TTA PLATEAU CHAPTER: Saturday, March 28, 2015, Hike/Excursion -- Sgt Alvin C York State Historic Park and Home in Fentress County and Cordell Hull Memorial State Park and Birthplace in Pickett County

Willie Beaty will lead this hike giving an opportunity to learn about two men who impacted the history of the state of Tennessee in significantly different ways. The total hiking distance at the York Homestead is one mile rated easy and at the Cordell Hull Birthplace the Bunkum Cave Trail is 2.5 miles, rated easy to moderate. Our first stop will be at the General Store-Visitors Center where food and souvenir items are for sale and where we will view a 20-minute video narrated by Walter Cronkite. We will then enjoy a guided tour of the York home across the street. After the home tour we will walk 1/2 mile across the scenic Wolf River on a swinging bridge, past the church where Sgt York was a member and to the cemetery where he is buried. After returning to the York home we will drive across the bridge where we will be able to walk through the York Grist Mill, the only one still standing in the county. From the York Grist Mill we will proceed to the Cordell Hull State Park and Birthplace in Pickett County. We will take time to go through a small museum about Hull’s life, walk a short distance to a replica of the log home in which he was born and view several other outbuildings. From there we will hike to the Bunkum Cave where Cordell Hull’s father made moonshine. Due to restrictions because of White Nose Disease we will not be able to go inside the cave. The trail however, is quite scenic and we should be able to see some early wildflowers. Bring water and lunch or purchase at the general store. Depart at 8:00 am CT from Cracker Barrel. Carpool cost is $5. For more information and register contact Cheryl Heckler at thehecklers@charter.net or 931-200-7436. Photos: Pat1, Pat2

WELCOMES ALL HIKERS

NOTE 1: Check Blog the Evening Before hikes and/or Early Morning on hike day; It May Be Necessary To Change/Cancel some hikes.

NOTE 2: Hike Information - contact plateauhikes@tennesseetrails.org

Hiking Rules & Information

Leadership—Wednesday hikes are leaderless. Unless otherwise announced there are usually hikers familiar with each hike, so we rarely get lost. But each hiker is responsible for his own safety, maintaining contact with the rest of the group, etc.

Hike Difficulty—Hikes typically range from 5-10 miles. There is usually a lot of elevation change and rugged terrain. Neighborhood walkers and inexperienced hikers will find nearly all our hikes difficult. More experienced hikers accustomed to climbs of thousands of feet in the Smoky’s would place most of our hikes in the moderate to difficult class.

Hazard—Hiking is not “a walk in the park”. Hazards exist on all our hikes. They range from high cliffs, steep rock scrambles, falling icicles, stream crossings, just to name a few. These hazards are so commonplace they are rarely mentioned in the trail descriptions.

Supplies and Equipment---Hiking boots are recommended for all our hikes. Several of our hikers wear snake proof gaiters. We have lunch on the trail. Drinking water is mandatory to prevent dehydration, leg cramps and other complications. Failure to bring adequate food and water is a hazard and an imposition on other hikers. Other discretionary items include compass, pocket knife, first aid supplies, etc.

Gasoline reimbursement---We car pool to trailheads typically a half hour to 2 1/2 hours from Crossville. Riders are expected to pay for the gasoline. Drivers incur wear and tear on the vehicle and risk that it may be damaged. Since the riders’ contribution varies with mileage and gas price, cost is decided before each hike, and indicated on the Blog. (Typical gas costs vary from $2 to $12 per person depending on driving distance.) Please bring extra shoes to avoid tracking mud into vehicles.

Trail etiquette---Experience has taught us that bad things happen when individuals separate from the group. Time and energy is expended looking for separated hikers even if it turns out they have not missed a turn. Therefore, each hiker should maintain eye contact with at least one other hiker. Small goups should maintain eye contact with the rest of the group. At least one hiker from the main group needs to be informed of bathroom breaks and other delays so that individuals don’t get separated. The group doesn’t split up unless there are extraordinary circumstances (eg, worn out hikers take a short cut). Under those circumstances there must be at least two hikers in each group and a clear understanding of the obligations of each group for driving arrangements or waiting at the trailhead.

Hike Pace---We normally hike around 2.5 mph depending on terrain. Practical experience indicates that this pace keeps us together pretty well. However, individual preferences vary with respect to desired time spent at a waterfall or other scenic highlight. There is no silver bullet for resolving these differences other than courtesy. Photographers and others who want to take a closer look need to be sensitive to the will of the majority as do the get-down-to business hikers. Since we spend a lot of energy and time to see sights that can not be seen from a car, ties should be broken in favor of the sightseers.

Liability---Bad things can happen on hike: auto accidents,injury,equipment damage or failure, etc. Our group does not assume any collective or individual liability for any such mishaps. Each hiker is individually responsible for his own safety.

Punctuality---Zero tolerance. We leave the car pool location promptly at the time announced on the Blog.

Hunting season---Hike plans are formulated to avoid the worst of the hunting hazards but, we cannot avoid all exposure to hunters. Therefore it is each hikers responsibility to dress in blaze orange or other bright,visible clothing during hunting season.

TTA PLATEAU CHAPTER

Saturday, March 28, 2015, Hike/Excursion -- Sgt Alvin C York State Historic Park and Home in Fentress County and Cordell Hull Memorial State Park and Birthplace in Pickett County

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