Section Hiker

Backpacking Duncan and Strickler Knob in Virginia’s Massanuttens

Earlylite — Thu, 31 May 2012 05:48:50 +0000

Five of us from the DC UL Backpacking community got together for a moderate 19 miler through the Massanuttens in Virginia this past weekend. The primary loop has been dubbed the Wil Kohlbrenner Memorial Circuit by the folks at www.midatlantichikes.com, in honor of a prolific trail builder from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC). Wil [...]

Taking a Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED Class

Earlylite — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:40:13 +0000

My wife and I took a five hour First Aid/CPR/AED class from the Red Cross last weekend on our 21st wedding anniversary. That might seem like a funny day to take a First Aid Class but it makes all then sense in the world. You get to do something together on the day of your anniversary that might [...]

MSR Nook 2 Person Tent

Earlylite — Tue, 29 May 2012 05:23:44 +0000

The MSR Nook 2-person, double-walled tent is spacious and quite lightweight, weighing 3 pounds, 3.7 ounces. With a built-in vestibule, it is suitable for 3+ season camping and backpacking with a built-in front vestibule to store gear, ample tie-downs to improve stability in high winds, and well-sized side vents to improve airflow and reduce internal condensation. [...]

Trail Adopter Work Report – The Jewell Spur Trail

Earlylite — Mon, 28 May 2012 05:14:10 +0000

I was in the White Mountains over the weekend doing routine maintenance on the the Jewell Spur Trail, drawn in red above, a hiking trail I adopted in the spring of 2011 at the foot of Mt Washington. It runs between the Cog Rail Line station and the Jewell Trail which is a frequently used escape [...]

Hikers’ Stories from the Appalachian Trail

Earlylite — Thu, 24 May 2012 05:22:05 +0000

What do all of these hikers have in common? Beside hiking the AT, we all contributed chapters to a new book published by Stackpole, called Hiker’s Stories from the Appalachian Trail. Amanda “Veggie” Redpath Amanda, Jarrod “Hansel” and Becca “Gretel” Schlenker Bruce “Birdman” Nichols Corwin “Major Chafage” Neuse Deb “Ramkitten” Lauman Devon “Flamebo” Parish Elaine [...]

Why You Should Hike in The Rain

Earlylite — Wed, 23 May 2012 05:27:00 +0000

Andrew Skurka and I spent an afternoon together about a month ago, talking about the things that separate more experienced hikers and backpackers from less experienced ones and the kinds of skills he’ll be emphasizing in his guided Ultimate Hiker instructional trips this year. The top skill on both of our lists was hiking in [...]

Pass the Donuts Left My Rasta Brother

Earlylite — Tue, 22 May 2012 05:39:14 +0000

Last week I took a 5-day Leave No Trace, Master Educator class in the White Mountains. This is the highest level of training provided by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and enables me to train people who want to become Leave No Trace trainers as well as children, teens, and adults who want to [...]

Therm-a-Rest Alpine 35 Down Blanket

Earlylite — Mon, 21 May 2012 05:27:45 +0000

Last summer I was on the fence about switching from a sleeping bag to a quilt (see The Tentative Quilter), but I’ve been camping with a Therm-a-Rest Alpine Down Blanket (35F) this spring and I’m now a convert. As a side sleeper, I’ve spent years trying to get used to sleeping on my back, the [...]