Originally published October 28, 2022 There are three routes to Cheoah Bald, and they are all long and difficult. The first time I ever stood upon this mountain was in April, 2015; it was my second day fully "on" the Appalachian Trail as a thru-hiker and I barely stopped at the view for a photo.... Continue Reading →
May 29, 2023 Just here for the hike stats? Click here. Last night before falling asleep, I set a relatively early alarm with intentions to hike the Plott Balsam Traverse today. The weather was set to be beautiful, and I went to bed reasonably early for me. My planned hiking partner had to cancel late... Continue Reading →
A few weeks ago, a waterfaller friend Aby reached out to ask me to hike with her this weekend. Aby is one of the first people I connected with in the early days of my waterfall quest. Back then, she was only about halfway finished with the 500 waterfall challenge. Today, she's completed the challenge,... Continue Reading →
9/8/22 I'm already awake when my alarm goes off at 0630. I haven't slept well, having a stomach-ache part of the night and anxiety about today's hike the rest of it...
Yesterday I had planned to hike Burgan Creek Falls, but after finding out that my friend Allison received several yellow jacket stings near the falls, I decided to forego hiking and come straight to the cabin where we are staying for the next few days. Tomorrow, Beth and I are doing a long shuttle hike,... Continue Reading →
Every good story has a protagonist and an antagonist, right? Well, in this story, the protagonist is me...
I really said I wasn't coming back to North Carolina this month, but here I am in North Carolina. I have an appointment to get my locks tidied-up in Knoxville on Sunday, so I was already going to have to be most of the way here. Additionally, I found out during my last visit that... Continue Reading →
Yesterday I hiked Pinnacle Peak for the first time. I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I've been putting off this hike for a couple of years now due to believing it was too difficult for me to complete successfully. Many of the guides and reviews I've found about this trail online state that it... Continue Reading →
Siler Bald, one of North Carolina's famous bald mountains, is accessible via two different routes on the Appalachian Trail. The easiest access, starting at Winding Stair Gap on Highway 64 east of Franklin, NC, is the longest trek at 4.6 miles one way to the summit. For a shorter walk, and my preferred method of... Continue Reading →
Today Shooter and I headed up Wayah Road, in Macon County, NC, for the first time since wildfires devastated the area about a month ago. It was surreal driving up and seeing charred trees and earth on one side of the road, while houses stood untouched on the other. What comes to mind is the... Continue Reading →
Adventure Like A Girl 