Thankful to live in this community
To the Editor:
On what was supposed to be a simple one-mile hike off an overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I managed to turn a peaceful afternoon stroll into an 11-hour misadventure that ended with a helicopter rescue, a hospital stay and a whole new appreciation for our local heroes.
Wilderness Wildlife Week
More than 90 free educational sessions, five days of outdoor excursions and key note speakers await attendees of Pigeon Forge’s 33rd Wilderness Wildlife Week Jan. 28 through Feb. 1.
Haywood County hosts wilderness navigation course
Haywood County Recreation is offering a wilderness navigation course that will equip hikers with the basics of modern navigation required to not become lost in the wilderness.
Lessons learned in the wilderness
My last column was written just before I returned from Wilderness Trail. I’m not sure what propelled me to sign up for this adventure, other than I felt it was time to challenge myself.
Documentary starring Haywood SAR Team now online
“Safe and Found,” a documentary featuring the Haywood County Search and Rescue Team, is now available to stream online after its premiere Jan. 20 in Clyde.
Coming down from the mountain
This past weekend, I served as a cabin leader for Winter Retreat, an annual youth event hosted by First United Methodist Church.
Backcountry guardians: Documentary highlights Haywood SAR’s lifesaving impact, shows hikers how to stay safe
As 23-year-old David Crockett opened his eyes to day two of sub-freezing temperatures in the snow-covered Shining Rock Wilderness, he had no idea that, seven years later, he’d be telling his story on film.
Yellow Jacket Muse
Before Becky and I retired up Moses Creek, I made my living as a backpack and canoe guide here in the Blue Ridge and in other parts of the country.
Swain County adamantly opposes wilderness designations
U.S. Forest Service rangers got an earful from Swain County residents last week during a public hearing regarding the proposed Forest Management Plan.
A growing mark: Outdoor school opens world’s largest wilderness medicine classroom in Cullowhee
Just north of Cullowhee, at the curvy, gravel terminus of Cane Creek Road, sits the building containing the world’s largest wilderness medicine classroom.
Landmark Learning, a nationally accredited school offering a variety of courses in wilderness medicine, started using the building in May, though there’s still heavy equipment in view as fine-tuning continues. The 8,000-square-foot building contains a 2,400-square-foot classroom, a commercial kitchen, and a student lounge. Up an even steeper hill than the one that leads to the main building is a pair of dorm-style cabins and a terraced camping area, which together can accommodate 36 people.
