Monday Night Power Walks
Monday Night Power Walks are scheduled for September 7, 21, and 28, and October 5, 19, and 26.
Our objective is a good cardiovascular workout. We will walk 7 miles on the city greenway maintaining at least a 4.5 mph pace. If you are working up to this pace, we will catch you on the way back since it is an out and back. We meet in the parking lot behind Belk's at Friendly (corner of Friendly and Green Valley) at 6:00 pm. Please call if you plan to attend as we sometimes vary our route. Hope to see you there!
The Wednesday walkers will meet every Wednesday evening in the parking lot of The Piedmont Environmental Center at 6:30 pm for a brisk walk before dinner. Rain or shine. The group will go to dinner after the walk.
September 5 Doughton Park Loop
Saturday Doughton Park
Days are growing cooler and a wee bit shorter, and we are all itching to get one more longish hike in before the rains and other nasty elements start interfering with the pleasure of lingering on the trails of this beautiful park. Come and join Nicole up Cedar Ridge, along Bluff Mountain, and down Flat Rock to complete a loop of a tad under 17 miles. Note the length of this hike is a moving target, so please be mentally prepared to do anywhere from 16 to 18 miles. Due to the length of the hike, this outing is for experienced hikers. Please don't forget to bring plenty of water and rain gear (although I am planning for sunny weather, the higher powers do not always meet with my wishes). We will stop in Elkin for dinner. Greensboro area folks will meet at Shoney's at 7:30 am. Winston Salem folks will be picked up at the Jonestown Exit McDonald off I-40 at 8:00 am. Please call Nicole and let her know you're coming. Approximately 17 miles, +/-3000 feet, R-47.
September 6 Piedmont Watershed Trail
Sunday Lake Brandt
Lets meet at 1:00 pm and hike the Piedmont watershed trail out and back for a total of 6 easy miles. Proceed north on Lake Brandt Road past the marina on the left, cross over the bridge at the dam, and park in the gravel parking lot on the left. [6 miles,R-7].
September 7 Monday Night Power Walk
September 9 Wednesday Night Walk and Dinner
September 12 South Mountains State Park
Saturday Morganton, NC Area
Let's return to South Mountains, for a beautiful and varied hike and premier dining opportunity. Meet at Shoney's (I-40/US 68) at 7:30 am or El Jinette (exit 184 off I-40 West) at 8:00. This hike has four good elevation gains, a streamside stroll, and a beautiful waterfall. Dinner afterwards at Yianni's in Morganton. Please contact Jon with any questions. [13 miles, 2600 feet,R39].
Sunday Lake Townsend Area
If, like me, you can’t think of anything more delightful to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon in the cooling days of summer than walk the beautiful trails of the Greensboro watershed lakes, come join me for a walk of a tad over 7 miles on the Peninsula and Osprey trails. If you are new to the club or have never done these trails before, please call (see contact info above). Otherwise meet at 1:00 pm at the small parking area across from the Peninsula Trail trailhead. Drive north on Church Street across Lake Townsend and drive for another mile or so. The parking lot is on the left-hand side of the road just before you cross the lake a second time.
September 14 September Meeting
Monday Piedmont Environmental Center
Meet for refreshments and fellowship at 7:00 pm at the Piedmont Environmental Center on Penny Road in Jamestown. The business portion of the program will begin at 7:30.
Linville Gorge is a wilderness area known as the Grand Canyon of the East. It provides a true wilderness experience with soaring peaks offering dramatic views, vertical cliff walls hundreds of feet high, and a wild and wooly river running right through the middle of it.
PHOC member Marshall Weatherman will present a slide show on the features of Linville Gorge and discuss the trails available for exploration. This is a great opportunity for members to learn more about one of North Carolina's special places.
September 16 Wednesday Night Walk and Dinner
September 18-20 Kayaking/Biking/Camping
Friday–Sunday New River Trail State Park
Join us for our 3rd great outing to Foster Falls Campground in the New River Trail State Park, a 57-mile linear park along the New River in VA. It is located where I-77 crosses the New River, only 1.5 hours from Greensboro. We will group camp on Baker Island in the river. It is perhaps the most beautiful group campsite in the East. It is very private and located beside musical rapids. The campground is primitive with pleasant outhouses but no water or showers.
On Saturday, we will leave from the campsite and canoe/kayak downstream approximately 11.4 miles (about 5 hours). The beautiful river is appropriate for novice paddlers and up. On Sunday, we will bike the New River Trail upstream toward Fries, VA and back. I expect multiple groups: fast, slow and in-between to ride whatever distance is comfortable.
The campsite space is limited to 24. Boats and bikes can be rented at the park. You can elect to join us for only the day's boating or biking. Call or email for more specifics.
September 19 Rocky Knob Hike
Saturday Stuart, VA
Let’s hike in Virginia today. This is a hike for all hikers if you can hike 8 miles. There are no steep climbs. Almost half of the hike is in the open with views of the surrounding mountains. Let’s leave Shoney’s at 7:30 [I-40 & 68]. We will go north on 68 to 220 then into Stewart. No need to call or e-mail Hubert unless you have questions. [8 miles, +-700ft, R15]
September 20 Lake Townsend Trail
Sunday Greensboro Watershed Trails
Lets meet at 1:00 pm and hike the Lake Townsend Trail out and back. This trail follows the southern edge of Lake Townsend from Southshore Road, near Bryan Park, to Yanceyville Road, where it connects with the Osprey trail. At several points the trail comes right up to the water’s edge, and when not near the water, one has the sense one is alone deep within a mystical forest. This is the most peaceful, serene, and tranquil of the Greensboro water shed system trails.
Directions: From Battleground Ave and Pisgah Church Road, or, Pisgah Church Road and Lawndale, drive East on Pisgah Church Road. Continue East on Lees Chapel after Pisgah Church changes to Lees Chapel. Bear left at Brightwood School, turn left at the “T” at Rudd Station Road, cross over the RR tracks, continue straight for about a third of a mile, and then park in the gravel parking lot on the left. Allow half an hour drive time from Battleground . [8 miles, R9].
September 21 Monday Night Power Walk
September 23 Wednesday Night Walk and Dinner
September 26 Mount Rogers
Saturday Mt Rogers Nat Rec Area
It’s been a while since we’ve been to the actual summit of Mt Rogers. From the north side of the park we’ll hike up the Mt Rogers Trail and intersect with the AT Northbound. From the AT, the summit of Mt. Rogers is a ½ mile side-trail. We’ll have lunch at the Thomas Knob Shelter and enjoy the views. At Rhododendron Gap, we’ll head down the Pine Mountain Trail to the Lewis Fork Trail, and back to the Mt. Rogers Trail. There is a lot of elevation gain, but it is all gradual. This involves portions of 6 different trails, so we’ll wait at each intersection for the group. Call or e-mail for details. [12.2 miles, +/- 2100 ft, R34] w/o Mt. Rogers summit [13.2 miles, +/- 2500 ft, R39] with Mt. Rogers summit.
September 27 Laurel Bluff and Reedy Fork
Sunday Greensboro Watershed Trails
Lets meet at 1:00 pm and hike the Laurel Bluff and Reedy Fork watershed trails. Proceed north on Lake Brandt Road past the marina on the left, cross over the bridge at the dam, and park in the gravel parking lot on the right. [7 miles, R8].
September 28 Monday Night Power Walk
September30 Wednesday Night Walk and Dinner
October 1–4 Beach Trip
In order to organize the trip for this year, Jill had to broadcast the trip in July so it will be too late to sign up now. If those of you who have already signed up have questions, please contact Jill. Everyone else, keep this event in your mind for next year. Hopefully, she will do it again.
October 3 Bluff Mountain Trail
Saturday Blue Ridge Parkway
This 7.3 mile hike is for everyone. It has great views and no hard climbs. This hike parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway and the pace of the hike will be moderate. Please meet in Greensboro at Shoney’s [I-40 & 68] and be ready to leave at 8:00 am or at the Jonestown McDonalds at 8:30. There is no need to call or e-mail Hubert unless you have questions. [7.3 miles, +/- 725 ft, R15].
October 4 Lake Brandt Hike
Sunday Bur-Mil Park
Let's take the short (8.5 miles) option and walk around Lake Brandt. Meet at Bur-Mil Park in front of the Wildlife Center at the parking area at the bottom of the hill near the lake at 1:30 pm. This is a scenic and fun...but easy...walk. Please contact Jon with any questions. [8.5 miles, R11].
October 5 Monday Night Power Walk
October 7 Wednesday Night Walk and Dinner
October 10 Grandfather T-Hike
Saturday Grandfather State Park
This is the non-chutes & ladders and cables version of Grandfather Mt. We’ll head up the Profile Trail, turn towards the swinging bridge, but stop at Attic Window Peak. This is the top of the chute at 5949 feet and has great views. We’ll explore Attic Window and Indian House Cave during this stretch. After lunch and our fill of the views, we’ll head back and go up to Calloway Peak at 5964 feet. There are a couple of ladders just before the peak and non-ladder people can skip the peak. We’ll enjoy the 360 degree views from Calloway and head down the mountain, exploring the side trail to Watauga View on the way. The backcountry at Grandfather Mt is now a state park and we don’t need trail permits for this hike so the number of hikers is not limited. There is a lot of climbing on this, but we will take our time and enjoy the incredible views along the way. While this avoids the chute & (most) ladders, there are several exposed rocky scrambles. Call or email for details. [8.6 miles, +/- 3000 ft, R40]
October 10 Doughton Park Trails
Saturday Blue Ridge Pkwy
This hike will be up Flat Rock Ridge trail (a moderate but long uphill), down Grassy Gap trail (a gentle downhill), up Bluff Ridge primitive trail (a steep uphill), along Bluff Mountain trail (a rolling ramble along the Blue Ridge), and down Cedar Ridge trail (a moderate downhill). At the 11-mile point, at the primitive campsites in Basin Cove, hikers can choose to walk the 1.6 miles directly back to the parking lot on Longbottom Road, or, continue on for an additional 11.1 miles back to the parking lot, including a steep pull up the Primitive Trail, and 3.9 miles paralleling the parkway. The trail surface over the entire route is good to excellent. The abundant sourwood trees in Doughton Park should be in the middle of their display of beautiful fall colors. Bring plenty of water, a hearty lunch, and rain gear. Call or email for meeting time and place. [22.1 miles, +/- 4900 feet, R71]
Sunday Pilot Mountain State Park
Nine Miles at Pilot Mountain. We will start at the Ranger Station at the entrance to the park and follow the Grassy Ridge Trail to Pinnacle Hotel Road. Here we pick up Mountain Trail, which leads up the base of the mountain to Ledge Spring Trail. This hike is not for beginners. From Ledge Spring we will continue on to the Jomeokee Trail around the knob. We finish the hike, after a brief stop at the top of the mountain, down the Grindstone Trail, back to the Ranger Station where we started. We will meet at Shoney's at Hwy 68 and I-40 at 9:00 am or at the Ranger Station/Parking Lot at 9:45. No need to call but do if you have questions. [Approx 9 miles, R25]
October 12 October Meeting
Monday Piedmont Environmental Center
Meet for refreshments and fellowship at 7:00 pm at the Piedmont Environmental Center on Penny Road in Jamestown. The business portion of the program will begin at 7:30.
Our meeting tonight is a presentation by PHOC member Ann Fitzmaurice-Russ on her recent hike along Great Britain’s South West Coast Path. She returned to this walk after starting it in 2007 and walking Minehead to Combe Martin. This time she undertook the last 103 miles of the trail from Exmouth to Poole Harbour along the South Devon Coast. She will share pictures and highlights from her walk through this geological wonderment that traverses a World Heritage Site along the Jurassic Coast. Special stops along her way included the Abbotsbury Swannery, Corfe Castle, Thomas Hardy’s monument, and of course a visit to Lyme Regis to pay homage to Jane Austin’s work Persuasion, thereby making it an ideal trip for this anglophile.
October14 Wednesday Night Walk and Dinner
October 17 Stone Mountain Hike
Saturday Stone Mountain State Park
Today we will do a strenuous hike with many stream crossings and a lot elevation gain and loss. Let’s hope the leaves will still have some color. Plan on leaving Shoney’s at 7:30 am [I-40 & 68], the Jonestown exit stop will be at 8:00. No need to call or e-mail unless you have questions.
[12 miles, +- 1850 feet, R32]
October 18 NC Zoological Park
Sunday Asheboro, NC
Today we will travel to beautiful Randolph County to do the semi-annual “longest hike” from North America to Africa and back in one day. The North Carolina Zoo offers a little something for everyone. We will meet in the parking lot of Four Seasons Mall in Greensboro to carpool to
Asheboro McDonald’s where we will meet others, then head on to the zoo. You may bring something for lunch or pick up something at the zoo when we stop. Leave from Greensboro at 9:30 am, meet in Asheboro at 10:00. Rated F (for Fun)
October 19 Monday Night Power Walk
October 21 Wednesday Night Walk and Dinner
October 24 Scott Ridge/MST Trail
Saturday Stone Mountain State Park
This primarily ridge-based hike requires no rock hopping across creeks but does include some relatively steep climbs. The route is through the backpack campsites on the Widow’s Creek Trail, up Scott Ridge to the abandoned aerial tramway site, and back down the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Views of the ridges of Stone Mountain State Park, of Stone Mountain itself from above, and of the valley beyond the Blue Ridge Parkway, are excellent. Fall colors should be perfect. [11 miles, 2800 feet, R39]
October 24 Linville Gorge Wilderness
Saturday Pisgah National Forest
Today’s hike into the Gorge is a very difficult and somewhat dangerous hike. We will descend into the gorge by way of the Devils Hole Trail. We will then find a way to cross the river and hike up the Linville Gorge Trail until we reach the base of Babel Tower. We then cross the river again and rock hop along the river about a third of a mile until we reach Henson Creek. The climb out of the Gorge by way of Henson Creek is a very rugged scramble over many large boulders in the creek bed. After a climb of about 1000 feet in about ¾ of a mile, we will then continue up on hiking trails until we reach Jonas Ridge. On the way back to the cars we cross Sitting Bear Mountain, which offers a stunning view of the north end of the Gorge and a terrific view looking eastward.
Dinner afterwards will be at the Greek Restaurant Yianni’s in Morganton. This hike is for EXPERIENCED HIKERS ONLY. This hike is rated over a 50 because of the river crossings and the bouldering. In the event of bad weather or high river this hike will be changed to another trail in the gorge. Please call or e-mail for more particular details and meeting place and time.
[8 miles, +/- 3000 feet, R50+]
October 25 New Member Orientation/Hike
Sunday Lake Higgins Marina
New members- come for an informal and informational session to learn a little about the Piedmont Hiking & Outing Club. We will meet at 1:30 pm at the Lake Higgins Marina on Hamburg Mill Rd in Greensboro in the small conference room. We will discuss anything you may want to know to make your experience with the club more enjoyable. We will also talk about what might be expected of you as a member. At about 2:15 we will take a hike in the marina area and may be joined by other club members. Bring water, comfortable shoes, weather appropriate apparel and good humor. Call or e-mail if you have questions.
October 26 Monday Night Power Walk
October 28 Wednesday Night Walk and Dinner
October 31 Stone Mountain Hike
Saturday Stone Mountain State Park
Today we will hike to 3 waterfalls at Stone Mountain, go over Wolf Rock, and then go over Stone Mountain. Both locations provide great views of the surrounding area. This time of year the leaves are beautiful at these lower elevations. There are three stream crossings so you may get your feet wet if the water is above normal. With all the beauty to be taken in, plan to be on the trail around 5 hours. There is no need to call or e-mail Hubert unless you have questions. Meet at Shoney’s and be ready to leave at 8:00 am, or meet us at the Jonestown exit at 8:30. [7.5 miles, +/- 1500 feet, R23]
November 6 18th Annual North Carolina Dance Festival
This dance festival is a great opportunity to see some quality, modern dance in the newly renovated Aycock Auditorium on the UNC-G campus. It showcases professional North Carolina dancers and choreographers and travels to 6 communities across our state every year. If you like dance (or have never seen modern dance and think you might be interested) join us for an evening that is sure to entertain and help support the local arts. First we’ll meet at 6:15 pm on the front steps of Aycock on Tate Street and pick one of the many inexpensive restaurants on that block for dinner. The performance then begins at 8:00 pm. Parking is available behind the Weatherspoon Art Museum on the SW corner of Spring Garden and Tate St., across from Aycock.
General admission $12
Seniors $10
UNC-G Students $9
If 10 or more sign up by October 21 I can get an advanced group rate of $6 and will reimburse you on the night of the performance. You can always join us and purchase tickets at the door but will not be eligible for the group discount.
If you would like to qualify for the group rate please call or email.