Cover Photo Credit: Alexander Early on in the week I was looking for a quick trip with decent mileage so I decided to rerun a trip that Whiskey Fairy had posted last year. It’s atypical in that it starts on Friday evening and finishes up on Saturday. Two intrepid backpackers (Alexander and Chandler) joined me... Continue Reading →

For the Independence day weekend this year, I was originally considering ideas in the Catskills. Nothing was clicking though and I was losing hope that there would be any interest in a trip. Alex C reached out and said he and Jonathan were interested in something. We discussed a few options and landed on Loyalsock... Continue Reading →

When summer in D.C. comes around, we like to seek out cooler temperatures and Seneca Creek is the perfect spot to escape the heat. It was in the high 50s and windy as Karan, Aileen, and I stopped just before the Spruce Knob parking lot to take some pictures of the sunset. We met Joe... Continue Reading →

Emerald Pond. Some people—mostly those who have never been to Hawaii—might call this crystal-clear, spring-fed lake on top of Massanutten Mountain prettier than a Hawaiian lagoon at sunset. This was to be the highlight of the Emerald Pond Paradise hike on June 25-27. Five DCULers threw ultralight swimsuits into our packs to seek paradise. We... Continue Reading →

After considerable research by Madelyn and I conducted on some very hot June evenings, we decided to pick a route that featured a swimming hole, and Saint Mary's looked pretty neat. I love this area along the blue ridge parkway and this was a wilderness we wanted to explore! The group met on the Blue Ridge Parkway,... Continue Reading →