Weekend Gem: Fires Creek Rim
This 30 mile loop is a real winner! Scenic balds, terrific ridge top rambling, great camps coupled with isolation, it is pretty much perfect. I chose to hike this loop counterclockwise because it gets the climb up to the Rim out of the way quicker than clockwise because my knees hate going down super steep […]
My Special Season: Spring wildflowers in the Smokies
Without a shadow of a doubt, the Smoky Mountains have the finest assortment of flowers that I have ever seen! In this post, I will highlight some of the spring flowers that I have seen in the Park and where I saw them. My favorite so far has been the Fringed Phacelia, with it’s fallen […]
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 […]