Clingmans DomeTennesseeMay 2013 Foggy day for this summit hike, unfortunately obscuring our view of the mountains. Instead, I look down. I look for dog hobble. Growing close to the ground, it shouldn’t be obscured by the fog. I remember dog hobble from another hike in the Smokies. Dog hobble is a fast-growing evergreen shrub with… Continue reading Dog Hobble
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Frog Leg
Mount MagazineArkansasJune 2012 Fortunately, you don’t need to join a club to visit the highest point in Arkansas. However, if you stay at the Lodge at Mount Magazine, as we do after our summit hike, and choose to imbibe an adult beverage here in this dry county, you must first apply to become a member… Continue reading Frog Leg
The Kenn Trail
McKenna TrailLaurel HighlandsPennsylvaniaAugust 2018 Hike long enough, and hike a lot of miles, you too can get your own trail.
The Crossing Guard
PittsburghPennsylvaniaNovember 2018 Walking home from an appointment here in the city, I come to a busy intersection. The crossing guard greets me and we have a little chat. “It’s been a long time since I had help crossing the street,” I tell her. “Are you warm enough?” she asks. I point to my down jacket… Continue reading The Crossing Guard
Cops on Top
Humphreys PeakArizonaJune 2013 Over the past month, as Lisa and I drive home from various hikes, she is twice stopped by the police for speeding. Both times she is ticketed. By my standards Lisa is a safe driver, but she just doesn’t seem to be able to slog along slow enough not to attract the… Continue reading Cops on Top
Heroes
Humphreys PeakArizonaJune 2013 Y’know, this Highpointing adventure of ours is full of conflict for me. I fight my demons so that I can scale these sometimes soaring places. I grapple with my altitude anxiety, my discomfort with travel including the terror I feel when on an airborne craft and a bunch of other personal obstacles… Continue reading Heroes
Area 51, a Gallows and a Cow
Amargosa ValleyNevadaMarch 2019 We’ve been almost a week in Death Valley National Park in southern California. Leaving this strange and somewhat unfathomable land, hot, dry and low, we drive east to Death Valley Junction, a “town” with an official population of four. 4. One, two, three, four. We were surprised by how few critters we… Continue reading Area 51, a Gallows and a Cow
Albert’s Lodge
BurnsvilleNorth CarolinaJune 2015 We cross the Continental Divide and the Blue Ridge Parkway on North Carolina Route 80, the Devils Whip, and turn left to Albert’s Lodge, our new temporary home. At least for a night or two while we summit Mount Mitchell. Our room is comfortable at Albert’s Lodge, or Albert’s Motel, I never… Continue reading Albert’s Lodge
The Devils Whip
North CarolinaJune 2015 We’re on our way to climb to the highest point in North Carolina, Mount Mitchell. Driving northwest from Charlotte, our roads get progressively narrower and curvier until we funnel into North Carolina State Route 80, where the road gets even narrower and curvier than before. SR-80 is called the Devils Whip, and… Continue reading The Devils Whip
The M&M Test
The Appalachian Trail, and others How dedicated are you? Hark the common wisdom to ascertain the depth of your engagement with hiking, your level of immersion. Behold, the M&M Test… Drop an M&M on the Appalachian Trail and watch what happens. . A day hiker will pick it up and put it in their pack… Continue reading The M&M Test