North Alabama Sierra Group September 2008
Tuesday Night Downtown Hikes 6:00pm
Meet at the Monte Sano Hiker’s parking lot.
Hikes move downtown Tuesday October 7.
Hiking in Tanzania
For the September meeting, Michael D. Stewart will present a slide show about his recent travel to the country of Tanzania in East Africa. His trip included climbing expeditions on Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro. Both mountains are dormant volcanoes and offer high altitude trekking. Michael is an active backpacker and hiker and is currently section hiking the Appalachian Trail. He is also a hike leader for our local Sierra Club and is active in the Tuesday night hikes. Please join us for what promises to be an interesting and enjoyable evening as he shares his personal experiences about his trip.
For the October meeting, Lynn Leach will talk about the formation of a new group called the Coalition for a Greener Huntsville, which has been formed to help the City of Huntsville pursue the goals of the Sierra Club Cool Cities program. The meeting will be Thursday, October 16 at 6:30pm.
The North Alabama Sierra Club meets the third Thursday of every month at the Huntsville Madison County Public Library in the main auditorium. The library is in downtown Huntsville on Monroe St., just off Governor’s Drive. The next meeting will be Thursday, September 18 at 6:30pm. Everyone is invited to attend.
- the Editor
Conservation and Politics in Alabama
Personal contact with your local officials is the best way to create change in environmental policy and every individual can have an impact. That was the message at the town hall meeting Conservation and Politics August 27 at UAH.
Adam Snyder, of the lobbying group Conservation Alabama (http://www.conservationalabama.org/), stressed that every individual can lobby, by talking to your city councilperson, mayor, house and state representative. Make contact with your elected officials, introduce yourself and state your concern about an issue. In person is best of course, but letters and phone calls are effective as well. If you can’t do any of those, send an email. Build a personal relationship with your elected officials by volunteering for an hour or so a week at their campaign headquarters. Remind them that you vote.
Mr. Snyder also talked about progress on environmental issues in the state. The Alabama legislature has formed now committees on energy and water. The Water Policy and Management committee will meet September 23 at Guntersville State Park and the agenda will include environmental and recreation issues. Attend and speak up.
John Ehinger of the Huntsville Times reminded the audience that change is a constant and that industry will always be trying to further their interests. The last attempt at building a port at the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge was defeated, again, but it will up again. As concerned citizens it is our duty to stay informed and remind elected officials of what is important to us. Industry pays lobbyists to do this for them every day. We are the lobby for environmental issues and we have to continuously make contact with our legislators.
Roger Reid of Discovering Alabama observed that economics will always trump the environment which is why we as citizens must make sure our elected officials hear from us.
- the Editor
Flint River Cleanup Set for September 27
National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands that we enjoy. In 2007,110,000 volunteers built trails and bridges, planted trees and plants, and removed trash and invasive plants. How do you plan to help this year?
Come out for a fun day on the beautiful Flint River and join a team of volunteers for the annual river cleanup sponsored by the Flint River Conservation Association. The team will pick up trash from the river and along the banks at bridges. Those that have their own canoes should
bring them. Everyone should bring sunscreen, hats, and water, and wear clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting wet and a little dirty. FRCA will supply more water, snacks, and trash bags to volunteers.
If you do not own a canoe but want to help on the water, you can do so by paying $10 per person to rent the canoes. You will need to reserve your canoe space (two people per canoe) by September 25.
Those that do not canoe can be landlubbers—we need help cleaning up the bridge crossings in the watershed.
Meet at 9:00am at the Publix Parking lot in Hampton Cove. For more info and to reserve canoes, call Soos at 427-5116. We should be off the river by 2:00pm.
- Soos Weber, Director of the Hayes Nature
Preserve for the city of Huntsville
Tuesday Night Hikes Go Downtown in October
Starting October 7, the Tuesday night hikes will move downtown as the nights get shorter. Downtown Huntsville is a great area for walking and you can still get in your regular 2-3 mile walks on Tuesday nights. We meet at 6:00pm at the Land Trust parking lot on 907 Franklin St.
For more information, call Nancy at 882-9408.
Are You Recycling Everything You Can?
Recycling in Huntsville started out with a high rate of participation but that has dropped to 25% or less of city households. Hopefully if you read this newsletter you are doing the bare minimum by putting all of your plastic, cans, newspapers and magazines in your blue bin and putting it out by the curb each week.
Did you know you can also recycle your glass and corrugated cardboard? Allied Waste has bins at their facility on A Cleaner Way (off south Triana Blvd.) for glass and corrugated cardboard. They do ask that you separate green, brown and clear glass when you put it in their bins.
Purchase a large plastic bin about the size of your recycling bin, rinse your used glass containers and put them in the bin. About once a month or so you can make a trip to the Allied Waste facility to dispose of your glass.
If disposing of glass this way is too inconvenient for you or you live too far from the facility, consider purchasing items in plastic containers. Many of us look at product labels to see what the ingredients are, but how many of us look at the recycling symbol to see if the container can be recycled? Allied Waste only picks up plastic containers with a 1 or 2 recycling code. Take time to consider the products you are buying. Remember that every container you purchase has to be disposed of in some way. If you don’t recycle glass, can you get a similar product in a plastic container with a 1 or 2 recycling code? If the product you want comes in a container with a 6 or 7 code, is there a similar product in a container that can be recycled? If a product has a large amount of plastic packaging that will just be thrown away, is there a similar product with more responsible packaging?
Consider other items as well. Most dry cleaners will take your used wire hangers (it saves them money). Some groceries like Publix have bins out front for used plastic bags, foam food trays or containers and for paper bags. It does take more time to save all of these items and bring them to the grocery each trip, but if we don’t work to conserve and limit what goes in our landfills who will?
- the Editor
2008 ExCom Members
Chair Mirko Rakigjija 772-8548
Vice-Chair Liz Poleretzky 461-5819
Treasurer Sam Denham 539-1033
Conservation Doug Horacek 772-6788
Fundraising Judy Burley 883-4207
Membership Dave Kostowny 682-1233
Outings Tom Burley 883-4267
Political chair Joe Imhof 858-3626
Publicity Sandy Kiplinger 498-1023
Secretary Linda Griffin 772-8653
Tuesday Hikes Nancy Dudney 882-9408
Newsletter Jack Drost 880-2644
Web Page Steven Baty 489-0990
North Alabama Sierra Club - Outings and Events Calendar
September - October 2008
Thursday, September 18 6:30pm Mountain Climbing in Tanzania
Hike Ratings
General Note: Saturday outings may take all day and last into early evening. The Sierra Club encourages carpooling to save fuel, but you should be prepared to drive your own car on club outings.
Easy-Less than 5 miles, no serious elevation changes, no trail obstacles.
Moderate-5 to 10 miles, some elevation changes or rough trail (rock hopping), or trail obstacles such as creek crossings.
Strenuous- Over 10 miles, substantial elevation change (1000 ft or more), trail may be rocky, obstructed or nonexistent.
Exploratory- event the leader has not experienced before, may fit any class.
Saturday, Sept 13 - Borden Creek/Big Tree hike. Strenuous. 14 mile hike in the Sipsey Wilderness. We will begin at the Borden Creek Bridge hiking up the old logging road and down to the Big Tree. We continue along the Sipsey River to the intersection with Borden Creek and return to the trailhead. Bring lunch and we will dine afterwards at a local restaurant. Meet at the Cracker Barrel in Madison at 8:00am or at 7:00 am if you want to join us for breakfast. Optional meeting place at the Warrior Mountain Trading Post in Wren at 9:00 am. Contact Tom Burley at 883-4267 or tdburleyhiker@bellsouth.net
Sunday, Sept 14 – Honeysuckle clearing. Meet at 1:00pm at the Land Trust across from Fagan Spring Apartments. I will provide water, some loppers, gloves, and a popper or bring your own. Please volunteer for one of the honeysuckle clearings; this is an important effort. Call Doug Horacek at 256 772-6788 for more information.
Tuesday, Sept 16, 6:00pm - Mountain Evening Hike. Easy. 3-4 mile hike. Different location each week. Meet at the Monte Sano Hiker’s parking lot. Ken Shrider, 772-9442.
Saturday, Sept 20 - Cloudland Canyon hike. Moderate. Located on the western edge of Lookout Mountain, this is one of the most scenic parks in Georgia. The park straddles a deep gorge cut into the mountain by Sitton Gulch Creek and has an elevation change from 800 to 1980 feet. We will hike to the bottom of the gorge where there are two waterfalls cascading into pools below and then hike the rim trail which has spectacular vistas. Bring lunch and we will have dinner (optional) at a local restaurant. Meet at the Publix in Hampton Cove at 9:00am. For information contact Tom Burley at 883-4267 or tdburleyhiker@bellsouth.net
Sunday, Sept 21 – Wildflower and Butterfly hike. Easy. Meet at 2:00pm at Wade Mountain trailhead on Spragins Hollow Road. We will be looking for the fall wildflowers and butterflies. Bring water and sturdy hiking. Call Doug Horacek at 256 772-6788 for information.
Tuesday, Sept 23, 6:00pm - Mountain Evening Hike. Easy. 3-4 mile hike. Different location each week. Meet at the Monte Sano Hiker’s parking lot. Michael Stewart, 656-5836.
Thursday, Sept 25 – Excom meeting 5:30pm. Mirko Rakigjija, 772-8548.
Saturday, Sept 27 - Pinhoti Trail Work. Easy-Moderate, depending on how hard one works. We'll travel to a point between Piedmont, AL and the Georgia state line to help the Alabama Trails Association with the construction of a trail shelter on the Pinhoti Trail, the trail that connects Alabama to Georgia and the Appalachian Trail. All skill levels are needed. Hammers, saws, food, water & smiles should do the trick. Be sure to bring work gloves and lunch. The North AL Sierra club will treat all participants to supper. Meet at 7:00am at Publix Hampton Cove. Call Sam Denham for more details 539-1033(h), 961-0436(w).
Saturday, Sept 27 Short Springs hike. Moderate. We will head up to Short Springs, near Tullahoma, TN, to hike with the Tennessee Trails Assoc. This will be a 6-7 mile hike and we should see some beautiful waterfalls. Bring lunch and water. Meet Winchester Rd Publix at 8:30am. Possible early dinner in Tullahoma after the hike. For more information, call Joette 776-3551.
Tuesday, Sept 30, 6:00pm - Mountain Evening Hike. Easy. 3-4 mile hike. Different location each week. Meet at the Monte Sano Hiker’s parking lot. Randy May, 687-7558.
Saturday, Oct 04 - Monte Sano hike. Moderate. We will hike 12 miles, visiting McKay Hollow, Mills Hollow, and the Flat Rock. Bring lunch and water. Meet at 8:30am at the Land Trust Parking Lot on Bankhead Parkway. Charlie Cohen 837-3622 (home), 961-7901 (office).
Tuesday, Oct 7, 6:00pm – Downtown Evening Hike. Easy. Meet at the Land Trust parking lot at 907 Franklin St. Judy Burley, 883-4267.
Newsletter Labeling
Wednesday, October 8, 5:30pm. Stanlieo’s Sub Villa, corner of Monroe St. and Governor’s Dr. Liz, 461-5819.
Sunday, Oct 12 – Honeysuckle Clearing. Meet at 1:00pm at the Land Trust across from Fagan Spring
Apartments. I will provide water, some loppers, gloves, and a popper or bring your own. Call Doug Horacek at 256 772-6788 for more information.
Tuesday, Oct 14, 6:00pm - Downtown Evening Hike. Easy. Meet at the Land Trust parking lot at 907 Franklin St. Virgil DeStefano, 539-0348.
Thursday, October 16 – North AL Sierra club meeting. 6:30pm at the Huntsville Public Library downtown.
Saturday, Oct 18 - Signal Point hike. Moderate. Signal Point is the highest point on Signal Mountain. The hike from Signal Point to Edwards Point is part of the Cumberland Trail with striking overlooks of the Tennessee River Gorge. The hike follows the top of the Tennessee River Gorge and covers some rocky terrain and requires some climbing. The area includes the Julia Falls Overlook, Edwards Point, a view of Rainbow Falls on the trail to Middle Creek across the suspension bridge and Lockhart’s Arch. The hike is about seven miles. Bring lunch and we will dine afterwards at a local restaurant. Meet at 8:00am at the Publix in Hampton Cove. Contact Tom Burley at 883-4267 or tdburleyhiker@bellsouth.net
Sunday, Oct 19 – Wade Mountain Wildflower hike. Easy. Meet at 1:00pm at Wade Mountain trailhead on Spragins Hollow Road for Great Plains Ladies Tresses. Bring water, sturdy hiking boots. Call Doug Horacek at 256 772-6788 for more information.
Tuesday, Oct 21, 6:00pm - Downtown Evening Hike. Easy. Meet at the Land Trust parking lot at 907 Franklin St. Alan Greene, 534-7849.
Tuesday, Oct 28, 6:00pm - Downtown Evening Hike. Easy. Meet at the Land Trust parking lot at 907 Franklin St. Gerdi Keyser, 922-2251.
Other Outings / Events
The following are not sponsored or administered by the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club has no information about the planning and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of such activities. They are published only as a reader service because they might be of interest to our readers.
Tennessee Sierra Club
Outings
Leader 101/201 Training
September 26-28, 2008
Laurel Fork Lodge
Hampton, Tennessee
$45/person
Register online at http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/training
or contact Outdoor Activities Training Manager at 1-415-977-5711 or email outings.training@sierraclub.org
Wilderness
First Aid Training
October 17-19, 2008
$225/participant
(non-refundable)
Fees include course, lodging, meals (Friday supper-Sunday lunch)
Training provided by NOLS Wilderness Medicine
Register with Katherine Pendleton at Katherine.pendleton@sierraclub.org
or 615-943-6877
South Cumberland State Recreation Area
Saturday, September 13, 2008
10:00am - Rock Hopping at Savage Falls - Join Naturalist John Miller at the Savage Gulf Ranger Station for this strenuous adventure down to Savage Falls. Once at Savage Falls we will begin to rock hop our way down Savage Stream for a difficult and technical hike. This hike will require a sturdy body and stronger boots. Please bring plenty of water and a small lunch.
5:30am - Meadow Trail Stroll - Meet Ranger Brent at the Visitor Center parking lot for an easy 2-mile stroll around our Meadow Trail and view some late summer native flowers in bloom.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
1:00pm - Greeter Falls Hike - Join Ranger Chase at the Greeter Falls parking lot for a difficult 1.5 mile hike through beautiful hemlock forests to breathtaking waterfalls.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
10:00am - Horsepound Falls Hike - Join Ranger John Miller at the Collins West Parking lot for this strenuous 5-mile hike through Suter Falls down to Horsepound Falls and back. Hikers will also get the chance to see the Collins West Overlook. Please bring plenty of water and a snack.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
10:00am - Savage Gulf Hike - Join Ranger John Miller at the Savage Gulf Ranger Station for this 4-mile nature hike to Savage Falls and then up to Rattlesnake Point. Wear sturdy shoes and bring plenty of water and a snack. Don’t forget to bring a camera.
3:00pm - Slideshow - Meet Ranger George at the Savage Gulf Ranger Station for an informative slideshow on Savage Gulf/Stone Door area.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
6:30pm - Suter Falls Evening Hike - Meet Ranger John Miller at the Collins West Parking lot to hike to see Suter Falls during the evening. This hike will be a strenuous 1-mile hike to the base of Suter Falls. Please wear good shoes and a source of light. Be prepared, ticks are out.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
4:30pm - Sycamore Falls Hike - Meet Ranger Brent at the Grundy Forest parking lot for a moderate 3-mile hike down to Sycamore Falls . Bring some sturdy shoes, some water, and a light snack.