“We came all the way to Europe to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc trail, so why are we so focused on trying to avoid it?” Wasal (“WB”) asked. It was a good question. Six of us flew from Washington, D.C. to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc (“TMB”) trail in the Alps, but after... Continue Reading →
Tour du Mont Blanc – Refuge Option (~100 miles, June 20-25, 2025)
Prologue It was a warm late June night, and the sun was setting over the Mont Blanc massif. The last rays of sunlight shined through the Fenetre d’Arpette and reflected off the Trient glacier, giving it an almost otherworldly glow. Snowcapped peaks reflected in the still waters of Lac Blanc. It was a golden hour,... Continue Reading →
Trip Report: The DCUL Paparazzi (Duncan/Strickler Knob) (June 20th-21st, 2025) (10 miles)
Someone was posting photos of me all over the internet. All over social media. I couldn't escape. I had changed addresses and even changed my name, but nothing seemed to work. The only thing I hadn't tried was escaping to the wilderness. Surely no one would follow me there. I had nothing left to lose.... Continue Reading →
Trip Report: Mid-Stone Loop (53 miles, May 23-26, 2025)
I had greatly enjoyed my Memorial Day weekend trip last year to Pennsylvania, finishing up the last section of the Tuscarora Trail. Sure, it had been oppressively hot, and my legs were torn up by rocks and thorns. But I loved these wild and out-of-the-way trails, and I wanted to do a similar trip this... Continue Reading →
Trip Report: “This Trail Has Everything” (Allegheny Trail, Section 2 – Blackwater Falls SP to Durbin, West Virginia) (May 22-26, 2025) (73 miles)
********** The scene: Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” with Stefon Zelesky and Seth Meyers. Stefon Zelesky (in his soft, breathy voice): “New York’s hottest new nightclub is: Crease. The club promoter has gone all out. This place has everything: banjos, lights, stilts, ice sculptures, bear traps, screaming babies in Mozart wigs, carnival barkers, a cat from a... Continue Reading →