SOCIAL MEDIA

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Four Trails Closed for 12 Days

Saturday, August 30, 2008

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Due to the scheduled native brook trout restoration project, four hiking trails will be closed from 8:00PM September 7, 2008 until 8:30 PM September 19, 2008. The four trails impacted are the Middle Prong Trail, Panther Creek Trail, Lynn Camp Prong Trail and the Greenbrier Ridge Trail. Additionally, backcountry campsite number 28 will also be closed.All four trails and the campsite are located along...
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Mount LeConte Photos: New and Old

Friday, August 29, 2008

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I received an email today from a gentleman who saw yesterday’s posting on vintage photographs from the Smoky Mountains. The gentleman was kind enough to send a link to his web site which includes photographs from Mount LeConte in a slideshow format.The first slideshow features a couple dozen excellent photos from his hike up to Mount LeConte last year. The second slideshow features a few historical...
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Vintage Smoky Mountains Photos Now Online

Thursday, August 28, 2008

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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) maintains a collection of over 400,000 photographs taken during geologic studies of the United States and its territories from 1868 to the present. The majority of these photographs have never been published. Fortunately, the USGS is in the process of publishing the collection to their website – so far, they’ve posted about 38,000 photographs to the site.Many of the...
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Sparks Lane in Cades Cove to be closed

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park managers just announced on the Park's web site that Sparks Lane in Cades Cove, will be closed from September 2 through October 8 to allow for replacement of culverts and to improve fish habitat.During the work period the road will be closed to all use including pedestrians and cyclists. Travel around the 11 mile paved Cades Cove Loop Road will not be affected.JeffHikingintheSmokys.comDetailed...
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Seeing Wind Turbines from Mount LeConte

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

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What if you hiked to the top of Mount LeConte and the outstanding views that you worked hard for included wind turbines on the tops of the mountains and foothills just outside of the park? What if you saw the same thing while atop Gregory Bald, Rocky Top, or Mount Cammerer for that matter?Without a doubt, wind energy is a much cleaner energy source than most other alternatives. Furthermore, smog and...
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Meltzer’s Bid for AT Record Not Likely

Friday, August 22, 2008

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If you’ve been following Karl Meltzer’s bid to break the Appalachian Trail speed record then you may have heard that he ran into a little trouble that has put his record quest in serious jeopardy. In fact, based on his last blog entry, he has more or less conceded that he won’t be breaking the record this go around.Problems began for the ultra marathon runner early on when he was forced to trek through...
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Bored, looking for something to do?

Thursday, August 21, 2008

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Looking for a new adventure? You could sign-up for the 2009 Polar Challenge Race.It’s simple. All you need is $45,000 dollars and two other friends with the same amount to pay the entry fee. But wait, don't let the price tag scare you just yet. The fee does include all of your travel expenses as well as an intense training program to survive the race. You don’t even need any experience to participate!The...
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Jennifer Davis Smashes Appalachian Trail Record

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

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As reported in a previous blog of mine, 25-year-old Jennifer Pharr Davis was close to smashing the women’s speed record on the Appalachian Trail.Confirmation of the new record was reported today on BlueRidgeNow.com.Davis completed the entire length of the Appalachian Trail when she sprinted across the finish line at Springer Mountain on Saturday afternoon. It took her just 58 days to complete the...
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Bear Stalked Boy in Smokies

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

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Preliminary results from the necropsy of the bear that attacked the boy in the Smoky Mountains last week were released yesterday. Although preliminary, the results confirmed that the bear that attacked the eight-year-old Florida boy did not have rabies.Additionally, park officials said that neither the boy, nor his family, did anything to provoke the attack. None of the family members were carrying...
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New Online Hiking Gear Store for Day Hikers

Monday, August 18, 2008

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Today, HikingintheSmokys.com officially announced the launch of our new online hiking gear store.The new store is specifically dedicated to day hikers and offers quality gear and apparel from some of the best outdoor brands, including; Columbia Sportswear, Kelty, Garmin, Leki, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear and North Face. The store also sells books and DVDs for hikers and visitors of the Smoky Mountains.The...
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New Speed Record on the Appalachian Trail

Saturday, August 16, 2008

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If all goes as planned this weekend, 25-year-old Jennifer Pharr Davis will set the women’s record for the fastest assisted thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.If she reaches Springer Mountain in Georgia by today she will have completed the entire Appalachian Trail in just 58 days. Her initial goal was to complete the trail in 60 to 80 days. Currently, Jenny Jardine holds the women’s AT speed record,...
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Smoky Mountains: Extreme Ecological Diversity

Friday, August 15, 2008

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Most people familiar with the Smoky Mountains already know that the park has a very diverse ecosystem. However, the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) study is proving that the Smokies are far more diverse than anyone ever thought.As widely reported last month, the ATBI has already identified 16,570 species in the Smokies, including 6,129 species new to the park and 890 that are new to science.The...
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Smoky Mountain Bear Attack: Follow-up

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

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I just wanted to give an update with regards to a couple of follow-up details on the bear attack that occurred near Gatlinburg on Monday evening.As was widely reported yesterday, an eight-year-old Florida boy was attacked by a bear near the trailhead of the Rainbow Falls Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The boy required 35 stitches and staples for wounds to his arms, torso and the back...
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Colorado Hiking Trip Pictures

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

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Okay, I know this post has nothing to do with the Great Smoky Mountains, but it's still hiking related. I thought I would share a few photos from a couple of hikes we did on our recent trip to Colorado. While in the Rocky Mountain State we hiked Huron Peak, Gilpin Lake, the Devil's Causeway and Rabbit Ears Peak.Gilpin Lake in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area. An aspen grove. The Devil's Causeway in...
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Strange noise on Gregory Bald

Monday, August 4, 2008

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I’ve been meaning to ask this question for some time. I was hoping someone might have an answer for me.I was up on Gregory Bald last month when I heard a loud pounding. Actually it sounded like someone was hammering on aluminum siding. I heard this noise just as we emerged from the woods coming up from the Gregory Ridge Trail. The sound came from the left side of the trail, which would be due south,...
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Are Americans Losing Interest in our National Parks?

Friday, August 1, 2008

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Well, according to some statistics, the answer is yes. Several statistics showing declining visitation for the Park system as a whole since peaking in 1987. Not only are people visiting less often, but they’re also visiting for a shorter amount of time and they’re camping less.Furthermore, Americans are spending less time on outdoor related activities in general.Although many explanations have been...
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