Benton MacKaye Trail Assn. - Activities Calendar

Benton MacKaye
Trail Assn.

BMTA Activities Calendar

"...leaving a footpath for generations to follow."

Overview

Listed below are the scheduled activities of the BMTA for 2013. Work trips will be held on the second Saturday of the month in Georgia and on the fourth Saturday in Tennessee/North Carolina. Recreational outings (Fun Hikes) are planned on other weekends to avoid scheduling conflicts with work trips and are set up as hike leaders become available. Videos of previous hikes can be found on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/BentonMacKayeTrail.

All Are Welcome

The BMTA welcomes all who would like to participate in any scheduled activity. Members and non-members alike are encouraged to join in; no experience is necessary.

Notes

Be sure to confirm event details with the activity leader in advance.
Work trips: What to expect, what to wear, what to bring.
Be sure to check in with the activity leader right before the activity to see about event cancellations due to personal, weather, or logistical problems.
If you would be interested in leading, or learning how to lead an activity, please contact us.
Hike Leaders: A copy of the Waiver and Release form can be found here.
You can join Tellico Ranger District, Cherokee National Forest Trail Maintenance Trips on Facebook.

Recurring Monthly Events

2nd Saturday - Georgia Work Trips - coordinated by Tom Keene
3rd Saturday - Fun Public Hike - coordinated by Ralph Heller
4th Saturday - Tennessee/North Carolina Work Trips - coordinated by Ernie Engman

Planned Activities for 2013
Month	Date	Location & Details
May	May 3-5	Rainbow Springs Car Camping and Day Hikes: Rating: Varies Leader: Bob Ruby Co-leader: Stacy Bredendieck BMTA members are invited to participate with GATC for this car camping and hiking weekend at the former Rainbow Springs Campground. GATC member Stacy Bredendieck and her friend, Greg, purchased this formerly commercial campground near Standing Indian for private use. It has all the amenities of the USFS Appletree Group Campground and more! The 10-acre property is located near US 64 between Franklin and Hayesville, NC, off the road to the USFS Standing Indian Campground. It has a large pavilion with a stone fireplace overlooking a grassy camping area sloping down to the Upper Nantahala River. They also have several hookups for camper vehicles. The bathhouse has flush toilets and hot water for showers and sinks. All this luxury and at no fee! The A.T. passes within a mile. We’ll plan a variety of dayhikes of 5-10 miles in length for Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday morning on the A.T., Chunky Gal, and other trails in the nearby Standing Indian Mountain complex. Wildflowers should be near their peak. We’ll have coordinated pot-luck dinners on Friday & Saturday evenings for those who wish to participate. There is plenty of room, so let us know if you want to bring family or friends to join the activities or to just hang out and relax at camp or in the area. To register, contact Bob Ruby at bmtabob AT gmail.com or 404-252-8888, or Stacy Bredendieck at stacyantje AT yahoo.com.
	May 8	Easy Trek Hike: Amicalola River Trail on Georgia 53, Dawson County, Georgia This is an exceptional 3-mile loop hike with a variety of features. • Hike begins on Boardwalk developed by Mountain Stewards as a Handicap Acsess trail (alongside the river). • Edge of the World Class IV Rapids (created by the Brevard Fault Line) about 1/2 mile downstream. • Walk out on the boulders in the river to sit and/or snack. • Interpretive Signs along the way explaining interesting points of the Forest. • Highpoint on ridge has picnic table and trail dedication sign to Jason Funk, an Eagle Scout from Cumming who developed this trail as his project. He died at 16. After hike, optional lunch will be the Fuego Grill and Tequila Bar across the sreet from the North Gate of Big Canoe. We will meet at Food Lion in Ellijay at 8:45 to carpool to starting point. Call Sara Bland for details and/or to sign up at 770-366-6053 - Cell.
	May 11	Georgia Trail Maintenance Work Day: We will work on replacing and improving water diversions on historic section 1a – Springer Mountain to Big Stamp Gap. We will meet at the official AT parking area near Springer Mtn. on FS 42, then consolidate to as few vehicles as possible and drive down to Big Stamp Gap which is closer to the main work area. Trip Leader: Tom Keene, (cell) 770-548-4935. To minimize driving, breakfast meetings it two places, both beginning at 8:00AM and departing for a one hour drive to the trailhead at 8:30 sharp: • For those coming from Atlanta and other points south: meet at the Hardee’s in East Ellijay. (It’s on the left at the light just before your cross the river northbound on 515/76.) Tom Keene, coordinating – (cell) 770-548-4935. • For those coming from Blue Ridge and points north: meet at the Village Restaurant in Blue Ridge. Geroge Owen, coordinating – (cell) 706-897-3366 Again, both breakfasts beginning at 8:00AM and departing at 8:30 sharp for a one hour drive to the trailhead. But that’s not all... As a special incentive (and reward,) following the day’s work we will reconvene at the Pavilion at Mountain Meadows for hot dogs, hamburgers, some sides and cold sodas. The Pavilion is at the corner of East New Hope Road and Possum Poke Road, a couple miles off of Double Head Gap Road south of the Gap. Please contact David Blount by email (bmtahiker @ aol.com) if you plan to attend the cookout so that sufficient planning can take place. Make your plans now to see and work on Section 1a and follow it up with some food and fellowship!
	May 18	Easy Trek Hike: Toccoa River Suspension Bridge at GA 60 • A beautiful drive on Highway 60 to Benton MacKay Trailhead. • One-way 3-mile loop hike through the woods in the Chattahoochie National Forest • Destination is a magnificent 260-foot suspension bridge spanning the beautiful Toccoa River. This bridge was constructed in 1977 by USDA Forest Service and the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club. • Snack and/or lunch break in a clearing on the river at the bridge. Call Sara Bland for details and/or to sign up at 770-366-6053 - Cell.
	May 18	Tennessee/North Carolina Trail Maintenance Work Day: Big Frog Wilderness brush work and blow down. Meet 0800 at Thunder rock with sling blades, loppers, hand saws, axe, crosscut, etc. Again, we need a certified sawyer. There is going to be a lot of walking involved with this one as there are no road very close to the area. Trip leader: Ernie Engman, email sgtrock AT hikinghq.net, phone 865-924-5992
	May 25-26	Blue Ridge Arts in the Park: The BMTA will be in attendance at this annual event in Downtown Blue Ridge, Georgia. Please contact Publicity Director Marge Heller at nanahiker @ gmail.com to volunteer to help man the display booth.
June	June 1	National Trails Day: There will be a joint celebration with the Benton MacKaye Trail Association, the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club, and the Mountain High Hikers at Vogel State Park, south of Blairsville, Georgia. Pavilion #2 has been reserved for this occasion. Activities will begin at 9 AM and will include fun hikes, some nearby trail maintenance, and a potluck meal at noon. Please bring a dish to serve 8 for the meal. An annual park pass or a daily fee of $5 per vehicle is required for park entry. Mark your calendar now and make plans to join us for this event!
	June 8	Georgia Trail Maintenance Work Day: Location and trip leader TBD. Check back for details.
	June 8	Easy Trek Hike: Sara Bland is Hike Leader. Details on hike to follow. Pre-registration required. Contact Sara at jsbland AT windstream.net or 770-366-6053 (cell)
	June 15	Board Meeting: There will be a general meeting of the BMTA Board of Directors. The location is not set at this time but expect a start time of 9 am and a completion by 12:30 pm. Board meetings are open to the membership but if you would like an item included in the agenda, please forward it in advance to president @ bmta.org for consideration. If there is interest, the meeting may be followed by lunch nearby, and, or a short hike. Check back for meeting location.
	June 22	Tennessee/North Carolina Trail Maintenance Work Day: Location and trip leader TBD. Check back for details.
	June 22	Easy Trek Hike: Sara Bland is Hike Leader. Details on hike to follow. Pre-registration required. Contact Sara at jsbland AT windstream.net or 770-366-6053 (cell)
July	July 6	Easy Trek Hike: Hike the Trout Adventure Trail with the BMTA and TU in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Bring your children and grandchildren! Pre-registration required. To sign up for this hiking event, or for more information, (email) Trout.Adventure.Trail @ gmail.com or call 706-851-4121.
	July 19-26	ATC Biennial Conference: The ATC Biennial Conference will be held at Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC. Look in the Exhibitor's Room for the BMTA's Display.
November	November 2	Annual Meeting: Details to be announced later this year.

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