January 2019
Woman completes Triple Crown of hiking in a single year When Heather “Anish” Anderson’s boots touched the ground in Grants, New Mexico this November, it marked the first time a woman had completed the triple crown of hiking in a year. In just over 8 months and nearly 8,000 miles, Anderson walked the Appalachian Trail,…
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Will Turner is aiming to complete 60 Iron-distance triathlons in a single year—and smashing a world record along the way. When I catch up with WILL Turner, he’s in his car driving from his hometown in Richmond, Va. down to New Orleans to compete in a quintuple ultra-triathlon—five Ironman distance triathlons (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike,…
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Paddlers, filmmakers, and local citizens team up to nominate the Nolichucky as a Wild & Scenic River. That the Nolichucky River is both wild and scenic seemed obvious enough on a brilliantly clear day last fall when I walked into its namesake gorge east of Poplar, N.C. The water level, which fluctuates widely in this…
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EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON THEIR FAVORITE HOME TRAINING EQUIPMENT Best case scenario is you get your workout while you hit the trail, slopes, or rock. But life isn’t always about the best case scenario. Sometimes, you can’t make it to the trail. Sometimes, you can’t even make it to the gym. So, we talked to…
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In Harrisonburg, Va., bikes are helping sentenced juveniles find a new path. In Harrisonburg, Virginia, when you’re a juvenile charged with a misdemanor, you end up in the courtroom of Judge David O’Donnell, a district court judge for the 26th Judicial District Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Depending on the case, O’Donnell can dole…
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User conflicts are a growing problem in the Blue Ridge, ranging from vandalism and trash-laden trails to the closure of trail systems due to overuse. We often borrow the euphemism “loved to death” to describe these problems, but are we really loving a place if our activities are causing so much harm? Maybe we should…
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A $1 billion fund could help heal scarred landscapes left behind by a century of mining—and help thousands of miners breathe easier. So far, though, the country’s most powerful Senator—Kentucky’s own Mitch McConnell—has not moved it forward. Clinton Sanders can never gulp quite enough air. At night, he is tethered to an oxygen machine. And…
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It’s almost that time of year again to vote for your favorites and we are looking for recommendations. Are there categories we have missed? Let us know by using the form below! With more than 100 categories, the eighth annual Best of the Blue Ridge Awards are bigger and better than ever. Thousands of readers…
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Health Hacks and Fitness Secrets from Top Coaches, Athletes, and Experts to make your New Year’s Resolutions Stick. A new year is here and everyone is busy making plans to make 2019 better than ever. Whether you want to spend more time outdoors, focus on your mental health, or hike the entire A.T., these athletes,…
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Departments Quick Hits Triathlete completes 60 Ironmans in a single year • (L)earn-a-bike offers a path forward for Harrisonburg youth • Charlottesville runner sets Long Trail record • Black bear populations on the rise The Goods Build a home gym: Athletes and trainers pick their essential equipment. Flashpoint Are outdoor adventurers losing their conservation ethic—or…
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Seeking new tunes in the new year? Check out the sounds of these five emerging regional acts. Martha Spencer The Sound: Hailing from the mountains of southwest Virginia, Martha Spencer grew up in a musical household, surrounded by traditional Appalachian songs. With her family leading the acclaimed Whitetop Mountain Band, Spencer has been picking and…
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