Mt. LeConte Closed!

“Some recent, startling events have resulted in the National Park Service, at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, closing Mount LeConte and all of its approach trails for an indefinite period. The Lodge at Mount LeConte has been required to close, also. Accordingly, all reservations have been cancelled and all personel have been evacuated from the mountain. The Park Service at their headquarters near the Sugarlands Visitor Center will be notifying all the hikers who have made advance reservations. Both the Tennessee and the North Carolina Highway Patrol Departments are assisting with the investigation.

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Recal J. Rutherford, III, said that Mount LeConte will remain closed until the end of the investigation. The investigation is anticipated to take about six weeks. He said that no further information can be released at this time. However, he did reveal that the case has something to do with the disappearance of two hikers several months ago near Hot Springs, N.C. One of the hikers was identified only as smokygirl. Additional information will not be released until the investigation is completed.
















LOL.”

“Towndawg is on a killin spree again.”

“Nowslimmer you wascily wabbit you.”

“i hope he dont try to kill me
:(”

“I was going to say... it's been over a month since April Fool's Day!”

“Some of us are "old fools."”

“"There's no fool like an old fool," as they say. I think Kate Hepburn would say, "There's no poop like an old poop!"


April Fool's in May... it's a bit like "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!!" <G>”

“I thought that I qualified as 'an old poop' because of all the time spent on the poop deck of the USNS Observation Island, T-AGM23.”

“Sorry, try

http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/09532301.jpg”

“ Here ya go nowslimmer.”

“Sorry, nevermind. I guess they don't allow that? Anyway, I copy/pasted the url. Very nice!”

“LMAO nowslimmer!!!!!


8)”

“sounds like an X File”

“It kinda looks to be an updated version of the USS Eldridge, <G>.”

“I don't know if you have heard it yet but Mt. Leconte is now a no fire area. They even bricked over the fireplace in the shelter. A fire carries a $50 fine now.

The knuckleheads have trashed the place too much and were even cutting the live Balsms down. As if the wooly adelgid wasn't enough. Once again the iresponable few screw things up for the responsable many."”

“Another reason for better and fully funded public education.”

“I agree in theory but some folks are stupid no matter how well educated.”

“Education is not the answer.


Parents taking time to teach responsibility and respect to their children is the answer.

I would have had my ass beat for vandalizing something.”

“And let me add it wasn't the thought of a beating that kept me from doing it.

It was the fear of disappointing my parents.”

“I agree chili, but so many kids are the product of teenage parents.

They get little or none of the "education" that should come from home.”

“Yes we found that out when we arrived at the shelter at 11:30 at night soaking wet. Good thing I brought my propane stove... came in handy... ;)”

“Mt. LeConte is a treasure and the way people mess it up really boils my bottom.”

“same could be said for so many places.

makes a good case for forced sterilization!”

“It is almost a given that there are no fires anymore. I am usually shocked when the rules ok fires.”

“Yea dayhiker tourists really piss me off (well those that dont respect the land)... I followed a family one time on a day hike to Leconte, all i heard the whole time was b!tching about how hard the hike was, they threw their trash on the trail or off the mountain. Even when they made it to cliff top (I followed them for 15 minutes or so before I passed em), I didnt even hear anyone say how awesome it was, I heard from the son (I guess... he was about 15 or so), "this sucks why did you make us walk forever just to see this, i wanna go back". Pretty sad...”

“when I was last up there the shelter was trashed. Tons of litter stuffed everywhere.”

“I guess I will find out for myself about the shelter. I've made 4 trips up there and I've not seen the shelter in that condition a single time. Got one more route to do this season to finish it up. Going in August with friends as a bp trip. Should be mondo!”

“LeConte shelter was only a matter of time. IceWater will be next.”

“And if for some reason we can't get a reservation at LeConte Shelter .. Icewater Springs was plan B. I'm thankful its not cold weather if we can't build a fire.”

“when I was at LeConte, you couldn't build a fire in the fireplace because it was stuffed with trash.”

“I've only been to LeConte once but we left with a kitchen garbage bag full of other peoples garbage.”

“I think Icewater spring is closed... at least it was a few months ago...”

“No, it's open. Madman was there Last Friday night.”