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3D Flyover: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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Trail Chef: Cook Bacon and Eggs...in a Bag!
Fry bacon and eggs in a bag with Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan and this ... -
Climbing Longs Peak
Join the Backpacker staff as they bag Longs Peak in this exclusive on-the-scene ... -
Survival Skills: Start a Fire with Your Cellphone
Editor in Chief Jon Dorn shows you how to get a fire going with nothing but ...
TIP 9: Check the Weather
Most weather reports don't apply to backcountry or mountainous terrain. Gather specific information by calling ranger stations, checking guide books, and researching monthly climate trends.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide
261 reviews and camping tips
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READERS COMMENTS
This video was so informative and I liked the focus on the history and settlers of the Great Smokies. I'd like to explore this area some day. This was so well done.
Hello I love your magazine but the video is my first experience well good with a lot information and I'm going to follow exploring this matter. thanks to share with us your experienc.
Are you kdding me? Too long a trip or too many words.
10-24-09
Hey Folks,
Did this trip 2 weeks ago. WOW, what a trip! Rained every day except 2, but that just adds to the story,(That's the Smokies for you.) I had been to campsite 33 with the Boy Scouts and had thought about starting at Greenbrier and going backwards...That would have been a huge mistake. Starting at Le Conte is the way to go, then the majority of your trip is downhill, (There are still a few pretty good pulls however.) Campsite 29 has been closed do to agressive bear activity and that made for a long day. I would deffinetly include Icewater shelter,(Backpacker did not) It's about a 13 mile day if you skip it. The different scenery at the different elevations is amazing, you really get to see a lot of variety! Be prepared to cross a lot of creeks,(Without bridges, trecking poles or good branches are a must!) and if it's been raining a lot(Like with us) they are REALLY running! There was one day we dropped about 2,000 feet...that's really hard on your knees! We took 7 days on this trip so we could enjoy it AND in case we wanted a down day. We didn't check out Albright Grove Loop because there was good rain moving in, now I'm sorry we skipped it; It's a really short loop and I guess there are trees 25 feet around. I highly recommend this trip! Make sure you have good waterproof boots with STIFF soles, good rain gear, and keep your pack under 35 pounds,(A sil-nylon tarp is great to keep rain out of your cooking.)Make sure you take a camera with a big card and lots of batteries!!!
Ignore that last comment. I'm planning a trip and thought I would be emailing this.
This is a bit too long, but very interesting!
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