White Oak Sinks Field Trip
April 21, 2001

photoMike Whitaker led a group of ten SANP members to the White Oak Sinks in the Great photoSmoky Mountains National park on Saturday April 21st for a wildflower field trip. The weather was good for hiking with temperatures in the mid 70s during the morning hike. Along the way we discovered yellow "Lady Slippers", Columbine and other beautiful wildflowers.

The 2.6 mile hike to the Sinks was well worth it. Once there, we were treated to a beautiful meadow which included some "Shooting Stars" which were photographed by most of us.

What surprised many of us were the number of other hikers we encountered in the Sinks. Guess there are very few "quiet" places left to go these days. Maybe that's the penalty we pay because so many of our talented members have shared the beauty of these places with others.

On entering the Sinks, a turn to the right takes you to a nice waterfall which we also photographed. Mary Norris photodiscovered a "Jack in the Pulpit" to the right of the falls and her husband John modeled for us at the top of the falls.

The company was good, and the photography fine except that Murphy's 38th law was in effect - you know... the one about pressing the shutter release gently to invoke a breeze.

Thom Ashton

 

 

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