Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine

Mile-Long Petition Against New Virginia Power Plant

2008-04-18T07:22:00.002-05:00

On May 8 citizens of Southwest Virginia will be delivering the Mile-Long Petition to Dominion Virginia Power's headquarters in Richmond to tell them they don't want a new dirty coal-fired power plant in Wise County. Nearly 30,000 people have signed the petition so far. Join them at www.cleanenergyva.org.

-J.F.

Revisiting a Green Hero

2008-03-31T13:24:00.003-05:00

We covered Chris Fennell in our Green Issue last July. Here's a look back at the article on the creative artist who makes sculptures out of only discarded materials. Pictured is one of Chris's new sculptures called Barn Pine Cone at Longwood College in Farmville, Virginia. Check out more at www.cfennell.org.

Green Hero: Christopher Fennell - Published in July 2007 Blue Ridge Outdoors
Christopher Fennell sees the beauty in everything—literally. His sculptures are all made from recycled materials. He takes demolished barns, broken bicycles, and downed trees and turns them into large-scale recognizable objects, and he’s managed to turn the innovative approach into a successful career, as his work is being displayed in cities all across America.
“Discarded materials are beautiful,” says Fennell. “They’re interesting in that they have a past. In taking things that would normally be going to a landfill and turning it into something that stays around for years, I can hopefully engage people’s creativity to think about using materials differently.”
Fennell built a series of wave sculptures out of wood salvaged from barns that were about to be torn down. Waves have been displayed in Charlottesville, Va., and Chattanooga, Tenn. The University of Georgia in Athens holds Bicycle Tornado, an intertwining storm of a sculpture that was welded out of hundreds of old bikes.
His ethic comes from growing up on a farm, where he says everything was reused, be it dinner scraps or cow manure. He got the idea one day when he passed by a barn that was falling apart. He saw something in the structure that most wouldn’t.
“When I see someone burn an old barn down or throw a dead oak tree in a wood chipper, I realize those things can used,” he says.
His work has also been used for more practical purposes beyond artistic appreciation. He just finished constructing a bus stop shelter out of old school buses for the city of Athens.
Fennell just moved his studio from Washington, D.C. to Birmingham, Ala., but his work really requires him to leave a transient lifestyle, usually making him traverse the country in his old pick-up. His latest project finds him working with high school students in Rock Island, Illinois. With the group, Fennell is removing driftwood from the Mississippi River and using it to build an entranceway to a local museum.
“People think to be a sculptor you have to have bronze, marble, and an expensive studio, but I make art out of things that fit in the back of my truck and a chainsaw.”

-J.F.

West Virginia Whiteout

2008-03-05T16:19:00.004-05:00

I'm still buzzing from a weekend of snowboarding at Timberline Resort in West Virginia. By the time I hit Seneca Rocks on the drive over from Virginia, it was snowing sideways and the unplowed roads were a little hard to follow. When I got to the mountain, I quickly found myself winding through the trees in knee-deep powder and playing around in the soft fluffy stuff that I hadn't seen since I was a kid. I'm hoping for one more round before spring starts singing. Get out there and enjoy the last of the snow.

-J.F.

Buy Bill's Bus

2008-02-25T13:23:00.002-05:00

Want to make a statement at the festivals this summer? Try rolling up in the King of Bluegrass' old tour bus. The former porter of genre pioneer Bill Monroe is for sale on eBay. Bidding starts at 19K, and in my opinion the best feature has to be the "3 bullet holes in the edge of the door where Monroe was apparently shot at leaving one of his concerts."

See for yourself here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Bill-Monroe-King-of-Bluegrass-one-of-a-kind-tour-bus_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6728QQihZ0%3Cbr%3E07QQitemZ170195765269QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

-J.F.

Get Rich at Snowshoe

2008-01-22T15:09:00.000-05:00

A cool (literally) four grand is up for grabs at Snowshoe Mountain, which is posting a low temp of -2 degrees this week. This weekend the resort will host the West Virginia Open, an annual freestyle competition that will take place on Saturday, January 26. Known as the "region’s richest rail jam," the comp has a $4,000 cash purse on the table, as the top skier and snowboarder will each walk away with $2,000. Things kick off at at 5:30p.m. on Skidder Slope. More info: snowshoemtn.com.

-J.F.
www.blueridgeoutdoors.com

Words for Wise

2008-01-07T14:22:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow morning the public will have a chance to speak out about the proposed building of another coal-fired power plant in Southwest Virginia. The State Corporation Commission is holding a public hearing in Richmond on Dominion Power’s proposal to build a new power plant in Wise County. People around the region have voiced concern about the proposed 585-megawatt facility, which would be built near the town of St. Paul. If the new plant is approved it will be built less than five miles from the coal-fired Clinch River plant operated by American Electric Power in nearby Carbo—a facility that according to the EPA emits 148 pounds of toxic mercury per year and accounts for 59 premature deaths annually. Citizens are also worried about increased mountaintop removal mining, which has already scarred one-fourth of the land in Wise.

Here are the hearing details courtesy of the Southern Environmental Law Center:

WHEN: Tuesday, January 8, at 10 a.m. (speakers must arrive before 9:45 a.m.)
WHERE: At the SCC Courtroom, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond
WHAT: The SCC is considering Dominion’s application for a “certificate of public convenience and necessity” to build the plant and a rate hike to pay for it.

-J.F.
www.blueridgeoutdoors.com

Bike Bar

2007-12-04T09:48:00.001-05:00

Behold the creative genius!

-J.F.

Bare Bottom Blues - Mooning Hikers Face Federal Charges

2007-11-16T13:02:00.000-05:00

I have been known a drop my trousers from time to time, but this will make me think twice next time I am in a public place, even if it is the middle of the woods...

From the website of Boston based news channel WCTV Channel 5.

MOUNT WASHINGTON, N.H. -- Officials are cracking down on hikers who drop their pants to moon passengers on the Mount Washington cog railway.

"Mooning the cog" is a long tradition for hikers, especially those completing the Appalachian Trail, which passes over the highest point in the northeast.

But the practice offends some, and on several weekends this fall some undercover officers took a ride on the train and stopped it when hikers gave them the salute.

Eight hikers are being charged with a federal offense, since they were on National Forest land. They need to pay a fine or appear in the U.S. District Court in Concord to contest the charge.

-J.F.

The Sugar is Sweet

2007-11-07T10:03:00.000-05:00

Praise the snow gods! With the recent chill in the air, I've been optimistic that this year's Southern ski season might be better than the last. And then just like that another beacon of hope lands in my email box, informing me that today Sugar Mountain opened a few slopes. This marks one of the earliest openings ever for the North Carolina High Country resort. Will this good fortune extend to other resorts around the region? It's too early to tell, but with news like this it might be a good idea to wax and sharpen a little earlier this year. For the deets on open runs check out www.skisugar.com.

-J.F.

Whitewater Legends Honored by the International Whitewater Hall of Fame - Southern Paddlers Represent

2007-10-25T14:47:00.000-05:00

Silver Spring, MD - The International Whitewater Hall of Fame Board of Governors has announced the names of the Class of 2007 of the International Whitewater Hall of Fame (IWHOF) honorees. This newest class of whitewater legends includes a manufacturer, coach, and an artist/illustrator whose diversity represents significant accomplishment and contribution to both the sport and business of whitewater:

Walt Blackadar (deceased), of Stanley, Idaho is honored in the Explorer category not only for his first descents of Turnback Canyon on the Alsek (British Columbia) in 1971 and Devils Canyon on the Susitna (Alaska) in 1972, but for his impact on the U.S. whitewater sport. His article in Sports Illustrated in 1972 chronicling his solo descent of Turnback Canyon propelled him to almost a cult hero overnight making him a legend. Seen by millions of viewers on ABC’s American Sportsman in the 1970’s, Walt became the face of kayaking epitomizing big water river running.

Toni Prijon, Sr. of Rosenheim, Germany is honored in the Pioneer category for his life-long and on-going influence in the paddlesports industry. Toni’s touch as a designer has impacted more than 45 years of the world of whitewater as few others have. Although much of his focus through his company, Prijon Kayaks, has been on slalom and wildwater competition, his pioneering work in design has extended to include a broader influence and the popularization of plastic kayaks for every aspect of paddlesports including creek boating, playboating, recreational whitewater, and sea kayaking.

Bill Endicott of Bethesda, Maryland and William Nealy (deceased) of Hillsboro, North Carolina are honored in the Advocate category for their life-long contributions. Endicott, a coach and writer, influenced whitewater slalom in the U.S. and internationally for thirty years. Over his illustrious career, he coached athletes who won 57 medals in World Championship, World Cup, and Olympic competitions, 27 of them gold. Among these athletes include the C-1 athletes of the 1980’s who dominated world competition, including Champions Jon Lugbill and Davey Hearn, both inducted into IWHOF in 2005. His books have provided invaluable insight into the world of championship slalom competition.

William Nealy, an artist/illustrator, was often heralded as “Whitewater’s Poet Laureate” and was one of the best known ambassadors of the sport. His art captured the essence of whitewater paddling and whitewater paddlers. William began drawing river maps of the more popular rivers in the southeast U.S using his now hall-mark cartoonist style. He is perhaps best-known internationally for his groundbreaking book, Kayak: A manual of Technique (translated into five languages). It combined expert paddling instruction along with artful caricatures and parodies of the whitewater enthusiasts themselves.

Athletes Richard Fox of Penrith, Australia and Cathy Hearn of Charlotte, North Carolina are honored in the Champion category. Fox is the most decorated slalom kayaker in the history of the sport winning ten World Championship gold medals, including five individual titles. He was the innovator of smooth slalom techniques emulated by many and was the first to use a double torque kayak paddle at the ’89 World Championships. After retiring from competition, Richard moved from Great Britain to Australia to be the Head Coach for the Australian ‘00 Olympic team and played an active role in the ICF campaign to include slalom in the ’00 Olympics. He is currently responsible for the Australian Slalom and Flatwater programs building toward the ’08 Olympics.

Hearn began her two-decade winning career in international competition with an unprecedented three gold medals (’79 World Championship) in slalom, slalom team, and wildwater team events. She has always been extremely competitive in all types of whitewater including C-1 (her first whitewater boating experience) and C-2, and in wildwater in addition to slalom. Cathy has shared her knowledge during most of her career providing affordable and volunteer coaching nationally and internationally. She is the current U.S. National Coach, primarily working with the C-1 and C-2 national team athletes.

This announcement concludes a nomination process that began in February and elections by an electorate consisting of more than fifty nationally and internationally-recognized whitewater paddlers of the whitewater community. Formal induction of the newest class into the Hall of Fame will take place next year along with the 2008 Class of Inductees.

The debut presentations of the 2007 Inductee DVD will take place at the 5th Annual Whitewater Symposium (October 19-22) at ASCI in McHenry, Maryland. A screening will be held October 26th at the annual Guest Appreciation Festival at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, NC. Additional screening venue opportunities are being explored in an effort to share the accomplishments of these greats with both the paddling community and larger public.

-J.F.

Brumbelow Must Go

2007-10-01T16:23:00.000-05:00

Cumberland Island National Seashore has seen its share of dirty dealings. The most blatant was the 2004 backdoor legislation that removed wilderness designation from portions of the island—marking the first time wilderness has ever been removed from the National Wilderness Preservation System. The sneaky deal brokered by Representative Jack Kingston and wealthy Carneige heirs on Cumberland Island violated thirty years of public input overwhelmingly in favor of keeping Cumberland Island wild.

However, Cumberland Island mismanagement has sunk to an all-time low under Superintendent Jerre Brumbelow. Under his watch, an illegal building was constructed on land that belonged to the American people. The structure was constructed--with Brumbelow's approval--in an attempt to extend retained rights on Cumberland Island for another wealthy island resident. Inmate labor from the local sheriff's department was used illegally to construct the building. And permits for the building and an adjacent dock have not been located. Criminal investigations are under way by the Georgia Department of Investigations. Superintendent Brumbelow's boss has already resigned.

And yet, Brumbelow remains superintendent of Cumberland Island. The National Park Service has not dismissed or transferred Brumbelow, despite his shady dealings with the sheriff's department and his authorization of a blatantly illegal private structure on publicly owned land.

The South's most pristine national seashore is being corrupted by the dirty dealings of Brumbelow and his cronies. The National Park Service needs to restore its integrity on Cumberland by showing Brumbelow the door. The National Seashore--and the 50,000 annual visitors who cherish this wild island--deserve better.

-W.H.

Merlefest 08

2007-10-01T09:49:00.000-05:00

I have just been getting into the fall swing of things. But today's announcement of the Merlefest 2008 line-up suddenly has me excited for spring. If you live in the South, and you have a musical bone in your body, you need to check out this festival at least once. Details below:

Once again Doc Watson will host the four-day festival to be held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, NC on April 24-27, 2008. Tickets will go on sale November 13.

Doc and Merle's son Richard Watson will be joined by The Avett Brothers; Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet featuring Bela Fleck, Casey Driessen, & Ben Sollee; Sam Bush; The Carolina Chocolate Drops; Jerry Douglas; Levon Helm & The Midnight Ramble on the Road with Special Guests; Tim O'Brien; The Waifs; The Waybacks; Old Crow Medicine Show; Solas "Reunion,"with Karan Casey & John Doyle; Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby with Kentucky Thunder; Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mtn Boys; Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives; Dan Tyminski Band; Alison Brown Quartet with Joe Craven; Donna The Buffalo; Blue Highway; The Claire Lynch Band; Dirk Powell & Riley Baugus; Tony Rice; Peter Rowan; Ollabelle; Sally Van Meter; Rhonda Vincent & The Rage; Pete Wernick & Flexigrass; The John Cowan Band; David Holt; The Infamous Stringdusters; Jorma Kaukonen; Hot Buttered Rum and many more.

-J.F.

National Public Land's Day

2007-09-28T15:33:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is National Public Land's Day--the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands outdoor enthusiasts enjoy. The day was started in 1994 with three federal agencies and 700 volunteers. Last year nearly 100,000 volunteers worked in 1,100 locations covering every state in the U.S. The volunteers built trails and bridges, planted trees and plants, and removed trash and invasive plants. This year efforts are only increasing, as NPLD events are taking place all over the South and Mid-Atlantic. If you're in the D.C. area, REI is leading a trail relocation in Greenbelt National Park. Down near Asheville, N.C., the Appalachian Trail Conservancy is leading a workshop that focuses on invasive and exotic plant identification and removal in the Pisgah National Forest. To find an event in your area visit www.publiclandsday.org and use the state-by-state tracker to see where you can help.

Happy Trails,

J.F.

Guilty Boy Floyd

2007-09-20T13:47:00.000-05:00

Floyd Landis officially did not win the 2006 Tour de France. According to the Associate Press, "Landis lost his expensive and explosive doping case Thursday when arbitrators upheld the results of a test that showed the 2006 Tour de France champion used synthetic testosterone to fuel his spectacular comeback victory, The Associated Press has learned. The decision means Landis, who repeatedly has denied using performance-enhancing drugs, must forfeit his Tour de France title and is subject to a two-year ban, retroactive to Jan. 30, 2007."

I hadn't thought about this in a while, but a few weeks ago some friends told me Landis was in the Blue Ridge. He jumped on a mountain bike and took third at the increasingly popular Shenandoah Mountain 100 race near Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Apparently Landis was having a great time hanging out with a lot of the region's best riders. But the shroud of potential disgrace still lingered.

After the race SM 100 women's winner Sue Haywood told me, "(Landis) is a really nice guy with an interesting personality, but the verdict is still out, so it was still an awkward situation.”

Now the verdict is in, and Landis will undoubtedly face increased alienation from his peers. If he really cheated, I'm glad justice was served. But overall I hope this is a step toward a cure for a doping epidemic that is still showing very few signs of going away.

-J.F.

Running Terrorists?

2007-09-04T17:14:00.000-05:00

One of the country's most popular and offbeat social running clubs was considered a terrorist group last week.

The New Haven, Conn., chapter of the Hash House Harriers, a worldwide group that bills itself as a "drinking club with a running problem," met last Thursday for their weekly group run, called a "hash." In a hash, "hares" are given a head-start and mark their trail with flour, and a few minutes later, the other runners give chase—following the trail of flour through an unpredictable mix of urban landscapes.

Last Thursday, the hares ran through the parking lot of an IKEA furniture store. Police received a phone call that someone was throwing powder on the ground, prompting a massive police response, and the entire IKEA store was evacuated. The hares have been charged with a felony, and the mayor of New Haven plans to seek restitution from the hares and the running club for causing a bioterrorism scare.

Hashers are as American as they get--beer-guzzling, fun-loving outdoor enthusiasts trying not to take themselves too seriously. The only thing more patriotic than drinking beer is exercising; hashers do both, often at the same time. Sadly, too much national security can create a state of insecurity.

-W.H.

Saving a Pristine Appalachian Forest

2007-08-24T14:53:00.000-05:00

One of eastern Tennessee’s premiere trout streams and ancient forests is about to be bulldozed by a major logging project in the north end of the Cherokee National Forest. The proposed Rough Ridge timber sale just east of Johnson City, Tenn., would also degrade mature forests and chop up scenic views along the Appalachian Trail and other paths popular with outdoor enthusiasts.

The Forest Service plans to log 267 acres in eight chunks scattered throughout the watershed of Laurel Fork. Laurel Fork is one of the most pristine streams in the Appalachians. The timber sale also involves building or rebuilding almost five miles of logging roads, which will also contribute to muddy runoff into the Laurel Fork.

The timber sale violates the National Environmental Policy Act as well as the Forest Service's own guidelines, says Southern Environmental Law Center's Sarah Francisco: “It’s astonishing, really, that the Forest Service would choose to put a large-scale timber sale smack dab in the middle of one of its premier trout habitat and trail areas.”

“I’ve been going Laurel Fork for 40 years, and have taken four generations of my family to enjoy camping, picnics, trout fishing, and hiking to beautiful waterfalls,” says Catherine Murray, Executive Director of the Cherokee Forest Voices. “There is something here for everyone. It would be a shame to spoil it.”

The Forest Service directs each forest to preserve existing old growth – and to set aside future old-growth reserves – in executing each timber sale and other projects. In the Laurel Fork watershed, the Cherokee managers failed to do so, even though the conservation groups conducted field surveys to identify and recommend older forest areas in the watershed.

“The Forest Service did not designate any old-growth forest in reviewing this logging project, continuing a pattern of not following its own management plan or regional direction to establish an old-growth network,” says Hugh Irwin with the Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition.

According to the Forest Service's own statistics, well over 2 million people visited the Cherokee National Forest in 2002, and annual spending per visitor on outdoor recreation averages $1,197. State numbers show that travel and tourism provide Carter County upwards of $25 million a year and more than 150 jobs. The Rough Ridge area has plentiful features to attract these outdoor enthusiasts. It is part of the Watauga Lake Recreation Zone and the Laurel Fork Black Bear Reserve, and is bordered by the Dennis Cove Recreation Area, the Pond Mountain Wilderness Area, and the Slide Hollow Roadless Area. The A.T. runs along one edge of the project area and overlooks all stands slated for logging, and the project area itself is criss-crossed by hiking and mountain biking trails.

By contrast, Francisco said, the agency estimates getting $283,970 for the timber. But, she noted, it says it will spend $243,841 to conduct the sale, and that doesn’t even include the cost of the legally required environmental analysis.

The Southern Environmental Law Center filed an appeal of this logging project on August 20, 2007 on behalf of the Cherokee Forest Voices and Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition. They are calling the Forest Service on its failure to protect water quality and recreational values of this area, and its failure to designate existing and future old-growth forest stands.

-W.H.

Tri It in the Nude

2007-08-09T14:24:00.000-05:00

As the heatwave continues to cripple the South, this weekend certainly doesn't seem like it will be ideal for a triathlon. But might you be willing to competitively run, bike, and swim this Saturday, if you can do it in your birthday suit?

If your answer is yes, consider signing up for the Bare Hare Sprint Triathlon. The event taking place on August 11 at the Bar-S-Ranch Nudist Resort in Reidsville, N.C., near Greensboro, is claiming to be the country's first clothing optional triathlon. The sprint distance race will feature a 500M lake swim, a 20K mountain bike ride (talk about saddle sore!), and a 5K trail run. The race is open to anyone over the age of 18. Sorry curious high-schoolers.

I for one like the idea of a race where you can really let it all hang out. But for crying out loud, go with SPF 30+ on the places where the sun doesn't usually shine!

For more information visit www.bar-s-ranch.com.

-J.F.

Good Move Bishop

2007-08-03T08:13:00.000-05:00

We already know Jeremiah Bishop is a winner. The elite world class cross country mountain biker from Harrisonburg, Virginia, a former Pan American Games Gold Medalist and last year's NORBA National champ, has been racking up podium placements for the last seven years.

But recently he used one of his victories to help a worthy cause. Last weekend Bishop won North Carolina's Showdown at Sugar Mountain National Mountain Bike Series event. Instead of throwing himself a party he donated his prize money to World Bicycle Relief, an organization dedicated to helping others find independence and livelihood through the power of bicycles. Bishop's donation will go toward the organization's latest project, which involves providing 26,000 bicycles to trained HIV/AIDS healthcare workers and educators in Zambia, Africa. The objective is to bring healthcare to patients, patients to clinics, and preventative care education to communities. This project will require two-years and $2,969,000.

“Donating my prize money is a way I can share the benefits that I’ve enjoyed from a lifetime of riding bicycles,” Bishop said. “I believe the bicycle is a practical answer to many of our world’s problems, and this is demonstrated by the success of World Bicycle Relief projects.”

Bishop also threw out a challenge to the rest of us. To the first person to match his donation of $380 (Man, mountain bikers make a killing don't they?), he will give his number plate and an autographed jersey.

To join Bishop in support of World Bicycle Relief, visit www.worldbicyclerelief.org.

-J.F.

Hike Shenandoah with the NPCA

2007-07-20T11:36:00.000-05:00

Shenandoah National Park is a treasure that all Blue Ridge outdoor enthusiasts value. Unfortunately it is also one of the most endangered national parks in the country, hosting a range of problems from ozone pollution that limits its beloved scenic vistas to invasive species that are wiping out its massive hemlock trees. Starting at the beginning of August the National Parks Conservation Association, the top watchdog of the National Park System since 1919, is offering a series of weekend hikes in Shenandoah with the intention of not only opening people's eyes to the park's beauty but also educating them on the things that need to change for the park to survive.

Read the NPCA's description of the hikes below. If any of them interest you, contact Erin St. John at estjohn@npca.org to reserve your spot.

August 4 at 11 a.m.-Wilderness Buck Ridge Trail Loop
This moderately strenuous 5.6-mile hike will provide the perfect setting to discuss wilderness and backcountry issues that relate to national parks. Meet at the south end of Meadow Springs parking area, Mile Marker 35.5.

August 18 at 2 p.m.-Mercury at South River Falls
Spend the afternoon on this 4.4-mile moderate trail to South River Falls, the park's third largest waterfall. Hikers can learn more about how mercury is polluting our parks and how NPCA is working to reduce this toxic pollutant. Meet at the South River Picnic Area, Mile Marker 62.8.

September 2 at 2 p.m.-Tree Identification on the Sugarloaf-Keyser Run Fire Road-Hogback Mountain Trail
Bring your tree guidebooks and explore Shenandoah's forests on this 5.9-mile easy loop. Meet south of the Hogback Overlook (park in lot on west side of the drive), Mile Marker 21.

September 16 at 9 a.m.-"Leave No Trace" in White Oak Canyon
This strenuous but rewarding 8.2-mile hike will take hikers into the deepest ravines and views of waterfalls and high cliffs. Guides will discuss the "Leave No Trace" principles on how to enjoy the parks with the least amount of impact. Meet at Hawksbill Parking Area, just south of Mile Marker 45.

September 29 at 9 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.-Help Our Parks on National Public Lands Day!
Volunteers will be removing invasive species from the meadow that threaten the rare plant community. Dress in field clothes, including full-length pants and shoes. Meet in the Massanutten Room, Big Meadows Lodge at 9 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.

October 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.-Journaling on Corbin Hollow Trail
Bob Trope from Nature's Best Photography magazine and Amy Marquis from National Parks magazine will lead writing and sketching exercises during this moderate 4.3-mile hike. This hike is most appropriate for participants 16 and over; space is limited to the first 12 participants. Meet in the parking area on west side of the road at Mile Marker 37.9.

October 27 at 2 p.m.-Climate Change on Hawksbill Summit
Join NPCA's Director of Clean Air Program Mark Wenzler for a 2.8-mile moderate hike to the summit of the parks highest mountain. Learn about how climate change is affecting our national parks and how you can help. Meet at Hawksbill Gap parking area, Mile Marker 45.6.

-J.F.

Trail Magic

2007-07-09T14:42:00.000-05:00

Good news for Blue Ridge hikers on the lookout for new trails. The Maryland-based American Hiking Society recently awarded nearly $50,000 in grants to 16 nonprofit, trail-focused organizations across the country.

One of the AHS's biggest gifts went to the Palmetto Conservation Foundation. The South Carolina organization received $5,000 to help with the ongoing construction of the lengthy Palmetto Trail, a proposed 425-mile trail extending across the state.

Other Southern trail groups that grabbed a little cash include the North Carolina-based Nantahala Hiking Club and Tennessee's Cumberland Trail Conference, which is continuing to work on the Cumberland Trail, which will eventually stretch for over 300 miles from Kentucky's Cumberland Gap National Park south to Chickamauga Chattanooga National Military Park and Prentice Cooper Wildlife Management Area just outside Chattanooga.

Since creating its National Trails Fund in 1997, American Hiking Society has awarded nearly $340,000 in grants to 89 different trail projects across the country.

-Jedd Ferris

The Spotted Owl of the South

2007-06-29T13:29:00.000-05:00

In the 1990s, the spotted owl helped protect ancient redwood forests from destruction in the Pacific Northwest. What species best speaks for the South—now the most heavily logged region of the country?

I nominate the brookie.

True, a slimy brown fish may not be as sexy as a broad-winged owl gliding through the forest, but it's no less important for the long-term health of our forests and communities. The brook trout has long symbolized the natural beauty and abundant outdoors recreation opportunities in the Southern Appalachians. The native species, which survives only in the cleanest, coldest water, is also a symbol of water quality in our mountains.

Protecting native trout--and the mountain streams they inhabit--is a priority for outdoor enthusiasts in the Southeast. Logging creates sedimentation and higher water temperatures, degrading the long-term health of our water resources.

While brookie populations have declined dramatically, some of the last, best habitat is found on our public lands, including the Nantahala National Forest in southwestern North Carolina.Here, it's not logging, but illegal Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) use, that is destroying brook trout habitat on the Tellico.

Fortunately, the Southern Environmental Law Center has joined forces with conservation groups to ensure the Forest Service, which manages these lands, takes the necessary action to protect brook trout habitat. In particular, the agency has failed to enforce limits on off-road vehicle (ORV) riding in the upper Tellico River watershed, one of the largest and most heavily used ORV areas in the South.

Years of intensive use have severely eroded the trails, some to a depth of six and seven feet. There are twice as many Forest Service-designated trails as allowed by law, not counting innumerable illegal trails. Further, many trails are within 100 feet of trout streams, in violation of state and federal law.

With ORV use growing rapidly in our region, Southern Environmental Law Center is making sure the Forest Service knows that the law is unambiguous - water quality and mountain trout come first.

For more information about the legal action recently taken to protect the brook trout and the clear, cool mountrain streams of the Southeast, visit www.southernenvironment.org.

-Will Harlan

Don't Jump...at Summersville Lake

2007-06-19T15:31:00.000-05:00

In our current June issue we told you about the cornucopia of cliff jumping options at West Virginia's Summersville Lake. The scenic craggy cliffs around the stunning lake have long been used for diving and deep water solo climbing by regional recreationists. Well, it turns out it has recently become illegal to take any sort of plunge into the lake. On May 25, after we had already gone to press, the Huntington West Virginia District of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers sent out a press release banning cliff jumping/diving on all district managed recreational property. Unfortunately Summersville falls into the district.

Citing 69 water-related deaths in the Huntington District since 1993 and seven in 2006 the release said, "Cliff jumping/diving is a reckless and potentially very dangerous activity that has always been strongly discouraged on USACE recreational projects. Recent water-related accidents and fatalities have prompted Huntington District to take the lead in prohibiting this activity."

Failure to obey these warnings could result in a penalty of up to $5,000 or even federal imprisonment.

Blue Ridge Outdoors will explore this issue more in a future issue, as Summersville access is sure to become a hot topic of interest.

Thanks to reader Spencer Ingram for the tip.

-J.F.

Saving Mills River

2007-06-08T14:00:00.000-05:00

Yet another chunk of Western North Carolina wildlands is being threatened by developers, this time from a Hummer-driving "outdoorsman” who wants to turn wild rivers and 84 acres of forest land in the Mills River Recreation Area into housing with a fly fishing lodge.

The Hendersonville County Commission didn’t go for it, causing developer Kent Smith to withdraw his plans, but he will soon be back with a new proposal. Smith is chief executive officer and director of Global Development Resources Inc. His company has also developed Somersby Park in Laurel Park.

Smith obtained the land for about $2.1 million at a bankruptcy auction. One group has appraised the area at $4.6 million, but Smith says it’s worth even more than that because he can squeeze 86 houses on to it and because it’s nestled into the Pisgah National Forest. What he is not taking into consideration is the damage that would cause the rivers, the trout, and the forest. These world-renowned wild fly-fishing waters would no longer be wild. The attraction would be gone. So would the trout. So would the serenity.

“There is benefit to us in not developing it, and it would be a good thing to not develop it,” he says out of the side of his mouth. “I would still like to work something out, but it has got to be reasonably close to what we would make.”

What he WOULD make. It seems to me that he took a gamble on this property, assuming he could develop it into a housing community. What if I bought it, assuming that I would develop it into an amusement park with shopping mall? Wouldn’t that make even more money? I guess that means I could sell it for $20 million. A housing development is not feasible, therefore he cannot sell the land as if it could ever be a housing development. He made a mistake. That’s what he needs to tell his stockholders. Instead, he is asking conservation groups to pay the cost of his mistake.

Groups like the Mills River Partnership and Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy say they have made an offer based on an independent appraisal commissioned by both the developer and conservationists. However, Smith is not interested in what they have to offer.

“The people who wanted it to remain natural did not outbid me at the auction,” he told the Hendersonville Times-News. “I would say to some of the people that are going to show up at planning and zoning in opposition, they should make a contribution to the acquisition of it.”

In other words, he cares about money. He won’t even consider what is best for the land unless he is paid to do so, and he doesn’t want to hear what anyone has to say unless they have money.

There is undoubtedly a large population who would buy or rent houses in such an area and pay for fly-fishing tours. Those people would not know the difference between a wild river and one that has pollution leached into it from a septic system and housing development. They would stand in the stream with their fly rods, not catching the trout that are no longer there, quietly assuming that their guide sucked.

The outdoor community must remain vigilant, informed, and involved if we want to keep the Mills River Recreation Area and Pisgah National Forest the beautiful, fun and serene place that it is.

—Bettina Freese, Blue Ridge Outdoors contributing editor

It's a Family Affair

2007-06-07T09:25:00.000-05:00

The Jackson Family is at it again, still dominating the world of rodeo kayaking. According to the website Paddling Instructor (www.paddlinginstructor.com), the Tennessee-based Jacksons took three podium spots at the Teva Mountain Games this past Saturday in Vail, Colorado.

For the third year in a row, three-time World Freestyle Kayaking Champion Eric Jackson, the father of the family, won the men's title, while his daughter, Emily, 17, topped the women's competition. Dane, 13, took third behind his father.

"Unbelievable. Last year, Emily and I had a great round and I thought that was about as good as it gets," Eric said.

-J.F.

The most important four letters in the South

2007-05-02T11:47:00.000-05:00

LWCF.

Most folks have never heard of the LWCF acronym, which stands for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Yet LWCF has been the single most important way of acquiring public recreation lands over the past 40 years.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was established by Congress in 1965. The Act designated that a portion of receipts from offshore oil and gas leases be placed into a fund annually for state and local conservation, as well as for the protection of national parks, forests, and wildlife areas (LWCF does not in any way encourage oil and gas drilling, but simply ensures that a portion of the profits is used for buying public recreation lands). From local baseball fields to Yellowstone National Park, LWCF has enabled federal agencies to acquire nearly seven million acres of land and funded more than 37,000 state and local park and recreation projects. LWCF project sites in the Southeast include popular recreational areas as Harper's Ferry in West Virginia and the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta.

LWCF is authorized at $900 million annually, a level that has been met only twice during the program's history. Under the Clinton Administration, the LWCF was funded at $600 million. The Bush Administration has drastically slashed its funding to $59 million, the lowest ever in its 40-year history.

LWCF is particularly important for the Southeast, where significant population growth threatens the 25 million acres of forested lands within national forest purchase boundaries. The U.S. Forest Service ranks the Southeast as the area of the country that is losing valuable open space at the fastest rate and whose forest resources are most at risk. Here are more startling stats:

• The Southeast experienced the highest growth of any region in the country in the 80s and 90s, losing 6.5 million acres to development
• Of the 15 watersheds with the highest projected housing density growth, nine are located in the Southeast
• The Southeast produces the most timber in the country and has 89 percent of its forests in private ownership
• The lush Southeast contains some of the country's greatest biodiversity, including 1,208 vertebrate species, of which 132 are “of concern” and 28 are critically imperiled.

Despite the urgent need for more public lands in the Southeast, the Bush Administration’s 2008 budget recommendations contain no Southeastern LWCF projects whatsoever.

Fortunately, a new Congress and grassroots organizations are working for increased LWCF funding. Contact the Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition or visit www.safc.org for specific ways that you can support increased LWCF funding and more public lands in the Southeast.

-Will Harlan