Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (20) View all

Program of hikes for 1930/ Smoky Mountains Hiking Club

items 31 of 86 items
  • wcu_great_smoky_mtns-10121.jpg
Item
?

Item’s are ‘child’ level descriptions to ‘parent’ objects, (e.g. one page of a whole book).

  • In making the hike to Blanket Mountain there is one consolation, the farther you go, the steeper the slope. From the old railroad bed at George Reagan's, where the cars are left two miles above Elkmont on Jake's creek, the trail to the top of the mountain, it is a steady pull. After leaving the cars at Reagan's the way lays up over the old railroad bed of the Little River Lumber Company. The steel was removed in the Spring of 1926 when the company moved its operations to Middle Prong. Upon all sides can be seen standing charred tree stubs- with a large amount of windfall on the ground—in all, quite a fire hazard. This is mute evidence of the disastrous fire in August 1925 which burned thousands of feet of saw-logs and also destroyed logging equipment belonging to the company. But—overtopping the windfall and crowding the dead snags can be seen a stand of fire cherry about ten feet high, which is the logical tyne to follow a fire. The cherry stand is the result of fire protection and is the promise for the future. Stands of oak, poplar and pine will, in time, replace the fire cherry. Cold spring, along the trail about a quarter of a mile above Reagan's, is a real treat for a cold drink. At the bend above Cold Spring is evidence of the logging methods, viz: worn grooves in wooden props where the steel cable of the lowering rig slapped against the bank. Reaching Jake's Gap, at the head of Jake's Creek, is also to reach the divide between East Prong and Middle Prong of Little River. The trail to the right is taken at Jake's Gap and up the ndge of Blanket mountain to the top where the State lookout station is located. The lookout station consists mainly of a 35- ioot wooden lookout tower and a cabin for the lookout man. The tower is surmounted by a 7- foot square cab where the lookout-man is on watch for fires. He is aided in his search by field-glasses. From the tower a telephone line runs to Elkmont and Townsend. The lookout-man 29
Object
?

Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).