EXPLORING THE SMOKIES

By

Ron Wybranowski

Exploring the Smokies

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Speaker’s Notes:

RonWybranowski.com

http://www.ronwybranowski.com/

Exploring the Smokies

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My Goal for Tonight’s Program:

“Provide enough information about

the Smokies so that you will

be photographically productive

on your first visit.”

Exploring the Smokies

• Overview of the Smokies

• Resources - Maps, Guides, Places to

See & Stay, etc.

• Show Images from the Park

• Where & How Some Images were Made

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Tonight’s Agenda:

Exploring the Smokies - Overview

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park

• 934 Miles From North Andover to Newport,

TN/Northeast Corner of the Great Smoky

Mountains National Park

• 816 Square Miles… about 35 miles by 23 miles

• 35 Miles from Gatlinburg, TN to Cherokee, NC

• 192 Miles to Circumnavigate the Park

• Wildflowers in Spring, Rhododendrons in Late

June & July, Foliage in Fall

• Most Visited National Park - 9,354,695 in 2013 5

Exploring the Smokies - Overview

• Blue Ridge Parkway

• 469 miles from Cherokee, NC to Waynesboro, VA

• Shenandoah National Park

• 106 miles from Waynesboro, VA to Front Royal, VA

• Gatlinburg to Front Royal – 610 miles

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Exploring the Smokies

• Why do we go down to the Smokies?

• Vistas with Long View

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Exploring the Smokies

• Why do we go down to the Smokies?

• Vistas with Long View

• Flowers

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Exploring the Smokies

• Why do we go down to the Smokies?

• Vistas with Long View

• Flowers

• Rivers and Streams

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Exploring the Smokies

• Why do we go down to the Smokies?

• Vistas with Long View

• Flowers

• Rivers and Streams

• Waterfalls

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Exploring the Smokies

• Why do we go down to the Smokies?

• Vistas with Long View

• Flowers

• Rivers and Streams

• Waterfalls

• Mountains

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Exploring the Smokies

• Why do we go down to the Smokies?

• Vistas with Long View

• Flowers

• Rivers and Streams

• Waterfalls

• Mountains

• Animals…. Bear, Elk and almost tame Deer

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Exploring the Smokies: Resources

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• Trip Planners

• Park Maps & Guides

• Specialized Maps

• Web Sites

Exploring the Smokies: Resources

26 2016 Smokies Trip Planner

https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/upload/2016-trip-planner-w-map.pdf

Exploring the Smokies: Resources

27 Get these at the Visitors’ Centers

Park Maps

Exploring the Smokies: Resources

28 Get these at the Visitors’ Centers

Park

Guide

Exploring the Smokies: Resources

29 Great Smoky Mountains Association

Specialized Maps

https://www.smokiesinformation.org/

Exploring the Smokies: Resources

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Photograph America

Photo Guides by

Robert Hitchman

http://www.photographamerica.com/http://www.photographamerica.com/http://www.photographamerica.com/http://www.photographamerica.com/http://www.photographamerica.com/http://www.photographamerica.com/http://www.photographamerica.com/

Exploring the Smokies – Maps and Guides

• What to See and Do • Starter Kit - includes Auto Touring, Waterfalls and Day Hikes

• Travel America

• Wildflowers

• Wildflower Pilgrimage

• Wildflower Walks in the Smokies

• Common Spring Wildflowers

• Common Summer Wildflowers

• Bloom Schedule on the Blue Ridge Parkway

• Animals… Bear, Elk and almost Tame Deer

• Waterfalls in the Smokies

• Soco Falls

• North Carolina Waterfalls by Kevin Adams

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http://shop.smokiesinformation.org/products2.cfm/ID/1769/name/Waterfalls-in-the-Smoky-Mountainshttps://www.smokiesinformation.org/smokies-starter-kithttps://www.smokiesinformation.org/smokies-starter-kithttps://www.smokiesinformation.org/smokies-starter-kithttps://www.smokiesinformation.org/smokies-starter-kithttp://www.photographamerica.com/http://www.photographamerica.com/https://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/wildflowers-of-the-smokies-peter-white/1100003355/2660206519034?st=PLA&sid=BNB_New+Marketplace+Shopping+Books&sourceId=PLAGoNA&dpid=tdtve346c&2sid=Google_c&gclid=Cj0KCQiAjszhBRDgARIsAH8KgvcC-jzgDxxia7pU4B4dC80idF3NFfUQaJ6o8http://www.wildflowerpilgrimage.org/http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/wildflower-walks.htmhttp://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/common_spring_wildflowers.htmhttp://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/common_summer_wildflower.htmhttp://www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=77https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/wildlifeviewing.htmhttp://www.smokiesadventure.com/smokymountains/hiking/smoky_mountain_waterfalls.htmhttp://www.ncwaterfalls.com/soco1.htmhttp://www.ncwaterfalls.com/soco1.htmhttp://www.ncwaterfalls.com/soco1.htmhttp://www.amazon.com/North-Carolina-Waterfalls-Hiking-Photography/dp/0895873206/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408714199&sr=1-1&keywords=north+carolina+waterfalls

Exploring the Smokies: Resources

Places to Stay - Motels

• Townsend, TN

• Gatlinburg/Pigeon Fork, TN

• Cherokee/Maggiee Valley/Bryson City, NC

• Newport, TN

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Exploring the Smokies: Resources

Places to Stay – Campgrounds in the Park

• Elkmont – Can be Reserved

• Smokemont – Can be Reserved

• Cades Cove – Can be Reserved

• Deep River – First Come, First Served

• Cataloochee – Reservations Required

• Crosby/Big Creek – Can be Reserved

• www.reservations.gov/ or 877-444-6777

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http://www.recreation.gov/

Exploring the Smokies

• Major Areas

• Gatlinburg & Roaring Fork

• Laurel Creek Road, Tremont, Townsend, Cades Cove,

& Foothills Parkway

• Newfound Gap – Over the Mountain to Cherokee

• Crosby & Big Creek

• Cherokee, Deep Creek & Maggie Valley

• Cataloochee

• Blue Ridge Parkway

• Shenandoah National Park

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Exploring the Smokies

35 http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/upload/grsmmap2-2.pdf

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/upload/grsmmap2-2.pdfhttp://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/upload/grsmmap2-2.pdfhttp://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/upload/grsmmap2-2.pdf

Exploring the Smokies – Gatlinburg & Roaring Fork

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Exploring the Smokies – Gatlinburg & Roaring Fork

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38 Roaring Fork

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44 Trillium Grandiflorum

Exploring the Smokies - Laurel Creek Road , Tremont, Cades Cove & Foothills Parkway

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Exploring the Smokies - Laurel Creek Road , Tremont, Cades Cove & Foothills Parkway

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47 Laurel Creek

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50 Tremont Road

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Exploring the Smokies – Newfound Gap

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Exploring the Smokies – Newfound Gap

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Exploring the Smokies – Crosby & Big Creek

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Exploring the Smokies – Crosby & Big Creek

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Exploring the Smokies - Cherokee, Deep Creek & Maggie Valley

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Exploring the Smokies - Cherokee, Deep Creek & Maggie Valley

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Exploring the Smokies – Cataloochee

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Exploring the Smokies – Cataloochee

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Exploring the Smokies

A brief look back at a

couple of the images

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Exploring the Smokies

Confession is good for the soul but

bad for the ego”

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Sunrise from 300 yards up Clingmans Dome Road

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Sunrise from 300 yards up Clingmans Dome Road

How to add sun beams to a photograph using Photoshop

How to Create Cloud Light Rays/Sunbeams in Photoshop

http://petapixel.com/2014/04/06/tutorial-shows-you-how-to-add-sun-beams-to-your-photographs/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVnbGbGaazI&ab_channel=PHLEARN

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Cataloochee Riders

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Sunrise on Lovers Lane in Sugar Hill, NH

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Cataloochee Riders

Exploring the Smokies

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A Final Word or Two….

“For me, Photography is a solitary, contemplative pursuit.”

~Ron Wybranowski

“Silence alone is worthy to be heard”

Henry David Thoreau, January 21, 1853

Competition is good. It’s what gets us the cherry on top

• of the sundae…It also makes us a better photographer.

Exploring the Smokies

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And one last word…

“Life is short. Eat dessert first.”

“Everything is Beautiful in it’s own Way.”

A Short Slide Show

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Exploring the Smokies

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Any Questions?

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