Panthertown Valley - Sat, Feb 25 2012

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Panthertown Valley


The Basics:
Event Type:Backpacking
Event Location: Panthertown Valley   Backpacking: Panthertown Valley  National Weather Service Forecast
Date(s) & Time:Sat, Feb 25 2012  7:45 am >> Sun, Feb 26 2012 6:00 pm  (Carpool Departure: 7:45 am   *log in for location*)
Registration Opens: Mon, Feb 13 2012 9:00 pm
Registration Cut Off: Fri, Feb 24 2012 6:00 pm
Event Duration:1 Days 10 Hours 15 Minutes
Difficulty Rating:D4: Moderate to Difficult (Exploratory)
Distance:2 Miles
Pace:Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
Michael Johnson
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Member Cost:None

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:10
Minimum Group Size:2
Number Registered So Far: 7 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: Yes

Note: This is an "EXPLORATORY" trip. This means that there are parts of this trip, or perhaps the whole trip, that is new to your Trip Leader(s). However, they are confident that this will not be an issue.
This note is here so that you can make an informed decision. When a Trip Leader isn't personally familiar with a trip, there is an increased chance of things not going as planned and you need to be prepared. The Trip Leader may have additional details in the itinerary.

Itinerary:
Panthertown Valley, a/k/a Yosemite of the East, is a beautiful area with plenty of waterfalls. In addition, there are hundreds of species of trees, shrubs, vines, wildflowers, mosses, lichens and the largest mushrooms I've ever seen. Panthers no longer roam the valley, but you may see deer, fox, raccoon, skunk, barred owl, grouse and snakes. The streams are full of brook trout. And the views from the top of the cliffs are absolutely spectacular! Be prepared to backpack about 1.5 miles to our campsite near Tuckasegee river just past the Sandbar Pool, which is a very nice flat campsite. After setting up camp, and eating lunch, we will either be hiking to the top of Cold Mountain, which is about a 1000' elevation gain, and about an 8 mile round trip, or going to a special waterfall that requires navigating down a very little used trail, that seems more like an animal trail.
On Sunday we can take a short hike to School House Falls and the top of Little Green Mtn for another beautiful view of the valley below. After the Sunday hike, we will break camp and backpack out the way we came in, about 1.5 miles, but since it goes back up and out of the valley, you need to be in good shape. So come join us on our adventure to this valley nestled along the eastern continental divide. This is a nature's lover hike, and we won't be rushing from one place to another, or rushing to get back to the city. But you'll still need to be in good shape, so pay more attention to the mileage and elevation gain rather than the rating, which is more generalized. These mountains are high, and the terrain can be rugged for those unprepared.

As long as your dog is in good shape, friendly to both people and other dogs, and doesn't bark excessively, they're welcome on this trip.

Required Items to Bring:
Please bring a lunch, dinner and a breakfast. You may want to bring a lunch or snack for Sunday on our day hike as well.
Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.
Panthertown temps are quite lower than the local town's (i.e Cashiers) forecasted temps.

How to Get There:
Event Directions:I will provide directions to our destination at the car pool site.
Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):280Mile(s)
Carpool Departure Time: 7:45 am
Carpool Location:   Log in for location
Carpool Directions:   Log in for directions
Carpool Cost: Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $112.00 using a reimbursement rate guideline of $0.400 per mile. The total amount should be divided by the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver. This is a guideline, not a rule, for drivers but the cost should not be higher unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Notes:
* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.


Cancellation/Partial Attendance:   Please review the AOC cancellation policy.