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
Book Two, Chapter One – A Sweet Walk to Agua Dulce
(Warning, picture-heavy post.) "I have no memory of this place," said the Smokebeard. No longer the Greybeard leading the Fellowship, I'm now
Think You’re Hiker Trash? Take This Quiz and Find Out
Like a knighthood, or the papacy, the title of hiker trash cannot be taken, it can only be given. After a while there is a tendency to assume that
Book One, Chapter Four – everything is all right in Wrightwood
No snow, please We woke up early but there were two inches of snow on the ground, so we all rolled over and went back to sleep. Once we got up,
Book One, Chapter Three: Shelter From the Storm in Big Bear
So Long Idy, Hello Big Bear Getting back on the trail from Idyllwild is always a bit of a challenge. There are at least three ways out of town that
Book One, Chapter Two: The Idyllwild Run
Day 12. Trail mile 169. Idyllwild. Leaving Warner A few days back, I got up at dawn and left my trail family behind at Warner Springs. Half of
Book One, Chapter One: The Same, Yet Totally Different
Despite it being the same trail in 2018 as 2017, the first 110 miles ended up being totally different. Part of that was by design because I
Comfort Items – Take an Ounce, Leave an Ounce
As I mentioned before, I'm at the final kitchen-sink phase of packing for the hike. The last few bits and extra things that might come in handy;
PCT Minus Ten – Last-Minute Planning
There's a few things that are a tip-off that shit's gotten real. It's kind of like seeing the first robins in Spring, or the first frost in Fall. Little drops in the bucket, little stones that start an avalanche, and before you know it, your life is changing. Final planning reaches a frenzy, and you're off.
LNT Principle Three: Dispose of Waste Properly
Pack out your trash, and this includes toilet paper! All of the Leave No Trace principles are geared around a common theme, preserving the Wildness of the outdoors. Depending on your world view, there's a number of good reasons for this. Mine are primarily selfish - I want things to stay nice, so that I can enjoy them later.
13 Pounds Between Me and the Elements – A PCT Thru-Hike Gear List
I have a few purchases left to make, but right now my gear list is pretty solid. Pack weight is at 13 pounds, and that includes a one-pound fudge