PHOC Meeting

Type of Outing: Social, Club Event
When: MON 9/14/2026 7:00 PM
Signup Deadline: 9/13/2026 5:00 pm
Leader: Dale Dagenbach
Intended Pace: Leisure
Description: Discovering NC'S Mountain to Sea Trail - Presentation by Jerry Barker Jerry Barker is a lifelong outdoorsman and hiker who maintains a section of MST at Falls Lake, and in 2025 was named Falls Lake section volunteer of the year. Jerry served on the board of Friends of MST for 9 years with 3 years as Board President. Jerry completed the entire trail in 2017 at age 71, as a 3-year “section hiker”, which inspired him to write a book with UNC Press focused on history and culture along the MST. It is not a guidebook but a companion for hikers and armchair explorers. The MST is the longest NC state hiking trail and stretches about 1,175 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains to Jockey’s Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks. Along the trail, you will see mountain vistas, rolling Piedmont farms, rivers and streams, miles of seashore, and more, as Barker offers a new way to understand and appreciate not only the natural beauty of North Carolina but also its people and history – the stories that live on each segment. Autographed copies of Jerry’s book will be available for sale, with proceeds to Friends of MST ($28 cash or check to Friends of MST.)