Great Smoky Mountains 1702: Smoke in the Smokies

In the summer of 2023, 1702 was once again headlining GSMR excursions into the Nantahala Gorge. The Great Smoky Mountains were living up to their name, blanketed by haze from wildfires in Canada, but that didn't stop people from flocking to the North Carolina highlands fo hiking, fishing, whitewater rafting, and of course riding vintage trains. On the morning of June 10 I got in a car with some friends and drove down to Bryson City just as the train departed. I was the only one of the group who had chased this route before so we stuck to the usual locations, however ‪@easttenn.fireboxproduction3329‬ brought his drone along and was kind enough to lend me his footage for some unique angles of 1702 rolling along through the mountains.