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Take our National Park Quiz
We had so much fun earlier in the month during our National Park trivia night at the Cabin Cafe that we decided to keep it going by giving everyone a chance to show off your knowledge of the Smokies.
Take our general knowledge Smokies quiz by clicking HERE. Be the first person to answer all the questions correctly and win a copy of Smoky Mountain Trivia.
Members invited to join
Tremont's Scavenger Hunt
Can't get enough park trivia? Neither can we. That's why we're partnering with the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont to sponsor a GSMA Member Team (or many teams) to compete in their upcoming Scavenger Hunt on Saturday, March 22. For every GSMA Member team registered, we'll make a $10 donation to Tremont in your team's name.
Here's the plan:
- Organize a team and include "GSMA" as part of your team name/theme
- Register your team, pay the $50 entry fee by March 20, and complete all the required paperwork
- EMAIL us a copy of your registration confirmation, using "Tremont" in the email subject line
- Send us your team photos - group shots and action shots - so we can let others know how you did
- Have a wonderful day in the park!
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Smoky Mountain Mystery:
Gatlinburg
Why was Gatlinburg named after Radford Gatlin? Just about any way you look at it, Radford Gatlin was an odd choice for this famous gateway community's namesake. Prior to becoming Gatlinburg, the rural hamlet was known as White Oak Flats.
Gatlin, a merchant and postmaster, was not a popular person in town. He organized a Baptist splinter group, but the entire congregation abandoned him in 1860 and he was banned from preaching. Someone burned his barn. He sued a local man for slander and lost and had to sell his property for legal fees. He was an outspoken secessionist in a town made up almost entirely of Unionists. In the end, the latter group beat him up and ran him out of town.
So why is the town called Gatlinburg? Most likely the town was just following the not-uncommon custom of the time of letting the first postmaster name the post office. Eventually many towns were named after their post offices. This practice was strongly discouraged later on in the second half of the 19th century.
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We're looking to the sky
for February's events
GSMA members are invited to participate in two indoor programs in February, one each in North Carolina and Tennessee.
"Heads Up for Hunters of the Sky" is first on the calendar on Thursday, Feb. 6, in the Oconaluftee Multipurpose Room near Cherokee at 2 p.m. Michael Skinner, executive director of the Balsam Mountain Trust near Sylva, NC, will present this program on bird-of-prey populations and biology in a hands-on lively discussion that showcases non-releasable birds. You may meet Freedom the American bald eagle (above), Rasta the screech owl, Rusty and Chayton the kestrels, Zeus the hawk, and other gorgeous species of regional raptors. Limit 50 participants; deadline to register for this $10 event is Feb. 5.
Then on Saturday, Feb. 22, Kris Light will present "Jewels From the Sky" in the Sugarlands Visitor Center Training Room. Snow crystals vary greatly in shape, size and clarity depending on conditions in the clouds. Kris, who has been involved in teaching science outreach programs in the east Tennessee area since 1987, will show the beauty and diversity of these tiny pieces of ice. Some crystals are not typical "ski sweater" snowflakes, participants will be amazed to see what can fall from the clouds in a winter storm. Limit 50 members; deadline to register for this event is Feb. 20.
For more information about membership activities, visit our website HERE. To reserve your spot at either (or both) events, call us at 865.436.7318, Ext. 222 or 254; or EMAIL us and use either "birds" or "snowflakes" in the subject line. Be sure to include a daytime telephone number where we can reach you to complete your registration.
Praise from a member who participated in the Jan. 18 Owl Prowl with Kevin Burke: "Just wanted you all to know what a wonderful time my family had on the night time owl prowl. Kevin was an excellent leader, we heard two different types of owls and he trained us so well when we got back to our house in Sevierville we actually heard another type. We love being members of the GSMA, thank you for all you do."
Allyson Neal, GSMA Member
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Thank you to all our
2013 Legacy Fund donors
 Great Smoky Mountains Association's Board of Directors established a perpetual endowment fund in 2010 formally titled "GSMA Endowment for Sustained Interpretation, Research, and Resource Protection." When fully funded, the endowment will support this non-profit's operational activities in the Smokies.
The GSMA Endowment Fund, or Legacy Fund for short (because let's face it, that other name is much too long), is primarily grown through a percentage of members dues; however, it is most appreciated when our members want to do more to support our efforts and donations are accepted.
Member donations to the fund in 2013 topped $38,400, bringing the endowment total as of December 31 to $72,942. A list of the 2013 donors can be viewed HERE.
To find out more about the GSMA Legacy Fund and to add your name to the 2014 list of donors, contact Markeing and Membership Director Lisa Duff at 865.436.7318, Ext. 325, or by EMAIL.
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National Park Quarter
officially unveiled TODAY!
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park quarter, the first in the 2014 series of America the Beautiful quarters, was officially unveiled and released to the public at 10 a.m. today (January 29).
GSMA was granted permission to make 400 quarter packages available to the public today; however, depending on sales at the event in Gatlinburg, it could be a few more days before the quarter is available in all our store locations and on our website.
Be sure to check back HERE often for updates on the availability of the new quarter.
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2013 was a wet one in the Smokies
 Photo by Gary Wilson
As many park visitors and drenched hikers can attest, previous rainfall records in the Smokies were shattered during 2013. "We did break the annual precipitation record in 2013," according to Jim Renfro, the park's air resource specialist.
National Weather Service records and park data:
- Mt. Le Conte - 105.2" (avg. 81.8"); former record 2004 (102.3")
- Elkmont - 81.8" (avg. 61.2"); former record 2004 (79.9")
When we realized the Smokies were in for a record-breaking rainfall year, we asked you to predict the final total for the year. Our winners of the "Guess the Gusher" contest are Rich Ries of Lawrence, Ohio, for a perfect guess of 81.8 inches at Elkmont and Jean Neal Tippett of Durham, N.C., for a guess of 105 inches at Mt. Le Conte. Our winners will receive an exclusive national park rain poncho and our sincere hope that the next time they visit they won't need to use them.
Thank you to all who participated in our contest.
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Official Park Store
Shop here this Valentine's Day to Help the Park!
Tradition calls for giving flowers and candy at Valentine's Day, right? Well, here's your win-win for February 14 - Our custom-designed chocolate box comes with a huge assortment of flowers.... to be identified as soon as they start blooming in the national park. In fact, just add a card that includes a "Trip to the Smokies to look for wildflowers," and this gift is sure to have her melting in your hands faster than Frosty the Snowman on a warm July day. *Order by Feb. 7 to receive in time for Valentine's Day.
For a limited time only our exclusive hiking shirts are available for 20% OFF! These shirts are made exclusively for GSMA and can't be purchased anywhere else. They are constructed from wicking materials to keep you dry on those long hikes, and provides an SPF rating of 40.
Hurry - this sale ends Feb. 28!
With wildflower season just a few weeks away, start planning now to visit the Smokies with Great Smoky Mountains Wildflowers in your backpack. In the span of half an hour your automobile carries you from the lowland flora of North Carolina and Tennessee to the top of the mountains where the vegetation is reminiscent of New England and Canada. The authors describe over 225 of the many wildflowers you are likely to encounter and give helpful suggestions of when and where to find them. A revised and expanded 5th Edition, 156 pages, softcover.
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Business Member of the Month
Misty Mountain Soap Company
849 Glades Road, Suite 2C6
Gatlinburg TN 37738
Telephone: 865.325.8084
For a healthier choice in skin care, stop by and visit Misty Mountain Soap Co., where you can watch us make our soap and other skin care products. We have more than 50 varieties of handmade lye soap made with natural vegan oils, including olive oil and shea butter. Scrub your hands with our moisturizing salt or sugar scrubs, sample our lotions, try our lip balm, and experience our variety of wonderful scents. We also carry a wide assortment of unscented products. Located at the Covered Bridge Shops in the Arts and Crafts Community on Glades Road.
*GSMA Members receive a 10% discount on products.
New Business Members
Zeringue Photography
P. O. Box 2948
2211 Seminole Drive, Studio 301
Huntsville AL 35804
Telephone: 256.682.1199
*20% available to GSMA members
Foothills Milling Company
315 Washington Street South
Maryville TN 37804
Telephone: 865.977.8434
GSMA Members Benefit...
GSMA members earn discounts at more than 50 North Carolina and Tennessee businesses. Think about it - 20% off here, $5 off there, and before you know it, your membership dues have paid for themselves. It's our way of saying "Thank You" for your membership! See our complete list of supporting business on our website.
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1/4 Million+ Fans on Facebook!
 We"re up to more than 272K FANS! We get more "Likes" when you help. Share our posts and invite your friends to "Like" us on
With this number of supporters and in light of a few highly-charged emotional outbursts concerning the partial government shutdown, we've deemed it necessary to establish a
User's Comment Policy, which we've located in our Facebook "About" page within the "Company Overview" section.
Follow us on Pinterest
HERE and give us some suggestions for pins
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Lodge Caretaker: Alone on top of a wintry world
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Meet JP - the winter caretaker at LeConte Lodge
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John Paul Krol is the winter caretaker at Le Conte Lodge, which is situated on an open glade just below the summit of Mt. Le Conte at an elevation of about 6,400 feet. The lodge serves as a grandstand for the entire park and commands spectacular views of the Smokies. What a difference a day makes - When GSMA cinematographer Gary Wilson began his latest adventure to Mt. Le Conte, it was Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the temperature was unseasonably warm. The warm images Gary brought back from Alum Cave Bluffs on that Monday would be drastically different within a few hours, another reminder of how important it is to be totally prepared when considering a winter hiking experience in the Smokies. While most of us go about our daily lives down in the valleys during winter, J.P. braves below-zero temperatures and snowy accumulations measured in feet to maintain the lodge during winter. The lodge is closed to visitors throughout winter and opens on March 24.
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Wissinger's alma mater is happy she's here, and so are we
 New Deputy Superintendent Patty Wissinger is a Catamount. That is to say she's a graduate of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC. So when the folks over in "the Whee" heard she'd found her way back to the mountains, they called her up to talk to her about her new job in the Smokies.
The resulting story is included as the Alumni Spotlight in the latest edition of the Magazine of WCU. In it Patty recalls a particularly poignant memory of how a trip to the mountains (something so many of us take for granted) had a positive impact on a group of inner-city middle-schoolers from Raleigh. It's important, she points out, to "... get the next generation out there and appreciating these natural resources that are larger than all of us..." Click HERE to read the story and watch a video the university produced. 
Another new face in the Smokies is that of Pedro Ramos, who started his duties as acting superintendent two weeks ago January 14. Ramos has been the superintendent at Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida since 2009.
"I am excited about this opportunity to serve in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the country," he said. "I look forward to working with the park's employees, volunteers and partners to continue serving the public."
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Leaked photos leave us quessing
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OMG! What is Lisa Horstman, our children's book illustrator and creator, up to now? These photos leaked from the artist's studio have us wondering and concerned. Is the mastermind behind Salamander Ball and Troublesome Cub creating Robo-squirrels for possible world domination? Will they soon be marching from her Fountain City bungalow like orcs in Lord of the Rings? Or does this forever-young creative genius have another story book up her sleeve? We'll keep you posted and our eyes peeled!
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Mingus Creek Trail is February's recommended hike
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While none of the gravestones in the Mingus cemetery are legible, (they are all homemade markers), there is a large boulder and a sign to the cemetery.
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For many years Mingus Creek Trail was officially off-limits because of concerns related to the intake for the Cherokee water supply. Today it is open for business and part of North Carolina's famous Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
The lower two miles make an especially interesting winter hike with highlights that include Mingus Mill, remnants of CCC camp #4484, and if you take the right fork at Mile 1.25, an old road to a historic cemetery. The trail starts from the Mingus Mill parking area, 0.5 mile north of Oconaluftee Visitor Center.
February flowers
If we have mild weather, it may be possible to find trailing arbutus blooming under the leaf litter on sunny slopes, especially on the west side of the park. Though the bloom is tiny, this is one of the most pleasantly fragrant flowers in the Smokies. Red maple trees are also likely to bloom this month.
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'Great Work!' GSMA top recruiters recognized
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Members of the Blount County, TN, sales staff were recently recognized for extraordinary effort in membership recruitment and retention in 2013. Team members are, from left, manager Russell Heenie, Bonnie Mueller, Renaee Myers, Kevin Roberson, Chris Ewing, Anita Petrogallo and Jim Sherman, who earned special recognition as this year's top recruiter. Doing the recognizing were Lisa Duff (top left), marketing and membership director; and Dawn Roark (top right), who until recently served as Team Blount's manager. Team members not pictured: Larry Barker, Marti Coffman, Fran Reppert and Marie Johnson. (Special thanks to Warren Bielenberg for sharing this photo.)
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If you joined or renewed your Great Smoky Mountains Association membership this year, chances are good you were assisted by one of these individuals.
While GSMA's entire sales staff increased their effort to invite more park visitors to join us as association members this year, Team Blount (County) working in the Cades Cove and Townsend visitor centers went above and beyond. Their combined effort resulted in more than 2,250 additional members, individuals who love this national park enough to support it year-round through our membership program.
"We've enjoyed a record-breaking year in the membership department in 2013," said Lisa Duff, GSMA's marketing and membership director. "Our staff's dedication to growing the membership program shows that they love the park as much as the visitors."
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Proud Member totes coming soon!
We're excited to introduce our first "members only" premium gift - our Proud Member totes are due in next month. Every new and renewing member in 2014 will have the opportunity to take one home or have one sent to you at home.
"When we conducted our member survey last summer, several people commented that they'd like to see more products made available exclusively to members," said Lisa Duff, GSMA's marketing and membership director. "This recycled bag - good for trips to the store or to carry a picnic lunch to the Smokies - is the first in a line of items we plan to introduce in the coming year."
Membership in Great Smoky Mountains Association is an important and easy way to make a lasting difference in this national park's future. One of the greatest benefits of membership - beyond the knowledge that you're supporting the park you love - is the yearly subscription to Smokies Life magazine. This award-winning publication brings timeless stories about the park to your front door each spring and fall.
For more information about how you can become a member of GSMA, email Lisa Duff today or call at 865.436.7318, Ext. 325.
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Smoky Mountain Recipe:
Brownies!
Valentine's Day is just a little more than two weeks away. Are you ready? Hint: Put a tray of these warm chocolate goodies in front of your sweetie to ensure you stay out of the doghouse.
Brownies-More Chocolate!
Ingredients:
5 Tbsp. melted butter or margarine
1/3 C cocoa
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 C sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C nuts of your choice (optional)
Blend melted butter or margarine with cocoa to form a paste. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar until light yellow. Blend in cocoa and butter mixture. Beat well. Add flour, salt, and vanilla. Blend until smooth. Pour into greased 8-inch pan. Sprinkle nuts over batter. Bake in 350º oven for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.
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GSMA team earns 6 award nominations from the Association of Partners for Public Lands
The talented staff at Great Smoky Mountains Association got an extra special gift during the recent holiday season - We learned that we'd earned six award nominations from the Association of Partners for Public Lands.
"When it comes to the highest recognition attainable, APPL is to work being done on public lands what the Oscars are to the movies," GSMA Executive Director Terry Maddox said. "Win or not, I'm proud of our staff's accomplishments this past year. They say, 'It's an honor just being nominated,' and an APPL nomination is a strong indicator of GSMA's commitment to the Smokies."
The 2014 APPL Media and Partnership Awards, which this year are divided into 12 categories, recognize outstanding contributions made by non-profit partners to engage the visiting public in our country's national parks, refuges, monuments, forests, lakes, open spaces and historical places.
Six GSMA-produced materials (listed second) were selected as finalists in five of the 12 categories (listed first):
- Children's Media: "Scavenger Hike Adventures and Mountain Journal"
- Commemorative Program: 60th Anniversary Celebration and Membership Appreciation Weekend
- Electronic Media: "An Island in the Sky: Clingmans Dome and the Spruce Fir Forest"
- Informational Publication: "Smokies Guide," the official newspaper of Great Smoky Mountains National Park; and the 2014 Great Smoky Mountain Wall Calendar
- Multi-media Outreach: Smoky Mountain Minute Video Series
An overall Award of Excellence will be chosen from among the 12 first-place winners. The Excellence Award winner will be announced, along with winners in each category, during a special evening ceremony on Feb. 27 in Albuquerque, N.M.
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GSMA Staff Spotlight: Barry Hipps
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Referencing the 'Hiker's Bible,' Smoky Mountain Hiking Trails, store manager Barry Hipps (l) helps a park visitor plan his next hiking adventure. - Photo by JoAnne Furr
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Barry Hipps is senior store manager for GSMA's North Carolina team. His duties include supervising the Oconaluftee Visitor Center store, Mingus Mill and Clingmans Dome Visitor Center store.
Q: Where do you hail from, Barry?
A: I was born in Haywood County (Waynesville ), N.C. My family has had a presence there since the late 1790s. Most of my life I have lived in Swain County, on the Cherokee Indian Reservation, and in the Bryson City area.
Q: Where did you go to college?
A: I attended Wake Forest University, graduating in 1975.
Q: If your long lost aunt and uncle were visiting the area for the first time, what three things would you insist they see?
A: The view from atop Clingmans Dome (hopefully); the Oconaluftee Visitor Center and Mountain Farm Museum complex; and the Cataloochee and Cades Cove valleys.
Q: If you could change one thing about this national park, what would it be?
A: To have the federal funding level for the park increased and sustained at a level commensurate with its status as America's most visited national park. The park itself is pretty spectacular as it is.
Q: What's your favorite trail in the park?
A: I have two: Deep Creek and Indian Creek
Q: What do you like best about working at Clingmans Dome?
A: The unique high altitude location...I enjoy watching and interpreting the almost ever-changing weather and views from the splendid vantage point of the historic building that is home to the Clingmans Dome Visitor Center. Visitors seem to really get into the park experience in the Dome area.
Q: What was it like when you moved from the old facility at Oconaluftee to the new visitor center there?
A: Both the old and new buildings are beautiful to me. The new visitor center affords us a splendid facility to welcome and better interpret the park to visitors, and certainly to display and offer GSMA sales items in a much more spacious and attractive setting. I am especially thankful for GSMA's vital role in making the new facility become a reality in the Oconaluftee Valley.
Q: How long have you worked with GSMA?
A: Come the latter part of March 2014, I will have been employed with GSMA for eight most interesting years. I also served on the GSMA Board of Directors for six years in the late 1980s-early '90s.
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Answers
to Last
Month's
Roads Quiz
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- Which of the following roads has two tunnels and a 360 degree loop over itself: Newfound Gap
- Which of these roads dead-ends at a tunnel and is known as "The Road to Nowhere:" Lakeview Drive
- "The Sinks," known for its violent cascade and giant rocks, has witnessed many swimming deaths and other accidents though the years. It is accessed off of this road: Little River Road
- Grotto Falls trailhead is off of this road: Roaring Fork
- Driving from Gatlinburg to Cherokee on Newfound Gap Rd., the first overlook on your left is called: Campbell Overlook
- This less-traveled road was an Indian trail in the distant past before it became the major route into Cades Cove in the early 1800s: Rich Mountain Road
- This road is especially well-traveled in springtime when visitors head for Porter's Creek Trail at its end to experience one of the park's best wildflower displays: Greenbrier
- This road will take you to the trailhead for Toms Branch, Juneywhank, and Indian Creek Falls: Deep Creek Road
- This one-way, 8-mile road was authorized in 1838 to give Cades Cove residents access to a toll road and an over-mountain route into North Carolina: Parson Branch Road
- A prime location for viewing elk is to take I-40 to Exit 20 and follow this road into Cataloochee: Cove Creek Road
The winner is Tom Trotter, Tennessee. For being the first to answer all the questions correctly, Mr. Trotter has won copies of
Smokies Road Guide and a Great Smoky Mountains National Park DVD. Congratulations!
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| Have Questions? | - For questions about online purchases, click HERE and the Mail Order department will help you.
- For questions about membership, click HERE and Judy or Marti will help you.
- For questions about business membership, click HERE and Westy will help you.
- Want to volunteer in the national park for GSMA? Click HERE for details. |
| Read it on the web | - The latest Smokies Guide (the official GSMNP newspaper) is available for viewing,reading and printing. Click HERE.
- The Bear Paw, the GSMA membership bi-annual newsletter, is ready to read, share and print by clicking HERE.
- Be sure to check our Calendar of Events page often for upcoming park activities. |
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