Jen and I had ordered up a particularly hectic October, moving at the beginning of the month and going to Nepal at the end; I told people I should be receiving extra points for backpacking just three or four days after moving everything I own from one apartment to another. It was a minor miracle... Continue Reading →
Trip Reports & More
Trip Report: The Ascent of Strickler Knob with Apologies to Robert Service (19 miles)
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 →
Wonderland Trail: Does It Live Up to Its Name?
Something about the Wonderland Trail stuck with me out of all the cool trails on my radar. It's popular, and I know multiple folks who had recommended it. It's in Mount Rainier National Park in the Pacific Northwest, a region I'd long wanted to visit. Hiking the loop would add Mount Rainier to my "mountains... Continue Reading →
DCUL Fall 2025 Newsletter
Message from Jen I’m excited to be a part of reintroducing DC UL Backpacking’s quarterly newsletter. Chandler is building on the great work done by Carrie Price, but he’s been putting a new and refreshed spin on it. You may have already seen articles on our blog from Maddie and Jake as they explore the... Continue Reading →
Flora of the Fall
Maples of the Mid-Atlantic By Maddie Beaudry Fall is here, and hikers everywhere are looking forward to cooler weather and appreciating the lovely fall colors. All deciduous trees will experience some color change, but the leaves of a lot of our common trees like tulip poplar and hickory will turn shades of yellow and brown... Continue Reading →