SOCIAL MEDIA

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Yosemite bears prefer minivans

Saturday, October 31, 2009

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An interesting study was published this month in the Journal of Mammalogy showing that bears in Yosemite break into minivans more often than any other vehicle. The study suggests minivans are often owned by families with children who spill food and drinks There's also the possibility that there's a stash of food in the vehicle as well.Scientists were inspired to study the phenomenon several years...
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Panther Top Lookout Tower Open to Public Sunday

Friday, October 30, 2009

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Peter Barr, author of Hiking North Carolina's Lookout Towers, is reporting on his blog that the Tusquitee Ranger District will be hosting an access day for the Panther Top Lookout Tower in the Nantahala National Forest this coming Sunday, November 1.USFS archaeologist Michael Orberndorf will be on-site staffing the tower and allowing visitors up to the cab and catwalk.This is a great way for visitors...
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Race Across the Sky: The Leadville Trail 100

Friday, October 30, 2009

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Below is a trailer for a limited release movie about the 2009 Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race.This was a significant race as it marked Lance Armstrong's return to Colorado after finishing second the year before to Dave Wiens, a six-time winner of the race.The race starts from the historic mining town of Leadville, Colorado. Along with Ouray, Leadville is one of my favorite mountain towns in...
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Smokies are less smoky

Friday, October 30, 2009

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As I mentioned yesterday I received the Great Smoky Mountains Association Cup Report in my email box this week. The report also made another announcement that I thought was quite interesting:The air quality in the park has continued to improve over the last ten years. Visibility on the haziest days is up 18%, ozone is down 24%, sulfates are down 32%, and nitrates are down 22%.This is certainly great...
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100th native tree discovered in Smokies

Thursday, October 29, 2009

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Yesterday I received the Cub Report in my email box. This is the monthly E-newsletter from the Great Smoky Mountains Association. The report announced that a new species of tree was recently discovered in the park. Here’s their report:Park rangers have just discovered the 100th species of tree native to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It's a Hop Tree, sometimes called Wafer Ash. Its Latin...
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Free Programs on Masa and Kephart

Thursday, October 29, 2009

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Presentations on George Masa and Horace Kephart will be given at the Sugarlands Visitor Center Auditorium on Saturday, November 21. These two men were pivotal in bringing the grandeur of the Smokies to the attention of the public.Japanese born, George Masa (1881-1933) captured the essence of the mountains through the lens of his camera. His friend and one of the principal supporters for the establishment...
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What's Your Everest?

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

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The act of climbing Mount Everest is the ultimate metaphor for the journey of life. Yes, the summit may seem impossible, but what's the point if you can't dream of reaching the top. So what's your Everest?Expedition Champion is sponsoring a very cool sweepstakes called “What’s Your Everest?”. The contest, open to everyone, asks participants to submit a short video or an essay detailing a personal...
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Southeast Water Trails Forum

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

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Conservationists, paddlers, fishermen, and representatives from agencies that develop and maintain water trails are invited to attend the first annual Southeast Water Trails Forum this Thursday and Friday, Oct. 29 and 30, at the Marriott in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The two-day forum will focus on educating water trail users and developers on the steps to creating, funding, preserving, and developing...
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Learn about living with bears

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

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The Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission will be hosting “Living with Bears in Western North Carolina” next Monday, November 2nd at 7 p.m.The Carl Sandburg Home NHS has invited the resources commission to make a presentation in response to the inquiries the national park has received about increased bear activity throughout Henderson County....
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Looking to the Future of our National Parks

Sunday, October 25, 2009

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On Thursday, November 5th, the Howard Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy will be holding a public meeting called Looking to the Future of our National Parks.Various speakers from the National Park Service, the National Parks Conservation Association and others will be on hand to discuss a recent report on the future of the National Park System.The report was the final product of the National Parks...
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The Third Man Factor

Saturday, October 24, 2009

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Some say he’s a hallucination. Some say he’s real.Ron DiFrancesco, the last person out of the South Tower of the World Trade Center before it came down, tells of "an angel" that guided and urged him through the impact zone to safety.His encounter may sound like a curiosity, an unusual delusion of an overstressed mind or a testament to his faith. But over the years, the experience he described has...
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Antartic Trip Presentation at Diamond Brand

Saturday, October 24, 2009

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Former Carolina Mountain Club president John Dickson and his wife Joan will be holding a presentation that highlights their three-week expedition to the Antarctic, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands earlier this year.The CMC Newsletter reports that the "pictures are awesome and the narration is very well done. You will sense the remoteness, the fierce winds, the amazing ice, the magnificent animals...
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Dead Men Walking: Search and Rescue in US National Parks

Friday, October 23, 2009

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The September issue of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine published the results of a study called Dead Men Walking: Search and Rescue in US National Parks. The study was conducted by Travis W. Heggie PhD and Michael E. Amundson BS from the University of North Dakota to identify search and rescue (SAR) trends in US National Parks. There are some interesting statistics and conclusions from the...
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First Aid Center

Thursday, October 22, 2009

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Within recent weeks, Backpacker Magazine has added a new feature to their website which hikers and backpackers may find useful, especially for anyone who hasn't had any formal first aid training (though you really should).The magazine has published a series of photo slideshows and videos to their First Aid Center which show how to perform a few common first aid techniques in the wilderness, including...
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10 essential skills for the backcountry

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

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Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine published an article last month that laid out their top ten backcountry skills to keep all of us outdoorzy types safe in just about any situation.Of course you'll find lots of survival tips out on the internet. However, BRO took a slightly different approach in compiling their list. For example, the article points out that modern boots, with their high arch support, are...
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Eight steps to prevent Search and Rescues

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

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Backpacker Magazine recently published an article that details 8 steps that (the author claims) would have prevented 95% of the search and rescues (SAR) incidents and accidents that occurred over the summer season. These are all common sense measures, but they're always good to keep in mind whenever you head out into the wild: 1) Never assume that your expertise will keep you safe 2) Get in the...
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Fall colors peaking at highest elevations in Smokies

Monday, October 19, 2009

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Steve Kemp of the Great Smoky Mountains Association is reporting that fall colors at the highest elevations in Great Smoky Mountains are peaking right now. He goes on to report that peak colors at the higher elevations are predicted to last through October 23.He also reports that fall colors are still spotty at the lower and mid elevations, but very vibrant in some places. The peak for fall color...
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Seasonal Road Closing Season

Monday, October 19, 2009

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If you intend to hike any of the trails along Balsam Mountain Road or Heintooga Ridge Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park before winter arrives, you have only two weeks left before these roads are closed for the season.Both roads are located in the Southeastern corner of the park between Maggie Valley and Oconaluftee in North Carolina. The two seasonal roads will close on November 1 and won’t...
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New map for Western North Carolina waterfalls

Friday, October 16, 2009

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Waterfalls of North Carolina is the very first map available that features over 300 waterfalls in the western North Carolina region. To create the map, photographer Kevin Adams partnered with Larry Odoski of Outdoor Paths Publishing and two of the best cartographers in the business, Jack Mohr and Pete Kennedy. The four of them devoted more than a year of painstaking work to complete this comprehensive...
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Bushwacking in the Smokies

Friday, October 16, 2009

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Last month Blue Ridge Outdoors published a pretty good article about an off-trail adventure in the Smokies. The article chronicles the ascent of Anakeesta Knob by three hikers. Starting from Newfound Gap Road, their "path" took them across the Anakeesta Ridge - an area confined by the Appalachian Trail, the Alum Cave Trail and the Boulevard Trail.Although Bob Miller, public information officer for...
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Video: Snow-Kiting adventure gone bad (almost)

Thursday, October 15, 2009

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Check out this heart-stopping video I came across on the Adventure Blog. It shows a snow-kiter literally getting picked-up by a rogue wind in Algeria. >>> Check out great deals on hiking gear from Amazon's Outdoor Recreation StoreJeffHikingintheSmokys....
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Creation of the GSMNP - Stories from the Other Side of the Mountain

Thursday, October 15, 2009

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The Fontana Historical Association and North Shore Road Association will be hosting a program at the Swain County Center for the Arts on Saturday, October 24, called “The Creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Stories from the Other Side of the Mountain.”This will be a historical presentation with stories told by the last Park residents, including pictures, slideshows and songs. The...
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How to Seam Seal a Tent

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

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Trailspace.com recently published a pretty good article on how to seam seal a tent.Over time, tents need to be treated in order to keep the rain out. Spending a little time each year waterproofing or fixing any leaks is much better than suffering through a wet night on the trail!Please click here to read the article.>>> Find great deals on hiking and camping gear at Amazon's new Outdoor Recreation...
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Historic Photos of Appalachia

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

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This week, Kevin E. O'Donnell, a professor of English and the Director of the Environmental Studies minor at East Tennessee State University, published his new book; Historic Photos of Appalachia.The book contains nearly 200 photographs that portray the region's land and people, including views of towns, houses, and farms; families at home and on the job; railroads, mining, and logging; and beautiful...
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Video: Paraplegic climber summits Mt. Kilimanjaro

Monday, October 12, 2009

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This is truly an amazing story. Late last month, Chris Waddell became the first paraplegic climber to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania - on his own power. This amazing athlete used a specially designed buggy that he peddled with his hands to pull himself up the 19,340-foot mountain, the highest in Africa.The four-wheeled cycle Chris used, called a Bomba, is essentially a highly engineered four wheel...
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Update: Friends of the Smokies takes lead in vote

Sunday, October 11, 2009

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As of 7:30 Sunday evening, the Friends of the Smokies now leads in the "Tourism Cares" grant vote - by 10 votes!When I first posted about this grant yesterday morning, Friends of the Smokies was in 4th place, with just 17% of the vote.I'm not sure when the voting ends on this program, and since the Friends lead in the voting is quite slim, I will continue to urge anyone who hasn't voted yet to please...
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Smokies hike: Linking historic homesteads

Sunday, October 11, 2009

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Last month Backpacker Magazine published an article by Marcus Woolf detailing his 50-mile hike that took him to several of the old homesteads in the northeastern section of the Great Smoky Mountains.His trek took him to Albright Grove, across the Old Settlers Trail, up Alum Cave Trail, down the Boulevard Trail and across the Appalachian Trail towards Cosby.Woolf hiked part of the loop with descendants...
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Help Friends of the Smokies Win Grant Money

Saturday, October 10, 2009

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I just received an email from Holly Scott Burcham from the Friends of the Smokies organization. She's asking everyone to help them win a "Tourism Cares" grant, by simply casting an online vote.This grant could mean $5,000 to $10,000 for historic preservation in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Friends of the Smokies intends to use the grant money towards the restoration of 19 historic buildings...
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Share the Experience Photo Contest

Saturday, October 10, 2009

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America's Federal Recreation Lands are special places that bring people together and leave visitors enriched. From scenic vistas to diverse wildlife to historic landmarks, these lands offer a myriad of picture perfect moments to capture.The National Park Service and its partners are inviting amateur photographers to submit up to three photos to the Share the Experience contest through December 31,...
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Shenandoah N.P. Announces Projects

Friday, October 9, 2009

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Earlier this week, Shenandoah National Park officials announced plans that will begin Recovery Funded projects.The press release stated that park officials have awarded the first contract to improve park facilities using part of the $30 million that Shenandoah received under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The contract estimated at almost $1 million to repave roads, parking areas,...
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75th Anniversary of GSMNP postal stamp

Thursday, October 8, 2009

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On this day in 1934, the US Postal Service began selling the 10-cent Great Smoky Mountains National Park stamp to commemorate the official birth of the park earlier in that same year.The stamp featured a view of Mount LeConte.1934 was established as the "National Parks Year" by the US Postal Service. There were 10 stamps issued that year dedicated to national parks in denominations of 1-cent to 10-cents,...
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Horace Kephart's Smoky Mountain Magic

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

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Smoky Mountain Magic is the previously unpublished adventure novel by Horace Kephart, outdoorsman, writer, and champion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The manuscript has been passed down through the generations to Kephart's great-granddaughter, Libby Kephart Hargrave, and has now been published by Great Smoky Mountains Association, the park's nonprofit partner.Here's a nice a nice biographical...
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Female AT record holder to speak at SCC

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

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The women’s Appalachian Trail Record Holder, Jennifer Pharr Davis, will be at Southwestern Community College on Wednesday, Oct. 14, to speak to students, faculty and the community about her journeys and adventures.Last year, Davis smashed the women’s Appalachian Trail record when she completed the 2176-mile trek in just 58 days. The previous women’s record was 87 days.Davis will share her insight...
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Mt. Collins Shelter Gets a Makeover

Monday, October 5, 2009

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Last week I received "The Cub Report", the monthly e-newsletter from the Great Smoky Mountains Association. One of the articles explained that volunteers from Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Appalachian Trail Conference remodel one Smokies trail shelter each year. This year's project was the Mt. Collins Shelter, located on the Sugarland Mountain Trail, just off the Appalachian Trail about...
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Watching Elk in Cataloochee

Sunday, October 4, 2009

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Elk bulls are bugling, fighting, and finding every way they can to display dominance during the breeding season that is happening mid-September thru October in the Cataloochee area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.Here's an excellent video from the Great Smoky Mountains Association:JeffSmoky Mountain Rental Cabins Check out our cabin and chalet listings for the Smoki...
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Ken Burns' National Parks: Short Review

Saturday, October 3, 2009

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First off, let me say that I've thoroughly enjoyed National Parks: America's Best Idea. Prior to this week's broadcast, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I assumed the film would be a contemporary overview and an expose of stunning photography from the national parks. However, the film focused much more on the historical development of the national parks and park system itself. As a history buff,...
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Thirty Years of American Landscapes

Saturday, October 3, 2009

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Richard Mack, an award-winning nature photographer, recently published a collection of images that showcases the immense diversity found within Great Smoky Mountains National Park.Here's what the Amazon Editors have to say about his new book:Great Smoky Mountains National Park has a chameleon-like quality, capable of revealing both subtle and some not so subtle changes to the discerning eye. For 30...
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Cades Cove picnic area to close for re-paving

Thursday, October 1, 2009

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials will shut down the Cades Cove Picnic Area next week for re-paving. The picnic area is tentatively scheduled to be closed October 6-8 (Tuesday thru Thursday).Also, the Parsons Branch Road is still closed due to high water.JeffHikingintheSmokys....
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National Parks Monopoly

Thursday, October 1, 2009

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In the spirit of the Ken Burns' National Park film being shown on PBS this week, I wanted to share with you two old classic games with a new National Park twist that you and your family might be interested in.The first is National Parks Monopoly.With the use of removable and reusable static cling labels, the National Parks Edition of Monopoly allows you to customize your own game with over 100 of...
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Stargazing in Cades Cove

Thursday, October 1, 2009

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be offering a 2-hour stargazing program in Cades Cove next Saturday, October 10th.Experienced astronomers from the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society, along with their telescopes, will be on hand to provide a discovery of the autumn sky.Without the obstruction of artificial light as seen in developed areas outside the Park, visitors will have a much better...
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