KSNH SPRING CONFERENCE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS April 10-13, 2014

Transcription

1 KSNH SPRING CONFERENCE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS April 10-13, 2014 ALL TRIPS LEAVE FROM THE QUALITY INN UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED All meals are on your own. Quality Inn full breakfast opens at 6 am daily. PLEASE CARPOOL AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ON ALL TRIPS IF MEETING TRIP LEADERS AT HIKE/EVENT LOCALE, ALLOW AMPLE TIME TO REACH DESTINATION EARLY BIRD TRIPS Also see on your own activities Thursday, Apr. 10 all trips meet in lobby of Quality Inn 2 pm Cosby Campground Trail 1 mile Wildflower/nature hike 2 pm Leader: Berl Meyer Leader: Chris Bidwell hope to see Vasey s Trillium Group will discuss outing options with the group. Numerous short hikes, driving tours, and activities for the group to select and agree on. Thursday, Apr. 10 Evening Program in Conference Room at Quality Inn Welcome and introduction by Chris Bidwell, president KSNH Presentation: Cherokee Trail Rest of the Trail of Tears Story Given by Berl Meyer, KSNH Board member Also explanations and details for field trips on Friday, April, 11 Friday, Apr. 11 Roadside Geology/Natural History Motor Trip to Clingman s Dome and 9 am 3 pm Cherokee Orchard Areas Leader: Berl Meyer Stop made for lunch 9 am 11:30 Black Bear Solar Institute and Animal Rehabilitation Center in Townsend Leader: Lisa Stewart, director of Institute, will present program and tour 1

2 and possibly have animals on hand in rehab Drive Time: 60 minutes 9 am noon Wildflower/Nature Hike Quiet Walkway Leader: Dennis Horn, coeditor of Tennessee Wildflower Field Guide 9 am noon Bullhead Trail in Cherokee Orchard area Leader: Janet Rock, Botanist at GSMNP MODERATE Meet at Rainbow Falls Parking Lot off Cherokee Orchard Road Drive Time: 20 minutes LUNCH ON YOUR OWN Friday, Apr. 11 Trees of the Smokies Hike 1:30 4:30 Leader: Troy Evans, Forest Technician GSMNP 1:30 4:30 Wildflower/Nature Hike Cove Hardwood Trail Leader: Dennis Horn MODERATE 1:30 4:30 Wildflower/Nature Hike to Spruce Flats Waterfall and Lumber Ridge Trail Leader: Jim Burkbank, volunteer GSMNP Meet: Tremont GSM Institute Parking Lot Drive Time: 50 minutes DINNER ON YOUR OWN Friday, Apr. 11 Evening Program: Welcome Chris Bidwell, president KSNH Recap Friday s Trips and Events Explanations and details for Saturday s Trips and Events Presentation: Smoky Mountain Trivia 2

3 Given by Doris Gove, author of Great Smoky Mountain Trivia and The Smoky s Yucky Book Breakfast on your own. Quality Inn full breakfast opens at 6 am. Saturday, Apr. 12 The History of Cades cove Motorcade 9 am 3 pm Leader: Tom Harrington, naturalist and volunteer at GSMNP In depth look at the history of the people and places of Cades Cove. He will also give a 20 minute presentation at the Primitive Baptist Church. Meet at the Orientation Shelter Parking Lot just as you enter Cades Cove at 9 am. Allow at least 50 minute drive time. BRING DRINK AND LUNCH Saturday, Apr. 12 Wildflower/Waterfall Motorcade and hikes in Deep Creek area 8:30 am 4 pm Leader: Chris Bidwell, president KSNH MOSTLY, SOME MODERATE AREA Will visit Juney Whanks Falls, Tom Branch Falls, and Indian Creek Falls. LUNCH IN BRYSON CITY Visit to Horace Kephart s grave naturalist who championed for the establishment of GSMNP Short drive to Mingo Falls, highest waterfall/cascade in GSMNP Brief stop at Oconaluftee Visitor Center Brief stop at Kanati Fork Trail to see Painted Trillium 9 am noon Wildflower/Nature Walk at Ash Hopper Branch Trail Near Sugarlands Visitor Center Leader: Dennis Horn 9 am noon Wildflower/Nature Walk in the Elkmont Area Includes the Little River Trail and Cucumber Gap Trail TO MODERATE Leader: Doris Gove, author and naturalist Noon 1:30 pm LUNCH ON YOUR OWN 3

4 Saturday, Apr. 12 Aquatic Insect Foray and Identification 1:30 4:30 pm Leader: Becky Nichols, entomologist GSMNP Meet in the Sugarlands Visitor Center parking lot, on the far right side (as you face the Visitor Center). She will be in a white Jeep Liberty with NPS logo on the door. Bring boots/waders if you desire getting a true hands- on experience 1:30 pm 4:30 pm Wildflower/Nature Walk at Chestnut Top Trail near Townsend Y Leader: Fred Holtzclaw, volunteer GSMNP Pilgrimage MODERATE Meet at 1:30 pm at the Parking Lot just as you turn off at Little River Road to go to Townsend Drive Time: 45 minutes Saturday, Apr. 12 EVENING PROGRAM Chris Bidwell 7 pm Recap Saturday Trips Photo Ops Susan Wilson, KSNH Photo Coordinator Cake and coffee Door Prizes Board Meeting All Invited!!! Sunday, Apr. 13 Have a Safe Trip Home ON YOUR OWN ACTIVITIES Horseback Riding Great Smoky Mountain Rides opens 9 am 6 pm Campground National Park Shop Till You Drop Apple Barn Short Hikes Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Cherokee Indian Reservation, shops and museums Pigeon Forge, go to Apple Valley Road, approximately 1 mile Best food in town! Grotto Falls 2.4 miles round trip 4

5 Laurel Falls 2.6 miles round trip, paved Clingman s Dome Tower and Gift Shop 1 mile round trip Spruce Flats Falls 2.0 miles round trip Cosby Campground Trail 1 mile round trip Sugarlands Trail Cataract Falls 1 mile round trip Cades Cove Driving Tour many stops Roaring Fork Nature Trail drive, many stops Smoky Mountain Railroad (train ride) Bryson City Approximately a 4 hour train ride 32 miles starts at $50 (GSMR.com) KSNH 2014 Spring Conference at Great Smoky Mountains Trip Leaders and Speakers Chris Bidwell President KSNH, amateur naturalist/photographer Past president of Falls of Ohio chapter, Co- photographer for The Olmsted Parks of Louisville: A Botanical Field Guide, 2014 ER/Flight Nurse since 1974 Interest in nature since a child Jim Burkbank Volunteer GSMNP, primarily in Cades Cove Emphasis on leading interpretive nature hikes, wildflower walks, nature photography and presents slide lectures concerning GSMNP Troy Evans Forestry Technician GSMNP Crew leader for Hemlock Wooly Adelgid control BS from McCrae College (NC) and MS in Biology at Eastern KY University Doris Gove Biologist and author of Great Smoky Mountains Trivia and The Smokies Yucky Book and numerous other booklets and hiking guides Has led wildflower hikes at Pilgrimage since

6 Tom Harrington Volunteer at GSMNP, 14 years at Cades Cove Loves volunteering, hiking, nature, and wildflowers Native of Knoxville, army vet, retired after 40 years as an insurance agent Fred Holtzclaw Biology teacher at Webb School in Knoxville An avid hiker with his wife interested in plants and birds Volunteer with Pilgrimage since 1978 Dennis Horn Co- editor of the excellent field guide Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians Has led wildflower and trees/shrubs hikes since 1982 as part of Pilgrimage An engineer, botanist, naturalist, and wildflower photographer who is known for conservation efforts in town Berl Meyer Long time member and board member of KSNH Has led numerous geology, nature hikes Teacher, naturalist, navy veteran, Civil War buff He brings a lot of knowledge and history to the natural world Becky Nichols Dr. Nichols has been GSMNP entomologist for 16 years with emphasis of aquatic insects Janet Rock Botanist GSMNP since 1989 Mainly focuses on Rare Plant monitoring and inventories Has studied effects of white- tailed deer on Cades cove vegetation and impacts of ramp and ginseng harvesting in GSMNP Lisa Stewart Vice president and executive director of Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Townsend Working to design and construct the most sustainable wildlife rehab center to date 161 Painted Trillium Way, Townsend Susan Wilson Photography coordinator for KSNH Naturalist/photographer 6

7 Co- photographer for The Olmsted Parks of Louisville: A Botanical Field Guide 2014 ER/flight nurse 7