HURRICANE HELENE: MY JOURNAL FROM BEING TRAPPED ON A MOUNTAIN
This is a daily journal of some of my thoughts during the first ten days of Hurricane Helene. You are reading this after the rain has long since ended and the lights finally came [...]
WHAT DOES “BEAR AWARE” MEAN?
WHAT DOES BEING “BEAR AWARE” MEAN? It’s that time of year again! Here in the Appalachian Mountains, the wildflowers are blossoming, the baren branches are finally leafing out, and everything has that exquisite, fresh [...]
CONCERNED ABOUT NOROVIRUS? WASH YOUR HANDS!
CONCERNED ABOUT NOROVIRUS ON TRAIL? WASH YOUR HANDS! I am not going to lie… We hikers are typically dirty, smelly, and gross out on the trail. Maintaining hygiene on the trail is challenging at the [...]
HEADED TO THE BACKCOUNTRY IN COLD CONDITIONS? STAY WARM AND DRY!
After a long day hiking in the rain, I passed the side trail to “Charlies Bunion,” a scenic rocky overlook that attracts many view-seeking hikers. Typically, many day-hikers are headed up to this iconic and [...]
WATER IS LIFE!
With eight billion people on the planet, it is more important than ever that we stand together to protect our natural resources. We can each play a part in protecting Mother Earth by following a [...]
40 MAGICAL MILES IN THE UWHARRIE MOUNTAINS!
The Three Rivers Land Trust, the Uwharrie Mountain Trail Club, and many wonderful volunteers make this 4-day backpacking "thruhike" a truly spectacular event! They truly spoil us with cookouts, snacks, cold drinks, [...]
LEAVE NO TRACE MASTER EDUCATOR COURSE!
Guess who is beginning her Leave No Trace Master Educator course this weekend!?! Yes, that would be me… and if you know me well, you know I absolutely LOVE talking about Leave No Trace. In [...]
TICKS: AWARENESS & PREVENTION IS THE BEST REMEDY
Life will always be full of legitimate hazards. The only thing we can truly control is how we prepare for and respond to the myriad of everyday perils. When we practice growing our sense of [...]
THE WALKING AS A SACRED PATH WILDERNESS RETREAT WAS A HUGE HIT!!
Combining the Magic of the WildWood and practical skills has been my goal for as long as I can remember. I have created my own version of "Leave No [...]
WHICH SCENARIO SOUNDS LIKE MORE FUN?😜
This is a short video contrasting the differences in outdoor experiences when we plan ahead and prepare (LNT principle one) vs. when we do not. Enjoy! Leave No Trace (LNT) Center for Outdoor Ethics is an educational [...]
BACKPACKING ON THE BENTON MACKAYE TRAIL
Hello Friends! I am getting so excited about my next backpacking adventure! I am currently preparing for a hike through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), on the Benton MacKaye Trail (BMT). It is [...]
ARE YOU READY TO FEEL LIKE YOU CAN DO ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING??
Many people are looking for ways to add more self-confidence, self-reliance, and better health to their lives. Although there are many ways to do this, few are as rewarding as spending time in nature scratching [...]
BURDOCK: AN AMAZING WILD EDIBLE AND MEDICINAL PLANT!
Great Burdock (Arctium lappa): Edible. Medicinal. And always grows where you don’t want it to! Having antiseptic, antibacterial, and nutritive qualities, burdock is indeed an amazing wild plant! It has purple-red thistle-like flowers, and [...]
SELECTING A TENT SITE: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!
I was out hiking the other day, and I hear the tell-tale “crack” first, and then approximately 1-2 seconds later, I hear it lumbering through the branches making its way toward the ground ...and then [...]
BACKCOUNTRY SURVIVAL INSTRUCTOR TRAINING @NOC
What an amazing week of Backcountry Survival Instructor Training at the Nantahala Outdoor Center! My partner Gene and I decided to take this training together to brush up on and learn some new, interesting [...]