Hiking Weather

Well the hiking weather has been good by my experience. The often abnormally warm temperatures have prevented the winter moisture from freezing for the most part so eliminating some challenges in the form of ice and snow, though creating others such as slippery mud, and at times some flooded streams.  This type of weather provides for a quieter walk with more opportunity to listen to the woods.  Bear activity is of course down with the cooler temps, however in one of my routes off the primary beaten path I have noticed fresh skat and taken note to proceed with awareness as recently as the 27th.  For anyone reading that doubts this report "because bears are hibernating", I'd suggest, while you're waiting for spring, please research the black bears "hibernation" behavior. 
The campsite in the picture was found off a man-way far from any park designated campsite and I 'stumbled" upon it while bushwhacking up an old logging road.  It did not appear to have been used recently, at least their were no ashes in the fire-pit only leaves fallen from last fall.  

The Great Smoky Mountains Festival of Christmas Past 2014

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has announced the 38th annual Festival of Christmas Past celebration scheduled on Saturday, December 14, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Sugarlands Visitor Center. The event, sponsored in cooperation with Great Smoky Mountains Association, is free to the public. “This is our 38th year of celebrating the holiday season through traditional mountain music, storytelling, and crafts,” said Kent Cave, North District Resource Education Supervisor. “It is the Park’s obligation and privilege to preserve these traditions and keep them alive for future generations. Young and old alike will again have the opportunity to relive Christmas in a simpler time along the Forks of the River community.” The festival will include old-time mountain music and traditional harp singing. Demonstrations of traditional domestic skills such as the making of rag rugs, apple-head dolls, quilts, and apple butter will be ongoing throughout the day. There will also be several chances to experience these traditions hands-on, with crafts to make and take home. As in years past, the Christmas Memories Walk will be held at 11 am and 2 pm, to teach visitors about the spirit of the season in these mountains in the time period from the 1880s to 1930s. “We invite everyone to come and experience the joys of an old fashioned mountain Christmas,” said Cave. Contact the helpful folks at the Sugarlands Visitor Center for more information, the number there is 865-436-1291

Fall Colors in The Appalachians

The weather and other natural processes have allowed some awesome visual beauty in the Appalachians this fall.  This brief period of transition for the deciduous trees is in it's peak few days and despite the heavy winds form a storm front which moved through Thursday most of the colorful foliage remained.  This will all be done and gone for another year in just a few days so if you're in an area with trees go outside and enjoy the change.

These pictures were taken today on the Rich Mountain Trail, and only share a small part of the actual experience of walking among this natural beauty!  Dudes and Dudettes, the shades of red, orange, yellow, and brown are to numerous for the camera to capture, often on only one tree.  This picture below looks like it did when I was coming down the trail, on fire.

 

Jump Off the AT to Sweat Heifer

This Monday we chose the AT from New Found Gap; crowded with many folks here for the fall colors, to Jump Off, and back to the Sweat Heifer Trail where we dropped down this beautiful path experiencing numerous cascading waterfalls, some bigger than others, but all very pleasing to the senses.  A few years previous we had come up Sweat Heifer from Kephart Prong and this was a much more difficult direction to travel as there is a serious elevation gain of approximately 2300' from the Kephart Prong Shelter to the AT (3.7mls).

The walk down Sweat Heifer was peaceful and we encountered no one until the shelter at Kephart Prong.  Sweat Heifer is a great trail to incorporate into a day hike or could also be involved in an overnight roue as well and one I would recommend for solitude from the people on that portion of he AT, it's two easy access points,  the waterfalls and streams along it, and the availability of the Kephart Prong shelter on the lower end of the route.  Among other things.  Peace

 

Jakes Creek and Fall Colors

Dudes and Dudettes! What an awesome day for a walk in one of the most biologically diverse ares in the world! (That being, this part of Appalachia in which the GSMNP is located).  And "The Mysterious One" and I were lucky enough to choose Jakes Creek Trail, which was in excellent condition; thanks to the trail maintenance crews, and there was no one else hiking as we went up and a few as we descended.
Once we had rested some and enjoyed some snacks; including, apples, some gorp, and stuff, in the intersection of trails at Jake's Gap I followed the man-way over to the remnants of the old fire tower on Blanket Mountain, which took a bit longer than I expected and had my hiking partner quite concerned.

 The colors which are beginning to peak, and which will probably meet their seasonal brilliance over the next week, are as pretty when looking from below as this picture demonstrates.   Peace

This ain't Kansas...or Tennessee

Hello, I have been fortunate enough to afford the time and expense to travel to Bozeman MT this month and visit with some old friends and a town I lived in while attending college some years ago. Bozeman sits in the Gallatin Valley and is graced with numerous natural gifts which make possible all kinds of outdoor activities. Being a hiker I am choosing to walk some trails that are about to be impassable or inaccessible due to the onset of winter. There was snow around 7000' when I arrived Monday and after the snow we had yesterday that line moved to about 5500', for now. This weather forced me to go and purchase some used winter hiking boots at a local store, Second Wind Sports, which is a frugal/practical hiker's heaven! With two levels of all types of outdoor gear including boots, packs, coats, and stuff I didn't have time to look at but I am going to visit again before my departure. I had only packed some hiking shoes due to limited room in my luggage and so I was ready to do this if needed, and I got what appears to be a good pair of winter boots that fit, are relatively light, are keeping the snow out so far, and for a good price. Well these pictures are from a walk I took yesterday (9/25), in the Bridger Mtns., Gallatin National Forest, on a trail to Sacagawea Pass and Peak. Due to the potentially dangerous weather at 9000'+ when I reached the pass I decided it would not be wise to continue the short distance to the peak as I would be on a completely exposed trail with winds at approximately 40mph, blowing icy snow, with low visibility, and I was alone. I was using the rock pile to block the wind and regroup before I made my descent along a short but intense trail which coming up gains over 1000' vertical per mile from the parking area. At this parking area there is a permanent unisex toilet facility and the Fairy Lake Campground. The lake is like less than 1/4 one way from the parking area. I have seen this trail described on websites as "moderate". However it may be moderate only in distance and it is wrong to give the impression that if you can walk in a mall or across the parking lot at "wally world" you can do this trail. This trail is steep, gaining a 1000' per mile over it's 2 mls to the peak and a narrow trail at times as it "switch-backs" along open rock faces of the mountain leaving you no shelter from sometimes extreme elements. Due to the fact that it was cloudy and snowing I was unable to experience the awesome vistas I was told about, and new this to be probable before leaving, however it gives me reason to return!

Hawks Nest State Park in Ansted WV

Hello, how fortunate I am to return to this part of Appalachia and experience the natural gifts as well as the fine people in this section of our country.  The folks at Hawks Nest SP were overly kind and accommodating from the check-in Tuesday evening to the server(s) in the restaurant that served us throughout our stay.
The ironic thing about the location of this beautiful area is that it sits in the heart of coal mining country, most of this mining now done by Mountaintop Removal (see ilovemountains.org), which ultimately takes all of it away, the mountains, streams, wildlife, and any economic value of the community. 
So again, I am grateful for having the opportunity to have experienced the people and other natural gifts of this region, before it is all gone. Peace