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Backpacking 101 held Nov. 17 in Cullowhee
 

Backpacking 101 held Nov. 17 in Cullowhee

Novice outdoor adventurers can learn the basics of wilderness excursion at a 45-minute workshop beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday,…
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Take only pictures, leave only footsteps: Outdoor photographers hone the craft of capturing the Smokies
 

Take only pictures, leave only footsteps: Outdoor photographers hone the craft of capturing the Smokies

They stood in a line, trigger fingers poised, eyes fixated on the target.  It was early morning, and the predawn…
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Some things never get old
 

Some things never get old

Last Saturday (Nov. 3) was this year’s annual fall hike in the Waynesville watershed. The hikes started back in 2007,…
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Lily effort takes root around WCU
 

Lily effort takes root around WCU

An effort to re-establish a favorite local flower while also growing a scholarship fund at Western Carolina University is off…
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Stranded hiker rescued from national park backcountry
 

Stranded hiker rescued from national park backcountry

A hiker stranded on the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was successfully evacuated by rescuers last…
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Cherokee hopes bounty will help rein in pesky coyote population
 

Cherokee hopes bounty will help rein in pesky coyote population

In Cherokee, a dead coyote is worth more than a live one — about $25 more. In the coming weeks,…
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Guided hikes continue as fall gives way to winter
 

Guided hikes continue as fall gives way to winter

Hike amidst flowing creeks and historic remnants along the Smokemont Loop Trail on a guided hike through the Great Smoky…
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A WCU campus run with a twist and a message
 

A WCU campus run with a twist and a message

Western Carolina University, as part of its Love Your Body Week, will hold a station run on campus at 4:30…
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Diamond Brand partners to produce outdoor rec website
 

Diamond Brand partners to produce outdoor rec website

Asheville retailer Diamond Brand Outdoors has partnered with RootsRated.com to introduce a new, locally-sourced digital outdoor recreation guide for the…
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New trout website aims to hook anglers
 

New trout website aims to hook anglers

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has fired up its new trout fishing webpage, which provides useful information for trout anglers…
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Fourth-graders conquer Appalachian trails on hiking trip
 

Fourth-graders conquer Appalachian trails on hiking trip

More than 70 fourth-graders and parents trekked across the Appalachians in Macon County as part of an annual student trip…
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Trails initiative seeks input from Haywood residents
 

Trails initiative seeks input from Haywood residents

A public workshop focusing on ideas for Haywood County trails that could become part of a Regional Trails Plan will…
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Water stewardship videos shown in Swain
 

Water stewardship videos shown in Swain

Four short videos that are part of a Watershed Film Series titled “It’s Our Water” will be shown the evening…
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An easy, historical hike on the Carolina side of the Smokies
 

An easy, historical hike on the Carolina side of the Smokies

Hikers can participate in a leisurely, guided hike Saturday, Nov. 17, on the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky…
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This winter?
 

This winter?

Finch irruptions are not that uncommon. They generally occur in some numbers, in some locations almost every year. But in…
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Forest Service cracks down on ginseng poaching
 

Forest Service cracks down on ginseng poaching

Kristin Bail, forest supervisor of the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests, warned would-be ginseng poachers last week that law enforcement…
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See shuttle artifacts and night sky viewing
 

See shuttle artifacts and night sky viewing

A special presentation of the fall night sky and the first public display of new space shuttle artifacts will be…
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The fading glory of Burley: Once a staple cash crop, only a handful of tobacco fields are still hanging on
 

The fading glory of Burley: Once a staple cash crop, only a handful of tobacco fields are still hanging on

This year, Bill Holbrook will start drawing on the “old man pension” — as this local tobacco farmer likes to…
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Pack your brownbag and head to WCU for garden talk
 

Pack your brownbag and head to WCU for garden talk

A Western Carolina University lunch speaker series is drawing to a close for the fall with a talk about community…
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Haywood Farmers Market moves indoors for November
 

Haywood Farmers Market moves indoors for November

The Historic Haywood Farmers market will move indoors starting this weekend, with Saturday’s market held from 8 a.m. until noon…
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Cataloochee Ski Area breaks records with October opening
 

Cataloochee Ski Area breaks records with October opening

For only the second time in its history, Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley will be open for skiing in…
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Bears descend on Panthertown Valley
 

Bears descend on Panthertown Valley

The U.S. Forest Service is discouraging people from backcountry camping of bringing food into the Panthertown Valley area outside Cashiers…
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Backcountry camping fees coming soon in the Smokies
 

Backcountry camping fees coming soon in the Smokies

Great Smoky Mountains National Park plans to implement changes to its current backcountry reservation and permitting process in early 2013.…
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Put your roots down at ginseng expo
 

Put your roots down at ginseng expo

The upcoming International American Ginseng Expo in Western North Carolina will be an opportunity for local ginseng retailers to learn…
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Forest Service to open “green” ranger station
 

Forest Service to open “green” ranger station

A new, environmentally friendly ranger office will be opening in Mars Hill in Madison County Nov. 13 to serve the…
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Benton MacKaye guide series now complete
 

Benton MacKaye guide series now complete

The Benton MacKaye Trail Association has announced this fall the completion of the new Benton MacKaye Trail Guide — Smokies…
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Mountains to Sea Trail photo contest
 

Mountains to Sea Trail photo contest

Public submissions are being accepted for a statewide outdoor photography contest. The Friends of the Mountain to Sea Trail are…
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WCU group sets record in 175 mile relay run
 

WCU group sets record in 175 mile relay run

Students and faculty members from Western Carolina University’s athletic training program finished the 2012 Mountain Jug Run for Research in…
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Farmers market says goodbye to summer
 

Farmers market says goodbye to summer

It is time to pack up and move indoors. Saturday Nov. 27 marks the last weekend of the season that…
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Jump on board the growing Farm to School program
 

Jump on board the growing Farm to School program

An all-day workshop put on by the Growing Minds Farm to School program will help schools connect with local farmers…
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Symposium brings together outdoor educators from the region in Cullowhee
 

Symposium brings together outdoor educators from the region in Cullowhee

Students and professionals in outdoor education fields will partake in the annual Adventure Education Conference, Nov. 2 at Western Carolina…
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Hike to Waynesville’s watershed
 

Hike to Waynesville’s watershed

A birder, ecologist and forester will lead a guided fall hike through Waynesville’s 8,600-acre preserved watershed from 9 a.m. to…
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HCC Woodsmen team rocks the Cradle at Timbersports meet
 

HCC Woodsmen team rocks the Cradle at Timbersports meet

Haywood Community College’s Timbersports Team took first place by a landslide at the John G. Palmer Intercollegiate Woodsmen’s Meet held…
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Safety courses mark start of fall hunting
 

Safety courses mark start of fall hunting

Free hunter safety courses will be held from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 5-7 on the Haywood Community College campus.…
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Bike Haywood honored for Haywood County master plan
 

Bike Haywood honored for Haywood County master plan

Bicycle Haywood NC and Haywood County both received top awards from a national planning organization for their bicycle advocacy work.…
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Celebrate fall with the LTLT
 

Celebrate fall with the LTLT

The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee will host its fall celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov.…
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The sounds of silence
 

The sounds of silence

This morning when I had coffee on my deck, I did not hear the hooded warbler that nests in the…
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Bear alert: Forays against backpackers’ food prompts camping ban in the Pisgah Forest
 

Bear alert: Forays against backpackers’ food prompts camping ban in the Pisgah Forest

A series of close bear encounters in the Pisgah National Forest have prompted a temporary ban on overnight camping in…
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Get your cameras and get outside
 

Get your cameras and get outside

Lens Luggers of Western North Carolina is hosting an all-day photography outing Oct. 27 to suit even the novice recreationalist.…
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A Natural twist on Halloween fun
 

A Natural twist on Halloween fun

Highlands Nature Center will host the Halloween “Enchanted Forest” Nature Trail Oct. 30 for a trick-or-treating experience in nature. Group…
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Blue Ridge Parkway goes mobile for leaf season
 

Blue Ridge Parkway goes mobile for leaf season

Just in time for fall leaf season, a free new mobile app for the Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding regions…
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Students lend a helping held to bald restoration
 

Students lend a helping held to bald restoration

A group of Western Carolina University students lent a hand to help restore the open balds on the summit of…
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Federal court upholds closure of the Tellico trails
 

Federal court upholds closure of the Tellico trails

A federal judge has upheld the U.S. Forest Service and conservation groups’ efforts to close the Tellico Off-Road Vehicle Area…
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Weigh in on policies impacting locally-grown food
 

Weigh in on policies impacting locally-grown food

Farmers are invited to a listening session on regulations that could hamper or help local food production and markets, being…
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Bears pilfer food from campsites in Pisgah National Forest
 

Bears pilfer food from campsites in Pisgah National Forest

Six bear encounters have been reported in the Pisgah District of the Pisgah National Forest over the past two weeks.…
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Run for the Power of Pink
 

Run for the Power of Pink

The Power of Pink 5K and Memory Walk to raise money for mammograms for underserved women will be held in…
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Turkey shoot-out golf tournament
 

Turkey shoot-out golf tournament

The annual Turkey Shoot-Out Golf tournament will be held November 10 and 11 at the Maggie Valley Club. The tournament…
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Franklin half-marathon held on Little T Greenway
 

Franklin half-marathon held on Little T Greenway

The 13-mile Conquer the Mountain Half Marathon will take place on the Little Tennessee Greenway in Franklin Saturday, Nov. 3.…
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A journey through the Smokies’ timber era past
 

A journey through the Smokies’ timber era past

Hikers are invited to see the how the changes of time have affected the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during…
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Enjoy the fall colors on foot
 

Enjoy the fall colors on foot

A 5-mile trail run will be held on the single-track trails of Nantahala Outdoor Center Saturday, Oct. 27.
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