© GSMA 2011. All rights reserved.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Archive for the ‘2011’ Category
A Year in the Smokies: 2011
Monday, January 2nd, 2012
Late last week the Great Smoky Mountains Association published an excellent short film showing highlights from the Smokies in 2011. The GSMA did an excellent job of showing the beauty of the Smokies throughout the seasons:
© GSMA 2011. All rights reserved.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
© GSMA 2011. All rights reserved.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
The Top 10 Stories from Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2011
Friday, December 30th, 2011
2011 was a busy year for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park made headlines in the national media on a couple of occasions, but also made headlines within the hiking community. Below is my rundown of the top 10 stories from the Smokies over the past year.
10) Smokies interpretive ranger, David Worth, set the new record for the fastest trek across the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains on May 19th. David ran/walked/trekked 72 miles - from Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap - in 14 hours and 50 minutes, besting the previous record set by Will Harlan of 15 hours and 57 minutes.
9) Great Smoky Mountains National Park received an early Holiday gift on December 14th when the Friends of the Smokies officially transferred 20 acres of new land to be added to the Park. The land lies along Soak Ash Creek in the Pittman Center community just east of Gatlinburg.
8) Four hikers had to be rescued by Appalachian Trail Ridgerunners during an early March snow storm. The ridgerunners escorted the hikers from the Double Springs Shelter to Park Rangers waiting at the Clingmans Dome Parking lot. The hikers were all dehydrated and suffered from mild-moderate to moderate-severe hypothermia, while one had an injured knee.
7) Earlier this year the restoration of the Appalachian Clubhouse was completed by the Park’s Historic Preservation Crew. Now restored to its original appearance in the 1930s, the clubhouse was used for social gatherings by tenants and guests of the Appalachian Club in Elkmont whose members, mostly from Knoxville, built rustic cabins nearby to serve as weekend or summer retreats in the years before the Park was created. In April the Park announced that the newly-restored clubhouse would be available for public day-use rental.
6) During the month of July the Smokies reported two separate drownings at the Sinks on the Little River (about 10 miles west of Gatlinburg).
5) In July Great Smoky Mountains managers announced that they were considering a move to make all backcountry camping permits (for all sites) go through Recreation.gov, an online and call-in reservation service. The proposal would cost backpackers between $2.25 and $10.00 to make a reservation for a backcountry campsite (depending on which of three proposals is ultimately adopted). The announcement has created an on-going firestorm of controversy within the backpacking community.
4) On October 27th the Great Smoky Mountains announced that research findings from the experimental elk release indicated that the elk population was sustainable, had minimal impacts on the Park's resources, and human-elk conflicts were manageable. The approved plan, signed on October 20th by National Park Service Regional Director David Vela, culminates a 10-year effort to reestablish elk to their native range.
3) 2011 has been an extremely tough year for black bears in the Smokies. As a result of a terrible food crisis (limited berry and nut supplies) caused by heavy rains throughout the year, the Appalachian Bear Rescue has taken in a record number of bear cubs (31 through the end of November) this year, topping the previous high of 23 in 2009. Some are even starving to death when they arrive at the mission in Townsend.
2) Two sewage treatment plant employees in Gatlinburg were killed on April 5th when a wall on an equalization tank collapsed, resulting in a massive sewage spill. An estimated 1.5 million gallons of untreated effluent was released into the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River, a park-owned stream that bisects the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Spur of the Foothills Parkway.
1) On April 27th a massive tornado ripped through the west end of the Great Smoky Mountains. The tornado was categorized as an EF-4, with maximum wind speeds ranging between 165 and 170 miles per hour, and had an estimated maximum path width of one mile. The tornado touched down near Chilhowee Lake and moved northeast into the western portion of the Park, and was on the ground for 20 miles. Surveys by trail workers reported that more than 4500 trees were blown down, resulting in the full or partial closures of nine trails (more than 35 miles) in the Cades Cove area, including the popular Abrams Falls Trail. Three trails still remain closed.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
10) Smokies interpretive ranger, David Worth, set the new record for the fastest trek across the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains on May 19th. David ran/walked/trekked 72 miles - from Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap - in 14 hours and 50 minutes, besting the previous record set by Will Harlan of 15 hours and 57 minutes.
9) Great Smoky Mountains National Park received an early Holiday gift on December 14th when the Friends of the Smokies officially transferred 20 acres of new land to be added to the Park. The land lies along Soak Ash Creek in the Pittman Center community just east of Gatlinburg.
8) Four hikers had to be rescued by Appalachian Trail Ridgerunners during an early March snow storm. The ridgerunners escorted the hikers from the Double Springs Shelter to Park Rangers waiting at the Clingmans Dome Parking lot. The hikers were all dehydrated and suffered from mild-moderate to moderate-severe hypothermia, while one had an injured knee.
7) Earlier this year the restoration of the Appalachian Clubhouse was completed by the Park’s Historic Preservation Crew. Now restored to its original appearance in the 1930s, the clubhouse was used for social gatherings by tenants and guests of the Appalachian Club in Elkmont whose members, mostly from Knoxville, built rustic cabins nearby to serve as weekend or summer retreats in the years before the Park was created. In April the Park announced that the newly-restored clubhouse would be available for public day-use rental.6) During the month of July the Smokies reported two separate drownings at the Sinks on the Little River (about 10 miles west of Gatlinburg).
5) In July Great Smoky Mountains managers announced that they were considering a move to make all backcountry camping permits (for all sites) go through Recreation.gov, an online and call-in reservation service. The proposal would cost backpackers between $2.25 and $10.00 to make a reservation for a backcountry campsite (depending on which of three proposals is ultimately adopted). The announcement has created an on-going firestorm of controversy within the backpacking community.
4) On October 27th the Great Smoky Mountains announced that research findings from the experimental elk release indicated that the elk population was sustainable, had minimal impacts on the Park's resources, and human-elk conflicts were manageable. The approved plan, signed on October 20th by National Park Service Regional Director David Vela, culminates a 10-year effort to reestablish elk to their native range.
3) 2011 has been an extremely tough year for black bears in the Smokies. As a result of a terrible food crisis (limited berry and nut supplies) caused by heavy rains throughout the year, the Appalachian Bear Rescue has taken in a record number of bear cubs (31 through the end of November) this year, topping the previous high of 23 in 2009. Some are even starving to death when they arrive at the mission in Townsend.2) Two sewage treatment plant employees in Gatlinburg were killed on April 5th when a wall on an equalization tank collapsed, resulting in a massive sewage spill. An estimated 1.5 million gallons of untreated effluent was released into the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River, a park-owned stream that bisects the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Spur of the Foothills Parkway.
1) On April 27th a massive tornado ripped through the west end of the Great Smoky Mountains. The tornado was categorized as an EF-4, with maximum wind speeds ranging between 165 and 170 miles per hour, and had an estimated maximum path width of one mile. The tornado touched down near Chilhowee Lake and moved northeast into the western portion of the Park, and was on the ground for 20 miles. Surveys by trail workers reported that more than 4500 trees were blown down, resulting in the full or partial closures of nine trails (more than 35 miles) in the Cades Cove area, including the popular Abrams Falls Trail. Three trails still remain closed.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Blue Ridge Parkway 2011 Opening & Closing Schedule
Thursday, March 24th, 2011
Yesterday, managers for the Blue Ridge Parkway announced the opening and closing dates for all BRP facilities in 2011.
CAMPGROUNDS:
* Linville Falls, April 1 – October 31.
* Otter Creek, April 1 – November 1.
* Doughton Park, (under construction) mid July – October 31.
* Peaks of Otter, May 13 – November 1.
* All other Parkway campgrounds May 13 – October 31.
To view the opening and closing dates for all visitor centers, concessions and picnic areas along the Blue Ridge Parkway, please click here.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
CAMPGROUNDS:
* Linville Falls, April 1 – October 31.
* Otter Creek, April 1 – November 1.
* Doughton Park, (under construction) mid July – October 31.
* Peaks of Otter, May 13 – November 1.
* All other Parkway campgrounds May 13 – October 31.
To view the opening and closing dates for all visitor centers, concessions and picnic areas along the Blue Ridge Parkway, please click here.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
N.C. State Parks Declare 2011 ‘Year of the Turtle’
Saturday, January 29th, 2011
North Carolina state parks have declared 2011 the “Year of the Turtle,” with plans for a 12-month exploration of this wildlife resource through its interpretive programs, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
North Carolina is home to 21 turtle species, including the familiar box turtle, which burrows up to two feet beneath its upland forests in winter, and the rare loggerhead, leatherback and green sea turtles that lumber ashore to nest on its beaches. With the catch phrase “Come Out of Your Shell,” the parks will entice visitors to learn more about this abundance with special education programs, guided hikes and activities.
This marks the second year that state parks education programs have revolved around a specific nature theme, with 2010 being the “Year of the Birds,” featuring more than 600-bird-themed park activities. Coincidentally, the North Carolina aquariums and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are also participating in the “Year of the Turtle” through the Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation consortium.
Once again, the state parks are celebrating the interpretive theme with original bandanas that feature illustrations of eight turtle species, designed from photos by state park rangers. The bandanas are available for $3 at the state parks and through the online web store at www.ncparks.gov.
Every state park has resident turtle populations, and the United States has more turtle biodiversity than any other country. But turtle populations worldwide have declined up to 40 percent. Turtles face threats including habitat loss and degradation, mortality from roads and predators, exotic invasive species and disease and climate change. Raising awareness about turtle species can help address broader environmental issues.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
North Carolina is home to 21 turtle species, including the familiar box turtle, which burrows up to two feet beneath its upland forests in winter, and the rare loggerhead, leatherback and green sea turtles that lumber ashore to nest on its beaches. With the catch phrase “Come Out of Your Shell,” the parks will entice visitors to learn more about this abundance with special education programs, guided hikes and activities.
This marks the second year that state parks education programs have revolved around a specific nature theme, with 2010 being the “Year of the Birds,” featuring more than 600-bird-themed park activities. Coincidentally, the North Carolina aquariums and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are also participating in the “Year of the Turtle” through the Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation consortium.
Once again, the state parks are celebrating the interpretive theme with original bandanas that feature illustrations of eight turtle species, designed from photos by state park rangers. The bandanas are available for $3 at the state parks and through the online web store at www.ncparks.gov.Every state park has resident turtle populations, and the United States has more turtle biodiversity than any other country. But turtle populations worldwide have declined up to 40 percent. Turtles face threats including habitat loss and degradation, mortality from roads and predators, exotic invasive species and disease and climate change. Raising awareness about turtle species can help address broader environmental issues.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
It’s official: The A.T. is now 2181 Miles
Wednesday, December 15th, 2010
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy just announced in the new 2011 Appalachian Trail Data Book that the official length of the Appalachian Trail is now 2,181.0 miles. Relocations and re-measurements in 2010 meant an additional 1.9 miles for the legendary pathway.
Every December, the latest mileage and shelter information for the 11 official guides is updated from volunteers who are constantly improving the trail, with volunteer Daniel D. Chazin of Teaneck, N.J., pulling it all together since 1983. This year, increases were reported for Massachusetts–Connecticut (0.2 mile), New York–New Jersey (0.9 mile), central Virginia (0.1 mile), and Tennessee–North Carolina (0.9 mile), while the southwest Virginia mileage was reduced by 0.1 mile.
“The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s 2011 Data Book is an essential planning resource for any Appalachian Trail hiker; whether they are out for a day hike or hiking the entire length from Maine to Georgia,” stated Brian B. King, Publisher of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
Each year, the $6.95 Appalachian Trail Data Book is a top-selling official guide to the longest continuously marked footpath in the world — it condenses into 96 pages the high points of the series of guidebooks and maps. Information is presented at a glance in the same geographic units as the guides, with elevations for major points. Shelters, campsites, water sources, road crossings, supply sources, off-trail lodging, eateries, and post offices are all easy to identify in the Data Book.
For more information about the 33rd edition of the Appalachian Trail Data Book or to purchase a copy, please click here.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Every December, the latest mileage and shelter information for the 11 official guides is updated from volunteers who are constantly improving the trail, with volunteer Daniel D. Chazin of Teaneck, N.J., pulling it all together since 1983. This year, increases were reported for Massachusetts–Connecticut (0.2 mile), New York–New Jersey (0.9 mile), central Virginia (0.1 mile), and Tennessee–North Carolina (0.9 mile), while the southwest Virginia mileage was reduced by 0.1 mile.“The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s 2011 Data Book is an essential planning resource for any Appalachian Trail hiker; whether they are out for a day hike or hiking the entire length from Maine to Georgia,” stated Brian B. King, Publisher of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
Each year, the $6.95 Appalachian Trail Data Book is a top-selling official guide to the longest continuously marked footpath in the world — it condenses into 96 pages the high points of the series of guidebooks and maps. Information is presented at a glance in the same geographic units as the guides, with elevations for major points. Shelters, campsites, water sources, road crossings, supply sources, off-trail lodging, eateries, and post offices are all easy to identify in the Data Book.
For more information about the 33rd edition of the Appalachian Trail Data Book or to purchase a copy, please click here.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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