Gray’s Arch Trail

May 2, 2010 by

Hiker Red River Gorge Backpacking Map
Distance: 3.4 Miles loop trail
Difficulty: ++
Scenic Views: ++++
Elevation Relief: 400ft ^
Ownership: Daniel Boone National Forest, USFS

Red River Gorge Backpacking Map: $14

This well-used and maintained trail is the first (or last) segment of the challenging 10-mile Power Loop Hike. Starting at Gray’s Arch trailhead parking (map) walk a short quarter-mile double-width foot trail to an intersection with the Martin’s Fork Trail. Continue to the right passing the small field on Butterfly Hill. About a mile into the hike, you’ll find a few ridge top campsites west of the trail. An unmapped trail follows a narrow ridge above Left Flank climbing area.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: All Hikes, Hikes: Red River Gorge Tagged With:

Swift Camp Creek Trail

April 8, 2010 by 1 Comment

Hiker Red River Gorge Backpacking Map
Distance: 7.8 Miles one-way
Difficulty: +++
Scenic Views: +++
Elevation Relief: 500ft ^
Ownership: Daniel Boone National Forest, USFS

Red River Gorge Backpacking Map: $14

The best trail in the Clifty Wilderness Area. Starting at Rock Bridge trailhead and hiking down Swift Camp Creek as it cuts a steep, narrow gorge, you’ll experience the least-visited area in the Red River Gorge. Trail often skirts cliff edges and side trails wind down to the creek and cool water in the summer heat. Nice campsites exist near Pooch’s Turtle Falls, Don Juan’s Garden, and Steamboat Rock.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: All Hikes, Hikes: Red River Gorge Tagged With:

2010 Draft of New Great Smoky Mountains Trail Map

March 18, 2010 by 5 Comments

Welcome to our new topographic map of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At 1:50,000 scale, this will be the most detailed map published of the park. We’ve added a couple new features to help better navigate in this wonderful national park, such as the new official trail system and elevation contours. We’re almost done!

You can check out a public draft here: http://www.outrageGIS.com/grsm/draft and please tell us what you think in the below comments section.

New Features:

  • 1:50,000 scale, which is 140% enlargement of the Trails Illustrated map
  • 100-foot contour interval with 500-foot index contours
  • Canopy cover type indicating deciduous, evergreen, shrub, grass, and open areas
  • 1-minute Geographic coordinate grid for GPS
  • Elevations for trail intersections and other points of interest
  • Mileage shown between trail intersections and campsites
  • Updated official trails and campsites
  • Unique hillshading shows topography clearly
Filed Under: News Tagged With:

Tower Rock Trail

February 1, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Hiker Red River Gorge Backpacking Map
Distance: 1 Mile loop
Difficulty: ++
Scenic Views: ++
Elevation Relief: 200ft
Ownership: Daniel Boone National Forest, USFS

Red River Gorge Backpacking Map: $14

Tower Rock Trail is an easy hike to a monolithic outcropping of eroded sandstone.

View of Tower Rock side with moon
[Read more…]

Filed Under: All Hikes, Hikes: Red River Gorge

Chimney Top & Princess Arch

February 1, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Hiker Red River Gorge Backpacking Map
Distance: 1 Mile one-way
Difficulty: +
Scenic Views: +++
Elevation Relief: 100ft
Ownership: Daniel Boone National Forest, USFS

Red River Gorge Backpacking Map: $14

Chimney Top Rock

Chimney Scenic Picnic Area is the start of the two shortest, but most rewarding trails in the Gorge. Both trails visit splendid overlooks and many additional miles of side trails connect with picnic area. The camping area is a nice ridge to explore.
Princess Arch
[Read more…]

Filed Under: All Hikes, Hikes: Red River Gorge

Sheltowee Trace & Bison Way Loop

February 1, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Hiker Red River Gorge Backpacking Map
Distance: 5 Miles loop
Difficulty: ++
Scenic Views: +++
Elevation Relief: 300ft ^^
Ownership: Daniel Boone National Forest, USFS

Red River Gorge Backpacking Map: $14

Overlook in fall

The Sheltowee Trace spans the entire length of the Daniel Boone National Forest and a portion of the Big South Fork in Tennessee. The section through the Red River Gorge is one of the most spectacular, with this short segment visiting some of the most impressive overlooks and challenging side trails. Indian Staircase is an unofficial trail that climbs up a steep set of cliff ledges and can be found on the printed map. Although this loop uses part of a paved road, hikers have a chance for a short walk to the Red River suspension footbridge, the longest in the forest.

Suspension Bridge

Gladie Welcome Center
[Read more…]

Filed Under: All Hikes, Hikes: Red River Gorge, Hikes: Sheltowee Trace

The Rough Trail

February 1, 2010 by 1 Comment

Hiker Red River Gorge Backpacking Map
Distance: 8 Miles one-way
Difficulty: +++
Scenic Views: ++++
Elevation Relief: 500ft ^^^^
Ownership: Daniel Boone National Forest, USFS

Red River Gorge Backpacking Map: $14

Rhododendron grove along Parched Corn Creek

The Rough Trail is longest trail through the heart of the Red River Gorge. Many side trail options allow hikers to increase mileage and create additional loops. For the ultimate Gorge experience, connect this trail with the Swift Camp Creek Trail.

Junction of Rough and Swift Camp trails
[Read more…]

Filed Under: All Hikes, Hikes: Red River Gorge

Wildcat Trail Loop

February 1, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Hiker Red River Gorge Backpacking Map
Distance: 6 Miles loop
Difficulty: +++
Scenic Views: ++
Elevation Relief: 400ft ^^
Ownership: Daniel Boone National Forest, USFS

Red River Gorge Backpacking Map: $14

Don Juan’s Garden

The Wildcat Loop begins at the eastern terminus of the Rough Trail. The trail descends into Sons Branch while passing large stands of rhododendron and hemlock trees. At the intersection with Swift Camp Creek, hikers can cross the creek to find large camping areas. After about a mile hiking up Sift Camp, Don Juan’s Garden presents a majestic grove of hemlocks along an impressive cliff known as Wildcat Wall. After returning to the ridge on trail #228, the Wildcat Trail, hikers can find abundant lady slippers in spring.

Wildcat Wall
[Read more…]

Filed Under: All Hikes, Hikes: Red River Gorge

Rock Bridge Loop

February 1, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Hiker Red River Gorge Backpacking Map
Distance: 1.5 Miles loop
Difficulty: +
Scenic Views: ++
Elevation Relief: 300ft ^
Ownership: Daniel Boone National Forest, USFS

Red River Gorge Backpacking Map: $14

Rock Bridge

Rock Bridge Scenic Picnic Area is the start and end for this easy hike. This trail descends into the Swift Camp Creek drainage area and visits Creation Falls, one of the largest falls in the Gorge, and Rock Bridge, the only arch with a stream flowing beneath it.

Creation Falls
[Read more…]

Filed Under: All Hikes, Hikes: Red River Gorge

El Niño to make the mountains colder and drier this winter

October 18, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Predicting climate in the old days relied upon observing cues in nature. The Farmers’ Almanac finds that people looked at woolly worms in late summer in get a sense of winter. The more black hairs on the worm, the colder and wetter the winter. Of course woolly worms come in all configurations of black and orange colorings so how could a worm’s coat predict winter? It can as an analogy;  you look at the forecast to decide which coat you’re going to wear before leaving home. I think you would want to wear a black coat as opposed to a white coat on a very cold and sunny day to maximize the amount of solar energy you could absorb. Woolly worms just plan far ahead.

Today we track global changes in wind patterns and sea surface temperatures to predict weather conditions. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center has issued a climate forecast for this winter based on the El Niño pattern emerging in the Pacific Ocean.

Below are winter predictions for the U.S. indicating greater or lesser chances for departures in average winter temperatures and precipitation.

temps

precip

El Niño is a departure from average sea surface temperatures created by a change in the intensity and direction of equatorial winds. In a normal period, strong easterly trade winds blow across the Pacific and upwell cold, nutrient rich waters on the west coast of South America. These same winds also pile up water in the western Pacific so that the sea surface is about 2 feet higher at Indonesia than at Ecuador.

Normal Sea Surface Temperatures in °C

In an El Niño cycle, the winds are not as intense and warmer sea surface temperatures extend further to east. This change has a global impact on weather with increased precipitation on the west coast of South America and the south & east coasts of North America. Warmer than normal conditions also occur at higher latitudes in North America and over the Pacific ocean.

El Niño Sea Surface Temperatures in °C

El Niño Sea Surface Temperatures in °C

Filed Under: Big South Fork, NRRA, Cave Run Lake, DBNF, Cumberland Gap, NHP, Great Smoky Mountains, News, Red River Gorge, Sheltowee Trace, Weather

First freezing night in the Great Smokies

September 29, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Overnight the temperature dropped to 25° F at the Newfound Gap weather station, elevation 5,000 ft. Mt LeConte at 6400 ft above sea level recorded a low temperature of 31° F.  The slight warming at 1,400 ft higher in elevation is caused by a temperature inversion that most frequently happens in autumn mornings.

The lowest temperature recored at Mt. LeConte for September 29 was 24° F and that happened in 2003. The coldest night ever recorded since 1988 was -22° F, which occurred last February 4.

Station reports for 7:30 am, September 28 – 7:30 am, September 29:

STATION             ELEV    HIGH    LOW     PCPN    SNOW DEPTH
SUGARLAND CENTER    1600     75      45     0.00
NEWFOUND GAP        5000     62      25     0.00
CADES COVE          1900     73      44     0.00
OCONALUFTEE         2040     79      42     0.00
MOUNT LECONTE       6400     57      31     0.01

http://www.outrageGIS.com/weather/grsm
Filed Under: Great Smoky Mountains, News

All weather cams are up

September 26, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Look Rock, Sept. 24

Look Rock, Sept. 24

After a few months of intermittent outage, all four weather observation cameras for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are now operational. We archive full-day animations for 3 webcams and the visible satellite view of the park every day at:
http://www.outragegis.com/weather/img/animation/yesterday.

For previous days, you can access other days by replacing “yesterday” with the 6-digit year month day combination. For example, for September 24, 2009 replace “yesterday” with “090924”and create this link:
http://www.outragegis.com/weather/img/animation/090924.

For highest resolution images, just click on the preview images.

The two National Park cameras are located on Look Rock and Purchase Knob. Look Rock camera overlooks most of the park. The two National Forest cameras, Cold Mountain and Joyce Kilmer Wilderness, overlook small portions of the park.

Now let’s watch fall pass in the mountains!

Filed Under: Great Smoky Mountains, News

Sept 12: Sheltowee Trace Meeting in Winchester

August 20, 2009 by 2 Comments

The Future of the Trace: Sept 12, 2009

Join a group of trail enthusiasts and forest & park officials at the Daniel Boone NFS headquarters in Winchester to discuss the future of the Sheltowee Trace. We need as many committed folks as possible to attend. Voice your support for the Sheltowee Trace.

If you would like to attend, you can RSVP here with a comment so we can plan for breakfast and lunch!

Time: 9:30am
Where: Clark County Extension Office (map below)
1400 Fortune Dr
Winchester, KY 40391-8292
(859) 744-4682

Preliminary Agenda

9:30 to 10:00 – Meet and Greet – Coffee, Juice and Bagels, Donuts provided.

10:00 Opening Comments

  • Frank Beum, Forest Supervisor, Daniel Boone National Forest
  • Steve Handley, Big South Fork National Recreational Area, National Park Service
  • Carey Tichenor, Ky State Parks and Recreation
  • Steve Barbour, Interim Executive Director, The Sheltowee Trace Association

10:30 – Updates on the Current Condition of The Trace in each Ranger District and Plans for the next 12 to 24 months

10:45 – Current Management Plan Development

  • Federal and State Funding Levels
  • Challenges of a Muti-use Trail
  • Current on-going volunteer programs
  • Short Term and Long Term Maintenance Issues
  • Trace Blazing – Signage
  • Land Acquisition
  • Trace Relocation
  • Maintaining Easements
  • Development of the Volunteer Base
  • Promoting The Trace across the state

Following these discussion will be a session on forming the Sheltowee Trace Association, a non-profit dedicated to promoting and protecting this National Recreation Trail.

Map:Here

Filed Under: Big South Fork, NRRA, Cave Run Lake, DBNF, News, Red River Gorge, Sheltowee Trace

Woodland Art Fair, Aug 15-16

August 15, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Come down to the Woodland Art Fair the is Saturday and Sunday and check out our new maps. We will have the spring release of the Red River Gorge and the Sheltowee Trace South, both of which were designed and printed in the past 6 months. The map to out booth is provided below: [Read more…]

Filed Under: News

Sheltowee Trace Suspension Bridge Quiz

August 11, 2009 by Leave a Comment

How many scenic suspension bridges exist on the Sheltowee Trace and where are they? If you think you know the answer, then please take our quiz and you might win some free maps.

Directions: If you can name or locate all of the suspension bridges on the Sheltowee Trace, then you can receive our new Sheltowee Trace map for free. Name all of the them and tell us which is the largest and which is the smallest, then you’ll get three free maps of your choice.

How to submit you answer: Email your answer to contest@outrageGIS.com beginning Friday, August 21, 2:00pm EST. You must be the seventh correct email to win. You only get one try and we’ll take your first answer.

If you’re not the 7th person to answer either question correctly, then you will still receive a bonus coupon to use at our online store. Just give it a try!

Ok….which bridge is this? If you need a little help, visit http://www.sheltoweetrace.com

Filed Under: News, Sheltowee Trace
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