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 The 2008 Grandfather Mountain Naturalist Weekend planned for Friday May 16 through Sunday, May 18 is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Mountain�s trail program with many activities planned to explore the backcountry.
�Half of the events planned for Naturalist Weekend will take place out on various hiking and nature trails across Grandfather,� said Grandfather Mountain Chief Naturalist Jesse Pope. �We really want people to experience the trails and celebrate them.� The weekend kicks off Friday, May 16 with a moonlight meander led by Pope. The event will last from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. and will include encounters with the Mountain�s wildlife such as owls and salamanders. Space for this event is limited so reservations are necessary. On Saturday, May 17 Audubon Biologist and Important Bird Area Coordinator Curtis Smalling leads a bird walk along the Profile Trail that will take guests through some of the most densely populated bird habitat in North Carolina. This walk lasts from 7 a.m. until 10 a.m. and departs from the Profile trailhead on NC 105, a quarter mile north of the intersection of NC 105 and NC 184 at Tynecastle.
As the morning continues, Grandfather Habitats Manager Tanya Cline presents a workshop on the black bear at 10:30 a.m. that begins in the Museum auditorium and ends up with a behind the scenes tour of the bear habitat. At 11:30 a.m. there will be a guided nature walk led by Grandfather Mountain Naturalist Katie Christenbury. Lori Williams of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission will enlighten visitors on the habits and habitat of salamanders in a program that begins at the Museum auditorium at 1 p.m. The group then heads out to Boone�s Fork to turn over rocks in search of the area's largest salamander, the Hellbender. Those who have ever hiked Grandfather Mountain�s carefully maintained network of backcountry trails will enjoy the opportunity to hear Grandfather�s original backcountry ranger Randy Johnson speak on its history at 3 p.m. in the Museum auditorium. Randy JohnsonThirty years ago, Johnson was the person who first conceived the idea of charging user fees to support the development and upkeep of Grandfather�s amazing network of alpine trails. He spent the decade of the 1980s building the attraction�s reputation for delivering a quality hiking experience. Johnson is presenting a slide program marking the 30th anniversary of the program. Saturday will end with a guided geology hike at 4 p.m. led by Anthony Love of Appalachian State University. Those interested should meet at the Black Rock parking lot.
Nina Fisschessor of the Blue Ridge Wildlife Institute at Lees-McRae College gives a presentation at 11 a.m. on birds of prey that includes bringing out live birds so guests can get a closer look. At 1 p.m. a program on Grandfather Mountain�s green initiatives will be presented by the Mountain President Crae Morton and Trails Manager Luke Appling. This program, taking place in the museum auditorium, details the ways in which Grandfather is working to reduce its carbon footprint. A guided hike up the Bridge Trail begins at 2:30 p.m. with Baker Perry and Pete Soule of Appalachian State University. This weather and dendroecological study will discuss the relationship between trees, weather and high elevations. Those interested in the program are asked to meet at the Black Rock parking lot. A program on the animal training in Grandfather�s habitats takes place at 3:30 p.m. and will be presented by Habitat assistant Megan McCloud. The program starts in the Museum and moves to the habitats. Grandfather's Naturalist Weekend ends at 4 p.m. on Sunday with a wildflower walk on the Profile Trail led by Jesse Pope. All programs and guided walks offered as part of the Naturalist's Weekend are included in the regular price of admission. Those who attend for more than one day should keep their receipt from their first visit and present that for discount admission the following day. For more information and to make reservations for the moonlight meander please call 828-733-4326. For a complete schedule for Naturalist Weekend please visit www.grandfather.com. (Images provided by Grandfather Mountain.)
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A more rigorous morning hike begins at 9 a.m. and lasts until 3 p.m. This hike across the ridgeline will be led by Grandfather Mountain Naturalist Gabe Taylor. Randy Johnson, founder of Grandfather Mountain�s backcountry trail program, will join the first leg of the hike. The trek over the Grandfather Trail begins at the Black Rock parking lot and travels 2.4 miles to Calloway Peak and then back. This trail is classified as very strenuous with some extra steep sections where hikers use in-place cables and ladders.
Events Sunday, May 18 begin at 9 a.m. with Catawba County Interpretive Ranger Dwayne Martin, one of only four people in North Carolina licensed to capture and band hummingbirds. Martin will conduct a hummingbird-banding workshop and enlighten guests on the fascinating world of hummers in the sun room at Mildred�s Grill in the Grandfather Mountain Nature Museum.
