Archive for the ‘Look Rock’ Category

Broad-Winged Hawk Migration

Friday, August 27th, 2010
The first cold front of the year usually passes through the Smoky Mountains during the early-to-mid September time period. With the passing front comes Broad-winged Hawks as they make their annual migration down the Appalachian Mountain range to winter in the neo-tropics - from Mexico to as far south as Southern Brazil. This is an excellent opportunity to watch the buteos as they kettle-up over the ridges and glide from one thermal to the next.

The Broad-wings are one of the first species to begin their migration south. Flocks or “kettles” can be quite large. You may even see a few Cooper’s, Northern Harriers and Sharp-shinned hawks joining in as well.

Some of the best vantage points in the Smokies to watch the migrations are in the higher elevations such as Newfound Gap, Clingmans Dome, Look Rock, or Indian Gap.


Jeff
Smoky Mountain Rental Cabins

Posted in Broad-Winged Hawks, Clingmans Dome, Indian Gap, Look Rock, Newfound Gap, Smokies, buteos, migration, smoky mountains | Comments Off

Campgrounds in Smokies set to reopen this weekend

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
Several seasonal facilities in the Great Smoky Mountains will reopen this weekend.

* Five of the Park's seasonal campgrounds will reopen on Friday: Abrams Creek, Big Creek, Cataloochee, Cosby, and Elkmont.

* Deep Creek is scheduled to open April 1 and Look Rock will open May 14.

* Road repair work will result in delayed openings for Smokemont and Balsam Mountain campgrounds, which are scheduled to open on May 28.

* Group camping will be available starting on Friday at Big Creek, Cataloochee, Cosby, and Cades Cove. Deep Creek will open as usual on April 1, however, delayed openings will be at Elkmont (April 10), and Smokemont (May 28). Reservations for group camping must be made through the National Recreation Reservation Service.

* The Cades Cove Campground is open year round and is not affected by the Cades Cove Loop Road construction.

* Horse Camps at Anthony Creek, Big Creek, Cataloochee, Round Bottom, and Towstring will reopen on April 1.

To make reservations at three of the Park's developed campgrounds, and all group campsites, horse camps, and picnic shelters, visitors can visit www.recreation.gov or call 877-444-6777.

> The Cades Cove Campground Store will reopen on April 1. The store provides groceries, camping supplies, firewood, ice, vending, limited food service, souvenirs, and bike rentals.

> The Elkmont Campground concession will open this Friday. The concession provides firewood, ice, camper convenience items, and vending of soft drinks, newspapers, and snacks.

> Secondary roads set to reopen this Friday include the Little Greenbrier and the Straight Fork/Round Bottom roads.


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 Abrams Creek, Big Creek, Cataloochee, Cosby, Elkmont, Great Smoky Mountains, Look Rock, Smokies, campgrounds | Comments Off

Records show wind speeds up in Great Smokies

Thursday, March 4th, 2010
Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have been monitoring wind speeds at many of their air-quality stations (Look Rock, Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, Cove Mountain, and Purchase Knob) since the mid-1990s.

The Knox News Sentinel published a few stats today that demonstrate how wind speeds have increased during that time period.

> Records show that between 1996 and 2003, the park averaged 25 hours per year when wind speeds exceeded 40 mph. Between 2004 and 2009, that average increased to 45 hours.

> From 1996 through 2003, the park's peak one-hour average wind speed was 51 mph. Between 2004 and 2009, the peak one-hour average increased to 62 mph.

"Since 2003, the average number of hours per year where winds were greater than 40 mph have increased, and peak wind speeds have increased as well," said Jim Renfro, the park's air-quality specialist.

Renfro said high winds similar to those that destroyed the Caughron barn in Cades Cove on Christmas Eve also occurred in the park on Dec. 2 and Dec. 8-9, with 100-mph gusts recorded at 2 a.m. on Dec. 9. High winds also occurred on Jan. 4, Jan. 21, Feb. 5, and Feb. 9.

In a separate article, the Knox News Sentinel is also reporting that it's unlikely that the Caughron barn in Cades Cove will be rebuilt, according to park officials.

The 98-year-old barn built by George Caughron, brother of Kermit Caughron, who died in 1999 and was the last of the original Cades Cove residents, was located between stops numbers 13 and 14 on the Loop Road. The barn was leveled when high winds swept through the Cove on Christmas Eve this past December. Wind speeds that night were measured in excess of 80 mph at the top of 3,481-foot Cove Mountain, where the National Park Service maintains a weather and air-quality monitoring station.


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 Caughron barn, Clingmans Dome, Cove Mountain, George Caughron, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Kermit Caughron, Look Rock, Purchase Knob, Smokies, cades cove, wind speed | Comments Off