Archive for the ‘Great Smoky Mountains National Park’ Category

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Update on the Calderwood Fire in western Smokies

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010
Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Tennessee Department of Forestry continue to keep a watchful eye on a low-intensity wildfire burning between U.S. 129 (The Tail of the Dragon) and the shores of Calderwood and Chilhowee Lakes (see map below).

Since Monday, the fire has grown from 160 acres to 294 acres as of early this morning. However, the fire is now 52% contained.

According to InciWeb, the fire is moving northward into an area of sparser fuels. Engine crews were able to construct a handline on Park land and tie into an old road on Tapoco (Alcoa) lands to the west. The fire will continue to burn down until it hits this handline.

The fire remains within all control lines and does not currently threaten Highway 129.

The Calderwood Fire is believed to have been started by a lightning strike on August 17 on land owned by Tapoco, but was first detected and confirmed on August 22. Since then it has spread slowly onto national park property.

The following is a map that shows the location and the progression of the fire (you can click on the map for a closer view):



The fire is expected to be fully contained by September 9th.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Calderwood Fire, Chilhowee Lake, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, The Tail of the Dragon, U.S. 129, forest fire, wildfire | Comments Off

Small wildfire on western end of Smokies

Monday, August 30th, 2010
Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials are reporting that a small wildfire is burning between U.S. 129 and the shores of Calderwood and Chilhowee Lakes - roughly 7 miles west of Gregory Bald.

The fire is believed to have been started by a lightning strike on August 17 on land owned by Tapoco, but was first detected and confirmed on August 22. It has spread slowly onto national park land. Firefighters are pursuing a confine and contain suppression strategy.

According to the InciWeb Incident Information System website, the fire has grown to 160 acres and is currently 25% contained.

Now known as the Calderwood Fire, 27 fire management personnel from the National Park and the Tennessee Department of Forestry are jointly managing the low-intensity wildfire.

The estimated containment date right now is September 9, 2010. Additionally, no park trails are closed, but motorists are advised to exercise caution driving on U.S. 129 due to firefighters working adjacent to roadways and the potential for reduced visibility.




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Calderwood Fire, Chilhowee Lake, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S. 129, forest fire, wildfire | Comments Off

Smokies seeks comments on elk management

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
Officials at Great Smoky Mountains National Park are seeking public comment on the Park's plans to transition the management of its elk herd from an experiment to a long-term management strategy. Under provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) the public has 30 days to provide comments before the National Park Service can make a decision. Comments will be accepted through September 27th.

Elk were first released in the national park in 2001 as an experiment to determine whether they could re-populate the lands within the Smokies after a nearly 200-year absence. The Park and biologists from the University of Tennessee have been gathering data to assess the long-term viability of elk in the Smokies, along with evaluating the impacts of elk on the Park's natural and cultural resources, as well as their interaction with humans both in the Park and on surrounding lands.

Based upon the slow growth in numbers from 52 to about 125, including 25 new calves in 2010, officials have concluded that a sustainable elk population over the long term is viable. The Environmental Assessment is being performed to evaluate alternative strategies for making the transition from the management practices employed during the experiment release phase to a long-term elk management program.

The plan the park prefers would require less intensive monitoring of elk and would mean state and tribal wildlife agencies would handle issues with the animals outside the 500,000-acre park.

The public is invited to make comments, online, by clicking here, or sending written comments to:

Superintendent
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
107 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Environmental Assessment, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Smokies, comments, elk management | Comments Off

Work resumes on Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

Friday, August 20th, 2010
Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have announced that the reconstruction project on the Cherokee Orchard Road and the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail just outside of Gatlinburg has resumed.

The projected reopening date for the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is now October 1st.

According to Park officials, from Monday through Sept. 3, all traffic up the two-lane Cherokee Orchard Road will be required to turn around at the Noah Bud Ogle Cabin, which will prevent access to the Rainbow Falls and Bullhead Trails. During the closure Park managers are directing hikers bound for Mt. LeConte to either the Alum Cave Trail or the Boulevard Trail.

Normal traffic on the road will resume over the Labor Day weekend. However, from Sept. 7 through Sept. 10, the Cherokee Orchard Road will be closed again to public use into the Park.

Park officials emphasized that since part of the work includes repaving of the two parking areas at the Rainbow Falls Trailhead, all vehicles must be removed from those parking lots by dark on Sunday. Additionally, all vehicles parked in the lots over the Labor Day Weekend must be removed by dark on Sept. 6.

Other trailhead impacted by the project include the Baskins Creek Trail, Grapeyard Ridge Trail and the Grotto Falls entrance of the Trillium Gap Trail.

Both roads will be resurfaced with asphalt concrete pavement and will include resurfacing of all existing parking areas, trailheads, roadside pullouts, paving of existing gravel pullouts, reconstruction of settled road sections, minor roadway realignments, rehabilitation/reconstruction of stone masonry structures, and re-pointing of stone masonry retaining walls.

The project will also include pavement milling, repairing or replacing existing drainage culverts, installing wheel stops, replacing guardrail, shoulder work, turf establishment, replacing signs, and construction of 1,300 linear feet of new retaining wall structures or other support system below the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.

Permanent vault toilet facilities will be installed at the Rainbow Falls trailhead parking area as part of a separately funded project. These facilities will replace the moulded plastic port-a-johns and will be a significant improvement for visitors to this area.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Cherokee Orchard Road, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, gatlinburg | Comments Off

Great Smokies taking it on the chin right now!

Monday, August 16th, 2010
There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game and that is first place.
-- Vince Lombardi


Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
-- Bluto from Animal House


It’s roughly half-time for the Coca-Cola Live Positively $100,000 recreation grant contest, and the Great Smokies, quite frankly, is still getting its butt whipped by a minor state park from Minne-so-cold.

Whoever is behind the shellacking that Bear Head Lake State Park is putting on the Smokies is well organized and well motivated. We’re staring at an upset of epic proportions!

Right now we’re down by more than 340,000 votes!

There’s still time, however. Voting ends on August 31st. If you think that the Great Smoky Mountains can put this money to good use, please take the time to vote several times.

It’s pretty interesting how much press this contest/promotion is generating for Coke. Quite a marketing coup for them….


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in America Is Your Park, Bear Head Lake State Park, Coca-Cola, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Live Positively initiative, Minnesota | Comments Off

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