Gear Closet: Nunatak’s JMT Jacket
After another full winter backpacking here in the wet Smoky Mountains, I decided it was time to switch gears and buy a synthetic coat for trips with more precipitation in the forecast. After looking at a grip of coats on the market, reading reviews and doing research about various kinds of synthetic insulation I landed […]
Momentous Adventures: Cosby to Cataloochee Figure 8 Loop
This 67.2 mile loop is amazing! From viewpoints on Balsam Mtn, the BMT, Cataloochee Divide and the A.T. that stretch out for more miles than seem conceivable to the isolated river valleys of Swallow and Palmer where spring has taken recent roots as the winter slides away. I would like to add that this has […]
Curious Critters: Great Horned Owl
This majestic bird with it’s long, earlike tufts, intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and deep hooting voice, the Great Horned Owl is the quintessential owl of storybooks. This is one of the most common owls in North America, equally at home in deserts, southeast wetlands, mixed forests, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between […]