It's always sunny at your local climbing gym (in this case, the Triangle Rock Club).
Wondering what kinks Tropical Storm Andrea may have put in your weekend plans?
Paddling. If you were planning on paddling, you might think again. With projected rainfall amounts of four inches or greater, some local rivers may be swollen to the dangerous level, especially for less experienced paddlers. Your best bet for assessing paddle conditions on specific rivers is to check with the outfitters who serve them. Find a list of 44 such outfitters, specifically those who rent canoes and kayaks, here. If you’re familiar with a specific waterway, you can check levels and flows at the U.S. Geological Survey site, here. If you need help interpreting what those numbers mean — what’s optimum, what’s safe, what’s not — you should have a copy of Paul Ferguson’s “Paddling Eastern North Carolina” for the eastern part of the state, the Benner boys’ “Carolina Whitewater: A Paddler’s Guide to the Western Carolinas” for the west.read more
The Neuse River Trail is the backbone of Raleigh’s rapidly growing greenway system. Last fall, the first 6.5 miles of the eventual 27.5-mile greenway opened, running from the northern trailhead near the base of Falls Lake dam downstream to the WRAL Soccer Park off Perry Road. In April, another 20 miles opened, from Horseshoe Farm Park off U.S. 401 downstream to the Johnston County Line. And you needn’t stop there: Another 5.5 miles of paved, 10-foot greenway continues to Clayton.read more
Monday — never an easy time for the outdoors enthusiast. After a weekend of adventure, returning to the humdrum work-a-day world can make one melancholy. To help ease the transition, every Monday we feature a 90 Second Escape — essentially, a 90-second video or slide show of a place you’d probably rather be: a trail, a park, a greenway, a lake … anywhere as long as it’s not under a fluorescent bulb.
Today’s 90-Second Escape: Hiking a green MST
For much of this week, North Carolina has been swathed in a blanket of green. An annoyance to some, a detriment to outdoor pursuits for others. We don’t care about the annoyed; we’re here to address our outdoor brothers and sisters who are afflicted with sensitive nasal passages. No doubt you were tempted by the first run of 80-degree-plus temperatures to get out and play. And no doubt you would up a runny, itchy, puffy mess as a result.read more
High and dry, at the Triangle Rock Club in Morrisville.
From Murphy (40-90 percent chance of rain, highs in the low 50s) to Manteo (up to a 90 percent chance of rain with highs in the low 50s), it promises to be a wet, cool first weekend of Spring across North Carolina.
Not that that should keep you inactive. Or even indoors.
We refer you to two of our get-out-and-go directories, tailor made for weekends such as this. Climbing walls. Check out our list of 14 climbing gyms across the state, nearly all indoors and impervious to the elements (unless the roof leaks, in which case you’ll have a little taste of being in the wild). If you’ve never climbed, this is the perfect opportunity to learn. Start with our primer, then dial up your neighborhood gym and inquire about instruction. Hiking. Cool and wet — my favorite time to be on a local trail, especially since I have the gear for it. Basically, that gear would include water-resistant hiking boots or shoes and rain-resistant/proof outer wear. Honestly, if you can stay dry, a cold, wet day in the woods is hard to top. And because driving tends to be the biggest hassle you’ll face, check out our list, compiled in conjunction with Great Outdoor Provision Co. Five venues near each of North Carolina’s seven biggest metro areas.
Don’t let a little (or a lot, frankly) cold rain stop you this weekend: get out (or stay in) andread more
