Gas from shale
So far I have very quickly covered a couple of natural gas ‘types’. These types are ‘tight gas’ and in-situ ‘syngas’. Before I examine coal seam gas I need to discuss another major gas source called shale gas. Shale gas is not very common in Australia at the moment. It is mainly exploited in the Moomba gas fields in South Australia and Queensland (The Cooper Basin). This gas field is where ‘conventional’ gas has all but run out and the companies operating there are exploring new ways to keep gas supply going. Shale gas is a very well-known source of gas because of the film Gasland which discusses many shale gas basins in the United States. Economical shale gas resources are not currently known in the Northern Rivers. The conditions of formation are not suitable in the Northern Rivers when compared to other gas sources. So, geologically, what is it?
Once again, comparison between ‘conventional’ gas and ‘unconventional’ shale gas is probably the best way to demonstrate how and why shale gas forms and the methods needed for extraction. The first point to make is that chemically there is very little (if any) difference between ‘conventional’ and shale gas. The gas is composed mainly of methane with very small amounts of carbon dioxide and sometimes heavier compounds such as ethane. The second point is ‘conventional’ gas has migrated to a reservoir (a porous and permeable rock that is capped by impermeable rocks). Shale gas, however, remains where it is formed. It is trapped within the natural micro-pores and fractures, or adsorbed to organic matter and clay's in the shale. The gas is formed by the heating and compression of organic rich sediments as they are buried in a sedimentary basin.
Shale gas behaves very similar in ways to shale oil both in terms of formation (except temperature differences) and the way it is trapped in the rock. Interestingly, shale oil was produced in large quantities in the eastern states of Australia during the oil shortages of the Second World War. But, I digress.
Shale gas is trapped tightly on a very small scale it does not flow under natural conditions which is where it differs most from ‘conventional’ gas. Shale gas in Australia is typically very deep gas, rarely found less than a kilometre underground and usually found about twice that depth. Because of the natural conditions, stimulation to get the gas flowing is required. Stimulation in the case of shale gas is almost entirely hydraulic fracturing. In fact, numerous fraccs are required for shale gas exploitation, generally even more so than ‘tight gas’.
Another aspect used all the time is directional drilling. Directional drilling is used for other gas sources such as tight, syngas sometimes ‘conventional’, and rarely for coal seam gas (CSG). Directional drilling allows an increase in the well surface area and therefore increase the rate of gas extraction. The drilling of a directional well follows a ‘conventional’ vertical borehole. Then at the required depth the well is deflected to follow the target formation in a horizontal manner. The interesting thing about shale gas is that directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing make this gas viable. Without both of these technologies this gas type would be an obscure novelty.
Due to the depth of shale gas sources and the surrounding geology the techniques required to extract the gas are tricky. These challenges include the high pressure fraccing required combined with the relative difference in the rock strength of adjacent formations to the shale. This means there is an increased risk to fraccing causing fractures to extend into adjacent non-target rock and therefore connecting other porous or permeable systems with the gas formation. Repeated fraccing may increase the risk further. However, the depth of shale gas in Australia is such that if damage does occur it may mitigate some of the affect to adjacent formations.
A good summary of shale gas in Australia can be found on the CSIRO website here.
The next post I will do relating to hydrocarbon geology will be on coal seam gas (CSG). CSG is one of the most likely sources for gas in the Northern Rivers.
Once again, comparison between ‘conventional’ gas and ‘unconventional’ shale gas is probably the best way to demonstrate how and why shale gas forms and the methods needed for extraction. The first point to make is that chemically there is very little (if any) difference between ‘conventional’ and shale gas. The gas is composed mainly of methane with very small amounts of carbon dioxide and sometimes heavier compounds such as ethane. The second point is ‘conventional’ gas has migrated to a reservoir (a porous and permeable rock that is capped by impermeable rocks). Shale gas, however, remains where it is formed. It is trapped within the natural micro-pores and fractures, or adsorbed to organic matter and clay's in the shale. The gas is formed by the heating and compression of organic rich sediments as they are buried in a sedimentary basin.
Shale gas behaves very similar in ways to shale oil both in terms of formation (except temperature differences) and the way it is trapped in the rock. Interestingly, shale oil was produced in large quantities in the eastern states of Australia during the oil shortages of the Second World War. But, I digress.
Shale gas is trapped tightly on a very small scale it does not flow under natural conditions which is where it differs most from ‘conventional’ gas. Shale gas in Australia is typically very deep gas, rarely found less than a kilometre underground and usually found about twice that depth. Because of the natural conditions, stimulation to get the gas flowing is required. Stimulation in the case of shale gas is almost entirely hydraulic fracturing. In fact, numerous fraccs are required for shale gas exploitation, generally even more so than ‘tight gas’.
Another aspect used all the time is directional drilling. Directional drilling is used for other gas sources such as tight, syngas sometimes ‘conventional’, and rarely for coal seam gas (CSG). Directional drilling allows an increase in the well surface area and therefore increase the rate of gas extraction. The drilling of a directional well follows a ‘conventional’ vertical borehole. Then at the required depth the well is deflected to follow the target formation in a horizontal manner. The interesting thing about shale gas is that directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing make this gas viable. Without both of these technologies this gas type would be an obscure novelty.
Due to the depth of shale gas sources and the surrounding geology the techniques required to extract the gas are tricky. These challenges include the high pressure fraccing required combined with the relative difference in the rock strength of adjacent formations to the shale. This means there is an increased risk to fraccing causing fractures to extend into adjacent non-target rock and therefore connecting other porous or permeable systems with the gas formation. Repeated fraccing may increase the risk further. However, the depth of shale gas in Australia is such that if damage does occur it may mitigate some of the affect to adjacent formations.
A good summary of shale gas in Australia can be found on the CSIRO website here.
The next post I will do relating to hydrocarbon geology will be on coal seam gas (CSG). CSG is one of the most likely sources for gas in the Northern Rivers.
Wildfire Investigations and the Rumor Mill
Two weeks ago I was emailing back and forth with a reporter friend about the still-undisclosed cause of the Royal Gorge Fire last June in Frémont County.
It seems that the feds still have not said anything—she got the usual "bureaucratic syrup" (full of empty calories) from a Bureau of Land Management spokesman: "The cause of the fire is still an active and on-going investigation."
So does that mean that it is a criminal investigation? And if so, why not say so?
The conventional wisdom is that the 2013 Waldo Canyon Fire was started by an escaped campfire, but no one has been fingered for setting it. (Hard to catch them, I realize.) That same summer there was a string of small arson-caused wildfires in nearby Teller County as well.
And last summer's big Black Forest Fire started at a private home—but how?
No wonder rumors are flying, or as the Colorado Springs Gazette recently headined, "Languishing Colorado wildfire investigations feed rumor mill."
All they can say for Black Forest is,
Instead we see a lot of coverage of the Black Forest fire chief and the El Paso County sheriff having a pissing contest in the news media.
Government "public information" at its finest . . .
It seems that the feds still have not said anything—she got the usual "bureaucratic syrup" (full of empty calories) from a Bureau of Land Management spokesman: "The cause of the fire is still an active and on-going investigation."
So does that mean that it is a criminal investigation? And if so, why not say so?
The conventional wisdom is that the 2013 Waldo Canyon Fire was started by an escaped campfire, but no one has been fingered for setting it. (Hard to catch them, I realize.) That same summer there was a string of small arson-caused wildfires in nearby Teller County as well.
And last summer's big Black Forest Fire started at a private home—but how?
No wonder rumors are flying, or as the Colorado Springs Gazette recently headined, "Languishing Colorado wildfire investigations feed rumor mill."
All they can say for Black Forest is,
No obvious accelerant were uncovered in the evidence collect from the place where the Black Forest fire started, just one of multiple clues that have pushed investigators to lean toward a conclusion that fire was accidentally started.
Instead we see a lot of coverage of the Black Forest fire chief and the El Paso County sheriff having a pissing contest in the news media.
Government "public information" at its finest . . .
Horseback Riding in Yosemite
In this short video from Finley-Holiday Films, Yosemite National Park ranger Shelton Johnson talks about seeing Yosemite on horseback (or mule back) - an experience that hasn't changed much since the earliest visitors ventured into Yosemite. You may recognize Ranger Johnson - he was featured quite extensively in The National Parks: America's Best Idea, the Ken Burns film from a few years ago:
If seeing Yosemite on horseback isn't your thing, or if you've never been to the park, did you know that you can do one hike that encompasses nearly all of Yosemite’s iconic sights? This epic 12.6-mile hike includes a full view of Yosemite Falls from the only place in the park to see both the upper and lower falls in their full glory. Along the way you’ll also see El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, Illilouette Fall and Nevada Fall. The one-way hike begins from the Yosemite Valley, climbs up to Glacier Point via the Four Mile Trail , and then travels back down to the valley via the Panorama Trail and the famous Mist Trail.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
If seeing Yosemite on horseback isn't your thing, or if you've never been to the park, did you know that you can do one hike that encompasses nearly all of Yosemite’s iconic sights? This epic 12.6-mile hike includes a full view of Yosemite Falls from the only place in the park to see both the upper and lower falls in their full glory. Along the way you’ll also see El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, Illilouette Fall and Nevada Fall. The one-way hike begins from the Yosemite Valley, climbs up to Glacier Point via the Four Mile Trail , and then travels back down to the valley via the Panorama Trail and the famous Mist Trail.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Bonne année 2014
Meilleurs vœux à tous, que cette nouvelle année vous apporte joie, bonheur, et santé.
What Does the Fox Take?*
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| What does the fox take? |
See the while ball with part bitten out? I found it a few days ago while scrambling through a brushy, rocky up behind the house, an area that today (after a light now) is a maze of fox tracks.
And the other balls? Someone carries them two or three hundred yards up from the neighbors' houses, only to decide that they are not edible.
Maybe the fox thinks that they are eggs. Red fox or gray? That I do not know, but I am putting more scout cameras up there.
And the teddy bear? Same story, from the other side of the ridge.
*It just hit me that if I don't use this headline now, it will be spoofing last year's catchphrase, and no one will know what I meant, ring-ding-ding.
Contractor to Begin Road Stabilization Project on Newfound Gap Road
Great Smoky Mountains National Park will begin work on a road stabilization project to repair a slide area in North Carolina beginning Monday, January 5, through Wednesday, May 14, along Newfound Gap Road (NFG) approximately 1 mile south of NFG parking area, just south of the Deep Creek Trailhead.
Park staff and Federal Highway Administration engineers recently documented the slide approximately 50 feet below the road corridor. Crews will reinforce the slope to stabilize the road embankment and to prevent slope failure or erosion along the road shoulder. The restoration work will include retaining wall construction, road reconstruction, stone masonry guardwall construction, guardrail placement, shoulder reconditioning, installation of culverts and inlets, and site restoration.
Traffic lanes will be temporarily shifted onto the road shoulder throughout the duration of the project to maintain two-way traffic; however, single lane closures will be required intermittently primarily during the construction of the temporary lane. The parking area adjacent to this slide area will be closed, but the small pulloff for the Deep Creek trailhead will remain open.
Phillips and Jordan, Inc. was awarded the contract for the project through a competitive bid process. The primary geotechnical subcontractor is Goettle, Inc. Contractors are authorized to conduct operations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
This new slide is not related to the slide that took place during the heavy rains of last January.
For more information about road conditions, please visit the park’s website or call the park’s Road and Weather Information Line at 865-436-1200.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Park staff and Federal Highway Administration engineers recently documented the slide approximately 50 feet below the road corridor. Crews will reinforce the slope to stabilize the road embankment and to prevent slope failure or erosion along the road shoulder. The restoration work will include retaining wall construction, road reconstruction, stone masonry guardwall construction, guardrail placement, shoulder reconditioning, installation of culverts and inlets, and site restoration.
Traffic lanes will be temporarily shifted onto the road shoulder throughout the duration of the project to maintain two-way traffic; however, single lane closures will be required intermittently primarily during the construction of the temporary lane. The parking area adjacent to this slide area will be closed, but the small pulloff for the Deep Creek trailhead will remain open.
Phillips and Jordan, Inc. was awarded the contract for the project through a competitive bid process. The primary geotechnical subcontractor is Goettle, Inc. Contractors are authorized to conduct operations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
This new slide is not related to the slide that took place during the heavy rains of last January.
For more information about road conditions, please visit the park’s website or call the park’s Road and Weather Information Line at 865-436-1200.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
First Day Hikes to be offered at every North Carolina State Park on January 1st
A North Carolina tradition continues on New Year’s Day with opportunities to exercise and reconnect with nature on First Day Hikes at every state park and recreation area, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
In the past two years, hikers in North Carolina have joined rangers and volunteers to walk more than 6,000 miles on state park trails Jan. 1. There will be more than 40 scheduled hikes ranging from short “leg-stretchers” to four-mile treks, many of them offering interpretive programs along the way. All state park facilities will remain open on the holiday.
“As the holiday season draws to a close, First Day Hikes are an excellent way to relax, lose the stress and connect with the outdoors and the rich natural resources that distinguish North Carolina,” said Brad Ives, assistant secretary for Natural Resources at the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “We want to remind everyone that the state parks are a year-round resource for exercise, education and enjoyment for more than 14 million visitors.”
This year’s event will be the first of many First Day Hikes at the new Carvers Creek State Park, which opened in September in Cumberland County. Lake James State Park will hold a hike along new sections of its Paddy’s Creek Trail, and families can enjoy self-guided hikes on the new Holly Discovery Trail, which has won a national award for environmental education. A walk alongside the ocean at Hammocks Beach State Park has always been a popular favorite, and at Weymouth Woods Historic Nature Preserve, hikers will visit the world’s oldest known longleaf pine. Also, the Eno River Association will offer long and short hikes as part of a decades-old tradition at Eno River State Park.
Details about all First Day Hikes in North Carolina can be found here .
50% off New Styles MARMOT!! Free Shipping over $49!! RockCreek.com. Click here for details.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
In the past two years, hikers in North Carolina have joined rangers and volunteers to walk more than 6,000 miles on state park trails Jan. 1. There will be more than 40 scheduled hikes ranging from short “leg-stretchers” to four-mile treks, many of them offering interpretive programs along the way. All state park facilities will remain open on the holiday.
“As the holiday season draws to a close, First Day Hikes are an excellent way to relax, lose the stress and connect with the outdoors and the rich natural resources that distinguish North Carolina,” said Brad Ives, assistant secretary for Natural Resources at the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “We want to remind everyone that the state parks are a year-round resource for exercise, education and enjoyment for more than 14 million visitors.”
This year’s event will be the first of many First Day Hikes at the new Carvers Creek State Park, which opened in September in Cumberland County. Lake James State Park will hold a hike along new sections of its Paddy’s Creek Trail, and families can enjoy self-guided hikes on the new Holly Discovery Trail, which has won a national award for environmental education. A walk alongside the ocean at Hammocks Beach State Park has always been a popular favorite, and at Weymouth Woods Historic Nature Preserve, hikers will visit the world’s oldest known longleaf pine. Also, the Eno River Association will offer long and short hikes as part of a decades-old tradition at Eno River State Park.
Details about all First Day Hikes in North Carolina can be found here .
50% off New Styles MARMOT!! Free Shipping over $49!! RockCreek.com. Click here for details.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Sleeping in the Cold
A young guy in northern Minnesota decides to try sleeping outdoors for a year in the back yard. He started out in a kind of tree house, but then winter came.
Lots of foam pads, that's the secret. (Via Free Range Kids.)
I have done some winter camping, but a year—I respect that.
M's and my second dwelling was a sort-of-winterized little house in Manitou Springs. We slept in an unheated, uninsulated sun porch. It did have glass windows—jalousies that did not seal too well and let little patches of snow drift in.
But our rule was that when the temperature in our bedroom dipped much below 20° F (-7° C), we would move into the indoor guest room.
The snow house smelled like straw, which littered the white floor. In this holiday season, Hummel seemed to be occupying his own Nativity scene.
Lots of foam pads, that's the secret. (Via Free Range Kids.)
I have done some winter camping, but a year—I respect that.
M's and my second dwelling was a sort-of-winterized little house in Manitou Springs. We slept in an unheated, uninsulated sun porch. It did have glass windows—jalousies that did not seal too well and let little patches of snow drift in.
But our rule was that when the temperature in our bedroom dipped much below 20° F (-7° C), we would move into the indoor guest room.
Flore de Madagascar (volet 3)
Avant de franchir le cap de la nouvelle année, j'ajoute un nouveau volet intitulé "galerie du rose au rouge" à ma série de fleurs photographiées à Madagascar. Comme pour les deux précédentes publications, leur identification est absente de mon message, mais j'ai estimé que leur beauté et leurs couleurs suffisaient sans doute à les rendre attractives et pouvaient malgré cette
Winter Sports in the Smokies
Even though Old Man Winter has already tightened his icy grip on the mountains, it doesn’t mean you still can’t find plenty to do in the Great Smokies.
Winter is an excellent time to visit the Smokies, especially for those seeking solitude. Although the Great Smoky Mountains National Park sees more visitors year-round than any other park, winter is by far the slowest tourist season.
While it might be rather frosty at Newfound Gap, temperatures in the lower elevations of the park are usually quite balmy during the winter months. Roughly half the days have high temperatures of 50 degrees or more – some even reach into the 70s. On average, you can expect a snowfall of one inch or more just 1 to 5 times a year. This means that on most days you’ll still find plenty of opportunities for some great hiking on trails such as Abrams Falls , Little River , or Porters Creek - just to name a couple.
For the more ambitious who wish to venture into the higher elevations, you should expect snow and ice, especially on trails in the upper reaches of the park. You may even want to consider taking a pair of strap-on crampons (made for hiking boots) along with you. Even packed snow has a tendency to turn to ice overnight, and if you’re on a trail with steep drop-offs, such as Alum Cave , you’ll appreciate the extra traction they’ll give you.
If your preference is for sports that rely on snow you can usually count on plenty of it at the highest elevations. Although Gatlinburg averages only about seven inches of snow throughout the winter, Clingmans Dome, on the other hand, normally receives a whopping 85 inches. Up to two feet can fall during one winter storm!
One of the best places to be in the park when there’s snow on the ground is at Newfound Gap. The seven-mile road to Clingmans Dome, closed to traffic from December through March, provides excellent opportunities for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The Appalachian Trail - spanning the crest of the Smokies and crossing over Newfound Gap - also provides for some great snowshoeing opportunities when conditions are right.
Sledding is another popular activity on or near Newfound Gap, especially for children and those who are still kids at heart themselves.
Adrenaline junkies looking for the speed and thrills of downhill skiing or snowboarding can get their fix at nearby Ober Gatlinburg or the Cataloochee Ski Area. Cataloochee offers 14 different runs, while Ober Gatlinburg has eight, including one that’s almost a mile in length. Both resorts also offer snow tubing opportunities as well.
Winter in the Great Smoky Mountains is truly magical. After a blanket of fresh snow the landscape turns into a scenic wonderland, especially in the spruce-fir forests of the upper elevations. For those that have only visited during the warmer months, winter is an excellent time to experience the Smokies in a whole new way.
If you're considering a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains this winter, please help support HikingintheSmokys.com this season by supporting the sponsors on our Accommodations page.
Jeff
Smoky Mountains Day Hiker Store
Winter is an excellent time to visit the Smokies, especially for those seeking solitude. Although the Great Smoky Mountains National Park sees more visitors year-round than any other park, winter is by far the slowest tourist season.While it might be rather frosty at Newfound Gap, temperatures in the lower elevations of the park are usually quite balmy during the winter months. Roughly half the days have high temperatures of 50 degrees or more – some even reach into the 70s. On average, you can expect a snowfall of one inch or more just 1 to 5 times a year. This means that on most days you’ll still find plenty of opportunities for some great hiking on trails such as Abrams Falls , Little River , or Porters Creek - just to name a couple.
For the more ambitious who wish to venture into the higher elevations, you should expect snow and ice, especially on trails in the upper reaches of the park. You may even want to consider taking a pair of strap-on crampons (made for hiking boots) along with you. Even packed snow has a tendency to turn to ice overnight, and if you’re on a trail with steep drop-offs, such as Alum Cave , you’ll appreciate the extra traction they’ll give you.
If your preference is for sports that rely on snow you can usually count on plenty of it at the highest elevations. Although Gatlinburg averages only about seven inches of snow throughout the winter, Clingmans Dome, on the other hand, normally receives a whopping 85 inches. Up to two feet can fall during one winter storm!
One of the best places to be in the park when there’s snow on the ground is at Newfound Gap. The seven-mile road to Clingmans Dome, closed to traffic from December through March, provides excellent opportunities for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The Appalachian Trail - spanning the crest of the Smokies and crossing over Newfound Gap - also provides for some great snowshoeing opportunities when conditions are right.Sledding is another popular activity on or near Newfound Gap, especially for children and those who are still kids at heart themselves.
Adrenaline junkies looking for the speed and thrills of downhill skiing or snowboarding can get their fix at nearby Ober Gatlinburg or the Cataloochee Ski Area. Cataloochee offers 14 different runs, while Ober Gatlinburg has eight, including one that’s almost a mile in length. Both resorts also offer snow tubing opportunities as well.
Winter in the Great Smoky Mountains is truly magical. After a blanket of fresh snow the landscape turns into a scenic wonderland, especially in the spruce-fir forests of the upper elevations. For those that have only visited during the warmer months, winter is an excellent time to experience the Smokies in a whole new way.
If you're considering a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains this winter, please help support HikingintheSmokys.com this season by supporting the sponsors on our Accommodations page.
Jeff
Smoky Mountains Day Hiker Store
Great Smoky Mountains National Park - 2013 Year in Review
Below is another excellent video from the Great Smoky Mountains Association . This video provides a quick overview of some of the major events that happened in the park this past year. In many respects, 2013 was a chaotic year for the Smokies. The park experienced a record amount of rain in January which caused a portion of Newfound Gap Road to slide off the mountain, an EF1 tornado in June, a much cooler than average summer, and a Government Shutdown in October:
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Re-Fuse
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| Photo appropos of nothing |
A couple of years ago, I was posting often and eclectically enough that it made sense to spin off aspects of this blog. It was an experiment, I said, probably intending to make a decision before too long about which topics would live, and which would be abandoned to the Wayback Machine (which archive.org uses to let people access webpages of yore).
Then a couple of years went by, and none of the more focused blogs really took off. Now, it's time to kill some of those darlings, or at least to admit that I be eclectic. At one point or another, there have been 6 or so blogs under the Mojourner label, and it's time to re-absorb a few.
Land Before Me, a title that seemed just clever enough at the time, turns out to have a fan or two, and posts are regularly re-posted on a local aggegator page, but the fact is that Mojourner Truth (no link, you're here now) is plenty able to travel and spew forth about landscapes natural, cultural, historical, and fictional. There is not enough time to make frequent land-specific posts, so I'm cashing out for the $0 dollars this blog earned me.*
Urban Greenstead, my futile effort at glomming on to the DIY urban homesteading trend, live from a hotbed of such activity, fell flat. There are a million such sites, and for a guy who insists on creating my own content, not linking to popular sites, daily posting (while the garden goes untended), or promoting himself with twitterish or instagratiation,...well that guy ain't going far. I went not far at all, and had fun in the garden. Thanks to all the folks who read about raised beds, christmas tree cycling, and vermicomposts, but this blog is over.
Mo Comment, intended to be the political/wonk/commentary page..., was never going to happen. No readers, no writer when it came down to it. Huff and puff and,...no Huffington Post.
On the other hand, I will hang onto a few of the side-blogs. Procrastacritic, though it has been quiescent of late, is specific enough (reviews of decades-old cultural productions) and has enough posts in the hopper that I plan to maintain it. In keeping with the spirit of the name, I only get around to posting a handful of time per year, so it should not be too taxing.
Mocavore, although the title makes me cringe a bit, generally gets a lot of hits when I post, largely due to the local audience. It can absorb a bunch of the Urban Greenstead posts, since I tended to focus on food there anyway. Also, I feel a calling to continue writing about food at a very basic level, without the glossy photos taken with the proper angle and depth of field, without promos and give-aways, and without fancification of what is ultimately sustencance (tasty or not). It has been and will remain Food, Basically.
Then there's the new blog, ArchaeOlygy, borne from an archaeology project begat by bureaucratic dismissiveness and my own wrath of an archaeologist spurned. Not nearly as spiteful as that last sentence would suggest, this blog deals with archaeology in the South Salish Sea. It's the one blog I've opened to other writers, although none has yet answered. On the other hand, it's also received the most frequent and helpful audience participation. I look forward to this one growing.
So there it is. Mojourner Truth will retract a few tentacles, and continue to wave other about. What was spun off is reeled back. Fission reverses to fusion, and Mojourner Truth is at peace with being unfocused and eclectic.**
* Like all the rest. Why the hell would I take ads or monetize my pressure release valve, my utterly free platform, my soapbox in this empty room called the internet?
** An readerless, mostly. To the few who show up, I thank you, and hope to entertain and provoke you anew.
The Revolution Was Not Televised, So I Missed It
From the Fremont County Sheriff's Office, as reported in the Cañon City Daily Record.
Wednesday, December 18: FCSO captain spoke with two parties in the lobby demanding assistance with contacting the Secret Service. One party had been contacted several times in the past week regarding the same request. Today he had an accomplice who was wearing a green mask and cape and wouldn't identify himself or speak. They warned that there would be a revolution on Friday.
Thursday, December 19: FCSO in Cañon City, male party was in the lobby again asking for the Secret Service and updating the captain on Friday's revolution. He stated it wouldn't take place in Fremont County.
I was in one Fremont County town on the 22nd and streets were quiet. I may be down in Cañon City today, and I will keep my eyes open. But I remember what Gil Scott Heron used to say.
Wednesday, December 18: FCSO captain spoke with two parties in the lobby demanding assistance with contacting the Secret Service. One party had been contacted several times in the past week regarding the same request. Today he had an accomplice who was wearing a green mask and cape and wouldn't identify himself or speak. They warned that there would be a revolution on Friday.
Thursday, December 19: FCSO in Cañon City, male party was in the lobby again asking for the Secret Service and updating the captain on Friday's revolution. He stated it wouldn't take place in Fremont County.
I was in one Fremont County town on the 22nd and streets were quiet. I may be down in Cañon City today, and I will keep my eyes open. But I remember what Gil Scott Heron used to say.
Tennessee State Parks Kick Off 2014 with First Hikes of the New Year
Tennessee State Parks will sponsor free, guided hikes on New Year’s Day. Each state park will host its own special hike in the first few days of the New Year as part of the quarterly hikes program.
“Our First Hikes have been very popular and we are excited to continue this series in the New Year,” Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Deputy Commissioner Brock Hill said. “The First Hikes offer a great way to get outside, exercise, enjoy nature and welcome the New Year with friends and family.”
From Reelfoot Lake to Fall Creek Falls to Warriors’ Path and every state park in between, the 2014 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 in your area, please click here .
Tennessee State Parks’ First Hikes of 2014 are part of America’s State Parks First Day Hikes initiative in all 50 states. America’s State Parks First Day Hikes offer individuals and families an opportunity to begin the New Year rejuvenating and connecting with the outdoors by taking a healthy hike on January 1, 2014, at a state park close to home.
Tennessee’s 54 state parks offer diverse natural, recreational and cultural experiences for individuals, families, or business and professional groups. State park features range from pristine natural areas to 18-hole championship golf courses. The Tennessee State Parks system was established through legislation in 1937. Today, there is a state park within an hour’s drive of just about anywhere in the state, with features such as pristine natural areas and a variety of lodging and dining choices. For more information about Tennessee State Parks, please visit www.tnstateparks.com .
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
“Our First Hikes have been very popular and we are excited to continue this series in the New Year,” Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Deputy Commissioner Brock Hill said. “The First Hikes offer a great way to get outside, exercise, enjoy nature and welcome the New Year with friends and family.”
From Reelfoot Lake to Fall Creek Falls to Warriors’ Path and every state park in between, the 2014 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 in your area, please click here .
Tennessee State Parks’ First Hikes of 2014 are part of America’s State Parks First Day Hikes initiative in all 50 states. America’s State Parks First Day Hikes offer individuals and families an opportunity to begin the New Year rejuvenating and connecting with the outdoors by taking a healthy hike on January 1, 2014, at a state park close to home.
Tennessee’s 54 state parks offer diverse natural, recreational and cultural experiences for individuals, families, or business and professional groups. State park features range from pristine natural areas to 18-hole championship golf courses. The Tennessee State Parks system was established through legislation in 1937. Today, there is a state park within an hour’s drive of just about anywhere in the state, with features such as pristine natural areas and a variety of lodging and dining choices. For more information about Tennessee State Parks, please visit www.tnstateparks.com .
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Harney Peak: The Top of South Dakota
Not only does Harney Peak offer outstanding views of the Black Hills, and the chance to stand atop the highest point in South Dakota, but it also allows hikers the opportunity to visit the old stone fire tower that sits atop its summit. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp in 1939, and was used as a fire lookout for several decades. Visitors are now free to explore this castle-like structure.
For more information and photos on this outstanding hike, please click here to visit our new Discover the West website.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
For more information and photos on this outstanding hike, please click here to visit our new Discover the West website.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
SRO?
Today, I got a letter from the Parent Teacher Association at my daughter's elementary school. The PTA is alarmed that Olympia High School is losing an SRO. In our acronym-bloated society, this no longer just means Standing Room Only, but also School Resource Officer.
Which begs the question, what is a School Resource Officer? Common sense would suggest that School Resources are classrooms and desks, faculty and staff, pencils and computers. But no, in our doublespeak world, an SRO is a police officer.
The SRO in question is not really assigned to the elementary school, but to the high school next door. In our empathy-poor gun-rich world, the SRO is a symbol of how serious we are about making sure our school does not become the next mass-murder scene.
"Symbol" may be the key word there. If someone walked into the elementary school and started shooting, city police could easily be quicker to the scene than the lone cop running over from the high school. For that matter, while there is evidence that courageous and well-trained faculty can suppress the body count, there's not much to suggest that SROs prevent or even seriously mitigate the murderous effects of a determined individual with firepower. It makes some people feel safer to have the police on campus while our kids learn French and Geometry, I guess; it's a hell of a lot easier than gun control or putting in the hours to make sure our kids are good humans.
For the time being, few people express the opinion that an SRO is a symbol of our paranoid and anti-democratic response to terror. In the PTA message to parents, in fact, the only action proposed, indeed the only option for response, is to fill out a form opposing loss of this school cop.
Among the reasons this is being characterized as a loss is that there will be diminished ability to track down drug abuse and what is presented as a spate of "organized fighting" off-campus. The PTA latter laments that the private security guard who will (seemingly without discussion) be hired to replace the SRO has no authority beyond the high school. The greatest concern is that without this SRO, illegal activities occuring off school grounds will be un-challenged. Regarding the fact that the SRO is an Olympia city police officer, who can still deal with crimes off and on campus, the PTA letter is silent.
The neighborhoods cited as the location for drug use and fighting are among the wealthiest in Olympia. I've heard residents express fear and discomfort about the drug-dealing and other nefarious activities downtown, but maybe having another patrolman down there is not worth losing a cop devoted to their neighborhood school. Like schools, the police force has limited resources, and I, for one, am happy to see them re-assign a school babysitter to the streets.
Meanwhile, I'd like to see the financial resources spent on police and "security" (really? a rent-a-cop is going to end drug abuse and prevent attacks?) re-assigned to teachers and educational materials. Fund the police to keep the peace, and the schools to educate. But we all know that won't happen.
It's sad that parents are so ready to abrogate responsibility to a cop, and so at ease with a name that both dilutes the meaning of "school resources" and acclimates our soon-to-be-voting populace to having police everywhere. It's disappointing that discussion about this issue is forestalled and reduced to an opportunity to complain about the loss of a non-teaching, non-contributing staff person.
Which begs the question, what is a School Resource Officer? Common sense would suggest that School Resources are classrooms and desks, faculty and staff, pencils and computers. But no, in our doublespeak world, an SRO is a police officer.
The SRO in question is not really assigned to the elementary school, but to the high school next door. In our empathy-poor gun-rich world, the SRO is a symbol of how serious we are about making sure our school does not become the next mass-murder scene.
"Symbol" may be the key word there. If someone walked into the elementary school and started shooting, city police could easily be quicker to the scene than the lone cop running over from the high school. For that matter, while there is evidence that courageous and well-trained faculty can suppress the body count, there's not much to suggest that SROs prevent or even seriously mitigate the murderous effects of a determined individual with firepower. It makes some people feel safer to have the police on campus while our kids learn French and Geometry, I guess; it's a hell of a lot easier than gun control or putting in the hours to make sure our kids are good humans.
For the time being, few people express the opinion that an SRO is a symbol of our paranoid and anti-democratic response to terror. In the PTA message to parents, in fact, the only action proposed, indeed the only option for response, is to fill out a form opposing loss of this school cop.
Among the reasons this is being characterized as a loss is that there will be diminished ability to track down drug abuse and what is presented as a spate of "organized fighting" off-campus. The PTA latter laments that the private security guard who will (seemingly without discussion) be hired to replace the SRO has no authority beyond the high school. The greatest concern is that without this SRO, illegal activities occuring off school grounds will be un-challenged. Regarding the fact that the SRO is an Olympia city police officer, who can still deal with crimes off and on campus, the PTA letter is silent.
The neighborhoods cited as the location for drug use and fighting are among the wealthiest in Olympia. I've heard residents express fear and discomfort about the drug-dealing and other nefarious activities downtown, but maybe having another patrolman down there is not worth losing a cop devoted to their neighborhood school. Like schools, the police force has limited resources, and I, for one, am happy to see them re-assign a school babysitter to the streets.
Meanwhile, I'd like to see the financial resources spent on police and "security" (really? a rent-a-cop is going to end drug abuse and prevent attacks?) re-assigned to teachers and educational materials. Fund the police to keep the peace, and the schools to educate. But we all know that won't happen.
It's sad that parents are so ready to abrogate responsibility to a cop, and so at ease with a name that both dilutes the meaning of "school resources" and acclimates our soon-to-be-voting populace to having police everywhere. It's disappointing that discussion about this issue is forestalled and reduced to an opportunity to complain about the loss of a non-teaching, non-contributing staff person.
Mt Leconte Snow Storm 2013
Here's a reminder that winter lingers much longer in the mountains, and that weathermen don't always get their predictions right. This video made by a couple of hikers highlights their trek up to Mt. Leconte via the Rainbow Falls Trail last March. The hikers experienced a little more snow than what they were expecting - 18 inches atop of Leconte.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Great Tumbleweed Migration
On the prairie west of Pueblo, the tumbleweeds are migrating.
Think nature-documentary film: "Onward they come, their destination unknown, driven by a force they cannot name. In twos, sixes, and twenties, large and small, the tumbleweeds march inexorably eastward across the savannah."
The wind was blowing the dogs' ears inside out, and a cloud of dust in the distance looked an awful lot like a grass fire, but was not.
(M.'s thought: "At least we have both dogs with us." My thought: "It's too far from my department's territory—unlikely that we would be called out.")
Fisher the maniacal Chesapeake galloped into the wind, propelled by jets of craziness from his butt — or whatever motivates him.
When he squatted to poop, tumbleweeds piled up against his legs.
Think nature-documentary film: "Onward they come, their destination unknown, driven by a force they cannot name. In twos, sixes, and twenties, large and small, the tumbleweeds march inexorably eastward across the savannah."
The wind was blowing the dogs' ears inside out, and a cloud of dust in the distance looked an awful lot like a grass fire, but was not.
(M.'s thought: "At least we have both dogs with us." My thought: "It's too far from my department's territory—unlikely that we would be called out.")
Fisher the maniacal Chesapeake galloped into the wind, propelled by jets of craziness from his butt — or whatever motivates him.
When he squatted to poop, tumbleweeds piled up against his legs.
I Believe in Father Christmas
I Believe in Father Christmas has always been one of my favorite "non-traditional" Christmas songs. It was written in 1974 by Peter Sinfield from King Crimson, and Greg Lake from King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. I guess I always thought the tune was just another Christmas song done in the spirit of other rock bands during that era, such as Bruce Springsteen's Santa Claus is Coming to Town or the Eagles Please Come Home for Christmas. However, after "rediscovering" the song last year, and reading the lyrics for the very first time, I realized that the song had a much deeper meaning, or message, than what I ever realized.
Greg Lake claims to have written the song in protest over the commercialization of Christmas. However, Peter Sinfield claims that the words are about a loss of innocence and childhood belief.
The duo also seems to be making a strong social commentary on the hypocrisy of celebrating Christmas while fighting wars in the final three lines of the song: They said there'll be peace on earth / Hallelujah noel be it heaven or hell / The Christmas we get we deserve
That point seems to be driven home in the final scenes of the original video:
Here are the entire lyrics:
They said there'll be snow at Christmas
They said there'll be peace on Earth
But instead it just kept on raining
A veil of tears for the Virgin's birth
I remember one Christmas morning
A winters light and a distant choir
And the peal of a bell and that Christmas tree smell
And their eyes full of tinsel and fire
They sold me a dream of Christmas
They sold me a silent night
And they told me a fairy story
'till I believed in the Israelite
And I believed in Father Christmas
And I looked at the sky with excited eyes
'till I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn
And I saw him and through his disguise
I wish you a hopeful Christmas
I wish you a brave new year
All anguish pain and sadness
Leave your heart and let your road be clear
They said there'll be snow at Christmas
They said there'll be peace on earth
Hallelujah Noel be it heaven or hell
The Christmas we get we deserve
Hopefully we can all find the true spirit of Christmas this season. Hoping all of you will have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Greg Lake claims to have written the song in protest over the commercialization of Christmas. However, Peter Sinfield claims that the words are about a loss of innocence and childhood belief.
The duo also seems to be making a strong social commentary on the hypocrisy of celebrating Christmas while fighting wars in the final three lines of the song: They said there'll be peace on earth / Hallelujah noel be it heaven or hell / The Christmas we get we deserve
That point seems to be driven home in the final scenes of the original video:
Here are the entire lyrics:
They said there'll be snow at Christmas
They said there'll be peace on Earth
But instead it just kept on raining
A veil of tears for the Virgin's birth
I remember one Christmas morning
A winters light and a distant choir
And the peal of a bell and that Christmas tree smell
And their eyes full of tinsel and fire
They sold me a dream of Christmas
They sold me a silent night
And they told me a fairy story
'till I believed in the Israelite
And I believed in Father Christmas
And I looked at the sky with excited eyes
'till I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn
And I saw him and through his disguise
I wish you a hopeful Christmas
I wish you a brave new year
All anguish pain and sadness
Leave your heart and let your road be clear
They said there'll be snow at Christmas
They said there'll be peace on earth
Hallelujah Noel be it heaven or hell
The Christmas we get we deserve
Hopefully we can all find the true spirit of Christmas this season. Hoping all of you will have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Flore de Madagascar (volet 2)
Les fleurs ne manquent pas à Madagascar et beaucoup sont endémiques, mais les identifier reste un gros problème en l'absence d'ouvrages de vulgarisation. Aujourd'hui, mon faible taux d'identifications me conduit à qualifier ce second volet de la flore malgache de "galerie du parme au bleue". Cryptostegia madagascariensis Clitoria ternatea Jacaranda
Blue Ridge Parkway Announces Temporary Road Closures for Routine Maintenance from Milepost 112-136
Beginning Monday morning December 30, 2013, and continuing for a four week period, Blue Ridge Parkway maintenance personnel will be conducting cutting operations along the roadside. During this time, both lanes of the Parkway in this section will be closed to all activity (cars, bicycles, and hikers) for the safety of the maintenance workers as well as Parkway visitors.
Annually, Blue Ridge Parkway maintenance and resource management staff conducts maintenance activities that help control vegetation growth along the Parkway. To help insure safe sight distances and a clear right-of-way, this work requires using a large tractor with a cutting head on a long arm, or boom. This tractor must remain in the travel lanes during operation to properly perform its work while cutting the banks and road shoulders.
Affected sections will close at approximately 7:00 a.m. each weekday and re-open daily about 4:30 p.m. Those who normally commute on the Parkway may want find alternate routes. Closures are currently scheduled to occur on these dates:
· From Milepost 120 to Milepost 136 (Bent Mountain Area): December 30, 2013 – January 10, 2014
· From Milepost 112 to Milepost 121 (Route 24 – Route 220):January 13, 2014 – January 24, 2014
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Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Annually, Blue Ridge Parkway maintenance and resource management staff conducts maintenance activities that help control vegetation growth along the Parkway. To help insure safe sight distances and a clear right-of-way, this work requires using a large tractor with a cutting head on a long arm, or boom. This tractor must remain in the travel lanes during operation to properly perform its work while cutting the banks and road shoulders.
Affected sections will close at approximately 7:00 a.m. each weekday and re-open daily about 4:30 p.m. Those who normally commute on the Parkway may want find alternate routes. Closures are currently scheduled to occur on these dates:
· From Milepost 120 to Milepost 136 (Bent Mountain Area): December 30, 2013 – January 10, 2014
· From Milepost 112 to Milepost 121 (Route 24 – Route 220):January 13, 2014 – January 24, 2014
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Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Seasonal Road Closures Announced for Nantahala Ranger District
The U.S. Forest Service Nantahala Ranger District will seasonally close certain roads from Jan. 2 to April 1, 2014. During this period, the roads are susceptible to freezing and thawing, and they become very soft and easily damaged by traffic.
The following roads will close during this period: 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), Beech Flats ( 4668).
Winespring/Whiteoak (#711) will be left open as long as weather conditions will permit. In addition, the Wayehutta Off Road Vehicle area was closed Dec. 15, 2013.
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Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
The following roads will close during this period: 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), Beech Flats ( 4668).
Winespring/Whiteoak (#711) will be left open as long as weather conditions will permit. In addition, the Wayehutta Off Road Vehicle area was closed Dec. 15, 2013.
50% Off!! RockCreek.com Down Jacket Closeouts! Patagonia, Marmot, North Face and more! RockCreek.com.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
National Parks to Offer Free Admission on 9 Days in 2014
Circle the dates on the calendar and plan your trip – America’s 401 national parks will offer free admission on nine days in 2014, including several holidays. The 2014 entrance fee-free days are:
◾January 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
◾February 15-17: Presidents Day weekend
◾April 19-20: National Park Week’s opening weekend
◾August 25: National Park Service’s 98th birthday
◾September 27: National Public Lands Day
◾November 11: Veterans Day
“America’s national parks welcome more than 280 million visitors a year. To say thanks for that support and invite every American to visit these treasures that they own, we are declaring nine days of free admission next year,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “Whether it’s that once-in-a-lifetime family trip to Yellowstone or taking a daily walk along the National Mall in Washington, D.C., or the moment at Central High School that your child suddenly understands what civil rights are all about, national parks offer places for unforgettable experiences.
With more than 84 million acres of spectacular scenery, 17,000 miles of trails, 5,000 miles of shoreline, 27,000 historic and prehistoric structures, and 100 million museum items and an infinite number of authentic American stories to tell, national parks offer something for every taste.
Those in search of superlatives will find them in national parks including the country’s highest point (in Denali National Park) and lowest point (in Death Valley National Park), deepest lake (Crater Lake National Park), longest cave (Mammoth Cave National Park), tallest trees (Redwood National Park ), and highest waterfall (Yosemite National Park ).
Normally, 133 national parks charge an entrance fee that ranges from $3 to $25. The entrance fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for things like camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.
Other Federal land management agencies that will offer fee-free days in 2014 are: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Forest Service and the Army Corps of Engineers. Please contact each for details.
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Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
◾January 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
◾February 15-17: Presidents Day weekend
◾April 19-20: National Park Week’s opening weekend
◾August 25: National Park Service’s 98th birthday
◾September 27: National Public Lands Day
◾November 11: Veterans Day
“America’s national parks welcome more than 280 million visitors a year. To say thanks for that support and invite every American to visit these treasures that they own, we are declaring nine days of free admission next year,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “Whether it’s that once-in-a-lifetime family trip to Yellowstone or taking a daily walk along the National Mall in Washington, D.C., or the moment at Central High School that your child suddenly understands what civil rights are all about, national parks offer places for unforgettable experiences.
With more than 84 million acres of spectacular scenery, 17,000 miles of trails, 5,000 miles of shoreline, 27,000 historic and prehistoric structures, and 100 million museum items and an infinite number of authentic American stories to tell, national parks offer something for every taste.
Those in search of superlatives will find them in national parks including the country’s highest point (in Denali National Park) and lowest point (in Death Valley National Park), deepest lake (Crater Lake National Park), longest cave (Mammoth Cave National Park), tallest trees (Redwood National Park ), and highest waterfall (Yosemite National Park ).
Normally, 133 national parks charge an entrance fee that ranges from $3 to $25. The entrance fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for things like camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.
Other Federal land management agencies that will offer fee-free days in 2014 are: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Forest Service and the Army Corps of Engineers. Please contact each for details.
50% off New Styles MARMOT!! Free Shipping over $49!! RockCreek.com. Click here for details.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Wilderness Wildlife Week 2014
The dates have been set for one of the premier annual events in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The 24th annual Wilderness Wildlife Week, an eight-day event that focuses on the Great Smoky Mountains and the outdoors in general, will take place January 25 thru February 1st. Many of this year's programs, all of which are free, will be held at the LeConte Center At Pigeon Forge, the City of Pigeon Forge’s brand new state-of-the-art events center.
Throughout the event’s history people have traveled from as far away as Australia, Canada, China, England and New Zealand to take part in the eight-day extravaganza of honoring and celebrating the great outdoors
On tap this year are several hundred workshops, lectures, panel discussions, mini-concerts, hikes and excursions to America’s most visited national park.
While the vast majority of Wilderness Wildlife Week programs are indoors, there are 46 hikes and excursions on the this year's calendar. They range from a photo trek in Cades Cove, to a three-mile walk through the Elkmont historic district, to a strenuous 11-mile hike to Mt. Cammerer. Round trip transportation to the trailheads will be provided for each hike.
Many of the programs are brand new for 2014, and the lineup is different each day. For example, the hands-on photography series Smokies Through the Lens is now a three-day series of programs with courses for all skill levels. This special series of weekend programming will take place on Saturday, January 25, Sunday, January 26, and Saturday, February 1st.
Wilderness Wildlife Week, named 10 times as a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event, is part of Pigeon Forge Winterfest, which starts in November and continues through February.
Details on Wilderness Wildlife Week, including the program schedule and hike information can be found by clicking here .
For more information on many of the hikes included on this year's schedule, please click here . To find accommodations in the Pigeon Forge area, please click here .
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Throughout the event’s history people have traveled from as far away as Australia, Canada, China, England and New Zealand to take part in the eight-day extravaganza of honoring and celebrating the great outdoors
On tap this year are several hundred workshops, lectures, panel discussions, mini-concerts, hikes and excursions to America’s most visited national park.
While the vast majority of Wilderness Wildlife Week programs are indoors, there are 46 hikes and excursions on the this year's calendar. They range from a photo trek in Cades Cove, to a three-mile walk through the Elkmont historic district, to a strenuous 11-mile hike to Mt. Cammerer. Round trip transportation to the trailheads will be provided for each hike.
Many of the programs are brand new for 2014, and the lineup is different each day. For example, the hands-on photography series Smokies Through the Lens is now a three-day series of programs with courses for all skill levels. This special series of weekend programming will take place on Saturday, January 25, Sunday, January 26, and Saturday, February 1st.
Wilderness Wildlife Week, named 10 times as a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event, is part of Pigeon Forge Winterfest, which starts in November and continues through February.
Details on Wilderness Wildlife Week, including the program schedule and hike information can be found by clicking here .
For more information on many of the hikes included on this year's schedule, please click here . To find accommodations in the Pigeon Forge area, please click here .
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Blog Stew in Abandoned Houses
¶ Kind of a fairy-tale ambiance, if your idea of fairy tale runs to weasels, fog, and decay: "Forest Animals Living in Abandoned Houses." From Finland—where is the Southern Rockies version?
¶ A guide to telling what is eating your livestock.
¶ Colorado College professor Walt Hecox gets an environmental-policy award.
¶ Always topical: Survival Mom's guide to "50 Last-Minute Ways to Prepare for an Emergency." A lot of it is about water.
Flore de Madagascar (volet 1)
A l'approche de Noël, je m'autorise quelques petites digressions florales malgaches pour changer un peu de mon quotidien entomologique. Dans ce premier volet, découverte de quelques arbres typiques rencontrés au cours de nos balades à Madagascar. Jacaranda Ravenala (arbre du voyageur) Ravenala (détail) Pachypodium Pachypodium (détail) Flamboyant Bananier (1er plan) Litchi (
Winter Survival Skills: Eating Snow versus Ice
We posed a similar situation over the weekend, but will ask again: What if you're out several miles from the trailhead during a winter hike and find yourself in an emergency situation in which you've run out of drinking water? In this particular situation you'll have plenty of snow and ice around, but the question is, do you consume any of it to help with your increasing dehydration? Is one source better than the other? And do you know why? The folks over at Vermont-based Peak Survival provide the answers to these questions in this short video:
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Conops scutellatus
Ce couple de petit Conops scutellatus, bien occupé à assurer sa descendance et que l'on pourrait confondre de loin avec des Hyménoptères par leurs anneaux jaunes sur fond noir imitant la guêpe, est en fait un couple d'insectes appartenant à l'ordre des Diptères, famille des Conopides. Ce Conops est reconnaissable à sa bande longitudinale sombre située entre les deux yeux. Conops scutellatus
The Yosemite Valley
Half Dome "presents an aspect of the most imposing grandeur; it strikes even the most casual observer as a new revelation in mountain forms; its existence would be considered an impossibility if it were not there before us in all its reality..."
- Josiah D. Whitney
The Sentinel Meadow & Cook's Meadow Loop hike is the perfect way to experience the Yosemite Valley. The loop hike offers a variety of attractions, including lush meadows filled with wildflowers, wildlife, and outstanding views of El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, Sentinel Falls and Half Dome.
For more photos, and to learn more about this short easy hike, please click here .
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
- Josiah D. Whitney
The Sentinel Meadow & Cook's Meadow Loop hike is the perfect way to experience the Yosemite Valley. The loop hike offers a variety of attractions, including lush meadows filled with wildflowers, wildlife, and outstanding views of El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, Sentinel Falls and Half Dome.
For more photos, and to learn more about this short easy hike, please click here .
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Mindworms at the Woodpile
Why is it that I cannot cut and carry pine logs — especially at this time of year — without hearing a particular Victorian Christmas carol in my mind? (The tune itself is from the13th century, and the original lyrics referred to springtime!)
And why is it that when I split the logs, I cannot avoid thinking of Saying 77 of the Gospel of Thomas?
We need to be able to delete "files" from our memories, I think, as we do on our computers. I get tired of the repetition.
And why is it that when I split the logs, I cannot avoid thinking of Saying 77 of the Gospel of Thomas?
We need to be able to delete "files" from our memories, I think, as we do on our computers. I get tired of the repetition.
First Day Hikes 2014
Start the new 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 once again be offering guided First Day Hikes on New Year’s Day 2014.
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 a range of First Day Hikes.
This year, for the first time, the American Hiking Society has joined America’s State Parks in support of their First Day Hikes program. So far more than 400 hikes in all 50 states have been scheduled for this years events, with numerous options for a First Day Hike in the Great Smoky Mountains region. You can find a First Day Hike by clicking here .
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 a range of First Day Hikes.
This year, for the first time, the American Hiking Society has joined America’s State Parks in support of their First Day Hikes program. So far more than 400 hikes in all 50 states have been scheduled for this years events, with numerous options for a First Day Hike in the Great Smoky Mountains region. You can find a First Day Hike by clicking here .
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Villa sp.
Ce joli Bombyle, un peu différent de celui de ma publication précédente, ressemble étonnamment à Villa modesta déjà publié ici, (cette identification n'est pas certaine) et je penchais malgré tout pour cette identité mais devant la frontière très ténue entre un Bombyle Villa hottentotta mâle et Villa modesta, j'ai jugé par prudence qu'il valait peut-être mieux en rester à Villa sp. Villa sp.
Video: Hike to the Mt. Cammerer Fire Tower
One of my social media contacts recently forwarded this video to me. It documents his hike to the Mt. Cammerer Fire Tower with his family earlier this fall. The 6-mile hike from Cosby to Mt. Cammerer (click here for addl hike info) provides some outstanding views of the eastern Smokies.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Procuring Water in a Winter Survival Situation
What if you're out several miles from the trailhead during a winter hike, and you find yourself in an emergency situation in which you've run out of drinking water. In the video below, the folks over at Vermont-based Peak Survival offer some interesting and "outside of the box" alternatives for creating and storing drinking water. These are probably some good skills to learn and remember for anyone who ventures out into the wilderness during the winter months:
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Essentials for the Smokies Hiker
Below are a couple of stocking stuffers for anyone interested in hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains. With more than 800 miles of trails in the park, detailed topographical maps and hiking trail guides are great ways for hikers to discover new trails and new destinations in the Smokies:
Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park , by local hiker and outdoor photographer Kevin Adams, covers more than 80 hikes in the Smokies. The guide features photos, up-to-date trail information, trail maps, elevation profiles, clear directions from major access points, difficulty and traffic ratings for each hike, vacation planning, a hiker's checklist, and quick reference trail highlights.
National Geographic now has two separate Trails Illustrated Maps for the Great Smoky Mountains - in addition to the old map. National Geographic has divided the Park in two sections, thus allowing each map to show much greater detail. The original map, which covered the entire Park, had a scale 1:70,000. The two new maps now have a scale of 1:40,000 (1” = .6 miles) and provide much greater detail such as backcountry campsites, footbridges, fords and stream crossings, nature/interpretive trails, as well as detailed trail mileages.
The map for the western section of the Park includes the Cades Cove, Elkmont and Fontana Lake areas.
The map for the eastern section includes Clingmans Dome, Mt. LeConte, Newfound Gap Road, Big Creek, Oconaluftee and the Cataloochee areas.
Coverage Highlights Areas and places featured in this map series include: the Appalachian Trail, Benton Mackaye Trail, and the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. The maps also include scenic overlooks and roadside pull-outs.
Of course the original map , which covers the entire Park, is still available as well.
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To see our full library of hiking and travel books for the Great Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, Appalachian Trail and the surrounding Southern Appalachian region, please visit our Amazon store by clicking here .
As always, thanks for your support!
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park , by local hiker and outdoor photographer Kevin Adams, covers more than 80 hikes in the Smokies. The guide features photos, up-to-date trail information, trail maps, elevation profiles, clear directions from major access points, difficulty and traffic ratings for each hike, vacation planning, a hiker's checklist, and quick reference trail highlights. National Geographic now has two separate Trails Illustrated Maps for the Great Smoky Mountains - in addition to the old map. National Geographic has divided the Park in two sections, thus allowing each map to show much greater detail. The original map, which covered the entire Park, had a scale 1:70,000. The two new maps now have a scale of 1:40,000 (1” = .6 miles) and provide much greater detail such as backcountry campsites, footbridges, fords and stream crossings, nature/interpretive trails, as well as detailed trail mileages.The map for the western section of the Park includes the Cades Cove, Elkmont and Fontana Lake areas.
The map for the eastern section includes Clingmans Dome, Mt. LeConte, Newfound Gap Road, Big Creek, Oconaluftee and the Cataloochee areas.Coverage Highlights Areas and places featured in this map series include: the Appalachian Trail, Benton Mackaye Trail, and the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. The maps also include scenic overlooks and roadside pull-outs.
Of course the original map , which covers the entire Park, is still available as well.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To see our full library of hiking and travel books for the Great Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, Appalachian Trail and the surrounding Southern Appalachian region, please visit our Amazon store by clicking here .
As always, thanks for your support!
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Appalachian National Scenic Trail Seeks Input on Foundation Document
The National Park Service is starting the process of preparing a Foundation Document for planning and management for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. The trail would like to invite the public to join in this effort.
A Foundation Document involves revisiting a national scenic trail's core purpose and significance, most important resources and values, and the interpretive themes that tell the trail's important stories. Although the Foundation Document is not a decision-making document and does not include actions or management strategies, it describes a shared understanding of what is most important about the trail. In this capacity, the Foundation Document will reestablish the underlying guidance for future management and planning decisions for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Because many of the trail's original planning documents are out of date, preparing the Foundation Document is the first step for considering the trail's future planning and study needs.
The National Park Service invites you to play a role in charting the trail's future by sharing your thoughts on what is most important about the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, and to help identify its most pressing threats and its greatest opportunities. Trail staff will take your thoughts and feedback into consideration as they prepare the Foundation Document.
You may submit your feedback from December 9, 2013 to January 9, 2014 by responding to five questions about the trail's significance, threats, and opportunities.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
A Foundation Document involves revisiting a national scenic trail's core purpose and significance, most important resources and values, and the interpretive themes that tell the trail's important stories. Although the Foundation Document is not a decision-making document and does not include actions or management strategies, it describes a shared understanding of what is most important about the trail. In this capacity, the Foundation Document will reestablish the underlying guidance for future management and planning decisions for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Because many of the trail's original planning documents are out of date, preparing the Foundation Document is the first step for considering the trail's future planning and study needs.
The National Park Service invites you to play a role in charting the trail's future by sharing your thoughts on what is most important about the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, and to help identify its most pressing threats and its greatest opportunities. Trail staff will take your thoughts and feedback into consideration as they prepare the Foundation Document.
You may submit your feedback from December 9, 2013 to January 9, 2014 by responding to five questions about the trail's significance, threats, and opportunities.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Great Smoky Mountains to host Christmas Events
Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host the 38th annual Festival of Christmas Past celebration tomorrow, December 14th, 10:-0 am to 4:00 pm, at the Sugarlands Visitor Center. The event, sponsored in cooperation with Great Smoky Mountains Association, is free to the public.
Festival of Christmas Past is an annual celebration of the culture of the Smoky Mountains, with an emphasis on the Christmas season. "Around Christmas time, people gathered in churches, homes, and schools and many of them celebrated the holiday through music, storytelling, and crafts. Festival of Christmas Past allows us to pause and remember some of these traditions," said Kent Cave, North District Resource Education Supervisor.
On Saturday, December 21, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host a Holiday Homecoming at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center where children and adults will have an opportunity to learn about and experience some of the traditions surrounding an Appalachian Christmas. Park staff and volunteers will provide hands-on traditional crafts and activities from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. the park will host the monthly acoustic old time jam session.
“Musical expression was and still is often a part of daily life in the southern mountains, and mountain music is strongly tied to the Smokies history and culture,” said Lynda Doucette, Supervisory Park Ranger. “This month our music jam will focus on traditional holiday tunes. We would like to invite musicians to play and our visitors to join us in singing traditional Christmas carols and holiday songs as was done in the old days.”
The visitor center will be decorated for the holiday season and will include an exhibit on Christmas in the mountains. Hot apple cider and cookies will be served on the porch and a fire will be in the fireplace. All activities are free and open to the public. Support of this event is provided by the Great Smoky Mountains Association.
The Oconaluftee Visitor Center is located on Newfound Gap Road (U.S. Highway 441), two miles north of Cherokee, N.C. For more information call the visitor center at (828) 497-1904.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
Festival of Christmas Past is an annual celebration of the culture of the Smoky Mountains, with an emphasis on the Christmas season. "Around Christmas time, people gathered in churches, homes, and schools and many of them celebrated the holiday through music, storytelling, and crafts. Festival of Christmas Past allows us to pause and remember some of these traditions," said Kent Cave, North District Resource Education Supervisor.
On Saturday, December 21, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host a Holiday Homecoming at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center where children and adults will have an opportunity to learn about and experience some of the traditions surrounding an Appalachian Christmas. Park staff and volunteers will provide hands-on traditional crafts and activities from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. the park will host the monthly acoustic old time jam session.
“Musical expression was and still is often a part of daily life in the southern mountains, and mountain music is strongly tied to the Smokies history and culture,” said Lynda Doucette, Supervisory Park Ranger. “This month our music jam will focus on traditional holiday tunes. We would like to invite musicians to play and our visitors to join us in singing traditional Christmas carols and holiday songs as was done in the old days.”
The visitor center will be decorated for the holiday season and will include an exhibit on Christmas in the mountains. Hot apple cider and cookies will be served on the porch and a fire will be in the fireplace. All activities are free and open to the public. Support of this event is provided by the Great Smoky Mountains Association.
The Oconaluftee Visitor Center is located on Newfound Gap Road (U.S. Highway 441), two miles north of Cherokee, N.C. For more information call the visitor center at (828) 497-1904.
Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies
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