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NEWS & EVENTS

It is unreasonable to assume that a person can completely eliminate activities that may result in tick exposure. Therefore, prevention measures should be aimed at personal protection:

Picture- Tuck pants into socks
 
 
     TICK REMOVAL
 
 
 
 
 
bullet Wear light-colored clothing -- this will allow you to see ticks that are crawling on your clothing.
bullet Tuck your pants legs into your socks so that ticks cannot crawl up the inside of your pants legs.
bullet Apply repellants to discourage tick attachment. Repellents containing permethrin can be sprayed on boots and clothing, and will last for several days. Repellents containing DEET (n, n-diethyl-m-toluamide) can be applied to the skin, but will last only a few hours before reapplication is necessary. Use DEET with caution on children because adverse reactions have been reported.
bullet Conduct a body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas by searching your entire body for ticks. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. Remove any tick you find on your body.

To remove attached ticks, use the following procedure:

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers or shield your fingers with a tissue, paper towel, or rubber gloves.

2. Grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick; this may cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin.  (If this happens, remove mouthparts with tweezers.  Consult your healthcare provider if infection occurs.)

Figure 19.  Tick removal 

Picture-tick attached to skin

Picture- removal of tick from skin with tweezers

3. Do not squeeze, crush, or puncture the body of the tick because its fluids (saliva, hemolymph, gut contents) may contain infectious organisms. 

4. Do not handle the tick with bare hands because infectious agents may enter through mucous membranes or breaks in the skin. This precaution is particularly directed to individuals who remove ticks from domestic animals with unprotected fingers. Children, elderly persons, and immunocompromised persons may be at greater risk of infection and should avoid this procedure. 

5. After removing the tick, thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash your hands with soap and water.

6. You may wish to save the tick for identification in case you become ill within 2 to 3 weeks. Your doctor can use the information to assist in making an accurate diagnosis. Place the tick in a plastic bag and put it in your freezer. Write the date of the bite on a piece of paper with a pencil and place it in the bag.

Note:  Folklore remedies such as petroleum jelly or hot matches do little to encourage a tick to detach from skin. In fact, they may make matters worse by irritating the tick and stimulating it to release additional saliva, increasing the chances of transmitting the pathogen. These methods of tick removal should be avoided. In addition, a number of tick removal devices have been marketed, but none are better than a plain set of fine tipped tweezers.

From The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

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Recipes from the Len Foote Hike Inn (Amicalola Falls State Park)
 
Apple Cornbread

1 3/4 cups cornmeal; 1/2 cup self-rising flour; 1/3 cup milk; 1/4 cup oil; 3 eggs; 2 cups apple pie filling; 1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix.  Spray cast iron skillet with spray oil and put in the oven for five minutes.  Pour batter into skillet.  Place in oven and bake for about 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Amicalolicious Cookies

4 eggs; 1 1/3 cups sugar; 1 lb. brown sugar; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 1 1/3 sticks butter; 2 2/3 tsp. baking soda; 1 lb. peanut butter; 6 cups dry oatmeal; 2/3 cup chocolate chips; 2/3 cup M&Ms

Mix together in above order.  Drop onto cookie sheet with ice cream scoop and flatten slightly.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until done.

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Hiking Schedule to Complete the Appalachian Trail (AT) in Georgia

 

Hike

Mi AT

Cum

1

B2

 

GA AT series 1.  Springer Mountain to Hightower Gap (shuttle/key exchange).   9.0 miles.  8.1 miles on AT plus .9 miles from route 42 to Springer Mt.  Moderate hike with elevations varying from 3782'  to 2525'.  Trail passes Springer Mt. (3782'--high point), Stover Creek Shelter, Three Forks (2525'--low point), Long Creek Falls, Hawk Mountain Shelter, Hightower Gap (2854'). 

Choestoe Baptist Church.

8.1

8.1

2

B3

Q1

 

GA AT series 2.  Hightower Gap to Gooch Gap (shuttle/key exchange).  8.3 miles. Many ups and downs for a rating of moderately strenuous.  Trail passes Hightower Gap (2854'), Horse Gap (2673'), Sassafras Mountain (3336'--high point), Cooper Gap (2828'), Justus Creek (2500'--low point), Gooch Gap Shelter, Gooch Gap (2784').

Choestoe Baptist Church.

8.3

16.4

3

C2

 

GA AT series 3.   Woody Gap to Gooch Gap (in and out).   7.2 miles.  Moderately easy. 3.6 miles each way.  Trail passes Woody Gap (3150'), Ramrock Mt. (3200'--high point), Gooch Gap (2784'-- low point).   MHH “favorite.”

Choestoe Baptist Church.

3.6

20.0

4

B3

GA AT series 4.  Woody Gap to Neels Gap (shuttle/key exchange).   9.9 miles.  Moderately strenuous with climb up Blood Mt. (highest point on the GA AT) but with good switchbacks.  Elevations from 3150' to 4461' to 3125'.  Trail passes Woody Gap (3150'), Dockery Lake trail, Jarrard Gap (3250'), Bird Gap (3650'),  Freeman Trail,  Slaughter Creek Trail, Blood Mountain (4461'--high point), Flatrock Gap (3452'), Neels Gap (3125'). 

Choestoe Baptist Church.

9.9

29.9

5

C2

Q1

GA AT series 5.   Neels Gap to Hogpen Gap (shuttle/key exchange)  6.4 miles.  Moderate.  Trail passes Neels Gap (3125'), Levelland Mt. (3942'), Cowrock Mt. (3842'),  Tesnatee Gap (3138'), Trail to Whitley Gap Shelter, Hogpen Gap (3450'). 

Choestoe Baptist Church.

6.4

36.3

6

B2

Q1

GA AT series 6.   Hogpen Gap to Low Gap (in and out).  8.4 miles.  Moderate.  4.2 miles each way.  Trail passes Hogpen Gap (3450'), Wide Gap (3150'), Low Gap shelter trail (3050').  Option of .1 miles to shelter.  MHH “favorite.”

Choestoe Baptist Church.

4.2

40.5

7

A2

GA AT series 7.   Low Gap to Unicoi Gap.  10.5 miles (shuttle/key exchange).  Moderate.  9.4 miles on AT plus 1 mile access to Low Gap.  First 3 miles are the “easiest” miles of the GA AT.  Trail passes Low Gap (3050'), Chattahoochee Gap (3500'), Blue Mt. Shelter trail (3800'), Blue Mt.(4025'), Unicoi Gap (2949').  Some rocky sections of trail.

9.4

49.9

8

D3

Q1

GA AT series 8.  Unicoi Gap to Indian Grave Gap on the AT and return on the Rocky Mountain Trail.   A 5.5 mile hike ( ≈ 3:40 hrs ) with 1,000 ft. elevation gain both directions.   MHH “favorite.”

Unicoi Gap on Hwy 75 south of Hiawassee

2.7

52.6

9

B3

GA AT series 9.   Indian Grave Gap to Addis Gap.  9 miles (shuttle/key exchange).  Moderately strenuous.  8.1 miles on AT and .9 mile access to Addis Gap. Trail passes Indian Grave Gap (3113'), Tray Gap (3847'--second highest point on the GA AT), Tray Mt. (4430'), Blue Ridge Swag (3400'), Addis Gap (3304').

8.1

60.7

10

C2

Q1

GA AT series 10.  Addis Gap to Dick’s Creek Gap.  6.2 miles (shuttle/key exchange). Moderate.  5.3 miles on AT and .9 mile access to Addis Gap.  Trail passes Addis Gap (3304'), Kelly Knob (4276'), Deep Gap shelter trail (3550'), Dick’s Creek Gap(2675').  Kelly Knob is steep climb.

5.3

66.0

11

B2

Q1

GA AT series 11.   Dick’s Creek Gap  to Plum Orchard shelter (in and out).  9 miles.  Moderate with some steep climbs.  4.3 miles on the AT plus .2 miles to shelter for 4.5 miles each way.  Trail passes Dick’s Creek Gap (2675'), Cowart Gap (2920'), Buzzard Knob (3760, Plum Orchard Gap (3090').  Plum Orchard shelter is .2 miles each way and is the nicest shelter on the GA AT.  MHH club “favorite.”

4.3

70.3

12

B2

GA AT series 12.   Blue Ridge Gap to Bly Gap and from Blue Rridge Gap to Plum Orchard Gap and back.  9 miles (in and out)  Moderate. 3.2 miles to Bly Gap each way for 6.4 miles plus 1.3 miles each way to Plum Orchard Gap for 2.6 miles.  Trail passes Blue Ridge Gap (3020'), GA/NC line (3600'), Bly Gap (3840'), Plum Orchard Gap (3090').  Interesting oak tree at Bly Gap.

4.5

74.8

 

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Club Benefits:

          The Trading Post, located in Hiawassee, offers a 10% discount on all merchandise to club members.  The store stocks men’s casual clothing, including wicking shirts and hiking shorts, jean, boots, and other casual attire.  Women can also wear some of the clothing.

Appalachian Outfitters, in downtown Murphy, offers a 15% discount to club members on all merchandise.  The store carries clothing and equipment for a variety of sports.  Their website is:  www.appalachianoutfitters@verizon.net.

Mountain Crossings at Walasi Yi, on Hwy 129 south of Blairsville, provides a 10% discount for cash or check sales and a 7% discount for credit sales to all club members.  Sports-related clothing and equipment, books, hiking supplies, and craft items are available.

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NEWSLETTER DISCONTINUED IN 2007

At the Dec. 5, 2006 general business meeting, the Board made a recommendation to eliminate the BLAZE, our club newsletter. The Board considered the following information before coming to this decision: 

·       No club member volunteered to edit the BLAZE

·       Information contained in the BLAZE is on the website

·       91% of our members have e-mail addresses

·       Mailing and printing costs have increased over the years

·       Updates are e-mailed with current information in addition to information on the website

·       Board member will send information to members without e-mail address

·       Directory would be sent out as an attachment to an e-mail message

The club members who attended the meeting voted unanimously to support the Board's decision to eliminate the BLAZE.

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FIRES CREEK THREATENED BY DEVELOPMENT 

John Ray provided an excellent description of the 50-acre tract of land that is land-locked in the Fires Creek Basin and was sold several times since February of this year. While the property was not sold originally until February 13, Gordon Ottinger discovered that the property was surveyed on January 12 and named Laurel Creek Subdivision at that time. The current property owners have petitioned the Forest Service for a road up to their property. This road could use the Phillips Ridge Trail, which was upgraded as a Forest Service road recently to within a few tenths of a mile from the property line. 

The area of the in-holding is situated in a bear sanctuary and the Fires Creek Basin. The headwaters of Laurel Creek are in the middle of the land. The 26-mile Wilderness Rim Trail goes through this property. Several trout streams, including Fires Creek, would be adversely impacted with silt from any road work or construction. The increased construction of homes near the boundaries of Fires Creek Park continue to threaten the wildlife in this area and construction on this 50-acre tract of land will diminish their natural habitat. The environmental damage of building the road and houses in this steep terrain will be tremendous. 

The land owners must pay for an environment assessment, then, we and other interested parties will be given the opportunity to provide input. A recommendation is made by Tusquittee District Ranger Joe Bonnette, with the ultimate decision made by Forest Supervisor Marisue Hilliard. We are given the opportunity for input. We are all distressed about this recent attack to our beloved Forest Service land.

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GEORGIA MOUNTAIN RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER 

The Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center is a wonderfully rich resource for the North Georgia area. Adult Outreach Educational Seminars, scheduled through the year, are sponsored by the Community Council which was founded in 2003. 

Upcoming events in 2008: 

The Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center has a website: www.caes.uga.edu/center/gmrec/commcouncil/adult.html .   You may view the center’s calendar of events and register for outreach seminars via the website.

These are FREE Informational Seminars for all interested parties. However, seating is limited to the first 100 registrations. Call 706-745-2655 or email to register. 

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HIKING IN THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS 

Recommended Reading Sources & Web Sites  

Our Southern Highlanders by Horace Kephart

Strangers in High Places by Michael Frome 

The Cades Cove Story by Randolph Shields, Great Smokies National History Association 

Lost by Dwight McCarter, Ronald Schmidt, Graphicom Press 

Place Names of the Smokies by Allan R. Coggins 

Great Smoky Mountains Association:

www.nps.gov/grsm/nhahome.htm

115 Park Headquarters Rd., Gatlinburg, TN  37738, Phone: 888-898-9102

 

 

 

I DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT……. 

Three Survival Experts Reveal Their Must-Have Gear 

Knife:  “A knife is essential,” says the founder of the world’s largest tracking and wilderness survival school. Tom Brown recommends looking for a durable fixed-blade of quality, rustproof stainless steel, a smooth handle that won’t give you blisters while carving, and a size that feels balanced in your hand. 

35-Gallon Drum Liner:  “Garbage bags are the bomb,” says Cody Lundin, the author of 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive! You can use them to make a tube tent or emergency poncho, create shade, collect water, and keep clothing dry in snow or rain.   

Butane Lighter:  “Firestarting is critical,” says Les Stroud, the creator and star of the TV series Survivorman (which airs on the Science Channel).  “A fire cooks your food, provides warmth, keeps the nighttime bright, and does so many other helpful things, especially psychologically.  I can do a lot with my hands, but it’s extremely hard to start a fire from nothing.”