Bill Bryson's A Walk In The Woods, set to start filming?
There have been rumors of a movie being made about Bill Bryson's book A Walk In The Woods for the last few years. But is it finally going to happen? If you believe the LA Times, then maybe….
” But now, in what portends to be great news for fans of the book, not to mention fans of Robert Redford and Nick Nolte, veteran filmmaker Richard Linklater is set to take the helm. The Los Angeles Times reports that shooting of the independently financed movie could begin as early as this fall, according to Robert Redford, who will produce and star in the film. Nick Nolte will star as Katz opposite Redford’s Bryson.”
I'm still having troule seeing Nick Nolte as Katz, but then again … I haven't seen him on screen in a while. The more I think about it .. he could be perfect in that role. Regardless, I'm glad to not be thru-hiking the A.T. in 2014-15. If the movie really films this fall and releases by next year – it will be a madhouse on Springer Mountain in the Spring.
Police Nab “Hermit” Who Lived Anonymously For 27 Years Near The Appalachain Trail In Maine
In 1986, Christopher Knight went in to the woods not far from the Appalachian Trail in Maine and set up camp. There he lived for 27 years – not having contact with a single human being – except one hiker he met randomly in 1990.
Sounds like he was inspired by Thoreau right? Well maybe, but what brought him down was that he survived by raiding cabins in the area for food and supplies:
“It's been a myth, or legend, that a hermit was responsible,” Maine State Trooper Diane Perkins-Vance told the Kennebec Journal on Tuesday. “That happens to be the case.”
The 47-year-old hermit now awaits his future at the Kennebec County Jail, where he is being held in lieu of $5,000 cash bail on charges of burglary and theft.”
Turns out the myth was true. Yet, what drives a man to disengage from society?
I suppose everyone has their reasons. But to trade that kind of freedom for confinement in a jail cell. That would be the greatest torture of all.
Rendezvous Motel Catches Fire Near The Appalachian Trail In Pearisburg, VA
Nearly 20 years ago during my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, I wandered in to Pearisburg, Virginia after hiking in the rain for ten miles. The Rendezvous Motel was near the A.T. and it was a welcome break from the rain. I'll spare you the details (which you can read about at this link), but the owners were very nice, shuttled us around the town, and even slackpacked us for a hike back to the motel the following day.
Unfortunately, the motel caught fire last month and a nearby news station took a bunch of photos of the damage:
Here's a photo of the Rendezvous Motel during better times – taken on Friday, June 10, 1994. After nearly 20 years, the sign remains the same.
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike: One Of The Best Amateur Videos I’ve Seen In A While….
This is one of the best Appalachian Trail videos that I’ve seen in a while.
The music is solid and the cinematography gets better and better as the film goes on.
At minute 9, the closing scene is solid .. bet you didn’t see that one coming!
Newfound Gap Road Closed Due To Landslide
Fortunately, we had no delays during our annual winter hike in the Smokies last weekend, but Newfound Gap is now officially closed per the Hiking The Smokies blog:
“A landslide along Newfound Gap Road near mile marker 22 has caused an extended closure of the road. Great Smoky Mountains National Park has closed Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) due to a landslide which undercut the road near mile marker 22 between Collins Creeks and Webb Overlook at 9:40 am. The slide is estimated to be a 200 foot section of road extending 1000 foot down slope, but the full extent of the damage is not yet known. The closure is expected to be in effect for an extended period of time.”
Normally it is snow that closes 441 but during this unusually warm January – but this time it’s mud. That will make for a long drive around the Smokies but for the winter backpacker it should guarantee more solitude in the backcountry. Enjoy it while you can…
More photos from the National Park Service of the mudslide:
Map of the mudslide area on US 441:
Long Branch Shelter replaces the old Big Springs Gap Shelter
Out with the old … and in with the new: The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Nantahala Hiking Club, and a local company – Goshen Timber Frames – teamed up for the construction of Long Branch Shelter near Glassmine Gap. The new structure is located north of Standing Indian on the Appalachian Trail and about 17 miles from Franklin, N.C.
The new two-story Long Branch Shelter replaces the old Big Springs Gap Shelter (shown below), which was built just north of Albert Mountain.
The Big Springs Gap Shelter is reportedly in a state of disrepair and is scheduled to be dismantled. It is a short walk from a parking area, so the new site for the Long Branch Shelter will offer backpackers more solitude and safety.
The new shelter can also be accessed via Standing Indian Campground where the Long Branch Trail follows Long Branch Creek up 800 feet up to the A.T. at Glassmine Gap. The trail is roughly 2.0 miles long and starts just across the road from the parking area.
Tennessee Appalachian Trail Buffer: Rocky Fork Into Public Ownership
The Nashville Business Journal reported last month that there is a new State Park in Tennessee. The 2036 acre park is located near the A.T. in the Northeastern part of the State and provides an additional buffer against development in this area. The transfer of Rocky Fork into public ownership has been a goal of the Appalachian Trail Conference since at least 1983:
Gov. Bill Haslam and other Tennessee officials announced the creation of a new state park Tuesday.
Located in Unicoi County, about 30 miles from Johnson City in northeast Tennessee, the Rocky Fork tract of land will add 2,000 acres to Tennessee’s state park system, Knoxville News Sentinel reports. An additional 8,000 acres surrounding the park will be managed as a national forest by the U.S. Forest Service.
Initial plans for the park, which includes 16 miles of trout streams, include picnic areas, a primitive campground and trails, according to the News Sentinel.
Said Sen. Lamar Alexander describing the area, “If you like the Smokies, you’ll like Rocky Fork.”
U.S. Forest Service Discourages Backcountry Camping In Panthertown Valley
In the last five years, I’ve noticed a lot more backcountry visitors to Panthertown Valley during my day and overnight hikes in the area. It seems the bears have followed. The US Forest Service in North Carolina issed this alert on October 29th:
JACKSON COUNTY, N.C. — The U.S. Forest Service is discouraging people from backcountry camping and from bringing food into the Panthertown Valley area of the Nantahala Ranger District, Nantahala National Forest, following several bear encounters. The area is northeast of Cashiers, N.C.
If the visitors choose to camp in the Panthertown area, they should camp in areas that are used infrequently.
Three separate incidences of bear encounters occurred recently that involved damaged tents and stolen food. Some of the food was properly hung in trees. No injuries were reported. The incidents occurred in the vicinity of the Mac’s Gap, Green Valley and the Little Green Mountain area.
We’ve seen bears in the nearby Gorges State Park, but they ran on sight. So this is a new an unfortunate occurance because Panthertown Valley is such a great overnight destination. Will the coming hunting season have an impact? I guess we’ll see next Spring.
October Superstorm “Sandy” Hits The Smokies
Snow in The Smokies is a common occurance in the winter – especially in the higher elevations – but snow drifts of 5 feet? And before Halloween? Unbelievable.
Here’s an Associated Press quote from a local newspaper describing a man that got caught on the Appalachian Trail between Pecks Corner and Tri-Corner Knob Shelter:
GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) — A man trying to hike the entire 2,180 miles of the Appalachian Trail was rescued Friday after calling 911 to say he didn’t think he’d be able to make it out of a section in Tennessee because he was blocked by snowdrifts up to 5 feet high.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park spokeswoman Molly Schroer said rescuers used two helicopters to lift out 56-year-old Steven Ainsworth, of Washington, N.C. Schroer says Ainsworth was airlifted to a Gatlinburg airport and then transferred to a medical center in Sevierville for evaluation. LeConte Medical Center spokeswoman Amanda Palletz said he was in stable condition.
Schroer said Ainsworth started his trip in June, heading south from Maine, determined to hike the trail end-to-end in a single season. The trek is known as a thru-hike. The trail ends in north Georgia, so Ainsworth was nearing the finish.
Ainsworth had started this section of the trail at Davenport Gap on Monday, Schroer said.
Some higher elevations of East Tennessee started getting snow from Superstorm Sandy on Monday, and by Thursday, the 6,600-foot Mount LeConte on the Tennessee side of the mountain range had received 32 inches of snow.
And it wasn’t any easier for seasoned Park personnel…
The park sent two rangers on foot to try to reach him Thursday. But after a nine-hour hike in steep terrain, high winds and 4- to 5-foot drifts, they had to temporarily take shelter in a cabin to rest.
So this Hurricane Sandy is the real deal. It packed a mean punch for a Category 1 storm. Think it’ll be an early winter, or is this just a freak occurance? Guess we’ll know soon enough.
Backcountry Fees In The Smokies?
Should the Great Smoky Mountain National Park charge backpackers for camping overnight in the park? According to an article published yesterday by National Parks Traveler, the answer is a resounding NO:
John Quillen, a Tennessean from Knoxville who fought to have the public comments on the fee proposal made public, says that by his calculation the comments were “almost 20 to 1 against the fee.”
Part of the concern was that the proposed fees, which range from a low of $4 per person per night to a high of a $10 registration fee plus $2.25 per night per person, could eclipse front-country campsite fees, which range from $14-$20 per night, depending on how many are in your group.
The Park obviously needs money to operate, and with no ability to collect money at the entrance (due to a 1936 Tennessee law), the Park doesn’t have these funds to generate the operating revenue that benefits the other major parks. So, maybe we should give the Smokies a break? Improved trail conditions and better management of the shelters and campsites would benefit us all, and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the most heavily traveled (and used) in the nation.
Yet as a frequent visitor to the park, I wonder if more user fees only encourage the Federal Government to take their money elsewhere – making it difficult to get the funding back to the Smokies when they really need it.
I expect that Park Superintendent Ditmanson would say no to that, but my prediction is that backpackers will eventually pay fees to camp overnight in the Smokies backcountry. I doubt it will be to the extent that backpackers pay user fees in the Whites (of New Hampshire), but I fully expect the day is coming. So enjoy the free camping while you have it. The Smokies backcountry is a great place – even at $4/night.