Take advantage of yet another cool spring weekend with a fitness challenge at the coast, a Mother’s Day hike in the Piedmont, and what may be the most ideal first hike ever offered.

Coast

You think of firefighters, you think of folks in pretty darn good shape. So who better to stage a fitness challenge?

Saturday, the Wilmington Professional Firefighter’s Association holds its Second Annual Charity Firefighter’s Fitness Challenge. Wondering what types of challenges the Challenge entails? “A multi-stage combination of high intensity cross-training exercises inspired by the physical demands of being a firefighter.” (If it helps, the event poster shows folks hoisting a barbell and flipping big tires.) Competition is by team, in the male, female and coed categories.

If you’re really into a challenge, there’s a 4.5-mile run before The Challenge: you can do either or both.

Logistics: Second Annual Wilmington Professional Firefighter’s Fitness Challenge & Run, Saturday, May 13, Greenfield Lake Amphitheater Park, Wilmington. $150 per team. More info here.

Saturday forecast: High of 78 with a chance of thunderstorms.

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Looking ahead: Fort Fisher Kayak Trip, July 7, Halyburton Park, Wilmington. More info here.

Piedmont

The spring season of Sunday afternoon hikes by the Eno River Association is winding down — all the more reason to catch the ERA’s Mother’s Day Hike this Sunday at Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area in Hillsborough. At 867 feet, Occoneechee is the highest point in the Triangle. It includes five separate ecozones; curiously, the most mountain-like — rhododendron, mountain laurel (now in bloom), galax — is at the bottom of the mountain. The hike will be on the Occoneechee Mountain Loop and Chestnut Oak Trails.

Logistics: Eno River Association Mother’s Day Hike, Sunday, May 14, 2 p.m., Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, Hillsborough. More info here.

Sunday forecast: Sunny with a high of 78.

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Looking ahead: The last hike in the Eno River Association’s Spring Series is June 3, National Trails Day, on the Bobbitt Hole Trail at Eno River State Park. More info here.

Mountains

A dilemma: you love the idea of hiking, but only in the mountains — waterfalls, vistas, other carrots, you know — where the trails tend to be more challenging. You don’t want your first hike to be too long or too hard. You just want it to be gorgeous and memorable. Boy, do you ever ask a lot!

Fortunately, our Hike NC! affiliate is here to help. Saturday, join Christy Thrift and her team from Thrifty Adventures on a 2-mile hike at the Orchard at Altapass just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Spruce Pine. The hike is on a gently graded trail that weaves through an apple orchard. At the midpoint, the hike will pause to do some breath work (exertion and altitude, you know). The hike finishes back at the start with yoga lead by a certified yoga instructor (which will help resolve any stiffness and soreness).

It is the perfect way for a beginner to ease into hiking.

Logistics: Hike & Yoga at The Orchard at Altapass, Saturday, May 13, 10 a.m., Spruce Pine. More info and sign up, here.

Sunday forecast: Sunny with a high of 71.

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Looking ahead: Pisgah National Forest: Lower Douglas Falls Trail Hike, Asheville area, June 3. More info here.

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Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below. 

Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below. 

Coast

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