N2Backpacking | Backpacking Tips, Gear, Podcasts & Trail Guides
Practical backpacking tips, gear advice and trail guides from BirdShooter, an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker. Plus the N2Backpacking podcast.
In Episode 21, JD (aka Trail Hard) tells us about his passion for hiking and backpacking in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park - the most visited national park in the United States. On the show, we discuss his quest for a third map in the "Smokies" - or the completion of every trail in the Park. While a "map" is technically ~900 miles, a hiker walks roughly 1500 miles to complete it. And JD is on his third map - dang! Fewer than 400 can even claim one! So he … [Read more...]
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Night hiking in the Smokies with a moonrise above and a sunset to the West. … [Read more...]
We have a long tradition of backpacking the Smokies in the winter, but Brunn and I sit out the tough stuff this year and hike less than half of the ~35 mile route.  While the rest of the crew gets pounded by rain - I fly home from Vegas and Brunn hits the Allman Brothers Tribute show at the Fox in Midtown Atlanta (a worthy choice).  Needless to say, we get a late start on the trip.  Here's Brunn packing at noon on Saturday after the show.    But everything comes with a price and … [Read more...]
Last weekend, we hiked ~9 miles from Ice Water Springs shelter down to Smokemont Campground in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Here's some video from the Dry Sluice Trail as it crosses the bridge over Bradley Fork. By the time we hit the valley, temps had climbed from the teens to the 50's which made for great hiking this winter afternoon. … [Read more...]
After two days of rain, a cold front pushes through and delivers a dusting of snow at Ice Water Springs Shelter. A bobcat leaves fresh tracks just below this rising January sun and we are slow to crawl from the sleeping bags with temps in the teens at 5800 feet this morning. … [Read more...]
We left Newfound Gap at 4:45pm for a 3 mile hike to Ice Water Springs shelter. It's early January, and after two days of rain the skies have cleared. Here's a look at the sunset to the west from the Appalachian Trail. With any luck, we'll make it to the shelter before dark ... … [Read more...]
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