Blue Ridge Outdoors April 2017 by Summit Publishing

be bold be ACTIVE

D R E A M I T. H I K E I T.

DEPARTMENTS

8 EDITOR'S NOTE

April 2017 CONTENTS

Play together, stay together: meet the BRO family.

FEATURES

10 LETTERS

Dear readers: will you stand up for nature?

12 QUICK HITS

Wardian shatters seven-day, seven-continent marathon record • Bike Share planned for Roanoke • Camping improves sleep

15 FLASHPOINT

Can the South ever be powered by 100% renewable energy?

23 THE DIRT

50 is the new 30 • Can elk coexist with landowners outside of the Smokies? • Louisville is home to world's first underground bike park • High school mountain biking climbs higher in Appalachia

55 THE GOODS

A.T. expert Zach Davis picks his favorite thru-hiking gear.

56 TRAIL MIX

Offstage, Steep Canyon Ranger bassist Charles Humphries III tackles big trails. COVER PHOTO BY

COURTESY QUIRIN FAMILY

33 WHY ADVENTURE MATTERS

Does the Appalachian Trail incite your inner outdoorist? Our 13 Appalachian Trail Topographic Map Guides are light, waterproof, durable, and can keep up with you on the trail.

“Simple to use, but complex in detail . ..” —Appalachian Clarity

Adventure is not irresponsible, says A.T. female speed record holder Jennifer Pharr Davis. It actually makes you smarter and more socially engaged.

41 ADVENTURE FAMILIES

Can you be an accomplished athlete and a first-rate parent too? Meet five families redefining adventure— including the Quirins, whose oneyear-old could become the first baby thru-hiker in 2017.

69 RECREATE BY STATE

You’ve been to Shenandoah and the Smokies, but what about Hungry Mother or Frozen Head? Explore new terrain in this state-by-state guide to our region’s top parks.

79 SOUTH BEYOND 6,000

The 40 summits above 6,000 feet in Appalachia should be on every Southern adventurer’s bucket list. Which ones will you tick off in 2017? Two SB6K record holders share their favorites.

F I N D T H E M AT N ATG E O M A P S .C O M O R YO U R FAV O R I T E O U T D O O R R E TA I L E R

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CONTRIBUTORS

PRESIDENT

BLAKE DEMASO

ED ITOR I N C H I E F

WILL HARLAN

04.17

EARLIEST OUTDOOR MEMORY?

will@blueridgeoutdoors.com PUBLISHER

LEAH WOODY

leah@blueridgeoutdoors.com A RT D I R E C TO R

MEGAN JORDAN

megan@blueridgeoutdoors.com

Editorial & Production JEDD FERRIS

DAN BRAYACK My earliest memories are camping and canoeing with my family. I remember being afraid to take my favorite stuffed animal, fearing that we would lose it somehow on the trip. I'd hide it before we left.

S EN I O R E D ITOR

jedd@blueridgeoutdoors.com TRAV E L E D ITO R

JESS DADDIO

jess@blueridgeoutdoors.com S EN I O R D E S I G N E R

LAUREN WORTH

lauren@blueridgeoutdoors.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER

PAIGELEE CHANCELLOR

WILL HARLAN During summer storms, a rain-swollen ditch in our backyard became a natural slip-n-slide. I loved to run and dive head-first, usually wearing only my underwear, and pretend to slide safely into home plate to win the World Series.

C ON T R I B UTO RS

GORDON WADSWORTH Camping, fording streams, fishing, skipping rocks, and generally making trouble in the forest near our Craig County cabin.

C O P Y E D ITO RS

JOHNNY MOLLOY Walking through the woods near Nonconnah Creek in Memphis to see a fort my older brother built.

paigelee@blueridgeoutdoors.com

RACHEL WOOLWORTH, GRAHAM AVERILL, LAURA INGLES, WADE MICKLEY, DAVE STALLARD, JEFF KINNEY RACHEL WOOLWORTH, ROBERT MCGEE Advertising & Business SE N I OR AC C OU N T E X E C UT I V E

MARTHA EVANS

martha@blueridgeoutdoors.com AC C OU N T E X E C UT I V E / D I G ITA L P U B L I S H E R

DUSTY ALLISON

JESS DADDIO Standing in the cold, a light snow dusting the ground, and my mother walking out of the barn with a shaggy white pony in tow. It was my second birthday. Believe it or not, that pony is still kickin' it.

dusty@blueridgeoutdoors.com AC C OU N T E X E C UT I V E

KATIE HARTWELL

katie@blueridgeoutdoors.com B U S I N E S S MA N AG E R

MELISSA GESSLER

melissa@blueridgeoutdoors.com CIRCULATION MANAGER / AC C OU N T E X E C UT I V E

HANNAH COOPER

hcooper@blueridgeoutdoors.com

Digital Media CRAIG SNODGRASS

O N L I N E D I R E C TO R

webdir@blueridgeoutdoors.com D I G ITA L ME D I A S P E C I A L I ST

TRAVIS HALL

travishall@blueridgeoutdoors.com SUMMIT

PUBLISHING

116 WEST JEFFERSON STREET CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 22902 56 COLLEGE STREET, SUITE 303 ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28801

BlueRidgeOutdoors.com

CHRIS GRAGTMANS Wind filling the sails of a catamaran. The power of the wind will send you into a relationship with the natural world very quickly. JENNIFER PHARR DAVIS In the backyard, my brothers and I had mud ball fights—sorta like a snowball fight, except we threw wet soil filled with rocks and sticks. I remember crying a lot. MASON ADAMS Playing with Matchbox cars in the gravel on the edge of a tent pad in Cosby Campground and watching water snakes along the Little Pigeon River.

N E T H G I L UP

S O S E R IE TAC T P R E A IR CO N C FORM A N H IG H P ER SF ER N A LOA D T R

www.deuter.com

STILL CRAZY After 30 Years! 1987

2017

niversary! 30th An

Join us as we celebrate our 30th Anniversary providing great chairs and gear to people all over the world...from the mountains to the seas, and everywhere in between! #stillCrazy

KATIE SOURIS I was three years old, at Hanging Dog Creek Campground in Murphy, NC. I was walking with my mom when I saw a leaf suspended in the air twirling in place. I was mesmerized and declared it a magic leaf, only to realize years later that spider webs are just one form of magic. A P R I L 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

EDITOR'S NOTE

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PLAY TOGETHER, STAY TOGETHER by WILL HARLAN

STEVE YOCOM

TOM DALY

ure, every company likes to talk about being a family. But at Blue Ridge Outdoors, we walk the talk. In an era of rapid employee turnover, BRO staffers have stuck together: over half of our 15-member staff has been working together for more than seven years, and five have been here for over a decade. Blue Ridge Outdoors celebrates its 22nd anniversary in 2017, and I’ve been an editor here for 15 of those years. Senior editor Jedd Ferris and sales executive Martha Evans have been working here nearly that long; the potted plant that first sat beside Martha’s desk is now a giant tree taking up half of her office. Art director Megan Jordan has put up with our late deadlines and last-minute changes for over a dozen years. When our technology director Craig Snodgrass started at BRO over 10 years ago, BRO was launching its MySpace page. That doesn’t mean we're all old and crusty (although my gray hair is starting to show). Our young’uns also like to stick close. Jess Daddio started working for Blue Ridge Outdoors one week after graduating from college, and four years later, she continues to travel the region and produce fresh, fun stories, photos, and video. Graphic designers Lauren Walker (six years) and Paigelee Chancellor (three years) keep our ads and pages looking youthful, bold, and dynamic. Our newest employees, Travis Hall and Hannah Cooper, are already celebrating their two-year anniversaries. Our family has grown steadily over the years, including the addition of our Elevation Outdoors sister team in Colorado: Elizabeth O’Connell, Doug Schnitzspahn, and Ben Young.

Some of us now have children of our own whom we are introducing to the outdoors. That includes Leah Woody (and her one-year-old Milo), Dusty Allison (and his eight-year-old son Bridger), and Katie Hartwell (and her 15-year-old son Gabriel). All told, our BRO staff has over a dozen kids, from newborns to teenagers. Behind the scenes, eight-year business manager Melissa Gessler takes care of all of us like a mother,

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celebrating birthdays and organizing staff meetings that feel more like family gatherings. Why have we stuck together for so long? One reason is that we love what we do. The outdoors is an important part of our lives, and we believe wholeheartedly in our work. We also connect deeply with our readers and supporters, who are like family to us, too. But the biggest reason for our

longevity is our boss-man, Blake Demaso, who has led this familyowned business for 13 years and made us all feel included in its success. Born and raised in Charlottesville, Blake is fiercely dedicated to the mountains he calls home. Appalachia’s trails and trout streams course through his veins. He leads by example—working hard and playing hard, and we have watched his two daughters, Grace and Emma, grow into strong, skilled outdoor explorers of their own. Like any family, we quarrel sometimes, and we have our share of dysfunction. When he drinks too much, Jedd likes to table dance and show off his hairy chest. Because I do push-ups beside my desk during lunch, our office sometimes smells like a locker room. We’ve learned not to poke Travis ‘T-Bear’ Searcy around deadlines. Blake drops the f-bomb almost as much as Leah talks about her cats. But mostly we have fun together. In the office, we are a prankish bunch who hide giant stuffed tigers under Blake’s desk and rearrange furniture after hours. Outside the office, we hike, bike, fish, paddle, and camp together. On the trail, we often have our most productive conversations and generate our best story ideas. We think your own family— whether from work or home—can also benefit from time together outdoors. This month’s issue features our Outdoor Family Guide, which will hopefully inspire your own team to plan new adventures and tackle new challenges. Our family of readers extends from Maryland to Georgia, spanning a wide range of backgrounds and beliefs, but we all share a love of these mountains. Thanks for all of your letters, comments, and conversations over the years. Your words help shape ours. And we feel especially lucky that our pages—whether print or digital—continue to be invited into your homes and lives.

LETTERS

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WHAT CAN YOU DO? Build on the success of public outcry to HR 621. Be relentless in contacting representatives and encouraging them to oppose laws negatively affecting the outdoors. Write editorials and letters to local newspapers. Consider attending the Climate March on D.C. on April 29 or other rallies in your neck of the woods.

STAND UP FOR NATURE DEAR PADDLER, BIKER, RUNNER, CLIMBER, HIKER, AND ALL-AROUND OUTDOOR LOVER by KY DELANEY

ecently, when Congress proposed HR 621, a bill to sell off 3.3 million acres of public lands, we rallied against it. Outdoor enthusiasts who had never posted anything political on social media spoke out against the public land heist. After we successfully killed the bill, many of you promised to stop political chatter and return to adventure posts. Please reconsider. As tempting as it might be to hide in the forest for the next four years, if we want to protect our rivers and mountains, then occasionally our kayaks, bikes, and rods may need to take a backseat to our activism. Nature as we know it is on the chopping block. Public lands are at risk. We face expanding oil and gas drilling in National Parks, weakening of air pollution standards, and fewer clean water safeguards. The peril extends to the continued existence of the Environmental Protection Agency

STEVE YOCOM

thanks to H.R. 861. The bill consists of one chilling sentence: “The Environmental Protection Agency shall terminate on December 31, 2018.” For those of us who take refuge in the outdoors, without public lands, we have no place to go. If clean water safeguards no longer protect us, contaminants like lead or flame-retardant chemicals could seep into our drinking water. Air pollution could decimate the tourism that small mountain towns depend on. Without the EPA, regulators at every level could face widespread confusion over how to implement environmental laws. We must act if we want to pass along a healthy world to the little rippers we’re raising. You paddle difficult rapids, ride technical trails, and catch prized fish – you are already strong. Now it’s time to cultivate our courage. An anonymous source at the E.P.A. said, “Know that there are

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literally thousands of public servants that will do everything we can to mitigate the damage.” Anticipating that the branch of the Department of Justice that enforces environmental laws will be downsized, lawyers are organizing across the country to bring lawsuits on behalf of citizens injured by corporations violating environmental laws. We must turn our anguish into action to support those willing to risk their livelihoods. Each small thing we do multiplies in unknown ways, from inspiring others to act, to nudging our representatives to take bold steps. The freedom to use public lands, breathe clean air, and drink clean water brings us great joy and also carries a responsibility. Our love for the outdoors requires our active participation in politics. To paraphrase John F. Kennedy, ask not what the mountains can do for you, but what you can do for the mountains.

Use your economic power to reward corporate behaviors that align with your values—and punish those that do not. For example, boycott the products and services of those companies that seek to exploit weakened environmental regulations. A great example of our buying power is the decision of the Outdoor Retailer show to leave Utah due to the state’s withdrawal of support for Bear Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah. The show director for Outdoor Retailer, Marisa Nicholson said, “We are in lockstep with the outdoor community and working on finding a new home.” The trade show brings about 40,000 visitors and $45 million to the host city and is looking to partner with a state that values public lands and believes in conserving the outdoors for the next generation, in line with the values of consumers of outdoor gear. Show us the money. When legislation stripping us of environmental protections promises to bolster the economy, we must demand transparency. Politicians claim that if the cost of doing business is lowered, then the working class will benefit. Too often, promises of employing more people or paying higher wages go unfulfilled. Instead, corporations continue to increase their profit margins at the expense of nature and the working class. Stay engaged on social media, which can help movements gather strength and people find their voices. As executive orders and other policies are being passed at a lightning-fast pace, we must all work together to stay informed and mobilized.

BlueRidgeOutdoors

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QUICK HITS

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SHORTS

BLUE RIDGE BRIEFS by JEDD FERRIS VIRGINIA RUNNER SETS RECORD AT WORLD MARATHON CHALLENGE Back in late January, Virginia ultrarunner Michael Wardian not only won the World Marathon Challenge. He also set a world record for the incredibly tough challenge of running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. In a week, Wardian and 30 other competitors in the field, which also included former U.S. Olympian Ryan Hall, ran marathons in Antarctica, Chile, Miami, Madrid, Morocco, Dubai, and Australia, in that order. Wardian won the event by averaging a time of 2:45 throughout the seven races, besting the previous average of 3:32 in the still-new threeyear-old challenge. Wardian’s slowest time of 2:54 came in Antarctica, where runners battled below-zero temperatures. He told Sports Illustrated of the chilly first race: “I don’t like the cold but to be able to run that well and overcome those fears was empowering and set the stage of what came after.” Amazingly, after running a marathon a day for seven days, Wardian wasn’t quite satisfied; following the last race, he ran another 16 miles to make it an even 200 for the week. CHESAPEAKE BAY HEALTH IMPROVES SLIGHTLY A new report from the Chesapeake Bay Program (CPB) says the nation’s largest estuary is getting healthier but more needs to be done to meet long-term restoration goals. According to the January annual report, “20152016 Bay Barometer,” the bay has seen a reduction in pollution and growth in underwater grasses and shellfish populations, but protective wetlands still need to be restored and forest buffers need to be added for adequate recovery. 12

The CPB is a regional partnership that includes state and federal agencies, local governments, nonprofits and academic institutions working together to clean up the bay and its surrounding watersheds. Back in 2010, six states surrounding the bay, along with the District of Columbia, were given a 15-year timeline by President Obama to enact anti-pollution measures that would improve the bay’s health, and at the halfway mark, progress has been made. “The dead zone’s getting smaller, bay grasses are at record levels, the crab population has rebounded,” Will Baker, president of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation told the Virginia-based Daily Press. “Things are working.” But others are warning that forest buffers need to become a priority for the bay to ultimately thrive. Don Boesch, president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, told the paper, “We won’t accomplish what we set out to do by 2025 without a significant improvement in increasing the ‘kidneys’ in the system—those parts of the systems like riparian zones and wetlands that not only trap nutrients and sediments but also provide resilience in terms of runoff and water storage.” TRAIL QUOTE “I attempted to create a library of black excellence along the Appalachian Trail.” —Rahawa Haile, in an interview on the website Atlas Obscura about being one of few black women to thru-hike the A.T.

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illustration by WADE MICKLEY

Along her 2016 hike, Haile, a writer based in Oakland, California, left books by black authors at shelters to share some of her favorite works with fellow hikers. CAMPING FOR BETTER SLEEP According to a study published in Current Biology in the winter, a weekend of camping can go a long way towards offering those who suffer from poor sleep a better night’s rest. Researchers sent groups of study subjects camping in Colorado and found that just two nights of sleeping under natural darkness and waking to the sun quickly helped restless individuals restore natural circadian rhythms often disrupted by the effects of artificial light from computer screens and other devices.

being kickstarted through a $90,000 fundraising effort. While bike shares have become more common in metropolitan cities like Washington, D.C., and Chicago, they’re just starting to gain traction in smaller municipalities. A Massachusetts-based company, Zagster, is helping Roanoke institute its bike program after working with other small cities, including Albuquerque, New Mexico and Gainesville, Florida.

BIKE SHARE COMING TO ROANOKE A new bike share program is slated to launch this month in Roanoke, Va. The local transportation agency Ride Solutions announced back in February that initially 50 bikes would be placed at different stations throughout the mid-size southwest Virginia city, already known for a bounty of recreation options. According to a February story in the Roanoke Times, the agency is soliciting feedback on the program’s fee structure through a public survey, and the launch is BlueRidgeOutdoors

BEYOND THE BLUE RIDGE

A RECORD FLOAT In late January nearly 2,000 people joined hands and set a new world record for unassisted human floating. The 1,941 participants set the Guinnesscertified record in the waters of Lake Epecuen in Buenos Aires, Argentina, floating hand in hand for 30 seconds and thereby besting a previous record set by 634 floaters in Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan, in 2014. Epecuen is a saltwater lake, so the buoyancy offered by the heavy salt content in the water certainly helped make history. GoOutAndPlay

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BY THE NUMBERS

THE BALANCE OF POWER WILL THE SOUTH EVER CONVERT TO 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY? by LAURA INGLES

t’s the year 2050. Solar panels and wind farms abound and all 50 states plus D.C. rely entirely on renewable energy sources. Is this wishful thinking imagined by well-meaning environmentalists or a realistic vision of the country weaning itself from centuries-long dependence on fossil fuels? For Stanford University professor and researcher Mark Jacobson, the answer is clear. “It’s not only feasible—it’s necessary,” Jacobson said. “It’s the only solution to the problems of catastrophic global warming and our

pollution mortality on a worldwide scale.” Jacobson, who’s been studying sustainable energy and its problemsolving potential since the 1990s, has published several studies outlining energy plans for states and countries all over the world. In 2015 he and a team released The Solutions Project, a culmination of his research that lays out how the U.S. (plus 139 other countries) can eliminate use of natural gas, oil, coal, and nuclear power and operate on 100% clean, renewable energy. The project maps out all 50 states' energy mix, or precisely how each state would be powered. In Virginia, for example, the plan says that 50% of the commonwealth's energy could be provided by offshore wind, with the remaining half made up by 25.5% solar photovoltaic (PV) plants, 10% onshore wind, 5% concentrating solar

power (CSP) plants, 4.2% residential rooftop PV, 3.5% commercial/ government rooftop PV, 0.5% wave devices, 1.3% hydroelectric and 0.1% tidal turbines. The state-by-state plan also includes figures projecting construction and operation jobs created (89,632 and 57,779, respectively, in Virginia), plus the percentage of state land needed for new generators, avoided health costs per year, and future energy costs. As a researcher, Jacobson said he has no financial interest in the discussion, and no real dog in the fight (aside from a longtime vested interest in the health of future generations). He’s not interested in arguing with anyone about the merits of his research or convincing climate change skeptics that global warming is not only happening but a direct result of human activity. What he’s

Mark Jacobson has a grand plan for the entire country to rely entirely on renewable energy by the year 2050. Here’s the resource breakdown for the renewable plan across the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states: RESIDENTIAL ROOFTOP PHOTOVOLTAICS: 6% SOLAR PV PLANTS: 31% CONCENTRATED SOLAR PLANTS: 8% COMMERCIAL/GOVERNMENT ROOFTOP PV: 4% ONSHORE WIND: 5% OFFSHORE WIND: 43% WAVE DEVICES: 1% HYDROELECTRIC: 2% CONSTRUCTION JOBS CREATED IN THE SOUTHEAST AND MID-ATLANTIC: 900,000+ OPERATION JOBS CREATED IN THE SOUTHEAST AND MID-ATLANTIC: 650,000+

interested in is sharing indisputable facts about renewable energy. “You don’t have to believe in global warming to believe that clean energy will improve health and the economy and create jobs,” he said. “This is really an information problem—most people are not aware of the benefits and what it entails to transition. If people were

A P R I L 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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FLASHPOINT

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actually aware of the facts about it, they’d ask why we haven’t already done this. It’s just so obvious.” Recent policy changes reveal that some states are on board with Jacobson’s vision. In 2015, Hawaii enacted the country’s first 100% renewable energy standard (30% by 2020, 70% by 2040 and 100% by 2045), and states like New York, California, Oregon, and Vermont have all since followed suit with similar legislation. Other parts of the country, like the South, have been slower to hop on that bandwagon. “Southern states have a history and culture of not being on the forefront of environmental legislation,” said Virginia Tech History of Technology Professor Richard Hirsh, who described Jacobson’s proposal as admirable but “highly aspirational.” Hirsh said the plan may be technically feasible, but everything from policy to technology development to public acceptance would have to go smoothly and align with one another. And if you ask him, the chances of that happening are slim to none. “In Virginia we have a political system in the energy realm that is dominated by a few companies, and they don’t want to see this happening,” Hirsh said. “You’d have to get all the politicians in Richmond on board...and that’s not gonna happen.” Jacobson’s proposal calls for 4.2% residential rooftop panels in Virginia, which Hirsh said may be possible given the amount of sun and sheer number of rooftops in the commonwealth. But it’s not that simple. “Virginia generally doesn’t provide any tax incentives for renewable energy,” he said. “There are federal incentives, but who knows how long those are going to last.” Shortly after President Trump’s inauguration, the White House

website was updated to reflect the new administration’s “America First Energy Plan.” The plan promises to roll back President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, which includes climate science and land and water preservation, and the Waters of the U.S. rule, which protects thousands of waterways and wetlands under the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers. It also states that the administration is “committed to clean coal technology, and to reviving America’s coal industry, which has been hurting for too long.” The term “renewable energy” does not appear in the text of the plan. “It would be really hard for me to say what the new administration is going to mean for renewable energy,” said Angela Navarro, Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources in the Office of Virginia Governor McAuliffe. “The governor’s office recognizes the potential for renewable energy to really grow our economy, and I think there’s definitely a lot more interest in these types of resources to become a great share of our energy portfolio in Virginia.” Hirsh said he’s seen efforts around renewable energy on the local level, like Solarize Blacksburg, a collaboration of Community Housing

Partners, the Town of Blacksburg and solar company VA SUN that allowed 30 to 40 Blacksburg residents to purchase PV cells at a discounted price. He also sees “well-advertised efforts” by Appalachian Power and Dominion to incorporate more solar, though not on nearly the same scale as in other states. “One could argue that these efforts are sort of greenwashing, good for public relations,” he said. “There are efforts they’re pursuing slowly and that’s fine, but they’re nowhere near where California was 30 years ago, and we’re not going to get to Jacobson’s goal by 2050 with these baby steps.” According to spokesperson Daisy Pridgen, Dominion Energy’s $2.6 billion investment in renewable energy since 2013 (with $800 million in solar power in Virginia) has helped establish more than 1,000 megawatts (MW) of large-scale solar in eight states. She listed several projects that Dominion has taken on, like converting three coal-powered stations in Virginia to operate off renewable biomass and working on design plans for an offshore wind demonstration project in Virginia. As for realizing Jacobson’s goal of 100% renewable energy, though, Dominion isn’t ready to let go of fossil fuels.

BRIGHT FUTURE

DESPITE A CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATION, SOLAR ENERGY IS SHINING IN THE SOUTH by ERIC WALLACE “Trump is first and foremost a businessman, and he’ll be hardpressed to ignore or attack an industry that has created the most jobs in the energy sector in recent years,” says Logan Landry, CEO of Virginia’s largest and fastest growing residential solar power installation company, Sigora Solar. In fact, according to an early 2017 Department of Energy report, solar puts more Americans to work generating electricity than oil, natural gas and coal combined. Solar industries employ 43 percent of the electric power generation workforce and provide 374,000 jobs. Fossil fuels account for 22 percent of total electric

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PROTECTING THE SOUTHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ENVIRONMENT through the POWER of the LAW

FLASHPOINT

power generation employment and supports 187,117 workers across coal, oil, and natural gas industries. And with average 2016 solar salaries ranging from $36,000 for entry-level installation positions, to around $57,240 for those with experience, the US Department of Labor indicates these jobs are wellpaying and, yes, gainful. Virginia has never offered state incentives for renewable electricity, yet the Commonwealth has experienced a 3,000 percent growth of non-utility-scale net-metered energy production from solar sources since 2010. Sigora is a posterchild for this growth. Founded in 2011 by a couple of friends with little more than an old Honda Civic and a 24-foot ladder, in just 6 years the company has expanded to include more than 32 employees, five offices, and $5 million of revenue in 2015. It was

LAT

SOLAR PUTS TWICE AS MANY AMERICANS TO WORK THAN OIL, NATURAL GAS AND COAL COMBINED.

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44.943387° N

recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the nation’s 500 fastest growing companies. “Americans are fiercely independent people and have been since the founding of this country. The truth is: they like the choice and freedom that solar offers,” says Landry. “Solar is booming on the East Coast. What we’re seeing now is reminiscent of the original rise of solar in California,” says Nick Bullinger, chief operations officer for Nashville, Tennessee-headquartered Hecate Energy, which specializes in the installation of utility-scale power plants, including the nation’s largest municipal solar plant in Austin, Texas (140 MW), and a 185-acre 20 MW unit currently under development in

LONG

Northampton County, Virginia. Consider Amazon’s recent string of East Coast investments. With an 80 MW unit already installed on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, the online web services giant has pledged to have an additional five solar farms built in the Commonwealth. The new farms will offset electricity usage in Amazon’s northern Virginia data centers and are the result of a long-term policy to power its global infrastructure by means of 100 percent renewable energy. The Virginia facilities make Amazon the largest corporate backer of solar projects east of the Mississippi River. “It will result in the largest solar facility in the Mid-Atlantic,” boasted Governor Terry McAuliffe.

Another 208-megawatt solar plant is currently under development in North Carolina, and Amazon is nowhere near finished. “We will continue to make progress toward our 100 percent renewable energy goal,” says Amazon vice president of infrastructure Peter DeSantis. Challenges still remain. Across the nation—and especially in the region—traditional utilities continue to resist investing in solar. Most state legislative bodies have reduced incentives. And the federal government currently provides over $37.5 billion each year in subsidies to fossil fuel industries. Still, Landry is confident that, as fossil fuel subsidies wane and competition increases, solar will eventually render fossil-fuel energy production unviable. “People want choices. And being literally tied to a single power provider—a traditional utility—doesn’t sit well with most consumers, who are enjoying more and more choice in every other aspect of their lives.”

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50 IS THE NEW 30

ARE YOU DREADING THE BIG 5-0? AFRAID YOUR GOLDEN YEARS ARE OVER? THINK AGAIN. THESE FOUR ATHLETES ARE OVER 50 AND THE ADVENTURES ARE JUST GETTING STARTED.

ULTRARUNNER DOUG BLACKFORD, THEN AGE 68, DURING A 2015 THRU-RUN OF THE WONDERLAND TRAIL IN MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK.

CYCLIST ALICE VERNON, AGE 57, IS GEARING UP TO COMPETE IN THIS YEAR'S MOUNTAIN BIKE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AT SNOWSHOE.

COURTESY OF VERNON

On November 6, 2004, then 44-yearold Keith Sprinkle of Asheville, N.C., pulled his skirt tight over the cockpit of his kayak and slid into the frigid waters of the Green River Narrows, his hometown run. Were it not for the line of kayakers waiting for their number to be called, and the crowd of spectators downstream eagerly anticipating the carnage at Gorilla, this Saturday could have passed for any other weekend, except that this was the Green Race, and Sprinkle, who had just started paddling three years prior, had never raced the Narrows before. “I thought if I could just finish the race at all, even if I’m the slowest person, I’d still have something to be proud of,” Sprinkle says. Sprinkle finished all right, and while his run wasn’t particularly fast or smooth (“It took me nearly 10 minutes and I got chundered from top to bottom,” he says), he was one of the few kayakers in the hand paddling class and the oldest competitor to even race that year. “I was very proud, but much to my surprise, [the other racers] more or less made fun of me,” Sprinkle says. “It pissed me off. They were 24 and thinking they were something cool but they don’t know how hard it was being 44.” Sprinkle channeled that negative energy into paddling harder, faster, more frequently. A professional fly fishing guide by trade, Sprinkle spent practically every waking moment on

BETH MINNICK

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the water. After a long day at work, he’d head to the Ledges on the French Broad and practice attainments. He started to incorporate weight lifting and cardio into his weekday activities, all the while racking up as many race runs on the Narrows as his body could handle. Two years later, in 2006, Sprinkle was back at the Green Race. With two former hand paddling champions half his age as competition, Sprinkle was nervous—after all, they were in newer, longer boats, while Sprinkle was still sporting a short boat. Still, his determination to prove a point, to his fellow racers and himself, overrode his inhibitions. He won the hand paddling class, and would continue to win that division and set new records at the Green for the next five years. It’s easy to label Sprinkle as a mutant of athletic tenacity that goes above and beyond the willpower of most athletes, regardless of age—in addition to his six-year record-setting champion streak at the Green, Sprinkle’s also set the hand paddling record at other races like the Lord of the Fork and the downriver race on the Nantahala. Just last year, at the age of 57, Sprinkle won the hand paddling class at the Ocoee River Race and placed second in the same division at the Green Race. But Sprinkle’s late blooming success as a competitive kayaker mirrors an evolving trend in the world of adventure sports that proves older athletes can still bring the heat well into their 50s and beyond. “I pretty much hated running all my life,” says 70-year-old ultrarunner Doug Blackford. “I always thought it was a rather stupid sport,” that is, until Blackford started running at the ripe age of 50 to help his 14-year-old son prepare for cross country season. “We’d only run two miles and I’d about throw up but it wasn’t like I was overweight. I’d been active all my life.” Blackford started with 5Ks, then

10Ks and 15Ks, slowly building his strength and endurance. Three years later, he was at the starting line to his first ever ultramarathon, the Mount Mitchell Challenge. “It was pouring down rain, thundering, lightning. We were ankle deep in water and slush. It was nasty as hell,” he says, but he finished anyway. To date, Blackford’s completed more than 60 ultras, including three 100-milers (one of which he ran in 2016 a week after his 70th birthday)

“I think running has helped me through. My main mantra is just to enjoy it and don’t worry about the pace or the speed or anything. There are a lot of races where I’m the oldest person there, but I’m not anywhere near last, so I take pride in that.” Clark Jackson, 60, of Richmond, Va., can relate to that. Last year, Jackson won his age division at the Paul Mitchell XTERRA Trail Run World Championship Half Marathon in Hawaii. Not long after returning from world’s, Jackson was diagnosed

BLACKFORD (LEFT) POSING MID-RUN ON THE WONDERLAND TRAIL.

BETH MINNICK

and 15 Mount Mitchell Challenge finishes, as well as a host of other adventure runs like the double crossing of the Grand Canyon. Blackford’s not necessarily stomping the younger competition, though he’s ranked twice in the top 10 overall at the Iron Mountain 50 Miler. What sets Blackford’s running apart has less to do with speed and more about resiliency. The man simply won’t stop running, even in the face of a much more daunting challenge—beating prostate cancer. Despite undergoing radiation treatments for the first two months of the year, Blackford was still logging big miles on the trail nearly every day, including a 30-mile thru run of the Art Loeb Trail. “It’s been a terrible inconvenience, if you can call cancer that,” he says.

with stage one prostate cancer, but that isn’t stopping him. Like Blackford, Jackson started running again after a 50-year-old health checkup-gone-bad. “I was overweight and out of shape and [my doctor] wanted to start putting me on a bunch of medicine,” says Jackson. “I said, ‘Doc, give me six months.’” His plan? Pick up right where he left off from his college days of running and become the XTERRA Trail Run World Champion. Starting from ground zero, Jackson tacked on the miles, one at a time, and succeeded. In 2011, he won the North Carolina XTERRA Regional Championship. In 2013, he won Virginia and North Carolina’s XTERRA Regional Championship. And in 2014, he again won Virginia’s

XTERRA Regional Championship. “When you’re running before, you take everything for granted,” he says, “but you appreciate it more when you’re older.” Those words ring particularly true to Alice Vernon of Morgantown, W.Va. Vernon, 57, runs Whitetail Bicycles with her husband. In her 30s, she was one of the top female endurance mountain bikers in the region, placing first at a number of 24-hour races in both the team and solo divisions. Her racing started to wane when life got in the way—she’s a mother of two now-grown children, a retired nurse, and a survivor of cancer. Now, Vernon is as active as ever. In April 2016, Vernon won the Big Bear Lake XC Classic sport division. The year before that, Vernon finished the High Cascades 100-mile endurance mountain bike race in Bend, Oregon. Amid all of that, she and her husband have completed multiple bike touring trips across Switzerland, New Zealand, and Washington state. This year, Vernon plans on competing in the Pisgah Stage Race in North Carolina and the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships at Snowshoe Mountain, W.Va. Her key to staying fit is a far cry from her tactics as a 30-something-year-old. “I used to feel like I could go off the couch and race myself into shape and just go do it out of sheer will but not now,” she says. “I used to feel like I could out-suffer people, but I don’t like to suffer like I used to.” Still, Vernon’s on the bike at least 10 hours a week, on top of hot yoga and spin classes a few days per week. Above all else, though, she says just getting outdoors, be it on a bike or a set of telemark skis, has always been, and will continue to be, her secret to success. “When you’re tired and you don’t feel like going out, if you make yourself go and just take a walk, you feel better,” she says. “Exercise in general keeps you young at heart.” “Don’t stop believing,” adds Keith Sprinkle. “You’re never too old.”

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ELK UNDER FIRE

CAN THE SMOKIES ELK COEXIST WITH FARMERS AND HUNTERS JUST OUTSIDE PARK BOUNDARIES? by TATE WATKINS

hen a Haywood County farmer shot seven elk on his family’s land outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park last January, there was public outrage. Even though the act was ultimately deemed legal—the elk had been eating winter wheat and chasing dairy cows— one state official described it as “spite killing.” It was only the latest episode in more than a decade of human-elk conflicts in western North Carolina. In 2001, the National Park Service and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation worked together to reintroduce 52 elk to the Smokies, roughly a century-and-

a-half after the species had been hunted out of existence in North Carolina and Tennessee. Today there are about 150 elk that range in the park’s eastern reaches, where they’ve become quite the draw. After reintroduction, visitation to Cataloochee Valley practically doubled, to about 140,000 people annually. But while thousands of visitors may enjoy coming to see the elk, local farmers and residents bear the brunt of the costs when the animals wander in search of greener pastures. “The question is—as this population

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grows, who’s going to feed them?” Jimmy Cowen, a local farmer, asked at a public hearing held by the North Carolina Wildlife and Resources Commission last fall. “Why should it be up to the private landowners?” Protecting elk habitat can mitigate conflicts by funneling elk away from farms, residences, and highways where they’ve become nuisances. The Conservation Fund is conveying nearly 2,000 acres adjacent to the Smokies near Maggie Valley for elk habitat. Another approach is to compensate landowners for damages caused by wildlife. Nearly 30 years ago, the nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife raised funds to pay full value for any livestock killed by wolves that were returning to northwestern Montana near Glacier National Park. State and federal agencies verified the losses, ranchers were compensated, and conflict over the heated issue died down relatively quickly. Posters featuring artwork of wolves were sold for $30 apiece to help raise funds and make the program sustainable.

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The organization used the same strategy for ranchers near Yellowstone when wolves were reintroduced to that park in the 1990s. More recently, a handful of conservation groups helped pay for fencing for landowners who want to keep free-roaming Yellowstone bison off their pastureland. Similar approaches could be harnessed in western North Carolina. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission already paid for a twomile, $19,000 fence on the dairy farm where the seven elk were shot; it was funded by hunting-license revenues. This approach could evolve from an adhoc one into a systematic compensation program for farmers and residents, but elk lovers and conservation groups would likely need to chip in, too. That should be a feasible ask, given the popularity of the Smokies elk. One evening last fall, park visitors’ SUVs and pickup trucks lined either side of the road through a Cataloochee meadow, watching a bull elk stand amongst 20 females and let out a series of bugles that echoed through the valley.

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WHAT LIES BENEATH

KENTUCKY IS HOME TO THE WORLD’S ONLY UNDERGROUND MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK

MEGA UNDERGROUND BIKE PARK WAS BUILT IN A CAVERN BELOW THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE.

by DANIELLE TAYLOR

n the surface, an interstate, a zoo, and a strip mall give little indication of the mountain bikers 10 stories below. Lurking below the city of Louisville is Mega Underground Bike Park—with more than 320,000 square feet of trails, jump lines, and pump tracks— all cooled with earth’s natural air conditioning to a pleasant 58 degrees. Mega Underground Bike Park is built in an abandoned quarry. It originated in the 1930s as a source for road construction material, and the federal government commissioned it during the Cold War for use as a 50,000-person fallout shelter. After the quarry closed in the 1970s, it sat abandoned until a pair of developers bought the property in 1989 and began building a massive commercial storage facility and business park for high-security clients. As public interest in the site grew, they launched tram tours, then a zipline course, and then a ropes course. In January 2015, the bike park opened, giving eager riders a year-round place to drop in. The cavern originally stretched 100 feet from floor to ceiling, but local construction crews have dumped their

excess dirt and rock here for years, which allowed the owners to raise much of the cavern’s floor to within 30 feet of the ceiling. Conveniently, it also gave Prisel unlimited building material for his vision. With nearly eight acres of room to play and clients who trusted him with the blank slate of space, he and one employee began building their lines. They also turned to local mountain bikers for guidance in designing the space. “Who better to do that than those people who live in that scene?” says Joe Prisel, whose company constructed the park. “It was almost like our build was roughed in and then polished a little bit, but left so others could build anything they wanted.” A one-mile cross-country trail follows the perimeter of the bike park, passing jumps and flowy lines ranked according to difficulty. Gigantic limestone pillars left in place by the original excavators dot the landscape, and one-way signs guide riders on how to navigate the maze. Fluorescent lights overhead and natural humidity create a hazy atmosphere, but the constantly cool

temperatures make the park a viable year-round riding location, regardless of the weather outside. Prisel included features like a shipping container (with trails both through and across the top) and a teeter-totter in his design, but the impressive dirt jump lines take center stage. Advanced riders line up to fly over hill after hill, but those less confident in their airborne skills can still find plenty of intriguing elements to keep them busy. A day pass to the bike park costs $24, and a bike rental with helmet runs $20. The park can easily accommodate 300 riders at once, but management limits capacity to 125 individuals at a time, which still gives each rider plenty of room to maneuver. Thirteen-year-old Cade Packnett and his dad, Scott, visited the bike park last August from their home in Arkansas, where Cade has been hitting jumps since he was eight. When asked how the cavern stacked up against his trails at home, he enthusiastically replied, “This is nothing like anything I’ve seen before.” His dad was equally giddy. “This is awesome,” he added.

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NASHVILLE’S DAN FURBISH TAKES A DIY APPROACH

THE COOL KIDS

HIGH SCHOOL MOUNTAIN BIKING CLIMBS HIGHER IN APPALACHIA

THE MILLER SCHOOL OF ALBEMARLE IS ONE OF THE TOP HIGH SCHOOL BIKING PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY.

by ERIC WALLACE

igh school mountain biking has officially gone mainstream. The National Interscholastic Cycling Association formed in 2009, and it has quickly expanded to 19 leagues in 18 states— including North Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, and Pennsylvania. “We expect participation in 2017 will include over 12,000 student-athletes and more than 4,000 coaches, with a number of new leagues also joining us,” says the organization’s president Austin McInerny. Virginia is particularly well represented. The Commonwealth boasts 25 teams, 14 of which are school-affiliated. Many of the teams are affiliated with private schools, but Andrea Dvorak, director of NICA’s Virginia High School League, is working to bring mountain biking to more public schools. “Once we get around eight riders from a specific school district, I can go to the athletic director and explain that NICA will cover the insurance, provide pre-screened certified

coaches, schedule competitions— pretty much everything needed to start a program.” In Charlottesville, three public schools—Monticello High School, Charlottesville City High School, and Western Albemarle High School— will begin fielding teams this fall. “Monticello High School came on board early,” says Dvorak. “And due to their success, we’ve been able to use them as a sort of pilot program for the other public schools.” One of the country’s most established and successful high school mountain bike squads is at The Miller School of Albemarle, a private boarding school located in Crozet, Va. The Miller School won the 2016 VHSL state mountain biking championship and is the country’s only school-based program to be recognized as an official “Center of Excellence” by USA Cycling. Training runs year-round and is crucial to the team’s success. “In an endurance sport like mountain biking, offseason training is the most important piece of the puzzle for

making improvement,” says head coach Andy Guptill. “Varsity riders are on the bike between two and five hours a day, and in the weight room before classes several mornings each week. Once the season begins, we’re traveling and racing so often that time for constructive training blocks is very limited, so you have to go into the season firing on all cylinders.” The team travels all over the East Coast competing against the country’s top junior cyclists. In January, the school’s star rider, Laurent Gervais, signed with the Aevolo Cycling Team, a prominent Under-23 squad in the Union Cycliste Internationale. Interscholastic mountain biking is taking root in North Carolina, too. This spring is the North Carolina league’s first official season, and they’re setting NICA records for participation. With seven leagues and more in the works, Dvorak says discussions about a regional East Coast tournament have already begun. “We think this is the first step in founding a national interscholastic championship series.

High school mountain biking is dominated by private schools with deep pockets and big budgets, but in Nashville, Tennessee, a group of international high school students got their start racing in hoodies and jeans on self-made bikes. Led by NICA certified coach Dan Furbish, the Nashville International High School Mountain Bike Team—or, as Furbish lovingly calls them, the Bad News Bears—is the result of a partnership between the Oasis community center, Humana, and Halcyon Bike Shop. “[The team] basically started in 2009 as a summer experiment,” said Furbish who, at that time, was working as a counselor for troubled students. “I thought to myself, ‘What if I asked people for a bunch of donated bike parts and then taught kids to put them together?’” The idea quickly blossomed into a full-fledged program supported by sponsors. By providing urban kids with parts and guidance, and helping them build their own bikes, Furbish could give them a means of exercising, a community to participate in, a way to stay out of trouble, and provide them with sustainable and self-reliant transportation. Since its inception eight years ago, over 400 youths have completed the program. The racing team grew out of the program in 2015, when a handful of participants asked Furbish to help them create a competitive squad. “We worked with sponsors to get them uniforms and it was kind of like, ‘Well, here’s the starting line, let’s go see what we can do!’” Just a few years ago, many of them had never ridden a bike. Now they are lining up to race.

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The Appalachian Trail taught me lessons that I never learned in school. Recreation can be a valuable part of your education.

WHY ADVENTURE MATTERS ADVENTURE IS NOT IRRESPONSIBLE

hen I set off to hike the Appalachian Trail as a twenty-one-year-old and a recent college grad, I wasn’t forsaking my degree. I was continuing my education. Two weeks into my five-month thru-hike I encountered a blizzard in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I remember the fear and discomfort of trying to navigate the snowstorm and discern the inconspicuous white blazes amid blizzard-like conditions. At one point I was forced to cross an exposed ridgeline with the wind and snow buffeting my face. I felt the cold burn on my cheek, turned my chin away from the biting current, and closed my left eye. When I made it back into the sanctuary of the forest, I lifted my head up but something was wrong. I

by JENNIFER PHARR DAVIS SAM DEAN

couldn’t open my eye. It had frozen shut. I threw off my mitten and started picking icicles from my eyelids and wiping frozen crust from the corners of my eye. After an eternal minute, I was able to open my eyelid, regain bilateral vision, and continue marching down the mountain. Hiking through a blizzard in the Smokies with one eye frozen shut taught me that I needed vision and wanted direction on and off the trail. As a backpacker, I had blazes and maps to show me the way, but I realized that I needed to make plans and set goals if I wanted to be equally successful in life. I also realized that it doesn’t matter how hard you are working if you are headed in the wrong direction. These weren’t classroom lessons; these were life

lessons. Joe Bandy teaches people how to teach. As a professor of Sociology at Vanderbilt University and Assistant Director of the school’s Center for Teaching, he has spent countless hours studying the most effective methods of teaching and learning, and he agrees that outdoor adventure can teach essential traits like critical thinking, humility and resilience. “We test our bodies, minds, and spirits when we go outside,” he says. “It provides a time to set aside media, social media, work life and stress and provides a form of contemplation that can enhance focus and lead to greater critical thinking.” The positive effects of problem solving are demonstrated through the maturity and social awareness of upand-coming outdoor athletes like Kai

Lightner. Kai is a seventeen-year-old climbing phenom who has reached the pinnacle of his sport while also attending high school in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Kai explains that he often has to miss school to attend climbing competitions, but that his experiences in the gym and on the rock are just as formative in his intellectual and emotional development as a person. “The athletes at the top of my sport,” he says, “are not always physically the strongest; they are often the smartest. When I am at a competition, I have four minutes to preview a boulder problem and come up with the correct strategy to climb it, and try to complete it. It is the route-setters’ job to challenge us. I have to consider all the options in order to find the best solution. I’ve

A P R I L 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

CLIMBING HAS HELPED KAI LIGHTNER HANDLE STRESS AND THINK SHARPLY IN PRESSURE SITUATIONS.

how to compete; it’s taught me how to be more empathetic.” Kai and Joe are both leaders in their respective fields and have seen the positive impact of outdoor adventure in their academic settings. As a wife, mother, and business owner I can also attest to the fact that outdoor adventure has equipped me with skills to better grapple with the mundane tasks and endless chores that constitute my work–life balance. In 2011, I was trying to set the Fastest Known Time on the Appalachian Trail. After nearly a fortnight of suffering filled with agonizing shin splints, a brutal sleet storm, and a devastating stomach bug, I stumbled to a road crossing in central Vermont where my husband was waiting anxiously for my arrival. I promptly sat down and started sobbing. “This is it. I’m done,” I said. “I can’t go any farther.” My husband put his hand on my back and said, “You can’t quit right now. Right now, you feel too bad to

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / A P R I L 2 017

BREW DAVIS

found that thinking outside the box is crucial in climbing and my classroom studies.” Kai also credits climbing with empowering him to perform under duress. “I handle pressure situations well because I’m used to having a lot of people watch me during events. I have super high goals for myself, and climbing has taught me that I probably won’t succeed the first time I try something. It’s taught me how to deal with failure.” Professor Bandy agrees that outdoor sports and adventure pursuits can teach people to deal with failure and success gracefully. He gave the example of coaching and playing on an Ultimate team while teaching at Bowdoin College, which taught him the cooperative dynamics of outdoor athletics first hand. “I saw the students hone their skills as a group,” he said. “I watched as they learned to develop team strategies and manage time. I witnessed their confidence and selfesteem increase.” He also noticed that students interacted with him and one another much differently than in a strictly academic setting. The activity provided a means for the group to work towards a common goal. “We were learning socially and emotionally from one another in a way that doesn’t happen in the classroom. There was a collective sense of achievement.” Rock climbing is a more solitary pursuit, but whether Kai is scaling the 5.14d rated Era Vella in Spain or participating in the Youth World Championship, he believes travel and competition have helped him to become a more compassionate person who relates well to others. “Climbing has allowed me to travel and interact with a wide variety of people,” he says. “It makes me want a diverse and active social life. Even when I’m competing against someone, we usually feel a sense of camaraderie. We’re all experiencing the same stressful scenario and we identify with each other’s sentiments. Rock climbing hasn’t just taught me

make a good decision. You’ve given too much to give up now, so try to keep going a little farther.” Through the physical and emotional pain, I kept going… a little bit farther… then a little bit farther… then after 46 days of going “a little bit farther,” we made it to end. We set the record, but just as importantly, we did more than what we thought possible. And we did it as a team. In my everyday life, the mountains that surround me are comprised of piles of laundry that need to be folded, stacks of dirty dishes in the sink, and mounds of paperwork on my desk. But, I still draw on my experiences from the trail to help navigate these obstacles. And when it’s 11 PM and I am working towards a writing deadline that is interrupted by a crying newborn, I frequently tell myself “just a little farther.” I know how much you can accomplish when you are willing to keep going. The Appalachian Trail taught

A.T. FEMALE SPEED RECORD HOLDER JENNIFER PHARR DAVIS.

me lessons I never learned in school. Before my thru-hike, I’d traveled the trail of convention and expectation that was laid out for me. After, I steered my path toward innovation and entrepreneurship. Tolkien famously said, “All who wander are not lost.” And when I trade stories and compare notes with folks like Joe and Kai, I’m reminded that whether you are a full-time student, teacher, parent or professional, outdoor recreation can be a valuable part of your education. Adventure is responsible. And it’s a whole lot cheaper than grad school.

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ADVENTURE FAMILIES HOW FIVE OUTDOOR PARENTS ARE REDEFINING THE LOST ART OF BALANCE by JESS DADDIO

ONCE UPON A TIME,

SAM DEAN

parents weren’t parents. They were 20-something-year-olds with heads full of dreams, time and energy in spades. They did more than change diapers and watch Sponge Bob. For these five Blue Ridge families in particular, life before kids was measured in athletic benchmarks—podiums won, miles traveled, adventures undertaken. Yet even now, these parents aren’t just parents. They’re entrepreneurs and business professionals and mentors, yes, but they’re still athletes. They’re still training and racing and exploring, which begs the question—can you be an accomplished athlete and a first-rate parent too? A P R I L 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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Sophie Carpenter Speidel of Charlottesville, Va., wasn’t always a runner. In college, running was a means to an end, a way to stay in shape for her lacrosse career, which eventually landed her on the US Women’s National Lacrosse Team from 1982 until 1984. So in 2005, when Speidel was toeing the line at the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile, her first 100-miler, just three years after her first ultra ever, no one was more surprised than she. “I had run the 10K at the Blue Ridge Burn for a few years and I loved it,” she says of her early trail running experiences. “I was set free, it seemed like.” But an ultra, let alone a 100-miler, is a far cry from a 10K, as Speidel quickly found out. Especially when it comes to training while trying to raise three kids under the age of 10. Knowing little about proper training tactics for a 100-miler, Speidel was in the woods all day, every day, every weekend. When she wasn’t running, she was reading about running. Running consumed her, exhausted her, but it also exhilarated her. “Ultra running can be very seductive, like any endurance sport,

COURTESY SOPHIE SPEIDEL

in terms of time and community,” she says. “It’s a great escape, especially in this day and age, to just be in the mountains all day. You can lose track of the reality of your life a little bit. Some people realize that and right the ship,” but often, as was the case with Speidel, there needs to be a catalyst first, a looming threat of capsizing, to change the trajectory. For Speidel, that moment came at the Bull Run 50 Mile in Clifton, Va. It was a beautiful, crisp morning. Speidel was making quick work of the course, moving with ease through rolling woods and across spring fed creeks. Speidel was in the zone, lost in her breath and the sounds of birds in the trees and leaves crunching underfoot. But almost halfway through the race, the course spit her out from the forest and back into the bustle of Clifton. And that’s when she saw it—a soccer field. “It was a typical Saturday morning in northern Virginia,” she says. “The course literally runs through this soccer field and as I’m running through, I’m looking around and seeing all of these families with kids. That race gave me huge mommy guilt. It’s unlike when you go out in the mountains and you’re away from it all.” Though her husband Rusty had mostly supported Speidel’s newfound obsession with running, it was starting to wear on their marriage. Even when Speidel was home, she was distracted, preoccupied with race reports and training methods. But after the Bull Run 50 Mile, Speidel came to grips with reality and made a change. “Your kids are only young once. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work and there will be plenty of time to do your thing later,” she says. “You gotta figure out what works for your family. Balance is a matter of trial and error.”

CURWEN FAMILY PHOTOS ARE MOST ALWAYS IN THE OUTDOORS.

Eventually, the couple fell into a rhythm of taking turns. Speidel ran on Saturdays and Rusty biked on Sundays. She continued running ultras, averaging about seven per year, all the while supporting Rusty and his goals, like finishing the Shenandoah Mountain 100. And when the kids were old enough to compete in organized sports of their own, Speidel prioritized that first, even if it meant missing out on her favorite races. “Throughout the parenting continuum, I’ve ebbed and flowed. I went from being gung-ho in the beginning, got a reality check, and now I have perspective. I missed out on years of races, but I didn’t mind. If you do mind, then something’s wrong.”

WORK HARD TO PLAY HARD

For triathlete Jay Curwen of Asheville, N.C., the reality check he needed came not from his wife Monica but from their first-born son. Curwen, who’s been a two-time USA World Triathlon Championship Team Member and National Champion adventure racer, knew that his athletic expectations would need

some adjusting when kids came into the picture. But shifting his career, which at the time was working as a sales representative for Patagonia, was one change he didn’t expect to make. “My oldest was just a couple years old at that point, and in his memory, I was gone as much as six months at a time,” Curwen remembers. “That wasn’t the case. I was sometimes gone two weeks at a time, but that broke my heart because in his three-yearold mind, I was gone half a year.” Curwen ditched the traveling gig and found a job with the Nantahala Outdoor Center, which meant he could be present at home with his three sons while still being an active part of the Southeast’s outdoor industry. As for fitness, Curwen exercises whenever he can, even if it means answering work emails while cranking out miles on a stationary bike. “Up until Monica and I got married, athletics for me was allconsuming. Basically every part of my life I geared towards being an athlete and getting faster,” he says. “When I was 25, I didn’t leave anything to chance. If the guy beat me, it was because he was legitimately better than me. Now, if I win, I win, if I don’t, I don’t and it’s okay. I don’t

A P R I L 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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pressure myself on the results anymore.” Don’t let Curwen fool you—his competitive fire hasn’t totally gone to ash. Just last year, Curwen won his age division at both the USA Triathlon Off-Road National Champions and the USA Triathlon Long Course Duathlon National Champions. The trick to staying moderately competitive while still being a present, engaged father, he says, is a combination of maintaining a base level of fitness, getting up early, and including the kids. “My boys have definitely seen their dad get his clock cleaned more times than not,” says Jay Curwen. “They’ve also seen me win a lot of things and, as a five-year-old, if you see nothing but your dad win, that becomes your expectation. I don’t want that to be any kind of example. I want them to be able to enjoy competing and not competing and not measure themselves against any other yardstick but themselves.”

TRAINING SMARTER

“Instead of training for triathlons, I stuck to running because it was something I could do while pushing them in the stroller,” says 37-year-old Sue Finney of Knoxville, Tenn. Finney is a wife and mother of three. Last September, she and her husband David opened their own gym, KyBRa Athletics. As if balancing all of that wasn’t enough, Sue also managed to recover from a broken foot and swipe the title as the 2016 XTERRA Southeast Regional Champion. Like Curwen, Sue knows she has to be realistic about how much time she can spend training for the upcoming XTERRA World Championships this year, but that’s all the more reason to make the most of what little time she does have. “You really don’t have time for lazy downtime,” she says of being a gym owner, mom, and athletein-training. “I train so much better now than I did in my 20s. Then, I

THE FINNEY FAMILY, READY FOR ADVENTURE.

A P R I L 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2017 BARBOURVILLE, KY SPONSORED BY UNION COLLEGE U-CANOE & BARBOURVILLE TOURISM

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would say, I just want to ride for fun today and I’ll work hard tomorrow, but now, I don’t know if I’ll have a tomorrow. What if a kid gets sick or there’s a snow day? I might train a little less, but I’m actually doing better. If I had my 20-year-old body with my 37-year-old mindset, I’d be a lot better of an athlete.” “Having kids really makes you live up to your potential,” adds her husband, David. “They also teach you to be more flexible and just a little more dynamic in how you live your life.” For David, that meant giving up the high-consequence stakes of steep creek, expedition-style kayaking that had defined his years as a member of the Riot Team. In his 20s, David’s life looked a lot like a spread in Rapid Magazine—pristine waterfalls, dense jungle canopy, shuttle rides on the back of mud-encrusted motorcycles. Every year, David would spend multiple months on whitewater trips in exotic destinations ranging from Thailand to Patagonia. David still paddles on the Southeast classics, but he’s more interested now in teaching his kids to paddle and introducing them to the element that has so influenced his life. “I don’t do a lot of things I would have done 20 years ago because if I got hurt or drowned, it would affect many more people than it would have when I was 20 years old and single,” he says. “You assess risk differently. It becomes less valuable to you to paddle the hardest rapids or go over the tallest waterfalls. Your kids don’t care. They just like to think you’re kayaking.” And more importantly, he says, they like to be a part of it. Holidays at the Finney household don’t involve a lot of gifts. Birthdays in particular, says Sue, are structured around experiences over material items. Their oldest, Kyra, 7, chose paddling the Nantahala for her birthday, and their middle child, Rachel, 4, wanted to go camping. Kyra recently got her very own mountain bike, and is anxiously waiting for the junior race season to

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begin. It’s moments like these, agree Sue and David, that make all of the hard work and dawn patrols worth it. “We get up early at 5 a.m., we don’t watch a lot of TV, or if we do we fall asleep to it, date nights aren’t usually movie-and-a-dinner but hirea-babysitter-so-we-can-mountainbike-together,” says Sue, “but if you can just make the kids part of it all, they’re happier. I hope I’m still racing when my kids are in high school, but I also hope that they’re out there kicking my butt.”

NO EXCUSES

That philosophy of inclusion is sweeping the parenting world, particularly in younger generations of moms and dads. Just ask Blacksburg, Va., parents Luke Hopkins and Anne Pagano. You need only take a look at their Instagram feeds (@adventures_ of_annie and @localpaddler) to see that athletically driven parents can have their cake and eat it, too. “You can still do everything you did before having kids, but there’s no A P R I L 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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question that things change to some degree or another,” says Pagano, “but they make baby backpacks for hiking, strollers for running, you can have a baby sit between your legs in a kayak and paddle on flatwater. It’s not easy, but there’s always a way.” Hopkins, who grew up competitively kayaking and earned the podium twice at the US Freestyle World Championships (silver in 2001, bronze in 2003), and Pagano are leading the charge in the Southeast’s standup paddleboard scene. They’re regular contenders in regional SUP races like the Chattajack 31, the New River Gorge SUP Race, and the Tuck Fest SUP Cross. Hopkins works as sales manager for Onewheel, while Pagano is brand ambassador for Body Glove, Imagine Surf, Accent Paddles, and IceMule Coolers. The couple also stays busy hosting the destination SUP TV series Chasing Waves. “Having kids, for me, hasn’t really stopped my professional athlete career,” says Hopkins. “It’s not the, ‘I can’t,’ or, ‘I never,’ or, ‘Everything’s just changed,’ it’s the, ‘How can?’ attitude that’s made it possible for us to live the outdoor recreational lifestyle, still travel, and still make a living to support our family.” Their seemingly progressive parenting style is a mix between the skin-your-knee mentality on which many of us were raised and the summer camp pillars of trying hard and having fun. While the fall and winter months are pretty standard as far as most families go, summer months for their two girls, ages eight and five, are anything but. For the past three years, the family has lived on the road out of an RV for the summer, traveling, exploring, and for Hopkins, working at a dozen outdoor industry events. At the very least, their girls have a childhood full of experiences most adults can only dream of—paddling the Allagash River in Maine, exploring and paddling on the Skookumchuk in British Columbia, paddling the Salmon River and soaking in Idaho’s hot springs, hiking

ON MARCH 20TH, THE QUIRIN FAMILY SET OFF WITH THEIR ONE-YEAR-OLD ELLIE TO THRUHIKE THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL.

in Arches National Park, paddling Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge… you get the picture. “Everything is definitely slower which wasn’t something I was used to,” says Pagano. “When I hike, I typically hike fast or run, but they have taught me to look around and collect acorns, find mushrooms, find the little frogs I wouldn’t see if I was running through the woods on my own. I have definitely learned to appreciate slowing down, savoring, and taking our time.”

CULTIVATING GRIT

The relationship with time is ultimately what made Roanoke-based parents Bekah and Derrick Quirin decide to take their one-year-old baby Ellie on a thru hike of the Appalachian Trail. The Quirins, who are both 25, have always wanted to thru hike the trail. After graduating from college with degrees in outdoor

leadership, they thought for sure they would hike the trail, but they got jobs, traveled out west, and then Bekah became pregnant. “I left my job to stay home with Ellie and joined this hiking group called Hike It Baby,” says Bekah. “One day, I realized that it might be a possibility [to thru hike with her] because Ellie was a lot happier being outside than inside. She loves the outdoors.” After months of planning and deliberation, the Quirins set off on their flip-flop journey from Roanoke last month, with plans to hike south first to Springer Mountain before heading north to hike from Katahdin back to Roanoke. Their plan seems ambitious, maybe a little too ambitious to some—Ellie, who Bekah will be solely responsible for carrying while Derrick lugs the rest of their gear, will be going through her teething phase on the trail. But for both Bekah and Derrick, the benefits of spending all day, every day

with Ellie during those eight allotted months far outweigh the challenges of hiking 12 miles a day with heavy packs. “Everybody says, ‘time flies,’ and then when you have kids, time flies even faster. We didn’t realize how true that was. When we thought about how we can make time slow down, that’s how we came to thru hiking,” says Bekah. “I’m sure I’ll definitely question at some point what in the world were we thinking taking this trip, but mentally, I want to have the perspective that even if we were still in our comfortable house with everything that is normal to most people, there are still going to be rough days. Doing a thru hike is hard, but raising a child in general is really hard, too.” Before you go judging the Quirins or Pagano-Hopkins household for raising van-lifer-dirtbags-in-themaking, recent studies show that the introduction of grit into a child’s life is more important to overall success

A P R I L 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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than natural intellect or talent. According to Angela Lee Duckworth, a University of Pennsylvania psychologist who has studied grit for decades, instilling children with optimism at the first signs of discomfort, or failure, can make them more successful down the road. “Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” says Duckworth in her TED Talk on grit. “It’s about having stamina, sticking with your future—day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years—and working really hard to make that future a reality.” Sounds like a thru hike, doesn’t it? While baby Ellie will likely only remember her white blaze trek in pictures, that exposure to her parents working hard, and possibly failing, will have a lasting effect on her grittiness.

WORDS OF WISDOM

Want to take the kids on your next outdoor adventure? Take a gander at these tried and true tips from our four families before you hit the trail. START ‘EM YOUNG! “When we moved to Charlottesville, to be honest with you, I didn’t even know about the Appalachian Trail. Later we tried taking them to Old Rag, but unless you really start them young, it’s hard.” —Sophie Carpenter + Rusty Speidel

KEEP IT FUN. “As adults, we really don’t have too much trouble putting our head down and grinding out a workout, but when you’re 10 years old, that’s not what it’s about. It’s about having fun, and adults sometimes skip the fun part.” —Jay + Monica Curwen

BRING MORE FOOD ALWAYS. “Pack more food than you think. Exploring the outdoors takes a lot out of not only the kiddos, but the parents. 'Hangry' family members can ruin a day in the woods.” —David + Sue Finney

KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET. “Keep the length of your trip age appropriate. Younger kids tend to have shorter attention spans.”

—Anne Pagano + Luke Hopkins

GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK. “There are educators in the field that can do the job of teaching your kid things, whether it’s a ski instructor or paddling instructor, and I would encourage parents to lean on that resource rather than be the instructor yourself. I’ve seen my kids take the same advice and instruction I gave them from a professional because that instructor was not a parent. It’s money well spent.” —Jay + Monica Curwen

BE PREPARED, BUT EMBRACE SPONTANEITY. “When traveling, pack lunches and scout out state parks or national forest ahead of time and take back roads as often as possible. Some of our most memorable experiences are the places we stopped for a picnic lunch or a break from driving.” —David + Sue Finney

START 'EM YOUNG.

TOP 10 DESTINATIONS FOR

FAMILY FRIENDLY FUN

Our four families shared their favorite places to go outside and play.

PLAY + DINE

SPY ROCK + DEVILS BACKBONE BREWING COMPANY ROSELAND, VIRGINIA

At 3.1 miles roundtrip, this short hike in central Virginia won’t take all day, but when you’re dragging kids

DERRICK QUIRIN

up a mountain, shorter is sometimes better. The trail climbs steadily to the Spy Rock summit, but that means it’s all downhill from there. Spend an hour or two basking in the 360-degree views of the Religious Range before heading back for a lunch or early dinner at Devils Backbone Brewing Company. When the weather’s nice, the outside seating and game area gives kids plenty of room to roam while the adults kick back by the fire pit with a locally crafted brew.

TURK MOUNTAIN + BLUE MOUNTAIN BREWERY AFTON, VIRGINIA

What better way to greet the day than a 2.2-mile morning hike to the top of a mountain? You’ll climb 690 feet to reach the peak, but once you’re there, you’ll be greeted with talus slopes to scramble on and classic Virginia Blue Ridge views to soak in. Head back down for brunch at Blue Mountain Brewery, which usually has live music on Sundays during the warmer months.

A P R I L 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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FRENCH BROAD + SALVAGE STATION ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

Want a carefree, scenic river float that requires minimal logistics? Head out on the class I-II section of the French Broad River. In the summertime especially, this portion of the French Broad can become crowded with weekend tubers. Start your float early and take out at the Salvage Station. This riverfront bar, concert, and event space is more outdoors than in, and regularly has free music, games, and rotating food trucks.

HIT THE WATER

NANTAHALA OUTDOOR CENTER

BRYSON CITY, NORTH CAROLINA Nothing says summer like whitewater rafting. Take a guided trip down the class II+ Nantahala River with one of the center’s seasoned guides. Kids can also enroll in one of the center’s various paddling schools or clinic offerings to take full advantage of the professional expertise here.

FONTANA LAKE

ALMOND, NORTH CAROLINA Rent a boat, or bring some floating crafts of your own, and head out onto this spectacular 10,000-acre lake. Engulfed by the majesty that is the Great Smoky Mountains, Fontana’s 240 miles of shoreline afford the adventurous at heart endless opportunities to explore. Quiet coves and defined cliff bands make great stopping points to cool off with a swim or cliff jump.

DUPONT STATE RECREATIONAL FOREST BREVARD, NORTH CAROLINA

Hike or bike on DuPont’s 90-mile trail system. Situated at the heart of western North Carolina, this gem is easily accessible and can be as novice-friendly or as advanced as your family’s skillset allows. You would be remiss to plan an adventure here and not pay a visit to the waterfalls showcased in The Hunger Games. Given the stunning beauty of this North Carolina gem, even adults will find it hard not to channel their inner Katniss Everdeen.

SUMMERSVILLE LAKE

SUMMERSVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA The sandstone cliffs that border

Summersville Lake are out-of-thisworld cool, whether you’re a pontoon floater, a SUPper, or a climber. Take your craft of choice to any number of boater access ramps and spend the day on this pristine body of water.

NEW RIVER

BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA Largely overshadowed by the rompin’ class IV-V New River Gorge downstream, the upper stretches of the New River are every bit as scenic and fun. Though the rapids are sizably smaller, they serve as the perfect whitewater introduction for kids of all ages. Put in at McCoy Falls just 15 minutes outside of Blacksburg. Skilled paddlers can get in a quick surf here before floating tranquilly down the rest of the class I-II run.

ON BELAY

KNOXVILLE’S URBAN WILDERNESS KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE

Only a few miles from downtown Knoxville, this recreation oasis encompasses 1,000 acres across 10 different parks and four civil war sites. There are over 50 miles of multiuse trails here, making the Urban Wilderness a popular destination among cyclists and runners, but new to the scene is the Ijams Crag, Knoxville’s only outdoor climbing area. The climbing crag features a diverse range in beginner to advanced sport routes and affords novice climbers an intimidation-free environment to learn the ropes.

NEW RIVER GORGE

FAYETTEVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA No matter if you climb sport, trad, or boulders, the bullet-hard sandstone at the New provides. Hike in for miles on stunning trails to avoid the crowds, or park-and-climb within minutes of leaving your car. Though the New is notorious for sandbagging, there are a handful of walls that offer more moderate routes for families and novice climbers, such as Sandstonia and Butcher’s Branch. Take care in the summer, as these areas in particular can become especially crowded on the weekends.

GET SCHOOLED

With these top 5 outdoor education centers so you, and your family, can feel safe about recreating.

NANTAHALA OUTDOOR CENTER

BRYSON CITY, NORTH CAROLINA Voted “Best Raft Guide Company” in our 2017 Best of the Blue Ridge contest, the NOC is also one of the leading instructional centers for kayaking, swiftwater rescue, wilderness medicine, and, should you want to join the NOC raft guide ranks, raft guiding.

LANDMARK LEARNING SYLVA, NORTH CAROLINA

For all things related to risk management, wilderness medicine, and backcountry response, Landmark Learning is the outdoor industry’s go-to educational organization. College students can even receive an entire semester’s worth of credits while gaining important industry certifications like Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness EMT.

OUTWARD BOUND

NORTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA No matter your age or experience level, Outward Bound has a course that will suit your needs. Trips can range from four days to almost three months and span all genres of outdoor adventure in every corner of the world, from sailing off the coast of Maine to backpacking in Patagonia.

FOX MOUNTAIN GUIDES

PISGAH FOREST, NORTH CAROLINA Learn the ropes with Fox Mountain Guides, voted “Best Climbing Company” in our 2017 Best of the Blue Ridge contest and the only American Mountain Guides Association accredited guide service in the region. Beginners will gain a comprehensive understanding of rock climbing in an intimidation-free setting suited to their experience level, while even expert climbers will learn a thing or two from Fox Mountain’s seasoned guides.

ADVENTURE SPORTS CENTER INTERNATIONAL MCHENRY, MARYLAND

Touted as the world’s only mountaintop whitewater course, this manmade whitewater center is unique not only in

its setting but its outstanding raft guides and kayak instructors. Learn the basics of whitewater paddling in a relatively controlled environment and without the logistical stress of paddling remote rivers.

NEW RIVER MOUNTAIN GUIDES FAYETTEVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA

Want your teen to get hooked on something other than Facebook and video games? Send them to a weeklong rock climbing course this summer with New River Mountain Guides. Between the world-class climbing, nightly campfires, and lasting friendships, it’s sure to be a summer your child will never forget.

WILDERNESS VOYAGEURS

OHIOPYLE, PENNSYLVANIA Make the most of your next weekend getaway with a two-day immersion in kayaking. For decades, the whitewater paddling hub of Ohiopyle has churned out some of the world’s best paddlers, so you know the boating here has to be good. All equipment and gear is provided as well as transportation and lunches on the water.

AMERICAN CANOE ASSOCIATION VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Throughout the year, the American Canoe Association partners with outfitters and paddling clubs across the country to offer a diverse array of courses such as swiftwater rescue, coastal kayaking, essentials of river kayaking, and SUP surf skills. Whether you’re a beach bum or a river rat, the ACA is your best bet for learning water safety and skills.

ARE YOU #ADVENTUREPARENTS?

Is it possible to be an accomplished athlete and a first-rate parent? Join the adventure parenting discussion at BlueRidgeOutdoors.com or tag us on Instagram @ BlueRidgeOutdoors or Twitter @GoOutAndPlay and use the hashtag #adventureparents.

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THE GOODS

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INSIDE THE THRUHIKER'S PACK A.T. AUTHOR ZACH DAVIS SHARES HIS TRAIL ESSENTIALS by GRAHAM AVERILL

ach Davis had never been backpacking before he started thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2011. “I was working in internet marketing and in a rut, and thought something far out of my comfort zone could be just what the doctor ordered.” Now, Davis lives and breathes thru-hiking. He wrote Appalachian Trials, a book designed to help thru-hikers prepare for their journey, and runs a website called The Trek, where long-distance backpackers can blog about their experiences and learn from each other. Davis also created the Badger Sponsorship, where he hooks up worthy thruhikers with gear for their trek. Last year, Davis gave away more than $10,000 worth of backpacking gear. Here are Davis' five favorite gear essentials, in his own words.

MONTBELL PLASMA 1000 ALPINE DOWN PARKA ($379) It’s expensive, but worth every penny. Montbell uses 1000 fill Power Goose Down to pack a lot of warmth for little weight (8.4 ounces). The exterior is thin, so you have to exercise caution—a wayward fire ember or a tent zipper could easily tear through the fabric. But it’s a worthwhile tradeoff for a jacket that has so much insulation but comes in at just half a pound.

SONY A6000 ($549 and up) Mirrorless cameras are the ideal solution for photographers who want all the quality of a DSLR without the weight. The Sony a6000 is mirrorless, with interchangeable lenses and a really fast autofocus. The price is reasonable, given the caliber of capture.

ALTRA LONE PEAK 3.0 ($120) I have a freakishly wide foot. Altra uses a “FootShape Toe Box,” which is unusually wide to allow your toes to splay out naturally. Altra is quietly taking over the thru-hiking world, and for good reason. The newest model, the Lone Peak 3.0, is both comfortable and durable.

DARN TOUGH SOCKS ($23 for the new Uncle Buck) It’s not the sexiest recommendation, but the importance of a quality pair of merino wool socks can't be understated. Not only are Darn Toughs the most durable and comfortable brand of merino socks out there, but they back up their product with a lifetime guarantee. In their own words, "if you wear a hole in them, we will replace them free of charge, for life."

ENLIGHTENED EQUIPMENT REVELATION QUILT ($270) There's a growing trend for thru-hikers to swap their traditional mummy style sleeping bags for a quilt, which are significantly lighter without compromising on warmth. Compressed down insulation under a sleeping hiker is mostly useless. A quilt removes much of the material on the underside, instead clipping together and relying on a sleeping pad to provide insulation for those sleeping on the ground. Enlightened Equipment makes a great quality quilt at a fair price.

MORE GEAR DREAMWAVE EXPLORER BLUETOOTH SPEAKER ($150) This 15W premium hi-fi performance bluetooth speaker is waterproof and features a 20-hour battery life, hands-free calling, and a bicycle handle bar mount.

THULE VERSANT 50L ($240) The main torso panel and the hip belt of this pack can slide several inches before being Velcroed into place, allowing you to dial in the support to your exact torso length and waist. The rain guard allows you to reach the water bottle pockets without taking off the shell.

ADIDAS ZONYK PRO SUNGLASSES ($184) These wraparound polarized glasses provide a complete, uncompromised field of vision for tearing down technical trail. They perform well on the bike, too—reducing glare while still providing a crisp view of the road or trail. A P R I L 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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CATCH THE STEEP CANYON RANGERS This month the Steep Canyon Rangers will appear at the Bell Auditorium in August, Ga., on April 27 and at Merlefest in Wilkesboro, N.C. on April 28. The band will also perform with comedians Steve Martin and Martin Short at the Durham Performance Arts Center in Durham, N.C., on April 20-21, the Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte, N.C., on April 22, and the Altria Theater in Richmond, Va., on April 23.

RUNNING RANGER

WHEN HE’S NOT ON STAGE, BLUEGRASS BASSIST CHARLES HUMPHREY III HITS THE TRAILS

by JEDD FERRIS

uring one of his many long tours as the bassist for Grammy-winning North Carolina bluegrass outfit the Steep Canyon Rangers, Charles Humphrey III stumbled upon a copy of Christopher McDougall’s best-seller Born to Run. After reading the book, he found out his sister-in-law was preparing to run a marathon, so, with no experience beyond a 5K, he went to a local running shop, Jus’ Running, in his hometown of Asheville, and asked for training advice. He signed up for the Tobacco Road Marathon in Cary, where he, uncertain about his preparation, assumed he would finish in about five hours. After running the 26.2-mile course in only three and a half, he ran another marathon with the goal of improving his time. He succeeded but bonked around mile 18, and an overall unpleasant experience changed Humphrey’s outlook on running. “I immediately realized I didn’t want to have to run faster every time,” he said. “I wanted to see how far I could go.” Ever since, ultrarunning has become Humphrey’s main hobby, and for the past five years he’s integrated training for hundred milers and other long-distance adventures into a busy life as a touring musician and married father of two. He’s now conquered some big races, including the Hallucination 100 Mile in Michigan 56

and the Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile Trail Run in Texas, where his time and some lottery luck qualified him to run the epic 100-mile Western States Endurance Run in California this June. Being a working musician requires Humphrey to spend approximately half of each year on the road, so his training is often limited by the Steep Canyon Rangers’ hearty touring schedule. The band, which formed back in 2000 and won a Grammy in 2013 for Best Bluegrass Album, juggles its own headlining gigs with shows backing comedian and skilled banjo player Steve Martin. Waking up in different cities forces Humphrey to get creative with his running schedule, which can mean pounding pavement in the dark. Occasionally after the Rangers take a final bow, he’ll lace up his shoes and strap on a headlamp, using his post-show adrenaline to increase his daily mileage. “At end of the night I usually have energy from the show, so instead of sitting around and drinking, I’ll get out and run another five or six miles,” Humphrey said. Back at home he can be more selective about where he runs; Humphrey can often be found on some of his favorite western North Carolina trails, like Heartbreak Ridge and Kitsuma, near Black Mountain. He’s also become friends with some of the fixtures in Asheville’s ultrarunning

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JUAN CARLOS BRICENO FOR TAMARA LACKEY PHOTOGRAPHY

scene, including Pete Ripmaster and Adam Hill. Humphrey has completed the latter’s signature running creation, the Pitchell 100K—a 67-mile slog on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail from Mt. Pisgah to Mt. Mitchell. He also recently ran the entire 115-mile Bartram Trail with his friend Brad Kee in an impressive 47 hours. “I’ve made some of my best friends through running,” Humphrey added. “When you run with others, you struggle together and really see the good side of humanity.” Humphrey rarely listens to music while running. If he’s alone, he’ll go with the occasional podcast or audio book (He completed Stephen King’s entire The Dark Tower series while running). But lately he’s mostly been enjoying the sounds of nature, which he said often inspire him to write new songs. “Running provides inspiration. You have time to think,

and you’re experiencing a lot of highs and lows. That definitely carries over to songwriting.” After running through California’s rugged Squaw Valley at Western States, Humphrey will focus on hosting the Steep Canyon 50K Ultramarathon & Relay Hullabaloo, the annual run he started with Ripmaster that will take place on September 7. The event, based between Hendersonville and Brevard, N.C., at Oskar Blues Brewery’s REEB Ranch, blends a low-key trail run with a music and camping festival. Designed to offer an accessible entry into ultrarunning, the run’s course is a 10-mile loop through the DuPont State Forest that can be completed solo or as part of team. “It’s not supposed to be a competitive race,” Humphrey said. “I just love running and want to share it with as many people as I can.”

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KENTUCKY TRAIL TOWNS AS YOUR HUB FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURE IN THE BLUEGRASS.

Kentucky Trail Towns are located throughout the commonwealth and feature some of the best in outdoor recreation and help make Kentuckyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thousands of trails and hundreds of waterways more accessible and enjoyable. Stretching from the far eastern reaches of Kentucky in Elkhorn City, all the way to the western Kentucky town of Dawson Springs, Trail Towns connect some of our best long distance trails and rivers. Each town shares its own unique culture and history, making for memorable experiences. This spring, Kentucky is happy to add Slade, located in the heart of the Red River Gorge, to its list of certified Trail Towns. For decades, rock climbers have visited the Red River Gorge to find some of the highest quality sandstone climbing anywhere in the world. Now hikers, campers and others are learning about all there is to do and see in this pristine recreation area. The first Kentucky Trail Town, Dawson Springs, is home to Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park and the Tradewater River. Kentucky Trail Towns offer access to our stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longest trails, including the Sheltowee Trace. Beginning in northern Rowan County, the Sheltowee travels through downtown Morehead, Slade, Livingston, McKee, London and Stearns before continuing south into Tennessee. The Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail, located on the ridge of its namesake Pine Mountain, provides hikers a chance to explore Elkhorn City and the historic coal communities that make up the Harlan County tri-cities of Cumberland, Benham & Lynch. Trail Towns are not just made for hikers and backpackers though. Cyclists and mountain bikers will find plenty of trails and pavement to explore. The self-proclaimed Cycling Capital of Kentucky, London is undoubtedly home to some of the best road routes and mountain bike trails in the state. The popular Redbud Ride every April attracts over a thousand cyclists. Leaving from London, it highlights southeastern Kentucky and includes trips through Trail Towns of Livingston and McKee.

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The TransAmerica Cycling Route travels nearly the entire length of Kentucky, and features three Kentucky Trail Towns. Berea, a thriving artist community, and the aforementioned McKee and Elkhorn City can all serve as rest stops for cross-country cyclists.

Columbia, Kentucky, offers paddlers and anglers a chance to explore one of the most underutilized waterways in Kentucky on Russell Creek. Nearby, adventurers will find Green River Lake State Park and its miles of multiuse trails.

Kentucky’s longest Rail to Trail, the Dawkins Line, is also home to one of the newest and smallest Trail Towns. Royalton in rural Magoffin County sits at the halfway point of the planned 36-mile Dawkins Line Rail Trail. Leaving from Royalton, hikers, bikers and horseback riders can enjoy the 18-mile, downhill, section of trial.

For those who enjoy more horsepower-driven adventure, Manchester, Kentucky, is your destination. Miles of ATV and off-road adventure awaits just outside of the “Land of Swinging Bridges.”

Rivers, streams and creeks slice through Kentucky and create some of the best paddling opportunities in the nation. The diversity of waterways found here ensures that paddlers of all skill levels will find something to match to their needs. Jamestown sits just off the banks of the mighty Cumberland River, below the impressive Wolf Creek Dam. Paddlers here will enjoy this scenic stretch of river, while also enjoying excellent fishing for trout, striped bass and more.

Home to country music legend Tom T. Hall, Olive Hill in northeast Kentucky is the gateway to Carter Caves State Resort Park. While most have heard of Mammoth Cave, few realize there are caves to be discovered in numerous regions of Kentucky. Kentucky’s most notable recreation destinations can be accessed through Kentucky Trail Towns. No matter what your recreational pursuit, there is a Kentucky Trail Town waiting to welcome you. Visit KentuckyTourism.com to plan your adventure travel getaway and be sure to tag us in your Kentucky adventures, #travelky, #adventureky.

LOCK THROUGH!!!!!! Discover a unique adventure in Frankfort! Locks 1-4 on the Kentucky River are now open for recreation! Weekends from late May through late October travel by canoe, kayak, SUP or boat through the historic locks between Frankfort and Carrollton. Easy access at River View Park in Downtown Frankfort! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an adventure for the whole family!

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CITY FUN – COUNTY ADVENTURE! Ashland/Boyd County is located along U.S. 23 Country Music Highway – a mecca for arts, festivals, great food, entertainment, trails and off-road adventure. Come check us out – you’ll be glad you did! visitashlandky.com

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BEER CHEESE TRAIL & FESTIVAL AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURE! The Birthplace of Beer Cheese hosts the Annual Beer Cheese Festival June 10 with live music, beer garden, beer cheese samples, and arts & crafts! Nature preserve, KY River kayaking and nearby Red River Gorge and ziplining. tourwinchester.com

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DISCOVER LONDON AND LAUREL COUNTY!

Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast, business person or just interested in a weekend getaway, Pikeville/Pike County has a variety of conveniently located lodging options that are perfect for you – Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, and Landmark Inn. Book your Eastern Kentucky trip today!

Seeking all energetic outdoor explorers who like to bike, hike, fish, boat, swim, paddle or just drive the best scenic routes in Kentucky. Discover your adventurous side in London, your “Crossroads to Adventure!”

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COOL OUTDOOR ADVENTURES IN HARRODSBURG! Hike the Trails, Paddle Waterways, Take the Reins, Tee it Up! The Preserve at Shaker Village (40 mi. multi-use trails), Dixie Belle Riverboat, Herrington Lake, KY River, Big Red Stables, Bright Leaf Golf Resort & more! harrodsburgky.com

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HEAD TO GLASGOW FOR A GREAT VISIT! Glasgow, a town to love. Enjoy nature’s beauty, friendly people, and a quaint feeling. Experience Barren

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River Lake, Museum of the Barrens, Fort Williams, and Plaza Theatre to make your visit even greater!

Explore the world’s longest-known cave system, then paddle greenways, pedal scenic rural routes, and experience Lost River Cave’s Kayak the Cave tours and zipline. Top off your adventures with craft spirits & buzzworthy live music!

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CORBIN – WHERE ADVENTURE, HISTORY AND HOSPITALITY AWAIT Located in the outdoor adventure mecca of Kentucky, Corbin is home to Laurel River Lake, Cumberland Falls State Park, Daniel Boone National Forest and other natural jewels! Your next outdoor adventure awaits in the peaceful grandeur of southeastern Kentucky. Our natural sanctuaries offer year-round recreation opportunities, including boating, fishing, horseback riding, hiking, canoeing, camping, scuba diving and so much more! corbinkytourism.com

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PADDLE THE CUMBERLAND RIVER CHALLENGE IN BARBOURVILLE The Canoe and Kayak Race is an annual event, hosted by Union College, U Canoe, and Barbourville Tourism on September 23, 2017. The race consists of 15 miles of river, ranging from calm water to beginner-level rapids. The race starts on the Knox County line bordering Bell County, and finishes in Knox County at the Thompson RV Park. Shop, dine, and explore Historic Barbourville.

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HOUSEBOAT, VACATION & FISHING SPECIALIST! Come play on Dale Hollow Lake and the Cumberland River for a great time with your family and friends. Burkesville is the perfect spot to make memories, with unforgettable houseboat vacations, family friendly resorts, lakeview campsites and cozy cabins. Experience incredible fishing from smallmouth bass to trout, scuba dive in the crystal clear water, hike trails to stunning overlooks and play the superb golf course at Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park. cumberlandcounty.com

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FRANKFORT = FUN!

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WIN A WEEKEND ON US! You won’t want to miss this chance to win a weekend full of adventure in Frankfort, KY. You’ll be surprised at what a gem this small central Kentucky town is. Located between Lexington and Louisville, Frankfort will make your weekend an adventure to remember! This adventure includes: • 2 Nights at the Capital Plaza Hotel in historic downtown Frankfort • Guided kayak, canoe, or SUP trip on Elkhorn Creek or the KY River with Canoe KY! • Dinner at Buddy’s Pizza

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TWO STATES. “the nation’s finest”

April is "GET OUTSIDE!" Month In Kentucky State Parks April 1 1st Day Hike: Monthly Series Pennyrile Forest SRP April 8 Goose Creek 5K E.P. “Tom” Sawyer SP April 8 2nd Saturday Hike Lake Barkley SRP April 8 Yatesville Lake Clean-up Yatesville Lake SP April 21 Herpetology Weekend Natural Bridge SRP April 22 Nature Photography Wknd. Cumberland Falls SRP April 22 Hike-a-thon Pine Mountian SRP April 23 Earth Day: All About Butterflies Wickliffe Mounds SHS April 22 Ohio Valley Birding Festival John James Audubon SP April 28-30 Camper Appreciation Wknd. KY State Park Campgrounds April 28-29 Wildflower Weekend Natural Bridge SRP April 29 Bluegrass River Run Ft. Boonesborough SP May 5-6 Wildflower Photography Wknd. Pine Mountain SRP

ONE GRAND ADVENTURE.

Hiking | Biking | Fishing White Water Rafting Horse Back Riding Rock Climbing Visit parks.ky.gov for a complete listing of parks and events.

BREAKSPARK.COM

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TALLULAH GORGE STATE PARK

but for visitors who want at least a few of the comforts of home (and without the two-hour hike in), there are plenty of campground sites starting at $32 per night.

SOUTH CAROLINA

JONES GAP STATE PARK

RECREATE BY STATE A STATE-BY-STATE GUIDE TO OUR TOP 10 PARKS IN THE SOUTHEAST AND MID-ATLANTIC by JESS DADDIO SHOW US YOUR STATE PARK ADVENTURES!

Tag us on Instagram @BlueRidgeOutdoors and use the hashtag #BROStatePark to be featured on our feed!

GEORGIA

TALLULAH GORGE STATE PARK

HOW TO PLAY: This remarkable 1,000foot gorge is highly regarded among the paddling community for its remote feel and quality class IV-V rapids, but it’s those very same reasons that make the gorge an incredible destination for hiking, cycling, and even climbing, too. Visitors can walk the easily accessible rim trails and overlooks for shorter trips, but to trek to the gorge floor where waterfalls abound, a permit will need to be obtained. Permits are limited to 100 per day, and are not available

HOW TO PLAY: Nearly 4,000 acres comprise this South Carolina state park near the North Carolina border. Bisected by the Middle Saluda River, Jones Gap has boundaries that bleed into the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area, which is flanked by Jones Gap to the east and Caesar’s Head State Park to the west. Together, this trifecta of protected lands is a sanctuary for Upstaters and western North Carolinians alike. Anglers in particular will appreciate the park’s wide variety of trout fishing opportunities along the Middle Saluda River, and Matthews or Julian Creeks. As springtime turns to summer, Jones Gap is the place to be for its ample waterfall and swimming hole options. Rainbow Falls is particularly stunning after a solid spring rain, and at over 100 feet in height, you’ll easily hear this behemoth long before you see it. WHERE TO STAY: Trailside camping is available in Jones Gap State Park and the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area with a permit and only at one of the 18 designated primitive sites. Camping at the campground ranges from $8 to $20 per site, per night.

NORTH CAROLINA GORGES STATE PARK

during water release dates, so know the schedule before you go. For the full Tallulah experience, hike the two-mile Hurricane Falls loop, which breezes past heady gorge views, across an 80-foot-high suspension bridge, and down to the falls for which it’s named. Cyclists can also explore the gorge via the Stoneplace Trail, a 10-mile technical trail that can be ridden in conjunction with the four-mile High Bluff Trail for a moderately difficult ride, or the paved 1.7-mile Shortline rail-trail for a family friendly outing. WHERE TO STAY: Backcountry campsites by Tallulah Lake start at $20 per night,

HOW TO PLAY: Once considered nothing more than an area in which to log and experiment with hydropower, Gorges State Park is now considered a jewel of western North Carolina for its explicit beauty and its importance as a haven for rare species. This 7,500-acre park extends all the way to the northern lip of Lake Jocassee where hikers can hop on a portion of the 76-mile Foothills Trail. Aptly named, the must-see stops in Gorges are, without a doubt, the numerous waterfalls that plunge through the Toxaway and Horsepasture gorges. The three-mile roundtrip Rainbow Falls hike is a popular excursion, both for the jaw-dropping power of the falls and for the rainbow itself that often arcs over the riverbank. Discover the pot of gold by continuing upstream about a quarter of a mile to Turtleback Falls for an

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Glen Maury Park

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WHERE WILL YOU GO

IN YOUR LOWAs?

TUCSON, THE WIND RIVERS. CANYONLANDS. ESTONIA. HELSINKI. CINQUE TERRE. MT. BALDY. PARIS. PARK CITY, UT. STRASBOURG. MUNICH. CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK. NAMIBIA. THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY.

TALLIN, ESTONIA. THE SAN JUANS. THE SIERRA NEVADA. SAN GORGONIO. THE ADIRONDACKS. SAN JACINTO. THE GRAND CANYON. ISTANBUL. LAKE TAHOE. MEXICO CITY. ICELAND. RIGA, LATVIA…

The Innox Evo’s DynaPU® midsole technology delivers the superior cushioning and durability you expect from a LOWA, along with the lightweight comfort of a running shoe. Add seamless breathable uppers plus a grippy outsole and you get the ideal shoe for do-it-in-a day adventures or daily workouts. It’s details like these that go into every LOWA, so you can get the most out of your time on the trail. Find LOWAs at these specialty outdoor retailers. Leave your footprint #LOWABOOTS

Innox Evo Lo Ws I www.lowaboots.com Available for men & women.

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headed out on a weekend, the shelter will likely be crowded). Roan Mountain State Park has a 107-site campground and 30 cabins for rent, with tent sites beginning at $13.75 per night.

KENTUCKY

BREAKS INTERSTATE PARK

BREAKS INTERSTATE PARK SHOWCASES SOME OF THE MOST RUGGED SCENERY IN VIRGINIA AND KENTUCKY VIRGINIA STATE PARKS

unforgettable swimming hole. WHERE TO STAY: Primitive camping can be found all along the Frozen Creek and Grassy Ridge Access Areas and is free of charge but not reservable. For those wishing to backpack along the Foothills Trail toward Lake Jocassee, there are six designated sites along the trail that can also be used on a first-come, first-serve basis. Campsites at Raymond Fisher Camp Area require about a 1.5-mile hike in and run $10 per night.

MOUNT MITCHELL STATE PARK

HOW TO PLAY: At 6,684 feet, the summit of Mount Mitchell rises higher than any other peak east of the Mississippi. The views from this sacred spot are expansive, dramatic, and well worth the strenuous six-mile hike up the Mount Mitchell Trail (though there is a quartermile summit trail from the parking lot, we’re not that type, and we’ll assume you’re not either). The trail takes hikers beneath the boughs of an ancient spruce-fir forest, not unlike that found in northern climates, before popping out of the tree cover. Even on the hottest

of summer days, the temperature and weather atop Mount Mitchell can be unpredictable and often cold, so come equipped with proper layers. Another favorite hike in North Carolina’s first state park is the Deep Gap Trail, which begins near the summit of Mount Mitchell and traverses the Black Mountain range. Hikers will cross over Mount Craig, second in size to Mount Mitchell, and Big Tom Mountain as they follow the crest. WHERE TO STAY: There are nine walk-in tent sites in the park and primitive camping for backpackers on Commissary Ridge open year-round. For hikers looking to tackle the Mount Mitchell Trail, the Black Mountain Campground is your best bet. Here you can directly access the trail, and at $22 per night for a maximum of two cars and eight people, it’s an affordable spot to crash with a group of friends (make sure you bring cash if you don’t reserve online). Just down the road is the similarly priced Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area and Campground, which is a great destination unto its own.

TENNESSEE

ROAN MOUNTAIN STATE PARK

HOW TO PLAY: For carpets of wildflowers and tunnels of rhododendron, for Blue Ridge Mountain panoramas atop expansive balds, look no further than Roan Mountain State Park. Appalachian Trail hikers have long treasured this particular section of white blazes as a breath of fresh air from the green tunnel. Hike the 14-mile stretch of the AT across Carvers Gap, cutting across Round Bald, Janes Bald, and Roan High Knob, for some of the most spectacular scenery in the Southeast. History buffs should be sure to make a stop at the Miller Farmstead. The historically preserved farmhouse and cluster of outbuildings were constructed in 1908 and remained occupied until as late as 1967. Given Roan’s reputation for harsh and unpredictable weather, the farmstead acts as a memorial to the hard-working subsistence Appalachian farmers who called these mountains home. WHERE TO STAY: Pitch a tent in the woods or try to claim a spot at the Overmountain Shelter (though if you’re

HOW TO PLAY: Not quite a “state park,” but close enough, this 4,600-acre interstate park is one of only two interstate parks in the country. Straddling the border between southwestern Virginia and eastern Kentucky, the Breaks is managed by the two states. Its name dates back to the mid-18th century when Daniel Boone scoured the rugged cliffsides in search of a literal break in the 125-mile Pine Mountain ridgeline. If you’re a whitewater kayaker, the Pound and Russell Fork rivers are a literal wet dream, with regular release weekends and continuous whitewater to fit everyone’s skill level. Each fall, paddlers from near and far set up camp at the Breaks to paddle either the upper class II-IV stretches of the Russell Fork or the class IV-V gorge below. In some places, the canyon walls loom over 1,600 feet above the river. Climbers looking for an escape from established crags and weekend crowds elsewhere are now, as of last year, permitted to climb and establish routes at designated areas within the Breaks. Over 25 miles of established hiking and biking trails lead to many of these climbing areas, and if you’re planning on throwing up a route, stop by the Visitor’s Center to learn proper protocol and to pick up a free permit. WHERE TO STAY: The park itself has a beautifully wooded campground with 138 sites, starting at $17 per night. Upgrades include sites with electric and water or, of course, a lakefront cabin or room at The Lodge.

VIRGINIA

GRAYSON HIGHLANDS STATE PARK

HOW TO PLAY: One visit to Grayson Highlands State Park will forever change how you rank Southwest Virginia as an adventure destination. Sandwiched between the quaint communities of Independence and Damascus, Va., this high-elevation park provides front door access to Virginia’s tallest mountains— Mount Rogers and Whitetop. The park is also home to a resident miniature

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Wherever your adventures take you in our beautiful Shenandoah Valley, we’ve got a brewery nearby to quench your thirst. With 13 brewery locations, it’s easy to refresh yourself on the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail. Please Drink Responsibly.

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With a reputation built on quality and reliability, Oztent has been the choice of adventures, helping create awesome experiences for over 20 years. Find out more about the range at: www.oztent.us. BlueRidgeOutdoors

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NO MATTER THE SEASON, BLACKWATER FALLS STATE PARK IS WILD AND WONDERFUL. TUCKER COUNTY CVB

pony population, which is every bit as magical and endearing as it sounds. To properly experience the highlands, you’ll need a few days and a solid pair of hiking boots. Though a small portion of the Appalachian Trail runs through the park, check out the Rhododendron or Wilson Creek trails for the opportunity to gorge on wild blueberries or catch the elusive native brook trout. In addition to hikers and equestrians, boulderers are beginning to take more notice of the park for its plentiful boulderfields. The park has a bouldering guidebook on sale at the Visitor’s Center, and out-of-town climbers can even rent a crash pad for

the day. Backpackers will find no shortage of places to set up camp within the park, but for those who are trying to forgo the tent, space at the Thomas Knob Shelter fills up quickly. If you’re in need of a hot shower and some electricity, Grayson Highlands’ campground sites run about $20 per night. WHERE TO STAY:

WEST VIRGINIA

BLACKWATER FALLS STATE PARK

HOW TO PLAY: No matter the season, or the sport, Blackwater Falls State

Park serves up the ultimate adventure sampler. Elite paddlers will tackle the classic class V Upper Blackwater, which runs regularly throughout the winter and spring months. If white-knuckling down a steep creek in the dead of winter with the potential for serious consequences isn’t for you (we don’t blame you), hikers and mountain bikers can take to the diverse offering of trails in the park, from the Blackwater Canyon rail-trail to the rooty goodness of the Balsam Fir Trail. Everyone should make a point of visiting the six-story falls for which the park is named. Here, the amber-colored waters of the river tumble over 60

feet into the canyon below, and after particularly brutal cold snaps, the falls often freeze over. After a solid snow, the park takes on an ethereal Narnia-like quality. Ski beneath the snow-laden limbs of hemlock and spruce trees on the park’s groomed cross-country ski trails, or grab a sled and take a run down the sledding hill. Year-round cyclists will even find some good fat biking here and can take a rip on one of Blackwater Bike’s rental rides. WHERE TO STAY: Open the last weekend of April until October 31, the Blackwater Falls campground is a primo place to post up. Sites start at $22 per night and

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can be reserved for up to two weeks at a time.

MARYLAND

ASSATEAGUE STATE PARK

HOW TO PLAY: Hemmed in by the crystal-blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Sinepuxent Bay to the west, Maryland’s only state park is a quiet alternative for beach lovers. Nine miles south of the tourist bonanza that is Ocean City, Assateague caters to the adventurous tourists who aren’t afraid to work for their fun. Grab a sit-on-top kayak and paddle out past the break from the park’s boat launch facilities. Bring a rod for some saltwater angling, or hop off the boat and dig deep for clams. Paddling the western bayside shore of Assateague gets you up-close and personal with the island’s marsh environment where insular coves and plentiful waterfowl sightings will keep you exploring for hours. The island is biker-friendly, with a four-mile paved bike path running the length of the park, so you can access any part of the beach without the worry of traffic. Sunburns and mosquito bites aside, the only real concern you’ll have on Assateague is

having your beach camp raided by feral horses. WHERE TO STAY: From $11.75 a night, the Assateague State Park campground situates campers just a stone’s throw away from the beach, which is cordoned off from the campsites by sand dunes.

PENNSYLVANIA

LAUREL RIDGE STATE PARK

HOW TO PLAY: Be it the subtle shades of pink and white from blooming mountain laurel or the vibrant squash oranges and yellows of peaking fall foliage, this southwestern Pennsylvania jewel of a park is stunning in every season. Its backbone and namesake, the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, traces the Laurel Mountain ridgeline for 70 miles from the Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle to the Conemaugh Gorge near Johnstown. Though backpacking and day hiking are the most popular adventures in the park, there are a number of sections of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail that, given the right amount of snow, are navigable by cross-country ski. Additionally, the park operates a cross-country ski touring concession where visitors can

rent skis, take ski lessons, and skate on over 18 miles of groomed trails. Not a skier? Rent a pair of snowshoes for the day! Snowshoeing is a rewarding way to take to the trails, but some coordination is required. WHERE TO STAY: Hikers can opt for a lightweight setup and ditch the tent on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, as there are eight shelters situated every six to 12 miles along the trail’s 70-mile route. Traditional car campers will want to stake a site at the Laurel Ridge State Park campground, where you can grab a site starting at $17 per night.

BEST OF THE REST

More of our favorite state parks, forests, and recreation areas:

COOPERS ROCK STATE FOREST

BRUCETON MILLS, WEST VIRGINIA Rope up on the Sunset Wall and The Big Blocks climbing areas. With over 50 routes ranging from 5.2 through 5.12, these walls afford the out-of-town climber a tantalizing taste of the endless climbing Coopers Rock has to offer. HOW TO PLAY:

WHERE TO STAY: Pitch a tent at the state forest campground for $28 per night. All sites come with electric and WiFi is available.

NORTH BEND STATE PARK CAIRO, WEST VIRGINIA

HOW TO PLAY: Bring the entire family for a bike ride along the North Bend Rail Trail. This 72-mile multiuse trail takes visitors back in time through historic tunnels and railroad hubs from decades past. WHERE TO STAY: Two campgrounds, River Run and Cokeley Campgrounds, offer out-of-towners plenty of chances to rough it with sites starting at $22 per night. For a few modern-day luxuries, the lodge has rooms starting $60 per night during the week.

DOUTHAT STATE PARK MILLBORO, VIRGINIA

HOW TO PLAY: Loop up the 18.2-mile Douthat IMBA Epic. The park’s 40 miles of singletrack here can be fast and dry or rocky and technical, so pick your poison. WHERE TO STAY: Sites at the park campground start at $26 per night for

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SATURDAY • APRIL 22, 2017