Mountain Hardwear Hoodless Monkey Man Grid Jacket

An excellent layering piece or cool-weather stand-alone, the Mountain Hardwear Hoodless Monkey Man Grid Jacket offers excellent comfort and range of motion. I actually have this jacket and I really love it , very warm on a nice fall hike here in the Great Smoky Mountains .

Fall color season launched in NC State Parks & Blue Ridge Parkway

The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog: Fall color season launched in NC State Parks & Blue Ridge Parkway:

Fall color season launched in NC State Parks & Blue Ridge Parkway

Abundant summer rainfall and cool September nights have already launched the fall foliage season in high elevations of western North Carolina state parks. For the first time, travelers can keep track of peak color as it makes its way across the state through park ranger reports available online at www.visitnc.com, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.

Regular updates will keep visitors posted on how fall color is progressing through the different types of forests in North Carolina, from the brilliant red of mountain sourwood to the rust-colored cedar in eastern wetlands. The fall season in the state truly lasts from late September into December.

“State parks, with their convenient access and miles of hiking trails, are natural destinations for people who want to get up close and personal with fall color. And, the 42 state park units present the fall foliage experience in every corner of the state,” said Lewis Ledford, state parks director.

Western state parks will immediately join a list of sites reporting peak color to the N.C. Division of Tourism, which prominently features a fall foliage travel section on www.visitnc.com. As the season progresses, rangers in other regions of the state will submit similar reports.

Here are a few of the most popular state parks for enjoying fall color include:

* Stone Mountain State Park in Wilkes and Alleghany counties, where fall color is peaking just as leaves begin to fall in the higher elevations of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The park offers more than 18 miles of hiking trails.

* Hanging Rock State Park in Stokes County, named in 2012 as one of the 10 best spots for viewing fall color in the South by Southern Living magazine. The park offers trails across nine named peaks.

* Raven Rock State Park in Harnett County, where beech groves and hardwood forests mix with eastern evergreens. The park offers surprisingly challenging terrain in the piedmont.

* Merchants Millpond State Park in Gates County, where swamp cedars and stands of hardwood alternate color palettes. Canoes can be rented for waterborne leaf watching.

Travelers and leaf peepers in the western part of the state may also want to note a new fall color tracking tool for the Blue Ridge Parkway. The folks at Blue Ridge Parkway Daily are providing a unique color-coded map of the BRP which shows the progress of fall colors along the entire route. Here's what the latest update looks like, but to check out updates as the fall season progresses, you should click here:

Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Hike On Spirit Ridge Off Of Cherohala Skyway

The paved 0.3-mile Spirit Ridge Trail, perfect for wheelchairs and strollers, leads to a spectacular overlook along the Cherohala Skyway in the Nantahala National Forest.

Layers of mountain ranges greet you from the perch just below 5,000 feet. Along the path are three signs that explain the northern hardwood forest, tell the American chestnut story and describe a history of transportation. Two picnic tables are neart the parking area.

Directions:
From Robbinsville, take US 129N, turn left onto NC 143W and go 10 miles to Cherohala Skyway. Follow the skyway for eight miles to the trail's parking area.

Trailhead information sign for Spirit Ridge

Great Hiking for the Handicap to enjoy the outdoors

Great Fall stroll and totally wheelchair accessible

Very nice and well maintained trail

Obeservation deck to enjoy views

Pretty view of North Carolina Mountains

Lots of leaves already falling

Lots of golden browns on the mountain

So beautiful and so peaceful

Great trail for all to enjoy !

Hike On East Rattlesnake Trail

This was a very refreshing hike on East Rattlesnake right off of the Cherohala Skyway in North Carolina . If you just wish to get away from it all including people I would suggest this trail .

Trailhead of East and West Rattlesnake on Cherohala Skyway

A very nice fall hike for everyone

Such a beautiful golden yellow leaves on this tree

Lots of  leaves already fallen on the trail

Mushrooms just growning wild on the side of the trail

Beautiful colors throughout this hike



A small creek running underneath the trail



Such deep crimsons and reds in the colors of the leaves

Did not come across a soul on this hike

What a dazzling view of the fall colors

I really love the colors of fall

A view like this makes any hike worth the miles

Hike Up Mud Gap To Whigg Meadow Grassy Bald

This is a easy hike  from Mud Gap along the Cherohala Skyway (about mile 3 on the NC side) along the Benton MacKaye Trail uphill to Whigg Meadow at 5000 feet with 360 degree  breath - taking views of the surrounding TN and NC mountains. The total milage of this hike is only 3.2 miles and worth every mile to get to the top of the grassy bald for the views .

Beautiful hike on Mud Gap Trail to Whigg Meadow

Mud Gap Trail is part of the Benton - MacKaye Trail

Fall time is my favorite time to hike 

What i love about hiking or camping in Cherokee National Forest you can backcountry camp anywhere

Whiggs Meadow at the end of Mud Gap Trail

Whiggs Meadow Grassy Bald

360 degree view and what a view from Whigg Meadow

Atti enjoying the view from Whiggs Meadow



Amazing views this is a must hike also to do



Some parts was closed due to dangerous erosion

GSMNP Fall Color Report

November 9 Fall Color Report

Some very impressive areas of fall color linger at the park’s lower elevations (below 3,000’). Scarlet oak, northern red oak, the birches, sumac, and spicebush are especially vibrant. At the higher elevations, fresh snow crowns Mt. Le Conte and the Appalachian Trail ( Above 5,000 Ft.).

Suggested drives include Little River Road, Cades Cove, Gatlinburg Bypass, Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail , the Foothills Parkway East (near Newport and Cosby), the Foothills Parkway West (near Townsend), The Foothills Parkway North (between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge—the “Spur”) and Cataloochee Valley.

Suggested trails and hiking destinations include Mingus Creek Trail, Cucumber Gap Loop, Old Settlers Trail, Deep Creek Trail, Gatlinburg Trail, Oconaluftee River Trail, and Abrams Falls.

Witch-hazel, the last flowering tree of the season, is in bloom.

GSMNP Fall Color Report

Fall color report October 26

Fall colors are now at peak at the lower elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains. Some of the best places to enjoy them right now are Rich Mountain Road (out of Cades Cove), The Foothills Parkway East (Cosby area) and West (Walland area), Little River Road, and the Deep Creek and Cosby areas of the park. Suggested hikes include Little River Trail, Deep Creek Trail, Abrams Falls, Smokemont Loop, and Hen Wallow Falls.

Elevations 4,500 feet and above leaves are falling off fast very fast !

Fall color season will soon be coming to an end, so don’t wait any longer!

Happy Hiking ,
Atti's Taxi
Matt

Properly Take Care Of Your Business While Hiking

Before you leave home, decide what you will do about toilet paper. If you insist on having it, be warned you will have to carry the used paper out with you, preferably double-bagged. A more environmentally-friendly method is to use "natural toilet paper" - leaves, sticks, etc... I Use a biodegradable toilet paper that can be buried also.

When you feel the urge to go, always tell someone else in the group where you are going. This way, they can look out for you, and if you do not return after a short time, they will look for you to make sure you are safe.

Head out into the forest far enough so that people can no longer see you. If it is dark, do not wander too far from your camp, ask someone to accompany you, and always take a flashlight with you. Find a place at least 150 feet from camp and the trail, and 200 feet  from water sources.

Once you reach a desired place, grab a stick (or bring a small shovel) and dig a hole no more than 6 inches deep (the bacteria that properly break down this waste don't live deeper than that). This hole will function the same as an outhouse hole.

Do your business in the hole, and take care of the paperwork or if you use biodegradable wipes like i do you can bury them in the hole with your business .

Use a stick to stir some soil into your dropping, so soil bacteria can break it down more quickly. Then completely cover the material you deposited in the hole with dirt.

Head back to camp and wash or sanitize your hands before heading back to hiking or fixing you something to eat.

Please do not defecate in the snow. When the snow melts someone else will find your "present", as well as there is a possibility that the run-off, mixed with feces, will contaminate a water source.

Instead, walk until you find dirt as long as snow is not to deep . Try next to a tree because the snow will not be as deep plus you can use the lean method against the tree.

All About Ginseng And Why It Is So Popular

Traditional uses

The root is most often available in dried form, either whole or sliced. Ginseng leaf, although not as highly prized, is sometimes also used; as with the root, it is most often available in dried form. By folk medicine practices, American ginseng and Asian ginseng (P. ginseng) roots may be taken orally for diverse supposed benefits, such as for aphrodisia, stimulants, type II diabetes, or for sexual dysfunction in men.

Ginseng may be included in small doses in energy drinks or tisanes. It may be found in cosmetic preparations, as well, but has not been shown to be clinically effective.

Research

Ginsenosides, unique compounds of the Panax species, are under basic and clinical research to reveal their potential properties in humans.
Possibly an adaptogen, ginseng remains under preliminary research for its potential properties or therapeutic effects, such as for respiratory illnesses, quality of life, influenza or fatigue in cancer patients. P. ginseng may affect cancer in animal models but this effect remains unclear.
One study in laboratory animals showed possible effects of ginseng or its ginsenoside components on the central nervous system and gonadal tissues and another on penile erection.
Ginseng is known to contain phytoestrogens and may affect the pituitary gland to increase the secretion of gonadotropins.[citation needed] Other mice studies found effects on sperm production and the estrous cycle.

Side effects

A common side effect of P. ginseng may be insomnia, but this effect is disputed. Other side effects can include nausea, diarrhea, headaches, nose bleeds, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, and breast pain. Ginseng may also lead to induction of mania in depressed patients who mix it with antidepressants.

Ginseng has been shown to have adverse drug reactions with phenelzine and warfarin, but has been shown to decrease blood alcohol levels.

Overdose
The common adaptogen ginsengs (P. ginseng and P. quinquefolia) are generally considered to be relatively safe even in large amounts. One of the most common and characteristic symptoms of acute overdose of Panax ginseng is bleeding. Symptoms of mild overdose may include dry mouth and lips, excitation, fidgeting, irritability, tremor, palpitations, blurred vision, headache, insomnia, increased body temperature, increased blood pressure, edema, decreased appetite, increased sexual desire, dizziness, itching, eczema, early morning diarrhea, bleeding, and fatigue.
Symptoms of gross overdose with Panax ginseng may include nausea, vomiting, irritability, restlessness, urinary and bowel incontinence, fever, increased blood pressure, increased respiration, decreased sensitivity and reaction to light, decreased heart rate, cyanotic (blue) facial complexion, red facial complexion, seizures, convulsions, and delirium.
Patients experiencing any of the above symptoms are advised to discontinue the herbs and seek any necessary symptomatic treatment.

Wild ginseng
Wild ginseng grows naturally and is harvested from wherever it is found. It is relatively rare, and even increasingly endangered, due in large part to high demand for the product in recent years, which has led to the wild plants being sought out and harvested faster than new ones can grow (it requires years for a root to reach maturity). Wild ginseng can be either Asian or American, and can be processed to be red ginseng.
Woods-grown American ginseng programs in Maine, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Kentucky, and United Plant Savers have been encouraging the planting of ginseng both to restore natural habitats and to remove pressure from any remaining wild ginseng, and they offer both advice and sources of rootlets. Woods-grown plants have a value comparable to wild-grown ginseng of similar age.

Growth of Wild American Ginseng
The first year of growth produces a small plant with one compound leaf having three leaflets. With successive growing seasons, the plant matures and produces additional leaves until a maximum of five compound leaves or "prongs" with five leaflets is attained. Second and third year plants have two prongs, four year old plants may have three prongs, and plants older than four years of age may have three to five prongs. Some plants may remain dormant for several years. Plants are reproductively mature at three years of age. During June and July a stalked inflorescence of six to thirty small, greenish-white flowers is produced at the top of the stem. Flowers are cross-pollinated by halictid bees or are self-pollinated. Fertilized flowers produce small berries that are green at first, but turn a brilliant red when mature. Each fruit contains two or three wrinkled seeds. In early autumn the berries ripen and fall from the plant, where they become vulnerable to predation from rodents and birds. After the first frost, the leaves turn a golden-yellow before dying. Ginseng seeds require a germination period of eighteen to twenty-one months. Roots in the Southern United States grow rapidly for the first few months of late spring and early summer then level off during the warm summer months with little weight gain. After flowering and seed production is another root growth spurt before die off in mid-autumn.

Differences between Wild and Cultivated Ginseng
Wild ginseng grows naturally within its natural habitat conditions.
Cultivated ginseng is grown as a crop by sowing seeds and consists of three types: woodsgrown, wild-simulated, and field-cultivated.
Woodsgrown ginseng is sown under natural shade in prepared beds and may require the use of fertilizers and pesticides.
Wild-simulated ginseng is sown under natural shade and natural habitat conditions but scattered and not in beds. This category is not recognized by all states, including Tennessee, and is treated as wild ginseng.
Field-cultivated ginseng is sown under artificial shade in prepared beds and often requires the use of fertilizers and pesticides.
Wild ginseng roots are about the size of an adult's thumb and are lightweight, wrinkled, ringed, often branched, and dark tan in color . In comparison, cultivated ginseng roots are larger than an adult's thumb and are heavy, smoother, few ringed, less branched, and light straw colored. The growth of cultivated ginseng is much faster than wild ginseng under normal conditions. Cultivated ginseng plants are more robust and produce more berries and seeds than wild ginseng plants.

Why is Ginseng Regulated?

Wild American ginseng is one of many plant and animal species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora of 1973 (CITES), an international trade agreement which the United States and 134 other nations have signed. The objective of the Convention is to monitor, control, and restrict, as necessary, the international trade of certain wild plant and animal species to prevent adverse impacts to their populations and to insure the continued existence of those species in their natural habitat.
In the United States, the Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has been delegated the U.S. CITES scientific and management authority since the treaty went into effect in 1975. Before a CITES export permit can be issued, the USFWS must determine whether the ginseng roots were legally acquired and whether further exports will be detrimental to the species' survival. The Office of Management Authority (OMA) determines whether the ginseng was legally acquired, and the Office of Scientific Authority (OSA) determines whether export of ginseng roots is detrimental to the species' survival.

The USFWS has established a joint ginseng management program with the states in order to monitor and regulate ginseng harvest and commerce, and meet the CITES requirements. The states must establish regulations that ensure ginseng populations under their jurisdiction will not be harmed by harvest. The Tennessee ginseng program was approved in 1978. Ginseng dealers must register with each state in which they purchase and sell ginseng roots and must report their transactions to the states. The states must inspect, weigh and certify that the ginseng was legally harvested within the state of origin. The states then compile the dealers' reports and other information on ginseng biology, harvest, regulation and commerce into an annual report that is sent to USFWS. These annual reports are used by OMA and OSA to evaluate the state ginseng management programs, harvest levels, and impacts of harvest on wild ginseng populations in order to determine whether the states should be approved for ginseng export ("non-detriment" finding). Without the annual approval of the USFWS a ban will be placed on the export of wild ginseng from Tennesee.
CITES does not require a "non-detriment" finding for cultivated ginseng, but the cultivated ginseng stock must be established in a manner not detrimental to the species' survival in the wild. "Woodsgrown" ginseng is considered "Cultivated" ginseng and should never be reported as "Wild" ginseng.
Once ginseng is approved by USFWS for export, each shipment is inspected and approved by a port inspector of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Division of Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), a division of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). If all the USFWS and CITES requirements are met, the port inspector will validate the CITES export documents and approve the shipment for export.

As part of Tennessee's wild ginseng management program, the Department of Environment and Conservation is asking that all merchants or firms which purchase wild or cultivated ginseng with the intent to resale or export and/or that cultivate ginseng with the intent to export, obtain a Dealer Permit from the Department. In addition, each ginseng dealer is required to complete and submit monthly purchase reports and an annual report of their purchases. All the necessary forms and purchase receipts are provided by the Department. Unlike the 1978 management program, the Department is not asking Tennessee ginseng collectors to obtain a permit and submit an annual report of their harvests.
Without strong cooperation from the ginseng dealers of the state on providing the data on the quantity of wild ginseng harvested and the counties from which it was collected, the OSA may rule against export of Tennessee ginseng for the upcoming year. Therefore, it is in the best interest of all ginseng collectors and dealers to comply with the rules and regulations of the Tennessee Ginseng Program.

No ginseng can be harvested on State or Federal land without written permission of the land management agency. Ginseng harvesting is not permitted in State Parks, State Forests, or State Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), except Royal Blue WMA. Ginseng harvesting is not permitted in National Parks, such as Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Annual permits for harvesting ginseng in Cherokee National Forest may be obtained for a small fee at the District Ranger offices.
 

Rangers Make Two Ginseng Poaching Cases

The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog: Rangers Make Two Ginseng Poaching Cases:

NPS Digest is reporting that Cumberland Gap National Historic Park rangers were able to make ginseng cases against five people in two separate incidents at the end of this year's ginseng season. Ranger Brad Cope was watching a truck at the park boundary on Tuesday, October 16th, when two people walked by on the trail. Just as one of them was advising the other of presence of a ranger vehicle, Cope stepped out and said "Yes, there's a ranger." The two men admitted to digging the 84 ginseng roots in their possession and were cited and released.

Ranger Gene Wesloh noticed a suspicious vehicle at a trailhead on Wednesday and by the end of the day had contacted three ginseng poachers with 328 roots totaling almost 3.4 pounds. All three readily confessed and were charged with digging ginseng; one was also charged with possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine).

Jeff

Hiking in the Smokies

Fall Color Report For GSMNP

Fall Color Report October 18

A long stretch of nearly perfect sunny days and cool nights is the catalyst for a spectacular late October fall color show in the Great Smoky Mountains. Right now colors are at or near peak at many locations in the Smokies. They are at peak at elevations above 3,500 feet throughout the park and on sunny ridges where early-changing trees like sourwood, blackgum, dogwoo...

d, and chestnut oak predominate. At the lower elevations of the park some trees are still green, but colors should peak over the next 10 days.

Little River and Laurel Creek roads have excellent color right now. Cades Cove is surrounded by mountains that are nearly at peak. If you want to beat the crowds and enjoy fall splendor, try the Blue Ridge Parkway, The Foothills Parkway East and West, Heintooga Ridge and Balsam Mountain roads, and the Deep Creek and Greenbrier areas of the park. Suggested hikes include Little River Trail, Deep Creek Trail, Abrams Falls, Smokemont Loop, and Hen Wallow Falls.

Information from : Great Smoky Mountains Association

Fall Leaf Color Report In GSMNP

Fall Leaf Color Report October 12

Fall colors are now at their peak at the highest elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains. Birches, beeches, mountain maple, and other deciduous trees and shrubs are showing very good color above elevations of 4,000 feet. Good places to view the colors include Clingmans Dome Road, Newfound Gap Road, The Blue Ridge Parkway, and Balsam Mountain Road.

At the lower elevations the colors are coming on strong. Early changing species like blackgum, sourwood, dogwood, Virginia creeper, black walnut, and the sumacs are at peak. The birches and a few maples have also started to change. Little River Road is a beautiful drive right now. The peak of color at the lower elevations is predicted to occur in late October and early November.

Suggested trails and hiking destinations include the Appalachian Trail, Mt. Cammerer, Charlies Bunion, Sweat Heifer Creek, and upper Deep Creek.

 

In addition, bear, elk, and wild turkey are very conspicuous. Visitors should never approach or harass park wildlife. Approaching elk or bear closer than 50 yards is illegal and punishable by substantial fines and imprisonment.

Information by : The Smoky Mountain Association

Rules And Sites To Backcountry Camping / Backpacking In GSMNP

Great Smoky Mountains National Park requires a permit for all backcountry camping in the park. Backcountry permits are free and are available at the following locations: Although in 2013 the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be charging 4 dollars per person for backcountry camping permits per site unless you are Thru- Hiking the Appalachian Trail and it is still free .

• Oconaluftee Visitor Center
• Sugarlands Visitor Center
• Twentymile Ranger Station
• Fontana Marina
• Fontana Dam Visitor Center
• Deep Creek Campground Office
• Smokemont Campground Office
• Cataloochee Valley near campground
• Big Creek Ranger Station
• Cosby Campground Office
• Greenbrier Ranger Station
• Elkmont Campground Office
• Tremont Environmental Center
• Cades Cove Campground Office
• Abrams Creek Ranger Station
• Balsam Mountain Campground (permits only available June-August at this location)

Backcountry permit registration areas are accessible 24 hours a day. Permits must be picked up in the park at one of the locations listed above. They are not available on the Internet or through email.

The park requires that you stay at designated campsites and shelters while camping in the backcountry.

Advance reservations are required to camp at the following sites:
• All shelters

• Backcountry Campsites 9, 10, 13, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, 29, 36, 37, 38, 46, 47, 50, 55, 57, 60, 61, 71, 83, 84, 85, 86, 90, 113.

Plan your trip and determine which sites you wish to camp at. If your itinerary includes a reserved site or any shelter, you must have a reservation in addition to a permit. For reservations, call the Backcountry Reservation Office at (865) 436-1231. The Backcountry Reservation Office is open from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. daily. You may make reservations up to one month in advance of the first day of your trip. (For example, if you wish to backpack on August 8-12, you may call the Backcountry Reservation Office on July 8 to make reservations for the entire length of time you will be backpacking.) Be prepared to give your complete trip plan when calling the Backcountry Reservations Office.

Reservations for backcountry campsites may be obtained only by calling the phone number listed above. They are not available on the Internet or through email.

Please direct all questions concerning backpacking trip planning to the Backcountry Information Office at (865) 436-1297. The information office is open daily from 9:00 a.m. until noon (Eastern Standard Time).

When you arrive in the park, you must complete a permit at one of the 15 self-registration stations listed above. Your permit must designate the campsite or shelter at which you will stay for each night of your trip. Keep the permit with you and drop the top copy in the registration box.
If you do not plan to camp at a shelter or reserved campsite, then you only need to complete a permit. You do not need to call the Backcountry Reservation Office with your itinerary since no reservation is necessary.

The maximum stay at a campsite is three consecutive nights. You may not stay more than one night at any individual shelter. The use of tents at shelters is prohibited. The maximum group size is 8 persons, except at the following campsites where parties of 12 are permitted: 17, 20, 46, 60, 86, and 90. Please note that some campsites have a group size limit of fewer than 8 persons.

The park does not allow pets on backcountry trails.

Please call the reservations office to cancel any nights or spaces that become available because of changes in your plans.

 
 Backpackers and hikers are subject to all Backcountry Rules and Regulations. Failure to abide by park regulations may subject you to a fine under Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations. Maximum fine for each violation is $5,000 and/or 6 months in jail. 

Information provided by : Great Smoky Mountains National Park

 

River Otters At Abrams Falls In GSMNP

Once commonly sited in Cades Cove, otters were all but eliminated from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in the 1920's. The reason? Their beautiful pelts brought a pretty price in those days. What a shame as Cades Cove was once an especially safe haven for the funny semi-aquatic creatures. The Cherokee called Cades Cove "Tsiyahi" meaning otter place. Fortunately otters have come back to the cove. One hundred-forty otters were reintroduced into the ecosystem by the officials of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in the 1980's. Under the protective rules of GSMNP, the otters are now well established, especially in Abrams Creek and Little River.

River otter belong to the same family as weasels, skunks and minks. The are playful, cute animals that spend a good deal of their time in the water. They have a face that vaguely resembles a seal with small eyes, ears and lots of whiskers. Their bodies are fur-covered and they have short legs, webbed toes and a thick tail. Being nocturnal, they are rarely seen by the Smokies visitor.

A Family of otters was at Abrams Falls today swimming around enjoying the cool water on beautiful fall day .

Scientific Name: Lutra canadensis

Length: 35-52" with tail

Weight: 10-30 lbs.

Life span: Wild, 11-15 years

Captive, up to 20 years

Diet:
Frogs, turtles, snakes, fish, crayfish and crabs. Occasionally rodents and birds.

Range/Habitat:

Entire U.S., excluding deserts and the Florida Keys. Eliminated in parts of its historical range. Found along rivers, ponds, lakes and marshes. Dens in bank burrows, under trees and stumps, or in thick vegetation.

Special characteristics:

A river otter can dive to a depth of 55 feet. Otter populations are slowly increasing after being diminished in the past by excessive trapping for the fur trade.

 

First Phase Of Chimney Tops Trail Rehabilitation Completed

The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog: First Phase Of Chimney Tops Trail Rehabilitation Completed: The Chimney Tops Trail is one of the most popular trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It's a steep, two-mile hike to a rock outcropping that provides spectacular views of the Smoky Mountains. Combine the high use with the steep grade and a large amount of rainfall and the result is serious safety, resource damage, and sustainability challenges.

Since April, the Trails Forever crew – crew leader Josh Shapiro, assistant crew leader Eric Wood, crew members Brad Davis, Brian Holda, and Margaret Milikin – has been hard at work on phase one of the rehabilitation of the Chimney Tops Trail. The photo above is just one example of the one mile of rehabilitation that has been completed on the trail during this work season. In places like this, the grade is steep, people have picked their way around exposed rock, and water that cascades down the trail. The Trails Forever crew used local rock to create an aesthetically pleasing, easily walkable, sustainable staircase with integrated step over and inside drainage. With the design of the staircase and revegetation efforts, what formally was a ten-foot impact corridor is currently a solid four-foot trail.

Trails Forever is a partnership program between the Friends of the Smokies and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. With 848 miles of hiking trails, an average of more than 80 inches of rain a year, and significant forest vegetation, trail crews at Great Smoky Mountains National Park focus their efforts primarily on cyclic maintenance to keep the trails open (clearing windfalls, mowing/pruning and drainage). The Trails Forever program provides the opportunity for a highly skilled trail crew to focus reconstruction efforts on the high use and high priority trails in the park.

The Trails Forever crew produces high quality, sustainable trail solutions to some of the most challenging erosion issues on the trail system. These sustainable trail improvements include redefining sections of trail that have become unsafe or unwalkable, improving drainage by modifying water bars or constructing other types of drainage structures, and building staircases or raised turnpike structures out of sustainable materials to prevent further erosion. The program also provides a mechanism for volunteers to work alongside the trail crew on these complex trail projects to assist in making lasting improvements to preserve the trails for future generations.

To see more photos of the work and more information about the Trails Forever program, please visit their website.

For more information on hiking the Chimney Tops Trail, please click here.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

BRP Rangers Bust Ginseng Poachers

The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog: BRP Rangers Bust Ginseng Poachers: On Sunday, September 30th, protection rangers in the Ridge District of the Blue Ridge Parkway detected and apprehended two separate groups of poachers illegally taking ginseng from park lands.

A group of four were seen digging illegally by rangers Jeremy Sears and Marc Cyr; three of them were cited for the illegal removal of the plant. Rangers Zeph Cunningham and Miranda Cook then contacted two people as they walked along the parkway to their vehicle. Further investigation resulted in the rangers discovering a bag stashed in the woods that contained a large amount of ginseng and digging tools. One of the people they contacted admitted to digging the ginseng and was placed under arrest. A search of their vehicle resulted in the discovery of a second bag of ginseng.

Wild ginseng is currently being sold for $500 to $600 per pound.

Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

Fall Color Reports from 2012 - October 8

October 8

The fall colors are now superb at the higher elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains, especially at elevations between 4,000 and 5,500 feet. Above this elevation, colors are past peak, though remnants still linger. Along Little River Road and in the Deep Creek area, and elsewhere at the lower elevations, early-changing species like blackgum, sourwood, dogwood, sumac, black walnut, and Virginia creeper are near peak.

This is a great time to take a drive on Newfound Gap Road, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or Balsam Mountain Road. Views from the scenic overlooks down onto the colorful forests are spectacular. Little River and Laurel Creek roads also offer pleasant fall scenery. Above average rainfall this year has meant that trees are still holding plenty of leaves and this could lead to an exceptional color season.

Look for a peak of fall colors at the lower elevations in late October and early November. Coincidentally, bears have been highly visible this month. Most bears are being sighted in trees eating wild grapes or acorns. Sightings have been in Cades Cove and along Cherokee Orchard Road. Visitors should never approach bears. Pull you car off the road when observing all wildlife.

Information by : Great Smoky Mountain Association

Common Fire-Starting Methods

Even if you find yourself without matches while hiking or backpacking, there are plenty of ways to start a fire without them. Below are a few of the most common methods of starting a campfire without the help of matches or a lighter.

 Flint and steel:
 Using flint and steel is one of the most primitive ways of starting a fire. There are multiple ways of using it and making your own kit. For an in-depth look, see CampfireDude’s Flint and Steel article.

Lenses (magnifying glass or eyeglasses):
 If it is a sunny day, angle your lens toward the sun. Put a ball of tinder under the lens as you concentrate the light into the smallest area possible. If you add water to the lens you will be able to intensify the beam.

Steel wool and batteries:
With a nine-volt battery and a strip of steel wool, simply touch the contacts of the battery to the wool. Blow on it gently to encourage flames and add it to your tinder.

Household items:

 Common items that can be found at home can be used as a quick and easy fire starter. Items include clothes dryer lint (which is extremely lightweight), candles, insect repellents and alcohol hand sanitizers.

Putting Out The Camfire :

Even if you may think your fire is completely out or can burn itself out, wind can come up and reignite the embers and make the fire start up again. As a safety precaution, drown the campfire with water or dirt once you are finished. Stir the fire’s remains to uncover any hot embers and throw on more water or dirt. Remember, only you can prevent wildfires!

Why Leaves Change In The Fall

Why Leaves Change
Every autumn we revel in the beauty of the fall colors. The mixture of red, purple, orange and yellow is the result of chemical processes that take place in the tree as the seasons change from summer to winter.

During the spring and summer the leaves have served as factories where most of the foods necessary for the tree's growth are manufactured. This food-making process takes place in the leaf in numerous cells containing chlorophyll, which gives the leaf its green color. This extraordinary chemical absorbs from sunlight the energy that is used in transforming carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates, such as sugars and starch.

Along with the green pigment are yellow to orange pigments, carotenes and xanthophyll pigments which, for example, give the orange color to a carrot. Most of the year these colors are masked by great amounts of green coloring.

Chlorophyll Breaks Down

But in the fall, because of changes in the length of daylight and changes in temperature, the leaves stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and the yellow to orange colors become visible and give the leaves part of their fall splendor.

At the same time, other chemical changes may occur, which form additional colors through the development of red anthocyanin pigments. Some mixtures give rise to the reddish and purplish fall colors of trees such as dogwoods and sumacs, while others give the sugar maple its brilliant orange.

The autumn foliage of some trees shows only yellow colors. Others, like many oaks, display mostly browns. All these colors are due to the mixing of varying amounts of the chlorophyll residue and other pigments in the leaf during the fall season.

Other Changes Take Place

As the fall colors appear, other changes are taking place. At the point where the stem of the leaf is attached to the tree, a special layer of cells develops and gradually severs the tissues that support the leaf. At the same time, the tree seals the cut, so that when the leaf is finally blown off by the wind or falls from its own weight, it leaves behind a leaf scar.

Most of the broad-leaved trees in the North shed their leaves in the fall. However, the dead brown leaves of the oaks and a few other species may stay on the tree until growth starts again in the spring. In the South, where the winters are mild, some of the broad-leaved trees are evergreen; that is, the leaves stay on the trees during winter and keep their green color.

Only Some Trees Lose Leaves

Most of the conifers -- pines, spruces, firs, hemlocks, cedars, etc. -- are evergreen in both the North and South. The needle- or scale-like leaves remain green or greenish the year round, and individual leaves may stay on for two to four years or more.

Weather Affects Color Intensity

Temperature, light, and water supply have an influence on the degree and the duration of fall color. Low temperatures above freezing will favor anthocyanin formation, producing bright reds in maples. However, early frost will weaken the brilliant red color. Rainy and/or overcast days tend to increase the intensity of fall colors. The best time to enjoy the autumn color would be on a clear, dry and cool (not freezing) day.

Enjoy the color; it only occurs for a brief period each fall.