February 2019
Awesome: The Surprising Science Behind How We Experience the Outdoors A cold front is sweeping over Pickem Mountain in the Jefferson National Forest, blasting a gale-force wind through the cliffs crowning its summit. The weather has my attention, but the trio of kids I’m hiking with are too busy to notice. They’ve got other business.…
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Fun fact: Olympians often eat chocolate covered waffles between Super G runs. At least, that’s what I tell my kids, Cooper and Addie, when we reach the top of Snowshoe Mountain and I spy the Waffle Cabin just to the right of the lift. I’ve come to believe that family ski trips are as much…
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Courtney Dauwalter RAN 279 Miles in Big Backyard Ultra and outlasted all but one competitor. On the morning of the fourth day, Johan Steene and Courtney Dauwalter stood at Big Backyard Ultra’s start corral once again. The three whistles had blown, signaling the three, two, then one-minute countdown. The duo awaited the clang of the…
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In its new state park, Tennessee plans to build a large road on a steep mountainside, which would damage stream water quality and threaten wildlife. The cleanest water, the rarest species, the most secluded hiking and biking trails in the region, and a new state park. You can find all this and more at Rocky…
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The 8 Toughest Ultras in the South At one time, ultramarathons were a niche sport. They were ridiculously long distance races that only the craziest endurance athletes were willing to attempt. Today, several hundred ultramarathons occur around the United States every year. Although an ultramarathon is technically anything longer that 26.2 miles, the most extreme…
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The town with no wi-fi or cell phones, Green Bank, W.Va., is home to one of the world’s largest radio telescopes searching for alien signals Lodged in the valley of the misty Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia, the Green Bank Telescope sits royally in the middle of a field, its giant dish pointed towards the sky…
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Is Social Media Spoiling the Best Outdoor Secrets? Scrolling through my Instagram feed, it seems as though every other photo is taken at the top of a mountain or at a scenic overlook. I won’t deny it: a hiker myself, I have posted mountaintop photos on more than one occasion. One of the most photographed…
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SHARE THE LOVE: JOIN THE I HEART PISGAH ADVENTURE TEAM Are you a runner, biker, paddler, hiker, triathlete, adventure racer, or climber who wants to help protect the places where you play? Join our I HEART PISGAH Adventure Team, which includes elite athletes and everyday adventurers who love exploring, enjoying, and protecting public lands. You’ll…
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New programs are making camps more accessible and affordable Hannah Sjovold credits the Blue Sky Fund Outdoor Leadership Institute for helping her “develop who I am and who I want to be.” Blue Sky Fund brings youth from all over Richmond, Va. together through outdoor adventure and service. Rising ninth through twelfth graders spend a…
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Summer Camp isn’t Just for Kids Anymore Increasingly, grownups are looking for weekend retreats focused on nature, physical activity, and community. So in 2017, a collection of adult adventure camps called The Pursuit Series was born. In 2019, the Series will head east to Brevard, N.C. for the first time. During the three-day weekend outdoor…
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The 1,300-Mile Florida Trail is an often overlooked long-distance footpath Sure, there are plenty of winter adventures in the Appalachians, but it’s hard to deny the allure of warm-weather hiking. In February, Florida’s rains have subsided, the bugs are (mostly) gone, the temperatures moderating, and the landscape as lush as ever. Snowbirds, it turns out,…
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New Albums by the musicians you want to listen to. Rhiannon Giddens Returns with New Collaboration, Our Native Daughters Rhiannon Giddens first emerged in the Grammy Award-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, a popular acoustic trio that revived the underappreciated traditions of black string band music in the South. She’s since pivoted to a solo career and…
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Michael John Ferraro bags a first descent of Bearwallow Falls and becomes the fifth paddler to plunge down Looking Glass Falls. If you dig WHITEWATER, you best remember the name Michael John Ferraro. 2019 is shaping up to be a big year for this 22-year-old North Carolina boater. He’s making a name for himself as…
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Shut-In Champs Reveal Their Go-To Gear The beauty of living in the Southern Appalachians is that it’s always trail running season. Aside from a few rogue storms, trail conditions are amicable year-round. Still, it’s safe to say that spring is prime time for hitting the dirt. You’re coming off of winter and looking to get…
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Features Big Bad Beasts of the Blue Ridge Looking for the toughest running challenges in the South? These eight ultras will take you to the edge. The Biggest Conservation Success of the Decade It took ten years of dedication and backbreaking work, but the Tennessee Wilderness Act finally passed in December. How did conservationists pull…
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