“What does the Devil sound like?” — Anonymous When I was hiking the DCUL “Death March” (Massanutten Trail) last Spring I had a lot of time to think—what do I want to do with my hike? The combination of Massanutten’s never ending rocks, and Twisted Sister’s rock anthem playing in my earbuds, inspired a response—I... Continue Reading →

Every year, DCUL features a 5-day Memorial Day thru hike of one of Pennsylvania’s long trails. As our leader, Karan, posted in his trip description: we just “pick a long Pennsylvania trail and hike the thing!” This year he picked the 85 mile Susquehannnock Trail System (“STS”) trail. DCUL hiked the 100 mile Donut Hole... Continue Reading →

David O.; Photo credit: Alexander After two years of COVID, and at the dawn of Spring 2022, DCULers were more than ready to go wild—and we did!  Of course, when we go wild, we do it lighter, earlier, and farther. Primal yells, an early morning barefoot crossing through the icy, swift-moving Ramsey’s Draft creek, a... Continue Reading →

Frustration seethed through Alexander (Mr. Woo). The late morning of the day of the Heaven & Hell trip, Adrian, who had previously committed to being a driver for our point-to-point hike, couldn’t use his car as he expected. I commenced the puzzle-like process of reforming carpools and the shuttle plan—a process made complicated by Maryland’s... Continue Reading →

Most DCUL assistant organizers plan DCUL trips a month or so in advance. Some, like Michael M (“Uturn”), will post international trips a year in advance. Last weekend 10 DCULers hiked a Shenandoah National Park trip planned four years ago. Hope, dispointment, and—ultimately—redemption were the mile markers of this journey. I was a new DCULer... Continue Reading →