How — and whether– To Pursue Adventure in the Midst of Pandemic Last week Sylvia and Brian were hiking out in the mountains of North Carolina Mountains, celebrating Brian’s birthday. We returned home to a different world than the one we left. True, the writing had been on the wall, if one had been willing to see it. Already, the […]
The Ramsey Cascades, an Epic Southern Waterfall Hike
Waterfalls Week: The Ramsey Cascades *We have added the Ramsey Cascades to the list of Best Hikes in the Southern Appalachians. All things considered, we think it may be the best hike to any waterfall in the Southern US, at least that we’ve done so far. It’s the only waterfall in the Eastern US that currently ranks on our list […]
Moore’s Not Less: Moore Cove Falls
Moore Cove Falls, Pisgah NF Waterfall Week, our exploration of those dramatic contests between gravity and water, continues with one of the highlights of the Pisgah National Forest’s Cradle of Forestry area — Moore Cove Falls. It is located just a short ways off US Route 276 not long after it clears the town of Brevard, but well before it […]
Waterfalls Week: Where the Hen Wallows(?)
Hen Wallow Falls, GSMNP, TN The First Waterfall on the list for Waterfalls week is a relatively good sized one named Hen Wallow Falls, located on the Tennessee side of Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Hen Wallow Falls is 90 feet tall…but like most eastern waterfalls that drop is not accomplished a single straight plunge. It’s more of a series […]
Get Ready for Waterfall Week!!!
Waterfall Week! There is something undeniably pleasant and harmonious about the sight of moving water. Hence, the attraction to waterfalls, those fountains of nature. Everybody loves ‘em, right? Maybe not. If you’re a serious hiker, my bet is that you probably don’t dislike them, but you probably don’t love them either. Most serious hikers I know prefer a good, solid […]
Sent To The Big House (Mountain)
Big House Mountain, VA *We have added the Big House Mountain hike in House Mountain Preserve to our list of the Best Hikes in the Southern Appalachians. It is a REALLY interesting hike in west-central Virginia. Note that there are several options to this hike and the one we ended up hiking was…somewhat on the creative side. There are easier […]
The Old Dominion
News from the TMB and a Hike in Virginia We’re just back from the mountains of Virginia and we have good news regarding the Tour du Mont Blanc…the Refuge Flegere has accepted our reservation! This saves us from a lot of headaches on the final night of our hike. We were greatly disappointed by the closing (hopefully temporary) of the […]
The TMB Hits a Snag, the Next Hike…and Waterfall Week!
We are now weeks away from the Tour Du Mont Blanc, and it’s beginning to sink in that we are actually going to do this thing. There is no turning back now! Finally, we going to be in the Alps! It is a dream of mine of as long as I have been a hiker. It’s also the next of […]
The Back Forty: Umstead State Park
William B. Umstead State Park, NC **We have added William B. Umstead State Park to our list of local hikes. It is one of our favorite places to go for a conditioning day trip in the Triangle Area! If you live in the Raleigh/Durham area you almost can’t help but have heard of William B. Umstead State Park. It is […]
The Creep into Trail Town
The Virginia Creeper Trail If you are in the area of Damascus Virginia for hiking or for any reason, be sure to check out the Virginia Creeper Trail. And if you aren’t planning to be in the area, find a reason to be. This is a must-do for anyone living within a day’s drive…and it may just be the most […]
Hike the High Country
The Grayson Highlands, VA *We hiked the Grayson Highlands in April 2014 over a period of two consecutive days, first starting from the Mount Rogers Trailhead and later from Massie Gap in Grayson Highlands State Park. We covered a variety of trails on these hikes and saw virtually every part of the highlands, excepting the treed-in summit of Mt. Rogers […]