Deep Country Adventures

12/07/2022

Cool accomplishment!

A hiker has become the first woman to complete all 11 National Scenic Trails.

07/09/2021

One of the best in the business!

Jeff Wadley is a name synonymous with search and rescue in East Tennessee. As a native of Gatlinburg, he grew up exploring the trails, streams and off-trail features of the Smokies. His earliest mentors were Scout leaders who happened to be park rangers and members of search and rescue teams in the East Tennessee area. Jeff has been involved in search and rescue in various roles since 1978 and has participated in 176 SAR operations searching for lost hikers, missing aircraft, abducted persons, and others.

Credentialed as an instructor of search and rescue planning, Jeff is also a Lost Person Behavior specialist and holds an Operational Tracker certification. His most recent research has been analyzing over 600 search and rescue cases in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The data from his analysis is being used by park management to develop a strategy to reduce the number of search and rescue incidents that occur in the park. The park presented him with its very first Preventative Search and Rescue Award in 2020 for that research.

Jeff served in the Tennessee Civil Air Patrol for 30 years, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He served as a mission coordinator and trainer in the Smokies. Jeff is the co-author of "Mayday! Mayday! Aircraft Incidents in Great Smoky Mountains National Park" which documents 54 known and reported aircraft crashes in the Smokies dating from before 1920 through 1999.

Jeff has completed all 900 miles of trails in the Smokies and is working on summiting all 40 peaks over 6,000 ft in the Eastern United States. His "day job" is that of Executive Director of Camp Bays Mountain in Kingsport, TN.

Photo: Jeff Wadley

20/06/2021

To the WORLD you are a dad. To our FAMILY, you are the world. Author Unknown

Happy Father's Day!

05/06/2021

Happy National Trails Day from all of us at Deep County Adventures! National Trails Day is an annual event hosted by the American Hiking Society, which celebrates not only national scenic and historic trails, but all trails on public lands. Celebrate today by getting outside and getting on trail!!

02/06/2021

Hikers be advised of a trail closure on the Appalachian Trail.

Due to reported aggressive bear activity, the is closed to camping until further notice between Double Springs Shelter (NOBO mile 452) and the Backbone Rock Trail (NOBO mile 465) in northeast Tennessee. Visitors are reminded to never feed/approach bears and bear canisters are the recommended food storage option to help keep humans safe and bears wild.

To learn more about how to minimize your risk of bear encounters, or report a bear encounter on the , visit appalachiantrail.org/bears

31/05/2021

Memorial Day. A day for gatherings, parades, days at the beach, barbeques and…most of all, remembering.

Memorial Day started as Decoration Day, designated in 1868, to pay tribute to fallen northern Civil War soldiers. Family members decorated the graves with flowers or other decorations of their loved ones who gave their lives to defend the country. Over time it became a day to commemorate fallen soldiers from all wars. It was declared a federal holiday in 1971.

A moment of silence is usually taken at 3:00pm. Take a moment to say “Thanks” and remember their sacrifice.

22/04/2021

Happy Earth Day! Let's see your pictures of how you are celebrating today.

13/04/2021

Inexperienced adventurers have flooded remote areas like Wyoming’s Sublette County during the pandemic. When they call for help, the task is left to an overwhelmed network of volunteers.

03/02/2021

Very interested read about the Smoky Mountains. Stay safe when visiting!

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) — The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was listed the third-most dangerous national park, according to Outforia. Outforia, a guide for outdoor travels, ranked the …

25/12/2020

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! 🎄☃️🎅

24/12/2020

Please be on the lookout!

***UPDATE*** REUNITED!! Jax is home safe & sound after 11 days, 16 hours :)

"Thank you to each and every person who like, shared and reposted our story. Jax is home!!! We couldn’t be more thankful!!! "
-Jax's Owner
Please spread the word! Jax was LOST on December 21, 2020 in Sevierville, TN 37876 near Pittman Center Rd.

Message from Owner: We are on vacation and came home today from Dollywood to find our back door open and our sweet baby missing. My husband is beside himself as Jax is his right hand buddy. Please help us find him and bring him home!

Description: Jax is a 14 week old Blue Heeler pup

For more info or to contact Jax's owner, click here: https://www.pawboost.com/p/6690213

Lost or found a pet? Report it to PawBoost here: https://pbrs.io/l/rpl

23/12/2020

So we were on a nice quiet hike last night and happen to look up and saw the Jupiter and Saturn great conjunction. Of course, this is not our picture, our picture was more of a blur of something that resembled nothing at all. This picture was actually captured by the Lowell Discovery telescope at the Lowell Observatory.

📸 credit: Levine/Elbert/Bosh/Lowell Discovery Telescope/NSF

15/12/2020

Just an FYI!

08/12/2020

It's a chilly 14° degrees this morning at Clingmans Dome! Let's get this cold weather hike on.

01/12/2020

Newfound Gap we**am, December 1, 2020

https://www.air-resource.net/grsmnfgap/

30/11/2020

Use caution, it's going to be cold with the possibility of 12" of snow in higher elevations. Be prepared!

30/11/2020

Be careful out there!