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Beginner Backpacking on the Florida Trail

January & February 2022

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Backpacking the Art Loeb Trail

Spring 2022

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Interested in learning how to backpack?! I will be Interested in learning how to backpack?! I will be leading beginner groups of 5 on backpacking trips this February on the Florida Trail. 3 days 2 nights 28 miles See the website for details! DM me if interested!
The AT is not a glamorous trail, and for that reas The AT is not a glamorous trail, and for that reason I think people underestimate it. It will test you. It will inspire you. It will bring you out of your head and into your body. It teaches you to trust yourself to push yourself, and to forgive yourself. It reminds you to push through the tough times, pause when it's too much, and always celebrate your wins.
Art Loeb Trail Day 3 8.4 miles today 30.1 miles t Art Loeb Trail Day 3 8.4 miles today 30.1 miles total We camped on top of the mountain, which is great for views but oh so windy at night ๐ŸŒฌ๏ธ It also rained for an hour right before we had to pack up, which always makes for a fun camp break-down ๐Ÿ˜‚ Today we hiked through Shining Rock Wilderness and it did not disappoint. Beautiful sunrise with epic views made for an unforgettable morning. The last 4 miles is the hike were downhill. You'd think that would be easy after all the ascents we went through over the last few days, but man did our legs feel like Jell-O by the end! But we freaking finished! I'm so proud of Grant for pushing through, even when this was probably not the best hike for a beginner... He must really love me ๐Ÿฅฐ
Art Loeb Trail Day 2 11.2 miles today 20.7 miles Art Loeb Trail Day 2 11.2 miles today 20.7 miles total We woke-up early to get on trail before sunrise, but have very relaxed expectations for the day. Maybe we stop after 3 miles, maybe we make it 6, or maybe we make it to our original planned campsite at Investors Gap making it at full 11.2 mile day. The first mile and a half was normal and even flat in a few areas, which was a nice confidence booster to start the day. We even found some trail magic in the form of fresh water and sweet tea waiting for us right before our first climb of the day ๐Ÿ™Œ The next 2 miles was our ascent to Pilot Mountain. 1800ft in 2 miles. The elevation map on All Trails looks almost straight up ๐Ÿ˜ฉ It was a beast. We took our time, no stress, no rush. We would walk 100 steps then stop for 20 sec, all the way to the top. The final stretch was the toughest, when slowed to 50 steps at a time, but we kept moving forward. When we finally reached the top, Grant crumbled to the ground and I think actually blacked-out for a few seconds ๐Ÿ˜ต I let him catch his breath and started preparing food for him because I was pretty sure he was low on calories. We fed him everything we could and slowly he started to feel normal again as we sat on the the mountain top basking in our accomplishment. PHEW! First climb complete! The second climb over the Blue Ridge Parkway and on to Black Balsam Knob was challenging and maybe even more challenging in a few spots with 100% grade, but we had a pretty good system at this point. We basically realized we just need to go slow and keep Grant fed lol. Getting to Black Balsam Knob felt amazing. We finally exited the green tunnel and had 360 views for the rest of the day. We had 1 more small climb up Tennent Mountain before a relatively easy last mile into camp at Investors Gap. WE DID IT! Not only did we complete several difficult climbs after we contemplated leaving the trail last night, but we also got back on our original milage plan ๐Ÿ’ช So proud of us today!!!
Art Loeb Trail Day 1 10.5 miles We started the d Art Loeb Trail Day 1 10.5 miles We started the day right before first light. I'm so grateful to be back on trail and excited to show Grant my hiking world โ™ฅ๏ธ Everything is so green right now. Being back in the forest feels like I can finally breath again. The Pisgah National Forest it's enchanting as the mist slowly comes and goes as the day moves on. This trail is rated "difficult" and that was definitely evident in this first day. We planned to go 12 miles, but stopped at 10.5 to rest our bodies and decide if it was a good idea to finish the trail. It might have been a little too ambitious to put on someone for their first hike. After discussing our options we decided to move forward slowly tomorrow and take advantage of 2 bail-out points (road crossings where we could get hitch) if necessary. It's important to push yourself, but it's equally important to listen to your body and know your limits. So we moving forward, but with a plan to stay safe ๐Ÿ˜Š >> Marissa
Just completed the Art Loeb Trail with this handso Just completed the Art Loeb Trail with this handsome fellow! 30 miles over 3 days on one of the toughest trails in NC ๐Ÿ’ช More stories and pics to come this week. Stay tuned!
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