14 minute read
Disc golf course opens in Cherokee
Ryan Pickens, one of the course’s designers, tees off while giving a tour of the property.
TIME TO FLY
Disc golf course opens in Cherokee
BY HOLLY KAYS OUTDOORS EDITOR
Sandwiched between the flowing waters of Raven Fork and the final southern stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway, a new championship-caliber disc golf course in Cherokee beckons to locals and tourists alike.
“Look around. This is paradise here,” Jeremy Hyatt, secretary of operations for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, told the small crowd gathered for a ribbon-cutting celebration Tuesday, May 10. “You have this beautiful river, you have these wonderful woods. This is what it means to me to be Cherokee.”
The 31-acre Fire Mountain Disc Golf Sanctuary sits between Cherokee Central School and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a lofty canopy shading it from summer heat and a mountain creek offering respite for swimmers, anglers and waders. A gravel walking path stretches the length of the property, and a network of trails offer woodland paths between baskets.
Disc golf courses typically need about two years to mature, said Justin Menickelli, a member of the team from Disc Golf Design Group that planned the course. That’s usually enough time for leaves to fall and decompose on newly cut paths and for vegetation to be more carefully trimmed to the course’s contours.
“Then it will be perfect,” Menickelli said.
CONNECTED TO CULTURE
The swath of land beside Raven Fork is a tranquil setting suitable for a broad spectrum of ages and ability levels. But make no mistake — the course is labeled “championship-caliber” for a reason.
“When I say championship-level, it kind of is the same thing ‘as hard as hell,’” said Hyatt. “This is a very difficult course, but it is one of a kind and it is truly a gem.”
The first hole, advertised as a par 3, extends 348 feet, and while that particular hole is a straightaway, such is not the case as the course continues. Many holes contain tricky turns over long distances, with the longest clocking in at 681 feet on Hole 7, a par 4.
“I think it’ll end up being one of the hardest courses in the Southeast, for sure,” said Ryan Pickens, another of the course’s designers.
Tribal leaders hope to see the course become an attraction for disc golfers from across the country, and even an economic development asset as professional disc golfing competitions draw overnight visitors.
While there, they’ll also get a lesson in Cherokee history, thanks to the signs posted at each tee pad. Every hole is named for an animal, historical figure or legendary entity of the Great Smokies region or Cherokee culture. Those names are accompanied by a description of the namesake’s role in Cherokee folklore, as well as Cherokee-language renderings of the name in both syllabary and Latin characters.
The descriptions were written by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, who in addition to
being an EBCI member is the author of Even as We Breathe, a debut novel that won the 66th annual Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award. She worked with several Cherokee speakers to ensure the translations and pronunciations on the signs were correct. “Our goal was to connect all of the holes with a story that told the broader story of our area,” she said. “So it is kind of an introduction to visitors who aren’t familiar with it, but also a nice overview for even locals like myself
Wolfetown Rep. Bo Crowe throws a disc following the ribbon-cutting May 10. Natural beauty abounds on the 31-acre property.
who enjoy hearing how the stories are actually connected, and a longer version of Cherokee traditional value systems.” For example, the sign for the first hole, named “Raven,” tells how according to the Cherokee origin story, the raven was the first to seek fire — but the heat scorched his feathers before he could succeed. “Additionally, the Cherokee’s F
The body of a 72-year-old man was recovered from Little River in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park after somebody reported seeing it approximately a mile west of Metcalf Bottoms, at 1:30 p.m. Monday, May 9.
Rangers, along with Gatlinburg EMS/Fire, discovered the body of Bybee, Tennessee resident Charles Queen, and a technical swiftwater team recovered it for release to the Sevier County Medical Examiner’s Office.
No witnesses have been identified to the events leading up to Queen’s death, and there were no obvious signs of foul play. An autopsy will be performed to determine the time and cause of death. A vehicle registered to Queen was found in a pull-out about 600 feet upriver, along a steep embankment.
most feared shapeshifting entity is the Raven Mocker — the one who robs the dying man of life,” the sign concludes. “Needless to say, we recommend staying on trail…”
Other names featured in the list of 18
holes include Screech Owl, Lucky Hunter, Drowning Bear and Flying Squirrel.
A GROWING SPORT
Daniel Reed, 48, wasn’t at the disc golf course on May 10 to attend the ribbon cutting. Rather, he was there for a ritual that’s been part of his life since the course’s unofficial opening in March. Reed works nearby and gets 45 minutes for lunch each day. Two or three times per week, he uses that break to throw some discs.
“I’ll play about one or two holes, you know — just trying to get some practice in, just throwing and stuff right now,” he said. “I’m a beginner.”
Reed had never played disc golf until a couple of months ago, when the course opened just down the road from work. It seemed like a great opportunity to get outside while also building a hobby he could share with his son.
Reed isn’t alone in his newfound love of disc golf, which is a rapidly growing sport. The number of courses recognized by the Professional Disc Golf Association has increased tenfold since 2000, from 1,145 to 10,508 in 2021. Of those courses, 7,737 are in the United States. In 1975, only one course existed.
Since the pandemic, interest in disc golfing has only accelerated. The number of PDGA members shot up 33% from 2019 to 2020, bringing total membership to 71,016. Last year, membership grew at an even faster rate — increasing 55% to 109,862 members. Of those members, 80% live in the U.S.
The course in Cherokee aims to welcome disc golfers of all ability levels — not just professional players. While each of the 18 holes is outfitted with one of the yellow baskets denoting a hefty challenge for disc throwers, nine of the holes have a second basket as well. These red baskets offer a more approachable goal for novice players. For instance, while the first hole requires a 348-foot throw to reach the yellow net, the red net is a more manageable 290-foot distance.
Keredith Owens, who spoke at the ribbon-cutting on behalf of the Yellowhill Community Council and is also manager of the Family Safety Program, said that giving people opportunities to be in nature is important when it comes to helping them get sober and clean — the new disc golf course will be a good place to do that.
“This golf course, anybody can play it,” Principal Chief Richard Sneed said during his turn at the microphone. “My wife and I started playing about a year ago. We were both terrible at it. But we get to spend time with our grandkids, and they had a good time. But more importantly, it’s time to get out into nature into the environment.”
Sneed related a recent conversation he had with a tribal elder, in which she asked him how much time he spends in the woods. He was forced to say that these days, it’s not much time at all.
“She said, ‘I want to tell you something,’” Sneed said. “’You really need to spend time in the woods. You need to spend time hiking, and you need to spend time up in these mountains taking it all in, because it’ll change you as a person. It will change you as a human being.’”
For Cherokee people especially, he said, it is vital to spend time outdoors, reconnecting with the land that has nourished their ancestors for countless generations.
“Let us never take for granted what we have in these mountains,” he said.
Principal Chief Richard Sneed speaks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony May 10.
Launch into water sports with Jackson County Parks and Recreation, which has a variety of kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and canoeing events planned for the next month. ■ Kayaking sessions will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 21; Monday, June 6; and Thursday, June 16, on the Tuckasegee River, and Wednesday, June 8, at Lake Glenville. The May 21 and June 16 events will meet at Shook Cove River access, and the June 6 group will meet at Locust Creek River Access. Cost is $35 per adult and $20 per youth. ■ Women’s stand-up paddleboard sessions are offered beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 25 and Saturday, June 25, at Wolf Lake. The group will meet at Cullowhee Recreation Center. Cost is $30 per person. ■ Whitewater raft the Tuckasegee Gorge at 10 a.m. Friday, June 3; or Friday, June 17. Participants must be at least 4 years old and 40 pounds with a maximum chest size of 58 inches. Cost is $37 for adults and $27 for youth. ■ Go canoeing Friday, May 27, or Thursday, June 2. The May 27 event will meet at the Bear Lake Access at 3 p.m. and involve both hiking and canoeing, with a cost of $35 for adults and $20 for youth. The June 2 event will meet at the Cullowhee Recreation Center at 10 a.m. and travel to Wolf Lake, with a cost of $30 for adults and $20 for youth.
Registration is required either in-person at the recreation center in Cullowhee or Cashiers, or online at jcprd.recdesk.com/community/program. Youth under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Boat through Bryson
A 2-mile paddle down the Tuckasegee River through Bryson City will launch at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 25, wrapping up at 2 p.m.
Guided by Endless Rivers and hosted by nonprofits Need More Outdoors and Mainspring Conservation Trust, this easy float trip includes transportation and lunch. Cost is $25 for those who bring their own boat, $45 for a one-person ducky and lunch, or $60 for two people.
Register at mainspringconserves.org/events.
Fish for cash
Compete for $10,000 in tagged fish during the Memorial Day Trout Tournament in Cherokee, May 28-29.
Specially stocked and tagged rainbow, brook, golden and brown trout will be swimming through the Qualla Boundary’s freestone streams. Tags can be redeemed for cash prizes at the Natural Resources Enforcement Office at 517 Sequoyah Trail, 2-4 p.m. each tournament day.
The contest is open to all ages and legal fishing methods, with a $15 entry fee and $17 twoday fishing permit. Register anywhere fishing permits are sold in and around Cherokee, or online at fishcherokee.com by Friday, May 27.
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A project aiming to keep drinking water clean by helping people repair failing septic systems has earned Haywood County organizations statewide recognition from the N.C. Source Water Collaborative.
Haywood Waterways Association and the Haywood County Environmental Health Department won the Surface Water Implementation Award for their Haywood County Septic System Repair project. The Town of Black Mountain was also recognized with the Groundwater Implementation and Education Award for their Wellhead Protection Plan project.
The septic system project has funds to
cover 75-100% of total repair costs for failing septic systems, with eligibility determined by failure severity, proximity to a waterway and financial need. Haywood Waterways partnered with Haywood County Environmental Health to help homeowners determine if they qualify and go through the process of finding contractors and ensuring the repair is done correctly.
Septic systems are efficient, but if not maintained properly they can fail, which when the failing system is near a river, stream or lake allows untreated wastewater to enter the waterway. The average septic system repair costs $5,400, more than many families can afford up-front. Through the program, the average homeowner would be responsible for $1,350 of that cost with the remaining $4,000 covered by grant dollars. So far the program has helped 143 homeowners and prevented as much as 51,480 gallons per day of untreated human waste from entering Haywood County streams.
Funding is available throughout Haywood County, but the partners are focusing on the Richland Creek watershed — including Raccoon and Ratcliff Cove creeks — due to high bacterial counts in these waters. Foul odors, slow drainage, soggy soil, liquid waste on the drain field and excessive grass growth can signal septic system failure.
The program is funded by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Section 319 Grant Program and the Pigeon River Fund of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. For more information, contact 828.476.4667, ext. 11 or info@haywoodwaterways.org.
The N.C. Source Water Collaborative is a partnership of volunteers from nonprofits, universities, professional associations and all levels of government that develops and supports strategies to preserve drinking water sources and the land that protects and recharges them.
Workers repair a failing septic system.
Donated photo
Septic system Q&A planned
Homeowners can get all their questions about septic systems answered during a free workshop offered noon to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26, at the Haywood County Agricultural Service Center in Waynesville.
Staff from Haywood Waterways Association will be on hand to discuss everything there is to know about septic systems — how they work, common problems, solutions and financial help to implement them. Preventing and addressing septic system failure is key to maintaining water quality throughout the watershed.
RSVP to Christine O’Brien at 828.476.4667, ext. 11, or christine.haywoodwaterways@gmail.com.
Improvements proposed for Gatlinburg Spur
An environmental assessment of proposed improvements to the Spur between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg is out for public comment through Sunday, June 5.
In August and September 2021, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park solicited feedback on the issues and preliminary alternatives for improving the road. After reviewing comments, they completed the EA.
Under the preferred alternative, the National Park Service would implement corridor-wide improvements as well as specific improvements at three subareas along the Spur. Corridor-wide improvements would include installing curb and gutter treatments, shoulder hardening, rockfall mitigation, intelligent transportation systems and pull-off areas. Intersection improvements would take place at Gum Stand Road/King Branch Road/Gnatty Branch Road, Huskey Grove Road/Flat Branch Road and Wiley Oakley Drive.
To submit comments or review the document, visit parkplanning.nps.gov/spurimprovements. Comments can also be submitted via postal mail to Gatlinburg Spur Improvements EA, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738.
Deer harvest remains high as pandemic recedes
Deer harvest in North Carolina remains robust, with numbers from the 2021-22 hunting season remaining nearly level with those recorded with the pandemic’s arrival in 2020.
In the 2020-21 season, the 169,973 deer harvested represented a 9.1% increase compared to the three-year average at the time, and a 23.7% increase in the western zone. In 2021-22, hunters reported harvesting 168,427 deer — a 6.3% overall increase on the three-year average and a 9% increase in the western zone. During the 2019-2020 season, which occurred prior to the pandemic’s arrival in the United States, 161,940 deer were harvested.
The southeastern zone saw the largest jump on its three-year average, with a 12% increase, while the central zone had a 7.4% increase, the northeastern zone 3.4% and the northwestern zone 0.8%.
“It was unclear whether the 2020 increase in hunting participation and harvest was temporary, but the 2021 deer harvest shows a maintained deer harvest indicative of a strong deer population and hunting tradition,” said Moriah Boggess, deer biologist for the Wildlife Commission. “This is encouraging from a deer herd and hunter retention standpoint.”
Of the deer harvested, 53% were antlered bucks, 4.4% were button bucks and 42.6% were does. Most deer were harvested with a gun (76.4 %), followed by blackpowder (9.7%), bow (7.8%) and crossbow (6.1%).
For more information, including annual deer harvest summaries, visit bit.ly/3l2jX9t.
