by Collin Stuart Chambers
There’s nothing quite like walking up on a refreshing gurgling spring on a hot summer’s day, eagerly drinking after sweating through miles of trail. But what about in the dead of winter, when you’re so chilly you’re moving just fast enough to...
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
My first season as a Ridgerunner on the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park was incredible—but it started off cold. I quickly learned that staying warm enough to sleep well through the night was a challenge. Here’s a little something I...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
The first hitch of the 2025 Smokies Ridgerunner Season was delayed by a day due to a winter storm. I was originally to enter the south section of the AT at Newfound Gap, but most of the roads in and through the park were closed. I was able to drive around the park and...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
Walking in the depths of winter is to experience life in a cycle of quiet, peaceful slumber. The gilded glow of the winter sun streams dimly through windswept trees. The air is crisp and still… As we intuitively listen for the faint whispers of the Wild Wood. In...
