“ The mountain is eight miles up, and eight miles down the other side, and seems to touch the sky. Climb it and you’ll feel you could push the sky with your hand.” -Codex Calixtinus, ca. 1139 These words come from the Codex Calixtinus, the first guidebook written to the Camino de Santiago almost 900 […]
Tumbledown Loop Trail by Ryan Linn (Guthook)
New England has a wide variety of mountains and trails to choose from when looking for a good day-hike. The Appalachian Trail, the White Mountains, and Acadia draw visitors from across the world, but I prefer the places with more local character. Tumbledown, a secluded ridge in western Maine, has come to exemplify all that […]
Backpacking the Dunes of Assateague By Michael Martin (U-Turn)
All the time, we hikers and backpackers look the ordinary little dangers of the outdoors in the face. And we laugh. Blisters, sunburn, and chafing; scrapes, cuts, and abrasions; poison ivy, stinging nettle, and assorted brambles; hornets, ants, and mosquitoes—they are the usual little discomforts that accompany the delights of hitting the trail. But, one […]
Haiku Raffle: ENTER to WIN a FREE Mountainsmith Apex 80 Backpack
The Mountainsmith Apex 80 backpack (valued at $209.95) is designed for oversized loads and expedition backpacking. Mountainsmith’s largest pack, the Apex 80 is built with separate sleeping bag compartment, front panel pocket/pass through window, side stash pockets, and tool mounts to keep your gear organized and accessible. With up to 96L (extended volume) of carrying capacity, […]
A Hike Through Nolde Forest by Susan Charkes
I like to recommend a hike in 665-acre Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center as a cure for pessimism. Imagine you’re hosiery baron Jacob Nolde, in 1904, walking around your newly purchased estate near Reading, PA, along steep hills above Angelica Creek. Like virtually all property in Pennsylvania at the beginning of the 20th century, your […]
From Low to High: The PCT from Breitenbush Lake to Park Butte By Paul Gerald
I suppose if I were to design a perfect hike, I would want to be remote, uncrowded, reasonably difficult, varied in scenery, and mysterious. And it would save the payoff for a dramatic moment at the end. For a perfect hiking day, I would want threatening weather, to add adventure, and I would actually hope […]
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