Archive for the ‘appalachian trail’ Category

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Threats to the Appalachian Trail

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010
The Waynesboro News Virginian published an article over the weekend that highlighted some of hazards faced by the Appalachian Trail. The motivation for the article stemmed from a National Parks Conservation Association study (PDF) that was released earlier in the year that listed many of threats the AT is facing, including invasive plant species, power lines, pipelines, race tracks, quarries, cell towers and wind turbines.

“There are at least three wind turbine projects at various stages of permitting,” said David Startzell, executive director of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. “I don’t see that going away anytime soon.”

Among those projects are Maine Mountain Power’s proposal to build 30 400-foot wind turbines adjacent to the trail corridor on the ridges of the Redington and Black Nubble Mountains.

Some of the turbines are proposed for within one mile of remote and scenic sections of the trail.

Please click here to read the entire article.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more

Posted in Threats, appalachian trail, wind turbines | Comments Off

Konnarock Crew works to relocate AT on Roan Highlands

Thursday, July 1st, 2010
For the last two years the Tennessee Eastman Hiking & Canoeing Club has been working to relocate the Appalachian Trail between Grassy Ridge and Bradley Gap, replacing the route originally installed in the 1950’s that basically goes straight up and down every summit.

Trail locations such as this along the fall line result in high erosion, especially in areas with heavy use, high precipitation, and soft soils, all characteristic of the Roan Highlands. The TEHCC is nearing completion of this project with two relocations remaining, one on either side of the Stan Murray Shelter.

In conjunction with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's Konnarock Crew, the TEHCC hopes to complete the project this summer and is looking for volunteers to help out.

There are two Crew work weekends left this year: July 8-12, and August 5-9.

The Crew arrives on Thursdays and will stay at the Overmountain Shelter. They finish up and break camp by Monday around lunchtime. Friday, Saturday, and Sundays are the best days for volunteers to help with those being full work days.

For more information, click here, or contact Joe DeLoach at 423-753-7263 or Carl Fritz at 423-477-4669.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Posted in AT, Konnarock Crew, Roan Highlands, Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club, appalachian trail, relocate | Comments Off

Update on hiker who died on AT Friday

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
The Roanoke Times is reporting that the 60-year-old Florida man who was found dead this past Friday at the Cornelius Creek Shelter along the Appalachian Trail in Botetourt County, Virginia, complained of shoulder and chest pains earlier in the day.

A Colorado woman hiking the Appalachian Trail posted a note on a Website for trail enthusiasts suggesting she might have been the last one to see the man alive. Christy Cleaver of Fort Collins said she and a fellow hiker saw the man at the Cornelius Creek Shelter during lunch Friday.

It "was his second day on trail," she wrote in the online forum at whiteblaze.net. "He sounded like he may have struggled up the incline that day but seemed fine when we spoke to him. He was talkative and in good spirits, happy to be on trail. Must have been natural causes. Our condolences to his loved ones."

Officials are still trying to find relatives of the man before releasing his name.

Here's a first hand account from the hiker who found the man at the shelter.

As the article mentions, the Florida hiker's death is the second on the Appalachian Trail in less than a month. On May 8, a 26-year-old hiker from Michigan was found dead at the Icewater Spring Shelter in the Great Smoky Mountains. Results from the autopsy and toxicology report still haven't been released.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Posted in Cornelius Creek Shelter, appalachian trail | Comments Off

Hiker found dead at shelter on Appalachian Trail

Monday, June 7th, 2010
The Roanoke Times is reporting that a 60-year-old Florida man hiking the Appalachian Trail was found dead Friday afternoon, the Botetourt County Sheriff's Office said.

Authorities received a call from another hiker who reported finding a body about 2 p.m. Friday, Maj. Delbert Dudding said. The hiker had stopped at the Cornelius Creek Shelter and noticed a man who appeared to be sleeping but was unresponsive.

A journal was found with the body, and it described plans to hike the trail until September. Entries within the past few days detailed pain and medical issues the writer was having. There were no signs of injury or foul play, Dudding said.

The sheriff's office is not releasing the name of the man until relatives are contacted, Dudding said


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Posted in Cornelius Creek Shelter, appalachian trail, hiker | Comments Off

Unicoi County now an ‘Appalachian Trail Community’

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
Unicoi County leaders and officials with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy kicked off National Tourism Week with a ceremony yesterday to officially designate Unicoi County as an Appalachian Trail Community.

Unicoi County, roughly 35 miles northeast of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is the first community in Tennessee to receive the designation, and only the fourth in the country, joining Boiling Springs, Pa., Hot Springs, N.C., and Franklin, N.C.

The designation comes from the ATC due to a partnership between the organization and Unicoi County and the significant conservation efforts in the county.

ATC Regional Director Morgan Sommerville said an estimated 4 million people walk some portion of the nearly 2,180 mile Appalachian Trail annually. Hopes are that the designation will provide greater exposure to Unicoi County’s portion and increased economic benefits to the county as a whole.

“We hope that the Appalachian Trail Community designation will encourage hikers to spend at least one additional night in Unicoi County and perhaps more,” Sommerville said.

Joe Deloach, Appalachian Trail Committee chair of the Tennessee Eastman Hiking & Canoeing Club, said Unicoi County will likely be the only community in Tennessee to receive Appalachian Trail Community designation for the foreseeable future. Of the 17 counties in Tennessee and North Carolina through which the trail runs, Deloach said Unicoi County’s portion is the fourth largest with 51 miles.

Unicoi County’s portion of the Appalachian Trail includes Rocky Fork, Big Bald Mountain, Unaka Mountain as well as Beauty Spot.

You can read the full story from the Johnson City Press by clicking here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Posted in Appalachian Trail Community, Beauty Spot, Big Bald Mountain, Rocky Fork, Unaka Mountain, Unicoi County, appalachian trail | Comments Off

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