Walking with Spring
I recently finished the book, “Walking with Spring.” The book is a hiking memoir by Earl Shaffer, the first Appalachian Trail thru-hiker. Shaffer recounts his thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 1948, a journey spurred by the hope that a long trail might be enough to …
Foray into Foraging
To say that I have always had an interest in plant identification would be a lie. I remember on my first thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail, I grew quite annoyed with my friends when they pulled out their half-pound flower identification book and then put their noses to the ground …
Business lessons from the trail
Recently, I have been getting a lot of e-mails and questions about how to make a living or start a business in the Outdoor Industry. So I thought I’d write a post about my experience and nine lessons I’ve learned as the founder and owner of Blue Ridge Hiking Company.
Spending your first night in the woods: some basic advice
It’s been a long time since I spent my first night in the woods, but I haven’t forgotten what it was like. I must have been about 12 or 13 years old, and I was on my first overnight backpacking trip. I had my mother’s old gigantic …
June is the month for trails
This June we will celebrate National Trails Day and Great Outdoors Month. But, the danger of celebrating a day dedicated to trails and a month marked for outdoor enjoyment is that some might see the commemoration as a was to consolidate wilderness activities into a single …
Bartram Trail Recap: I don't tweet on trail, but if I did...
I like to unplug when I go outdoors, but I also like to take notes to remember what happened. I turned my recent Bartram Trail notes into a set of mock tweets to recap the section between the Nantahala River and Wayah Bald. Enjoy
How to plan for a long distance hike
Everyone plans for a long distance hike a bit differently, and there’s certainly no right or wrong way to go about pre-hike planning. Some people obsess over gear, some try to get into shape, others spend all their energy on their mail drops and meal planning, and yet others spend …
Hiker Steps towards Conservation
The word “Conservationist” seems like such a weighty term that I used to think you had to dedicate your life to land management or donate your entire personal worth to be a considered a ‘real’ conservationist. Over time, however, I observed that small steps taken by everyday folks can add …
Trail Karma
A common saying among hikers is that “the trail gives you what you need.” Wouldn’t it be great if, in return, we could all give the trail what it needs?!
Recently, some of my good friends over at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy let me in on a new trail initiative …
High School: A Rocky Path
I feel the most pressure when I am standing in front of 9th to 12th grade students. I feel insecure and uncertain. I feel like I am back in High School!
As a speaker, it is exciting to customize the message of the trail to meet the needs of colleges …
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