Wishing You All Joyous New Moments,
The Transcendence Of Time,
And The Use Of A Calendar, If At All,
Only As A Seasonal Reference Tool.
~
Bonne année 2013
Meilleurs voeux à tous, et du soleil dans vos vies, autant que sur cette photo exotique en mer d'émeraude.
RaysWeather.Com to offer webcams for the Blue Ridge Parkway
RaysWeather.Com announced on their Facebook page this week that they will be releasing a webcam and weather site for the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway. RaysWeather.Com has provided detailed weather forecasts for northwestern North Carolina since 1999.
The new website will include "about 18 weather stations and webcams when we are done in January 2013". The project is funded by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation .
As a sneak peak you can view the camera at the Mt. Pisgah Campground. The webcams allow you to select a 12-hour (or 24-hr) tab to view weather in a time-lapse loop.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
The new website will include "about 18 weather stations and webcams when we are done in January 2013". The project is funded by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation .
As a sneak peak you can view the camera at the Mt. Pisgah Campground. The webcams allow you to select a 12-hour (or 24-hr) tab to view weather in a time-lapse loop.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Baby It’s Cold Outside!
It’s been down right cold here the past few mornings; and it’s Florida. Tinybug doesn’t like to be bundled up to come see Nana but it’s necessary. We have frost on the ground and 35 this morning. Hope everyone has a blessed Sunday and stay warm!
The Top 10 Stories from Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2012
2012 was another busy year for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park made headlines in the national media on a couple of occasions. Weather played a major role in shaping headlines this year. Below is my rundown of the top 10 stories from the Smokies over the past year:
10) Back in February the Appalachian Trail Conservancy granted $2,000 from its specialty license plate funds to the Friends of the Smokies to help reduce black bear access to backpacker food along the Appalachian Trail in the Smokies.
9) In June Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials confirmed the presence of invasive emerald ash borer beetles in the park. The beetles were discovered near Sugarlands Visitor Center and in the Greenbrier area. In November an infestation was discovered on an administrative trail in the Greenbrier area.
8) According to a study released by the National Park Service in January, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is not only the nation's most visited national park, but it also tops the 397 national park units in visitor spending .
7) On July 1st, Mt. LeConte reached the highest temperature ever recorded atop the mountain. During the middle of a three-day heat wave, the thermometer topped-out at 81.5 degrees.
6) In October, Trails Forever officials announced that the first phase of the multi-year, Chimney Tops Trail Rehabilitation project was completed.
5) On June 8th a 44 year-old female was sexually assaulted while hiking on the Gatlinburg Trail. The victim received multiple stab wounds to the neck, shoulder and hand. She made her way to the Gatlinburg Bypass where she flagged down a passing motorist for assistance. The victim was then taken by helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where she was treated for her injuries. The assailant still hasn’t been caught, even after additional clues were released.
4) Back in March Great Smoky Mountains Superintendent Dale A. Ditmanson announced that the proposal to begin collecting backcountry camping fees had been approved by the National Park Service. Ever since it was announced, the fee proposal has been an on-going controversy within the backpacking community, and has resulted in a lawsuit by the Southern Forest Watch.
3) In late October Hurricane Sandy dumped 34 inches of snow on Mt. LeConte, and 36 inches at Newfound Gap. The snow caught many people of guard, including one Appalachian Trail thru-hiker who became stranded on a remote section of trail between Pecks Corner and Tricorner Knob. The 56-year-old North Carolina man had to be airlifted from the trail, which was caught on video .
2) One of the great mysteries in the Smokies over the last year occurred when two young men went missing in two separate incidents , within one week. On March 15th Derek Leuking went missing from Newfound Gap. Five days later Michael Cocchini’s abandoned car was found about a mile south of the Sugarlands Visitor Center. The circumstances surrounding both cases were a bit odd. In August, park employees discovered items thought to belong to Cocchini near the area where his vehicle was originally found on Newfound Gap Road.
1) The biggest story of the year occurred on July 5th when an extreme thunderstorm, known as a derecho storm , swept through the west end of Great Smoky Mountains National and killed two visitors , caused multiple injuries, felled thousands of trees, and closed several trails for many days and weeks afterwards. The storm was caught on video here and here .
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
10) Back in February the Appalachian Trail Conservancy granted $2,000 from its specialty license plate funds to the Friends of the Smokies to help reduce black bear access to backpacker food along the Appalachian Trail in the Smokies.
9) In June Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials confirmed the presence of invasive emerald ash borer beetles in the park. The beetles were discovered near Sugarlands Visitor Center and in the Greenbrier area. In November an infestation was discovered on an administrative trail in the Greenbrier area.
8) According to a study released by the National Park Service in January, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is not only the nation's most visited national park, but it also tops the 397 national park units in visitor spending .
7) On July 1st, Mt. LeConte reached the highest temperature ever recorded atop the mountain. During the middle of a three-day heat wave, the thermometer topped-out at 81.5 degrees.
6) In October, Trails Forever officials announced that the first phase of the multi-year, Chimney Tops Trail Rehabilitation project was completed.
5) On June 8th a 44 year-old female was sexually assaulted while hiking on the Gatlinburg Trail. The victim received multiple stab wounds to the neck, shoulder and hand. She made her way to the Gatlinburg Bypass where she flagged down a passing motorist for assistance. The victim was then taken by helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where she was treated for her injuries. The assailant still hasn’t been caught, even after additional clues were released.
4) Back in March Great Smoky Mountains Superintendent Dale A. Ditmanson announced that the proposal to begin collecting backcountry camping fees had been approved by the National Park Service. Ever since it was announced, the fee proposal has been an on-going controversy within the backpacking community, and has resulted in a lawsuit by the Southern Forest Watch.
3) In late October Hurricane Sandy dumped 34 inches of snow on Mt. LeConte, and 36 inches at Newfound Gap. The snow caught many people of guard, including one Appalachian Trail thru-hiker who became stranded on a remote section of trail between Pecks Corner and Tricorner Knob. The 56-year-old North Carolina man had to be airlifted from the trail, which was caught on video .
2) One of the great mysteries in the Smokies over the last year occurred when two young men went missing in two separate incidents , within one week. On March 15th Derek Leuking went missing from Newfound Gap. Five days later Michael Cocchini’s abandoned car was found about a mile south of the Sugarlands Visitor Center. The circumstances surrounding both cases were a bit odd. In August, park employees discovered items thought to belong to Cocchini near the area where his vehicle was originally found on Newfound Gap Road.
1) The biggest story of the year occurred on July 5th when an extreme thunderstorm, known as a derecho storm , swept through the west end of Great Smoky Mountains National and killed two visitors , caused multiple injuries, felled thousands of trees, and closed several trails for many days and weeks afterwards. The storm was caught on video here and here .
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Blog Stew with Mystery-Animal Ingredients
• Who is buying guns? Women and Democrats. The Washington Post says so, and they would not lie about it.
• A new journal of crytozoology discussed in a long post by Darren Naish, one of the contributors.
• Colorado writer Dave Petersen brings "the mule deer wars" to The Huffington Post.
• A new journal of crytozoology discussed in a long post by Darren Naish, one of the contributors.
• Colorado writer Dave Petersen brings "the mule deer wars" to The Huffington Post.
In fact, the most dangerous long-term enemy of mule deer and hunting throughout the West is a growing and increasingly consumptive and nature-ignorant human population, causing habitat loss, degradation and splintering.
Mallard Drakes In Reflective Calm Water
In Every Reflection,
There Is A New You Waiting To Come To The Surface.
~
A Veterinary Medicine "Bubble"?
Law professor and blogger Glen Reynolds often talks about the "bubble" in legal education—new law schools opening, older ones expanding, even as few graduates find jobs in their field but leave school with their JD and a huge load of debt.
Now he suggests that something similar is going on in veterinary medicine.
The vet clinic that we use most is basically a father-and-son (and for a time, daughter) operation — plus a revolving cast of new Colorado State University graduates, especially on the small-animal side.
You go and meet with "Dr. Susie" or "Dr. Kevin," and on the next visit, it's someone else.
Dog-blogger Patrick Burns often rants about vets up-selling additional tests and services just to pad the bottom line.
Maybe there is a connection. Too many vets, not enough clients? And are "Dr. Susie" and "Dr. Kevin" underemployed and carrying their own load of debt?
Now he suggests that something similar is going on in veterinary medicine.
The vet clinic that we use most is basically a father-and-son (and for a time, daughter) operation — plus a revolving cast of new Colorado State University graduates, especially on the small-animal side.
You go and meet with "Dr. Susie" or "Dr. Kevin," and on the next visit, it's someone else.
Dog-blogger Patrick Burns often rants about vets up-selling additional tests and services just to pad the bottom line.
Maybe there is a connection. Too many vets, not enough clients? And are "Dr. Susie" and "Dr. Kevin" underemployed and carrying their own load of debt?
FMST Proposes Two Routes Through the Smokies
The December issue of the Carolina Mountain Club newsletter published a letter by the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail that outlines their routing recommendations for the MST through the Great Smoky Mountains.
After months of review and public sessions, including input from the CMC, the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail has made a recommendation to the Southwestern Commission about the route of the MST in Western North Carolina. The FMST recommends two routes for for the trail:
* a northern route through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that takes advantage of the trail the CMC is about to complete to Heintooga Road.
* a southern "river valley" route that follows the Tuckaseegee River from Bryson City through Sylva, returning to the GSMNP route at Waterrock Knob.
To read the full letter, please click here .
To read a statement from Marcia Bromberg, the CMC President, please click here .
For more information on hiking the MST through the Smokies - as it exists right now - please click here .
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
After months of review and public sessions, including input from the CMC, the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail has made a recommendation to the Southwestern Commission about the route of the MST in Western North Carolina. The FMST recommends two routes for for the trail:
* a northern route through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that takes advantage of the trail the CMC is about to complete to Heintooga Road.
* a southern "river valley" route that follows the Tuckaseegee River from Bryson City through Sylva, returning to the GSMNP route at Waterrock Knob.
To read the full letter, please click here .
To read a statement from Marcia Bromberg, the CMC President, please click here .
For more information on hiking the MST through the Smokies - as it exists right now - please click here .
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Tennessee State Parks Kick Off 2013 with First Hikes of the New Year
A couple of weeks ago I posted some information about the "First Day Hikes" program taking place across the country. Yesterday, the Tennessee State Parks website published their full list of scheduled hikes.
Tennessee State Parks will sponsor free, guided hikes on New Year’s Day in commemoration of the park system’s 75th Anniversary. Each state park will host its own special hike in the first few days of the New Year.
From Meeman-Shelby to Fall Creek Falls to Roan Mountain and every state park in between, the 2013 First Hikes are designed for all ages and abilities. Some hikes will be approximately one mile in length and tailored for novice hikers, while others are lengthier and geared toward more experienced hikers. For a more in-depth look into planned First Hikes across the state, please visit www.tn.gov/environment/parks/firsthikes/ .
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Must-Watch Neaderthal Television
Watch Decoding Neanderthals Preview on PBS. See more from NOVA.
Nova's January 9 episode will be devoted to the latest research on Neaderthal people, says anthropologist John Hawks.
That's his voice on the trailer, talking about the "mother of all image problems."
Rocky Mountain PBS actually has it scheduled on that date at 8 p.m., unless they suddenly decide to replace it with Antiques Roadshow or another John Denver special.
Winter Scene in the Smokies
This photo was taken on the Bullhead Trail, near the junction with the Rainbow Falls Trail. When snow and ice make passage on the Alum Cave Trail a little sketchy, the Bullhead Trail , or the Rainbow Falls Trail are probably your best options for the hike up to Mt. LeConte in the winter.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Red Squirrel Foraging Upon A Douglas Maple Seed Pod
Winged Knowledge
Opens Up Personalized Gates
To New and Ever Changing Cycles of Time and Space.....
To New and Ever Changing Cycles of Time and Space.....
Beyond yesterdays linear fashion statements.
~
Presence is Opened
By Untying One's Not's.
~
Hunting, Hipsters, and the Truths of Conservation
Once you get past the usual cliches —
— this NPR piece is interesting. Interviewed is Lily Raff McCaulau, author of Call of the Mild: Learning How to Hunt Your Own DInner. (Her book seems to have had two different subtitles.)
McCaulau takes a state-sponsored Becoming an Outdoors Women workshop in Oregon, including a pheasant hunt, of which she says,
Others on the program talk about women in their 20s and 30s who take up hunting. Read the transcript.
Meanwhile, Slate says that "hunting is undeniably in vogue among the bearded, bicycle-riding, locavore set."
(Let's see . . . Beard? Check. Bicyle-riding (well, sometimes)? Check. Locavore? Check. I had no idea that I was so much in tune with the zeitgeist — or maybe the zeitgeist is now in tune with me?)
So hunting is not a red state thing. It is a red meat thing," concludes writer Emma Marris. "And, more than that, it is a necessary thing."
In modern culture, hunting has been dominated by a stereotype of burly men in camouflage who view the pastime mostly as a sport. [Speak for yourself, Jacki Lyden. My friends and I were writing hunting-related poetry and essays in our twenties.]
— this NPR piece is interesting. Interviewed is Lily Raff McCaulau, author of Call of the Mild: Learning How to Hunt Your Own DInner. (Her book seems to have had two different subtitles.)
McCaulau takes a state-sponsored Becoming an Outdoors Women workshop in Oregon, including a pheasant hunt, of which she says,
And there was one other woman who hadn't shot a bird. So the two of us went up kind of close to where the dog was holding the bird, and when the bird flushed, it flew up in the air. We both took a shot and killed the bird. And I was really shocked by my reaction because I was expecting to just be wracked with guilt and really confused about what had just happened. And instead, I was euphoric. I couldn't believe that I had it in me and that I'd done it. I felt empowered and proud and amazed and relieved.
Others on the program talk about women in their 20s and 30s who take up hunting. Read the transcript.
Meanwhile, Slate says that "hunting is undeniably in vogue among the bearded, bicycle-riding, locavore set."
The expansion of hunting into liberal, urban circles is the latest development in an evolving and increasingly snug coexistence between humans and beasts in North America. Jim Sterba’s new book, Nature Wars , examines the paradox of the rebound of many wild species, particularly in the densely populated East Coast of the United States. Whitetail deer, turkeys, Canada geese, black bears, and trees are all doing wonderfully in 2012, thanks to conservation measures in the past and vagaries of history and cultural change. The problem, Sterba says, is that most modern North Americans have no idea what to do with these species. We gawk and gape; we feed them doughnuts; we run into them with our cars; we are surprised and alarmed by their messy habits and occasional aggressiveness; we manage them all wrong; we want them gone from our neighborhoods, but we abhor the idea of killing them.
(Let's see . . . Beard? Check. Bicyle-riding (well, sometimes)? Check. Locavore? Check. I had no idea that I was so much in tune with the zeitgeist — or maybe the zeitgeist is now in tune with me?)
So hunting is not a red state thing. It is a red meat thing," concludes writer Emma Marris. "And, more than that, it is a necessary thing."
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas has always been one of my all time favorite Christmas songs. Until about two years ago I didn't realize that the song was from a 1944 movie called Meet Me in St. Louis. The song was written for, and sung for the very first time by Judy Garland during the movie. If you ever get a chance to see it (Turner Classic Movies), the movie will provide the background meaning for the lyrics.
Anyway, hope you all "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas":
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Anyway, hope you all "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas":
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Drop the Smart Phone, Go Hiking, Be Smarter?
I am not sure how you measure creativity — it's not like saying how many pull-ups you can do or something like that, but if being outdoors enhanced creativity, then I will support the meme.
But I always feel a little guilty about now in writing such a blog post, because guess where I am at this very moment.
OK, tomorrow, serious hike. It's supposed to snow too.
Earlier studies have shown that children spend only 15 to 25 minutes outdoors daily and that outdoor recreation has declined over the past 30 years. People ages 8 to 18 spent more than 7.5 hours daily watching TV or using cellphones or computers.
But I always feel a little guilty about now in writing such a blog post, because guess where I am at this very moment.
OK, tomorrow, serious hike. It's supposed to snow too.
Backpackers in Smokies enjoy improved food storage systems with help from friends
While enjoying a visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, backpackers like to keep a respectable distance from black bears. With help from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and the Friends of the Smokies , they can continue to do so in some of the most backpacker friendly wilderness hiking in the Southern Appalachians. The ATC has provided $800 from its specialty license plate funds to help reduce black bear access to backpacker food along the Appalachian Trail, a national park unit within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Using the grant funds from the ATC, Park staff and volunteers have installed cables that backpackers and trail improvement crews use to store food out of the reach of black bears. Cabling systems were renovated at the Derrick Knob shelter along the A.T. and installed at the new base camp of the Rocky Top Trail crew.
The improved storage system increases both visitor and bear safety by helping reduce the reasons bears would be attracted to shelter areas in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, according to Bill Stiver, wildlife biologist with GSMNP. “The cables help protect hikers, campers, and the Rocky Top Trail Crew,” Stiver continued, “Not to mention keeping the bears from learning to depend on human food.”
Friends of the Smokies and the ATC have partnered in many additional ways to decrease the impacts on GSMNP from the heavy amount of use that the A.T. and Park see as well as impacts from overnight sites on wildlife. Privies have been repaired and all of the backcountry shelters along the A.T. in the Smokies recently renovated. Additionally, through the Ridgerunner program the two organizations provide a backcountry presence on the A.T. to help ensure a safe and pleasant experience.
“It’s all about working together to protect two great national parks, their visitors and their natural resources,” said Holly Demuth, North Carolina director of Friends of the Smokies. “We do best when we work together.”
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Using the grant funds from the ATC, Park staff and volunteers have installed cables that backpackers and trail improvement crews use to store food out of the reach of black bears. Cabling systems were renovated at the Derrick Knob shelter along the A.T. and installed at the new base camp of the Rocky Top Trail crew.
The improved storage system increases both visitor and bear safety by helping reduce the reasons bears would be attracted to shelter areas in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, according to Bill Stiver, wildlife biologist with GSMNP. “The cables help protect hikers, campers, and the Rocky Top Trail Crew,” Stiver continued, “Not to mention keeping the bears from learning to depend on human food.”
Friends of the Smokies and the ATC have partnered in many additional ways to decrease the impacts on GSMNP from the heavy amount of use that the A.T. and Park see as well as impacts from overnight sites on wildlife. Privies have been repaired and all of the backcountry shelters along the A.T. in the Smokies recently renovated. Additionally, through the Ridgerunner program the two organizations provide a backcountry presence on the A.T. to help ensure a safe and pleasant experience.
“It’s all about working together to protect two great national parks, their visitors and their natural resources,” said Holly Demuth, North Carolina director of Friends of the Smokies. “We do best when we work together.”
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Mountain Lions at Lunch
With the bears now out on their own, our local wildlife rehabbers were able to meet us in Nearby Town for a long lunch.
The conversation wandered around "secret" hiking trails, local water issues, and of course critter tales — specifically mountain lions.
Back when M. and I were hired by the Bureau of Land Management to census Mexican spotted owls, we were stalked by mountain lions twice that we knew of, and probably other times that we did not know of.
But these people hand-raised them. They had two lions that lived out their lives with them, because the cats had been seized from people who owned them illegally and who had had them declawed. There was no way that these cats could be released into the wild.
The lions were quite friendly, almost cuddly. But they were still cats — unpredictable.
One day one of them jumped the woman as she was leaving its pen, knocked her down, and bit into the back of her head. It sounded like a dog chewing a bone, she said.
Her husband got the cat off of her with a couple of swift kicks to the head and a squirt of pepper spray. She was half-scalped. It was a real La Brea Tar Pits moment, he says.
He himself was in a bad car wreck once and was rebuilt with pins and plates, so we figured that their skeletons would astonish archaeologists of the future.
"Look," they might say, "people in the Plastic Age were still preyed on by large carnivores. Yet this woman survived — her people took care of her."
"And the man — clearly he had many enemies, but someone rebuilt his skeleton in a primitive way."
The conversation wandered around "secret" hiking trails, local water issues, and of course critter tales — specifically mountain lions.
Back when M. and I were hired by the Bureau of Land Management to census Mexican spotted owls, we were stalked by mountain lions twice that we knew of, and probably other times that we did not know of.
But these people hand-raised them. They had two lions that lived out their lives with them, because the cats had been seized from people who owned them illegally and who had had them declawed. There was no way that these cats could be released into the wild.
The lions were quite friendly, almost cuddly. But they were still cats — unpredictable.
One day one of them jumped the woman as she was leaving its pen, knocked her down, and bit into the back of her head. It sounded like a dog chewing a bone, she said.
Her husband got the cat off of her with a couple of swift kicks to the head and a squirt of pepper spray. She was half-scalped. It was a real La Brea Tar Pits moment, he says.
He himself was in a bad car wreck once and was rebuilt with pins and plates, so we figured that their skeletons would astonish archaeologists of the future.
"Look," they might say, "people in the Plastic Age were still preyed on by large carnivores. Yet this woman survived — her people took care of her."
"And the man — clearly he had many enemies, but someone rebuilt his skeleton in a primitive way."
Mt. Everest in 2 Billion Pixels
Check out this extremely cool mega-photo of Mt. Everest. It's the most detailed image ever made of the highest mountain in the world. The image is actually a composite mosaic of 477 individual photographs taken this past spring from vantage points all around the mountain using a 300mm lens. The project was led by American mountaineer and filmmaker David Breashears.
If you zoom in towards the base of Lhotse you can see several climbers. Also, if you look towards the left (below) of the Khumbu Icefall you'll also be able to see Everest base camp.
Here's a map to help navigate the interactive photo:
Please click here to view the photo.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
If you zoom in towards the base of Lhotse you can see several climbers. Also, if you look towards the left (below) of the Khumbu Icefall you'll also be able to see Everest base camp.
Here's a map to help navigate the interactive photo:
Please click here to view the photo.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Forest Service Completes Repairs to Balsam Lake
The U.S. Forest Service yesterday announced that it has repaired the Balsam Lake dam and that the lake is being filled.
“We look forward to the stocking of fish in the spring, so visitors can again enjoy this majestic water” said Mike Wilkins, Nantahala District ranger, Nantahala National Forest.
In recent weeks, the Forest Service worked to fix a leak in the dam’s splash boards that control lake levels.
The design of the previous splash boards allowed too much water to pass around the end of the boards. A slight adjustment was made to the riser board installation, which controls lake levels. The adjustment will help maintain proper lake levels in the future.
Balsam Lake is located in the Nantahala Ranger District of the Nantahala National Forest.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
“We look forward to the stocking of fish in the spring, so visitors can again enjoy this majestic water” said Mike Wilkins, Nantahala District ranger, Nantahala National Forest.
In recent weeks, the Forest Service worked to fix a leak in the dam’s splash boards that control lake levels.
The design of the previous splash boards allowed too much water to pass around the end of the boards. A slight adjustment was made to the riser board installation, which controls lake levels. The adjustment will help maintain proper lake levels in the future.
Balsam Lake is located in the Nantahala Ranger District of the Nantahala National Forest.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Black Capped Chickadee In An Ice Cave
When One begins to Question Why One Does Anything At All,
They soon enter into a Roomless Space of Perpetual Being.
All Quests Have Then Been Satisfied,
Where Nothing Is Ever Made Quest-ionable Again.
~
First Day Hikes to be offered at every North Carolina State Park
Earlier in the week I posted some information on the "First Day Hikes" program being offered across the country on January 1st. Here's some additional information on what's going on at North Carolina State Parks:
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
First Day Hikes will be offered in every North Carolina state park and state recreation area Jan. 1, giving everyone an opportunity to exercise and celebrate nature as a New Year’s Day tradition, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
On the 2012 New Year’s Day, 1,392 hikers in North Carolina joined rangers and volunteers to walk a combined 4,573 miles along trails in the state parks and state recreation areas. For the second year, North Carolina’s state parks system will partner with American’s State Parks and the National Association of State Park Directors to nationally promote First Day Hikes.
“Exploring the year-round splendor of nature is quickly becoming a New Year’s Day tradition,” said Lewis Ledford, state parks director. “Every one of our state parks and state recreation areas is open on the holiday, and the ranger-guided hikes are an excellent way to keep fit during the holidays, connect with nature and develop a deeper appreciation for the rich natural resources that distinguish North Carolina.”
There will be at least 40 guided hikes in the North Carolina state parks system and more than 600 throughout the 50 states as part of the event, ranging from easy to challenging. At Falls Lake State Recreation area, a scavenger hunt will be part of a kid-friendly hike, and Hammocks Beach State Park plans an “Early Bird Hike” at 8:30 a.m. Hanging Rock State Park will present the “Five Overlooks Challenge, a 10-mile excursion across the park’s scenic peaks, while hikers at Weymouth Woods Historic Nature Preserve will visit the world’s oldest known longleaf pine. The Eno River Association will offer both long and short hikes as part of a decades-old tradition at Eno River State Park.
Details about First Day Hikes in North Carolina can be found under “Education” at www.ncparks.gov and at www.americasstateparks.org , which also lists all hikes nationally.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Partners Complete New Shelter on Appalachian Trail
Hikers of the Appalachian Trail (AT) have a new shelter where they can rest their bones. The U.S. Forest Service today announced the completion of the Long Branch Shelter, located in the Standing Indian Basin in the Nantahala National Forest.
“Thanks to a lot of hard work and donations from partners, hikers of the AT can now seek shelter from the elements in a new solid, timber-framed structure,” said Mike Wilkins, ranger of the Nantahala District, Nantahala National Forest. “Because it is so well built, the Long Branch Shelter will serve AT hikers for decades to come.”
The shelter is located at the head of the Long Branch Drainage along the AT, a little more than two miles north of Forest Service Road 83. The shelter is about 17 miles from the City of Franklin.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy paid for the supplies. The Nantahala Hiking Club provided the labor, and local contractor Goshen Timber Frames provided the timbers and assisted in frame assembly. Nantahala Ranger District employees provided heavy machinery and logistical support during construction.
The Long Branch Shelter replaces the old Big Springs Gap Shelter, which was located just north of Albert Mountain. The Big Springs Gap Shelter will soon be dismantled because it has fallen into disrepair. The site had also suffered severe soil compaction and erosion over the years.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
“Thanks to a lot of hard work and donations from partners, hikers of the AT can now seek shelter from the elements in a new solid, timber-framed structure,” said Mike Wilkins, ranger of the Nantahala District, Nantahala National Forest. “Because it is so well built, the Long Branch Shelter will serve AT hikers for decades to come.”
The shelter is located at the head of the Long Branch Drainage along the AT, a little more than two miles north of Forest Service Road 83. The shelter is about 17 miles from the City of Franklin.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy paid for the supplies. The Nantahala Hiking Club provided the labor, and local contractor Goshen Timber Frames provided the timbers and assisted in frame assembly. Nantahala Ranger District employees provided heavy machinery and logistical support during construction.
The Long Branch Shelter replaces the old Big Springs Gap Shelter, which was located just north of Albert Mountain. The Big Springs Gap Shelter will soon be dismantled because it has fallen into disrepair. The site had also suffered severe soil compaction and erosion over the years.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Take a First Day Hike
Start the year off on the right foot by taking a First Day Hike in a state park near you. All across the country state parks will be offering guided First Day Hikes on New Year’s Day 2013.
The idea for First Day Hikes originated over 20 years ago at the Blue Hills Reservation State Park in Milton, Massachusetts. The program was launched to promote both healthy lifestyles throughout the year and year round recreation at state parks. Many other states have offered outdoor recreation programs on New Year’s Day, however, all 50 state park systems have now joined together to sponsor First Day Hikes.
An organization called America’s State Parks has compiled an online database of more than 600 hikes on their website. You can find a First Day Hike by clicking here .
There are numerous options for a First Day Hike in the Great Smoky Mountains region.
Countdown to Christmas! Last chance to save up to 85% on Camping Gear!
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
The idea for First Day Hikes originated over 20 years ago at the Blue Hills Reservation State Park in Milton, Massachusetts. The program was launched to promote both healthy lifestyles throughout the year and year round recreation at state parks. Many other states have offered outdoor recreation programs on New Year’s Day, however, all 50 state park systems have now joined together to sponsor First Day Hikes.
An organization called America’s State Parks has compiled an online database of more than 600 hikes on their website. You can find a First Day Hike by clicking here .
There are numerous options for a First Day Hike in the Great Smoky Mountains region.
Countdown to Christmas! Last chance to save up to 85% on Camping Gear!
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Palpopleura portia (Madagascar)
Cette libellule Palpopleura portia est tout aussi photogénique que ses consoeurs Palpopleura vestita publiée ici et Palpopleura lucia publiée ici .
 |
| Palpopleura portia |
Il s'agit d'une libellule d'assez petite taille, tout aussi vive que les autres Palpopleura objet des messages précédents, rencontrée dans la région d' Antananarivo, mais aussi d'Antsirabe
Nantahala Ranger District Announces Seasonal Road Closures
The Nantahala Ranger District today announced season road closures from Jan. 2 to April 1, 2013.
During this period, the following roads are susceptible to freezing and thawing, and they become soft and easily damaged by traffic.
The roads to be closed are Boardtree (#388), Upper Nantahala (#67), Deep Gap (#71), Shingletree Branch (#713), Shope Fork (#751), Ball Creek (#83), and Connelly Creek (#86 through Alarka-Laurel), Wayah Bald (#690, Little Yellow Mountain (#367), Big Creek (#4567), Cold Spring Gap (#4663), Moses Creek (#4651), Old Bald Rd (#4652), Sugar Creek (#4665), Gage Creek (#4648), Wolf Mountain (#4663C), Charley Knob (#4654), and Beech Flats (#4668).
Winespring/Whiteoak (#711) will be left open as long as weather conditions permit. In addition, the Wayehutta Off-Road Vehicle area will close on Dec. 15, 2012.
For more information, contact Bryan Killian at 828-524-6441
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
During this period, the following roads are susceptible to freezing and thawing, and they become soft and easily damaged by traffic.
The roads to be closed are Boardtree (#388), Upper Nantahala (#67), Deep Gap (#71), Shingletree Branch (#713), Shope Fork (#751), Ball Creek (#83), and Connelly Creek (#86 through Alarka-Laurel), Wayah Bald (#690, Little Yellow Mountain (#367), Big Creek (#4567), Cold Spring Gap (#4663), Moses Creek (#4651), Old Bald Rd (#4652), Sugar Creek (#4665), Gage Creek (#4648), Wolf Mountain (#4663C), Charley Knob (#4654), and Beech Flats (#4668).
Winespring/Whiteoak (#711) will be left open as long as weather conditions permit. In addition, the Wayehutta Off-Road Vehicle area will close on Dec. 15, 2012.
For more information, contact Bryan Killian at 828-524-6441
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
View From The MVSTA Ski Trail Bridge Crossing Near Basecamp In Mazama WA
Extend Your Potential Viewing Range.
~
Great Smoky Mountain in Timelapse
Finally! A really good video of Great Smoky Mountain National Park in timelapse. At least this is the first that I can recall. What do you think of this short film by "MILapse":
Great Smoky Mountain Timelapse from MILapse on Vimeo.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Great Smoky Mountain Timelapse from MILapse on Vimeo.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Senseless Tragedy
Today was one more in a line of senseless tragedies that occurred this year. My heart is totally broken just thinking about those precious little lives that were taken before they really had a chance to know what life was about. They were mostly kindergarteners; just innocent babes. The parents and families of those children and the school staff have my deepest sympathy. Please remember them in prayer; it’s going to be so hard for them this holiday season and for months to come. The safety of our children isn’t guaranteed anywhere anymore.
From the heart of Mamabug
Sledding Brings About Excitement At North Cascades Basecamp
Recreation re-Creates One's Relative Position
By Letting Loose Upon The Slippery Slope Of Life.
~
Brookesia tuberculata (Madagascar)
Photographié dans la forêt de la Montagne d'Ambre au nord de Madagascar, le Brookesia tuberculata endémique de cette région de l'île est, avec ses congénères du même genre , l'un des plus petits Caméléons du monde, atteignant tout juste 3 cm.
 |
| Brookesia tuberculata |
Il vit habituellement au sol, au pied des arbres parmi les feuilles et les brindilles, ce qui le rend difficile à débusquer tant son mimétisme avec le milieu ambiant est performant.
Inscription à :
Articles (Atom)
Articles
