Whitewater club gets a boost from grants
The Nantahala Racing Club has landed nearly $45,000 in grants for the 2016 season, encouraging the Swain County nonprofit in…
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Trout Capital, North Carolina: Jackson County pushes to land unique designation
Jackson County is on its way to becoming the trout capital of North Carolina after county leaders unveiled a plan…
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Shoot the Smokies
A crash course in outdoor photography will give shutterbugs an excuse to explore the Smokies’ beauty in a four-week program…
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Overnight on the Appalachian Trail
To get a taste of trail life on the A.T., I set out on Friday afternoon with a pack, a…
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The Eagle Lady says goodbye to N.C.
After more than 20 years in the Carolina mountains, The Eagle Lady — also known as Doris Mager — is…
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Clean the Tuck
Western Carolina University students show off the bags that they will soon fill with trash from the Tuckaseigee River during…
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State looks to combat aquatic invasives
With nuisance species steadily invading North Carolina waters, state officials have approved a plan designed to curb their onward march.
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Smoky birds
I just finished four wonderful days of birding in the Smokies, helping out with the 66th Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage.…
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Hike your own hike: A.T. hikers aim for Maine after crowded start
It’s 4 p.m. on the Appalachian Trail, and while the sun will be awake for hours yet, “hiker midnight,” which…
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What matters most in life: Local triathlete on road to recovery following accident
All he heard was the sound of an engine. “I came over the rise, a place I’d ridden hundreds of…
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Mystery solved
I was having my morning coffee on the small floating dock in the narrow, clear Weeki Wachee River about three…
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Hike week returns to Fontana Village
A week of guided hikes and educational programs will celebrate all that’s great about hiking with Spring Hike Week April…
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Synchronous firefly viewing goes to lottery system
Those wanting to get a peek at the famous synchronous fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will have…
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WNC land trusts surpass conservation goal
In the past five years, the 10 land trusts of Western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Forever coalition have collectively completed…
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Buggy photography to be illuminated
Bug-loving photographers will get the inside scoop on photographing insects through a presentation from Kefyn Catley, a biology professor at…
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Take your pick of ranger programs
Spring ranger programs have begun in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, giving visitors a chance to explore the Smokies…
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Stocked trout waters to open
Hatchery-Supported Trout Waters throughout Western North Carolina will open at 7 a.m. Saturday, April 2.
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Celebrate the A.T. season
Every year, trail towns and businesses in Western North Carolina anticipate the influx of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers that stream through…
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A life of exploration: Swain County trail guide duo reflects on 25 years in business
The outdoors have been a powerful force in the lives of Jim Parham and MaryEllen Hammond. The Nantahala River was…
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A day in the life of a mountain bike guidebook author
By Jim Parham • Contributing writer People have all kinds of preconceived notions of what it’s like to write a trail…
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Long live the hard copy trail guide
Google the name of almost any trailhead in Western North Carolina, and you’re likely to come up with pages of…
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Lace it up
A slate of challenging long-distance races will be coming to the Smokies this spring, meaning it’s time to get back…
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Spring openings in the Smokies
Spring is here, and facilities closed for the winter are opening up accordingly in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. …
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Stomach illness reported on the A.T.
Stomach bugs, possibly norovirus, have been reported among Appalachian Trail thru-hikers in Georgia and the Great Smoky Mountains this season.
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Volunteers needed in the Smokies
As the green season inches closer and visitation ramps up, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is looking for volunteers…
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Commission wants to lift bear baiting restriction
A proposed rule change allowing hunters to bait black bears with unprocessed food throughout the entire hunting season will be…
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Snowmaking crew makes the top cut
Cataloochee Ski Area is a finalist for the I AM a Snowmaker Award, given annually by SAM Magazine and HKD…
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Easter on the trail
This Easter marked an important milestone for Jerry Parker, an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker who completed the 2,160-mile trail before it…
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A new meaning for ‘study lounge’: WCU installs solar panel and hammock lounge combo with sustainability funds
When Earth Day rolls around this year, students at Western Carolina University will be able to celebrate with a bit…
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Early to the woods
Due to contractual obligations with the Forest Service I have been in the woods a little earlier than usual this…
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Butterfly highway coming to N.C.
A network of pollinator pit stops will begin spreading across the state with the launch of the Butterfly Highway Campaign,…
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Forest Service considers limiting guided fishing on the Nantahala
Complaints about overcrowding on the Nantahala River have led the U.S. Forest Service to consider limiting fishing permits for outfitters…
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Assault on BlackRock crosses the finish line
Saturday dawned chilly and foggy at Pinnacle Park in Sylva, but that didn’t stop 73 people from completing the strenuous…
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Friends of the Smokies gets new director
Friends of the Smokies has a new North Carolina director after Anna Lee Zanetti took the reins this week.
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Feeling the vibe: Mountain bikers converge in WNC to learn, network and explore Tsali trails
The parking lot at Tsali Recreation Area was full of bikes Friday evening — more than 100 of them, strapped…
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Fake it till you make it
“So, are you here as a reporter or as a biker?” asked one of the 100-plus shorts-wearing, bike-bearing people converged…
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Franklin-area forest road closed for logging
A 6-mile stretch of Rainbow Springs Road near Franklin will stay closed through mid-May for logging going on nearby.
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Wildlife group resigns from red wolf recovery team
Defenders of Wildlife has walked off the Red Wolf Recovery Team, claiming it’s headed for a “dead end,” meeting only…
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Get schooled on wildflowers
The forest floor surrounding Jackson County comes alive as wildflower season dawns — and a six-week course on spring wildflowers…
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Scaled-down plans for Duke’s Asheville plant approved
Duke Energy Progress’s plan to replace its coal-fired power plant in Asheville with natural gas has garnered partial approval from…
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Worming towards a better way: Composting project reduces waste, sparks young scientists in Jackson schools
When the bell rang for the end of school Friday afternoon, Jeff Vamvakias’ room at Cullowhee Valley Elementary emptied a…
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Lake J – even when it’s bad, it’s good
Waterfowl have been scarce across Western North Carolina this fall and winter. Traditional haunts like Lake Julian in Asheville, Lake…
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Feeling alive: Waynesville chiropractor reflects on decade as professional mountain climber
The little storefront that serves as home base for Todd McDougall’s chiropractic office looks just about how you’d expect such…
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Report delivers bad news for drought prognosis
Drought has gotten bad in the United States over the past 15 years, and the combination of the dry weather…
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Poster contest winners announced in Jackson
Students in Jackson County got a chance to show the artistic side of what it means to live in a…
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Classic Hikes of the Smokies kicks off
Exploration of the remote Little Cataloochee area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will kick off this year’s Classic…
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Residents promote Franklin as outdoor destination
Franklin residents have taken it upon themselves to get the word out about the town’s recognition as the “Top Small…
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Getting around town: Franklin focuses on making town more walkable
Franklin has sidewalks, bike trails and a beautiful greenway to encourage residents and visitors to walk or bike around town,…
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Hooray for the orange and black
The monarch butterfly is known for its amazing annual spring and fall migration — from wintering grounds in Mexico in…
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