One of the advantages of the mostly snowless winters in western North Carolina is the great hiking to be had. With the leaves off the trees, beautiful views abound—and the body heat you build up with strenuous walking, paired with…
Long gone are the days of Horace Kephart, when an open campfire was necessary to cook a meal in the backcountry. Modern backpacking meals now typically consist of freeze-dried food purchased at an outfitters store or—for the more experienced, frugal,…
With this year's warm, late, wet autumn, fall colors are just reaching their peak in western North Carolina, even at higher elevations. We've had a lot of rain, but last Saturday was cold and clear--the perfect time, we thought, to…
Here in the southern Blue Ridge it's been a warm, late autumn. If you haven't visited to tour the fall colors, you still have time. There may have been some in the upper elevations early on, but lower down the…
Because we live and work in rural Southern Appalachia, we don't often get to do much cycling in a city. But last month we experienced a distinct change of pace when we visited our son Sidney in Madison, Wisconsin. Although…
When we think of fall, we tend to think colored leaves more than bright blooms. Now that October is upon us, we can certainly look forward to the show of blazing foliage here in the mountains. But don't forget the…
For years now, backpackers on the west coast have been using bear-resistant canisters for food storage while camping in the backcountry. Most of the national parks there (Yosemite, Sequoyah, Kings Canyon, Olympic) and many of the national forests require their…
This month, the Appalachian Trail turned 81 years old. It was completed on August 14, 1937. According to the Appalachian Trail Conference, "the trail was first conceived in 1921 and built by private citizens. A 2,180-mile long footpath that stretches…
September is just around the corner and cooler weather is on the way. Jim Parham's forthcoming Backpacking Overnights guidebook, which covers the mountains of north Georgia and east Tennessee, has us thinking about multi-day hiking trips. Here's his advice for…
Sooner or later, those who hike or bike the trails of the Southeast (and draw maps of them) delve deep into the lay of the land. Here’s what Jim Parham says about locating a region he covers in several of…