The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog: August 2011

22nd Annual Wilderness Wildlife Week · pigeon forge

Plan early: 22nd Annual Wilderness Wildlife Week

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

It's never too early to begin planning for one of the biggest outdoor events in the Smokies. This year, the 22nd Annual Wilderness Wildlife Week will take place during the week of January 7-14, 2012.Considered to be the ultimate Smoky Mountain experience, Wilderness Wildlife Week is a series of activities designed to connect visitors with the great outdoors.You’ll learn from more than 100 experts...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park · National Public Lands Day

Celebrate National Public Lands Day

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

September 24th is National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands American’s enjoy.Last year 170,000 volunteers worked at over 2,080 sites in every state, the District of Columbia and in many U.S. territories. NPLD volunteers:* Removed an estimated 450 tons of trash* Collected an estimated 20,000 pounds of invasive plants* Built and...

Hiking South Carolina · Hiking Waterfalls in Georgia and South Carolina · Hiking Waterfalls in North Carolina · Winter Backpacking

Waterfalls and Winter Camping

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Below are four new hiking related books that are due to be published this week, that might be of some interest to you. Three of the books are trail guides for locations within the Southern Appalachians, while the fourth provides tips for winter backpacking and camping.Hiking Waterfalls in North CarolinaFrom the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina is renowned for its beautiful...

Broad-Winged Hawks · buteos · Clingmans Dome · Indian Gap · Look Rock · migration · Newfound Gap · Smokies · smoky mountains

The Annual Broad-Winged Hawk Migration

Saturday, August 27, 2011

The first cold front of the year usually passes through the Smoky Mountains during the early-to-mid September time period. As the weather patterns change to cooler temperatures, Broad-winged hawks begin to make their annual migration down the Appalachian Mountain range to winter in the neo-tropics of Mexico, to as far south as Southern Brazil. For bird enthusiasts, this provides an excellent opportunity...

Baa-tany Goat Project · Roan Mountain

4th Annual Herding of Goats off Roan Mountain

Friday, August 26, 2011

Back in May I posted a blog about the Baa-tany Goat Project seeking volunteers to help oversee the goats while they consumed the vegetation that threatens to overgrow the grassy balds at Roan Mountain. The project will need help again next month when they herd the goats off the mountain before cold weather arrives. September 14th is the likely date for the operation, but if weather conditions appear...

cataloochee valley · elk · Great Smoky Mountains National Park · Joe Yarkovich

Elk in the Smokies Program

Thursday, August 25, 2011

The Smoky Mountain Field School will be offering a program next month that will provide visitors with the chance to learn about the experimental elk release in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.Attendees will view elk and their behaviors during the mating season, hear bugling, and learn how researchers track and monitor elk in the Smokies.The course instructor will be Joe Yarkovich, a Wildlife Management/Elk...

autumn leaves · autumn travel · Best Autumn Hikes in the Smokies · best fall hikes · best fall hiking trails · fall foliage · Great Smoky Mountains National Park · leaf · leaf peeping · leaves · peak fall color

Hikes for leaf peepers

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Fall hiking season is rapidly approaching, and soon leaf peepers will be out in full force in the Great Smoky Mountains.The beauty of the Smokies is always spectacular, but never more so than during the autumn when the mountains are ablaze with the colors of fall.The timing of the fall color season depends upon many variables, making it virtually impossible to predict the exact date of "peak" colors...

Great Smoky Mountains · quiz

The Great Smoky Mountains Quiz: The Answers

Monday, August 22, 2011

As promised, here are the answers to yesterday's Great Smoky Mountains quiz. Hope you at least got a passing grade!1) The number of mammals found in GSMNP is one of the most diverse in North America. One of the main reasons for this diversity of species in the Smokies is:a. Amount of rainfallb. Wide range of elevationsc. Temperature fluctuationsd. Amount of moving watere. Acreage within park boundaries2)...

Appalachian Trail Conservancy · Radical Reels Tour · REI

REI Hosts Radical Reels Tour As Fundraiser For Appalachian Trail Conservancy

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Outdoor retail company REI will be hosting the 2011 Radical Reels Tour in Asheville, NC on Monday, September 12, 2011, with proceeds benefitting the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). WHAT: Catch the steepest and deepest in high-adrenaline outdoor sport films when the 2011 Radical Reels Tour comes to Asheville on Monday, September 12. Hurtle down steep untouched powder, feel the cold spray of stomach-dropping...

Great Smoky Mountains · quiz

The Great Smoky Mountains Quiz

Sunday, August 21, 2011

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a quiz on the Great Smoky Mountains, so I thought I'd lay down the gauntlet to see how much you really know about the greatest national park in the country. Here are 10 questions - my toughest quiz yet - to challenge your mind today. I’ll provide the answers tomorrow.1) The number of mammals found in GSMNP is one of the most diverse in North America. One of the main...

Sorghum Molasses Demonstrations

Sorghum Molasses Demonstrations

Saturday, August 20, 2011

The August Issue of the GSMAs Cub Report, announced a couple of special events occuring in the Park during the month of September, all of them surrounding sorghum molasses making:September 3-5:Sorghum molasses making at Cades Cove Visitor CenterSeptember 16-18:Sorghum molasses making at Cades Cove Visitor CenterSeptember 17th:Mountain Life Festival at Oconaluftee Visitor Center with sorghum molasses...

blue ridge parkway · Buck Springs Gap Overlook · NC State Highway 80

BRP Construction at NC 80 and Buck Springs Gap Overlook

Friday, August 19, 2011

Earlier in the week Blue Ridge Parkway officials announced that reconstruction of the Parkway at the NC State Highway 80 access ramp and the Buck Springs Gap Overlook, located at Milepost 344, began on August 15, 2011. The project is expected to be completed by September 15, 2011. The overlook will be closed for most of this time to stage materials, equipment, and for reconstruction. The ramp will...

climbing · Mt. Rainier · Rainier Mountaineering · RMI · video

Climbing Mt. Rainier

Friday, August 19, 2011

Excellent video on what it's like climbing Mt. Rainier in Washington state with Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI). Climbing the 14,410-foot peak was put on my radar a couple of years ago after attending a presentation by one of the RMI guides at a local gear shop. This video seems to pretty much show how a typical three-day expedition transpires - just as the RMI representative explained.JeffHik...

blue ridge parkway · Roanoke Area Trail System · Roanoke Valley Greenways

BRP Seeks Input for Roanoke Area Trail System

Thursday, August 18, 2011

The Blue Ridge Parkway is seeking public input, through September 12, 2011, on an Environmental Assessment (EA) for a trail plan for the Roanoke Valley section of the Parkway. The purpose of this EA is to describe the affected environment and analyze potential impacts associated with a no action alternative and two action alternatives. Recommendations within the EA to be implemented would impact the...

Erwin’s View · Linville Falls

Teenager rescued after fall from cliff on Linville Falls trail

Thursday, August 18, 2011

NPS Digest is reporting this morning that on August 16th, two teenage boys on a family outing climbed over the containment wall at Erwin’s View on the Linville Falls trail. One of them slipped and went over the edge of a cliff, falling about 60 feet and ending up caught in a tree. He yelled back to his friend that he was uninjured but unable to free himself. A multi-agency rescue ensued. Due to the...

Outdoor Photography for Beginners · Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education

Outdoor Photography program at the Pisgah Center

Thursday, August 18, 2011

The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education will hold an Outdoor Photography for Beginners class next Wednesday, August 24th, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. The program covers the basics of nature photography including how to use general equipment, as well as effective composition. Bring your own camera to this free class, which is open to ages 14 and up. The center is located 10 miles from Brevard off U.S. 276...

Friends Across the Mountains · Friends of the Smokies · telethon

Friends of the Smokies Telethon Tops $200,000 (again)

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park raised $201,209 through its 17th annual “Friends Across the Mountains” telethon – topping the $200,000 mark for the sixth year in a row. The total for all “Friends Across the Mountains” telethons since 1995 is now nearly $2.5 million. “We think this is the only telethon benefiting a national park. For 17 years telethon funding has protected wildlife,...

A Year of Adventure · Everest Base Camp · Sweepstakes

‘A Year of Adventure’ sweepstakes: Everest Base Camp

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

‘A Year of Adventure’ sweepstakes, co-sponsored by Sierra Designs and Alaska Mountain Guides, continues with the second of its once-in-a-lifetime adventure giveaways.Launched in April, the ‘A Year of Adventure’ consumer sweepstakes is offering contestants an incredible opportunity to learn mountaineering skills in Ecuador, win a trek to Everest Base Camp, or access untracked powder via helicopter...

Bringing Them Back to the Smokies · elk · Falcons · Otters · Smoky Mountain Field School · wolves

Bringing Them Back to the Smokies: Elk, Otters, Falcons and Wolves

Monday, August 15, 2011

Next month the Smoky Mountain Field School will be offering a program where visitors can learn about the successes and failures of several wildlife restoration programs in the Smokies.You'll have the opportunity to learn about the challenges of wildlife restorations, the current status of the programs today, and what's next for wildlife reintroduction in the Smokies?You'll also learn the specifics...

fall · Naturalists' Rally · Roan Mountain

49th Annual Fall Roan Mountain Naturalists' Rally

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Next month is the annual Fall Roan Mountain Naturalists' Rally.For 49 years the Naturalists' Rally has drawn nature enthusiasts to Roan Mountain on the weekend after Labor Day. This falls' rally continues to celebrate the natural world by providing two top speakers, well-known birder and author, Fred Alsop, and site geologist for the Gray Fossil site, Mick Whitelaw.In addition to buffet dinners and...

Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine · Will Harlan

Thrill of the Chase

Saturday, August 13, 2011

"I woke up one day and found myself in a 35-year-old body. Gone were the lithe, spring-loaded legs of my youth. It was time to face a hard truth: I would never be as fast as I once was."A couple of weeks ago I posted a video about David Worth's record breaking run across the Smokies. Worth, a Great Smoky Mountains interpretive ranger, trekked 72 miles from Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap in just 14 hours...

Dwight McCarter · Joe Kelley · Meigs Line · Smoky Mountain Field School

Meigs Line

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Next Saturday the Smoky Mountain Field School will be hosting two retired park rangers, Joe Kelley and Dwight McCarter, as they review their book Meigs Line, which discusses a survey line established in 1802 through what is now the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and was, at that time, the boundary between the United States and the Cherokee Nation.Over a period of 40 years, the two authors actually...

autumn · cabin reservations · Smokies

Cabin Reservations for this Autumn in the Smokies

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

For anyone considering a trip to see the beautiful fall colors of the Great Smoky Mountains, now is the time to make your plans and have your reservations in place. October in the Smokies is the second most popular month in terms of park visitation. And with the awesome beauty the autumn season provides, it's really no wonder.If you do plan to visit the Smokies this fall, please take a moment to check...

backcountry campsite reservation system

Open Houses to Discuss Proposed Backcountry Management Changes

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson is inviting the public to two open houses to discuss changes the park is considering in the way it manages its backcountry campsite reservation system. The open houses are set for Tuesday, August 16 at the Old Oconaluftee Visitor Center at 1194 Newfound Gap Road in Cherokee, NC and on Thursday, August 18 at Park Headquarters at 107...

9th Annual · Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition

9th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Professional and amateur photographers are officially invited to participate in this year’s Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition! Every year the competition gets more fierce as photographers from all over the world submit hundreds of entries for review. What will you be submitting this year?There are a couple of new developments for this year’s competition that you should be aware of.The prize...

L’Etape Du Tour

l’Etape du Tour: Reprised

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

You may recall the guest blog series from several weeks ago by a friend of mine that chronicled his l’Etape du Tour ride in France. Just a couple of days ago he sent me a link to a photo montage that provides a much more in-depth look at his ride, that replicated Stage 19 of the Tour de France this year. At 26 minutes, the photo show might be a little lengthy for some, but the photographs of the French...

Friends Across the Mountains Telethon

17th Annual Friends Across the Mountains Telethon

Monday, August 8, 2011

This Thursday, August 11th, is the 17th annual Friends Across the Mountains Telethon. The telethon will be broadcast on WBIR-TV Channel 10 in Knoxville, TN and WLOS-TV Channel 13 in Asheville, NC from 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM.The broadcast highlights projects and programs that Friends of the Smokies has funded. The telethon raises roughly $200,000 each year. It's a fun event that raises awareness of both...

cades cove · Full Moon Hike

Full Moon Fever

Sunday, August 7, 2011

The final Full Moon Hike of the summer will occur next week in Cades Cove. This is a great chance to take an easy ranger-guided stroll in the Smokies under a full moon.The hike will be from 8-10 p.m. on Sunday, August 14th. If interested, meet at the Orientation Shelter near the entrance to the Cades Cove Loop Road. Don't forget to wear comfortable walking shoes.JeffHikingintheSmokys....

All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory · Biodiversity Hike · Discover Life in America · leconte lodge

DLIA Biodiversity Hike to Mt. LeConte

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Discover Life in America will be hosting its annual Biodiversity Hike to the Mt. LeConte Lodge over the weekend of September 3rd and 4th. The hike will be guided by an expert naturalist, and will include a picnic lunch on the Alum Cave Trail, as well as dinner and breakfast at the LeConte Lodge.DLIA executive director Todd Witcher will be giving a presentation on the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory...

Safety in the Backcountry · Smoky Mountain Field School

Safety in the Backcountry

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Each year Rangers are involved in hundreds of search and rescue operations in the Smokies and other National Parks. Almost all of these incidents result from accidents and circumstances that are avoidable, and most involve accidents and situations that are repeated over and over.Next week the Smoky Mountain Field School will be offering a combination of lecture and hands-on exercises where you'll...

Gunter Fork Trail

Gunter Fork Trail still closed

Friday, August 5, 2011

Although I posted about this a couple of weeks ago, the Great Smoky Mountains formally announced today that the Gunter Fork Trail on the eastern end of the Smokies has been temporarily closed due to landslide on July 15th. Still no estimate on when it will be reopened. Here's the park press release:Managers at Great Smoky Mountains National Park have announced that the Gunter Fork Trail between the...

Roan Mountain · video

Climbing in the Roan Highlands in Winter

Friday, August 5, 2011

Maybe this will bring a little relief from the summer heat....During one of the major snow events of 2010, Jonathan Ibach, Morgan Harris, Justin Russell and Wes Overvold climbed over snow-covered fallen trees and trudged through 4-foot snow drifts to the summit of 6285-foot Roan Mountain.Roan Highlands Winter from Wesley Overvold on Vimeo.JeffHikingintheSmokys....

Basic Wilderness First Aid · Chimney Rock State Park · Survival Skills Workshop

Survival Skills Workshop at Chimney Rock State Park

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Next Saturday is the final part in the Survival Skills Workshop at Chimney Rock State Park.In this workshop participants will learn “Basic Wilderness First Aid”, including how to treat victims of hypothermia or heat exhaustion, among other subjects. The workshop will be lead by naturalist Clint Calhoun.The date for the workshop is August 13th from 9am - noon.Cost: $25 for Adults, $20 for Annual Passholders...

appalachian trail · Appalachian Trail Conservancy · ATC · Great Smoky Mountains National Park · Rocky Top Trail Crew

ATC’s Rocky Top Trail Crew is Heading Into the Smokies Park With Open Positions

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s (ATC) Rocky Top Trail Crew is searching for horse packers and crew volunteers this Fall to help maintain the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The ATC will provide food, tools, equipment and professional Trail Crew leaders to aide volunteers.The Rocky Top Crew, celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, works exclusively on the...

$4.2 Million · Nonprofit Partners · REI · Restore Outdoor Spaces

REI Awards $4.2 Million to Nonprofit Partners that Restore Outdoor Spaces

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.), a national outdoor gear and clothing retailer, announced plans yesterday to grant $4.2 million this year to nonprofits across the country that work to preserve and maintain natural spaces through active volunteer programs.“At REI, we encourage our members and customers who enjoy the outdoors to play an active role in taking care of those places,” said Kevin Hagen,...

drowning · the Sinks

More details on drowning at the Sinks

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Great Smoky Mountains officials published a press release this afternoon regarding the young woman who drowned at the Sinks over the weekend, providing a few more details on the incident:At about 3:30 p.m. on July 30, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Dispatch received a report that a young woman had been swept over the 15-foot high waterfall at the Sinks on the Little River about 10 miles west...

incidents · National Parks · rescue

Dangerous week in the national parks

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Several incidents over the last week highlight again how recreation in national parks can be dangerous. Although many people view parks as playgrounds, danger situations await visitors who don't pay the proper respect to Mother Nature. Here are a few of the incidents that have been reported by NPS Digest in the past week:* A 26-year-old hiker was descending from the summit of Half Dome in Yosemite...

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