2013
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 ...
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 Fr...
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 mu...
Bonne année 2014
Meilleurs vœux à tous, que cette nouvelle année vous apporte joie, bonheur, et santé.
What Does the Fox Take?*
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 beh...
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 Monda...
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 ...
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...
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 fle...
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 Gre...
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 eve...
Re-Fuse
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 thi...
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...
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 day...
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...
SRO?
Today, I got a letter from the Parent Teacher Association at my daughter's elementary school. The PTA is alarmed that Olympia High Schoo...
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. Th...
Great Tumbleweed Migration
On the prairie west of Pueblo, the tumbleweeds are migrating. Think nature-documentary film: "Onward they come, their destination unkno...
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 Pet...
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'ouvra...
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 conducti...
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 ...
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...
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 Wee...
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 Hou...
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 entomologiq...
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 h...
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...
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 f...
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 ...
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 ...
Villa sp.
Ce joli Bombyle, un peu différent de celui de ma publication précédente, ressemble étonnamment à Villa modesta déjà publié ici, (cette ident...
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 ea...
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...
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 ...
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 Nationa...
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:...
