Highpointers e-news for July 15, 2010

The Membership Guy Criag Noland’s Highpointer e-news for July 15 is out. To see it in its full html glory click here.

In This IssueHighpointer’s Connector. The place where you can connect with others to
hook up for trips, swap/sell/buy gear, find out and share information.Click
Here!*******Important Convention News!!!Road and Highpoint UpdatesLinksMore Good
Stuff…

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QUICK LINKSHome| The MercUpdate Your CountAddress and Email Corrections Newsletter
SubmittalHighpointers FoundationMembershipClub InformationHighpointer’s Connector
Blog

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Correction on Stony’s Email Address…stonyburk1@yahoo.comHighpoint Liaisons &
Helpers Needed…Regional Coordinatorsneeded are a Northeast Regional Coordinator
effective now and a Southern Region Coordinator ASAP.Highpoint Liaisonsare the
Clubs points of contact with the owners of a specific Highpoints and are the Clubs
primary contact with the owner.The Club needs Liaisons for:AZ, ID, NV, NM, OR and
WY in the West Region. DE and NY in the Northeast RegionMN, SD, MI and NE in the
Midwest RegionAL, OK and Puerto Rico in the South RegionThe Highpoint Helper
Helpers offer a variety of services and may provide directions, local conditions,
tips, advice or perhaps even guide members. The Club needs Helpers for: ID, WY and
MSHere’s your chance to help the Club and meet other Highpointers in the
process.Email Stony at: stonyburk1@yahoo.com

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HIGHPOINTERSHOTLINE…The easiest way to keep your HP Counts and Membership
Information updated..Give your updates, reports, address/ email changes, etc…Add
Family Members for free as long as they are at the same address as you.Remember –
Voice and Text Messages only.This phone is not manned. 865.660.0027

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“CREW Members”& Others Needed!!!The “CREW”needs your help for the Mississippi
Konvention and other functions when available. An hour or two – what ever you can
spare.We can also use some folks to help by sitting in at the 21st Annual Wilderness
Wildlife Weekin Pigeon Forge, Tennessee – January 2011. Benefits include:On the Job
TrainingMaking new friendsMeeting and greeting many of the convention attendeesA
reserved seat at the banquet with fellow “CREW Members”Recognition at the banquet
for all your tremendous hard workGreat praise from the host after the convention is
finishedAll the goodies you can eat at the registration tableThe satisfaction that
you have given your club a valuable serviceEmail Nikki Hemphill at
greyghost92@yahoo.comor call 219-545-2169.

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Kenton Merc Website…The Kenton Merchas a new website featuring info about the Merc
and Kabins. Get local links to area websites. Find out what’s going on before you
get there. Kentonmercantile.net*******Highpoint Visitation Dates and Times…
Illinois – Charles Mound Visitation 2010…The Highpoint Owners have set the weekend
visitation dates for 2010. Visit only on Visitation Weekends and during Daylight
HoursNO Exceptions!!!July 3rd – 4thAugust 7th – 8thSeptember 4th –
5th*******Campbell Hill Ohio…Ohio Hi-Point Career Centersits atop the highest
point in Ohio. Now a school campus, the highpoint is only accessible to the Public
access Weekdays and Saturday.only.Mon – Fri: 6:30am – 10:00pm Saturday: 6:30am –
3:30pmSpecial arrangements for visitation may be made by contacting the Facilities
and Grounds Department at: 937.599.3010 – Ext. 211******* Mount Washington Invite…
Connect to this mountain’s incredible weather extremes through their website:
MountWashington.org Webcams, Photos, Current Weather Conditions, Observer
Comments… Join their email list and get regular updates. Their interactive science
and weather museum in North Conway NH is open daily from 10 to 5 bringing the
wonders of the atmosphere right to your fingertips through interactive exhibits and
a twice-daily live video connection with the summit weather station. Free!

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“Three Day Weekends”Special in Central Wisconsin…Nearly twenty area hotels in the
Wausau WI (Central WI) area are helping you make the most of your travel budget by
offering Sunday Nights Free with a Friday and Saturday night stay. Pay the regular
published rate for Friday and Saturday night and you’ll get Sunday night free!
“Three Day Weekends” are available every weekend in 2010 so just Click Herefor more
information.

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Greetings Roger,We’ve made it past the half way point of 2010. Please keep me
updated on changes concerning access, closures, road conditions, special events and
any other items that may be helpful to our members and your Highpoint. Believe me,
this really helps us and the members to stay up to date.To send a report, just email
me at:updates@highpointers.orgRight now we’re getting ready for the 2nd quarter
issue of the newsletter to come out. Please send me your updates ASAP if you have
not already as this issue will come out with the 2010 Directory.We need y’all to
start using the Highpointers Connector. I set this page up so that we’ll all be able
to communicate about Highpointing. Not much communicating though. Come on and help
us all out and post there if you have anything to
offer.http://highpointersclub.blogspot.com/We’ve been getting some great trip
reports and many count changes are comming in. Again, please send in your updated
information as soon as you can… How ’bout right now?Have a good day and be safe!
Craig NolandThe Membership Guycnoland@highpointers.org

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2010 Highpointers Annual Convention in Mississippi & Name Change of Hosting
Hotel…The name of the hotel hosting the convention has changed to the Emerald
River Hotel. It is not part of the Holuday Inn system as it was when we planned our
event. They will, however, honor our contract and provide us with a place to have
mucho fun!Registration is being taken for the Convention to be held October 7th –
9th highlighting the Mississippi Highpoint on Woodall Mountain. This convention is
being held in the Fall due to the brutal heat that befalls the “Deep South”in the
Summer.At the Convention Headquarters we have rooms blocked for Highpointers with a
rate of $84.00 per night. Please contact the Emerald River Hotel, 4900 Hatch Blvd,
Sheffield AL 35660 – Phone: 256.381.4710.It is located in the center of the
Sheffield, Muscle Shoalsand Florence area in beautiful North Alabama near the
intersection of US Highways 72 and 43.Aparently there has been an error on the
Convention application in the issue #88 newsletter that needs to be corrected. The
proper fee for adults is $75 instead of $70. Please keep this in mind when sending
in your applications.Please contact Gary White at whiteman@centurytel.netfor more
information.2010 Convention Agenda & Registration Application (pdf.
file)Mississippi 2010 Registration– Word file

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The HighpointersMerc* t-Shirts * Caps * Books ** Award Plaques * Pins ** 5 State
Completion Patch ** Guidebooks and Much More *Highpointers Mercantile Attn: Jean
Trousdale 1416 Aladdin Street Norman, Oklahoma 73072-6039 (405) 329-6189Penny and
her helper Jean “Mother Merc”Trousdale on the road somewhere?Click Here to Visit
Site!!!

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Events, Happenings and Stuff… Hawkeye Point – Iowa…A museum is planned for the
crib if money becomes available.. Several Highpointers Club have donated money. The
Highpointers Foundation has contributed $4,000 to the project and indivual
Highpointers are getting their name on a Wall of Recognition for donating $50 or
more.Donations may be sent to: Hawkeye Point Project. c/o Osceola County Economic
Development Office, 300 Seventh St., Sibley IA, 51249..******* Beartooth Ranger
District – Montana…The Beartooth Ranger District reminds visitors that the
district-wide Food Storage Order went into effect on April 1st. This order is in
effect from April 1 through November 20 on an annual basis, and applies to both the
Beartooth and Pryor Mountain Units.This order has been in place since 1998 and is
designed to minimize adverse interactions between bears and humans, thereby
providing for forest user safety and the conservation of native wildlife
species.The order requires that any unattended food be stored in a locked
bear-resistantcontainer, stored in a closed vehicle, or suspended at least 10 feet
off the ground. The order also defines requirements for storing and possessing any
animal carcass. Individuals who do not comply with the Food Storage Order can be
fined.To assist in complying with the order, the Beartooth Ranger District has
installed bearresistant food storage boxes in developed recreation facilities
around Red Lodge. The first food storage boxes were installed four years ago with
grant funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Each year since, additional
boxes have been added as funding has become available.For more information about
the Food Storage Order, please contact the Beartooth Ranger District at
406-446-2103. *******Black Mountain, Waiver…Black Mountain in KY is privately
owned by a coal company. There are active mines in the area so the waivers are
mandatory for visits. You MUSTfirst obtain this waiver by clicking the
link.Download the Waiver and Mail it to the address below. If for some reason you
cannot return it in time,please have it with you!!!New Address:Penn – Virginia
Resource Partners, L.P.7 Sheridan Sq Ste 400Kingsport TN 37660-7451Black Mountain
KY Waiver Download Here!*******Mount Whitney CA…Year-round, everybody in theMt.
Whitney Zonemust possess a valid wilderness permit. Permits are issued only at the
Inter Agency Visitor Center, 1 mile south of Lone Pine CA. From May 1st – Nov 1st,
all use is regulated by limited entry quotas. Permits for the quota period may be
reserved in advance. Most permits for Mt. Whitney are reserved during the Mt.
Whitney Lottery, in February. For more information about obtaining wilderness
permits followthis link. For more info about the Mt. Whitney Lottery followthis
link*******Along the Appalachian Trail…The Appalachian Trail Museum Societyis now
open at the Old Mill inPine Grove Furnace State Park, Pennsylvania.The Museum
operates on weekends in the Spring and Fall and daily from Memorial Day to Labor
Day between the hours of noon to 4 pm. This schedule also matches park visitation.
The Museum Society is continuing to collect artifacts. Questions about the museum
project may be directed toinfo@atmuseum.org.*******Spruce Knob – West
Virginia…The following acts are prohibited in the Spruce Knob Area located along
Forest Roads 1 and 112, Spruce Knob Lake, Spruce Knob, in Pendleton and Randolph
Counties in the state of West Virginia.Camping in parking lots at Spruce Knob Lake,
Spruce Knob, trail head parking lots and within 300 feet of roads in the Spruce
Knob area, extending from the road junction of Forest Roads 1 and Route 29, east to
a point on the east side of Spruce Mountain.Building, maintaining, attending or
using an open fire of any kind at Spruce Knob, Spruce Knob Lake Parking lots, trail
heads or within 300 feet of Forest Roads 1 and 112 in the vicinity of the Spruce
Knob area, except at the Spruce Knob Lake Campground and Gatewood Group
Campground.*******.Johnson Shut-Ins – Missouri…The new campground is open at
Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park. The shut-ins area of the park is now open for
swimming and a new boardwalk provides easy access for viewing.The Black River
Center, being built in the Day Use Area of the park, will be completed in spring
2010. The center will feature interpretive exhibits, meeting rooms and a small
retail area.National Parks Now Subject to Firearms Laws…On February 22, 2010, a
new federal law went into effect that now allows people who legally posses firearms
under federal and state law to also possess those firearms in the national parks in
that state. Highpointers Foundation “Silent Auction” is Over… The featured item
this quarter is an original “K2 – Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous
Mountain.” The book was donated by Highpointer, and all around nice gal, Beckie
Covill who attended a function sponsored by the Bradford Washburn American
Mountaineering Museumin Golden, Colorado.Click Here to go to the Foundation Auction
Site

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Road Conditions and Closures…Mount Rainier – Washington “Mt Rainier received a
generous amount of snow this winter. This will make for great climbing conditions
as the summer progresses, but also brings a few issues that you need to be aware
of. Like the fact that Paradise still has 8’ of snow on the ground. That’s right, 8
feet. It’s melting fast now that the Seattle summer has finally arrived, but don’t
be surprised if an early attempt is entirely on snow from the Paradise parking lot.
Due to the limited parking available at Paradise, a free shuttle from Ashford is
available and recommended.” http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/shuttle.htm-
Highpointer Will MokszyckiBlue Ridge Parkway (NC) Closure & Mount Mitchell
Directions:Due to heavy rains, engineers have determined that a high risk of slides
exists in the area, necessitating this closure between Mile Post 399.7 (Bad Fork
Valley Overlook) to Mile Post 405 (NC 151). The closure will be in place until
early July.From Asheville, take the Blue Ridge Parkway north to mile Post #355 and
turn left onto NC 128, which leads to the park. From I-40, east of Asheville, take
exit 86, NC 226 to Marion/Shelby. NC 226 merges with US 221 and US 70 in Marion.
Veer left on US 70. After about two miles, turn north on NC 80. Follow NC 80
north/northeast for 16 miles. Turn left onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Follow the
parkway to Mile Post #355 and turn right onto NC 128, which leads to the park.From
Highway 19, travel south on Highway 80 and turn right onto the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Follow the parkway south to Mile Post #355 and turn onto NC 128, which leads to the
park.Mount Arvon – Michigan”I visited this high point (Mount Arvon MI) on June 6.
There are a series of fairly high dirt berms in the road starting about 1/4 to 1/2
mile from the high point. I think they are there to discourage vehicular traffic
although I was able to negotiate them with my AWD Ford Escape which has high
clearance. Prudence would dictate parking and walking the remaining route to avoid
getting high centered.” – Highpointer Mike Manson Henry Forks – Kings Peak –
Utah”My hiking partner and I attempted Kings Peak on June 13th. Access to Kings
Peak is blocked because the bridge over Henry Forks Creek is washed out and the
creek was at flood stage or above. We met a trail crew on the way up to verify that
the bridge is out.”- Highpointer Peter Van Dae”The road to Henry’s Fork trailhead
is open . Access from the north thru Henry’s Fork drainage is wet and muddy with
snow patches. The foot bridge at Elkhorn Crossing has been washed out. You can get
through the area by wading in the creek. There are plans to rebuild that bridge
later this season. We talked with the Mountain View, Wyoming Forest Service and
they said folks are making the summit. There have been many thunderstorms in the
afternoon of late. We are starting into the Monsoon season now. Just yesterday an
experienced local hiker had gotten disoriented in a major hail storm and became
separated from his son and grandson during the storm. All ended well as he was
found safe and sound. So glad his experience had a happy ending.” (July 9,2010)-
Highpointers Blaine & Linda SorensonBoundary Peak – Nevada”As of Sunday, 13
June, the trail up Boundary Peak was almost completely snow free. There was a patch
of snow about 20 feet wide near the summit that had to be crossed and it had deep
boot depressions so that no technical gear was needed. The road to the trail head
appears to have been graded recently and is in good shape.”- Highpointer Allen
Downs

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Upcomming Datesand Events… 2010 Annual Convention:Florence AL – For MS. Oct 7th –
9th, 2010Wilderness Wildlife Week:Pigeon Forge TN Jan 8th