Our Forests are in Danger---Take ACTION!!
by Marcia Bromberg
The Forest Service is planning to curtail public comment. Under the guise of acting more quickly, and responding to climate change and natural disasters, they are planning to be able to cut large tracks of forest land without advance warning and without accepting public comment. Sam Evans of the Southern Environmental Law Center has summarized the basic issue, which is to change the rules of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA):
The Forest Service is proposing to eliminate public participation and science-based analysis for nearly every decision affecting national forests, from timber sales to road construction to pipeline rights of way.
The Forest Service is required by law to take public comments on this proposal, but if we don't speak up now, it could be our last chance. If the proposal moves forward, the public won't receive notice or a chance to object to specific projects in the future.
Comments are due August 12.
The address for sending comments is www.OurForestsOurVoice.org through our friends at the Southern Environmental Law Center. Start your comments with your personal experiences with our forests.
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Horizons Kids take on a CMC Youth Partner Challenge
On Wednesday, July 10th, I watched as three busloads of kids pulled into Hooker Falls parking lot at DuPont. CMC member Bev McDowell was driving one of the buses. Twenty-eight kids, six volunteer teens, and five teachers all piled out of the buses in three organized groups.
Earlier in the year, Bev asked me if I would lead a hike for Horizons kids. "Sure", I thought, not knowing anything about Horizons, but I love the idea of CMC getting kids on the trail.
If you would like to be involved in CMC's Youth Partner Challenge and want to learn more, check out our website under Challenge or contact Jan Onan.
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Hike the MST on September 7th or 8th
by Marcia Bromberg
Help celebrate the Mountains-to-Sea Trail's 42nd birthday with a weekend of hikes. There are several ways to participate this year. Thirty-three guided hikes are scheduled in 27 trail towns across the state over the weekend of September 7th-8th. A 42-Mile Challenge is set on the trail near Blowing Rock - hike 42 miles in 2 days, and raise funds to support the MST. Or hike on your own, anywhere on the MST anytime over the weekend, and report back by sharing your experience with us here:
I'm leading a hike along the Shut-In portion of the MST, and there are other opportunities nearby (Cherokee, Marion, Blowing Rock and Deep Gap) or plan a weekend exploring somewhere new on the trail. And if you can't hike, make sure you raise your glass to the amazing hiking trail!
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Solicitation for Nominations
2019 CMC Awards
by Barbara Morgan
Each year, CMC formally makes two very special awards - the Award of Appreciation and the Distinguished Service Award, with primary presentation at the Club's Annual Meeting. To find out more about these awards and to see who has received them since 2000, please go to our homepage (Carolinamountainclub.org) and click on About Us at the top of the page. From the drop down, choose Service Awards. As you click on the blue links to the two awards, you'll see a brief description of the reasoning for each, along with past recipients.
Think about the exemplary work of CMC members who should be considered for one of these awards - either the Award of Appreciation for actions during the past year or the Distinguished Service Award for actions that have consistently contributed to the Club at a high level for an extended period of time, typically ten years or longer or truly outstanding contributions over a shorter period of time.
As Past President, I'll be chairing the committee that decides who gets these awards this year, and it will be made up of several Council members and several members-at-large. If you know of someone you'd like to nominate, please send me their name, what award you're nominating them for, and a brief description of why you think they should be considered for the award. Email it to me at [email protected] or mail it to me, Barbara Morgan, at 65 Dillingham Rd, Asheville, NC 28805 no later than August 19.
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CMC maintainer Shawn Riley has been named the Volunteer
of the Month for July for the whole Appalachian Trail by the
Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
by Kathy Kyle
Shawn Riley has been a volunteer for the Carolina Mountain Club (CMC) since 2014 and brings extensive trail maintenance experience from his time volunteering on trails in
Florida. He currently maintains a 2.3 mile section of the A.T. from Round Knob Springs Rd. to Big Butt, which includes a shelter and a privy. Riley must climb a steep two-mile section of the Trail in order to get to his section. This is the kind of work that Riley enjoys.
After joining the CMC as a trail maintainer, Riley took it upon himself to hike the entire 93 miles that the club maintains with a GPS in hand. While the hike would be a pleasure for most, and certainly for the dedicated Riley, he then spent hours on a computer using GIS software to help improve the clubs existing data of the Trail's location.
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Pete Ripmaster To Speak on August 19
by Randy Fluharty
Next up in our Speaker Series! We've got local Asheville legend, Pete Ripmaster, joining us. Pete's story includes a 1000-mile journey (by foot) across the Alaskan wilderness, -50F temperatures, a brush with death, howling wolves, unrelenting determination, and a first-place finish at the 2018 Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI) in the Foot 1000 category.
Meet us on Monday, August 19 from 6:30 - 8:00, for an evening of stories and Q&A with Pete at 821 Riverside Dr. #179 across from the Astral office. Enter the alley at Entrance B and park in the back lot. Free to attend! Cold beverages provided.
Big thanks to Dewey Property Advisors for allowing us to host this event in their space! And a big thanks to our members Jennifer Pharr Davis and Brew Davis for developing and coordinating this Speaker Series!
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Keep Those Photos Coming!
by Bobbi Powers
Keep your
WITS about you whenever you are out in nature.
W = waterfalls,
I = insects,
T = trees,
S = stones
Entertain us at the Annual dinner with your WITty takes on these aspects of Mother Nature.
Please send up to 6 photos to [email protected] Your name on your photo will be your reward for helping to enliven the pre-dinner social hour.
Thanks!
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Wednesday Hike Leaders Needed
The Hiking Committee is sorry to hear that Bob Poe will no longer be leading the alternate, easy to moderate Wednesday hikes. His contribution over the last several months has been greatly appreciated.
These hikes have been very popular so we wish to continue them. Beginning with the 4th quarter, hike leaders will be requested to lead easy to moderate Wednesday hikes. The hike leader will have the option to begin the hike at any time as is now done on Sunday half-day hikes. Look for the request for hike leaders in your e-mail the first of this month.
Brenda Worley
Councilor for Hiking
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Facebook for CMC
by Danny Bernstein
CMC has had a Facebook page for years.
Along the way, we've attracted thousands of followers, including many nonmembers who are interested in following our hiking and trail maintenance events.
Our Facebook page, managed by the CMC Communications Committee, has featured pictures and comments from hikes, Youth Partnership activities, and trail work details.
But not all members choose to join Facebook, even though it's free and easy. For those who are not on Facebook, you can still see our CMC page. Just go directly to the CMC FB page, using this web address:
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Service Dogs on CMC Hikes
by Randy Fluharty
There have been some questions raised about allowing service dogs on CMC hikes. As most of you know, our policy is that pets are not permitted on CMC hikes. The Council has had numerous discussions about this and has concluded that this is the best policy decision for the club as a whole.
However, service dogs are not considered pets. Federal and state law requires that service dogs be allowed to accompany their owners in any public area. Being a 501c(3), CMC is required to abide by this law. So, how do we allow service dogs on hikes with the minimum of disruption to our hike?
- Service dogs must be on a leash at all times and under the control of their owners.
- Service dogs must be well behaved and not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others.
- If the above conditions are not met, we can refuse to allow the service dog on our hikes.
- We cannot require proof that the dog is a service dog. There is no certification process for service dogs.
- We can ask the owner two questions: 1) Is the service dog needed because of a disability, and 2) What services or duties is the service dog trained to perform for the owner. We cannot ask what disability the owner has.
- Service dogs can be used for both physical and emotional disabilities.
Now, all that being said, I will say that our one experience with a service dog was very positive. The owner and her dog were great additions to the Wednesday hikers group. We did have one regular hiker who was afraid of dogs and would not hike with us when the dog was present. This was unfortunate, but the law required us to allow the dog to accompany his owner. The person who had a fear of dogs was gracious and understood our situation. Most of us were rather sad when the dog and his owner moved away a few months later.
Carolina Mountain Club is a very welcoming organization. It is my hope that with the above information we can welcome service dogs and their owners and have as positive experience as the Wednesday hikers did with our previous situation.
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