Lessons are forever learned on the trail
“Well, I learned something new on this trip,” Cat said as she watched Brandon hoist his backpack to his bent knee before pausing to swing it onto his back.
“That’s the thing about backpacking,” I said. “Every trip, you learn new things.”
Expand your horizons this winter hiking season
When it comes to winter hiking, we tend to develop a circle-the-wagons mentality: Who knows what might happen with the weather. Better keep my winter hiking close to home.
It’s a valid thought. But it needs tweaking.
True, if you live in the Piedmont, the weather is a bit more predictable than in the mountains. We learn this in summer when there’s no rain in the forecast, and then — boom — darned if a thunderstorm doesn’t roll through mid-afternoon. A drenching rain in the heat is one thing. A cold rain-turned-sleet-and-snow in winter is a much more formidable, and potentially life-threatening, matter. So why take the risk?
GetOut! Your Friday Nudge for Weekend Adventure
Today’s a good day to root around in your gear closet for your gloves, your heavy wool socks, your toboggan, because you’re gonna need ‘em this weekend. Saturday will dawn with temperatures in the 20s across much of the region and won’t get out of the 40s. Sunday will be a tad warmer, but not by much. All the while, the sun will be shining bright. So, with those conditions ahead, here’s what we recommend in terms of weekend adventure.