BirdShooter's Backpacking Blog & Podcast Series
These "What I Really Do" templates are everywhere these days and now I understand why. There's actually a template for them on the web. A hiking friend recently sent me this one, and I have to say that they nailed it for Thru-Hiking. If you've ever hiked long distances on the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, or any major Trail, I think you'll agree. … [Read more...]
George Mallory is quoted as having replied to the question "Why do you want to climb Mount Everest?" with the retort "Because it's there". A friend recently sent this quote to me with the attached photo which says it more eloquently: You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one … [Read more...]
I miss my dog – not that I don’t have a new one, but I can’t forget my old one. It was 18 months ago, when Rebel sat outside the door watching me pack for a hike to The Perch in North Georgia. He died within ten days of that trip, and I vividly recall (and photographed) him sitting by my shop door – barking as if to join me. Arthritis kept him from the trail in his later years, but he never gave up hope that I might take him along. I have a new dog now, and he too has taken to the … [Read more...]
Has it ever been debated on who are the most influential hikers of all time (Top 5)? With the creation of the A.T. Museum, I know there was discussion about the most influential Appalachian Trail backpackers of all time (ie. Earl Shaffer), but what about in general? I'd argue that Earl Shaffer makes that cut for pioneering the first "official" thru-hike, but what about someone like "Flyin' Brian" Robinson who became the first hiker to conquer hiking's Triple Crown in a calendar year? He … [Read more...]
Spring is a special time on the Appalachian Trail. Every year, 2000+ people show up at Springer Mountain (the official start of the A.T. in Georgia) to head north. In 1994, I was one of those people - and ever since I pause for a moment to think about the next group to head North. This year, I had a friend making the annual pilgrimage and drove across town to meet Scott "Zip" Willits on 3/16/12. We met up at his sister's house in metro-Atlanta, and it was a beautiful spring day - the kind … [Read more...]
A while back, I subscribed to the ATC Southern Regional Office Newsletter to keep up on activities along the Appalachian Trail in the South. In the March 2012 issue, it said ... With spring lurking around the corner, it's an exciting time of year! We hope you'll join us for some of the many activities that ATC and our partners are involved with this month. The activities have been timed with the northbound migration of the 2012 thru-hiker pack, and there is no shortage of … [Read more...]
Should the Great Smoky Mountain National Park charge backpackers for camping overnight in the park? According to an article published yesterday by National Parks Traveler, the answer is a resounding NO: John Quillen, a Tennessean from Knoxville who fought to have the public comments on the fee proposal made public, says that by his calculation the comments were "almost 20 to 1 against the fee." Part of the concern was that the proposed fees, which range from a low of $4 per person … [Read more...]
I have used both stand-alone GPS units and Smartphone apps on the trail and have yet to resolve which is better. For short day hikes - the Smartphone apps win hands down for convenience and their instant access to trail databases from companies like the North Face. But in the backcountry? I tend to agree with this assessment by Backpacker Magazine gear editor, Kristin Hostetter: In a nutshell, here are the pros of using a smartphone with a navigation app: great for local hikes, daily activity … [Read more...]
The Mrs. and I just returned from a trip to the Grand Canyon, and if you haven't seen it - the winter is a great time to go. There are fewer people, there's no summer 100+ heat, and it's fairly easy to book a room at the last minute - even on a weekend. I made my first trip to the Canyon in 1996 during a three month cross-country roadtrip that put 17,000 miles on my car and had us touch all four corners of the Lower 48. We arrived on the North Rim in mid-summer with 104 degree heat and … [Read more...]
Since the early 90's, some old Appalachian Trail thru-hikers that I know have maintained the tradition of an annual winter hike. As I detailed in "40 at 40", the trip is never easy and is typically booked within a few weeks of the MLK holiday. After a four year absence, I made a guest appearance during their three-day ramble of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park this year. It was mid-way through their hike when we met up at the Mt. Collins Shelter after the machoists had gotten pelted by … [Read more...]
