Your Smokies is looking for a few good men and women for advertising sales

The fastest growing Smoky Mountain Directory is looking for professional sales associates throughout the entire Smoky Mountain Region. Areas of key interest are Asheville North Carolina, Knoxville Tennessee and the Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville TN area. We need dozens more sales people to cover the tens of thousands of potential advertisers in the Smoky Mountains.

We are looking for honest, professional, self motivated salespersons with good communications skills and a high level of computer literacy. Marketing and advertising experience a big plus.

This is a high commission opportunity paying comsssions starting at 20% with an unlimited income potential. The only limits to your income potentials are your sales skills and effort. We even pay commissions on advertising renewals and for recruiting high performing salespersons into our sales program.

Full Time or Part time the choice is your as well as your hours. Work harder and smarter and we both make more.

Interested in working for the best internet site for the Smokies?

More information can be found at our Help Wanted for Internet Advertising Account Executive page.

National Parks benefit from Digital Cameras.

When talking with a National Park official of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park almost 2 weeks ago I suddenly had a realization about how much the proliferation of digital photography has helped the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and for that mater all national parks in the United States.

The funny thing is that all these years traveling in national and state parks around the country hiking trails, fishing, boating, and horseback riding in all the nooks and crannies of these parks that it took until now to realize how tremendous the positive effect of this new technology.

As you can see by yesterday's article on littering in the Smokies, I hate litter bugs. Whether I am hiking on a trail or snorkeling on a reef, I clean up trash when I see it. Over the years I have picked up trash of all sorts from beer cans to old shoes and hundreds and hundreds of 35mm film canisters, empty Kodak and Fuji film boxes and my fair share of used flash bulbs, flash cubes and flash sticks.

While most serious nature photographers that visit our national parks are great protectors of the environment, many amateur and professional photographers have been careless over the years and tossed or lost photographic trash on and around trails and waterways within our national and state parks and forests.

I also gave great thought to all the chemicals used in the manufacturer of the film itself and as well as the processing and the printing let alone the plastics, metal film and cardboard used in the packaging of 35mm or other size photographic film.

All is not golden however with digital outdoor photography. The excessive use and improper disposal of batteries can be a huge environmental disadvantage of digital cameras. The chemicals and the heavy metals inside the common household battery can do far more damage to the environment and its inhabitants than the cardboard and plastic packaging ever could.

The environmental damage of the batteries from digital camera could very easily be avoided by simply having enough rechargeable batteries on hand. Not only would this save any photographer a bundle over the lifetime of the camera, it would greatly reduce the environmental impact of digital photography to virtually zero.

I close with a quick outdoor digital photography tip for those photographing the great outdoors in the Smoky Mountains. Turn your flash off when taking pictures during a snow fall or foggy weather. Both snow and fog reflect your flash making for very poor pictures.

Here's to taking great pictures in one of the most beautiful places in the world - the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding areas in the Smoky Mountains!

Help stop litter in the Tennessee Smokies!

Someone listened about one of my biggest pet peeves -litter - and now there is something you can do about it as the state of Tennessee now gives you the power to report litter bugs in the Smokies and all over the state!

Littering is not only filthy, selfish behavior, it is a crime. The penalties might not be monetarily as stiff as I wish they would be, but the community service for even first time offenders is fitting to the crime.

Tennessee law states that first time offenders will have to pay a $500 fine and are required to pick up the mess they made as well as other litterbugs in public places for anywhere between 40 hours on up to 6 months. Get caught littering again and your fine is $1,500 and you may also be ordered to clean up wherever you littered and spend up to 6 months cleaning up of the offensive litter or work in a recycling center.

So what can you do as the law abiding no littering Good Samaritan in Tennessee? Now if you see some offensive jerk throw something out the window of their car or litter in any way the highways or byways of Tennessee call (877)-8-LITTER (877) 854-8837 and provide the required information that can lead to the arrest and conviction of the offender and you can earn as much as $250!

The information you need to supply is:

• Make, model and license plate of the vehicle
• Location, time and date of the littering incident
• What type of litter the offender tossed from the vehicle or dumped

What happens next is the new StopLitter statewide anti-litter campaign takes over and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) sends a letter to the registered owner of the offending vehicle reminding them of the severity offender of the law and warning them of the consequence of future offenses and provides the offender with a portable ashtray or trash bag.

Personally I feel as though they should save the money rather than sending these trinkets to offenders or they should be billed for these souvenirs that they earned for such disgusting and offense behavior.

The director of the StopLitter campaign Allison Teeters has been quoted as saying that it is more effective deterrent that the sate is contacting the litterbugs rather than local entities. She goes on to say "If churches, businesses, and schools would get together to pick up litter, they can make a positive impact." and that "We provide gloves, bags, and litter pickers for free. ... We are about enabling citizens to take action, and for them to decide a clean community is important."

I strongly agree that if an area is clean and litter free, often it is a deterrent to people who may litter not to do it. If an area is riddled with trash or graffiti for that matter people often don't care as much.

Please help keep the Smokies and all communities clean and put this phone number into your cell phones speed dial today - I bet you will use it within months! The Smokies and I thank you for doing you part in keeping this beautiful area clean of litter and trash.

Newfound Gap (441) Road Reopened

Finally after days of opening and closing of Newfound Gap Road (441) was reopened to all vehicles but icy conditions are still possible and drivers should still drive with extra caution.

The past few days have seen numerous closings and restrictions to 4 wheel drive vehicles on this main road going through the Smoky Mountain National Park due to mother nature and old man winter.

Drivers should also pay special care on the North Carolina side as there has been continuing road construction and repair and with the additional danger of possible ice.

Smoky Mountains Park Road Closure

Newfound Gap road(441) road is closing right now to all but 4 drive vehicles due to snow and ice.

Keep your eyes open for people wearing the Your Smokies Logo!

We will be doing an extended tour for the next few weeks of back country areas as well as some of the most popular attractions.

Keep your eyes open for the Your Smokies and say hi when you see us!   

The Largest Threat to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is under attack from aliens! These tiny unwanted aliens can cause major devastation to not only the plant life in the Smokies National Park but can destroy animals and fish as well.

About 15 years after Orson Welles famous radio broadcast in 1938 where Martians were taking over earth in a War of the Worlds, a real invasion of an alien creature from Asia was found in the South Eastern United States near Richmond Virginia.

Just as deadly as the fictitious Martians were to man, the woolly adelgid insect is to hemlocks. This unwelcome guest feeds variously on the base of hemlock needles which cases a prolonged starvation to the tree which will ultimately die in as long as 10 years from the initial infestation to a short as 3 years.

Hemlocks are the evergreen of the Smokies

Since the Hemlock is such a key component in the natural balance of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the hemlock trees that reside in the national park have no resistance to the woolly adelgid, what the hemlocks need right now is a super hero to save the day.

Who is that super hero? What can you do to help? Learn about the Hemlock woolly adelgid infestation and what is being done.

The Hemlock woolly adelgid infestation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is no laughing matter and we desperately need your help.

Roaring Fork Road Project Environmental Assessment in the GSM National Park

Less than a month is left for the public to comment on the Great Smoky Mountain National Park Environmental Assessment of the proposed Roaring Fork Road Project. If green lighted the project would begin sometime between 2009 - 2010 and may cause some closures of this popular motor trail in the national Park.

The Roaring Fork area of the Smoky Mountain National Park borders Gatlinburg Tennessee and is not accessible with any other roads from within the national park but contains key trailheads including one of the better trails going to the peak of Mt Le Conte. There are also trailhead to 2 popular wonderful waterfalls - rainbow falls and Grotto falls and a collection of beautiful historic buildings.

The Roaring Fork Section of the park has a beautiful 9 mile one way drive that is far less traveled that the Cades Cove Loop trail, but goes through a much denser wooded section that Cades Cove which includes some old growth forest, has a spectacular mountain vista view from one of the pull offs, and a fantastic collection of historic cabins and small buildings.

The winding barrow road crosses some small bridges and towards the end of the trail some steep drop offs to the right with a river running alongside the road. In bad weather this road can be quiet hazardous if one is not driving with extreme caution and thus the National Park Service is looking to repair and expand the existing road.

The agenda of the Roaring Fork Road Project is:

• Milling and then repaving of roads
• Replacing 7 bridges
• Widening 1 bridge
• Widening a 1,500 feet of Roaring Fork Motor Nature trail

This project has been estimated at $9.8 million and is fortunately a joint effort between both the National Park Service as well as the Federal Highway Administration. Both organizations are also responsible for the Environmental Assessment.

While the Park service is hoping to facilitate as much of the road improvements to the Motor trail during off-peak months that is possible it is expected that this popular motor trail and some of the adjuring areas in this section of the park may be closed during busier months that would normally receive a high volume of visitors.

According to Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson he commented "The basic character of the road will not be changed. It will remain a narrow, low-speed byway which provides visitors with an intimate forest experience as close to a hike as you can have in your vehicle. Vehicles larger than passenger vans and those pulling trailers will continue to be barred from the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail."

You can obtain printed copies of the Roaring Fork Road Project Environmental Assessment at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Sugarlands Visitors Center or in Gatlinburg TN at the Anna Porter Public Library and clicking here for more information in a PDF version.

The Environmental Assessment outlines the work, the proposed mitigation measures that the Park Service would have to take in order to minimize the impact on the Smoky Mountains Park's natural and cultural resources and you - it visitors.

The EA describes how the various alternative actions including the Smoky Mountains Park's preferred alternative and what each of their potential environmental impacts might be which is in accordance with requirements of the National Environmental Policy.

Any comment you wish to make to the National Park Service in regard to the Roaring Fork Road Project Environmental Assessment must be done so the NPS receives it at or before February 5, 2007. Comments can be made via email or regular mail to:

Superintendent
Great Smoky Mountains National Park,
107 Park Headquarters Road.
Gatlinburg, TN 37738

Email:grsmcomments@nps.gov

Smoky Mountains Day Hikers Guide to the National Park.

Hikers and outdoor enthusiasts very often have libraries filled with books and maps of areas that they are looking to explore on their upcoming excursions. Here is an opportunity to get one definitive book on all of the trails of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Day hikers guide to all the trails in the Smoky Mountains by Elizabeth L Etnier shows you in great detail the most efficient way to explore all 800 miles of hiking trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Day hikers guide to all GSMNP trails

Chock full of accurate trail descriptions, charts, tables, color photographs, detailed maps, a hiking trail index, checklist of trails in the Great Smoky Mountain National park you hiked with mileage and more in a handy sized wire bound book - this guide has it all.

You will even finds descriptions of wildlife and wildflowers in this hiking guide for the national park.

You can find out more about The Day hikers guide to all the trails in the Smoky Mountains by Elizabeth L Etnier here.

Example of detailed map in the hiking guide book.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Reopens Newfound Gap Road (US 441)

Drivers can now use the popular Newfound Gap Road (US 441) that runs through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park from North Carolina to Tennessee without 4 wheel drive or snow chains restrictions.

It is strongly advised that drivers still remain extremely cautious especially on the Tennessee side and in shadier areas as there are still some icy spots on the road which should melt by later today.

Road closure due to Ice in the Smoky Mountain National Park

Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) which runs through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has just been closed by park officials for the night.

Too many areas of the road started freezing again make driving on this major park road hazardous. Park officials hope to reopen the road weather permitting by 9:00 tomorrow but have advised us that there may be restrictions again allowing only vehicles with 4 wheel-drive or tire chains when the road reopens.

Newfound Gap Road opens to 4 wheel drive vehicles

The Great Smoky Mountains National Parks major thoroughfare Newfound Gap Road has just been opened between Cherokee North Carolina and Gatlinburg Tennessee - but only to 4 wheel drive vehicles or vehicles with tire chains.

Yesterday's stormy weather closed the road to all traffic but as long as the Smokies weather permits and the snow and ice on the road keep melting Newfound Gap Road (441) will remain open.

Drivers are cautioned that there are still some icy stretches on the Tennessee side of the road mostly in shaded areas.

Before driving late in the day or this evening you may wish to call the Great Smoky Mountains National Park automated information telephone number at (865) 436-1200 as the road may close again as lower temperatures may cause further freezing and hazardous conditions even for vehicles that are driving with snow chains or 4 wheel drive.

2 horseback trails still closed in the Smoky Mountain National Park

A strong windstorm in October closed most of the roads, hiking trails and horseback riding trails in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The roads were all opened rather quickly as well as the hiking trails but 2 trails are still closed to horseback riding.

Enough of the 2 closed trails are still damaged from uprooted tress that riding horses on these trails would pose a hazard to riders so the Lower Mount Cammerer Trail and the Gregory Bald Trail from campsite #13 to Parsons Branch Road in the Cades Cove area of the National Park remain closed and will hopefully be able to reopen some time in the spring.

Grotto Falls Trail Closed in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Hazardous conditions caused by hillside erosion prompted the national park service to close the Popular Grotto Falls hiking trail in the Roaring Fork area of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park near Gatlinburg Tennessee.

The hillside above the trail has been made unstable due to 3 large hemlock trees that fell down a steep slope by the trail. Even though the trees have been removed by the national parks trail crew, rock and mud will continue to slide down causing an unsafe condition for hikers.

The normal freeze and thaw cycle and rain will further loosen the rock and losses vegetation which is expected to fall before the hiking trail is reopened hopefully sometime in the spring of 2007. Since these trees originally kept the hillside reinforced, the National park service has to now let nature take its course.

The actual slide area pictured above (Photo courtesy of the National Park Service) closure takes place approximately 1/4 mile from the trailhead which is located right next to the Roaring Fork Motor Trail. The closure affects a 1.3 mile section of the Trillium Gap Trail between the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and the Grotto Falls.

Hikers who come from Cherokee Orchard Road will still be able to trek for a little less than 2-1/2 miles before they reach the closure which will keep hikers form reaching Mt. LeConte from the Trillium Gap Trail. Hikers have a choice of 4 other trails such as Alum Cave that will take them to the summit of Mount Le Conte.

Snow Closes National Park Newfound Gap Road today

A mess rainy and snow mixture in the higher elevations of the Smoky Mountain National Park made for dangerous traveling and prompted a road closure on Newfound Gap Road (US 441) a major through road.

The rangers made decision at 10:00 am this morning to close the roads as the conditions are worsening. What started out a rain became slush and then eventually icy conditions on the road as the temperatures dropped throughout the national park.

Sand trucks were at first effective in the Smoky Mountain National Park but with 30 mph plus wind gusts and heavy snow, the park service realized that it wasn't going to get any better so they closed the road.

An effort is on right now with the sand trucks trying to help cars already on the roads to get down the mountains safely and help them out of the Smoky Mountain National Park.

While sudden extreme blizzards are rare in the Smoky Mountain National Park, it is always best to check the local Smoky Mountain Weather this time of year before venturing into high altitudes.

A Merry Christmas from Your Smokies

One crisp morning last January a light snow started falling in Gatlinburg before dawn broke. I walked out on the deck of my cabin near the Roaring Fork and decided to hike up to Mount Le Conte in the fresh snow.

I bundled up and drove to the Roaring Fork motor trail expecting to park near the Rainbow Falls parking area, but enough snow feel that the gates were closed. The road ahead of me was dusted with snow and besides foot prints from white tail deer and small animals the snow was pristine.

I grabbed my camera and hiking poles and headed up hill through the virgin snow. The peace and beauty were over whelming. Every few minutes I could hear the sound of snow falling from the rhododendron leaves because it piled to high for them to hold another single flake.

I reached the trailhead for Rainbow falls which would take me past the falls all the way to Le Conte. The snow was already past my ankles but I knew this hike would be worth the effort. Hiking parallel to the creek which was to my right I kept stopping to catch my breath - not from exertion but just the sheer beauty of the Smokies in winter.

The roar of the ice cold creek in the ravine was strong, but not so much that I couldn't hear the deer to my left bolt into the woods in a flash - too fast for me to take a picture but long enough for me to enjoy. I turned to continue up the trail and saw some ferns peeking through some snow in an area where some large pine tress sheltered them from the brunt of the snow.

Even though it was mid January all I could think was Christmas and click - here it is!

Hundreds of pictures that day - some spectacular - some inspirational - this one, simple and plain speaks to me about Christmas and peace.

Wishing a very Merry Christmas with a happy and healthy New Year to all of our visitors, customers, sales persons and vendors. I could not have the best job in the world without each and every one of you. May all of you find the peace and joy in the Smokies that I have.

Christopher Hibbard - President of Your Smokies

2 day Cades Cove Loop partial closure in the National Park

Due to ongoing efforts by the park department to eradicate the exotic Hemlock Woolly Adelgid from infested hemlock trees, the Cades Cove loop road will be partially closed to bike and vehicular traffic from November 28th through November 29th 2006 – weather permitting.

Fortunately the closure will not shut down the entire loop on Wednesday the 29th and this interruption is after the Thanksgiving peak traffic expected in the 11 mile Cades cove loop. On Wednesday only the far western end of the loop will be closed so vehicles and bikes must exit the back end of the loop at the Hyatt Lane bypass. Those looking to hike the Cooper Road trail, Abrams Falls trail, Rabbit Creek trail, Wet Bottom Trails, and Gregory Ridge trailhead must walk to the trailhead, same if you wish to visit the Cable Mill area.

If the weather conditions in the Smoky Mountain National Park do not permit spraying due to heavy rain or freezing temperatures the closure will be rescheduled. I have also been advised that if all goes well that the road may be reopened during the latter part of November 29th. The Cades Cove Visitor Center will be closed on both the 28th and the 29th, but the restroom facilities will remain open. You may call the national park at (865) 436-1200 to find out the days status of the road closure.

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park with have forestry technicians spray infected hemlock tress in Cades Cove with a soap/oil solution sprayed from large truck-mounted units that should help control this pest. According to Tom Remaley, Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Project Coordinator "This is one of three treatment methods that we employ throughout the Park. The hemlock trees that have been treated along the Loop Road over the past several years appear to be strong and healthy. Just beyond the reach of the roadside spraying equipment, there is a noticeable decline of hemlock trees showing signs of branch mortality, twig dieback, and foliage discoloration."

This is not the only way the national park service employs to control the pesky Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. The park service also uses systemic insecticides and biocontrol insects in an effort to eradicate the pest which was discovered in the Smokies in 2002.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Sugarlands Visitor Center comes alive December 6th with a celebration.

A special event sponsored by Discover Life in America Inc will honor those have participated for the past 10 years in the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory.

Reservations are required for this event which will pay homage to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park staff, scientists, volunteers, and educators who have helped survey all species of plant and animal life in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Because of the immense bio diversity of the park all of the hard work done, the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) has been able to find more than 650 new species in the National Park that have been previously unidentified to science!

This monumental event will take place from 6 to 8 pm and will include such entertainment as live Celtic tunes on banjo, fiddles, and guitar performed by the Mumbillies band, and stories being told by renowned storyteller Charles Maynard in the Sugarlands Visitor Center Theater. Expect some fine food from the Walters State Rel Maples Institute for Culinary Arts.

Want to join us? Contact Jeanie Hilten at 865/430-4752 by December 4 to reserve your spot. A $10 donation is suggested to help support the ATBI project, but please give what you can. Please send your donation to:

Discover Life in America
314 Cherokee Orchard Road,
Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738

I would also like to extend a special thanks to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, Arizona for their generous donations.

Visitor Center, Camping, Picnicking and Road Closures Winter Schedule for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Winter in the Smoky Mountains National Park means far fewer visitors to the park and can bring on rough road conditions due to the weather. Be advised that while there is snow on the ground roads may be closed to all traffic or may be only open to vehicles with 4 wheel drive or chains.

Weather permitting the visitor centers will remain open during the winter in the National Park. The following are the visitor centers that will be open as well as their winter schedule hours:

• Cades Cove Visitor Center 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Sugarlands Visitor Center 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Oconaluftee Visitor Center 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Driving the mountains roads of the Smoky Mountain National Park can be challenging in good weather and dangerous in snow or ice.

Parson Branch Road is still closed due to pervious storm damage and both Balsam Mountain/Heintooga and Roundbottom Roads are already closed for the winter season.

The next scheduled closures are:

• November 10: Rich Mountain Road
• November 13: Straight Fork Road
• December 1: Clingmans Dome Road and the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

All other roads including the Cades Cove Loop Road, Cosby Road, Greenbrier Road, Upper Tremont, Little Greenbrier, Forge Creek, Lakeview Drive, Newfound Gap (U.S. 441), Little River, The Gatlinburg Bypass and Foothills Parkway will remain open during the winter as long as weather and safe driving conditions permit.

As of November 22nd the LeConte Lodge will be closed and the campgrounds in Elkmont will close December 1st.

The Cades Cove campgrounds and the Smokemont campgrounds will remain open all winter long but all of the other remain campgrounds will be closed for the winter season.

Well you want have to swat flies when picnicking in the winter but you can enjoy a family picknic in the following open picnic areas:

• Big Creek
• Cades Cove
• Chimney Tops
• Cosby
• Deep Creek
• Greenbrier
• Metcalf Bottoms

Enjoy all the peace and solitude the Smokies have to offer all winter long!

Bike Rental and Equestrian Winter Schedule for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Smoky Mountains National Park is a great place to bike, camp, hike and go horseback riding in during the winter but be advised that not all facilities will be open or are on a limited schedule.

My favorite month to enjoy the national park is May, but I love the peace and solitude of hiking in the park in the winter. Although some of the wildlife you will see in the spring, summer and fall such as bear is almost impossible to see in the winter, you will have greater visibility in the woods and less of the Smokies natural haze that surrounds the mountains which can make for spectacular views.

Biking in Cades Cove is popular year round and bikes can be rented in the Cades Cove campground store. The Cades Cove campgrounds store will close for the winter starting November 6th. Unfortunately there are no other facilities in the park which rent bikes so if you wish to bike the Cades Cove loop in the next few months you will have to bring your own bicycles. The vending machines outside the store will remain stocked and in service throughout the winter.

Renting and riding horses in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is a vacation highlight for many of those who visit the park, but the stable where you can rent the horses close for the winter.

The Smokemont Riding Stable is already closed and on November 6th the Cades Cove Riding Stables will close for the season. Horse can still be rented in both the Sugarlands Horseback Riding Stables and the Smoky Mountain Riding Stables until November 27th.

If you are planning to bring your own horse and camp in the park, do so before November 13th as all five of the camp ground that accept horses Big Creek, Tow String, Round Bottom, Cataloochee, and Anthony Creek will be closed by then.

If you plan on riding the trails, be sure to check with the ranger station before doing so as some of the trails are still impacted by last months wind storm and although these trails are safe for hiking, they are still dangerous for horseback riders.