by Collin Stuart Chambers
Déjà Vu on the Appalachian Trail: What three section hikers taught me about perseverance, trail magic, and squeeze cheese. After my Sunday Trail Ambassador patrol on Max Patch, I did what any reasonable person would do after eight hours of hiking around and around the...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
In my earlier post about our latest adventure in the Great Smoky Mountains, I mentioned my hiking partner rolled her ankle and went on to hike more than 35 miles. I thought I would elaborate and share how we assessed whether to turn back or continue with our planned...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
Blame It On Bobby! Our imaginary hiking buddy we cursed to survive 4-days in the Smokies My friend and I just got back from four days and 45 miles in the Great Smoky Mountains, chasing another chunk of our “900 Miler Map.” For the uninitiated, that’s a delightfully...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
AVOIDING THE BITEY THINGS! (A NO-PANIC GUIDE TO TICK SEASON) Every year… the posts, the warnings, the hand-wringing… “The ticks are worse than ever!” And this year? They might actually be right. The CDC reported in April 2026 that emergency room visits for...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
A LOVE LETTER TO TREKKING POLES Your third and fourth legs (and how they can save your life!) If you’ve ever watched someone glide confidently down a rocky descent while you white-knuckled your way through it like a baby giraffe on an ice rink, there’s a...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
BABY, IT’S HOT OUT THERE! HOW TO STAY COOL (AND ALIVE) WHILE WALKING IN THE SUMMER HEAT It’s July. Much of the country is melting. And somewhere out there, someone is lacing up their boots and heading for a trail in 98-degree heat because “it’ll be fine.” I have...
