The February Issue of Blue Ridge Outdoors is Live!

QUICK HITS

Another red wolf shot • Repair is radical • 9-year-old sets running record • Lost cat found 700 miles away

THE DIRT

Trump and the outdoors • Conservative outdoor caucus • Craig Dodson leads Richmond’s urban cycling squad • Hatfield-McCoy Marathon celebrates the region’s oldest family feud

FLASHPOINT

The South’s most iconic tree species—including ash, sycamore, and dogwood—are besieged by pests and disease. What does the future hold for our forests?

EPILEPTIC THRU-HIKER

In the spring of 2014, 28-year-old Alex Newlon headed for Springer Mountain determined to complete a northbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

LOCALS ONLY

How to glean the best adventure beta from resident experts who keep it secret.

WHAT’S NEW AT THE NEW?

The New River Gorge Area in southern West Virginia has long been recognized for its outstanding whitewater and climbing scene. But what does the future hold for this recreation hub?

BLACK METAL IN THE BLUE RIDGE

For today’s Appalachian black metal artists, the link between nature and their music is real and authentic.

THE GOODS

Georgia running badass Erick White dishes his favorite trail gear.

TRAIL MIX

Raw and Sync—a double dose of Fredericksburg native Keller Williams.

DIRTY DOZEN

These twelve tough events should be on everyone’s bucket list for 2017. Do you have what it takes to tackle these challenges?

WHY I RUN

What drives record-chasers and elite athletes to go faster and farther? Four elite ultrarunners from the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic share their secrets.

PLAY TOGETHER, STAY TOGETHER

Chris Olson and his wife lived in a tent together for an entire summer—and they’re still married. Here is their field-tested advice for outdoor couples.