Rocky Mountain Journal

Friday, March 20, 2020

The Wonderland Hotel

Below is a short video from the Dan Traveling Series showing possibly some of the last footage ever shot of the historic Wonderland Hotel. Located in the Elkmont community in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the hotel served as a retreat for members of the Wonderland Club for 80 years before the National Park Service forced its closure, and ultimately having it razed in 2005.

The hotel was built on land formerly owned by the Little River Railroad Company, and was located just north of Elkmont. As the area became "logged out", Little River Railroad Company President Colonel W.B. Townsend began to recognize the benefits of tourism to the area. To capitalize on this budding industry, Townsend sold a 50-acre tract of cut-over land to Charles B. Carter in 1911, with the stipulation that he had to build on the land within a year. Carter immediately formed the Wonderland Club Company, and on June 11, 1912 opened the doors to the Wonderland Hotel. The hotel would remain open to the public for seven years before closing it to club members and their guests only.

The Wonderland Hotel was constructed as a two-story wood frame structure with boards cut from local chestnut trees. It featured a wrap around porch, and contained 26 rooms, none of which were the same. The hotel became a hub of outdoor activities during the daytime, which included fishing, horseback riding, swimming and hiking, while bands from Knoxville entertained guests on weekend nights.

Due to the popularity of the hotel, the club decided to construct an annex in 1920 to provide their members with more privacy. This building contained another 24 guest rooms, a common area, and a screened porch.

In 1923 the Wonderland Club and the Appalachian Club combined to form the Great Smoky Mountains Conservation Association. Led by Colonel David Chapman, this highly influential organization led the campaign for the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

On November 15, 1992 the Wonderland Hotel closed its doors for good. Three years later it was partially burned under suspicious circumstances. Some people suspect the fire was set by National Park Service employees as a means to remove the building. In 2005 the remnants of the hotel began to collapse, thus forcing the National Park Service to award a contract to begin the careful demolition of the standing portions of the building. Historically significant artifacts such as doors, windows and bathtubs were set aside for permanent preservation. In a somewhat ironic twist of fate, the annex hotel also burned down 11 years later.

Hikers can still see many of the vacation homes and cottages that remain and have been included as part of the preservation of the Elkmont historic district. Trails such as the Little River Trail and the Jakes Creek Trail feature several homes from this bygone era in the Smokies.

Here's the Dan Traveling video:

For more information on the efforts to preserve and restore the historic Elkmont community in the Great Smoky Mountains, please click here.

Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

National Park Service to Temporarily Suspend Park Entrance Fees 

After careful consideration, Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt directed the National Park Service (NPS) to temporarily suspend the collection of all park entrance fees until further notice.

“I’ve directed the National Park Service to waive entrance fees at parks that remain open. This small step makes it a little easier for the American public to enjoy the outdoors in our incredible National Parks,” said Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt. 

Other states and municipalities have implemented similar policies waiving fees to parks in an effort to support social distancing.

“Our vast public lands that are overseen by the Department offer special outdoor experiences to recreate, embrace nature and implement some social distancing.” Secretary Bernhardt continued.

At a majority of park locations where it is currently possible to adhere to public health guidance, outdoor spaces remain open to the public, while many facilities will be closed.

The Department of the Interior and NPS continue to urge visitors to do their part when visiting a park to follow CDC guidance by maintaining a safe distance between yourself and other groups; washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze; and most importantly, staying home if you feel sick.

Specifically, the CDC recommends high-risk populations, such as the elderly and people with underlying conditions, take extra precautions to be best protected against the spread of coronavirus.

Updates about the NPS response to the coronavirus will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. Please check with individual parks for specific details about park operations.

The Rocky Mountain National Park "Grand Loop"

It's hard to believe but spring is only two days away! Many people have already made, or are in the process of making their hiking and backpacking plans for the upcoming summer. If you're planning a backpacking trip in Rocky Mountain National Park this summer, here's a very challenging route to consider.

Backpacker Magazine has put together a video highlighting the so called "Grand Loop" in Rocky Mountain National Park. This historically inspired route includes a summit of Longs Peak from the Keplinger Couloir.

The route begins from Bear Lake and takes hikers up to Flattop Mountain. From the summit you'll descend down the west side of the Continental Divide via the Tonahutu Creek Trail as it makes its way to Big Meadows. From Big Meadows the loop makes a brief visit at Grand Lake before venturing back into the wilderness at the East Inlet Trailhead. After passing Lake Verna and Spirit Lake, the route goes off-trail and climbs over Boulder-Grand Pass, and then travels back down to Thunder Lake. From the lake the route ascends Thunder Ridge and the Keplinger Couloir to reach the summit of Longs Peak, the highest point in Rocky Mountain National Park. From the top of the peak the trail descends back down the mountain via the Keyhole Route and the North Longs Peak Trail to return back to Bear Lake.

The Backpacker video provides a visual look at what you'll see and experience along this epic route:

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Rocky Mountain National Park Is Modifying Operations to Implement Latest Health Guidance

Rocky Mountain National Park is modifying operations to implement the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and local and state authorities to promote social distancing. As of today, March 17, 2020, the park is still open however, park visitor centers including Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, Fall River Visitor Center and Kawuneeche Visitor Center are closed until further notice. At this time, restroom facilities are still available at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and Kawuneeche Visitor Center.

Any programs that were previously scheduled including snowshoe walks, full moon walks, field trips and Earth Day events have been cancelled.

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners is our number one priority. The National Park Service (NPS) is working with the federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. We will notify the public when we resume full operations and provide updates on our website and social media channels. Please visit www.nps.gov/romo and follow us on social media @RockyNPS.

If planning to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, in order to minimize contact with our entrance station staff, please purchase your entrance pass online ahead of your visit at go.nps.gov/rockyfees and follow the prompts. Your email confirmation will serve as your pass. Take a screen shot of your email if you are concerned about your cellular coverage.

If you choose to recreate in the park be extra cautious and follow responsible and safe practices. Now is not the time to engage in extreme winter mountaineering activities or to travel solo into the park’s wilderness. “Spring” in the Colorado Rockies is “winter” elsewhere. Prepare and plan for dramatically changing weather. Advise someone where you are going, your intended route, when you will be back. Don’t rely on your cell phone. Park resources are limited, and staff may be slow to respond to emergency incidents.

The NPS urges visitors to do their part when visiting a park and to follow CDC guidance to prevent the spread of infectious diseases by most importantly, staying home if you feel sick. Please maintain a safe distance of six feet between yourself and other groups; wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.

For high-risk populations, such as the elderly and people with underlying conditions, we ask that they take extra caution and follow CDC guidance for those at higher risk of serious illness.

If you have no intention to travel given current events or you are ill, research shows that even photographs of nature help ease stress and anxiety. Virtually visit Rocky on www.nps.gov/romo to view webcams and soak up beautiful photographs on Instagram and Facebook @RockyNPS we’ll be sharing even more gorgeous images in the days to come. Breathe deeply in the comfort of your home and plan for your next visit to Rocky Mountain National Park. You’ll enjoy it more than ever!

Monday, March 16, 2020

REI Retail Stores Closing until March 27

I just received this email from REI, who I have an affiliate relationship with:

As the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread throughout the communities where we all live and work, we have consistently looked for ways to help protect the health and safety of our employees and customers. Since our founding, REI has been about doing the right thing for our community.

After a great deal of careful consideration, we are temporarily closing our 162 retail stores nationwide starting March 16, until March 27. We believe that is the right thing for our community. In fact, we believe it is our duty—to do all we can to help keep one another safe in this unprecedented moment.

That also means all employees from our stores will be paid during this temporary closure. And, even with our stores closed, we will be working hard to do everything we can to continue to serve our customers. All orders through REI.com will get free shipping while our stores are closed. Customers who have questions about gear and local outdoor activities that they’d normally ask in our stores can get answers through our digital community, REI Conversations and Co-op Journal will feature articles that help people find ways to get outside even during these challenging times.

We’ve always been deliberate and transparent when making significant decisions about our business. This is a difficult decision for any business, and we do not make it lightly. Our decisions are grounded in the belief that there are more important things than business right now—we owe that to one another.

Know that we will continue to work closely with our teams and public health officials throughout the country to understand how to best serve your needs, and serve our customers as soon as local conditions allow. We’ll continue to share information with our members and employees as we move forward together into a future that’s hard to predict.

In the meantime, thank you for your understanding, your patience and, most of all, for being a part of this incredible community. The outdoors remains a vital part of all our lives, especially in moments like this.

Be well and take care of one another.

The REI Affiliate Team