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April 30, 2007
Report from a Volunteer Vacation Crew in Montreat, NC
The mountains in Western North Carolina near Montreat
American Hiking Society has a number of Volunteer Vacation trips with open slots remaining in 2007. To find a Volunteer Vacation to participate in, please search our project database. It's not too late to get in on the fun! Here's a trip report from our Volunteer Program Manager Andrea Ketchmark. Andrea is co-leading a trip that began today in Montreat, North Carolina on the grounds of the Montreat Conference Center. Photos will follow in a few days.
"American Hiking Society Volunteer vacation trip #79 got off to a great start today as perfect weather ushered the 11 volunteers into the backcountry where they began work on a steep-sloped 800 foot trail relocation. At the close of the first day the group accomplished clearing the corridor for the entire 800 feet. This required removing downed trees, rocks and creating switch backs. Two volunteers first discovered and then cleared the area around a 30'X20'X6 bolder which will provide hikers a tranquil rest and great view in the winter. The Montreat Conference Center is a beautiful location to spend a week in the springtime. Our hosts are providing all our meals in their vintage grand dining room, and wonderful camp sites along a stream. A great trip!"
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:23 PM
Photos from the Benton Mackaye Trail
Yesterday was the annual Benton Mackaye Trail walk through. This is a day when volunteers walk the entire trail to inventory maintenance issues. Benton MacKaye Trail Association volunteer Diana Ristom sent me some photos that she took out on the trail in SE Tennessee. I'm sharing them here with you!
Enjoy!
Cinnamon Fern Unfurling closeup by Diana Ristom
Jack in the Pulpit by Diana Ristom
Pink Ladyslipper Orchids by Diana Ristom
Dead Yellow Rumped Warbler on trail by Diana Ristom
Cinnamon Ferns by Diana Ristom
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 04:10 PM
Minimizing the Dangers of a Bear Encounter
From the National Park Service Yellowstone website;
Yellowstone is home to both grizzly and black bears. Although the risk of an encounter with a bear is low, there are no guarantees of your safety. Minimize your risks by following the guidelines below:
Make bears aware of your presence on trails by making loud noises such as shouting or singing. This lessens the chance of sudden encounters, which are the cause of most bear-caused human injuries in the park. Hike in groups and use caution where vision is obstructed.
Do not hike after dark.
Avoid carcasses; bears often defend this source of food.
If you encounter a bear, do not run. Bears can run over 30 miles per hour, or 44 feet per second, faster than Olympic sprinters. Running may elicit an attack from otherwise non-aggressive bears. If the bear is unaware of you, detour away from the bear. If the bear is aware of you and nearby, but has not acted aggressively, slowly back away.
Tree climbing to avoid bears is popular advice but not very practical in many circumstances. All black bears, all grizzly cubs, and some adult grizzlies can climb trees. Running to a tree may provoke an otherwise uncertain bear to chase you.
Some bears will bluff their way out of a threatening situation by charging, then veering off or stopping abruptly at the last second. Bear experts generally recommend standing still until the bear stops and then slowly backing away. If a bear makes physical contact, drop to the ground, lie face down, and clasp your hands behind your neck. It may take all the courage you have, but lie still and remain silent. Resistance will only provoke the bear. Before moving, listen and look around carefully to make sure the bear is no longer nearby.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 03:11 PM
Black Bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Black Bear - Photo by NPS
Here is an excellent National Park Service website about Black Bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Remember, a fed bear is a dead bear, so please handle all of your food in the backcountry in a manner that ensures that bears can not obtain access to it. Also, according to the National Park Service, "Willfully approaching within 50 yards (150 feet), or any distance that disturbs or displaces a bear, is illegal in the park. Violation of this federal regulation can result in fines and arrest. Use binoculars, telephoto lens, or a spotting scope to view the animals."
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 03:10 PM
Attacked by a Grizzly - Part 2
Pain, gratitude and a long fight back
His daughter was safe and he was recovering,
but months later, he knew the bear still had him.
By Thomas Curwen
Times Staff Writer
"Copyright, 2007, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission."
April 30, 2007
HIS halo was a cage, and all Johan Otter could do was stare out through the carbon graphite rods that pinned his head in place.
If he slept, he dreamed, and the dreams bordered on nightmares. He lay in a passageway somewhere between a gym and a locker room. People came and went. He didn't mind the traffic, only he was puzzled by a black object in the middle of the room. It looked like the Batmobile, dark and sinister. What was it?
Uncertainty brought a tinge of adrenaline and a flood of panic. Trapped by this metal contraption locking his head to his shoulders, treatment for a broken neck, he couldn't move. The walls of Harborview Medical Center in Seattle closed around him. He tried to find the call button, but it was lost in the bedding. He was alone. He screamed for help.
Morphine for the pain. Valium and Ativan for the anxiety.
Continue reading "Attacked by a Grizzly - Part 2"
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 11:47 AM
April 29, 2007
Attacked by a Grizzly - Part 1
This story appeared in the Los Angeles Times today. While your chance of encountering a Grizzly Bear whiile hiking in the Western US is small, it is a possibility. This article will be followed by a couple of blog entries that will instruct you how to avoid an encounter with a bear while hiking.
ATTACKED BY A GRIZZLY | FIRST OF TWO PARTS
A hike into horror and an act of courage
A California man visiting Glacier National Park with his daughter instinctively puts himself between her and the rampaging bear's claws and teeth.
By Thomas Curwen, Times Staff Writer
April 29, 2007
"Copyright, 2007, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission."
Glacier National Park, Mont. — JOHAN looked up. Jenna was running toward him. She had yelled something, he wasn't sure what. Then he saw it. The open mouth, the tongue, the teeth, the flattened ears. Jenna ran right past him, and it struck him — a flash of fur, two jumps, 400 pounds of lightning.
It was a grizzly, and it had him by his left thigh. His mind started racing — to Jenna, to the trip, to fighting, to escaping. The bear jerked him back and forth like a rag doll, but he remembered no pain, just disbelief. It bit into him again and again, its jaw like a sharp vise stopping at nothing until teeth hit bone. Then came the claws, rising like shiny knife blades, long and stark.
Johan and Jenna had been on the trail little more than an hour. They had just followed a series of switchbacks above Grinnell Lake and were on a narrow ledge cut into a cliff. It was an easy ascent, rocky and just slightly muddy from yesterday's rain.
Continue reading "Attacked by a Grizzly - Part 1"
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 11:42 AM
Volunteers fill void in repair of hiking trails
Dan DeLong - Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Please take a moment to checkout this excellent article about trail volunteerism in Washington State. Washington Trails Association is a member of the American Hiking Society Alliance of clubs, and WTA's Executive Director Elizabeth Lunney is a member of the American Hiking Society Board of Directors.
For the record, trail volunteerism is no less important in the southeastern United States.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
By COLIN MCDONALD
Seattle Post-Intelligencer REPORTER
NORTH BEND -- Jim Knoke was dubbed "Badger" by his trail-crew leader because "when I dig, the earth flies."
Pete Dewell became "Axman" in tribute to his speed chopping through tree trunks and roots.
"I got the job done," he said.
At 71 and 77 years old, respectively, what the volunteers love more than digging and chopping is moving boulders the size of small cars.
"It doesn't get any better than this," said Knoke, scrambling over the rocks left by Humpback Creek when it washed out the Lake Annette Trail this winter.
Behind him, the creek sparkled in the sunlight as it rumbled over the edge of a cliff, sending a fine mist into the air.
Knoke and Dewell spent Thursday inching a hunk of granite the size of a baby grand piano into position, relying on their engineering skills, a half-dozen fellow volunteers and a pair of 5-foot steel bars.
"It's all muscle power," Dewell said.
Washington Trails Association volunteers, including Knoke and Dewell, are the best shot the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest has at recovering from $5 million in trail damage left by the winter storms of 2003 and 2006 and more than a decade of declining maintenance budgets. Since 1993, the non-profit has grown from 250 hours of volunteer service to 75,000 hours in 2006.
This year, the Pacific Northwest Region of the Forest Service, which includes 19 forests in Washington and Oregon, has $150,000 set aside for flood and fire damage repairs. Baker-Snoqualmie received $15,000 of that. There is a request for additional money for the region before the U.S. Senate, but nothing in the House.
Gary Paull, the trails coordinator for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, will use most of the money to pay overhead costs for managing volunteer trail crews. Less than two decades ago, professional crews, who were hired every year, would have done the work. Now the summer budgets depend on grants and there is no guarantee of work for the next season -- except for the volunteers.
Damage from the 2006 winter storms was the worst Baker-Snoqualmie has had in decades.
Some of the biggest pending repairs:
# Three washed-out miles of White Chuck Trail: $615,625
# Smashed bridge to the Big Four Ice Caves: $478,000
# Damaged bridge providing access to Big Heart Lake: $288,000
# Destroyed trail at Monte Cristo Campground: $178,000
Volunteers have always been part of the Forest Service, but the government is now relying on donated time to do jobs that were once solely the domain of professional crews. It is a paradigm shift for a bureaucracy that for more than a century has depended on trained staff and federal taxes to take care of the woods.
The WTA has been around since the 1960s, but it was not until 1993, at the request of the Forest Service, that it started conducting regular trail maintenance. The association now works in national forests and parks across the state. The work it does is held to the same standards as professional crews.
After 8 1/2 years of working on trails, Dewell's orange hardhat is cracked and faded. The semi-retired lawyer averages three days a week as a volunteer, and often brings along his three granddaughters, who all have their own green hardhats. The oldest is 15 and will be spending a week this summer on a crew for teenagers.
Dewell has a reputation of turning off his hearing aid at 1:30 in the afternoon, so when crew leaders tells him to stop working at 2:30 he won't be able to hear it.
Knoke, a retired Boeing mechanical engineer, has been volunteering his time for more than a decade. He came across a crew while hiking, liked what they were doing and joined up. He's now a regular on the weekday work crews.
The WTA is the largest of a handful of organizations working to maintain the trails of Washington. Whether it is picking up branches off the trail or helping to build a bridge, the organizations can find work for almost anyone. The Northwest Region office of the Forest Service has requested the non-profits to broaden their work to Oregon.
"The trail crew of the future will be volunteers," said Jenni Blake, the WTA trail program director.
For 18 years, Blake worked for the Forest Service, moving up the ranks of trail crews until she oversaw the work being done on more than 2 million acres of forest in Idaho.
Budget cuts forced her to take a job in mineral management, which she couldn't stand. Now she's doing the same job she did for the Forest Service, but for the WTA, and said her job in Idaho remains empty.
"There is a lack of understanding that the trails do not take care of themselves," she said. "You don't know it until the trails are closed."
Gail Throop, trail program manager for the Northwest region, said it would be catastrophic if the volunteers stopped. Necessary trail repairs would either be delayed or ignored entirely.
This winter, heavy rains washed out the ramp leading up to the bridge crossing Humpback Creek. Instead of a smooth trail at the end of the bridge, a 5-foot-deep pit greeted hikers.
The job was estimated by the Forest Service to cost $5,700. The trail is one of the most popular in the forest, and the damage made the top-10 list of work to be done this summer.
Still, it wouldn't have been done until July, when the Snoqualmie Ranger District's only trail crew had finished its training, said Bill Sobieralski, trails coordinator at the Forest Service's North Bend Ranger Station.
Instead, Sobieralski called the WTA, reported the damage and let them do the rest.
After Knoke and Dewell assessed the situation, under the guidance of their crew leader, they decided moving the boulder would be the best thing to do. It would fill half the hole and protect the trail from future washouts.
By the end of the day, the rock was in position. The hole was filled with smaller stones and topped with a layer of dirt, making it look like it had always been that way.
"Every time I come home, my wife asks me if I had a good time," Dewell said. "I always have a good time."
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 07:28 AM
April 28, 2007
"Special places" saved for generations to come
Crossville Chronicle
By Heather Mullinix
April 26, 2007
More than 300 acres of land will be permanently protected from development thanks to the gift of land from Plateau Properties to the state of Tennessee and the Cumberland Trail State Park.
Rob Harrison, general manager of Plateau Properties, was thanked for the gift that includes the top of Brady Mountain, Brady Bluffs and Salt Peter Cave.
"I grew up with all of this," said Harrison. "I went hiking up there and would think, 'This is nice and beautiful and it'll always be here.' As I get older, I realize a lot of these special places won't be here if we don't take steps to protect them."
The donation was made in honor of Harrison's father, the late Arthur Harrison, and Bob Brown, a noted conservationist and champion of the Cumberland Trail.
During the dedication celebration Saturday at the Grassy Cove Community Center, about 200 people enjoyed live music by the Lantana Drifters, food, drinks and desserts donated by area individuals and businesses, hikes to both the top of Brady Mountain and to Salt Peter Cave, and tours of Grassy Cove.
Harrison said his father became involved with the Cumberland Trail when Brown came to Crossville for business and for hiking about 40 years ago. Brown had been hiking with Mack Pritchard, a founder of the Tennessee Trails Association and state naturalist, and had complained of having to travel from Nashville to the Smoky Mountains to hike the Appalachian Trail. Pritchard reportedly told Brown to visit the Cumberland Plateau. Arthur Harrison showed Brown many of Cumberland County's natural treasures, including Peavine, Hebbertsburg, the Obed Canyon and Brady Mountain.
When the idea of the Cumberland Trail was born, Harrison said he believed they envisioned a trail similar to the Appalachian Trail, and Arthur Harrison told the Tennessee Trails group he knew where the trail could go. Since 1968, hikers have been able to hike along Brady Mountain as part of the Cumberland Trail.
"When I was growing up, my dad would take me out on Sunday trips," Harrison said. "Several times we would go to the top of Brady Mountain and hike. I remember hiking up the to top one day and my dad said, 'Well, there's a trail here.' That was about it. I never had any idea of how grand the idea was they were trying to accomplish."
Harrison returned to Crossville from Nashville in 1997 following the death of his father in 1996. Brown, Rob Webber, with the Cumberland Trail Association, and Brown's dog, Trouble, came to visit Harrison.
"They were still at it, working on trying to acquire the trail and put the pieces together," Harrison said. "Not much happened at that point. The next year they would come by and we would work on it some more. Last year, I ran into Mack and he said Bob was real sick, and we decided we needed to make something happen.
"I hope Bob is able to enjoy seeing his life's work come to fruition. And I'm sure my dad is up there in heaven with Bob's dog, Trouble, enjoying this celebration, too. Neither one of them would have wanted such a big fuss, but I'm sure they're glad to see the pieces of the trail come together."
Kathleen Wiliams, executive director of the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation, thanked Plateau Properties and the Harrison family for the land gift. She shared a conversation she had with Brown, who lives in Nashville and is in failing health and was unable to attend the celebration.
"He said, 'I mainly want you to share I am grateful to Arthur Harrison and to Rob. I knew they had a conservation ethic and I want to thank them for their thoughtfulness and thank them for following through with their dad's wishes,'" Williams said.
Mike Carlton, assistant commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, noted the Cumberland Trail was a unique state park in that it connected pearls of natural treasures across the state. The Cumberland Trail begins at Cumberland Gap State Park and runs south to Chickamauga National Military Park in Chattanooga. It includes more than 11,000 acres and 150 miles of completed trails, with another 150 miles of trail planned for the future. It has been built mostly by volunteer labor. Carlton said he first met Bob Brown in the 1980s when Brown would vacation at Cove Lake and volunteer his time to build trails.
Bob Fulcher, Cumberland Trail State Park manager, said, "This is a monumental donation for the Cumberland Trail, which is a work in progress. Moments like these give us the faith and enthusiasm to dive in and get the rest of this done."
Fulcher thanked the Harrison family and Plateau Properties along with other land owners in the area who have allowed the Cumberland Trail to pass through their property during the past 30 years.
Harrison noted there were a number of creative ways to make conservation gifts, and urged everyone to work with organizations like Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation to help preserve Tennessee natural treasures, like Devil Step Hollow Cave at the mouth of the Sequatchie River.
During the celebration, Rep. Eric Swafford said, "Anyone that's ever been involved with the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation knows that when they take one step, they are ready to take the next one."
Devil Step Hollow Cave, at the edge of Cumberland and Bledsoe counties, is the drainage system for Grassy Cove and the headwaters of the Sequatchie River.
"It's an absolutely wonderful piece of property that needs to be moved into the Cumberland Trail," Swafford said.
Petitions were available to be signed and sent to the governor to urge the state to assist with the purchase of the property. Williams said the land is being offered for sale for $2.75 million and includes 400 acres and several buildings that could be used as a hostel for the Cumberland Trail, a cultural museum or other purposes.
For more information about the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation, see the Web site www.tenngreen.org. For information about the Cumberland Trail or volunteer opportunities, see the Web site www.cumberlandtrail.org.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 04:12 PM
April 27, 2007
Corridor K Public Meetings Planned for May in TN & NC
Click on the image above to view a high resolution PDF of Corridor K (1.23 MB)
Corridor K is a study area that involves highway development between Chattanooga, Tennessee and Asheville, NC in an attempt to stimulate economic development. It is vitally important that the trail and conservation community allow their voices to be heard at these important public meetings!
The meetings are planning for the following dates & locations;
MEETING 1
Date: Tuesday, May 15
Time: 11:00 a.m. EDT
Place: Ocoee Whitewater Center, 4466 Highway 64, Copperhill, TN
MEETING 2
Date: Tuesday, May 15
Time: 5:30 p.m. EDT
Place: Southwestern Community College, 447 College Drive, Sylva, NC
MEETING 3
Date: Thursday, May 17
Time: 5:30 p.m. EDT
Place: Cleveland Bradley County Chamber of Commerce, Cleveland, TN
Here is the text from the announcement letter that I received yesterday;
In conjunction with the Southeast Tennessee Development District and SEIDA, Wilbur Smith Associates (WSA) will hold the second series of meetings to further discuss the Corridor K Economic Development study. The first meeting will be held at the Ocoee Whitewater Center in Copperhill on May 15th from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. WSA will be presenting the Draft Corridor K Economic Development Strategy for the Corridor K Study Region and your input is crucial to developing a final ED Strategy for the region. A complimentary light sandwich lunch will be provided, please confirm your attendance so we can plan appropriately for lunch.
Later that same day, another meeting will be held to review and discuss the Draft Corridor K Economic Development Strategy at Southwestern Community College in Sylva, North Carolina starting at 5:30 P.M. An overview of the project will be presented along with the draft strategy; again your input is crucial to the development of a final Economic Development Strategy for the Corridor K Region.
A third meeting will be held at the Cleveland Bradley County Chamber of Commerce at 5:30 P.M. on Thursday, May 17th again to review the Draft Corridor K Economic Development Strategy and provide an opportunity for input and discussion about the draft strategy. Your input is crucial to the development of a final ED Strategy for the Corridor K Region.
The presentation of the Draft Corridor K Economic Development Strategy is a key step in this study. Creating an economic development vision and goals for the future for the Corridor K region is very important in ultimately considering the transportation infrastructure that may be needed to support the regions economic future.
Directions to each meeting location are shown below. In order to make appropriate meeting arrangements, we would appreciate the favor of your RSVP by contacting Frances Hall at (865) 803-8994 or via e-mail to mziegler@wilbursmith.com. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need additional information.
Thank you in advance for your interest, support, and participation!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 10:23 AM
April 26, 2007
Hiking and learning with the Visually Impaired
at Reflection Riding Arboretum & Botanical Garden
Horticulturist Paola Zannini shows the students how plants are propagated
On Wednesday April 25, American Hiking Society participated in a field trip for 17 visually impaired students at Reflection Riding Arboretum & Botanical Garden here in Chattanooga. This is the third field trip that American Hiking Society has assisted the Hamilton County Department of Education's office of Visual Disabilities with.
In addition to the field trip where students learned about native plants, took a short hike, planted some rare American Chestnuts seedlings, and ground was broken for a brand new Garden of the Senses. All in all, it was an exciting and uplifting day.
To listen to a 4 minute 11 second interview with two students, along with Reflection Riding Board President Michael Green and Reflection Riding Executive Director Dave Hopkins, please click on this link. (1.94 MB)
To launch a one minute 47 second video that appeared on the Chattanooga CBS affiliate News Channel 12, please click here.
Enjoy!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 01:21 PM
April 20, 2007
Rock mining concerns grow among conservationists
A segment of the Cumberland Trail is closed due to rock harvesting
Previously, an article appeared here about rock mining operation that has closed a segment of the Cumberland Trail just north of Chattanooga.
Here is an updated story on rock mining along the Cumberland Plateau here in Tennessee. This is a disturbing trend that will need to be followed closely. This article appeared in the pages of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Rock mining concerns grow among conservationists
By Pam Sohn and Ben Benton
Rock mining along the Cumberland Plateau region of Tennessee is growing, according to residents, and that has at least one regional conservation group concerned.
"This is not a few people in pickup trucks anymore. This is big earthmoving machines, and they're strip mining -- doing the same thing that's prohibited under coal mining rules," said Carson Camp, a county landowner and board member of the Sequatchie Valley Historical Association, the group that supports the coal mining museum at the Dunlap Coke Ovens.
Miners remove Tennessee stone from a section of the Cumberland Trail near Soddy-Daisy. (AP photo)
Tennessee mountain stone -- used on many area buildings, walls and walkways -- has become a commodity so popular that mineral rights owners such as Tennessee Consolidated Coal are hiring contractors to harvest and mine it. Tennessee Consolidated, owners of thousands of acres of mineral rights along the Cumberland Plateau, is at the center of a new rock-mining debate in Sequatchie County. There miners have sued a landowner and developer for access to his property after he blocked roads into it with heavy earthmoving equipment.
Bernard Higgins, general manager of Tennessee Consolidated Coal in Whitwell, Tenn., referred inquiries to Massey Energy Co., the coal company's parent company. Phil Nichols, treasurer of Massey, said he would not comment, but the company may issue a statement later.
Cathie Bird, chairwoman of the mining committee for Save Our Cumberland Mountains, said rock mining, and the mineral rights involved, are a concern.
She said rock mining is more destructive to land than coal mining. But the government does not require damage repair as it does with mining operations covered under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.
The citizens group, known widely as SOCM, has fought more than 30 years for legislation to protect the rights of surface owners against coal company strip mining.
"As with more usual forms of surface mining, the people who live near the mine sites pay with lost peace of mind, decreasing property values, disturbance of viewshed and other resources," Ms. Bird said.
On Wednesday night, Ms. Bird's mining committee discussed rock mining and decided to put the issue on SOCM's agenda.
"We decided we'll have to do more than we're doing right now," she said.
A growing business
The rocks, sometimes referred to as dimension stone, fetch $200 to $800 per ton, and mineral rights owners generally receive a 10 percent to 15 percent royalty. Landowners normally receive nothing.
Tennessee has conflicting laws and state attorney general rulings. The state does not regulate the operations as mining, but the Department of Revenue allows counties to tax the stone as a mined product.
Tisha Calabrese-Benton, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said water quality regulators sometimes inspect the rock mining operations to check for stormwater runoff problems and violations of water quality permits.
In 2002, about 65 rock harvesting operations were permitted, she said. Now about 172 have been permitted.
In the past 18 months, at least three lawsuits over rock mining have been filed in the Chattanooga area, records show.
In January, the state found itself embroiled in the rock mining issue when harvesters working for a Florida company tore up 75 to 100 yards of the state-owned Cumberland Trail near Soddy-Daisy in the Cumberland Trail State Park.
Two weeks ago, Hamilton County Chancellor Frank Brown denied the state's request for an injunction barring rock harvesting anywhere on park property. But he did order the rock miners not to use mechanized machines to extract mountain stone within 50 feet of the Cumberland Trail or to take rocks "by any means" within 25 feet of the trail.
Chancellor Brown's ruling did not address other issues in the growing debate, including whether Tennessee mountain stone is considered a rock or a mineral. That decision, he said, was for another, higher court or body.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:50 AM
April 19, 2007
Spring has Sprung! Wood Thrushes arrive in Chattanooga!
Wood Thrush - Photo provided by USF&WS
Yesterday I spent the morning at Reflection Riding Arboretum & Botanical Garden performing a walk through of the Profile Trail, which we're bringing back to life after it had fallen into bad shape over the past few years. We hope to have the trail reopened for National Trails Day on Saturday June 2. During my visit to Reflection Riding, I saw a number of migratory bird species that had arrived on their breeding grounds. The gourds were alive with the flutter of Purple Martins, an Indigo Bunting flashed it's brilliant blue colors at it flew over a meadow, and the familiar raspy song of the Scarlet Tanager could be heard from high atop the canopy.
This morning, as I walked outside to leave for work, I heard one of the sweetest sounds of the Southern Appalachians; the Wood Thrush has arrived in Chattanooga! This is perhaps my favorite sound to hear in the woods, only rivaled by the song of the Veery, or the call of the Barred Owl.
I hope you enjoy these springtime images that I took at Reflection Riding yesterday. If you find yourself in Chattanooga, be sure to stop by for a visit!
Eastern Box Turtle
Lookout Creek from the Profile Trail
Pink Ladyslipper Orchids - Cypripedium acaule
Large Flowered Trillium - Trillium Grandiflorum
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 09:22 AM
April 17, 2007
Climate Change and the I.P.C.C. -
An Interview with Carolina Mountain Club President Lenny Bernstein
Here in the southeast, the membership of the many different trail clubs contains a fascinating cross section of our society. You can participate in a hike with a club, and find yourself hiking with doctors, lawyers, scientists, carpenters, school teachers, bartenders and on & on. People of all ages, and backgrounds enjoy hiking.
In the past year, I've had the pleasure of interacting with some of the many dedicated volunteers from the Asheville, North Carolina based Carolina Mountain Club (CMC). The President of the CMC, Lenny Bernstein, has been involved with the issue of climate change for nearly two decades. Until 1999, Lenny viewed this issue as an industry insider. Since then, he has been involved with one of the three IPCC committee's dealing with the subject of climate change.
On the evening of April 17, Lenny joined me for a 27 minute 34 second phone interview about his work with the IPCC on climate change. To listen to this interview, please turn on your computer speakers and click on this link. (12.7 MB). I hope that you find this interview interesting.
At the upcoming Great Southeastern Hiking Festival, we'll have an educational session on the topic of Climate Change. I hope you'll consider joining us for this great event May 3-6, 2007 at the Montreat Conference Center, which is just east of Asheville, North Carolina. We hope to continue this conversation on climate change at the event, in between hikes and some excellent entertainment.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:15 PM
Author of "Haunted Hikes: Spine-Tingling Tales and Trails
from North America's National Parks" to appear at Hiking Festival
On Saturday May 5, The Great Southeastern Hiking Festival comes to Black Mountain, North Carolina. From 9 AM until 7 PM, a free festival will take place in downtown Black Mountain. This free festival runs concurrent with a 4-day conference that will be taking placce in nearby Montreat, NC. Music and speakers will be featured throughout the day. There will also be a number of exhibits setup throughout town, including booths representing American Hiking Society, the Carolina Mountain Club, NC Bartram Trail Society, and the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail.
At 2 PM former NPS park ranger, Andrea Lankford serves up a backpackful of spooky stories and freaky folklore from her critically acclaimed book, Haunted Hikes: Spine-Tingling Tales and Trails from North America's National Parks. Reviewers describe Andrea's strange but true tales from near and afar as "spell-binding," "fun," and "Oooh, scary!" During the book signing that follows, get a free cool and creepy sports bottle with your book purchase.
We hope to see lots & lots of folks at the festival, so mark your calendar, and plan to bring the entire family for a fun filled day!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 04:02 PM
American Hiking Society on
90.7 WFAE in Charlotte, NC
On Monday April 16, American Hiking Society's work in the southeast was profiled in a 1-hour interview on the Charlotte NPR affiliate 90.7 WFAE. Jeff Brewer of the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail, American Hiking Society Ambassador Bill Gupton, and me - Jeffrey Hunter - had a lively discussion with Charlotte Talks host Mike Collins.
To listen to this interview, please visit the Charlotte Talks audio archive. Scroll down until you find the April 16 program entitled Great Southeastern Hiking Festival, and click on the LISTEN icon to launch this 55 minute interview. This interview should be available online for 60 days.
Enjoy!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 11:12 AM
Mid State Trail (PA) Slideshow
Sue Turner (aka Hammock Hanger) is currently making her way north along the Great Eastern Trail. Sometime in late summer, Sue will find herself in the Keystone State. There she will walk the Mid State Trail, which is part of the Great Eastern Trail.
John Stein, the Everett Region Manager of the Mid State Trail Assocition sent me a link this morning containing several slideshows of the Mid State Trail. The photos were recently taken by Tim Segina. To check out the stunning beauty of Central Pennsylvania, please visit the following link.
Enjoy!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 10:08 AM
April 15, 2007
Google Earth adds Hiking Trail Layer
The latest version of Google Earth has added a layer that includes hiking trails from across the US, including the entire Pacific Crest Trail.
Here's how to use the service;
- Start Google Earth
- Go to "Layers" in the Sidebar on the left
- Expand the "Featured Content" folder under "Primary Database"
- Click the "Trimble Outdoors Trips" checkbox
- If you don't see "Trimble Outdoors Trips" checkbox, you may need to download the latest version of Google Earth./li>
- In the main window, pan and zoom into the area of interest to you until you see red lines and dots indicating Trimble Outdoors trips
- Continue to zoom in until you see little "Green Hikers"
- Depending on the zoom level and context, clicking a Green Hiker will open a popup window with detailed information about a trip or its element, for example a photo as shown above.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 01:16 PM
April 13, 2007
April 13 - Killdeer Update
Our Killdeer has been sitting on her second clutch of eggs since March 27. Her first nest was accidently destroyed by the lawn care guy, so I have since staked out the nest so that it won't be trampled. Since Killdeer eggs take between 24-28 days to hatch, they probably have another 7-10 days to go before we have babies.
Last week I ran off a feral cat that was snooping around the nest, and today, about 15 minutes before I shot the video below, a Coopers Hawk flew menacingly close to the nest. The Killdeer sitting on the nest flew off moments before the hawk swooped 3' over the nest!
After spotting 4 eggs in the nest on March 28, we're down to three eggs. I'm not sure what happened to the fourth egg. Perhaps it wasn't viable.
I'll continue to provide updates through the time that the eggs hatch. Since baby Killdeer are precotial (pre-COE-shul), they will be running around the lawn within 24 hours of hatching. It should make for some fun video.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 10:48 AM
April 11, 2007
Early Registration Deadline for
The Great Southeastern Hiking Festival ends April 16
The deadline for early registration for The Great Southeastern Hiking Festival ends on April 16! After April 16, you can still register, but our registration fee increase.
This 4-day conference will be held May 3-6 at the Montreat Conference Center, just 15 minutes east of Asheville, NC. Activities at the conference include more than 20 hikes, a series of outstanding educational sessions, great speakers, and fantastic entertainment.
You don't want to miss this fun and educational event! Checkout our festival website and register today!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:39 PM
Christine Kane Releases new Concert DVD
Performing May 5 at The Great Southeastern Hiking Festival
Asheville based Singer/Songwriter Christine Kane has released a new concert DVD entitled Live at the Diana Wortham Theatre. Filmed live in Asheville, this DVD features 16 of Christine's songs.
Well, Christine is playing The Great Southeastern Hiking at the Montreat Conference Center on Saturday May 5! The performance is included with registration for our 4-day conference that includes hikes, educational sessions, great speakers, and much more. Or you can purchase tickets to see Christine's performance online for $15 each. We hope to see you there! In the meantime, enjoy a couple of Christine's performances (below) from her new DVD.
Christine Kane - Right Outta Nowhere
Christine Kane - No Such Thing As Girls Like That
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:07 PM
April 05, 2007
Great Eastern Trail Thru-Hike Makes the News
Sue Turner's attempted thru-hike of the Great Eastern Trail has been covered by the Brewton Standard. Here's the full text of the article;
Hammock's hike
By Lydia Grimes - features writer
The weather did not look promsing Monday morning, but it did not deter “Hammock Hanger” from her plans.
Sue Turner, better known by her hiking name, “Hammock Hanger,” was ready to begin a new hike, and bad weather was not going to stand in her way.
Turner is the first to walk a new trail that begins at the Alabama-Florida line, one that local hikers have been busy setting up.
Eric Douglas and Johnny Miller of Brewton have been mapping out the new trail for some time.
They will see their hard work pay off as Turner makes her way through the Conecuh National Forest. She is the first woman to take the new trail, which will link the Florida trail to others along the way to her destination in upstate New York.
Douglas said the new trail is a dream come true for him.
“I have been back-packing in the Rockies before but wanted to find something a little closer to home,” he said.
“The trails in Florida didn't quite link up to ones in Alabama. All the hiking trails in Conecuh National Forest are in Covington County and in the eastern part of the forest. I got the idea to connect them and began to chat online on the Internet. We formed a committee, and from that meeting came the Alabama Hiking Trail Society.”
Minor problems along the way posed no hindrance to the overall goal, Douglas said.
“Every time we had a problem, we would have a door open for us,” he said. “We established a route from Rock Creek at the end of the Florida National Scenic Trail. From there it becomes the Alabama Roadwalk, which is an old road. The trail leads to the Alabama Pinhoti Trail, which links up to the Great Eastern Trail. Sue will be the first to hike the new trail.”
According to a press release, the connected trails are more than 1,700 miles from the Alabama-Florida state line to the Finger Lakes in New York. The trail is an alternate to the Appalachian Trail which is now used by many hikers. The new trail will be more primitive with fewer encounters along the way, Douglas said. Turner is expected to be able to see some of the most beautiful and primitive countryside, much like the Appalachian Trail was in the early 1920s.
“When I headed out on the AT in 2001, I didn't want to overwhelm myself with the prospect of walking 2,000-plus miles,” Turner said.
“I set small goals for myself and celebrated when those goals were obtained. I will take it trail by trail, kind of like the old saying ‘one step at a time' or ‘one foot in front of the other.'”
Turner said she has her back-pack down to around 25 pounds.
“It is at 13 pounds base and then depending on how much food I am carrying it can go up to 21-25 pounds,” she said. “That is very doable, especially since I headed out on the AT with a 55-pound pack. I know the lighter pack is the only thing that allows my knees to keep me moving.”
Turner said her biggest obstacle are the “feelings of homesickness” for her husband - but this time she has a plan.
“It is (at) about the six-week period that I start to get really crazy. This year (my husband) will meet me at Trail Days and we will spend some time together after the festival. Then I will take a vacation from the trail in July, to go home and see him and the kids.
“Lastly he will come out to see me either at the end of the hike or for my birthday if the hike seems to be going past the month of August.”
Turner hopes to complete the journey by mid-September. She invites all of those who are interested to follow her adventure at her online journal.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 12:53 PM
Rock Mining Threatens Cumberland Trail
A cascade along the Cumberland Trail - just north of where
the rock removal is taking place. Photo by Jeffrey Hunter
Judge denies rock mining injunction
Temporary restrictions will keep equipment of miners 50 feet from Cumberland Trail.
By Pam Sohn Staff Writer - Chattanooga Times Free Press
A Hamilton County chancellor on Wednesday ordered rock miners not to use mechanized or motorized machines to extract mountain stone from the Cumberland Trail State Park within 50 feet of the Cumberland Trail.
But Cumberland Trail Executive Director Paul Freeman remains concerned that the very steep terrain along most of the trail where it traverses the side of Walden’s Ridge above Soddy-Daisy means any mining above the trail will make hiking there a liability.
“If this were on flat plain, it would probably be OK, but this is a very steep area,” Mr. Freeman said. “If a rock gets away, it can travel 1,000 feet. If they are doing anything above the trail, it will be hard to keep the public safe.”
In the ruling, Chancellor Frank Brown denied the state’s request to order a stop on all rock mining on state property in the 300-mile-long park. Park lands extend varying distances from the trail, ranging from a few feet in some areas to many acres in others. State officials sought the injunction after trail walkers in January reported a 70-to-100-yard section of the trail torn up by a rock mining operation for Florida-based Lahiere/Hill Partnership.
But the chancellor did create what he called “a limited temporary injunction.”
Harvesters may not extract rock “by any means” within 25 feet of the nearest edge of the hiking trail, and they may not use any mechanized or motorized machinery to harvest rock between 25 and 50 feet from the nearest edge of the hiking trail.
“However, they may obtain rock by manual means, i.e. break rock by a sledgehammer or other hand tool, pick up loose rocks, and transport the stone by hand, wheelbarrow or carts to trucks located more than 50 feet from the area nearest the Cumberland Trail,” the ruling states.
Chancellor Brown’s ruling Wednesday was not intended to address other issues in the growing rock mining debate, including whether Tennessee mountain stone — used on many area buildings, walls and walkways — is considered a rock or a mineral.
Tennessee now has conflicting laws and state attorney general rulings. The state does not regulate the operations as mining, but the Department of Revenue allows counties to tax the stone as a mined product.
Tisha Calabrese-Benton, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, which manages state parks, said the department will continue to work with the Tennessee Attorney General’s office “to pursue a permanent solution.”
“We believe the intent of the temporary injunction ruling was to allow the activity, but in a safe manner,” she said. “We are certainly hopeful that will be the case and the trail can be reopened.”
Sharon Curtis-Flair, spokeswoman for the Tennessee attorney general’s office, said attorneys would review the opinion before making a decision on future legal action.
The mineral rights owner, Elmer Hill of Florida, and the mining contractor, Marty Daggett, of Pikeville, Tenn., could not be reached for comment.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 11:20 AM
April 03, 2007
Historic hike of the Great Eastern Trail begins!
Sue Turner about to begin her hike of the Great Eastern Trail
Photo by Johnny Miller
On Sunday April 1, Sue Turner (aka Hammock Hanger) began her planned thru-hike of the Great Eastern Trail. This is the first attempted thru-hike of this newly announced trail system that stretches from Florida to New York State.
This morning I received a photograph of Sue as she signed in at the kiosk at the Florida - Alabama border. This image was taken by Johnny Miller of the Alabama Hiking Trail Society.
If you'd like to follow along on Sue's journey, you can do so by visiting her online trail journal. Please take a moment and sign her guestbook with some words of encouragement.
I'll provide updates on Sue's progress in the coming weeks and months, including trip reports from the times when we plan to hike together.
Sue Turner walking a Forest Service road in South Alabama
Photo by Johnny Miller
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:33 AM
April 02, 2007
The Osborne Tract:
Video of a new accessible trail
On Sunday April 1 I visited the Osborne Tract, a newly constructed accessible segment of the Appalachian Trail in NE Tennessee. This trail was designed and constructed by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and volunteers from the Tennessee Eastman Hiking & Canoe Club. Please take a moment to view the 1 minute 45 second video below to learn more about this trail.
Enjoy!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 07:08 AM
April 01, 2007
The Osborne Tract
A handicapped accessible section of the Appalachian Trail
You are here! Or maybe you wish you were!
Today I found myself in NE Tennessee after attending a trail meeting in Blowing Rock, NC. As I drove home to Chattanooga, I decided to take a detour near Elizabethton, Tennessee and drive up to visit a newly constructed segment of the Appalachian Trail. This segment of trail crosses a historic farm on a parcel of land commonly referred to as the Osborne Tract. This new section of trail was designed and built by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and their local trail maintaining organization, the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoe Club.
After winding my way up TN 91 into the Cherokee National Forest, I finally arrived at the Cross Mountain Trailhead. There I found a new gravel parking lot and a brand spanking new kiosk.
After stashing my valuables out of sight in my trunk, I walked across the road and checked out the new handicapped parking lot for the Osborne Tract. I was also struck by the fact that the access trail for the Osborne Tract was graded and sloped for access by wheelchairs. There was also a beautiful stile that was wheelchair friendly. For those of you who don't know what a stile is, it's a structure that allows hikers into an enclosed area, but either keeps livestock in or out, depending upon the situation.
The view of the Osborne Tract from near the trailhead
Continuing along the trail, I was greeted by the song of the Song Sparrow. The field that the trail passed through was surrounded by fencing. A hardwood forest bordered the trail to the west, and to the east, Shady Valley rolled out and offered majestic views. About a quarter mile from the parking lot, a series of old farm buildings were scattered across the landscape. While I was taking in the scene, a hiker made his way south along the trail, and passed me with a nod and a "hello." As he passed me, I noticed that he had a large Volkswagen hubcap affixed to his pack. I can only assume that he picked it up along the trail, and is carrying it out to the next trash receptacle.
While out on the trail, I recorded a brief audio dispatch (620 KB) explaining a bit about the trail.
A fence and some old structures on the Osborne Tract
After spending about 45 minutes walking the property and shooting some video and photographs, I headed back to the parking lot. As I arrived in the lot, a hiker emerged from the woods. Daniel Morrell is a 17 year old from Albany, New York who is attempting a northbound thru-hike. He started hiking in late February with his best friend Dean, but his buddy dropped off of the trail at Fontana Dam. His trail name is "Carefree", but he is also known online as Grandma Dixie. I asked Carefree if he'd mind spending a few minutes and allow me to interview him about his trail experiences. To listen to this 6 minute interview, please click here. (3 MB)
To see additional photographs of the Osborne Tract, and to read a recent newspaper article about this new segment of trail, please visit the Tennessee Eastman Hiking & Canoe Club Osborne Tract web page.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:19 PM