The first clear view on Virginia's Wild Oak Trail comes after about 8 miles and 4,000 feet of climbing. The trailhead is in the notch left of center, directly under the sun, and the trail wraps around these mountains from left to right, climbing up and over three mountains in the process. Get Out There!…Read more Wild Oak from Little Bald Knob, VA
Backpacking
Backpacking the Wild Oak Trail, VA
It had been a long time since I'd climbed a hill this steep, this high, for this long. My legs reminded me of this inescapable fact with every step I took. As long as I kept my head up and focused on the yellow and red trees, it didn't matter. My outdoor adventures had been…Read more Backpacking the Wild Oak Trail, VA
Boundaries
You can't have a true adventure without a little bit of risk. It's the exploration of something new and getting out of your comfort zone that builds memories! Don't turn back because something is a challenge - just understand and make sure you can accept the consequences of failure (like getting everything wet during a…Read more Boundaries
Pond Run (or… What Happened to Those New Backpackers)
It started off a little ominously. The morning was dreary, with a foggy overcast that threatened rain. We had assembled a team of 6 new backpackers, one with a few trips under his belt, and three experienced leaders, including myself. One of the crew lost a split ring off a cotter pin on his older…Read more Pond Run (or… What Happened to Those New Backpackers)
Morning in the Valley
The best views are those where you can see for miles, and it's ALL nature! Looking west from Mill Mountain, off the Tuscarora Trail in West Virginia.
A Group of First-Time Backpackers
It's been a while since I've done a full-on backpacking plan for a group of more than, say, four. This weekend, I've got 10 people headed out, many first-timers hitting the trail for the first time. It's a whole different dynamic when you can't rely on singles or pairs being self-sufficient and just sharing the…Read more A Group of First-Time Backpackers
Prince William Forest
A nice lunch spot along Quantico Creek, Prince William Forest Park, Virginia.
“Bright Spring”
We have just entered the fourth season of the year, and it's one of my favorites! This is based on the 8-season model I wrote about earlier in the year, where we consider both temperature AND sunlight. In "Bright Spring", we enjoy some of the longest days of the year - at my latitude we…Read more “Bright Spring”
My Favorite Place
One of my favorite places in the world is the one I carry with me. My tent, and the rest of my backpacking setup, allow me to escape to almost anywhere. This particular spot was a great one - 20 miles from the nearest pavement, high in the Colorado Rockies, easily one of the quietest…Read more My Favorite Place
No Place I’d Rather Be…
Taken on day six of eleven along the Appalachian Trail in Virginia, this was atop Stony Man Mountain in Shenandoah National Park. Though I was tired, run-down, and smelled even worse than I looked - there's no place I'd rather be! This was posted in response to the Daily Post's Weekly Photo Challenge - I'd…Read more No Place I’d Rather Be…
So Close And Yet So Far
A morning from twenty- something thousand feet over the Sierra Nevada. The John Muir Trail is down there somewhere, and high on my life list of long walks!
All The Comforts Of Home
No water, no electricity, but a fireplace AND a wood stove. Perfect! Tulip Tree Cabin, Potomac Appalachian Trail Club.
Cedarville State Forest, MD
Washington, DC traffic is no fun. Some love the area, but for many, the 50 miles surrounding our nation's capitol are viewed as a mass of commuters that grows in density and frustration, the I-495, the Beltway, marking an orbit of wasted time and despair. Given that many of us are forced to deal with…Read more Cedarville State Forest, MD
Sugarloaf Mountain, MD
Rocks, and the smell of hickory. Those were the two primary impressions this mountain made on me one recent, overcast workday afternoon. Before I get too far - I'm NOT talking about any famous ski resorts, I'm referring to a mountain in Maryland that sits by itself well east of the Catcotins and the main…Read more Sugarloaf Mountain, MD
Dayhike: Hawksbill, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Rising above the very deep valley of East Hawksbill Creek, Hawksbill is the tallest mountain in Shenandoah National Park, standing at 4,049 ft above sea level, and beating out neighboring Stony Man by 38 feet. Aside from its superlative height within the park, its dramatic prominence over its namesake creek (over 2,000 feet) makes Hawksbill…Read more Dayhike: Hawksbill, Shenandoah National Park, VA
