Ed has hiked the the 2652+ mile Pacific Crest Trail, the 2160+ mile Appalachian Trail, the 270 mile Long Tail, across Scotland on the 73+ mile Great Glen Cycle Route, all 46 of the Adirondack High Peaks, the 78+ mile Rhode Island North/South Trail, and the Saranac Six. He is also a certified Leave No Trace Trainer. A former MATC Caretaker in the Piazza Rock/Saddleback area, he’s passionate about applying Leave No Trace as an ethical system. His latest journey was a two week loop of Mt. Rainier on the Wonderland Trail. He can be found somewhere on the Continental Divide Trail, a 3000+ mile walk from Mexico to Canada. Reports on his other travels, mostly in New England, are at http://edthesmokebeard.com
Posts
Five Bad Days on the PCT and How I Got Through Them
There are plenty of blogs, vlogs, Instagram feeds, and hiker war stories out there that highlight how awesome doing a long-distance hike can be.
Lone Wolves to Trail Families: Who’s Who in the Thru-Hiking Social Dynamic
A large and integral part of a thru-hike is the social aspect. As with most human endeavors, there's a broad spectrum of interest—some people are in
PCT Thru-Hike by the Numbers
Now that I'm off trail and home for a bit, I've been doing some thinking about the trip as a whole. People ask me, "What was it like?" and I reply,
One Month Later – Recovering from the PCT
If you're looking for another story of swashbuckling adventure, filled with daring pickup truck hitches, pictures of snowy peaks, and musings on the
Smokebeard’s Final PCT Gear List and Review
A lot of people have asked me about gear---how many pairs of shoes did I go through, did my tent leak, how was my backpack, that sort of thing.
Highlight Reel of Pictures from My 2018 PCT Thru-Hike
I've put together an admittedly self-indulgent highlight reel of pictures from my hike. My goal was to do one picture per day, but the video would
Book Six, Chapter Six – Five Days of the Smokebeard
(With apologies to Redford and von Sydow) Sept. 12 We left Harlequin Bridge around 7, and got to High Bridge by 9:30.Faceplant saw a bald
Book Six, Chapter Five – Freakin’ Stehekin
Short post, more words than pics this time. There's really only so many pictures you can take in one day. But it's time for some contemplation and a
Book Six, Chapter Four – The Top of the Ninth
I've been trying to decide of there's an appropriate metaphor for hiking the PCT. Maybe a baseball game?Announcer Joe: A haggard-looking
Book Six, Chapter Three – A Place Called Snoqualmie
Terse post, not much quality time, power and Wi-Fi at the same time. Aug. 28 - 9.6 Escaping White Pass was another tricky move. Food, showers,