Fresh Air Calendar
› Local Tennessee Ornithological Society meeting: Today, 7 p.m., Ascension Lutheran Church, 720 S. Germantown Road. Contact David Stone at rockyturf@ comcast.net or 238-4234.
› Soddy-Daisy chapter of Tennessee Trails Assn. hikes: Saturday, Heiss Mountain to Little Possum Creek & back, strenuous 6 miles (meet at 9 a.m. at Durham Street parking lot in Soddy-Daisy; call John Politte at 304-8327); Nov. 14, Mowbray Pike to Sluder Lane, moderate 5 miles (will stage vehicles; meet at 9 a.m. at Durham Street lot; contact George Bonneau at george.r.bonneau@gmail.com or 842-3619); Nov. 18, Cumberland Trail Pot loop, joint hike with TTA Plateau chapter, strenuous, trek 3.1 miles past Snooper’s Rock to Natural Bridge & back, or 2 other options (meet at Food City lot in Red Bank; call Politte); Nov. 21, Little Cedar Mountain, moderate 5 miles (meet at 9 a.m. at Food City lot in Red Bank; call Gail Stokes at 973-632-7463).
› Sunset strolls to Sunset Point: Saturdays through November, 5-9 p.m., Cloudland Canyon State Park; meet at West Rim access parking lot, fee $5. Ranger-guided, start times vary with time of sunset (check for specifics at visitor center). Call 706-657-4050.
› Beginner mountain bike rides: Sundays through November, 9 a.m., Cloudland Canyon State Park; ages 13 to adult, bikes available for rental from visitor center, helmets required, $10-$15. Call 706-657-4050.
› Tennessee Valley Canoe Club meeting: Tuesday, 6-7 p.m., Outdoor Chattanooga, Coolidge Park.
› Rapid Learning whitewater kayaking practice: Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m., Hulsey Wellness Center, Southern Adventist University; family-friendly for ages 8-up; first-timers free (except for $2 pool fee), equipment provided, reservations not required; yearly membership $75, family membership $125; special members-only opportunity for indoor-roll classes Nov. 16, 6-8 p.m., at UTC’s ARC pool. Email info@outdoorchattanooga.com or call 643-6888.
› Chattanooga Bicycle Club meeting: Nov. 20, 6-7 p.m., Outdoor Chattanooga, Coolidge Park.
› After-Thanksgiving hike at Red Clay: Nov. 24, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; ranger-guided with information on local flora, fauna & geography; free.
› Lula Lake open gate days: Nov. 25-26; Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m; free admission, $2 donations encouraged. See lulalake.org.
› Prentice Cooper managed deer hunt: Nov. 25-30; area west of Suck Creek Road will be closed to all but hunters on these dates; areas east Suck Creek Road (Highway 27) still will be open for hiking.
› Interscholastic Climbing League: Dec. 2, High Point Riverside; Dec. 9, Tenn. Bouldering; second & third of six meets for grades 6-12 for 2017-18 season. Contact Outdoor Chattanooga at info@outdoorchattanooga.com or 643-6888.
Outdoors Notes
› Chatuge, Carters selected:
B.A.S.S. recently announced that Lake Chatuge on Georgia’s border with North Carolina will be the site of the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship next year (Sept. 20-23) and the 2018 Classic Bracket will be held Oct. 23-26 on 3,200-acre Carters Lake near Ellijay. The AOY is one of the organization’s three “majors” annually.
› Trailblazers raises $122,000:
With 44 hikers covering 26 miles up Lookout Mountain on a chilly, rainy day late last month, beginning at 6 a.m. from the base of Cloudland Canyon, the second annual Trailblaze Challenge raised $122,000 for Make-AWish East Tennessee, and their fundraising continues. All the proceeds go to the organization’s local chapter.