• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1991-06-20_Vol57_No01_03

Volume 57 Number 1 News The Western Carolinian Page 3 Thursday, June 20, 1991 Volunteers help blaze Mountain to the Sea trail Jennifer Mann News Editor Editor's Note: this is a reprint of an article which appeared in The Waynesville Mountaineer last week While many of us spend our days working under fluorescent lights, sometimes in rooms without windows, Lynwood McElroy and other volunteers return to nature as they work on the Mountain to the Sea trail. "I got involved in this trail in 1981 and I guess they refer to me as the trail manager," said McElroy. So far, he has spent 1,500 hours working on the trail. The trail's origins go back to 1977, when the National Trails Symposium met at Lake Junaluska and decided to build the 700-milc- long Mountain to the Sea Trail, stretching from Clingman's Dome to Nag's Head. The next year, 15 task forces were establ ished to work on the trai 1. McElroy is a volunteer for the Balsam Highlands Task Force, which is responsible for60 miles of the project. "Twenty to 25 of the 60 miles we are doing are now completed and hikable," McElroy said. "The trail winds and twists between Jackson and Haywood counties. We will also help the Cherokee Indians build the trail through the reservation," he said. This section of the trail runs through Pisgah National Forest, Nantahala National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway and reaches an elevation of 5,400 feet. Thanks to variations in soil, "the type of vegetation changes very drastically around here," said Jim Edwards, trail volunteer. Edwards is the retired superintendent of the Mountain Research Station near Waynesville. In the spring, different wild- flowers are visible, including Indian paintbrush, many kinds of asters and azaleas. The endangered orchids on One highlight of the trail is that it goes through a boulder field that has been established as a Natural Heritage Area by the state. "A Geologist told me that it was formed during the glacier age," Photo courtesy The Mountaineer A look down the Mountain to the Sea trail near the Grassy Ridge Mine overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Double Top Mountain Overlook, Licklog Gap Overlook, Rough Butt Bald, NC-215 and Grassy Ridge Mine Overlook. Volunteers are currently working at Grassy Ridge Mine. This portion of the Mountain to the Sea Trail is for hiking only. About 10 miles of the trail is in the Middle Prong Wilderness area where camping is permitted. There is no camping on the parkway, but you can camp in forest service land. In other parts of the Mountain to the Sea Trail, mountain bikes, horses and canoes are permitted. McElroy said he has heard that 375 miles of the total 700 miles of the trail are completed and hikable. The tools used for this project have been f urn ished by state grants and range from regular chopping axes to fire rakes and pulaskis, used for digging and chopping. In the wilderness area sections of the trail, neither signs nor power tools are allowed to blaze the trail or for maintenance. "These trails don' t just materialize overnight. They represent a great deal of labor," said McElroy. Anyone who does 50 hours of work will get a Mountain to the Sea Trail patch. McElroy has received help from Western Carolina University Parks and Recreation students, Elon College students and the hiking class from Haywood Community College. Young men and women from 13 nations around the world have also helped through the Ad- venturc,orProjectRaleighprogram. "I've had the Scout troop from Sylva come help when one of them was working on his Eagle Badge. Dr. Phil Mcdford, a dentist in Waynesville, works on the trail every Friday. The Parkway officers and rangers have also been exceptionally cooperative," said McElroy. When starting on a section, the first step is to flag the trail. "The flagged area gets so thick you literally have to crawl through it because of the mountain laurel," said McElroy. A botanist will then walk the trail, looking for rare plants. If any are found, they have to be moved. If any historical remains were found, an archaeologist would be called. In certain conditions, the trail would have to circumvent the site. After the trail is blazed, the tread is dug using an altimeter and a clenometer to check the grade on the trail (incline or decline) because it is important to stay within the regulations set by the State Department of Natural and Economic Resources. Someone from the park service in Asheville then walks the trail to plot it to use on their land map. Volunteers also do maintenance on the trail at least once a year. If you are interested in helping with the Mountains to the Sea Trail, or you just want more information about hiking or trail- blazing, call McElroy at 456-5546. WCU gears up to celebrate July 4 Picnic and brass ensemble highlight Independence Day festivities the trail include pink and yellow slipper and purple fringed orchid. Animals that have been spotted include deer, red and brown squirrels, wild turkeys and bear. said McElroy. "This is a good, easy trail to hike," said Jim Edwards. Entry points for this section of the trail include Bear Pen Gap, University offices will be closed from noon until 2 p.m. on July 4 as Western Carolina University celebrates Independence Day with a picnic on the lawn of Hinds University Center. Both students and faculty are welcome at the barbecue lunch and students may use their meal cards. Cost for all others is S3. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. Entertainment for the lunch will be provided by the "Smoky 12", a brass ensemble from the Smoky Mountain British Brass Band. Chancellor Myron L. Coulter will speak at a brief program from 12:45 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. following the meal. The program will include the pledge of allegiance, the national anthem and otherpatriotic music. Free icecream and watermelon will be served following the program. The carillon in the Alumni Tower also will be featuring special music throughout the day. The picnic will mark WCU's first observance of the Fourth of July in several years and the university community is encouraged to participate. The first 500 to arrive will receive small commemorative flags. Except for the two-hour observance, WCU will operate on a normal schedule July 4 since the summer school is in session. For additional information, telephone Tim Jacobs at Hinds University Center, 227-7206. Engineering Technologies honor society establishes Eta Delta chapter at Western A new chapter of Tau Alpha Pi National Honor Society for 'Engineering Technologies has been formed in Western Carolina ^University's department of industrial and engineering technology. The Eta Delta Chapter was 'officially chartered at WCU in ceremonies April 19 at the Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center "conducted by Tau Alpha Pi executive director Frederick Bcrger and WCU faculty members George .DeSain and Kenneth Ayala. Ten Western undergraduates from the manufacturing and electronics engineering technology programs were initiated as founding members. Founding members are Ronald Allen of Bryson City, Stephen Allison of Old Fort, James Baldwin of Asheville, William Hawkins of Durham, Charles Lindsey of Ardcn, Ginger Linville of Boonville, Elijah Macharia of Cullowhee, Mary McAllister of Franklin, Brian Motsingcr of Winston-Salem and Jonathan Wilson of Fairview. Membership is open to junior-level students who are majoring in the technologies, compile a 3.3 quality point average on a 4.0 scale and arc recommended by a faculty member. The founding class included students enrolled at the WCU campus in Cullowhee and students enrolled in the cooperative program at Ashevillc-Buncombe Technical Community College. Tau Alpha Pi's primary purpose, according to Bcrger, is to provide recognition for high standards of scholarship among students in engineering technology programs accredited by the Technology Ac creditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. The society promotes and encourages academic achievement. Itaccepts students from two-year, four-year bachelor's degree programs, and fro master's de- gree programs, all in engineering photo courtesy Of I L-K tront row: faculty members Kenneth Ayala, George DeSain, Mary McAllister and Tau Alpha PI Executive Director Frederick Berger. Second Row: Jonathan Wilson, Ginger Linville, Elijah Macharia and William Hawkins. Third Row: Charles Lindsey, Brian Motsinger, Stephen Allison, James Baldwin and Ronald Allpn. technology. There are 135 Tau Alpha Pi chapters in the United States. Western Carolina University offers baccalaureate degree programs in manufacturing and electronics engineering technology, industrial technology and industrial distribution, and master's degree programs in technology and industrial education. DeSain, professor and head of the IET department at WCU, also received Tau Alpha Pi's award of merit for his work with the honor society. DeSain previously sponsored a Tau Alpha Pi chapter of Alfred State College in Alfred, New York. Mt. Heritage Day among state's best festivals "Poverty" form page 2 I i ! I I I m I m m I . m I m i I i i | j i i * m ! I WEDNESDAYS are Ice Cream Days Every Wednesday 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. In Front of the University Center sO coO{ New Beginnings doesn't conclude when the families leave WCU. A yearlong follow up involves a "Super Saturday" each month when families meet with counselors for home visits. The final session will take place in May 1992. "By teaching skills and encouraging confidence within families, New Beginnings aims to help participants break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their children," Rickman said. "The program can help families grow and learn and set new goals of confidence. All they need to participate is a desire to succeed." For more information on New Beginnings, call Brcnda Tsavatewa or Ann Rickman, Office for Rural Education, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723, (704) 227-7347. North Carolina Governor Jim Martin has announced that Celebration North Carolina has chosen Western Carolina University's Mountain Heritage Day, scheduled for Sept. 28 as one of the state's most outstanding festivals. "Each year, hundreds of festivals occur throughout our stat that bring people together to celebrate a meaningful tradition orcom- memorate a festive occasion," Martin said. "We wanted to create a way to bring attention to some of these events which are enjoyed by many and make special contributions to the North Carolina experience." Celebration North Carol ina is a non-profit foundation created by Gov. Martin to inspire citizen pride and involvement in community ac tivities that improve the quality of life in North Carolina. Mountain Heritage Day is one of 100 lop festivals awarded the official Celebration North Carolina designation for 1991. This year's Mountain Heritage Day will be the 17th celebration of the mountain style of life. The all-day get-together features traditional folk arts, music ad crafts and a variety of contests and foods, all tied to special exhibitions and programs at the university's Mountain Heritage Center. Mountain Heritage Day has attracted as many as 35,000 people. In 1990, the celebration was selected as one of the Southeast's top 20 events by the Southeast Tourism Society. 'Summertime" continued from Front ENJOY A DELICIOUS ICE CREAM SUNL $1.00 June 12 - July 24 Bananaless Splits SUMMER VIDEOS PLAYING CONTINUOUSLY IN THE UNIVERSITY CENTER SECOND FLOOR LOUNGE 10 AM-10PM BIG JUNE 21 NAKED GUN JUNE 24-28 FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF JULY 1-5 DAYS OF THUNDER JULY 8-12 HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER JULY 15-19 TOTAL RECALL JULY 22-26 3 MEN AND A LITTLE LADY JULY 29 - AUGUST 2 Summertime is perfect for making the most of the mild local climate. For those off campus, an outdoor barbecue should be on the summer to-do list; or for the economical dorm rat, a spontaneous game of frisbee is refreshing. Such activities maximize stress relief time and compensate for the laborious early morning classes that go hand in hand with summer school. Perhaps the summer humidity has gotten you down and you need to cool off. A dip in Reid pool, open from 3:00-5:00 pm weekdays, would be an excellent way to spend the afternoon. The A.K. Hinds University Center (UC) rents hiking, biking, and camping equipment at an affordable rate so you can enjoy the mountain environment at your own pace. Several rafting and canoeing trips have also been scheduled. Every Wednesday, from 1:00-3:00 pm on the UC lawn, Last Minute Productions (LMP) will host a summer chill out with ice cream sundaes for just a buck. What a bargain! In addition to this weekly event, LMP will continue its practice of showing hot new movies that have just come out on video. These will be shown in the 2nd floor lobby of the UC at posted times. A July 4th celebration is being planned by LMP and it will include a live band, watermelon and other refreshments. Tim Jacobs of the University Center says, "I expect a good turnout for the various rafting and canoeing trips and I'm optimistic about the other events to be sponsored by Last Minute Productions."

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1991-06-20
  • Date digitized: 2019-10-02
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 14.25"
  • Pages: 6 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1991-06-20_Vol57_No01
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library