Coast

Did you miss the chance to jump into an icy pool — the classic polar plunge — on New Year’s Day? Do you feel your year isn’t off until an official start until you’ve had the wake-up call that only baptism in 55-degree water can confer?

If so, head to Kure Beach Saturday for their 11^th Run-N-Plunge at the Kure Beach Pier. Live music by the Prime Time Band, silent auction, costume contest, art, food, and more. Proceeds benefit Special Olympics New Hanover County. And to warm up, there’s also a 5K and 1-mile fun walk. (And yes, the temperature of the Atlantic at Kure Beach is currently 55 degrees.)

Logistics: 11^th Annual Polar Plunge, 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run, Saturday, Feb. 11, 11 a.m., Kure Beach Pier. More info and to register, here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny with a high of 60 at plunge time.

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Looking ahead: BNP Trail Jam (3.5-mile, 9-mile and 18-mile races), Saturday, Feb. 18, Brunswick Nature Park, Wilmington. More info here.

Piedmont

Like a little history on your hikes? Then join the Eno River Association this Sunday on its weekly Winter Hike Series. Each week, the hike visits a separate section of the Eno River Valley: this week, it’s the Pump Station Area, home to Durham’s first public drinking water source. Much of the brick structure remains, which makes for some great exploring. Adds the ERA: “Portions of the hike will be off-trail, some sections may be steep, muddy, or on rough terrain. you may want a walking stick, and sturdy shoes are a must.”

The hike will cover about 1.5 miles and last two hours.

Logistics: Eno River Association Winter Hike Series: Pump Station Trail, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2 p.m., Eno River State Park, Pump Station Access off Rivermont Road. Learn more here.

Sunday forecast: Mostly sunny, high of 78!

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Looking ahead: Polar Plunge Splash-n-Dash, Saturday, Feb. 18, Randolph-Asheboro YMCA, Asheboro. More info here.

Mountains

Can’t tell an oak from an ironwood in winter. Leaves do make a difference, but so do bark, limb, bud and branching pattern. Learn to read the more subtle signs that identify our trees on a Winter Tree ID Hike Sunday at 1 p.m. At Grandfather Mountain State Park. Specifically, the hike will cover the lower reaches of Grandfather Mountain, departing from the Profile Trail parking lot and stick to the lower reaches of the mountain.

The hike will cover 2 miles and last about two hours.

Logistics: Winter Tree ID Hike, Sunday, Feb. 12, 1 p.m., Grandfather Mountain State Park, Banner Elk. More info here.

Sunday forecast: High of 61, chance of rain.

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Looking ahead: National Trails Day Hike to Mt. Craig, Saturday, June 3, 11 a.m., Mount Mitchell State Park. 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

The post This weekend: Polar Plunge, History Hike, Nature Hike appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Can you tell an oak from a hickory, a beech from a boxelder? Maybe in summer, when a full canopy displays each tree’s distinctively shaped, tell-tale leaves. But in winter, when the leaves have vacated, identifying the dendrologic denizens of the forest can be more challenging.

All the more reason to take a break from the holidays and spend an hour on Saturday’s Winter Tree ID hike sponsored by Lake Waccamaw State Park in Lake Waccamaw. Says the park website: “Join a park ranger in using clues to identify trees by unique crown shape, fruit and/or their leftover containers, persistent leaves, live twigs and growth habit.” Conducted by a state park ranger but held at the Depot Museum in Lake Waccamaw (where you should plan to spend a little extra time learning about the human history of the area).

Sounds like a good investment of an hour, with takeaway benefits for subsequent visits to the woods.

Logistics: Saturday, Dec. 13, 2 p.m., Depot Museum, Lake Waccamaw. For more info: 910.646.1992

Saturday forecast: Sunny, high of 57.

Piedmont

Wednesday night, on a GetHiking! Triangle hike on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail along Falls Lake, we paused in a clearing, flipped off our headlamps and took in a surprisingly vivid night sky. Hiker Ron mentioned a NASA website where you can plug in your location and will give you the best opportunities for viewing the International Space Station. I mentioned that it appeared we had just missed the Geminid meteor shower.

Turns out I was wrong. Turns out the annual viewing of this night sky spectacular is his Saturday. And it turns out that you can catch this year’s show at Medoc Mountain State Park between Louisburg and Roanoke Rapids. It’s a great spot to catch the show: the huge grass field at the park’s entrance is about as removed from light pollution as you can get in North Carolina. (A viewing is also scheduled, from 8-10 p.m., at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area in the Triangle.)

Logistics: Saturday, Dec. 13, 5:30 p.m., Medoc Mountain State Park, Hollister. More info: 252.586.6588.

Saturday evening forecast: Clear, with temperatures in the upper 40s.

Mountains

Historically, the Triple Crown Bouldering Series has had three fall events: in Boone; Chattanooga, Tenn.; and, Steele, Ala. This year, they’ve added a fourth, at Rumbling Bald in the Hickory Nut Gorge area near Lake Lure.

The series draws top boulderers — climbers without ropes, but only going about 15 feet off the ground (they fall, no biggie, especially since they land on a crash pad).  Between 600 and 1,000 competitors are expected this year.

We suggest this spectator event primarily because, with the new year approaching, many of us are in search of new pursuits, new ways to push ourselves. New ways to live. Check these competitors out. We promise they’ll inspire.

Logistics: Saturday, Dec. 13, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Lake Lure. Go here for details.

Saturday forecast: Sunny skies, high of 59 (perfect weather for climbing, btw).

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

The post This weekend: Trees, stars, rocks appeared first on GetGoing NC!.