Mike's AT hike Vol #2 update 2

April 18, 1999

From: janaken@ix.netcom.com

Greetings to all.

Mike has hiked through a big part of Great Smoky Mts. National park. His

little official book that was left with me says and I quote, "that this

park is visited by 9 million visitors annually. It is home to the most

diverse forest in North America and likewise, is the most biologically

diverse area traversed by the A. T. More than 100 species of trees can be

found in the park, along with about 1,500 flowering-plants species and 2,000

varieties of mushrooms." this park has a bear population of between 400 and

600 bears. About 90 % of the bears diet , no it doesn't come from eating

hikers , but from natural food. Now all bears where the human food and

garbage is not in bear-safe containers is loved by bears. In fact in 1995

one bear had to be put to sleep as he wasn't happy to share the food he had

stolen from the hiker with the hiker. In the park they have wire-fenced

shelters to keep food at night.

"Clingmans Dome at 6,642 ft is the highest point on the AT. Mike did not

say anything about this part of the trail but a tower is reported to give

the hiker a 360 degree view. In this area it is reported that there are some

serious threats to the ecosystem. The most visible and serious threat is the

balsam woolly adelgid. This is a small, wax-covered insect that attacks the

park's Fraser fir trees.After the trees are infected they will die within 5

years."

"Air pollution is one of the Smokies' worst conspicuous problems; it can

drop visibility from an average of 93 miles to 22 miles. this ironically,

enhances the sunset colors.The park's ozone, nitrogen, and sulfur levels are

among the nation's highest. Much of this pollution comes from distant cities

in the Midwest." I hope adding these little snippets from the book gives you

a better look at the trail.

Gatlinburg Sunday Apr.18th. This is the only road-crossing along the AT in

the Smokies. Mike called twice today. He was staying in one of the nearly

100 hotels in Gatlinburg He said he has about 200 miles in on the trail. He

offered no complaints. I know that is hard to believe coming from him but it

is true!

He will be in Hot Springs NC on Wednesday if all goes well and will call me

from there. I just received the first of many boxes of slides.

I guess Keith B. from H-P has a scanner so he maybe will be able to scan a

few pictures for you or so Mike thought.