January 19, 2017 In 2016 a fire was intentionally set along the Tallulah River in Georgia. The area was in the midst of an unprecedented draught, without rain for months, the landscape tinder. The resulting fire consumed over 20,000 acres, much if it within the Wilderness. I was invited last Thursday by the Southern Appalachians Regional Office … More Southern Nantahala Wilderness
November 27, 2016 Hiking all the trails for a particular area can take one to obscure places they would normally not even think about visiting. Cooper Creek Trail is located on a sliver of North Carolina, abutted on three sides by different jurisdictions: the Cherokee Indian Reservation, N.C., and the National Park. The trail is … More Cooper Creek Trail
November 18-20, 2016 It’s late fall and the temperatures have felt more like mid-summer rather than the cusp of winter. It has been nearly 70 days since any measurable rainfall in Western North Carolina, wildfires are popping up over the region. Most started by deranged pyromaniacs/attention seekers, but the bone dry conditions act like vat of gasoline. … More Mt. Sequoyah, Mt. Chapman
April 30 – May 1, 2016 In a clearing at the confluence of Yellowhammer Gap Trail and Nichols Cove Trail is a small cemetery. “Two Sisters of John & Marget Dotson – Born December 14, 1914 – Died December 20, 1914 – At Rest”. In front of the grave marker are two small granite markers … More Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness
September 20, 2015 The Middle Prong Wilderness is not a place to find summit vistas for miles, bustling crowds and easy to navigate trails. It is a place for moss covered rocks, gorgeous streams, and trees beyond imagination. It is a place to challenge your sense of direction. Most of all it is a place of supreme … More Middle Prong Wilderness
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