July 08th, 2015

7/8/2015

Foggy mornings with Edgar...

Hello again! Kind of a cloudy day up top so far. Yesterday's high was a warm and sunny 71 degrees and the low was 50 over night. We finally had a full day with no rain yesterday! Unfortunately, the clouds have settled back in today and we have had a few showers through the morning and early afternoon. At least it isn't as chilly as it has been as we are currently at 64 degrees! Happy trails, y'all!

Cathy

7/8/2015 06:34:48 am

Hi up top....can you tell me what kind of bird Edgar is? I am a real bird nerd and did get a picture of a bird in a tree when up there June 1st and 2nd but have not been able to identify it. Some type of sparrow I believe. Curious to know....thanks

Alllyson

7/8/2015 06:37:38 am

Edgar is a raven.

Kent

7/8/2015 07:46:42 am

I believe someone mentioned the other day that the LeConte shelter remains closed. Is it because of general bear activity, up there, or is there a problem bear targeting the shelter? It would seem that the lodge, with all the enticing smells emanating from the kitchen, would draw more bears than the shelter. It seems a shame that one cannot cheaply spend the night on Mt. LeConte, simply because the Park Service is being overly cautious.

Elaine

7/8/2015 09:51:36 am

The Park Service is being overly cautious to show they are vigilant in their search for "problem" bears. The news of the boy who was dragged out of his hammock in the Hazel Creek area made national news. Then when they assured the public they had euthanized the problem bear, the DNA sample proved that to be the wrong bear. Dont know about the Leconte shelter but this is one reason for the caution, whether or not it is necessary.

Steve

7/8/2015 11:00:59 am

The presumed the second bear they shot at the Sugar Fork site were the attacked happened was the correct bear since no other bears came back to the site. They reopened all the Hazel Creek area campsites so the bear attack has nothing to do with Leconte shelter being closed. From my knowledge that shelter is probably closed more than it is open.

Tom

7/9/2015 05:19:20 pm

According to the NPS website, the shelter is not closed and can be booked.

SamS

7/8/2015 07:49:23 am

Got to spend Monday afternoon, evening and Tuesday morning on my favorite mountain. Just wanted to say thanks to the best hospitality team that I have ever met. You guys make our stay the best. Hope to see you again soon.

Ron Adams

7/8/2015 08:57:10 am

If the shelter is closed, why would the Lodge remain open? People spend a lot of time at Cliff Tops, and on their outside porches, and just ambling about. Kent, you won't find much response here from the Lodge crew about bears up there; bad for business.

phillip

7/8/2015 10:49:45 am

It's called "government logic" !!

Kent

7/8/2015 01:25:32 pm

Well, I went and started a controversial topic, again. This isn't the place for such discussions, I guess, so I'll resist the urge to start them in the future.

ut-k

7/8/2015 01:30:39 pm

Kent, it's all good.

Tammy (Tx)

7/8/2015 02:16:32 pm

I've seen a picture of that same tree, I'm guessing, with several birds in it. If Edgar is regular visitor up there I'm guessing he has a couple of friends that ya'll have named Allan and Poe! A raven's caw is one of my favorite sounds I hear in the woods while visiting the park. My 2 cents about the whole bear thing. Yeah, I'm scared of meeting up with one since I don't live around them, BUT, if I was to ever to be attacked by one I wouldn't want it to be put down, unless it could be proven to have rabies. I'm the one prowling around in its territory, I'm aware they may be around, and I'm going to try to educate myself and keep myself as safe as possible. No matter what is done about this whole bear thing...you're never going to please everyone!

Tammy (Tx)

7/8/2015 02:23:17 pm

It's simple...if you know bears are in the woods and you don't want to run the risk of encountering one...don't hike in the woods. If sharks are coming around a certain area of the beaches, don't go swimming, if you know there's a big rattlesnake den, don't go prowling around that area, if you know there are alligators in your area don't go swimming in the creek, river or bayou, etc....use common sense unless your willing to throw it out the window.

Rick

7/8/2015 02:53:26 pm

And if your a bear stay away from park rangers so you don't get wasted for something you didn't do !

norman

7/9/2015 12:12:05 pm

You are so right Rick! Them bears better watch out!!

Franklin

7/8/2015 04:12:50 pm

I understand the need to protect us humans when we wander around in bear country. Sometimes it's a matter of economics. Bears eating people is bad for business. Then, sometimes there really are bears that are too aggressive and present a real danger to anyone they encounter. It's a tough call, and I think the park service usually does a pretty good job. But I do hate to hear of innocent bears being killed. Anyone that hikes often accepts the possibility of a bear encounter. That's why we educate ourselves in how to avoid a negative outcome, hopefully. Just be smart and stay safe.

darryl

7/9/2015 07:21:26 am

Hey, Franklin, maybe you'd better warm Tammy about writing so much here.

ric

7/8/2015 11:06:43 pm

as of 6AM, the shelter is still closed due to bear activity. on the topic of bears, i consider myself very fortunate to see a bear while hiking, as well as any other wild life in the park. take precautions while walking. make a little noise - you want to see the bear, just not real close. have been very fortunate to have saw several bears, only 2 i consider too close. if you consider having one half way in the shelter with you and one bouncing up and down snorting too close. scary but not as scary as walking into a pack of the hogs down there. at any rate, like Tammy says, its their home. be aware. be cautious. be joyful. be coutrious. wildlife sightings = good. wildlife encounters = not so good. going up this weekend, will check on shelter.

Steve

7/8/2015 11:25:49 pm

If you hike the Smokies consistently you will see bears, that is for sure. That is one of the main attractions of the park for me. This is a great topic Kent, no harm discussing the beautiful black bear. The sad part is when a ranger puts one down because of a careless human.

charles

7/9/2015 02:35:58 am

The boy who was out of his hammock by that bear wasn't being careless.

Steve

7/9/2015 02:47:38 am

You are correct as the rangers reported.

norman

7/9/2015 03:24:08 am

When did we get time(military) back? Good! And nobody said the boy in hammock was careless, did they?? HAGD ya'll

Steve

7/9/2015 03:38:11 am

No one even mentioned it Norman. NOt a soul

norman

7/9/2015 05:16:54 am

OH, let us go back to Edgar! Wrong bear(bears) put down , or not... HABlessedD ya'll :)

David

7/9/2015 03:36:49 am

I have visited the Smokies more times then I can count. I really believe the bear issue is more our fault then that of the bears. Most bears are reclusive and would just rather be left alone. If you see them on the trail more often then not it is by accident, and with a little noise they will run away if they can. But instead many folks see a bear near the road, all the passengers get out of the car and approach the bear, some throwing food. People just don't get it, this is not a zoo it is the Wilderness. If the bear feels trapped he will attack and if there are cubs she will attack. As far as the boy who was attacked, I am sorry but then again if you are in the woods you need to be on guard. There are bears and you need to take precautions. Let's but this in perspective, how many people visit the Smokies and how many of these instances are there?

Tammy (Tx)

7/9/2015 05:30:14 am

What a forum? Like I said previously you just can't please everyone about this whole bear thing. I hope to see bear every time I visit the smokies, but I want to observe them from a safe distance. I, like David, have personally seen people chasing them. Once, in the Rainbow Falls parking area I saw a 4 - 6 year old boy chasing a cub that was running through the parking lot...and that's not all...his dad was encouraging him to do so! Another time I was in the Cove and my daughter and I were fortunate to see one on our way out from the Primitive Baptist church road. There was a woman who got out of her vehicle, literally stalking the bear with a massive camera, taking cover behind trees just to get the perfect picture. I'm sure to sell for personal gain. She was not 10 - 15 yards or closer to that large bear at times. When I later mentioned it to a park ranger, he told me they were having a lot of trouble with that particular person. And we just assume attacks are the bear's fault?

Tammy (Tx)

7/9/2015 05:39:26 am

Look, I will be the first to admit, if I were to encounter a bear unexpectedly while hiking, I will probably panic and make some stupid mistakes...forget what I learned I'm supposed to do from regular GSM hikers on this blog and just hope it turns out to be a non-event. Just another of many memorable experiences I've had while visiting the park.

Tammy (Tx)

7/9/2015 06:02:01 am

Another thing I want to share with ya'll, we have a mountain lion roaming our heavily wooded family farmstead. My uncle saw it on 2 occasions (not 50 yards from the house) and my brother saw a couple of young (baby) ones together on 1 occasion. We've found dead deer (carcasses) with obvious throat wounds and not much else. Assuming from the mt lion. I would LOVE to see that thing..it's massive beauty...but I'm not going to be careless and stupid. I've already changed my habits and actions while visiting the farm just in case it happens to be around. Like around the bears in GSM, just trying to be safe and cautious. I apologize for being long winded, but because of illness, I'm stuck here at the house and bored on this beautiful summer day! Ya'll HAGD!

Franklin

7/9/2015 07:30:14 am

I actually witnessed a woman encouraging her 7 or 8 year old child to feed a bear once many years ago. Wow ! How dumb can a person be. People need to have a license to have children in some cases.

norman

7/9/2015 09:26:49 am

AMEN

Tom

7/9/2015 05:50:20 pm

On the NPS website, the shelter is not listed as closed. Shelter Permits can be bought online too. Will call in morning to verify.

ric

7/9/2015 11:03:22 pm

shelter permit site does not list shelter as closed this morning. guess the bears decided to behave.

Tom

7/10/2015 02:07:58 am

I snagged a permit for it saturday

Tammy (Tx)

7/10/2015 03:22:58 am

Tom, if I may ask, does your last name begin with a "d"?

Tom

7/10/2015 04:06:25 am

It does not! I just use Tom as aname at CFA, and online usually. My real name is Kolya actually. I did call the NPS just now, and they verified that the shelter has been open since last night again.

Comments are closed.

July 08th, 2015

LeConte Lodge

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