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 →
Is there really anything better than spending a summer day soaking in cool waters? I’m hard-pressed to come up with a better way to spend an August weekend, and that’s just what we did on our recent adventure to Otter Creek. Over the past few years, Michael and I have been leading swimming hole trips... 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 →
Where does a DCUL backpacking trip begin? Does it start at the trailhead? Does it start at the Vienna (or Grosvenor) metro parking lot? Or does it start at a Sheetz in Moorefield, West Virginia? The plan was to meet up early on Saturday morning at the Vienna metro, driving West about 3 hours to... Continue Reading →
DC UL Backpacking 