail.  This hike is good for those who want to learn how to use a directional compass and interpret topological maps – and is open to club members or scouts from any troop. Departure time from Colonial Heights is 1:30PM from a different location of the Presbyterian Church or just meet at the park dam by 2PM.  Entrance fee for Bays Mtn Park is $4 per car, although the Scout Expo coupon is still good until the end of August. Bring plenty of water, comfortable footwear, appropriate clothing/sun protection, and your own compass, if desired. The hike will take around three hours depending on how much instruction time along the way. We’ll also be on the lookout for signs of different animals and observing native plants, which are other rank requirements. For further information, please call/e-mail the hike leader.

Contact: Vic Hasler (423-239-0388)

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Fun Fest Moonlight Hike – Call For Volunteers

Scheduled for Thursday, July 16, 2015

TEHCC will once again co-sponsor the Kingsport Fun Fest Moonlight Hike at Bays Mountain Park on Thursday, July 16th.  The hike traverses 2.5 miles around the lake.  We need at least twelve volunteers to help ensure the walkers stay on the right path at assigned intersections.  Bonus is that you don’t have to have one of the 350 “golden” FunFest tickets for the event!  If you are interested in assisting with this event or have any questions, please contact William Werner (423-408-4469).

More details will be later provided to the actual volunteers, including when/where to meet and what to bring.

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For the Record – Spring Wildflower Hike, May 9, 2015

Joe DeLoach reporting

For this year’s installment of our annual spring wildflower hike, we chose the Appalachian Trail from Highway 19E to Doll Flats.  Our record of 40 species was found years ago between 19E and the edge of Hump Mountain, and we might have matched that if we’d gone further this year, finding 31 varieties without going beyond Doll Flats.  Showy orchis and fringed phacelia highlighted the lower elevations, moving into erect trilliums and wood anemones in the middle, with early spring trout lilies hanging on at Doll Flats.  The flower of the day was jack in the pulpit; we saw some great specimens and a lot of them in the upper half of the hike.  We also saw evidence of much hard work by dedicated TEHCC volunteers who had cut and peeled locust logs, some quite large, and stakes for Trail rehabilitation with HardCore the following weekend.  Doll Flats makes a great place for a siesta on a warm sunny day.  Joe lost his bet with Kim that we would find more species of flowers than we would see Appalachian Trail thru-hikers, and it wasn’t close.  Next year we’ll shoot for earlier in the spring and the different varieties it brings. Hikers for this outing were Serita Blankenbecler, Phyllis Cairnes, Denise Hardin, Kim Peters, and Joe DeLoach.

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Change of Date for Bluestone River Trip — New Date 6/5-7/2015

Because of tram problems Mt. Creek Lodge will not open until June 5th weekend. If you are holding reservation for May 22nd your reservation will automatically be transferred to June 5th. If you need to cancel and get a refund of your deposit call Pipestem State Park.

The water flow that late in the Spring may not be optimal. The 65 year average flow for that date is about 380 cfs. The minimum flow needed for the trip is about 250 cfs. If the flow on the Bluestone is too low or too high we will plan to do something on the New or Greenbrier River.

For more information call: Terry Dougherty 423-502-5177.

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Bluestone River Trip, 36th Year

What: Bluestone River Trip, 36th Year
When: May 22-24, 2015
Where: Pipestem Resort State Park, Pipestem, WV, United States
Description: The annual Bluestone River Trip (36th Anniversary) is scheduled for May 22-24, 2015. We will stay at the beautiful Pipestem State Park (Mountain Creek Lodge). Our trip leader has reserved a block of rooms, please call 800-CALL-WVA FREE (ask for Pipestem State Park / Mountain Creek Lodge) and reserve your room for Friday and Saturday. To secure one of the clubs block rooms, reservations must be made by May 8. We plan to paddle the scenic Bluestone River both days. This is a Class III trip the first day and Class I the second day. You can skip the second day, if you like. Other options include family camping at the state park campground and/or driving up on Saturday morning. This is a GREAT trip with a lot of family fun, scenic river and very nice lodging. In addition to the paddling, Ed Montgomery will once again be in charge of HAPPY HOUR and libation coordination on Saturday night and is going to make this one special. Please contact the trip leader (Terry Dougherty, 423-502-5177) if you are planning to attend the trip.

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The Search for Wild Ponies of Grayson Highlands

Event Date: October 9, 2014

Garry S. Luttrell, reporting

Our son Billy, his wife Joy, and seven kids, are becoming missionaries, serving the Caribbean Ministries Association of Chattanooga. They have heard me talk about Grayson Highlands and the ponies. They decided to add seeing the ponies to their “Bucket List” of things to do before they leave the country. The original plan was to leave Joy and the three youngest at our house; but at the last minute, they decided that everyone would go, even 10 month old Zeke. And, it was a good decision: the Fall colors were great, it was a lovely day, we saw lots of ponies, as seen in the photos. As we were driving on HW 58 back to Tennessee, we noticed a black cloud in the western sky. We were told that the only gas station for miles around in any direction was at Whitetop Mtn, but before we could pump enough gas to make it home, the sky opened-up, and you guessed it – it rained by the buckets full. On the next day, the rain, forced us to postpone the next “Bucket List” item: Canoeing on Warrior’s Path Lake.

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Trip Report – Keokee Lake Loop Trail

Reporting: Terry Dougherty
Trip Date: September 21, 2014

We started our four mile hike on the eastern side of the lake in very light rain.
The trail was in poor condition with lots of over growth, 15 or more blow downs,
many foot log bridges rotted out, but the trail tread was good. There were very
limited views of the lake from that side. After 3 mi. of borderline bushwhacking we
came to the dam with very nice views of the lake. The trail was well marked, but the last serious maintenance was probably ten or more years ago for that side of the lake.
The mile of trail from the dam back to the starting point on the western side was in very good condition with nice views of the lake. A few ducks was the only wildlife we saw.
This area is isolated and if one wanted to hike without seeing anyone this might
be a good place. Hikers were Mary Tennant ,Thresa and Terry Dougherty.