Section Hiking
The First Hills Passed – Days One, Two, and Three
Day One: Saturday, 24 February 2024 — Amicalola Falls Visitor Center to Black Gap Shelter The sun sets over hills passed. My mother and step-father hiked a few miles...
The People, the Places and the Perils of the Florida Trail
No, unlike what most people expect, I wouldn’t say that alligators are a major peril on this hike. The only ones I’ve seen have been at a distance down low...
Five Tips for Backpacking the A.T. in Georgia
Planning your A.T. adventure for Georgia? If it’s April, pack for winter. If it’s September, pack for spring. I don’t make the rules.
Rescued by a Green Dragon
Blue Mountain is an over-eager aerobics instructor in blue leg warmers; cheering you on saying “you got this!” When you clearly don’t.
A Fallen Tree Drinks from Horsetrough
"I am seven trees now, when I was only one. This will happen to you," he said kindly.
A Deer on Kelly’s Knob
The trail is lush and green in September, waist high wildflowers shade black bear and deer, sleeping in late afternoon. Unseen by me, they raise and turn their heads when...
The aborted departure
According to my original plan, I should now be a couple of days south of Steven's Pass in the middle of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, heading for White Pass. Instead,...
How far is too far?
The purpose of a hike is ultimately to arrive at a destination. This may be because that is where you need to stop and resupply, or it is the end...
A New Perspective on Florida’s Water… From an Elevation of About 12 Feet
OK, goodbye to sloshing through mystical cypress strands with bromeliads claiming home on all the tree trunks. No more shoe-sucking muck (for now, I suppose). Now we’re looking down endless...
The Formidable Florida Trail!
What an experience the Florida Trail is! If a backpacker begins at the southern terminus and heads north (NOBO), they are beginning at what is undoubtedly the most challenging part...