by Collin Stuart Chambers
“In difficulty lies opportunity.” I saw those words on a billboard today, somewhere between a gas station and the rising blue ridges, and they swirled themselves around my brain. The phrase looped over and over as I drove home on this warm,gorgeous spring day....
by Collin Stuart Chambers
Musings from the Trail: Through the Lens of a Long-Season Ridgerunner on the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Hitch #8 — South Section | April 10–13, 2025 I often share a few highlights about my “hitches” (what my 4-day patrols on the...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
I have great news! I loved being an Appalachian Trail Ridgerunner in the Smokies SO MUCH I’ve decide to be the long-season Ridgerunner again for the 2025 season! As a Ridgerunner in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I am grateful I get to be a devoted steward...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
This past week’s hitch was different from my regular 4-day adventures on the Appalachian Trail, in that the first two days were dedicated to cleaning out a remote backcountry privy (an outhouse). This endeavor coincided with a trip by the Rocky Top trail crew leaders...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
I frequently get asked, “What does an Appalachian Trail Ridgerunner do?” While there is an official list of “essential duties and responsibilities” (attached below), I trust that my presence on the trail is primarily to be a beneficial steward of the trail and...
