travel light, wake early, walk far
Intro to Packrafting: Pray for Rain Originally I'd planned for this weekend to be the latest Intro to Packrafting trip. DC UL has occasionally done this trip which involves backpacking along part of the Massanutten Trail, camping overnight, then paddling back to the starting point on packrafts. While researching this trip I found helpful trip... Continue Reading →
Dolly Sods is a unique place with an interesting history. Dolly Sods gets its name from a German settler Johann Dahle and the local sods (a term for a field or meadow). Over time the name “Dahle” shifted to “Dolly.” It sits at the edge of Allegheny Front, more or less along the eastern continental... Continue Reading →
There are strange things done ’neath Virginia sunBy hikers with frozen hands,The Massanutten trails hold wind and galesAnd more rocks than grains of sand.The ridge winds bite with frosty spiteThough forecasts look sincere—But the wildest tale I’ll ever tellIs the hike we survived this year. I said with cheer, “The fall’s prime here—We’ll hike through... Continue Reading →
Santa Catalina Island is located just off the coast of greater Los Angeles and features a gem of a trail called the Trans Catalina Trail or "TCT" for short. You may have heard of Santa Catalina Island from the movie Step Brothers (queue the Catalina Wine Mixer memes). With the weather on the island usually... Continue Reading →
The 2024 DC UL Four State Challenge was one for the books! A cool and clear fall weekend set the perfect backdrop for a trek across four states (VA, WV, MD, PA) in a single day on the Appalachian Trail. This year, our participants were Austin ("Citrus"), Brian, Steve ("Baconator"), Kyle ("Water Dog"), Aneesh, and... Continue Reading →
DC UL Backpacking 