June 22-24, 2018 Big Cataloochee and Luftee Knob are the last two (2) peaks I had to climb for the South Beyond 6000 Challenge, a series of forty (40) peaks over 6,000 ft. in North Carolina and Tennessee. Over the past several years, I have made several attempts to climb these last summits. One time … More Big Cataloochee, Luftee Knob
June 9, 2018 Stone Mountain S.P. is located in the middle of nowhere. Nestled in between Alleghany and Wilkes counties in the northwestern portion of North Carolina, it took us nearly an hour and a half of back roads driving to find it. I remember going to the park about 15 years ago, but that … More Stone Mountain State Park
June 8, 2018 There are a number of trails located at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, off the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) outside of Blowing Rock, N.C. I would classify most of them as very family-friendly. They are nice, gradual uphill hikes, the trails are essentially wide carriage trails and the views are outstanding. The … More Flat Top Mountain Trail
June 7, 2018 When I first graduated law school, it was the height of the Great Recession. I was lucky enough to be one of the few that got a job right after graduating, a 1-year fellowship with Legal Aid in a town way off in the western portion of North Carolina. I moved to … More South Mountains State Park
June 7, 2018 With a couple of days off in early June, the family headed out for more of the state park experience. With nice weather, no crowds, and the whole day, what could go wrong? Well, unbeknownst to us, there was a recent sewage leak into Lake James. We had fully expected to spend … More Lake James State Park