Triangle Area Group Outings

SATURDAY A.M. HIKES (check listing for specific dates) William B. Umstead State Park, Sycamore Trail. Moderate 7.2 mile hike at a steady pace. We will meet at the Crabtree Creek section off US 70 at 10 a.m. From the entrance, drive past the visitor center and proceed to the second parking lot. Please wear hiking boots and carry water; a picnic lunch is optional. Pre-registration is not required. In case of inclement weather or questions, contact Debbie Jacobowitz (HWG) (919) 493-0780. For directions, see http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/visit/wium/directions.html or call (919) 571-4170.

SUNDAY A.M. HIKES (check listing for specific dates) William B. Umstead State Park day hike. Moderate 5.9 mile hike at a steady pace. We will meet at the Reedy Creek section off I-40 (exit 287, turn left on Harrison into the parking lot) at 10 a.m. Please wear sturdy footwear and carry at least 16 oz. water; a picnic lunch is optional. Pre-registration is not required. In case of inclement weather or questions, contact Debbie Jacobowitz (HWG) (919) 493-0780.

OCT 7,14,21,28  (Sat) William B. Umstead State Park Saturday a.m. hikes.  See description and contact info. above.

OCT 8,15,22,29  (Sun) William B. Umstead State Park Sunday a.m. hikes.  See description and contact info. above.

OCT 21 (Sat) 9 a.m. Urban hike in Durham. Meet at Forest Park near the tennis courts. We will do a loop from Forest Park up to Lakewood Park, the Orchard Park and back. This area has some great old trees and lovely homes. Rated moderate due to elevation changes. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water. Optional lunch at Foster's.  Contact:  Janet Hitti (HWG) 919-572-2407 or janet.hitti@verizon.net

OCT 22 (Sun) Bike ride. Bring your road or mountain bike, see the fall leaves, and tour the easy western half of the newly completed Crabtree Creek Greenway. This afternoon ride will be 10-12 miles out and back, and will include a picnic lunch or dinner at Lassiter Mill Dam pending group interest. There will be an option to add the 6-mile Shelley Lake spur trail as a group or before or after group ride. Contact: Susan Bowers (CG) 919-755-0665 in evenings before 9 pm. or SBowers2@nc.rr.com

OCT 28 (Sat) Enjoy fall colors in a hike of both loop trails at Little River Regional Park in Durham.  Start the long loop at 10:00 a.m., break for lunch, and then do the short loop.  Moderate hike with total of 7 miles.  Dogs on leash welcome.  Contact:  Marcia Eickmeier (HWG) 919-644-1806 before 9:00 p.m.

OCT 29 (Sun) Hanging Rock State Park hike. We'll see fall colors or great views if the leaves are gone. Moderate due to elevation gain and some rocky places. About five miles. Contact: Margaret Anderson (HWG) andcamlib@hotmail.com or call 919-493-0397 before 10:00 p.m.

NOV 4,11,18,25  (Sat) William B. Umstead State Park Saturday a.m. hikes.  See description and contact info. above

NOV 5,12,19,26  (Sun) William B. Umstead State Park Sunday a.m. hikes.  See description and contact info. above

NOV 5 (Sun) Falls Lake hike. Hike Honeycutt Creek, Western Section, 5.2 miles (out and back), easy - moderate afternoon hike. This section of the trail offers many water views and a small waterfall in wet seasons, and is one of the trail's prettiest sections. Contact: Susan Bowers (CG) 919-755-0665 in evenings before 9 p.m. or SBowers2@nc.rr.com

NOV 10-12 (Fri-Sun) Scouting trip of area trails for Spring '07 base-camp/dayhiking excursion.  Limited to four fit hikers with a sense of adventure, stamina and above average map & compass skills.  Base camp, exploratory day hikes, many stream/river crossings  and high mileage.  Rated: very strenuous due to rugged terrain and quickly changing conditions.  Highly experienced only.  Contact:  Chris David (CG) chrisdavid@bellsouth.net or call 919-676-8927.

NOV 10-12 (Fri-Sun) Uwharrie National  Forest Backpack. Spend a weekend hiking along a historic trail of gold mining, bootleggers, and civil war lore. We will ramble south and up the legendary and ghostly Dark Mountain, and continue along Dark Mountain Ridge. We’ll cover 15+ miles of varied terrain, about half with backpacks and half with daypacks. Limited to 8. Moderate difficulty; prior backpacking experience is recommended. Contact:  Chris Plummer (CG) cplummer@nc.rr.com or Chris Moses (OCG) mosesconsulting@hotmail.com or 919-932-7708 between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. please.

NOV 18 (Sat) 10 a.m. 30-minute outing to Ten Thousand Villages. Come to Cameron Village and learn more about fair trade. Many products are made from recycled goods and care is taken for environmental sustainability of materials utilized for products produced. Great outing to purchase holiday gifts. Those in attendance will receive a discount coupon good towards their purchase.  Contact:  Jennifer Kreimer (CG) 919-829-1515 or jenntripod@yahoo.com. Limited to 30 participants.

NOV 19 (Sun) Haw River dayhike. Hike 5-6 miles along the Haw River in Chatham County. Remote area with large trees, no traffic sounds and great views of the river. Easy hiking but there is no formal trail. Contact Sarah Slover (CG) at 919-362-8632 or sloversj@hotmail.com.

NOV 19 (Sun) Enjoy a cool-weather hike at Falls Lake. Moderate due to length; about 8 miles. Contact:  Margaret Anderson (HWG) by e-mail at andcamlib@hotmail.com or call 919-493-0397 before 10:00 p.m.

DEC 2,9,16,23,30  (Sat) William B. Umstead State Park Saturday a.m. hikes.  See description and contact info. above

DEC 3,10,17,24,31  (Sun) William B. Umstead State Park Sunday a.m. hikes.  See description and contact info. above

DEC 2 (Sat) 9 a.m. Urban hike in Durham. Meet at Duke Park entrance. We will do a loop starting at Duke Park down through historic North Durham over to Central Park and back. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water. Rated easy. Contact:  Janet Hitti (HWG) 919-572-2407 or janet.hitti@verizon.net.

DEC 8-10 South Mountain State Park. Winter camping and hiking in one of the largest and most rugged state parks in North Carolina. Trip includes a 1.5-mile backpack in to a primitive but well- provisioned group site, and day hiking Saturday on two six-mile loop trails. Elevation gains to 3,000 ft. Mountain bikers welcome to camp with us and (on their own) travel the designated, separate 18-mile bike trail. Good trip for learning winter camping skills. Contact:  Chris and Odile Gould (HWG) chris_gould@mindspring.com or 919-493-1194 before 9 p.m. Two dollar/night/person camping fee, plus a ten dollar deposit which will be refunded at the trailhead. Moderate rating. Maximum group size 10.

DEC 30-JAN 2 (Sat-Mon) Winter backpack on the Art Loeb Trail. Cold and strenuous 33-mile backpack on the "crown jewel" of Pisgah National Forest.  Provides many high, panoramic winter views as well as watery, white and icy lower ones.  Starts at Davidson River campground, heads west and then north for climb to Shining Rock Ledge.  Continues on to Cold Mountain and descends steeply northwest to the northern terminus.  Some night hiking probable.  Limit of five and refundable deposit required.  Contact Chris David (CG) chrisdavid@bellsouth.net or call 919-676-8927.

2007

APRIL 6-8 (Fri-Sun) Base camp/dayhike in Dolly Sods Wilderness, WVA.  Marvel at the beauty of spring in Dolly Sods Wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest.  Called "a bit of Canada in the South," this high, boggy plateau contains plants usually found much further north.  Many open views in this unusual "boggy bowl" makes Dolly Sods "one of a kind" in North America. This trip is rated strenuous due to the many stream and river crossings and rugged, wilderness conditions.  Participants must have adequate foot gear, confidence and appropriate skills. Limited to eight, refundable deposit required and carpooling encouraged.  Contact: Chris David (CG) chrisdavid@bellsouth.net or call 919-676-8927. 

Legend:  CG = Capital Group; HWG = Headwaters Group; OCG = Orange Chatham Group