Unofficial SCC Outdoor Leadership Alumni & Friends

05/21/2026

It's official - they tied the knot!!!! A double fisherman’s knot; a true lovers knot, for its bond will not break, becoming ever stronger under pressure. Photo credits to Erin and Mike Waller

05/14/2026

ODL Grad and Adjunct Matt Chrestman. What's your favorite Chrestman story??

05/11/2026

Want to learn some new outdoor skills? Then learn from the best. Join ODL Grads and faculty, Alisha Blair, Mike Waller, Jeff Gottlieb and some guy named Paul as they teach the basics of navigation, backpacking, bouldering, foraging and wilderness survival. 🦁🐯🐻 oh my!

04/30/2026

A great ODL reunion with much of this crew last weekend. RIP Ben Cobb, you will never be forgotten.....

04/22/2026

Nantahala Gothic. 10 days until the big wedding for the billboard models. Paul is officiating their tying of the knot. Really, they are tying a double fisherman's knot (a.k.a. True Lovers knot) in the ceremony. Best wishes to the couple in navigating the rapids of married life!

04/21/2026

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has temporarily closed Ramsey Prong Road and the Ramsey Cascades Trail following a series of bear encounters. Park rangers made the decision to close the areas after responding to three bear-related incidents at the Ramsey Cascades Trail over the weekend. On two separate occasions, bears approached visitors on the trail, with one instance involving a bear taking food from a visitor. 🐻 Park officials will continue to monitor bear activity in the affected areas.

04/17/2026

“We didn’t know we were making memories, we were just having fun.” A.A. Milne Winnie the Pooh

04/09/2026

"Growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional!" - Walt Disney

04/02/2026

Did you know that a Survivor legend once taught at SCC?
Three-time contestant and the very first female winner of Survivor: The Australian Outback, Tina Wesson, brought her expertise to our students as an ODL Adjunct Instructor for two years!
With a BS in Therapeutic Recreation, Tina taught ODL 228 (Special Pops) and assisted with ODL 115 (Methods of Experiential Education). Talk about real-world experience!

03/30/2026

A tragic reminder that our love for the outdoors can have heartbreaking consequences.
“Nature is not cruel or kind, but simply indifferent; it does not care about our survival, which can be humbling or dangerous.”
Great Smoky Mountains National Park was ranked as the 4th most dangerous national park in the country, with 104 fatalities recorded between July 2013-July 2023.
• More than a third were motor vehicle accidents.
• September historically sees the highest fatalities.
• Drowning is the second leading cause of death.

A woman died after falling from a cliff on Alum Cave Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Here's what we know.