April 2008		www.tehcc.org

For an explanation of the ratings, see either Hiking Schedule or Paddling Schedule.

Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club
Spring Dinner Meeting
Saturday April 19, 2008

Spring time is almost here, Spring fever is in the air and it is time for our annual TEHCC Spring Dinner meeting. We would like to extend an invitation to our club members and affiliates to join us at this special meeting. This year we will have a unique waterfall photos slide show running during our Happy “Trails” Hour. This will be followed by our meal which will be again catered by the Troutdale Dining Room – one of the finest restaurants in the Tri-Cities. We will conclude with an update on club initiatives, awards and a special program.

Our special program will focus on the nearby Rocky Fork tract and its potential acquisition. The Rocky Fork tract at 10,000 acres is the largest piece of privately owned land in the Southern Appalachians, and its conservation is extremely important for protection of the scenic, biological, and recreational qualities within it, including a long section of the Appalachian Trail in our region.

There is no charge for attending the program only, but if you would like to eat, please submit your reservation for the Troutdale dinner need by 4/15/08 – due along with your taxes!

Click here to open a printable reservation form. Fill out the form and send it with a check made out to Ed Montgomery, via plant mail, Building 284 or to:

Ed Montgomery
2016 Ohio St.
Mt. Carmel, TN 37645

2009 Appalachian Trail Biennial Conference

The next biennial meeting of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy will be held from July 17-24, 2009 at Castleton State College near Rutland, Vermont.  Information on the conference can be found at www.Vermont2009.org.  The Green Mountain Club hosts this conference and is soliciting volunteers to help organize and run the event.  If you're interested in helping, you can contact Jean Anderson, , or Shawn Flanigan at (802) 244-7037.

Volunteers Sought for Unicoi County Mountain Expo
(Scheduled for Friday-Sunday, June 20-22, 2008)

A new event is kicking off this summer, the Unicoi County Mountain Expo, celebrating the scenic and natural qualities, heritage, and culture of our neighboring county. Speakers and activity leaders for the event are being sought, with a desire to have numerous hikes on the Saturday and Sunday along the AT and at other trails within the county.  Hike leaders are being sought to lead the following hikes on Saturday the 21st and Sunday the 22nd:

• Indian Grave Gap to Beauty Spot (up and back)
• Nolichucky River to Temple Hill Gap (up and back)
• Rock Creek Park to Rock Creek Falls (up and back)
• Rock Creek Park to Unaka Overlook via Rattlesnake Ridge Trail (could be up and back or possibly have vehicles waiting at the overlook)
• Spivey Gap to High Rocks (up and back)
• Nolichucky Gorge Overlook via Shinbone Branch Trail from Poplar Rd. on NC side of Indian Grave Gap (out and back)
• Red Fork Falls (out and back)

Reminder to Potential Eastman Chemical Company Retirees

If you plan to retire from Eastman and would like to continue receiving the TEHCC newsletter, please send an e-mail note to with your home e-mail address (if you have e-mail at home) as well as your home street address. We prefer to send the newsletter via e-mail to save us time and money, and so you can receive it (and any late hike notices) in a more timely manner. However, we would also like your street address so we can still reach you if your e-mail address changes. Thanks.

TEHCC Welcomes New Members

New members are eligible for a free dinner at the next Dinner Meeting.

Scheduled Hiking, Paddling and Trail Maintenance Opportunities (Future)

AT Backpack: TN 91 to Damascus, VA, 21.3 Miles, March 28-29, 2008

The group will leave Eastman no later than 2pm on Friday the 28th and drive to Damascus to leave one vehicle. We will then return to TN 91 on Cross Mountain and leave another vehicle. Plans are to hike 3 miles to Double Springs Shelter for the night or further depending on the group. On Saturday the 29th we will hike the rest of the way to Damascus.  We should be home late afternoon/early evening on Saturday.  The hike should be a good tune-up for the spring.

Spring Wildflower Hike - Hampton Creek Cove and the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, April 26, 2008

The rich coves in the Roan Highlands provide some of our best locales for viewing spring wildflowers. A few years ago we counted forty different species in a hike up the AT from 19E to Hump. We have a chance to rival that in this year's hike through the Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area. Although participants may wonder at the outset why a wildflower hike is through a cow pasture, we'll have a little time to enjoy great views of the cove and soon enough will enter the woods. We'll join the newly constructed segment of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail (see the March newsletter for a description) and follow it almost all the way to Yellow Mountain Gap and the AT. Our spring wildflower hikes are done at a leisurely pace and are good options for families and beginning hikers. We'll plan to meet at 8:00 AM on Saturday, April 26, in the parking lot next to McDonald's in Colonial Heights.  A Johnson City meeting point can be arranged on request.  Bring lunch, rain gear, and dress in layers.  Please contact Joe for more information or if you'd like to sign up.

Mount LeConte Lodge (Smoky Mountains) July 12-13, 2008

For the past 25+ years the Hiking Club has organized a summer weekend trip to Mount LeConte Lodge in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  This lodge can only be reached by hiking trail. Supplies are brought in by llama train once a week.  The hiking distance to the lodge is 5.5 to 7.8 miles one-way, depending on the route.  The package price this year is $106 per person which includes supper on Saturday, lodging for the night, and breakfast on Sunday.  We have eight reservations in two four/five-person cabins (double bunk beds!). If you are interested in one or more of these reservations please contact the hike leader for availability.  You can find out more about Mount LeConte Lodge at www.leconte-lodge.com/about.html.

Special Activity and Trip Reports (Past)

Family/Beginner Hike, Holston Lake, February 9, 2008

This was a hike that many people missed. I suppose that’s literally true for every hike, but what I mean is that many were interested but had conflicts or injuries. But for those of us who did go, we enjoyed this pleasant, clear February morning by hiking the trail from just shy of the dam on South Holston Lake, a nearly level old road. As I’ve commented before, hiking with children requires some sort of a ‘draw’: a peak, a waterfall, a tower, - or in this case, the spillway, which I assume is there to protect the dam a few miles away. It’s great fun for the children (not to mention adults), and we discovered that it has great acoustics, providing really nice echoes if you stand near the center of the spillway. That echoing, and the beautiful day, inspired a spirited singing of the first verse of “How Firm a Foundation” (if you are unclear on the connection, read Psalm 19). The trip back provided the second draw: a visit to an island. The low water levels in the lake allowed a visit to an island by a land bridge usually submerged. As we explored the island, stories of buried treasure began circulating amongst the children, if I recall, but in any event none was found. But we still hiked back the richer for having done it, and reached the car before the predicted winds got too fierce. We had definitely enjoyed the most pleasant part of the day. Hiking were Bryan Shackelford giving military orders (or attempting to) to Elizabeth, Daniel, and Joseph Dotson (but the hike commander was their father, Neil).

Bryan Shackelford, Joseph, Daniel and Elizabeth Dotson (l-r) at the spillway

Elizabeth, Daniel, Neil and Joseph Dotson (l-r) on the island

Buffalo Mountain Park, March 1, 2008 

A cloudless blue sky with temperatures heading into the 40's meant a good day for a hike. There was a cold wind from the north, but was only felt on the trail portions along the ridgelines. The group choice was a full circle hike, so up the White Rock trail to overlook, then continuing to the antennas, over on the Fork Ridge trail towards Tip Top, and back down the Fork Knob trail starting trail head. Snow was observed on the distant Mt. Rodgers and Roan Mtn peaks.  Lunch was enjoyed on a saddle in the trail just short of Tip Top where the views were clear to the north and south.  The city will need to get to the several blowdowns once the park is fully open in the spring.  Hiking today were Gordon Strickling, Bill and Penny Dickason, and Vic Hasler.  Hike as taken would be rated B/3/C.

A.T. Section Maintenance and Special Project Reports (Past)

Reporting: Bill Stowell
Date: February 24, 2008
Purpose: Check trail
Location: Section 19, Indian Grave to Curly Maple
People: Bill Stowell
Summary: I hiked from Indian Grave to Curly Maple and cut one blow down between Indian Grave and the Martins Creek Trail.  Everything else was ok.

Reporting: Jim Foster
Date: February 25, 2008
Purpose: Check trail and put new register and bear sign in Clyde Smith Shelter
Location: Section 16a, Hughes Gap to Clyde Smith Shelter
People: Jim Foster, Eric Noblet
Summary: We cut one blowdown on the way to the shelter.  We also dropped off the new register and put up the "do not feed the bears sign." The trail was in good shape, with about 2 inches of snow on Little Rock Knob.

Reporting: Carl Fritz
Date: March 1, 2008
Purpose: Dig trail relocation
Location: Section 12d, Just north of Bear Branch
People: Dave Clark, Bruce Cunningham, Mary Cunningham, Carol Dunham, Dave Dunham, Bill Elderbrock, Carl Fritz, Mike Hupko, Jake Mitchell, Ed Oliver, Brian Paley, Bob Peoples, Kim Peters, Otto, Tim Stewart; ETSU Elizabeth Rand; ASU Matt Parsons, Maddie Kasper, Rebecca Thompson, Steven Lee; CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT Bill Murray, Sergio Navarrett, Patrick Bryant, Eric Curtis, Coleman Lucado, Alex Serban, Rob Dufour, Kip Redick, Caleh Redick
Summary: With the snow just barely gone, we were able to dig 400 feet of trail.  Much of it was fairly technical requiring cribs and side logs. We also picked up a half dozen bags of trash at Buck Mt Road.  Members of the ASU Trail Crew and an ETSU student demonstrated their skill by building a difficult section.  The students and a professor and his son from Christopher Newport really went out of their way to help.  They drove over 7 hours, arrived as late as 1:30 AM, and were up and headed to trail digging by 8 AM. They returned to Newport, VA on Sunday.

Reporting: David Dunham
Date: March 5, 2008
Purpose: Routine maintenance
Location: Section 8, Shook Branch to Watauga Dam Road
People: Carol Dunham, Brian Paley, David Dunham
Summary: We cleared blowdowns, lopped weeds, cleaned the shelter, and cleared trash from the trail and along the road on 321.  The trail is now ready for the first run of through-hikers.

Reporting: Carl Fritz
Date: March 6, 2008
Purpose: Remove small blowdowns and lop
Location: Section 10, Dennis Cove Rd to Laurel Fork Shelter on high and low water trail
People: Lumber
Summary: Hiker Lumber did the Laurel Falls loop; removed small blowdowns and lopped.

Reporting: CB Willis for the Old Timers Hiking Club
Date: March 10, 2008
Purpose: Annual spring inspection and needed maintenance
Location: Section 17, Iron Mountain Gap to Low Gap
People: Carol Carr, Carl Kincheloe, Harry Ford, Daryl Loyd, John Willis, Gil Derouen, Jerry Mayne, Dave McMillin, Lou Haaus, Bill Mitchell, Susan Peters, Faye Guinn, Howard Guinn, Mike Hupko
Summary: We cut and removed seven blowdowns from across the trail, cleaned all waterbars, and lopped where needed.  At Cherry Gap shelter, we cleaned out the gutter, removed trash, and checked both springs.  The springs are flowing at a good rate.  We also left a new logbook at the shelter.  We had five new people today doing their first maintenance.

Reporting: Carl Fritz
Date: March 11, 2008
Purpose: Cut locust steps and side logs
Location: Section 12d, Trail relocation north of Bear Branch
People: Paul Benfield, Ted Mowery
Summary: Paul and Ted cut a number of locust trees and peeled them for steps and side logs to finish the trail relocation primarily under the power line.

Reporting: Carl Fritz
Date: March 11, 2008
Purpose: Check flag line and cut blowdowns
Location: Section 7, Watauga Dam Rd to first spring
People: Ed Oliver, Tim Stewart
Summary: Ed and Tim checked one of the trail relocation flag lines.  They also cut out some minor blowdowns as far as the first spring.

Reporting: Carl Fritz
Date: March 11, 2008
Purpose: Cut blowdowns
Location: Section 12b, Walnut Mountain Rd to Mountaineer Falls
People: Jim Foster, Carl Fritz, Bob Peoples
Summary: We did not find the major blowdowns that were reported by a hiker.  We think they are probably north of Bitter End.  We did some minor trail rehab and carried the chainsaw for practice.

Reporting: Bruce Cunningham
Date: March 11, 2008
Purpose: Spring trail work
Location: Section 13a, U.S. 19E to Doll Flats, and north to bridge
People: Ken Buchanan, Dave Dunham, Bill Elderbrock, Bruce Cunningham
Summary: We checked the section north of 13a to bridge.  Everything was in good shape, except for trash at the road.  We picked up ten bags of trash and as of 1:30 pm the area is "pristine," not a bit of trash is visible.  On section 13a, we cut back weeds at the flat area at north end, then walked the trail and cut and cleared five large blowdowns.  We cleaned the spring at the south end; so it is flowing nicely.  We counted 49 water bars that need cleaning and a minor amount of "lopper" work is left to do.  The blazes are in good shape.

Reporting: Collins Chew
Date: March 12, 2008
Purpose: Blaze, clean water bars, and minor cutting
Location: Section 4a, U. S. 421 to Double Springs Shelter
People: Larry Miller, Collins Chew
Summary: We painted blazes north to south, cleaned water bars, and clipped minor greenbriers, etc.  The spring and the blue blaze trail to the spring are in good shape.  Two blowdowns were left.  One about 8 inches in diameter is easily stepped over.  The second, about 5 inches in diameter, was cut to lie flat on the trail.  Two or three people could probably move it without more cutting.

Reporting: Bill Fuller
Date: March 12, 2008
Purpose: Install signs
Location: Section 9b, Junction of the Hampton blue-blaze and A.T. in Laurel Fork Gorge
People: Bill Fuller, Shannon Combs
Summary: We carried in post-hole diggers, a tamping bar, and a post with two directional/mileage signs for the junction of the Hampton Blue-blaze and the A.T.  We were expecting to hit a lot of rocks and roots while digging, but the soil was loose and the installation was fairly easy.  Since the soil wasn't very compact, we also tamped in plenty of rocks to secure the post as best possible.  These signs should assist northbound hikers who occasionally miss the right-hand turn up toward Pond Mtn.

Reporting: CB Willis for the Old Timers Hiking Club
Date: March 17, 2008
Purpose: Make sure trail is clear for through-hikers after the winter weather
Location: Section 17 and 18, From Low Gap to Indian Grave Gap
People: CB Willis, John Willis, Faye Guinn, Howard Guinn, Bill Mitchell, Susan Peters, Jerry Mayne, Carl Kincheloe, Malcolm Wolf, Carol Carr, Jane Taylor, Harry Ford, Gil Derouen, Dave McMillin, Lou Haase, Daryl Loyd, Mike Hupko
Summary: We cut 16 trees from across the trail and 8 dead standing trees near the trail.  We lopped where needed, cleared all water bars, and rebuilt about 15 feet of treadway.  A short section of trail was relocated around a large fallen tree which had taken out the treadway.   We also picked up trash at several locations.

Reporting: Carl Fritz
Date: March 18, 2008
Purpose: Dig trail relocation
Location: Section 17, Just trail south of Iron Mt Gap
People: Ken Buchanan, Bruce Cunningham, Bill Elderbrock, Jim Foster, Carl Fritz, Maddie Kasper, Ted Mowery, Ed Oliver, Bob Peoples, Tim Stewart, OTTO, RABBIT or Rebekah Harris
Summary: We dug, installed steps, installed side logs, and dressed up some already dug trail on the remaining sections from the road to about one mile south.  Otto and Ted installed a ramp with a water diversion at the road. We dug about 400 feet of new trail, plus touched up a number of places in the previously dug trail.  Remaining to be done to open this section is a little dress up of the entire trail, easy digging of about 50 feet of trail at the south connection to AT, and painting blazes.

Reporting: Joe DeLoach
Date: March 20, 2008
Purpose: Spring maintenance
Location: Section 5, TN 91 to Iron Mountain Shelter
People: Craig DeLoach and Joe DeLoach
Summary: We placed the shelter register and the bear caution sign, lopped brush and briars, and cut several small blowdowns.  Five larger ones remain, all chainsaw-size but very easy stepovers, spaced pretty evenly from the gated road to the shelter.  A section about 40 yards long has sloughed and could use some digging, which we'll try to get this year. Bog bridges are in good shape.

Reporting: Carl Fritz
Date: March 21, 2008
Purpose: Record blowdowns
Location: Iron Mt Gap to Damascus
People: Jordan Brown and Transfat
Summary: These thru hikers kindly made a written record of all the blowdowns from Iron Mt Gap to Damascus

Reporting: Randall Simpson
Date: March 21, 2008
Purpose: Trail maintenance
Location: Section 15, Carvers Gap to Cloudland Motel Site
People: Randall Simpson
Summary: I cleared one small blow down, cleared growth, and cleaned water bars.  I place new register in the  shelter and repainted trail blazes.  There are some large trees across trail, but they are passable. There is plenty of water at this time.

Reporting: Kim Peters
Date: March 22, 2008
Purpose: Clear blowdowns, paint blazes
Location: Section 7, Watauga Dam Road to Vandeventer Shelter
People: Kat Johnson, Terry Oldfield, Phyllis Cairnes, Kim Peters
Summary: This was a perfect day for trail work, not too hot and not to cold and with a good breeze.  We cleared the reported blowdowns, removed trash from the shelter and posted the "do not feed the bear" sign, painted blazes and re-habbed about 20 ft of trail which was sloughing off.  This section is in good shape until the weeds start growing.  It will be better still when the relo is done eliminating that steep section at the start!