Little Cataloochee Hike (and our club has a name!)

Our voting period has officially ended and we have a winner for a club name! It was a tight race between the winner and second place, but drum roll, please......our new and official name for the club is:

Shining Rock Outdoor eXperience 

The creator of this name thought a cool abbreviation would be S-ROX.  I think it would make a really neat t-shirt with the shortened version.  Thanks to everyone who voted!  Lost Soles was our second place finisher, for those who are curious.

On to the hike recap!  Little Cataloochee Trail proved to be a hit!  There is much history to be learned on this trail and the kids seemed to enjoy the guessing game of "How old is this structure?" as we walked along the wooded path and encountered much evidence of a bygone era in the Smokies.

We had a smaller turnout than expected due to a few folks getting turned around on the way to the trailhead.  Going forward, we will announce a central location in town and then caravan.  That way, we still have cell reception to keep in touch and no one is left scratching their head as they're traveling down unmarked dirt roads!

Enjoy the photos from a wonderful day and remember that our next meeting is December 7 from 3:15 until 4:30.  We'll meet in the 5th grade classroom and leave from there to go on a geocaching adventure at Lake Junaluska!

The Hannah Cabin was built by John Jackson Hannah in 1864.  The cabin was restored in 1976 by the National Park Service.

The Hannah Cabin's "attic"--not sure how warm you'd stay up here on a cold winter's day!

Nancy brought "raccoon scat" treats to share.  They were a great learning tool to learn the omnivorous diet of raccoons (and tasty too)!

Gracie, Eva, Paige, and Aidan all enjoying their yummy snacks

After the cabin, the kids were eager to explore more and find another structure they knew was ahead

Another mile into the woods and we came across Little Cataloochee Baptist Church.  The kids rushed up the hill to investigate their discovery in the middle of the woods!

We had fun guessing the weight of the bell in the bell tower (it's 400 pounds if you're curious).  And the kids couldn't ring the bell enough (but the adults had plenty of it!).

The girls loved taking turns reading from the pulpit!

The church reveals a stark but tranquil interior.

Everyone visited the graveyard and the kids used their math skills to figure out how old people were when they died (and none of us liked discovering a child's death)

The kids were captivated with the headstones

Sidney found a cool insect gall on the trail.

On our hike, we discovered oodles of Patridge Berries.  When Nancy told the kids they were edible, they were all eager to see what they tasted like (fairly tasteless, but it's always fun to forage in the woods!).

The kids were so excited to find a snake skin and not the snake!

We came across a hollowed out dead tree that was big enough to stand inside of!

These times our families spend together are so special.  

November 15th Hike Info and Vote for our Club's Name!

Our latest club meeting focused on the seven principles of Leave no Trace.  The kids were impressively knowledgeable about the do's and do not's of environmental impact while in wilderness areas, and were attentive and engaged in the discussion.

Our group discussion about Leave No Trace principles

Our lesson for the day

We started our meeting with a game of "Sprout Ball" and much fun was had slipping and sliding around on the wet open air gym floor while they played!

Sprout Ball was lots of fun!

Our next family hike is this upcoming Sunday, November 15, starting at noon.  We will be traversing part of the Little Cataloochee Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  The hike is an out-and-back excursion, 2 miles each way (so 4 miles, round trip) and the grade is gentle. This is a wonderful hike to learn about the history of the park, its prior residents, and the way they lived.  There are some surprises along the way that are sure to keep the kids interested in the journey!  Nancy will also be bringing a special "Raccoon Scat" snack for everyone to share, enjoy, and even learn from...and no worries, all the ingredients are edible and non fecal in nature. :-)

We would like to try an RSVP system for our hikes going forward, so as not to leave anyone behind.  Sign up here to RSVP for November 15 hike.

One important reminder about the national park--no dogs are allowed on their trails.

Directions to the Little Cataloochee Trail:  Travel down 276 as if you're headed towards Maggie Valley. Take a right at the light beside the Dollar General to continue down 276 towards I-40. Shortly before reaching I-40, turn left onto Cove Creek Rd and drive 6 miles to Cove Creek Gap at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park entrance (there will be park sign on the side of the road indicating that you're entering the park).  Continue on this road down towards Cataloochee Valley. When you reach a 4-way intersection, continue straight on NC 284, following the signs for Big Creek and Cosby.  Drive the dirt road for 6 miles until you reach the trailhead on the left, where there will be a park trail sign indicating the start of Little Cataloochee Trail.  Nancy and her family will arrive a bit early, so when you see our red Honda minivan, you'll know you're in the right spot!  Allow a good hour from downtown Waynesville, because it's slow going on the gravel roads.

We still need to vote on a club name!  You may vote below (parents, you're allowed to vote since you are a part of this club too!).  Please, only one vote per person.  We'll keep the voting open for a week, to allow everyone ample time to read this and cast their vote.

If the poll below only allows you to vote once and you have multiple family members who need to cast their vote, use this link instead.

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