Hiking

Over the past several years, rangers from Blue Ridge Parkway and officers from the US Forest Service have discovered evidence of active gem mining and mineral collection at numerous locations along the parkway, and on adjacent USFS lands. The two agencies coordinated efforts to monitor the locations, in part with surveillance equipment. On October 13, 2012, rangers saw a man mining one of the sites and identified him as Christopher Barrett, of Asheville, North Carolina. Over the next few months, two other men – Elliott Shope and Thomas Hill, also from Asheville – were also found mining. All were arrested and charged with illegal removal of mineral resources. On February 26th, Barrett and Shope appeared in court and were fined $1,200 each for removing mineral resources; on April 30th, Hill appeared in court and was fined $500 for removing mineral resources. The investigation continues. The convicted men said that gems and minerals, particularly kyanite, are being traded and sold at local gem markets and are used in jewelry production. NPS Digest also recently published a report that a man was arrested for harvesting galax along the Parkway.Last fall, rangers on several occasions saw a silver Toyota Camry in areas along the parkway known for illegal galax harvesting. An inspection of the vehicle led to the discovery of twist ties and other items used in galax harvesting. On November 17th, rangers saw the same vehicle on the parkway and contacted the driver. He was found to have 4,140 galax leaves in his possession. The man also had been cited previously for commercially harvesting galax by the US Forest Service. On April 30th, he pleaded guilty to possession of galax and was sentenced to 30 days in jail. JeffHikingintheSmokys.com

Unforgettable trekking in one of the most beautiful areas of Tibet. A pilgrimage between two holy sites. Ganden Monastery to Samye Monastery. Ganden AT A GLANCE one of the most popular treks in Tibet 4-5 days best months April – October tenting is required independent hiking is illegal, though some foreigners do it anyway Ganden Monastery 4,300m to Samye 3540m  is a traditional pilgrimage route you’ll suffer many hassles traveling in totalitarian China read more on our new Ganden to Samye information page We’ve updated (and moved) that page. It’s been 15 years since we’ve done it. Leave a comment if you know of a more recent trip report.

So you want to be the next Ansel Adams? Well, me too. I’m certainly not going to guarantee that these tips will get you to an Adams status, but I bet you will see some improvement after using them. Photography, just like anything else, takes practice. It takes practice to get to know your camera, to understand your ISO, aperture, and shutter speed settings, and to develop an eye on how to frame a shot. I am by no means an expert, and I still have a lot to learn, but I do know that these tips will set you in the right direction. So, first things first: 1. Get that camera out! It seems simple but sometimes it’s the hardest thing to do! You can’t take any pictures if your camera is hidden safely away in its camera bag. Break that thing out… all the time. Going for a hike? Take your camera. Just taking a walk? Take your camera. Skiing? Take the darn camera. Once your out there make sure your camera is somewhere within reach… like around your neck. Is it the most comfortable thing ever? Maybe not. But I can guarantee that you will take more pictures with your camera in your hands instead of in a bag. 2. Take way too many pictures. Be that person. You know what person I’m talking about. The one in the group who is taking a million and one photos; the one that everyone likes to complain about, but then they’re secretly excited to see their pictures pop up on Facebook. Yea that person. Sometimes you have to take 100 photos to get 1 that you really like, which is all the more reason to take more photos. Not only are you more likely to get a good one out of the batch, but you’re also getting more practice. And don’t worry about being annoying–they’re going to love your pictures later. 3. Focus on something. Having a focal point in a picture is usually more appealing to the eye. Before you take your picture, figure out what you find most appealing about that shot. Why are you taking this picture in the first place; what attracted you to it? Then, once you’ve figured out what is the most interesting part of the photo, focus on it! When you are intentional about finding a focal point, it will show in your picture. 4. Don’t forget the details. When you’re outdoors, it may be easy to get lost in the big picture. Panoramas that extend into forever, mountains that seem to create waves from the earth, waterfalls that drop from the Heavens–yea all of those things are great and photo-worthy, but so are the little things. The mushrooms growing out of the stump, or the flowers blooming from the trees can hold just as much beauty as the mountaintop views. Don’t forget the little guys when you’re out and about. I find that they usually create some of the most beautiful pictures! 5. Have fun! Seriously, have fun! Don’t beat yourself up about becoming the next big thing. Just enjoy capturing the beauty of the outdoors. When you take that pressure off of yourself, that’s usually when the magic happens! So get out there and take a picture of a flower or something. I bet it will be the best flower picture I’ve ever seen. Related posts: Outdoor tips: Hiking during hunting season Free Canon Photography Classes in National Parks Photo of the Day: Tips for Getting Your Photos Featured

Got a bold idea for an expedition? Outside Magazine is willing to give you $10,000 towards your ultimate adventure dream - if you can encourage enough people to vote for your idea. To drop your name into the hat, all you'll need to do is submit a proposal by June 1st. Included with your proposal will be an essay, no longer than 500 words, a photo of yourself, and a video of two minutes or less. Outside editors will then select a handful of finalists and post the videos online so that readers can vote on the winner. Last year the magazine received several hundred applications, while thousands of readers voted in the contest. Last year's winner was Daniel Alvarez, a former corporate lawyer (pictured above) who paddled a sea kayak from Minnesota to Florida. For more information and to enter, please click here. JeffHikingintheSmokys.com

I’m pondering a trip to the Indian Himalaya, Oct/Nov 2013. Happily, there’s a great new Cicerone guide published Dec 2012. Known as “Little Tibet” for both its landscape and culture, Ladakh lies at the northern tip of India. The region is bisected by the great River Indus and neighbours Tibet and Kashmir. This quiet corner of the Himalayas has developed a strong trekking culture over recent years for adventurous trekkers. Trekking in this remote, high-altitude region is extremely challenging, as paths are not signed and there are only a limited number of villages. However, its magnificent landscape (a huge area full of limitless trekking possibilities), hospitable people, rich heritage and limited number of tourists make Ladakh an amazing destination. The guide includes background information on local culture, history and religion, as well as all the planning detail you need on crucial aspects such as environmental responsibility, health and safety in the mountains, trekking practicalities and preparation for altitude. Amazon I’ll buy that. And consult these others: Lonely Planet Trekking in the Indian Himalaya – Garry Weare (2009) Trailblazer Trekking in Ladakh – Charlie Loram & Jim Manthorpe (2004) Trekking and Climbing in the Indian Himalaya – Harish Kapadia (2001)

These videos provide great information for hiking and backpacking in Glacier National Park and other wilderness areas. Watch the first video here: Watch the second video here: Related posts: Cinema Sunday: “Glacier National Park: Winter Backcountry Camping” Cinema Sunday: Backcountry Hiking and Backpacking in Yellowstone National Park Cinema Sunday: “The Highline Trail in Glacier National Park”

Every day of the week we feature an excellent user-submitted camping or hiking photo as our Photo of the Day. Just in case you missed one or two from the past week, here are the seven most recent PODs that we’ve published: Trail: 7 Mile, Queenstown, New Zealand. Photo: Ginny_Tory. Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Photo: Be Ck. Trail: Moonlight Trail via Moke Lake, Queenstown, New Zealand. Photo: Ginny_Tory. Taken at Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida. Photo: Melissa Peacock. Helton Creek Falls, Blue Ridge, GA. Photo: kjspurlock. Moonlight Trail, Queenstown, New Zealand. Photo: Ginny_Tory. Taken at Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida. Photo: Melissa Peacock. Related posts: Week in Review: Outdoor PODs Week in Review: Outdoor PODs Week in Review: Outdoor PODs

Next Saturday there will be a program on "How to Keep Yourself Safe and the Bears Out of Trouble" at the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area's Bandy Creek Campground. The evening program about black bears will be held at the Bandy Creek Campfire Circle on Saturday, May 25, at 7:00 p.m. (EDT). People of all ages can learn how to keep safe in bear habitat of Big South Fork and the surrounding area and gain an understanding of how human behavior can impact bear behavior. Visitors will learn what to do if they see a black bear, how to store food at a campsite, and how to "bear-proof" private property. The Campfire Circle can be found by entering Bandy Creek Campground and turning left toward Area A. Across the road from the swimming pool parking lot, a trail leads to the Campfire Circle. For more information, contact the Bandy Creek Visitor Center at (423) 286-7275. JeffHikingintheSmokys.com

About an hour or so west of Cincinnati, is Whitewater Memorial State Park in Union County, Indiana. The park was built in 1949 to memorialize those who served in World War II. It lies next to Brookville Lake and encompasses  the 200 acre, man-made, Whitewater Lake. The park offers a range of facilities and outdoor activities that includes picnic areas, a number of playgrounds, a beach, boat ramps onto both Whitewater Lake and Brookville Lake, boat rentals, fishing, saddle horses, and horse trails, interpretive programs at the naturalist’s cabin, hiking trails, family cabins, a campground store, and a modern campground. The campground has more than 300 sites. Rental fees for sites vary depending on your choice of electric, non-electric, youth camp, or horse camp. Each site has a picnic table, a fire ring, and a gravel drive to park on. Bathhouses with flush toilets and vault toilets are dispersed through out the campground. Some of the trailheads are located in the campground too, but most are located elsewhere within the park. Be prepared to pay your way through the park. There is a gate fee, camping fee, boat ramp fee, and more… The gate fee includes one daily admission to the nearby Brookville Lake Mounds State Recreation Area which also offers many of the same facilities and activities, although there are no non-electric camp sites there and it’s dominated by RVs running generators all night long. Sites fill quickly during summer months at Whitewater Memorial State Park. It’s easy to avoid any inconveniences by calling their reservations hotline at 1-866-622-6746 or make arrangements online at www.camp.IN.gov. All in all, this is an excellent place for families to enjoy time together while experiencing the outdoors, especially if you like lake activities, are an RV camper, or just prefer a well developed campground that offers modern amenities. Related posts: Mt. Diablo State Park camping review Be safe outdoors this Memorial Day weekend Hiking Tallulah Gorge State Park in Northeast Georgia

One of our top 10 hikes in the world is the Ausangate Circuit in Peru. Best timing for 2013 is before or after Saturday May 25th to Tuesday May 28th. That’s the famous Quyllur Rit’i festival celebrated nearby. Best book that flight right now. It’s also called the Snow Star Festival. We did both Ausangate and the festival in 2005. You circumambulate the highest peak in southern Peru, sacred Ausangate 6372m (20,905ft). Four high passes between 4757m – 5165m. 70km (43.5mi) plus sidetrips, most hikers tent 4-5 nights. Hotsprings at start and finish of the trek. Check our recently updated information page on Ausangate.