From tta at tennesseetrails.net Sun Jan 11 11:09:50 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:09:50 -0600 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] 2009 South East Foot Trails Coalition (SEFTC) conference announced. Message-ID: <496A19CE.9010309@blomand.net> The 2009 South East Foot Trails Coalition (SEFTC) conference will be held in Kentucky May 7 - 10. Meetings and some activities will take place at Pine Mountain State Resort Park in Pineville, KY. Other activities will be held at nearby Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. Park staff will lead guided hikes. We will have educational sessions and group breakout discussions. There will be social activities including a square dance on Friday evening and a visit to the Hensley Settlement at CGNHP on Saturday evening for a cookout and some night sky / night hike activities. A special public ceremony is planned to recognize the connection of Cumberland Trail and Pine Mountain Trail at Cumberland Gap. Please save the date and join us for all of the activities. Registration will open in January. You will receive another e-mail informing you when the new SEFTC website is up and registration is open. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the conference in May. Pass the word on to others in the southeast who share our interest in foot trails. If you have questions, please contact me at dennis.crowley at win.net Dennis Crowley Kentucky Trails Association From tta at tennesseetrails.net Fri Jan 16 20:25:16 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:25:16 -0600 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] CTC names Soddy-Daisy as Chapter of the Year Message-ID: <4971337C.5050603@blomand.net> Every year the CTC recognizes the TTA Chapter with the most volunteer hours given to the Cumberland Trail project. For 2008, the Cumberland Trail Conference wants to recognize the Soddy-Daisy Chapter as the CTC?s Chapter of the year. The members of this chapter have greatly assisted the trail project by donating 2,288 volunteer hours in 2008. The chapters name will be engraved on a plaque that is located in the CTC office. I want to thank all the members of the Soddy-Daisy chapter for all of the help. Tony Hook From tta at tennesseetrails.net Wed Feb 4 21:11:40 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:11:40 -0600 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Tennessee Invasive Weed Awareness Week - February 22 - 28, 2009 Message-ID: <498A4ADC.7020501@blomand.net> Tennessee Invasive Weed Awareness Week February 22 - 28, 2009 Governor Phil Bredesen has issued a state proclamation declaring Feb. 22-28, 2009, as Invasive Weed Awareness Week (IWAW) in Tennessee in conjunction with the 10th Annual National IWAW in Washington, D.C. The Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council (TN-EPPC), an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization, is working closely with various local, state and federal organizations and agencies to promote public education on the harmful impacts of nonnative, invasive plant species through several ?pest plant removal events? around the state. Events are planned in Memphis, Jackson, Nashville, Murfreesboro, Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The TN-EPPC calendar at http://www.tneppc.org/calendar_of_events.htm has details for the scheduled events. Tennessee Trails Association is one of many conservation organizations supporting this effort. From tta at tennesseetrails.net Thu Feb 12 15:12:38 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:12:38 -0600 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Land purchases protect Savage Gulf and Fiery Gizzard Message-ID: <499482B6.5070202@blomand.net> From: Erin R. Cubert, Nashville Tennessean Newspaper The State of Tennessee has announced the purchase of property and easements which will protect nearly 5,500 acres on Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau. A $6 million, 3,000-acre Savage Gulf property will be added this spring to the South Cumberland State Park and Natural Area, which has a million annual visitors. The deal also includes more than 2,400 acres that will preserve a portion of the South Cumberland's Fiery Gizzard trail. The complete article can be found at: http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090212/GREEN02/902120367/1906/GREEN A gallery of photos is available at: http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=DN=20090211=GREEN=902110804=PH A video is available at: http://www.tennessean.com/section/videonetwork?videoid=1030614484 From tta at tennesseetrails.net Mon Mar 9 02:52:49 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:52:49 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] 2009 South East Foot Trails Coalition Message-ID: <49B4BCC1.6000906@blomand.net> From Fount Bertram: This is a reminder that the 2009 South East Foot Trails Coalition (SEFTC) conference will be held at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and at nearby Pine Mountain State Resort Park in Kentucky on May 7th through 10th. We urge you to make your reservations as soon as possible, so that we can reserve the entire CGNHP facilities. Meetings will be held at Pine Mountain Park, but other activities will be held at Cumberland Gap. Park staff will lead guided hikes. We will have educational sessions and group breakout discussions. There will be social activities including a square dance on Friday evening and a visit to the Hensley Settlement at CGNHP on Saturday evening for a cookout and some night sky / night hike activities. A special public ceremony is planned to recognize the connection of Cumberland Trail and Pine Mountain Trail at Cumberland Gap. More information and registration forms can be found at the SEFTC website at http://southeastfoottrails.org. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the conference in May. Pass the word on to others in the southeast who share our interest in foot trails. If you have questions, please contact Fount Bertram at fwbertram at dtccom.net or Dennis Crowley of the Kentucky Trails Association at dennis.crowley at win.net. From tta at tennesseetrails.net Thu Mar 19 22:32:04 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:32:04 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Urgent! CT Volunteers needed for last week of Breakaway 2009. Message-ID: <49C30024.90407@blomand.net> From: Tony Hook, CTC Manager. Come make the connection! We lack 800 feet from connecting new trail to existing trail at Stevenson's Branch in the North Chickamauga segment of the Cumberland Trail. We are making this our goal for the last week of Breakaway 2009 (March 22-28)! Come on out, together we can make this happen! Please register with: marleyapendleton at frontiernet.net or call (931)456-6259. From tta at tennesseetrails.net Mon Mar 23 18:26:21 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:26:21 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Legislation to allow use of Savage Gulf and Fall Creek Falls hiking trails by horseback riders. Message-ID: <49C80C8D.9020903@blomand.net> From: Fount Bertram There is legislation being proposed which would allow the use of portions of the hiking trails in Fall Creek Falls State Park and in the Savage Gulf State Natural Area for horseback riding. The House Parks & Tourism Subcommittee will meet this Wednesday, March 25, at 12:30 pm in the Legislative Plaza, Room 16. The subcommittee may hear a presentation from Susan Whitaker, Commissioner of the Department of Tourism. The members of the subcommittee are: Chair Gilmore (D), Vice Chair Floyd (R), Fraley (D), Hawk (R), Kernell (D), Rowland (R). The bill in question is: *HB 1308 Harmon: Horseback riding in Fall Creek Falls State Park.* Requires the commissioner to promulgate rules and regulations to authorize the use of certain segments of trail for horseback riding by the general public in Fall Creek Falls State Park and Savage Gulf State Natural Area. Please express your opinion on this matter to your elected representatives. The subcommittee meetings are open to the public if you would like to attend. From tta at tennesseetrails.net Wed Mar 25 14:06:23 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:06:23 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Legislation to allow use of Savage Gulf and Fall Creek Falls hiking trails by horseback riders. In-Reply-To: <49C80C8D.9020903@blomand.net> References: <49C80C8D.9020903@blomand.net> Message-ID: <49CA729F.40801@clearvoicesolutions.com> HB 1308 was deferred until the last committee meeting on the calendar. I did speak in opposition to the bill, but no action was taken at this time. Chairman Gilmore was very interested in hearing what I had to say, and I provided every member with about 4 pages of research about the damage done to trails by horses, bikes, and boots. Horses do at least 4 times the damage BTW. Pass this along. I encourage members of the TTA to come out next time. The only other person there to speak about it was a ranger from South Cumberland. He is also opposed to it. Thanks Jeremy Childs From tta at tennesseetrails.net Fri Apr 3 16:40:28 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:40:28 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Reminder about the Southeast Foot Trails Conference in Pineville, KY, on May 7-9 Message-ID: <49D6743C.4090908@blomand.net> From: Carolyn Miller, Plateau Chapter This is a reminder about the Southeast Foot Trails Conference in Pineville, KY on May 7-9. We really need people to get interested in this event. Both TTA and CTC will be involved and we really need a good turn out in order for the event to be successful. Deadline for room reservations (before they are released to the general public) is April 8. Here is some information about the event. More details available are available at www.southeastfoottrails.org. This biennial conference of the Southeastern Foot Trails Coalition will be held in Kentucky over the weekend of May 7 - 10, 2009. The conference will be based at Pine Mountain State Resort Park near Pineville, KY with some activities at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in Middlesboro, KY. ABOUT THE CONFERENCE Members of hiking and trail building organizations from across the southeastern United States and partners of the coalition will gather in Kentucky for a weekend of hiking, education, fun and celebration of the foot trails experience. Several guided hikes of varying length and difficulty will be offered in both locations. Simultaneously, at Pine Mountain SRP, there will be a series of educational sessions of varying length on tracks which address needs and interests of the coalition and its members. Social activities will provide opportunities to share in fun with other participants and make new friends in the "trails community". Finally, we will celebrate "connections" with a ceremony connecting two trails in the southeastern foot trails network. HIKES Follow the "Hiking Program" link on the SEFTC conference website to see the hikes scheduled for the conference. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM Follow the "Educational Program" link on the SEFTC conference website to see the Educational Tracks and individual sessions. SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Time has been reserved in the evenings for social activities. A square dance is planned at Pine Mountain SRP on Friday evening. Bobby Fulcher, Manager of Cumberland Trail State Park will call the square dance with music by local musicians. A cookout is planned at Hensley Settlement at Cumberland Gap NHP on Saturday evening. This will be catered by Cumberland Avenue Cafe. Tours and storytelling of the settlement and Appalachian culture will be conducted by National Park Service staff and volunteers. TRAIL CEREMONY A ceremony will be held at The Pinnacle Overlook at Cumberland Gap NHP at 10 am on Friday, May 8th to recognize the collaborative efforts to form a system of diverse trails in the southeast. A trail project will be performed during the conference to place an informational sign at Tri-State Knob at the point where the Cumberland and Pine Mountain trails meet. From tta at tennesseetrails.net Sun Apr 5 17:33:42 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:33:42 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Trails & Trilliums Event at Saint Andrews-Sewanee School on April 18 & 19. Message-ID: <49D923B6.10905@blomand.net> This is a special invitation to all Tennessee Trails Association members, and other Tennessee hikers, to attend the 6th annual Trails & Trilliums event in Sewanee on April 18 & 19th. Mack Prichard, recently retired State Naturalist, is being honored with this year's Yeatman Award for Environmental Education. It was Mack's conversations with Bob Brown and Evan Means in October 1968 that led to the formation of TTA in December 1968 and to the passage of the 1971 Tennessee Scenic Trails System Act. For the past 40 years, Mack has traveled more than a million miles across Tennessee, shot over 20,000 photographs, and spoke to at least 2,500 audiences urging the need for conservation and spreading his love of nature. He served as Park Naturalist, State Archaeologist, and Natural Areas Administrator prior to being named Tennessee?s first state naturalist. There will be lots of activities at Trails & Trilliums, including several choices of wildflower hikes on Saturday. TTA members will be assisting with these hikes. On Sunday, there will be hikes into the 3000 acre tract recently acquired in Lost Cove by the University of the South, with assistance from the Land Trust of Tennessee. The TTA Highland Rim Chapter will have an information booth at Trails & Trilliums on Saturday. A full schedule of activities and events is available on the Trails & Trilliums website at http://www.trails.sasweb.org. From tta at tennesseetrails.net Mon Apr 6 02:23:19 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:23:19 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] SEFTC Conference Registration and Accommodations (5/7-5/10) Message-ID: <49D99FD7.2040808@blomand.net> From: Dennis Crowley Chairman, Executive Committee Southeastern Foot Trails Coalition dennis.crowley at win.net If you are planning to attend the SEFTC conference in Kentucky in May and have not already made your reservations for accommodations, please consider booking a lodge room or a cabin at Pine Mountain State Resort Park no later than Tuesday (4/7) of this week. After that date, these rooms will be made available to the general public. There are only a few rooms and cabins left. The conference facilities are available for our use at no charge conditional on our filling all of the available accommodations. We are close to doing that, but we are not there yet and we only have a couple of days left to do this. Thanks for your support. To register for the conference or to book reservations, visit www.southeastfoottrails.org and click on the "2009 Conference" tab, then click on the "Conference Registration" tab and follow the instructions on this page to book a room at Pine Mountain State Resort Park. Open the link for the REGISTRATION FORM to complete your registration for the conference. From tta at tennesseetrails.net Fri May 22 23:56:32 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Fri, 22 May 2009 23:56:32 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] ONLINE RECREATION NEEDS SURVEY - LAST CALL Message-ID: <4A178200.7040600@blomand.net> From: TDEC The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation prepares a new state recreation plan every five years, because the recreation and conservation needs of Tennesseans are always changing. This year the department is updating the 2003-2008 Tennessee State Recreation Plan and developing a new long-range vision plan to guide policies for the next decade. The more we're able to learn from the folks who use and care about recreational parklands, rivers, facilities and programs, the more accurate and effective the planning process will be. That's why we've created an online survey that, for the first time, will allow anyone, anywhere in Tennessee to share their opinions with us. This survey has been available on-line since early April. So far about 600 responses have been received, which is .01% of the Tennessee population. A good start, but we can certainly do better. So we're challenging everyone to help us. Some user groups have generated very high rates of participation and as a result are more likely to see a higher priority placed on their interests. It will help TTA, if TDEC hears from a large portion of our membership about the issues we consider most important to hikers. This is your last chance to make your voices heard. This survey will still be available through Friday, May 29. The link to the survey can be found at: http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/recreation/plan/ From tta at tennesseetrails.net Tue Jun 16 02:14:00 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:14:00 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Cumberland Trail Bridges in the Rock and Possum Gorges are now complete! Message-ID: <4A373828.9000408@blomand.net> After several years of hard work by our volunteers, the three major bridge projects on the Cumberland Trail in the Rock and Possum Gorges are now complete. Please come and enjoy! Pictures of the new bridges may be seen on the Tennessee Trails website (www.tennesseetrails.org) by clicking on the Photos menu option. Tony Hook, CTC Manager From tta at tennesseetrails.net Mon Jul 27 08:53:04 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:53:04 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] TDEC announces Public Hearings on State Recreation Plan. Message-ID: <4A6DA330.3000408@blomand.net> Please encourage all TTA members and friends to attend the public hearings on the new state recreation plan. They're scheduled as follows: Knoxville: July 27, Knoxville / Knox City-County Building, Small Assembly Room, 400 Main Street, 6:30 p.m. Memphis: July 28, Arlington Town Hall, 5854 Airline Road, 6:30 p.m. Nashville: July 29, Goodlettsville City Hall, 105 South Main Street, 6:30 p.m The complete TDEC press release is available here: http://news.tennesseeanytime.org/node/2256. This is a great opportunity for TTA members and other hikers to have a say in Tennessee's policies for the next ten years in areas such as local recreation, conservation, water quality, environmental education, quality growth, and state parks management. Edwin Gardner Heritage Strategy Group http://heritagestrategy.wordpress.com/ From tta at tennesseetrails.net Thu Jul 30 08:52:19 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:52:19 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] TTA participation in the Allardt Pumpkin Festival Message-ID: <4A719783.5020706@blomand.net> From Anne Wesley: On Saturday, October 3, all roads lead to ALLARDT, TN! Block out your calendar, and plan to join Tennessee Trails Association at the 18th Annual Allardt Pumpkin Festival !! This is a fun-filled weekend of events surrounding the traditional Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off Competition. Join us for a day or the whole weekend. All TTA members are more than welcome!! On Friday, October 2, we will camp at beautiful, historic Pickett State Park. You can bring a tent or camper. Sites are first-come, first-served, but we will get a "TTA site" which is suitable for multiple tents. Pickett also offers cabins (call 931-879-5821 to check availability). Bring a chair and gather round the campfire for a laid-back evening enjoying the early autumn weather. Saturday, October 3 is the big day. Meet in Allardt (Fentress County, due east of Jamestown on TN 52 - central time zone) for a variety of interesting events. In the morning, you can shop for crafts/baked goods, buy pumpkins and gourds from local growers, listen to live music, or pull up a chair to watch the fascinating process of weighing the giant pumpkins to determine the 2009 champion. Around Noon, all TTA members gather to decorate our float for the Pumpkin Festival Parade! We promote local hiking and our statewide organization by walking in the parade and tossing candy to the young ones. Afterwards we have a short hike at the lovely Colditz Cove State Natural Area featuring Northrup Falls. Campers reconvene at Pickett for another evening under a nearly-full moon. Sunday, October 4 - We'll have a short but beautiful hike on the trails of Pickett State Park. Then it's time to load up our pumpkin pies and head home. For more details about the festival in general, visit www.allardtpumpkinfestival.com . For specific information about TTA's participation (how to get there, what to bring, how to toss candy without maiming children, etc) contact Anne Wesley at ttahiker at msn.com. From tta at tennesseetrails.net Thu Aug 6 23:37:25 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Thu, 06 Aug 2009 22:37:25 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] CTC can benefit from Christies Cookies promotion. Message-ID: <4A7BA175.6060603@blomand.net> Tony Hook and Marleya Pendleton thought you would be interested in this. This could be great for Cumberland Trail Conference in Crossville, Tennessee! The Christie Cookie Co. is donating a total of $25,000 to charities. From now through October 15, you can nominate your favorite charity to win. The most nominated charity will receive a check for $10,000. The runner-up wins $5,000, and the next 10 will receive $1,000 each. It takes less than 2 minutes to vote. Go to http://ilovechristiecookies.com/contest for more info and to vote. Tell everyone to vote for Cumberland Trail Conference in Crossville,Tennessee! From tta at tennesseetrails.net Tue Aug 25 09:15:27 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:15:27 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Bears at South Cumberland State Park Message-ID: <4A93E3EF.9060502@blomand.net> From the Friends of South Cumberland: MONTEAGLE -- August 15, 2009 The Friends of South Cumberland Board met today for our scheduled quarterly meeting. Park Manager John Christof advised the board that a local property owner's game feeding stand photographed a black bear not too far from the Collins Gulf entrance to the park. Ranger George Shinn advised that he and other rangers have seen bear scat, tracks and other signs in Collins Gulf, along the Connector Trail and in the vicinity of Hobbs Cabin within the past week. It appears that there might be three different animals. Camping and cooking in bear country, and storing a food cache, requires different safety precautions than normal backpacking and camping. The most common close encounters between bears and people in the wilderness almost all relate to the presence of food. The National Park Service has an excellent write up here related to bears and bear behavior in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/black-bears.htm If you see a bear at South Cumberland during your visit, please report the time and location to a Ranger. Ranger George Shinn is presently talking with other Tennessee state parks who have bears and I expect South Cumberland will have some written guidelines and recommendations in the very near future. From tta at tennesseetrails.net Mon Sep 14 02:29:10 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:29:10 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Friends of South Cumberland to recognize hiking accomplishments Message-ID: <4AADE2B6.5060909@blomand.net> From Mary Priestley Have you hiked all the maintained trails in the South Cumberland State Park? Or have you hiked your favorite trails at South Cumberland so many times that you have done more than 100 miles of hiking there? If so, you qualify for the ?100-Miler? or the ?I Hiked ?Em All ? Hiking Clubs, sponsored by the Friends of South Cumberland. Qualifying hikers will receive a certificate of membership in the club, two trail map bandannas, and one year?s membership in the Friends of the South Cumberland State Recreation Area. For more information, see the Friend website at: http://www.friendsofscsra.org/friends-hiking-clubs.htm From tta at tennesseetrails.net Mon Sep 14 23:57:09 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:57:09 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Northface Event to benefit CTC Message-ID: <4AAF1095.5040609@blomand.net> From: Tony Hook, CTC Manager The North Face Never Stop Exploring Speaker Series Brings Ski Mountaineer Kit DesLauriers to Knoxville, TN. The North Face and Blue Ridge Mountain Sports present Lessons from the Summit: Skiing the 7 Summits. Knoxville, TN ?October 12, 2009? The North Face, the world?s premier supplier of authentic, innovative and technically advanced outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear, today announced the 2009 Never Stop Exploring Speaker Series, a nationwide tour that will bring the stories of six top The North Face Athlete Team members to life. As part of the 24-city tour, The North Face Global Athlete Team member and ski mountaineer Kit DesLauriers will share her incredible journey of climbing and skiing the highest peak of each continent ? the 7 Summits ? and the life lessons of adventure, love and survival she took away with Knoxville residents at the Bijou Theatre on Monday, October 12, 2009. In Lessons From the Summit: Skiing The 7 Summits presented by The North Face and Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, Kit will talk about how she realized her dream and encourage professional, amateur and aspirational skiers alike to do the same. Kit first realized she wanted to pursue big mountain skiing in Sikkim, India in 1998. Since then, Kit DesLauriers has won Extreme Skiing events including becoming a two time World Freeskiing Champion, skied Everest?s diamond-hard 55-degree ice slopes and has succeeded in being the first person to complete the Seven Summits on skis. She?s also since created Pursue Balance, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people realize their full potential through funds, and gone through the journey of motherhood. The presentation will begin at 7:00 PM and will be preceded by a VIP reception that will benefit the Cumberland Trail Conference. The Cumberland Trail Conference (CTC), a 501(c)(3) organization, seeks to encourage the development of the Cumberland Trail to meet the recreational needs of park visitors and area residents. The CTC was formed in early 1997 by dedicated members of Tennessee Trails Association. The mission of the CTC is to help build, maintain, raise funding for, provide activities on, and promote the Cumberland Trail, a scenic trail along the Cumberland Plateau between Chattanooga and Cumberland Gap, in order to help preserve the historical and cultural heritage of Tennessee, conserve natural resources, provide educational and recreational opportunities and connect local communities. There will be a limited amount of free seating available on a first come first serve basis (seats are not guaranteed). Guaranteed seating tickets for the event start at $8.00 and are available at www.thenorthface.com/speakerseries. VIP Reception tickets, which include preferred seating, a meet & greet with Kit, beer, wine and light food, are available for $20.00. Following the presentation, there will be an interactive question-and-answer session and a poster signing. The North Face Never Stop Exploring Speaker Series, sponsored by Outside Magazine and Outward Bound, is taking place from September 28th through November 6th. To find out more information about additional tour dates and athlete appearances, please visit www.thenorthface.com/speakerseries. About The North Face? The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was founded in 1968. Headquartered in San Leandro, California, the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, snowsport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The company's products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running, and snowsport retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains. For more information or to schedule an interview with Kit DesLauriers, contact: Kurt Peterson Grassroots Coordinator, Blue Ridge Mountain Sports 434-977-1397 x312 kpeterson at brms.com From tta at tennesseetrails.net Tue Oct 27 11:56:24 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:56:24 -0500 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] New River Section of Cumberland Trail Message-ID: <4AE71828.1060105@blomand.net> Message from Tony Hook, CTC General Manager To all TTA Members: I received the following email from a Cumberland Trail Hiker. It is only because of support from TTA (financial & manpower) that we were able to build the trail in this area. It is a testament to the efforts of all of your efforts as volunteers. Tony -----Original Message----- To: Tony Hook From: Ben Foard Subject: New River Section of Cumberland Trail Date: Monday, October 26, 2009, 8:38 AM Dear Cumberland Trail Folks: I hiked up Anderson Mountain from Norma Road this past weekend. The fall colors are at their peak and the views are fantastic. That area is truly the ?high country? of the Cumberland Plateau . I was disappointed that I was the only one on the trail and that more people are not using this incredible trail that you have worked so hard to establish and maintain. Nothing is easy and I?m sure this section of the trail was particularly hard to get approval for passage ... thanks for making the effort. I have trekked that part of the Cumberlands since I was a kid in the ?60?s and have seen it change from a scarred strip mining wasteland to a much improved landscape that still provides coal and logging resources, but not at the environmentally devastating cost of previous decades. It?s now possible to look at the landscape and see what it looked like before it was torn to pieces by the strip miners. I will continue to support your efforts to complete and maintain the Cumberland Trail. Ben Foard Knoxville From tta at tennesseetrails.net Mon Nov 2 17:02:26 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:02:26 -0600 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] 2010 Southeastern Foot Trails Coalition Conference Message-ID: <4AEF56F2.8020109@blomand.net> From: Fount Bertram: SAVE THE DATE!!!! The Southeastern Foot Trails Coalition's 2010 Conference will be held on May 20-23, 2010 (Thursday thru Sunday), at the DuBose Conference Center in Monteagle, Tennessee. There will be hiking, presentations, entertainment, and great food! More information to follow! www.southeastfoottrails.org From tta at tennesseetrails.net Wed Dec 2 14:22:42 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:22:42 -0600 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Donates $2, 500 for the Cumberland Trail project. Message-ID: <4B16BE82.1040209@blomand.net> Press Release from CTC: Crossville, TN, December 2, 2009: The Cumberland Trail Conference (CTC) would like to acknowledge Middle Tennessee Natural Gas (MTNG) for a donation of $2,500 to support the CTC?s 13th annual spring Break-Away program. This donation was made possible by MTNG?s Project Hometown Help, a community enhancement program. Customers may elect to round their monthly bill up to the next whole dollar, and all funds collected are distributed back to the community from which it was collected to benefit local charitable causes. The CTC?s Break-Away program brings college and university students from across the United States to Tennessee during their spring break to help construct the Cumberland Trail, a state scenic trail. The funds from the Project Hometown Help will offset the cost of food and lodging for the student volunteers that attend, assist with trail construction materials, staffing, and transportation cost. This program enables the CTC to educate the volunteers about the Cumberland Trail project, trail construction techniques, the environment, and the conservation effort to help preserve the Cumberland Plateau. The 2010 Break-Away program will take place in the North Chickamauga Gorge located in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Once completed, the Cumberland Trail will stretch from Signal Point near Chattanooga north to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. This trail will provide numerous recreational opportunities and for the preservation of the historical, cultural, and natural resources of Tennessee?s Cumberland Plateau. Because of the donation from the Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Company, the Cumberland Trail project will move another step closer to completion. From tta at tennesseetrails.net Sat Dec 5 13:32:23 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:32:23 -0600 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Obituary for Carol Jones, Cumberland Trail Advocate Message-ID: <4B1AA737.5020805@blomand.net> Provided by Anna Bertram, Murfreesboro: From: Knoxville News Sentinel, December 2, 2009 *JONES, CAROL ANN WILLIAMS McPETERS - born August 20, 1945 and passed away on November 30, 2009. Carol was a beloved teacher in Morgan County for 38 years and had taught three generations of some families in Wartburg. She was selected by the state of Tennessee as a "Tennessee Distinguished Classroom Teacher". Carol served on the Tennessee Conservation Commission and was a strong advocate of the Tennessee State Parks System. She was instrumental in the formation of the Cumberland Trail State Park. Carol was a member of the South Harriman Baptist Church and formerly a member of the First Baptist Church in Wartburg. She enjoyed traveling with family and friends and going to places that she had never seen before and experiencing the wonder of the world that God had provided for her to enjoy. Carol enjoyed being with her family and friends, especially during all the holiday seasons and loved being around her grandchildren and her great nephew and niece. She was preceded in death by; her father, Jackie Williams; and infant sister, Lenora Sue of Wartburg. She is survived by; her mother, Mildred Kreis Williams Ruppee; husband; Wendell Jones, of Wartburg; daughter, Lynora McPeters; and son, Lance McPeters, both of Nashville; step-daughter, Amy and Greg Turpin of Knoxville; step-son, Brad Jones of Clinton; granddaughters, Kelsey and Bailey Jones of Clinton; brother, Jerry Williams and wife Judy; nephew, Joey Williams and wife Susan and their children, Jackson and Edye-Ann all of Wartburg. The family will receive friends Thursday evening, December 3, 2009 at Schubert Funeral Home from 4:00 till time of service at 8:00 p.m. with Rev. John Shephard officiating. Graveside services will be Friday morning, 11:00 a.m. in Wartburg Cemetery. Schubert Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. * Published in Knoxville News Sentinel on December 2, 2009* From tta at tennesseetrails.net Sun Dec 6 11:18:46 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Sun, 06 Dec 2009 10:18:46 -0600 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Change in New Years Day Hike Destination Message-ID: <4B1BD966.1010106@blomand.net> From Bobby Hardeman by way of Fount Bertram: TTA's annual New Years Day hike has had to find a new home this year. Our usual destination, the Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness Area will be closed to hiking due to conflicts with the TWRA hunting schedule. Instead, we will be hiking the 4 mile Centennial Trail at Edgar Evins State Park. We will meet at the covered picnic shelters at the marina parking area to carpool to the trail head. This is an easy hike that includes lake views as well as deep woods. We will go by abandoned homesteads where people were relocated when Center Hill Lake was impounded, a former moonshine still and other artifacts of a time gone by. There won't be any creek crossings to contend with this time. The Centennial Trail has a special significance since it was built by TTA in 2000 to celebrate the park's 25th anniversary. Seven TTA Chapters were represented in the project. We will have our traditional New Years Feast at the shelters, with roaring fires to knock off the winter chill, and with picnic tables for eating, instead of just bare ground! The park is furnishing the shelters and firewood at no cost. There are even electrical outlets in case someone wants to bring appliances -- Hot coffee anyone? From tta at tennesseetrails.net Tue Dec 8 11:04:38 2009 From: tta at tennesseetrails.net (The Tennessee Trails List) Date: Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:04:38 -0600 Subject: [Tennessee Trails News] Prentice Cooper State Forest Outings Message-ID: <4B1E7916.806@blomand.net> From: Don Deakins, Soddy Daisy TTA Chapter: To avoid event conflicts, State Forest Supervisor Jim Lane has requested his office be notified of organized group events at Prentice Cooper State Forest and Wildlife Management Area. He pointed out that this request does not apply to a few friends getting together for an outing. The following notice was submitted by Jim: If your organization is planning an event or outing on Prentice Cooper State Forest, we would like to hear from you. There are many different activities that take place on the forest. We would like to be aware of them. When you are planning an event, drop us a note. We would like to know what the activity is, where it will be held, when you plan to have it, and about how many people you expect. We can help spread the word and make sure there aren?t any conflicts with any other planned events. If you are planning a large event with twenty or more people, we will issue you a permit. Come use the forest, it is a great place. Contact: Jim Lane State Forest Supervisor Tennessee Division of Forestry P.O. Box 160 Hixson, TN 37343 Email: Jim.D.Lane at tn.gov Phone: 423-658-5551