Author

John Quillen 24 posts 0 comments

John is a self-described orophile whose mountain addiction has taken him across the globe in search of fresh peak experiences. After completing all the Smokies trails, he sought high points both obscure and well known. With two remaining, he hopes to become the first Tennessean to complete the global Seven Summits.

Departments

The Third Men

John Quillen 0
Up steep rock faces or under the intense flow of a waterfall you’ll find the unsung heroes of East Tennessee rescues Charlie Avery has logged many hours parked along Newfound Gap Road. He has a real, old-fashioned park service radio…
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Departments

Campsite Mooch

John Quillen 0
Nothing tastes quite like outdoor gastronomy cooked up by friends When it comes to backcountry eating, I tend to be described as a minimalist. In order to keep weight down on a five day hike without resupply, this is a necessary…
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Departments

Ekaneetlee Trace

John Quillen 2
The search for a forgotten crossing from North Carolina to Tennessee My relationship with Ekaneetlee runs as long as the creek. Since first reading of this secret passage from North Carolina into Tennessee, I was consumed with a desire…
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Features

Obed Treasure

John Quillen 0
Stories of the riches found in the ocean deep and on the side of East Tennessee cliffs Del Scruggs was in his twenties when he caught wind of what was going on in Florida. Whispers of buried treasure wafted up the hollers of East…
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Departments

The Meigs Line

John Quillen 0
Walking in the footsteps of a forgotten expedition I was surfing through bottomless rhododendron patches on Blanket Mountain for miles. This stretch out of Elkmont, Tennessee, in the Smokies, was as off trail as it gets. My objective…
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Lightning in a Bottle

John Quillen 0
Prior to his service as a Seabee during the Second World War, my uncle Jay was quite the prankster. I’ve oft envisioned him scouring the family farm fields on the Jefferson/Hamblen county line, glass jar in hand, filling it with any…
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Departments

Rocky Fork

John Quillen 0
A patch of heaven worth fighting for Prior to 2015, this rough patch of hill country was like many in our region, abandoned by timber barons to all but local adventurers. Fortunately, thanks to the rescue efforts of Unicoi native…
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Bolivia Bound

John Quillen 0
We're off to the Andes! I was sick with flu-like symptoms for a week after paying $200 for a yellow fever shot. Other team members just had vivid dreams for a month. But that was not my biggest worry as we crossed the 24 hour threshold…
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