March 15-17, 2019 The Linville Gorge Wilderness remains an enigmatic place. The first time I heard of it was from a map. A man sat upon a rock with a backpack, emblazoned above him was the phrase, “A Place for Solitude.” When I first moved here, locals would regale me with stories, “you want to be … More Linville Gorge Wilderness
July 28-29, 2018 Johnny and I have a tradition that we will go camping/backpacking at least once a month. For July, we chose the 13-mile Hemphill Bald Loop in the North Carolina section of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GSMNP). The loop and this area of the GSMNP is fascinating: giant poplars, abundant wildlife, … More Hemphill Bald Trail
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
December 16-17, 2017 The theme for this year has been transition; new town, new car, new job, new house, new position, new everything. I’ve not spent as much time outside hiking as in previous years. I failed to camp as often, although I did complete the Pisgah 400 over the course of the fall. I … More Linville Gorge Wilderness: Sitting Bear Mountain
September 29-30, 2017 We’re a goal-orientated society. Get in that school, graduate, get that job, get that promotion, get married, have kids, rinse, repeat. We look at life through the lens of being successful in our capitalistic orientated economic model. We don’t look on with favor at those who quit. We sneer and think, “They … More Fires Creek Rim Trail thru-hike (a failure)
February 4-5, 2017 “It is one of the blessings of wilderness life that it shows us how few things we need in order to be perfectly happy.” -Horace Kephart I’m often amazed at the reluctance of some to go camping. “What about _______ [insert any deathly fear, i.e. bears, snakes]?” they will ask. “Aren’t you … More Porters Creek Trail
December 3-4, 2016 I am not a big fan of crowds in the backcountry. Hence my favorite destinations are often obscure. Chief among those are Farlow Gap. Hikers probably don’t recognize the name, for them it’s just a gap on the Art Loeb Trail before the Deep Gap Shelter. Bikers likely recognize is as a … More Daniel Ridge Loop Trail, Farlow Gap Trail
November 18-20, 2016 It’s late fall and the temperatures have felt more like mid-summer rather than the cusp of winter. It has been nearly 70 days since any measurable rainfall in Western North Carolina, wildfires are popping up over the region. Most started by deranged pyromaniacs/attention seekers, but the bone dry conditions act like vat of gasoline. … More Mt. Sequoyah, Mt. Chapman
November 5-6, 2016 There are forty peaks over 6000’ as part of the South Beyond 600 Challenge. The most remote and difficult are located in the backcountry of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I’ll be honest; these are hard peaks to grab. They require a lot of research and a lot of compass/orienteering skills. My … More Old Black, Tricorner Knob, Mark’s Knob, Mt. Guyot
September 24-25, 2016 My favorite hiking challenge has been the South Beyond 6000. Sponsored by the CMC, one must hike 40 peaks over 6000 feet in North Carolina and Tennessee. I’ve hiked all the peaks in the Great Balsam area of North Carolina, except Mt. Hardy. Mt. Hardy is located in the Middle Prong Wilderness. … More Mt. Hardy
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