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• 2022 Holiday Banquet

  • When
    12/11/2022
  •  
    4:30 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    The Foundry, 747 Worlds Fair Park Dr., Knoxville, TN

  We are pleased to be able to resume our Holiday Installation Banquet tradition this year, in a lovely spacious venue!
  

  • 4:30-5:30pm Music, Cash Bar and Snacks
  • 5:30-6:30pm Welcome, Dinner and Fellowship
  • 6:30-7:00pm 2023 Officer Installation, Awards
  • 7;00-7:45pm Guest Speakers, Nancy East and Chris Ford
  • 7:45pm-8pm 2023 Handbook Distribution

  About our speakers: Nancy East and Chris Ford re-established the Fastest Known Time to hike all of the trails in the Smokies as a way to support Preventative Search and Rescue in the Smokies. Their talk however is not just about establishing speed records, but about their motivations, inspirations and experiences on the trails, especially related to SAR issues. Nancy has written a book about their adventure called Chasing the Smokies Moon.

  Register and pay online OR print and mail the registration form with your payment. You may pay at the door, but please note, we must know if your plans change so the Club will not be charged for an extra dinner. We look forward to seeing you!

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• Rich Mountain Loop, Crooked Arm Loop, Indian Grave Gap

  • When
    12/14/2022
  •  
    8:45 AM
  • Location
    Cades Cove Loop Entrance, GSMNP

  Register

  For this classic Smokies hike, we will start at the entrance to Cades Cove loop road. This counter clockwise hike begins 0.5mi on Rich Mountain Loop Trail and then we turn right on Crooked Arm Ridge ascending for 2.1 mi. As we climb, weather permitting, there should be excellent views of Cades Cove, the Great Smokies main range, Dry Valley and Tuckaleechee Cove. At the next junction we turn left for 1.8 mi. on Indian Grave Gap Trail. We will have lunch on Cerulean Knob (3,686 ft. elev.) After lunch, we continue 0.8 mi. passing the Rich Mountain trail junction and will turn left rejoining the Rich Mountain Loop trail. We complete the loop descending 2.0 mi. on a rocky section of the Rich Mountain Loop Trail. We will visit the log cabin of John Oliver, one of the early settlers in Cades Cove and then continue 1.4mi to our starting point. Total 8.6 miles, 1,958 ft. elevation gain. Meet at Food City in Alcoa to leave at 8:00 am or at the entrance to Cades Cove loop road to begin hiking at 8:45 am. Drive 56 miles RT at $0.10 / mile = $5.60.

  Leader: Larry Johnson

  Leader contact information is included under Additional Information in the email you receive after registration.

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• Old Settlers Trail from Tyson McCarter Barn to Steiner Bell Manway

  • When
    12/17/2022
  •  
    9:15 AM
  • Location
    Steiner Bell Lodge parking lot, 3610 East Parkway, Gatlinburg

  Register

  For this hike along historic Old Settlers Trail, we'll leave some cars at the Steiner Bell resort parking lot, then shuttle ourselves further down the road to the pull-out for the Tyson-McCarter barn. We'll visit the Tyson-McCarter barn, then start hiking west on OST. There are fine chimneys, rock walls, and the remote grave of Johnny Ramsey to see. There are some creek crossings, but this leader will scout the section we'll be hiking close to time, and let you know conditions. We are also starting further west than the original hike description in the 2022 handbook to avoid some of the bigger crossings near the Cosby end of OST. Hike approximately 8 miles. Rated moderate-difficult (some off-trail). Meet at Strawberry Plains Cracker Barrel promptly at 8am or at Steiner Bell Lodge parking lot, 3610 East Parkway, Gatlinburg, at 9:15am. RT mileage 80 miles from Cracker Barrel= $8.00.

  Leader: Diane Petrilla and Brain Worley

  Leader contact information is included under Additional Information in the email you receive after registration.

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• Spicewood Trail to Mart Field or Chimney Top

  • When
    12/21/2022
  •  
    8:45 AM
  • Location
    Shelter C, Old Mac trailhead, Frozen Head State Park

  Register

  This hike starts with Old Mac trail to Spicewood Trail. After we hike this trail, we will hike another mile on the Chimney Top trail to Mart Field (a campsite). After a break, we will hike back down to the junction for Frozen Head Tower and hike up to the tower for lunch. After lunch, we will head down the North Old Mac trail to the parking lot. Total mileage: 10.5 miles, 2,000 feet elevation gain. The hike is rated difficult. For those wanting a bit more challenging uphill hike after the break at Mart Field, they can continue on the Chimney Top trail for six more miles and 1,300 additional feet of elevation gain. By choosing this option, they will end up at the Park Office which is only a very short distance from where all of us parked at Shelter C to begin this hike to the Spicewood trail. This option total mileage: 10.2 miles total, 3,300 feet elevation gain, rated as difficult. Meet at Books A Million in Oak Ridge ready to leave at 8:00 a.m. or Shelter C, Old Mac trailhead at 8:45. RT Drive 50 miles ($5.00).

  Leader: Larry Johnson

  Leader contact information is included under Additional Information in the email you receive after registration.

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