I stumbled upon Turnpike Creek Beach while hiking a patchwork loop through the Shining Rock Wilderness. I camped near the Ivestor Gap/Art Loeb Trail intersection. After breaking camp the next morning, I took the Fork Mountain Trail north to this … Continued
Read more about my approach to cooking on backpacking trips, including meal prep, nutrition, gear, and post-hike impressions. I get a lot of questions about what I eat and when/how I cook on the trail. I’ve already detailed my cook … Continued
Read about my complete John Muir Trail experience, including prep, gear, logistics, and post-hike impressions. I’ve published summaries and pictures of each day of my John Muir Trail (JMT) thru-hike, but I shot more videos than photos. I finally got … Continued
Craggy Gardens is an attraction in Pisgah National Forest just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. It’s nestled between Asheville and Mt Mitchell, so it’s easy to add to your day trip itinerary. There are 2 different parking … Continued
Crabtree Meadow is a campground and hiking area in Pisgah National Forest off the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. It’s about 16 miles north of Mt Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi River. The map point below … Continued
After finishing my John Muir Trail thru-hike atop Mt Whitney, I had to hitchhike from the Mt Whitney Portal to Lone Pine, CA, take a bus from Lone Pine to Reno, NV, ride a train from Reno to Sacramento, CA, … Continued
Read about my complete John Muir Trail experience, including prep, gear, logistics, and post-hike impressions. I had been told by some NOBOs that I should plan to wake up around 4:00 am if I wanted to summit Mt Whitney in … Continued
Read about my complete John Muir Trail experience, including prep, gear, logistics, and post-hike impressions. This was probably my easiest day on the trail since Day 1 in Lyell Canyon. To be specific, the hiking was much more difficult than … Continued
Read about my complete John Muir Trail experience, including prep, gear, logistics, and post-hike impressions. My clothes were not completely dry when I woke up. I begrudgingly put them on knowing that my body heat and the wind would dry … Continued
Read about my complete John Muir Trail experience, including prep, gear, logistics, and post-hike impressions. I woke up and cranked out the ascent toward Mather Pass. It was freezing on my side of the pass. Heading southbound, I always seemed … Continued