Blue Ridge Outdoors February 2019

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H O W T H E A .T. J U S T S AV E D T H E S O U T H — F O R N O W

BY WILL HARLAN

THE PIPELINE VS. THE TRAIL WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A MASSIVE $6 BILLION PIPELINE TRIES TO CROSS AN ICONIC FOOTPATH? IN A MODERN-DAY DAVID VS. GOLIATH SHOWDOWN, THE TRAIL WINS.

THE PIPELINE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A DONE

deal. Dominion Energy, one of the country's largest utilities, already had all of the permits for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. They had even begun clearing its planned route, which stretches 600 miles from West Virginia to North Carolina.

Then, to everyone's surprise, they were stopped in their tracks last month by a narrow ribbon of trail.

The A.T. may have just saved the South from a 600-mile, $6 billion blunder—at least for now—and helped change the course of our energy future. How did it happen?

Dominion’s pipeline route travels for over 20 miles through Virginia’s George Washington National Forest and across the Appalachian Trail (A.T.). National forests have strict regulations regarding water quality and environmental impacts, but the U.S. Forest Service issued a special exemption permit—essentially allowing Dominion to break the Forest Service’s environmental rules and push the pipeline through the forest.

Then D.J. Gerken, an attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, realized that Dominion was relying on the Forest Service’s permit to cross the Appalachian Trail, too.

The Appalachian Trail is a unit of the National Park Service—not the U.S. Forest Service. And pipelines are prohibited in national park units because of their danger for spills, leaks, and impacts to water and wildlife.

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“Dominion was trying to use a Forest Service permit to cross a national park unit where pipelines are not allowed,” explained Gerken, who helped file SELC’s litigation against the pipeline.

The Fourth Circuit of Appeals unanimously agreed last month. They ruled that the Forest Service permit was invalid and the pipeline could not cross the Appalachian Trail.

The court also ruled that Dominion had not properly conducted environmental assessments of the pipeline, and that Dominion had failed to consider alternative routes that did not cross public lands.

“Essentially, it sent Dominion back to the drawing board,” said Gerken.

“The current route of the pipeline cannot proceed.”

The fight is far from over. Dominion plans to appeal the decision. But this much is clear: a dirt path just halted one of the country’s biggest billiondollar behemoths.

Had the Appalachian Trail not been there, had the early 20th century visionaries not dreamed it; had decades of trail crews not built it and maintained it; had the National Park Service not stepped up to safeguard it; had hikers not supported it and trail towns not bolstered it; had the entire country not rallied around this iconic footpath, there would be a 600-mile scar slashed through Appalachia right now.

Instead, one of the most controversial and costly projects

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | FEBRUARY 2019

in recent history was stopped by a white-blazed path through the forest.

Sharing in this success are the thousands of volunteers who maintain the Appalachian Trail and the four million people who hike parts of it each year. Already, the Appalachian Trail community has rallied against the pipeline—writing letters, contacting political leaders, and even staging tree sits for months at a time. The trail community’s voice will become increasingly important to the future of the pipeline and the entire region.

The Appalachian Trail’s pipelinestopping victory also reflects the increasing political muscle of the outdoors. The Appalachian Trail has become more than a 2,189-mile footpath from Maine to Georgia. It is now an economic engine and a powerful political force.

For decades, fossil fuel industries like Dominion have called the shots, especially in Appalachia. Now, the outdoor industry is a political and economic force to be reckoned with. In 2017, outdoor recreation accounted for nearly $900 billion in consumer spending and over 7.5 million direct jobs nationwide. That’s more than both the fossil fuel and pharmaceutical industries, according to the Outdoor Industry Association.

In Appalachia, the outdoor sector employs more people than coal, oil, and gas combined.

The A.T.—and other scenic trails and outdoor opportunities like it— are the backbone of our regional

S U N R I S E O N T H E A P PA L A C H I A N T R A I L I N M A X PAT C H , N O R T H C A R O L I N A

economy, and they may be our best defense for protecting the future of Appalachia. Communities are reinventing themselves to attract hikers, mountain bikers, and climbers, and public lands are becoming economic support systems for small towns and entire states.

Increasingly, public lands have also become battlegrounds. Fossil fuel industries view public lands as resources to extract and exploit.

Most Americans today view them as national treasures to be shared­and safeguarded.

Ultimately, the collision between the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the Appalachian Trail was a clash between two diverging visions for our region: a fracked, fossil-fueled future, or a more sustainable economy based on recreation and renewables.

“We already have pipelines in the South to meet our current and future energy needs,” said Gerken. “We should be investing in a renewable energy infrastructure instead of fracked-gas pipelines that leak, spill, and pollute our drinking water.”

In this country, we are at a junction: the route of the pipeline or the path through the forest. Changing course won’t be easy. But there is hope in these hills: a trail and its supporters stood their ground against fossil fuels’ dominion in Appalachia—and showed us another way forward.

FEBRUARY 2019

Are you up for the challenge?

An innovative race series spanning multiple sports and multiple state parks, including:

B L U E S K Y F U N D O U T D O O R L E A D E R S H I P A L U M N I AT MILE ZERO OF A 350 MILE BICYCLE TOUR. / PHOTO C O U R T E S Y O F D U S T I N PA R K S

32 SUMMER CAMPS FOR EVERYONE 13 New programs in the BIG BAD BEASTS OF South are making the THE BLUE RIDGE Looking for the toughest camps more accessible, affordable, and running challenges in adventurous for kids of the South? These eight ultras will take you to the all ages. edge.

38 SAVING ROCKY FORK— 27 AGAIN THE BIGGEST In one of its newest state CONSERVATION park, Tennessee plans SUCCESS OF THE to build a large road on DECADE a steep mountainside It took ten years in Rocky Fork, home to of dedication and some of the wildest and backbreaking work, most pristine lands in but the Tennessee Appalachia.

Wilderness Act finally F E AT U R E S

passed in December.

How did conservationists D E P A R T M E N T S pull it off—especially in this political climate?

8 QUICK HITS 29 Southerners (Heart) SKI KIDS Wilderness • Ferrero’s Two nine-year-olds and first descents • Adult their parents spend a adventure camp • No weekend on the slopes Business 100 • The with a professional guide town with no wi-fi and from Snowshoe. The the search for aliens biggest lesson of all: • Favorite outdoor keep it fun. podcasts

12 FLASHPOINT Overexposed: Is social media spoiling the best outdoor secrets?

37 THE GOODS Shut-In champs reveal their favorite trail running gear

March 30-31 . . . Pocahontas State Park April 13 . . . . . . . . . . Shenandoah River State Park May 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Smith Mountain Lake State Park May 12 . . . . . . . . . . . Hungry Mother State Park June 29 . . . . . . . . . High Bridge Trail State Park Sept. 14 . . . . . . . . . Claytor Lake State Park Sept. 21 . . . . . . . . . New River Trail State Park Oct. 12 . . . . . . . . . . . Pocahontas State Park

Prizes include cash, gift certificates and bragging rights.

41 TRAIL MIX Rhiannon Giddens returns + 5 favorite upcoming albums 42 LAST WORD Awesome: What is behind the feeling we experience in the outdoors?

ON THE COVER Canyon Woodward runs the Appalachian Trail across frosty Max Patch, N.C. Photo by Justin Costner @justincostner

For a full list of races visit: www.dcr.virginia.gov/AdvSeries

800-933-PARK (7275) | www.virginiastateparks.gov FEBRUARY 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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B AC K TA L K PARKS TRASHED DURING SHUTDOWN PRESIDENT BLAKE DEMASO b l a ke @ b l u e r i d g e o u t d o o r s . c o m E D I TO R I N C H I E F W I L L H A R L A N will@blueridgeoutdoors.com P U B L I S H E R L E A H W O O DY leah@blueridgeoutdoors.com C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R L AU R E N W O R T H lauren@blueridgeoutdoors.com A S S O C I AT E P U B L I S H E R K AT I E H A R T W E L L katie@blueridgeoutdoors.com E D I TO R I A L & P R O D U C T I O N S E N I O R E D I TO R J E D D F E R R I S jedd@blueridgeoutdoors.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER AMELIA MCCONNELL amelia@blueridgeoutdoors.com T R AV E L E D I TO R E L L E N K A N Z I N G E R ellen@blueridgeoutdoors.com

I didn't realize park personnel were basically janitors. Who are all these people that shit and leave garbage everywhere? —Alex Christian Why is not having park rangers on duty during the government shutdown any different? The park staff isn’t there to pick up your trash. That’s on you.

—Ron Huntsberger

ARE OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS LOSING THEIR CONSERVATION ETHIC? Social media has caused most of the problems. We are all guilty of it: share a cool pic form a place, and people go to said place. The cycle has grown out of control. —Chris Higgins

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You can’t keep public treasures hidden forever. Eventually the public is going to find them. The lack of respect and compassion for resources is the problem. —Jeremy Yoak Where are the country's children supposed to learn how to properly experience these places when we give them a device and tell them they have to stay indoors? —Bret Struggle There are too many clueless noobs and cliques of people who think they own/rule the place. They’re cutting new trails, and over grooming existing routes, thus allowing more irresponsible people into places they have no respect for. —Joey Bridges It’s sad to see what people do when they think nobody is watching, very disappointing. —Cathy Cooper

RECLAIMING APPALACHIA I am happy to see the country moving away from coal, but I don’t think we should leave behind the hardworking coal miners who sacrificed their health and their lives. It’s appalling that we aren’t fully funding the programs for black lung disease.

—Janice Petrilli

It’s inspiring to read about the new ways that folks are trying to revitalize Appalachia. We've learned our lesson from depending on a single extractive industry like coal. A mix of recreation, tourism, industry, and technology seems like a smarter and more sustainable approach. —Kelly McGinty TA L K B AC K TO U S H E R E :

QUICK HITS

OUTDOOR NEWS

BY JEDD FERRIS + KIM DINAN

SHARE THE LOVE: JOIN THE I HEART PISGAH ADVENTURE TEAM Are you a runner, biker, paddler, hiker, triathlete, adventure racer, or climber who wants to help protect the places where you play? Join our I HEART PISGAH Adventure Team, which includes elite athletes and everyday adventurers who love exploring, enjoying, and protecting public lands.

You'll receive free I HEART PISGAH swag and special opportunities, and you'll be featured in Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine, where you can share your adventures with our audience. You’ll also be supporting I HEART PISGAH, a coalition of over 100 outdoor organizations and thousands of individuals protecting the special conservation and recreation areas in the Pisgah-Nantahala National Forest. Blue Ridge Outdoors is a proud member, and joining the coalition is free and easy at iheartpisgah.org. Wanna join the adventure team? Submit a letter of interest to submit@blueridgeoutdoors.com.

PATAGONIA PLEDGES TO DONATE GOP TAX-CUT SAVINGS TO HELP ENVIRONMENT Patagonia will save about $10 million annually from the corporate tax cuts passed by the Republican-controlled Congress and enacted by President Trump. In late November, the venerable gear and apparel company announced that it will donate every penny of that extra money to organizations working to help the environment. “Instead of putting the money back into our business, we’re responding by putting $10 million back into the planet,” said Patagonia CEO Rose Mancario in a letter posted on LinkedIn, adding that the money would be given to “groups committed to protecting air, land and water and finding solutions to the climate crisis.”

Patagonia has been outspoken against the Trump administration’s environmental policies, denial of climate change, and actions taken to reduce protection for public lands. In the 2018 midterm elections, the company publicly endorsed Democratic candidates for the first time, and in late 2017 Patagonia filed a lawsuit against the president for reducing the size of two national monuments in Utah.

22 Number of veterans that commit suicide every day. Eddie Arendell, a former Marine from Maysville, Ky., recently completed a southbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail to raise awareness about the veteran suicide epidemic.

Arendell left home last June and hiked 2,200 miles in approximately five months, finishing just before Veterans’ Day. 8

NEW NAME FOR NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL RIVER? In the fall, Senator Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican from West Virginia, introduced legislation to rename the New River Gorge National River. If successful, the regional scenic gem—coveted by climbers and whitewater paddlers—would become New River Gorge National Park. Since the 73,000-acre New River Gorge National River is already a unit of the National Park Service, nothing else would change except the name. The effort was started by a group of whitewater outfitters hoping to make more potential visitors aware of the Gorge. A recent study found that when eight national monuments were changed to national parks, visitation increased by 21 percent.

“Re-designating the national river as a national park will shine a light on the New River Gorge and its many offerings to help drive tourism and spur the local and regional economy,” said Capito.

8-YEAR-OLD CANCER SURVIVOR CRUSHES MARATHON 8-year-old Pennsylvania runner Nate Viands breezed through the NCR Marathon in Baltimore with a time of three hours and 32 minutes. It’s actually one of the easier challenges he has faced. Viands was diagnosed with leukemia before his fourth birthday. After enduring a lengthy period of debilitating treatments, Viands began running as he regained his strength.

In November, he ran his first marathon in Baltimore with his dad, Scott. By mile eight he left his old man in his wake. “He just took off,” Scott Viands told Runner’s World.

“Every once in a while at an aid station, I’d ask, ‘Did you see a little guy come through?’” and they’d be like, ‘yeah, he’s 10 minutes ahead of you.’”

"A lot of people get dealt tough hands, have rough situations," continued Scott. "But to see him work hard at something and go through what he went through, it was a special moment to watch as a parent.”

The Viands family is now looking towards a more significant milestone this June, when they will find out if Nate is cancer-free, five years after his diagnosis.

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | FEBRUARY 2019

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY NAMED TOP CAMPUS FOR BIKING The League of American Bicyclists named UK the moist bike-friendly campus in the country, citing its bikeshare memberships, free bike rentals, repair stations, and cycling programs. Additional regional colleges recognized include the University of Maryland, East Carolina University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Virginia.

ASHEVILLE CITY COUNCIL'S J U L I E M AY F I E L D ( A B O V E ) IS CO-DIRECTOR OF M O U N TA I N T R U E , O N E O F O V E R 1 0 0 O R G A N I Z AT I O N S W H O A R E PA R T O F T H E I HEART PISGAH COALITION.

Dixie Rock—the country’s oldest indoor climbing competition— celebrates its 30th year on February 16 in Chapel Hill, N.C.

“IT WAS WONDERFUL, REWARDING, AND A WAY TO MAKE MYSELF FEEL BETTER IN THE FACE OF THIS NATIONAL TRAUMA." — Alleyn Harned, on why he organized a volunteer clean-up in Shenandoah National Park last month during the government shutdown. Volunteersd helped with park maintenance across the country, and nonprofits also steppoed up: Great Smoky Mountains Association donated $50,000 to temportarily keep busy visitors' centers open in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

THE TOWN WITH NO WI-FI

ANYONE OUT THERE? GREEN BANK, W.VA.—THE TOWN WITH NO WI-FI OR CELL PHONES—IS HOME TO ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST RADIO TELESCOPES SEARCHING FOR ALIEN SIGNALS

BY MARGUERITE GALLORINI

LODGED IN THE VALLEY OF THE MISTY

Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia, the Green Bank Telescope sits royally in the middle of a field, its giant dish pointed towards the sky to catch radio waves emitted from space. These naturally occurring radio waves tend to be very weak and can come from as far as fourteen million light years away.

That is why the Green Bank Telescope—part of the Green Bank Observatory—sits in this valley: the mountains act as a convenient natural barrier against radio interferences from surrounding cities, allowing the telescope to do its intergalactic research peacefully.

What’s being done there?

The Green Bank Telescope (GBT) is the largest fully steerable radio telescope in the world: 485-foot tall— that makes it higher than the Statue of Liberty. It has a 110-meter dish that has a surface area of 2.3 acres—that means you could easily fit two football fields in there.

While there are other larger telescopes out there, the GBT is unique: this 17-million pound metallic structure can rotate 360 degrees in only nine minutes, which means it can cover 85 percent of the sky.

“The GBT is in kind of that happy little medium where if you have a smaller dish you can cover more sky; but you don't have as much sensitivity,” says staff scientist Andrew Seymour.

And the more sensitivity means the more radio waves you can detect.

“So you're right in that curve between sensitivity and sky coverage.”

Seymour recently helped in the discovery of mysterious bursts of radio emission, called Fast Radio Bursts (FRB), which may be coming from near another galaxy’s black hole. The telescope is also used by universities across the country and

by Breakthrough Listen, also known as SETI—Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence.

SETI takes up 20% of the telescope’s time. “SETI has a back end on the telescope that's constantly recording and trying to detect signals like [FRBs], but it’s looking for techno-signatures rather than naturaloccurring events.”

Technosignatures—or technomarkers—are non-natural measurable signs that indicate the presence of past or present technology: signs that could prove the presence of an alien world.

“The whole idea of using a radio telescope to search for signals from other civilizations was launched right here in Green Bank in 1960,” says Sue Ann Heatherly, senior education officer at Green Bank Observatory.

The project was sustained for Green Bank in 2016 by a $100-million donation from Israeli-Russian entrepreneur and physicist Yuri Milner.

Breakthrough Listen is part of the greater Breakthrough Initiatives, a scientific program that Yuri Milner started in 2015, dedicated to the investigation of this question: are we alone in the universe?

Along with two other telescopes, Green Bank will help provide a

complete survey of the one million nearest stars, the center of our galaxy, and the 100 nearest galaxies.

Who would have thought that this West Virginia town, away from everything and kept out of sight by lengthy, lacey mountain roads, is home to futuristic science looking at one of the biggest questions humanity has ever wondered?

How do you listen in on space?

For all of these groundbreaking projects, the telescope needs to detect very sensitive radio emissions —and the Allegheny Mountains are sometimes not enough against strong artificial radio waves. Anything from cell phones, digital cameras, smart watches, tablets, FitBits, TVs, Wi-Fi Internet, or microwave ovens can interfere with the telescope. It can come from more unusual sources too, says Green Bank tour guide Rebecca Anderson. “For example, we picked up interference from faulty wiring in someone's doorbell once, so we just went down and fixed the doorbell for them. Simple as that.”

Another way against interferences is through the National Radio Quiet Zone: a 13,000-square-mile national preserve for radio astronomy, which covers a part of West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland. In this zone, cell phone

THERE ARE NO CELL PHONES OR WIFI IN GREEN B A N K , W. VA . , H O M E T O A W O R L D - C L A S S R A D I O TELESCOPE SEARCHING FOR ALIEN SIGNALS.

towers are more regulated—so technically, there is cell phone service in the Quiet Zone: just not in Green Bank, where there are only about 145 inhabitants. The closest place to get cell phone service is about 45 minutes south—and only if you have AT&T. Donnie Ervin is a Green Bank resident and works at Trent’s, a local general store. He does not seem to mind the cell service situation: “Not a whole lot has changed. It's pretty much the same as it was when I grew up— but I like it here. I like the quiet. I like it just the way it is."

So, no hard feelings against the Observatory?

"I like the Observatory being here,” he says. “Growing up around it, it's just part of the community. And when I was a kid, I used to take school trips there.

They do some pretty interesting stuff. I love to read the articles whenever they find something new."

All in all, life might be a little slower and somewhat stuck in the past at Green Bank. But everyone seems to be willing to take a small step back on modern technology, if that means helping Green Bank Observatory make great leaps forward for science.

FEBRUARY 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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QUICK HITS

FIRST DESCENT PADDLER

CHASING WATERFALLS

MICHAEL JOHN FERRARO BAGS FIRST DESCENTS OF LOOKING GLASS FALLS AND BEARWALLOW FALLS

BY PHIL MORGAN

IF YOU DIG WHITEWATER, YOU BEST REMEMBER

the name Michael John Ferraro. 2019 is shaping up to be a big year for this 22-year-old North Carolina boater.

He’s making a name for himself as a bold explorer, paddling where few others have dared to go. In January Ferraro bagged the first ever descent of 50-foot Lower Bearwallow Falls and just a few days thereafter became only the fifth kayaker in history to launch off Looking Glass Falls in the Pisgah Ranger District. Ferraro’s list of monster drops would be even more impressive if he could talk about them all, but as a part-time carpenter and full-time dirtbag, he’d rather avoid federal fines.

On the competitive side of the sport, Ferraro is equally ambitious. He took sixth in this year’s Green Race.

With a new sponsor in Liquidlogic, and some fancy hot-out-the-oven boats, this feisty upstart has his eyes on the podium in 2019.

We visited Ferraro at his new house in Pisgah Forest to talk about first descents, running waterfalls, the Green Race, and why it pays to be a carpenter.

Tell us about going off Looking Glass Falls?

MJF: I’ve been looking at this thing for so long, but I hadn't found the right water level. If it gets too high, there are these recirculating eddies on the sides that you can get caught in and at lower water it lands in a really shallow pool. It was the perfect level, so I decided to fire it up.

Describe the decision-making process.

MJF: Really the scary part of making a decision to run something like this is the decision itself, committing to putting your gear on. Once I see the line and commit to doing it, I am confident I can. Looking Glass Falls is once of the most difficult runs I’ve ever 10

kayaked. Sure, I’ve kayaked waterfalls that are taller, but never with the depth of the pool at the bottom as a factor.

I avoided hitting the bottom when I went off the falls by maintaining an angle of 45 to 60 degrees. When I was at the lip of the falls, this unexpected curler crashed onto my bow, but I was still able to maintain that angle that I wanted and land and pop up at the bottom and give a big yell.

You’ve descended another iconic Blue Ridge waterfall, which cannot be named for legal reasons. Can you at least describe that descent for us?

MJF: There were more logistics that went into this other drop. My buddy and I had to wake up super early. We knew there would be consequences if we were caught. It’s 3:45 a.m., and we have to make a large portage in the dark; there’s no trail. We lower our boats down a ravine into the eddy above the waterfall. As the sun is coming up, we peel out. I had a good line, a little bit of a harder hit than I wanted. At this point three people have run that waterfall.

How did you get the first descent of Lower Bearwallow Falls?

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | FEBRUARY 2019

MJF: The Toxaway is one of the most extreme rivers in North Carolina to paddle. It’s on the fringe of what’s navigable. We had to go down that gorge and then hike back up the Bearwallow, which flows into the Toxaway. We get done with all the hard stuff on the Toxaway to then go for this first descent. It was a mission. We had to rope our boats to the top of it. It’s about 40 to 50 feet tall. At low water, it doesn’t clear a shelf, and there are some trees, too. We came in with enough speed to gap over all of that.

We had two clear runs on it with my buddy Jeremy Nash. He’s only 17. He shreds though; he really gets after it.

How are you finding things that haven’t been run?

MJF: We’re just working hard to read books and search around on the internet. YouTube is a good resource because there’s a lot of people who hike to these waterfalls and this gives us a good idea of what the base flow looks like. We look on Rain Pursuit, Google Earth. There’s another platform, CalTopo, which is essentially maps layered on top of each other from years and years. We also hike a lot with boats on our shoulders, up to

10 miles a day.

Do you currently have your eyes on another first descent?

MJF: Oh yeah. There’s just so much that we’re looking at, like really small creeks that people would never even think you could kayak. In western North Carolina, there are still plenty of first descents to be had.

What’s the biggest drop you’ve made?

MJF: Metlako Falls. It’s out in the Columbia River Gorge. It was 100 feet.

How did you like Mexico?

MJF: Mexico was some of the best whitewater I’ve paddled and some of the best people I’ve met.

Where’s your dream destination?

MJF: Iceland. Epic gorges and beautiful waterfalls. There’s some first descents that we’ve been looking at over there.

What are you looking forward to most about working with Liquidlogic?

MJF: There’s going to be a new boat this spring. I’m really excited for that.

Getting to have input on a boat really is a game-changer for me. Plus, I’m

THE SNOWBIRD'S LONG TRAIL

A D U LT A D V E N T U R E C A M P

going to paddle with Pat Keller this summer on some rivers out West that have only been done once or twice.

terminus at the Oasis Visitor Center, until the trail splits, then turn back. Opt for trail runners instead of sandals and boots, recommends Jupiter, and don’t fret the swamp: “the toughest step is the first one.”

You took sixth this year at the Green Race? Were you pleased with the result?

MJF: I’ve always told myself just worry about beating yourself. I kicked my own butt this year. I beat myself by seven seconds. That’s a lot. The difference between me and second place was 1.6 seconds.

BLACKWATER RIVER STATE FOREST ONE DAY / 8 MILES Set a shuttle at Red Rock Road and set off from Blackwater River State Park.

Once paralleling Juniper Creek, you’ll be surprised by the steep, red-clay bluffs and diversity of habitats.

How do you get ready for the Green Race?

MJF: This past year, all I did was go out and paddle. And my girlfriend Heather and I go and ride mountain bikes a lot.

If I can get in the gym a little bit more it’ll also benefit me.

Is it your goal to win that race?

MJF: It is. Liquidlogic is experimenting with different types of plastic. The boat made out of this one type of plastic holds the record. I’m thinking if I can get my hands on one of those boats I can make things happen and at least get on the podium.

Any other plans for 2019?

MJF: I’m going to be doing some work as a carpenter. What’s nice about that is I can go kayaking when it rains.

THE FORGOTTEN TRAIL

THE 1,300-MILE FLORIDA TRAIL IS AN OFTEN OVERLOOKED LONGDISTANCE FOOTPATH

BY BRIAN COOKE

SURE, THERE ARE PLENTY OF WINTER

adventures in the Appalachians, but it’s hard to deny the allure of warmweather hiking. In February, Florida’s rains have subsided, the bugs are (mostly) gone, the temperatures moderating, and the landscape as lush as ever. Snowbirds, it turns out, are onto something.

The backbone of the Florida hiking community is the orange-blazed, 1,300mile Florida National Scenic Trail, or simply the F.T. The F.T., which stretches from Pensacola Beach to Miami, is “unlike any other long distance hike

OCALA NATIONAL FOREST TWO DAYS / 20 MILES Start beside the blue-green waters of Juniper Springs, cross through the big scrub of Juniper Prairie Wilderness, and camp under the big sky of Hopkins Prairie. Finish on Salt Springs Trail with a celebratory dip in the constant 72-degree waters of Salt Spring Run. in America,” contends local James “Jupiter” Hoher, who operates Jupiter Hikes. It’s wilder, tougher, and more scenic than many assume. As the trail hopscotches between protected swaths of longleaf pines, prairies, and oaks, it’s easy to forget about the pricey, ticketed attractions and high rises. Even more enticing, the F.T. only gets a fraction of the traffic as other long trails. Across much of the trail, skittish Florida black bear or bugling sandhill cranes are more common than hikers.

Don’t skip the tiki bars, amusement rides and beaches on your next Florida trip, but carve out some time for one of these five orange-blazed F.T. hikes.

LITTLE BIG ECON STATE FOREST HALF DAY / 5 MILES This is the perfect escape from your next family Disney expedition in Orlando. Park at the Barr Street trailhead, and follow the F.T. as it traces the bluffs of the Econlockhatchee River (“Econ” for short). From your vantage point, you’ll likely see a few gators in the tannic waters below. Downstream, link up with the white-blazed Flagler Trail which loops back to the F.T. BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE ONE DAY / 6 MILES Big Cypress is the only true swamp portion of the trail, so expect solitude, wildlife, slow travel, and wet feet. Trek three miles from the F.T.’s southern

SUWANNEE RIVER FOUR DAYS / 65 MILES Commit to this long-haul section of the F.T. between Bell Springs and Twin Rivers State Forest for a little bit of everything, including sinkholes, springs, shoals, and even the sleepy trail town of White Springs. Here, says Jupiter, is where the F.T. most resembles the A.T. with rolling hills and even a few riverside shelters.

ADULT ADVENTURE CAMP

SUMMER CAMP ISN'T JUST FOR KIDS ANYMORE. B Y A N N A K AT H E R I N E C L E M M O N S

INCREASINGLY, GROWNUPS ARE LOOKING FOR

weekend retreats focused on nature, physical activity, and community. So in 2017, a collection of adult adventure camps called The Pursuit Series was born. In 2019, the Series will head east to Brevard, N.C. for the first time.

During the three-day weekend outdoor adventure festivals, which will take place in three locations this year, including Asheville, Pursuit encourages those with a curiosity or affinity for the outdoors to try a new, different challenge, surrounded by 500

fellow outdoor adventure seekers. The base price starts around $499, which includes all activities, courses, meals, alcohol, and coffee.

Whether learning how to change a flat tire on a mountain bike, read a compass, or rock climb, the outdoors is transformed from an unknown or intimidating endeavor to a fun, conquerable experience. And the best part, according to many past attendees, along with choosing your own adventure each day, is meeting a new community of young, old, male and female.

Last year, Allison Desir, founder of Harlem Run and Run 4 All Women, attended a Pursuit Series weekend with her husband and two friends from Harlem Run. But initially, it took a lot of convincing.

“I was intrigued, but I wasn’t a very outdoors person and I didn’t see myself in that environment,” Desir says.

“Despite being a runner, I’m a New Yorker. I almost didn’t go.”

However, once she and her group arrived, Desir immersed herself in trail running, a class on packing a hiking backpack, stand-up paddleboarding, and more. The variety and depth of courses helped her feel more empowered, Desir says, while also educating her. “After that experience, I was like, ‘I love this. I want to do everything outdoors,’” Desir says.

Once she returned home, Desir kept in contact with one of the yoga instructors from her Pursuit weekend.

In December, Desir completed her certification to become a yoga instructor. “I wasn’t a yoga regular, and I’m still not particularly flexible,” Desir says. “But it’s that mental shift that Pursuit taught me–as I challenge myself more, my mind shifts to ‘what else can I do that I thought I couldn’t?’”

Last year, all three Pursuit Series weekends sold out. In 2019, in addition to the two western locations (Snow Basin Resort in Utah, Bear Valley in Northern California), the Pursuit Series will head to the Green River Preserve near Brevard, N.C. “When you have these barriers that people overcome, that sense of community and connection creates this bond,” says Julia Stamps Mallon, one of the series' founders. “You see an amazing group of incredibly diverse backgrounds coming together around the campfire each night and talking about what they did that day. And there’s something magical in that.”

FEBRUARY 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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FLASHPOINT

SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE OUTDOORS

OVEREXPOSED IS SOCIAL MEDIA SPOILING THE BEST OUTDOOR SECRETS?

BY ELLEN KANZINGER

SCROLLING THROUGH MY INSTAGRAM FEED, it

seems as though every other photo is taken at the top of a mountain or at a scenic overlook. I won't deny it: a hiker myself, I have posted mountaintop photos on more than one occasion.

One of the most photographed viewpoints on the Appalachian Trail, McAfee Knob sees upwards of 90,000 visitors every year. The McAfee Knob hashtag has been used more than 14,000 times on Instagram, and thousands of other users have marked their trip with the geolocation feature.

Places like McAfee Knob were popular before Instagram or Twitter were around. But around 2010, usage of the trail took off exponentially, according to Kathryn Herndon-Powell, the education and outreach coordinator for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s regional office in Virginia.

The Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club is responsible for maintaining 120 miles of the A.T., including McAfee Knob.

“It’s kind of crazy the amount of their resources that have to go towards that four miles, which only represents three percent of their section but takes up about a third of their volunteer time and trail maintenance,” Herndon-Powell said.

Data collected by the regional office found that volunteers for the McAfee Knob Task Force have removed more than 1,600 gallons of trash and dismantled 187 illegal fire rings since the group was formed in 2015.

That same year, the Leave No Trace Center declared the trail a Hot Spot, citing an increase in trash, erosion, graffiti and other damages along the trail. In conjunction with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club, volunteers held workshops to educate visitors on how to help maintain the trail, practice Leave No Trace practices, and minimize their impact. The team returned in 2017 to strengthen education efforts on the trail.

“McAfee Knob always gets a lot of publicity and attention,” HerndonPowell said. “It gets plastered all over tourism marketing materials, and 12

people are always getting proposed to up there. It’s great, but this place is in danger of being loved to death.

Everyone should get the chance to visit McAfee Knob, but maybe you want to go on a Tuesday.”

Places such as Jackson Hole, Wy. have gone as far as creating ad campaigns asking visitors to refrain from geotagging their exact locations while in town. Instead, the tourism board created a generic location for Instagram and Facebook that says, “Tag Responsibly, Keep Jackson Hole Wild.”

Vasu Sojitra, a professional skier and adaptive sports director at Eagle Mount Bozeman, said this campaign and the geotagging debate at large ignores the real issue. Instead, it highlights a sense of elitism that public lands are reserved for the few, not all.

“The outdoor rec industry is massive, and it’s getting marketed heavily,” he said. “No matter what, people are going to go outside, whether these folks that are against geotagging like it or not.”

Sojitra and others believe that it is too late to control social media. It has already woven its way into our daily lives. Besides, who are we to police how people are sharing their stories from the outdoors online? Outdoor enthusiasts should be showing off the vistas and the beauty that make Appalachia a celebrated tourism and recreation destination, especially as a region whose economy relied on resource-extractive industries for a long time.

The geotagging debate also largely overlooks the indigenous communities whose land we enjoy. Sojitra regularly tags the ancestral lands on which he is skiing or hiking when posting to Instagram.

“We take a lot from our outdoors but never give back,” he said. “How can we change that paradigm so it’s a twoway process?"

In the spring of 2018, the Leave No Trace Center released new social media guidelines for outdoor enthusiasts posting about their adventures.

“Our stance has never been do not geotag, just geotag thoughtfully,” said Ben Lawhon, the center’s education director. “Leave No Trace is not black and white, right and wrong.

It’s a framework for making good decisions about enjoying the outdoors responsibly. We’re not the hiking police.

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | FEBRUARY 2019

PHOTO BY EMMA FRANCES LOGAN

We don’t tell people what to do. We give people suggestions for how to enjoy the outdoors in a way that leaves it as good or better than when they found it.”

While a lot of discussion about social media’s role in the outdoors seems to be focused on the particular issue of geotagging photos, there are a lot of ways to protect and conserve these wild places in a way that does not exclude marginalized communities by restricting access to the privileged few.

“We value social media as a great tool for reaching a lot of people,” Lawhon said. “The most important thing is how we use it.”

The question often comes down to why you’re sharing the photo in the first place. If you don’t want other people to find out about these places, why are you posting photos of them online where thousands of people could potentially see it?

Social media has also can serve as an amplifying voice for people all too often left out of the pages of magazines and advertising campaigns. It’s a platform to help rewrite the outdoor narrative and reach a whole community of new adventurers. Groups like Melanin Base Camp, Native Women’s Wilderness, and Brown Folks Fishing started on Instagram to connect and uplift communities in the outdoors.

Other Instagram accounts like Unethical Outdoors and YouDidNotSleepThere challenge viewers to examine their social media behavior. They point out brands

and influencers whose photos show unethical and sometimes illegal behavior. They engage with those users to promote responsible behavior when outside and posting online.

Social media can enrich the outdoor experience and connect more people with these places.

Instead of discouraging people from visiting these places we love, we should be encouraging them to visit responsibly.

SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINES FOR THE OUTDOORS 1. Think about how you can use your platform, whether you are a brand, an influencer, or someone just posting to share with friends, to educate your followers on important issues facing the environment and the outdoor industry.

2. Post information about the difficulty of the hike, things to look out for along the trail so future visitors can be prepared.

3. Help connect your followers with resources and organizations for a better and safer outdoor experience.

Follow any national park or public lands account for tips on how to navigate the protected spaces responsibly..

4. Give back some of your own time to maintaining the trails, rivers, and outdoor spaces that you enjoy so that future generations can experience them as well.

A

t one time, ultramarathons were a niche sport.

They were ridiculously long distance races that only the craziest endurance athletes were willing to attempt. Today, several hundred ultramarathons occur around the United States every year. Although an ultramarathon is technically anything longer that 26.2 miles, the most extreme races push the boundaries of humans can endure.

Karl Meltzer, former holder of the fastest known time on the Appalachian Trail, has completed more than 100 ultramarathons since 1996. For him, these long-distance races are less cutthroat than other sports and are about more than the physical challenge.

“The mental part is can I actually suck it up for 20 hours, 30 hours, 40 hours, or whatever,” he said. “That’s the fun part—well sort of the fun part—when you cross the finish line. It doesn’t even matter what your time is. It’s just a matter of you got it done. That’s the real addiction.”

Southern Appalachia is home to some of the country's toughest ultras. If you're looking to test your mettle, these events will take you to the edge.

Big Bad Beasts of the Blue Ridge The 8 Toughest Ultras in the South

Pinhoti 100 (Ala.) NOVEMBER 2-3, 2019

BY ELLEN KANZINGER

Starting from Pine Glen Campground, runners have to contend with rocky trails and more than 28,000 feet of elevation change over this 100-mile course. Through the Talladega National Forest in Alabama, competitors climb and descend Mount Cheaha, the highest point in the state.

Meltzer, a three-time Pinhoti winner, lives in the mountains of Utah but said he enjoys running the trails back east among the trees.

“I like to run in the woods,” he said. “Having done the A.T. three times, that’s a pretty good example of what I like to do. So Pinhoti was really a great fit. The beauty is being actually in the woods and being away from everything else.”

Over the years, more races have begun using lotteries for race entries as they become more popular. In most cases, the trail can only handle so many runners meaning race directors are limited in how much they can grow.

That’s why Meltzer enjoys the lesser known races that still challenge his endurance.

“I don’t care who is there, how competitive it is, I really just want a good course where I enjoy myself instead of doing what other people think I should do or trying to run the Western States as fast as I can,” he said. “I mean those races are great too, don’t get me wrong, but there’s so much hype and media around a few certain races. I think the low-key race, like Pinhoti, is what I like the best.”

Mount Mitchell Challenge (N.C.) FEBRUARY 23, 2019

Jay Curwen won the first Mount Mitchell Challenge in 1999, a 40-mile race to the top of the highest peak on the East Coast and back to the town of Black Mountain.

Two decades later, Curwen has taken over for his father as race director of the challenge and accompanying marathon.

“At the end of the day, you only run one hill,” Guido Ferrari said. “But it’s one hill that is 20 miles long. There are not that many races that can claim that kind of consistent ascent. Then you have to come all the way down.”

PHOTO BY JUSTIN COSTNER

FEBRUARY 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | FEBRUARY 2019 | RICHMOND EDITION

Ferrari was friends with Curwen’s father and was the first one to sign up for the original marathon. He has now run the challenge every single year since.

“It has become a streak,” he said.

“Once you run the first 10 in a row, even if you’re not winning, you’re supposed to go back to keep the streak alive.

It’s a good measurement of how I age, slowly.”

In addition to all the elevation change, runners have to contend with mountainous weather conditions at the end of February.

“We have had sub 10 degrees and blizzards and we have had 65 degrees and sun,” Curwen said. “Depending on how deep the snow is or how tough the winter is, we’ve had to modify the scope and a couple of different things. Every year we have to let the fire rescue and support teams dictate to us where we can go and how they comfortable they feel to be able to cover the runners and make everybody safe.”

Over the years, the challenge has become a staple event in the town.

“We’ve sold it out every year for 21 years,” Curwen said. “We’ll have anywhere from 1,500 to as many as 2,500 or so trying to get in for only 200 spots.”

Ferrari says Mount Mitchell is the one race he’ll run until he can’t move his legs.

“It’s one of those things that, at this point it becomes, okay it’s February, I need to go up to the top of Mount Mitchell,” he said.

West Virginia Trilogy (W. Va.) OCTOBER 11-13, 2019

Three days, three different events, back to back to back. The West Virginia Trilogy consists of a 50K on Friday, a 50 miler on Saturday, and a half marathon on Sunday. Most runners choose to spend each night at the basecamp before hitting the trails again the following day.

Adam Casseday, one of the race directors and founders of the event, originally wanted to put together a 100-mile race in West Virginia. But he couldn’t find a location worthy of an event of that magnitude and the logistics of putting on that kind of event were intimidating.

“We wanted to create an event that was as much about the camaraderie and the challenge as it was the pure race,” he said. “It’s not truly as much about competition as much as the fellowship of runners enjoying nature

and the outdoors together instead of trying to outrun your competitors. By Saturday, you lose a lot of the type A, stressful runner aura. It’s more a brotherhood and sisterhood. People trying to help each other out, running together rather than trying to beat each other.”

The course takes runners through the West Virginia Mountains during peak fall foliage season, including a summit of Spruce Knob during the 50 miler.

“Most trails in West Virginia as a whole are pretty wild and rugged because we just don’t have the trail users that you see in Virginia and North Carolina,” Casseday said. “By default, these trails are more wet and rocky and rugged.”

Kelly MacDonald kept hearing about how special the event was from runners at other events. She put it on her bucket list of races and got the chance to compete in 2018. She said being out on the trail wasn’t the most challenging part of the event. It was the down time when her legs were tired, and she knew there were still more miles to run.

“The most daunting part was each evening,” she said. “I’m in this big yurt eating my dinner and thinking about the distance I’d have to run the next day, not sure I could do it.”

Georgia Death Race (Ga.) MARCH 30-31, 2019

With the Georgia Death Race, Sean Blanton’s goal is to discourage competitors from finishing. He’s even hired someone to play the grim reaper and heckle runners on the trail.

“Sometimes I have people out there in the woods that are playing wild boar noises on CD players,” Blanton said.

“We have signs out there that really just get into your head. The point of this race is to make people extremely uncomfortable in the sense of you’ve lost everything and the only thing you have left is just moving forward. This race is meant for you to question why do I run? Why did I sign up for this?”

The 70ish mile race from Vogel State Park to Amicalola Falls State Park takes runners to the summit of Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia.

“You get within 100 feet of the finish line and then you have to go 1,100 feet up stairs, up the waterfall, and then come back down on a really shitty, technical trail,” Blanton said. “The end’s almost the worst part.”

He also requires each entrant to complete eight hours of trail FEBRUARY 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

15

maintenance or other community service to give back to the trails. Blanton, who has run 150 ultramarathons around the world, has to turn away runners when the 400 spots fill up.

“Why do people run these challenges? Why would somebody want to run one of these things?” he said.

“When people ask why do you do that, I answer the same way every time. If you have to ask me that question, you will never understand the answer.

Unless you go out there and are experiencing these things, it’s just going to be crazy.”

Ozone Endurance Challenge (Tenn.)

MAY 29- JUNE 2, 2019

The Ozone Endurance Challenge asks how long do you want to be on the trail? Runners choose to compete from six to 96 hours, attempting to complete as many loops of the two-mile track as possible before time is up.

“It’s a way of testing yourself,” Laura Eriks said.

“People say, ‘Well I can’t run any further than a marathon.’ You set those standards. But you get involved with these events and you can really see what your limits are and then push those back. It’s always exciting when you take those first few steps past any mileage that you’ve ever completed.”

Eriks, who was coming off an injury when she ran the 96-hour event in 2018, said this was a way to start running again on a relatively flat course.

“In ultrarunning, it’s not just putting one foot in front of the other,” she said. “There’s the mental aspect of keeping going, especially when you’re racing through the night or two nights or three nights.

Trying to manage your food and different things like that. It’s a challenge but there’s such a community.”

In running for such a long time, competitors have to strategize when they will sleep, what they will eat, and how to manage the Tennessee heat.

“I went through probably six pairs of shoes and a dozen pairs of socks during the race, constantly changing socks and shoes,” said Jeff Woody.

Woody ran the 48-hour event the first year the event was held in 2016. Race director Will Jorgensen added a longer option each year, with 72 hours in 2017 and 96 hours in 2018, to challenge how long runners would be willing to run around in a loop. Each year, Woody kept going for the longer time.

“You have to disconnect, to some degree, from time,” he said. “You have to take yourself out and focus on what you’re doing there. The neat thing about it is, it’s not just about who is the youngest and the strongest. A lot of strategy comes into play.”

Hellgate 100K (Va.) DECEMBER 14, 2019

The Hellgate 100K is a winter race so intense, it comes with its own medical condition.

“The cold dry air, the wind blowing, and runners running at night a lot, they get Hellgate eyes,” said race director David Horton. “They need to wear glasses and keep blinking their eyes or put liquid in.

It’s like seeing through cellophane or something.”

Jordan Chang first ran the race as a sophomore in college and didn’t think he was going to finish that year. But he has now run the 66.6-mile race every year for the last twelve years and has avoided 16

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | FEBRUARY 2019

R U N N E R S AT T H E W E S T V I R G I N I A TRILOGY / PHOTO BY LARS LEHMANN

Hellgate eyes so far.

“People react very differently to it,” he said. “Some people are like, well, it’s happening, and other people are freaking out.”

The race starts at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday morning so that most runners are finished by sunset.

“I just love how everyone runs the same amount of time at night,” Chang said. “It’s very unique in ultrarunning. Most of the time, the faster people will run less in the night than the slower people. But this, everyone runs the same amount. Everyone’s got seven hours of it no matter what.”

In addition to the unusual start time, runners have to contend with the whims of Virginia in December.

“I’ve done it where I finished without a shirt on because it was 80 degrees,” Chang said. “I’ve done it where there was snow and ice and temperatures in the negatives. You never know what’s going to happen until race day.”

Although he’s only in his 30s, Chang said the sport of ultrarunning has exploded since he ran his first race in college.

“I’ve been in this sport longer than most people and just seeing that change from this group of weirdos running in the woods to fairly mainstream,” he said. “Running 100 miles is not unheard of anymore.”

The popularity of the Hellgate 100K has also exploded.

“It’s really grown, not necessarily in size,” Chang said. “Dr. Horton’s kept it pretty small to keep it

intimate. But there’s a lot of hype around it, a lot of people trying to get in… It’s a good thing. It’s very exciting to see this kind of energy around the sport and these kinds of races. Over the years, it’s gotten much more competitive and times are getting so much faster. Every year, people are throwing down times that just a year before we thought were impossible.”

Ultimately, Chang said he enjoys trail running for more than the competition because it gives him the opportunity to see “stuff that you’ll never see unless you did it on foot. Being able to see nature on foot in places where you can’t take a bike, you can’t take a car, you can’t paddle to.”

Big Backyard Ultra (Tenn.)

OCTOBER 19, 2019

If you follow the ultrarunning world, chances are you have heard of the Barkley Marathon. Runners have 60 hours to complete the brutal 100-mile course designed by Gary “Lazarus Lake” Cantrell. Since 1986, only 15 runners have completed all five laps in the allotted time.

The Barkley Fall Classic, a 50K, gives runners a taste of what the Barkley Marathon is like with winners automatically receiving a spot in the Big Barkley.

“He’s [Cantrell] a really great person to have in the sport, coming up with all these ways to push us harder and farther than we’ve ever been,” ultrarunner Courtney Dauwalter said.

In addition to the marathons, Cantrell puts on another, equally challenging event where there is no time limit or distance limit. At the Big Backard Ultra, runners simply run until they can’t run anymore.

At 6:40 on Saturday morning, runners head out on the 4.166667-mile course. They have an hour to complete the route before they have to head out for another lap. This continues every hour until only one runner remains.

Courtney Dauwalter, a dominant force in the ultrarunning community, ran 279.1 miles. After lap 67, she said she had nothing left in her. She plans to return to the backyard one day to see if she can push herself even further.

“I think the atmosphere of it is really special,” she said. “When people drop out, they stick around and get basically incorporated into other people who are still in the race and their crew.

So, you end up gaining friends and crew members and all this assistance throughout the race because people stay and are just a part of it.”

(Read more about Dauwalter and the Big Backyard Ultra on page 18).

War Hammer 100 (Ky.) JUNE 8, 2019

Look out for the War Hammer 100. In 2018, only a third of runners finished the 100-mile race in its inaugural year.

“We created it to kind of be this big journey,” Mike Whisman said. “You start in one part of Kentucky and by the end of the weekend, you’ll be in a different part of the state. We pitched the race as true Kentucky, the good, the bad, and the ugly.”

Whisman helps his wife, Brandy, put on a series of races in Kentucky. The pair wanted to create a longer event that highlighted many of the sights and sounds of the state. Since the race was new, runners weren’t quite sure what to expect from the course that starts at Red River Gorge.

“There’s not a lot of climbing, it’s not technical,” Whisman said. “But these things that you don’t really anticipate really took a toll on people.”

Unlike other trail races on the East Coast where trees provide a good bit of cover, the War Hammer twists along backcountry roads where runners findd it hard to escape from the sun.

“There are some long stretches of road, be it gravel road and even some paved road, in the middle of the race,” Whisman said. “So that means a lot of people were running through some pretty exposed areas with no shade in the middle of the afternoon in June.

And they were just getting baked.”

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS MAGAZINE TAKES ON RAGNAR APRIL 26-27, 2019

The Ragnar Relay Series started 16 years ago as the Ragnar Wasatch Back in Utah.

Today, there are more than 40 road and trail relay races in the series across the U.S. and internationally.

In April, several members of the BRO family will take on the Ragnar Trail Relay at Pocahontas State Park in Richmond, Va. Over the course of the weekend, each person will run three loops for a total 15.4 miles.

Rachel Fitzgerald, director of market development for Ragnar, said the majority of the Richmond course is mountain bike singletrack trails with some paved surfaces.

“It is true trails,” she said. “A lot of events will be on some of the rail trails in the area, but these are true woodland, rocks and roots type trails.”

In between loops, runners rest and hang out with friends at the centralized base camp before gearing up for another round.

“It’s a challenging achievement and certainly something to brag about, but it is a really unique and special community that’s so welcoming of everyone,” Fitzgerald said.

BRO Account Executive Hannah Cooper runs a half marathon and a few other races every year but said this trail race will be a new challenge since it’s longer than anything else she has done.

“It’s a lot harder than a typical street race mentally and physically,” Cooper said. “On a street race, there are all these people around and support.

It’s super easy to bail if you needed to. Whereas out on the trail, you’re out there alone. You have to be really focused on the footsteps, especially when we’re running through the night.”

Check back in a few months to see how the BRO team fared out on the trail.

FEBRUARY 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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LAST WOMAN STANDING B Y A N N A K AT H E R I N E C L E M M O N S

COURTNEY DAUWALTER RAN 279 MILES IN BIG BACKYARD ULTRA AND OUTLASTED ALL BUT ONE COMPETITOR. ON THE MORNING OF THE FOURTH DAY, JOHAN STEENE AND

Courtney Dauwalter stood at Big Backyard Ultra’s start corral once again. The three whistles had blown, signaling the three, two, then one-minute countdown.

The duo awaited the clang of the cowbell, the official green light to begin their 68th lap. Having run an improbable 279 miles over four days, three nights, and virtually no sleep, only one would be the ‘last man standing’--but when that would happen, no one quite knew.

Dauwalter, 33 and a rising star on the ultrarunning circuit, had learned about Big Backyard after reading about founder and organizer Gary Cantrell, a.k.a.

Lazarus Lake’s, famed races. Steen first heard of BBU in 2014 (when he won the race in his inaugural year of competing); he was the third-to-last surviving competitor before quitting at last year’s competition.

He entered again this year because he knew that first prize gains admittance into the Barkley Marathons. “I wanted that spot,” he says.

While Dauwalter has yet to enter Barkley, Big Backyard appealed to her because “with this format, you get to find your own limit, whatever that is,” Dauwalter says. “There’s no finish line. You just get to keep going and see how long you can go.”

Or how long you can, well, suffer. The race began at 6:40 a.m. on Saturday, October 20th, when 70 runners lined up and awaited the cowbell clang from Cantrell, before starting the 4.1667-mile loop trail on Cantrell’s backyard farmland in Tennessee (the race is named for his pitbull, ‘Big’). Competitors had an hour to complete the loop. Once finished, any down time was spent, at least initially, chatting with other competitors or crew members, enjoying a snack, or sitting in a folding chair that competitors set up for themselves as a micro, makeshift camp while awaiting the next round of whistles, which happened three minutes before 7:40AM. Four port-a-potties were stationed near the start; Cantrell says you can always tell when a runner has to ‘go’ because, “that’s when he runs his fastest loop.”

The loops continued each hour; runners gathered at the start. Pause. Another loop. Another pause.

Another loop--and so on, every hour, for hours and hours and hours, as daylight faded to dusk.

“It's a mind game,” Cantrell says. “The runners say that it’s a total mind fuck, because you can’t run off and leave people, and you can’t win until they lose.”

Throughout the first night, when the race transitioned to the road, runners dropped. Cantrell chooses the competitors each year (many more runners apply than are granted admittance) and says he can usually identify who will quit first; however, trying to choose a winner is much more difficult.

By the second night, Dauwalter started to feel the effects of no sleep. Her husband, Kevin, who serves as her crew, awaited each return to her camp chair.

Dauwalter started hallucinating--she saw a giant cowboy, 12 feet tall, standing in front of her with a yellow bucket hat on his head, swinging his lasso.

Then she saw an ice castle, and spectators lined up along the imaginary streets, cheering and twirling.

Still, she kept running.

“You can’t have a bad hour with Backyard,” Lake says. “With 100-mile races, you can take a long break or have several hours where you struggle. This, you have to step up every hour. If your stomach is upset and you are ill, an hour later you may be fine, but by then it’s too late.”

At the start of the third morning, with 183.3 miles down, five runners remained, including 2017 champion Guillaume Calmettes; Dauwalter was the only female. By nightfall, only Dauwalter, Steene and Gavin Woody were still running. “I remember looking at both of them standing in the start corral that night and thinking, ‘this might never end,’” Dauwalter says. “They were showing no signs of fatigue and weakness. I thought to myself, holy buckets, what have we done?’”

But Woody dropped at 270.8 miles, leaving only Steene and Dauwalter.

“He had been a beast for the entire race, but we are predators now,” Steene says. “We all aim for the grand prize and therefore we leave the weak behind for carnage. And we feel triumphant while we do it.

One less competitor to worry about.”

On they ran, throughout the night. Steene says he likely slept a few minutes between every loop; Dauwalter tried to push through on minimal rest.

“I feel that the absolute limit of how long you can go without sleep is around 80, 85 hours, then you run into issues,” Cantrell says. “You can take those fiveminute naps, but if you don’t go through actual sleep, eventually, it will catch you.”

On the fourth morning, at the start of the 67th lap--67 hours and 279 miles into the race, Dauwalter turned to Steene, shook his hand, said a few words, and walked back to her tent. She was done--or, in the vernacular of BBU and the 68 competitors who’d quit before her, ‘DNF’ - Did Not Finish.

“I didn’t consciously decide it at that moment, it was just a reality of, there’s no battery power left,” Dauwalter says. ”It wasn’t a big dramatic thing or me having bones sticking out of my leg; it was just internally, I couldn’t give any more.”

Steene ran his final, lonely, 68th lap, the 2018 champion. “After she told me to ‘go out and win’ and walked away, I wanted to grab her and drag her out again,” Steene says of Dauwalter. “The lonely loop was extremely long. I understood that Courtney wanted to be kind, letting me to know that she was quitting in order for me to enjoy my last loop. The effect was strangely the opposite. I thought of all the runners that had spilled their guts on the Backyard.

I thought of Courtney who had been the leading warrior, the steady metronome throughout almost three full days. I was feeling empty and alone. I longed back to the community. We hunt best in a pack.”

With 283 miles run, Steene set a new Big Backyard Ultra record, and Dauwalter’s 279 miles crushed the previous female farthest distance of 120 miles.

The race has evolved into a worldwide event, with Big Backyard Ultras taking place in over 12 countries.

As such, the 2019 Big Backyard Ultra will be a world championship of sorts.

“Next year, the Backyard has an even stronger field than this year, which is astonishing,” Cantrell says. “Almost everyone in there is a contender to win.

And they all know it. And they come to win.”

SPE CI AL ADVE RT I SI N G SE CT I ON

2019 RACE & EVENT GUIDE BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS IS PROUD TO PRESENT THE TOP RACES AND EVENTS FROM THE BLUE RIDGE AND BEYOND. FESTIVALS, MARATHONS, MUD RUNS, EXPOS, CONCERTS, AND MORE! MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!

Athletes and spectators alike love these annual competitions in the Alleghany Highlands. Pristine lakes and rivers and courses with stunning mountain views make these scenic races Uniquely Alleghany.

Don’t let the peaceful mountain views fool you.

This summer, it’s Game On!

May 18, 2019

Alleghany Highlands Triathlon

June 22, 2019

Jackson River Scenic Trail Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K & 5K

July 20, 2019

Alleghany Gran Fondo “Agony in the Alleghanies”

August 3, 2019

Lake Moomaw One Mile Open Water Swim

visitalleghanyhighlands.com/featured-events 540-962-2178 · 888-430-5786 · #UniquelyAlleghany Like us on

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2019 RACE & EVENT GUIDE

COCA-COLA PRESENTS

SPRING BREAK MARCH 15–17

FEATURING

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BANKED SLALOM SNOWBOARD RACE

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2019 RACE & EVENT GUIDE RACES THROUGHOUT 2019 THE BLUE RIDGE TRAVELER’S TOWNS AND TRAILS Upcoming 2019 Events

Marion, Little Switzerland, Lake James, NC

Upcoming events include the Bear Crawl OCR and Fonta Flora 50k in March, April’s Hellbender 100 trail race, and June’s Pisgah Enduro Mountain Bike Race. Details are online. blueridgetravelers.com

challenging loaded with and the charm exhilarating of southern to watch, Florida: Berming waterMan views, features community a carved involvement, course of steep a competitive turns and high andspeeds. an interesting Think you marathon can conquer race, with the event party life toRegister mountain? top it offonline. at the Rock and Run party. If you’re searching for the ideal winter destination running event, you are going to love running the snowshoemtn.com Treasure Coast!

WINTERFEST treasurecoastmarathon.com

March 9 WINTERFEST Bryce Resort, Basye, VA March 9a great season with Bryce Resort at Winterfest! Festivities begin Celebrate

VIRGINIA STATE PARKS ADVENTURE SERIES March 30 through October 12

at 8am! Resort, Bryce Bring yourBasye, best costume VA and an appetite for a fun-filled day on Celebrate the mountain. a great Events season include withaBryce pancake Resort breakfast, at Winterfest! polar plunge, Festivities costume begin at 8am! pond parade, Bringskimming your bestand costume live music. and an appetite for a fun-filled day on the mountain. Events include a pancake breakfast, polar plunge, costume bryceresort.com/events parade, pond skimming and live music.

BALLHOOTER bryceresort.com/events

KENTUCKY WATERMAN SERIES 2019 March through October

Snowshoe Mountain Resort, Snowshoe, WVOn snow games, crazy Clutch and special guest CKY performing in the Village.

Our Ballhooteryoga, Spring willother be wilder thanare ever this planned year withforheadliner competitions, andBreak lots of activities being the March Clutchweekend. and special guestour CKY performing in the Village. On snow games, crazy 15-16 Check website for more details. competitions, yoga, and lots of other activities are being planned for the March snowshoemtn.com 15-16 weekend. Check our website for more details.

TRANSYLVANIA ADVENTURE GAMES snowshoemtn.com

Join us in Virginia State Parks for the 3rd year of our Adventure Series featuring various events ranging from Adventure Triathlons, Cyclocross and Mountain Bike races, distance runs and more. Unlike most series, the Adventure Series is based on participation, not time, and offers several ways to win. Check out our website for details and updates. dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/adventure-series

Now in its third year, KWS inspires paddlers of all skills levels to journey cross Kentucky’s scenic waterways & lakes through several amazing events. Each one is put on EKI or a local organizer, joined together by a unified system, leaderboard, positive vibes, & passion for water conservation! explorekentucky.us/kentuckywatermanseries

ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS SUMMER EVENTS All Summer 2019 Alleghany Highlands, VA

This summer, it’s GAME ON. We are home to four of the most action-packed outdoor events in the Mid-Atlantic. Whether you run, bike, swim, all of the above, or simply enjoy great competition, don’t miss out on the fun. It’s uniquely Alleghany. visitalleghanyhighlands.com/featured-events

FEBRUARY 2019

BATH COUNTY WINTER CHILL GETAWAY February 14–18 Bath County, VA

The great outdoors meet the great indoors in Bath County. Hit the slopes for skiing and snowboarding. See natural beauty on a hike or on a bicycle. Then enjoy quaint lodging, exquisite dining, fun winetasting, local craft beer, and music. Chill out in Bath County! discoverbath.com/winter-chill

MARCH 2019

MARATHON BERMING MAN OF THE TREASURE COAST March 1–3 2 Snowshoe Stuart, FL Mountain Resort, Snowshoe, WV

The Marathon Our banked slalom of thesnowboard Treasure Coast race returns is one offorthe itspremier third year. racing Technically events in challenging South Florida. andThis exhilarating Boston qualifying to watch,marathon Berming and Mancertified featureshalf a carved will take course you on aofjourney steep turns of unimaginable and high speeds. beauty.

Think Theyou event canincludes conquera the weekend of mountain? races for allRegister levels and online. music festival. snowshoemtn.com treasurecoastmarathon.com

BERMING THE MARATHON MAN OF THE TREASURE COAST March 23 Memorial Park, Snowshoe Mountain Stuart, Resort, FL Snowshoe, WV

The TC Our banked Marathon slalomcourse snowboard features race26.2 returns milesforofits Treasure third year.

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March 15–16 BALLHOOTER Snowshoe Mountain Resort, Snowshoe, WV March 15–16 Our Ballhooter Spring Break will be wilder than ever this year with headliner

March 16 TRANSYLVANIA ADVENTURE GAMES Brevard Music Center, Brevard, NC March 16 Adventure Games is an annual outdoor family fun event. TAG Transylvania is designedMusic Brevard to get your Center, heart pumping, Brevard,your NCbody moving, and your brain Transylvania Adventure working…leaving you with Games a smile is an on annual your face! outdoor Therefamily is a local fun event. outdoor TAG is designed vendor festival, to get workshops, your heartfood, pumping, and more youroffered body moving, at the TAG and event, your brain so working…leaving come on out evenyou if you with aren’t a smile running! on your face! There is a local outdoor vendor festival, workshops, food, and more offered at the TAG event, so mountainsunschool.org/events/transylvania-adventure-games come on out even if you aren’t running! mountainsunschool.org/events/transylvania-adventure-games

APRIL 2019 APRIL RICHMOND RAGNAR 2019 TRAIL

April 26–27 RAGNAR TRAIL VA PocahontasRICHMOND State Park, Richmond, April 26–27 Teams of 8 set up camp and conquer a series of three pristine trail

Pocahontas loops, relay-style, State complete Park, with Richmond, lake views and VAdeep spring foliage. This

Teams unforgettable of 8 setovernight up camp trail and conquer adventurea series is like of a summer three pristine camp trail for grownloops, ups, with relay-style, lots and lots complete of running. with lake views and deep spring foliage. This unforgettable runragnar.com overnight trail adventure is like a summer camp for grownups, with lots and lots of running.

DEVILS BACKBONE MOUNTAIN CROSS runragnar.com

& BLUE RIDGE METRIC DEVILS BACKBONE MOUNTAIN CROSS April 27–28 & BLUE RIDGE METRIC Devils Backbone Brewing Company, Roseland, VA Aprilride 27–28 Each will feature both the outstanding canyons of the Tye River and the

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ST. ELIZABETH TRIATHLON williamstown , kentucky

SATURDAY, JULY 20 INTERMEDIATE 1500M Swim, 18MI Bike, 10K Run SPRINT 500M Swim, 11 MI Bike, 5K Run

Olympic qualifying event

Devils beautifulBackbone Blue Ridge Parkway.

Brewing Saturday’s Company, ride will Roseland, utilize gravel VA roads to

Each explore ridemore will remote feature sections both the of outstanding these two canyons areas. Sunday’s of the Tye rideRiver will use and all the beautiful paved roads Bluewith Ridge an emphasis Parkway. on Saturday’s scenic vistas. ride will utilize gravel roads to explore bikereg.com/devils-backbone-mt-cross-and-the-blue-ridge-metric more remote sections of these two areas. Sunday’s ride will use all paved roads with an emphasis on scenic vistas. bikereg.com/devils-backbone-mt-cross-and-the-blue-ridge-metric

MAY 2019 MAY SHAKORI 2019 HILLS GRASSROOTS

FESTIVAL OF MUSIC & DANCE SHAKORI May 2–5 HILLS GRASSROOTS FESTIVAL OF MUSIC & DANCE Pittsboro, VA May 2–5 The 17th annual spring festival features 40+ bands on four stages located

Pittsboro, on 72 beautiful VAfarmland acres in central North Carolina. The site is easily

The accessible 17th annual from spring major airports festival features in Raleigh40+ andbands Greensboro on fourand stages a short located drive on for 72 Mid-Atlantic beautiful farmland residents.acres Localinand central indigenous North Carolina. crafts, delicious The sitefood, is easily kids’ accessible activities, healing from major arts, airports music and in Raleigh dance workshops, and Greensboro and environmental and a short drive SPE CI AL ADVE RT I SI N G SE CT I ON

Register stelizabethtriathlon.com

The Perfect Play List Pisgah National Forest Hiking/Running/Biking/Waterfall Trails March - Fonta Flora 50k April - Hellbender 100k June - Pisgah Enduro Tap Rooms, Breweries, Wineries, Music Hall, Galleries, Museums Lake Houses, Log Cabins, Quaint Cottages, Inns, B&Bs, Hotels & Campgrounds

www.bluer idgetravelers.com | 888.233.6111 | Details and infor mation are online.

2019 RACE & EVENT GUIDE sustainability for Mid-Atlantic forums residents. augment Locala and strong indigenous music lineup. crafts,Primitive deliciouscamping, food, kids’ activities, vehicle camping, healingand arts,RVmusic options andare dance available workshops, at thisand family-friendly environmental festival. sustainability forums augment a strong music lineup. Primitive camping, shakorihillsgrassroots.org vehicle camping, and RV options are available at this family-friendly festival.

FRENCH BROAD RIVER FESTIVAL shakorihillsgrassroots.org

May 3–5 FRENCH BROAD RIVER&FESTIVAL Hot Springs Campground Resort, Hot Springs, VA May annual 3–5 grassroots festival features outdoor adventure and great music 22nd

in a beautiful Hot Springssetting.

Campground Whitewater&raft Resort, race, biking, Hot Springs, hiking, kid’sVA village, 22nd annual outdoor vendors, grassroots music from festival Doom features Flamingo, outdoor Acoustic adventure Syndicate, and great Trongone music in a beautiful Band, Lyric, Pierce setting.

Edens, Whitewater Sol Driven raftTrain race,and biking, so much hiking, more! kid’s village, outdoor vendors, music from Doom Flamingo, Acoustic Syndicate, Trongone fenchbroadriverfestival.com Band, Lyric, Pierce Edens, Sol Driven Train and so much more!

DICK’S SPORTING GOODS PITTSBURGH MARATHON fenchbroadriverfestival.com

WEEKEND DICK’S May 3–5SPORTING GOODS PITTSBURGH MARATHON WEEKEND Pittsburgh, PA May 3–5 MOVE yourself, MOVE heartbeats, and MOVE barriers at the 2019 Pittsburgh, DICK’S SportingPA Goods Pittsburgh Marathon weekend. With distances MOVE yourself, MOVE heartbeats, and MOVE at the 2019 ranging from a 5K to the full marathon PLUS abarriers kids marathon, toddler trot DICK’S Goods Marathon weekend. distances and pet Sporting walk, there is anPittsburgh event for every member of theWith family! ranging from a 5K to the full marathon PLUS a kids marathon, toddler trot pittsburghmarathon.com and pet walk, there is an event for every member of the family!

MUD ON THE MOUNTAIN pittsburghmarathon.com

May 11 MUD ON THE Mountain MOUNTAIN Seven Springs Resort, Seven Springs, PA Mayon11the Mountain offers athletes a chance to get down and dirty across Mud more than Seven Springs seven miles Mountain of body-breaking Resort,terrain SevenyouSprings, will traverse PA ponds, Mud on scale boulder the Mountain fields, climb offersyour athletes way over a chance obstacles to getand down clawand your dirty way across up more than seven impossible inclines, miles all on of body-breaking your way to a triumphant terrain you finish! will traverse ponds, scale boulder fields, climb your way over obstacles and claw your way up 7springs.com/events/mud-on-the-mountain impossible inclines, all on your way to a triumphant finish!

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JUNE 2019 JUNEHAMMER WAR 2019 100

June 8–9 WAR HAMMER 100 Park, Slade, KY Natural Bridge Resort JuneMile 8–9 100 Endurance Run. The War Hammer 100 starts at the Natural

Bridge State Natural Bridge Park inResort the beautifully Park, lush Slade, Red KY River Gorge and travels south 100 to Wildcat Mile Endurance Mountain Run. - site The of the War Civil Hammer War Battle 100 starts and theatgateway the Natural to the Bridge State Plateau Cumberland Park in the in Laurel beautifully County. lush Red River Gorge and travels south to Wildcat Mountain - site of the Civil War Battle and the gateway to the nextopportunityevents.com/warhammer100 Cumberland Plateau in Laurel County.

2019 BIKE VIRGINIA TOUR nextopportunityevents.com/warhammer100

June 21–26 2019 BIKE VA VIRGINIA TOUR VA Woodstock, to Harrisonburg, JuneVirginia 21–26BIKE O RAMA theme takes us back to the Shenandoah Valley Bike

and the 50’s. Bring Woodstock, VA to yourHarrisonburg, poodle skirts, white VAtee shirts and we will rock and Bikearound ride Virginiathe BIKE clock.

O RAMA Register theme fortakes 6 fullus days back or to 3 day the weekend/weekday.

Shenandoah Valley and the 50’s. Bring your poodle skirts, white tee shirts and we will rock and bikevirginia.org ride around the clock. Register for 6 full days or 3 day weekend/weekday. bikevirginia.org

JULY 2019 JULY ST. ELIZABETH 2019 TRIATHLON

July 20 ST. ELIZABETH Williamstown, KY TRIATHLON July 20 Swim in one of Northern Kentucky’s cleanest lakes, bike along picturesque

hillsides and valleysKY Williamstown, and finish up with a run through the rolling hills of Grant Swim in Ky. County, one–ofhome Northern of theKentucky’s Ark Encounter. cleanest The lakes, triathlon bikeisalong an Olympic picturesque qualifying hillsides event.

Goand to www.visitgrantky.com valleys and finish up with to plan a runyour through visit. the rolling hills of Grant County, Ky. – home of the Ark Encounter. The triathlon is an Olympic qualifying stelizabeth.com event. Go to www.visitgrantky.com to plan your visit. stelizabeth.com

SEPTEMBER 2019 27TH ANNUAL TOUR DE CASHIERS September 7 Cashiers, VA

Join us for the Tour de Cashiers across the scenic mountain by-ways of Western North Carolina, and complete one of the most challenging rides in the nation. 5k for runners. Book your accommodations with Gold Sponsor, Landmark Vacation Rentals 828.293.4499 tourdecashiers.com | landmarkletsride.com

KR255 September 16–21

Kentucky River, Beattyville, KY to Carrollton, Ky

Come join AUCAL & EKI for the KR255, the paddlesports endurance race of a lifetime. Competitors will start in Beattyville,KY in eastern Kentucky & finish (some of them anyway) 255 miles later in Carrollton, KY where the Kentucky River confluences with the Ohio River. explorekentucky.us/kentuckywatermanseries

NEW RIVER TRAIL CHALLENGE September 21

New River Trail State Park, Max Meadows, VA

The penultimate race of the Virginia State Parks Adventure series, the “Challenge” is one of the oldest, largest and friendliest Adventure Triathlons in Virginia. The race features a 40-mile bike ride, 12.1-mile kayak and half marathon along the scenic New River. All ages and skill levels can compete solo or in teams. dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/nrt-challenge

THE 30TH ANNUAL WORLD CHICKEN FESTIVAL September 26–29

Cumberland River Challenge SEPTEMBER 28, 2019 T H O M P S O N R V PA R K BARBOURVILLE, KY

SPONSORED BY UNION COLLEGE U-CANOE & BARBOURVILLE TOURISM

F I V E B O AT C L A S S E S P R I Z E S AWA R D E D : OV E R A L L W I N N E R , 1 S T, 2 N D , & 3 R D I N E AC H C L AS S

Entry Fees Individuals $20 per person Te a m s : $ 4 0 p e r t e a m Students: $10 per student

Downtown London, KY

Celebrate the life of Colonel Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Delicious fried chicken dinners are prepared in the world’s largest skillet.

Named a top event by the Kentucky Tourism Council and the Southeast Tourism Society. Voted Best Festival in State by Kentucky Monthly Magazine. chickenfestival.com

CUMBERLAND RIVER CHALLENGE September 28 Barbourville, KY

The Canoe and Kayak Race is an annual event, hosted by Union College, U Canoe and Barbourville Tourism. The race consists of 15 miles of river, ranging from calm water to beginner-level rapids. It starts on the Knox County line bordering Bell County and finishes in Knox County at the Thompson R.V. Park. barbourvilletourism.com/adventure/canoe-kayak-race

OCTOBER 2019 GAP RELAY October 11–12

Pittsburgh, PA

Over the course of two days, you and your team will tackle 150 miles of the Great Allegheny Passage. Starting in Cumberland, Maryland, you’ll celebrate your adventurous spirit, wild stories, and incredible team accomplishments at the post-race party in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. gaptrailrelay.org

SPE CI AL ADVE RT I SI N G SE CT I ON

BARBOURVILLETOURISM.COM (606) 545-9674 F I N D U S O N FAC E B O O K @BARBOURVILLE TOURISM

2019 RACE & EVENT GUIDE

Discover Endurance Experience a journey of unimaginable beauty as you discover yourself in Martin County. Center your mind and heal your body with yoga on the beach, test your resolve while kayaking the St. Lucie River, and submit to the ultimate endurance challenge with the Marathon of the Treasure Coast, one of the premier races in South Florida and a qualifying event for the Boston Marathon.

While you’re here, enjoy one of our many cozy lodging options, from tranquil beachside resorts to bed-and-breakfasts and boutique inns.

Plan your stay at DiscoverMartin.com

Naturally Quaint

SPE CI AL ADVE RT I SI N G SE CT I ON

2019 RACE & EVENT GUIDE POCADVENTURE ADVENTURE TRIATHLON October 12 Pocahontas State Park, Chesterfield, VA

Just a short drive from downtown Richmond, the final race of the Virginia State Park Adventure Series, highlights a 4-mile lake paddle, 12-mile Mountain Bike leg and a 5-mile trail run. All proceeds go to expanding and maintaining the 100+ miles of trails and fire road. dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/adventure-series

MT. STERLING COURT DAYS October 18–21 Mount Sterling, KY

Kentucky’s oldest festival began around 1794 with the annual trading day when the judge came to town to hold court. Across four days, about 200,000 people come to shop with the 1,500 vendors who set up to sell—including a large selection of food booths. mtsterlingcourtdays.com

NOVEMBER 2019 RICHMOND MARATHON November 16 Richmond, VA

Haven’t #RunRichmond yet? What are you waiting for?! Each of the scenic courses showcases some of RVA’s favorite attributes. With thousands of volunteers and spectators encouraging you, and more race perks than you can count, you’ll see why it’s earned the rep as “America’s Friendliest Marathon”! richmondmarathon.org

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THE BIG WIN

THE TENNESSEE WILDERNESS ACT IS THE SOUTH'S BIGGEST CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY OF THE 21ST CENTURY. HERE'S THE STORY BEHIND A 10-YEAR EFFORT TO PROTECT WILDERNESS IN EAST TENNESSEE WATA U G A L A K E I N N O R T H E A S T TENNESSEE IN THE CHEROKEE N AT I O N A L F O R E S T.

BY MICHAEL WELCH

B

ill Hodge knows that getting things done in government requires playing the long game.

In 2009, he began working with Tennessee Wild, a coalition of conservation organizations that supported the permanent protection of land in East Tennessee. Among them were local hiking clubs, sportsmen, and outdoor enthusiasts—all with a common goal to protect the most pristine land in the state through wilderness designation.

Wilderness is the most powerful protection for public lands. It includes, among other statutes, a prohibition against commercial enterprises, permanent road building, the use of motorized equipment, and the construction of permanent structures. These limitations are designed to preserve the character of Wilderness, but that doesn’t mean they make land management an easy proposition. As Hodge points out, “The Wilderness Act requires our humility.”

Only Congress can designate wilderness.

Passing wilderness legislation first requires having a champion on Capitol Hill to introduce and guide the effort. Those that wanted to see six areas on the Cherokee National Forest become designated as wilderness had to build a groundswell of support.

The work began way back in the 1990s, when supporters encouraged the Forest Service to recommend six special areas as wilderness as part of the Cherokee National Forest Plan revision process. Tennessee Wild spent years of grassroots organizing more support for these areas.

In 2010, the first version of the Tennessee Wilderness Act was introduced by Senator Lamar Alexander (R- TN) and co-sponsored by junior Senator Bob Corker (R-TN). Senator Alexander has long championed public lands and their value to the Tennessee economy.

But even the support of two Republican senators was not enough. After two failed attempts to pass legislation through a Senate-led strategy,

the Tennessee Wild campaign realized that they needed help from the House as well. So Hodge met with Congressman Phil Roe of the 1st District. Roe describes himself as an avid hiker and outdoorsman, and his numerous summits of Washington’s 14,411’ Mount Rainier back up the claim. While he personally believed in the Wilderness designation, Roe had heard from some of his constituents who were against it. Winning his sponsorship would require winning over these groups.

Hodge was also surprised to find that a few of the most well-known outdoor organizations in the area were actually outspoken opponents to the wilderness bill. One such group was the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club (TEHCC).

TEHCC volunteers invest more than 13,000 hours in Appalachian Trail maintenance annually and preside over roughly 134 miles of the A.T., including a stretch that passes through the current Big Laurel Branch Wilderness. With the passage of the Tennessee Wilderness Act, another four miles of trail would become Wilderness, increasing demand on the organization. Maintaining trails in Wilderness is more difficult, since Wilderness prohibits the use of mechanized tools such as chainsaws and weed eaters.

Another hiking organization, The Benton MacKaye Trail Association (BMTA), was opposed for similar reasons. The group already had its hands full maintaining the 288-mile Benton MacKaye trail, which passed through eight different Wilderness or Wilderness Study Areas.

Trail maintenance organizations were right to be concerned. Back in the 1980s, national environmental advocacy groups had clamored for Wilderness protections. When Big Laurel Branch and Pond Mountain won the designation in 1986, local stewardship groups like the TEHCC received promises of extensive help with trail maintenance that to this day have largely gone unfulfilled.

In an effort to win over the TEHCC, Hodge took over maintaining the stretch of trail that would fall within the proposed Wilderness addition. The club was grateful for the gesture but were not ultimately swayed. They said that the situation called for a more permanent solution. The TEHCC already had plenty of graying beards on the trail, and they wanted assurance that a younger crop of volunteers would someday step up to help.

The Next Generation

It was July 2010, and Hodge had just finished conducting a presentation at ETSU with conservation legend Doug Scott. In light of the environmental community’s reputation for drawing a line on a map, advocating aggressively, and then walking away, the pair of conservationists had spoken to the audience about how Wilderness was only possible with a supportive public. Advocacy is tremendously important, but it’s half the battle — stewardship is the other half, and it’s the one that rarely makes headlines.

As the two returned to Asheville from Johnson City, Hodge told Scott that he wanted to start a new organization, one focused on the day-to-day demands of stewardship — especially in places where the Wilderness designation prohibited the convenience of tools like the chainsaw. “We will focus on the Southern Appalachian Wilderness. And then I thought, ‘Wait a minute. S-A-W,” Hodge said.

“Doug put the word Stewards on the end, and the idea for SAWS was born. Since our iconic tool is the crosscut saw, the acronym was a fitting accident.”

The day after the brainstorming session on the road, representatives from around 40 different organizations in the Appalachian region, including the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition, convened at Montreat college for the first Wilderness Trails Summit. Hodge proposed the idea of SAWS, describing it as “an

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WILDERNESS CHAMPION

THREE QUESTIONS FOR BILL HODGE BRO: Most folks would have given up after the bill failed to advance the first time, or the second time. How did you persevere for over a decade? What kept you going?

HODGE: How could we not advocate for these special landscapes? The ten years were a roller coaster, but for so many in this effort, they had been on that ride since the 1970s. I have spent a great deal of time in the Upper Bald River Gorge, and every time I would leave and come back from being in that special place I was energized. I wanted to leave that feeling of being in that place for my son, for future generations of Americans to experience the headwaters of that river – to experience the solitude that being deep in a place can provide. Pure love of place is what fueled my personal drive to see this through.

organization whose mission is to foster a connection between public lands and the next generation of stewards.”

A few months later, SAWS was a reality. By 2011, the first SAWS Wilderness field crews and Wilderness rangers were heading into the Wilderness to go to work. SAWS also joined forces with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the United States Forest Service to launch the Wilderness Skills Institute, a traditional tools and Wilderness skills training platform.

A few years after the formation of SAWS, the TEHCC changed their position on the new Wilderness designation. True to his word, Congressman Roe introduced a House bill. Since then, SAWS has also kept up its end of the bargain, meeting vital trail maintenance and wilderness stewardship needs in the Southern Appalachian region. SAWS is an organization that has grown to serve 65 Wilderness areas across seven states.

In 2014, Hodge was recognized by former President Obama with the “Champion of Change” award for his role as the organization’s director and “efforts to engage communities and youth in environmental stewardship and conservation.”

SAWS had become a powerful force, and by 2018, employees and volunteers would log 35,000 hours of stewardship.

Preserving East Tennessee

In December 2018, the Tennessee Wilderness Act was included as a provision in the $867 billion Farm 28

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Bill, a rare bipartisan effort. The Farm Bill cleared the House by a vote of 369 to 47 and passed in the Senate with an 87 to 13 vote. It was signed into law

by President Trump on December 20.

An additional 19,556 acres of east Tennessee’s Cherokee National Forest earned Wilderness designation. The Upper Bald River Wilderness area is a new, 9,038-acre tract in Monroe County, and the remaining land included expansion of five existing Wilderness areas, specifically Joyce Kilmer/ Slickrock, Big Frog, Little Frog, Big Laurel Branch, and Sampson Mountain.

Holding together a coalition, building first grassroots support, and then leadership support, had many close calls and ‘could have been’ moments. With more wilderness to protect, SAWS is already recruiting for a new crop of future Wilderness leaders, with hiring underway for 2019.

“The designation of a special place as a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System is just the beginning,” Hodge said. “The future of Wilderness designation and Wilderness preservation depends on a public that values not only the places within the system, but the ideas behind the Wilderness Act.” So far, Congress has designated over 110 million acres of Wilderness since the passage of the Wilderness Act of 1964, representing less than 5 percent of the total landmass of the United State. Almost half of this land is in Alaska, meaning Wilderness makes up just 2 percent of the lower 48 states.

BRO: Was there ever a moment when it looked like the bill was dead? How did you keep it alive?

HODGE: There were some moments in 2015 that it felt dire. We never lost our champions, but a small, aggressive, and misinformed group began an effort to stop the campaign. The tactics involved spreading fear of lost hunting rights and ‘outsiders’ changing things.

No amount of conversation on the actual facts of the bill would change these folks – and their actions not only became aggressive, they became violent. The loud voices were able to influence Chuck Fleischmann, 3rd District Congressman from Chattanooga, and while he had never been a champion of wilderness, his galvanized opposition became a challenge.

There was a feeling of ‘just keep doing the work,’ but this last introduction of the bill in 2018 started to feel like we might be running out of time. We knew Bob Corker was leaving the senate and he had been a real champion.

The mood of the country had shifted, and getting anything done in Congress was feeling like a long-shot.

So many people across Tennessee just kept up the drumbeat, and we kept delivering the message. We explored multiple vehicles to help get the bill included, and at each step, if we found a wall we would look for another path. Senator Alexander and his staff worked with us with increasing passion as 2018 came to a close.

If the Farm Bill had somehow failed to be our vehicle, we had other options that thankfully we didn’t have to use.

BRO: How and why did this bill pass right now, in a rather unlikely political climate?

HODGE: It passed now because so many people did so much work over multiple decades, and because all Americans value wild places as a part of our country’s heritage. Wilderness is non-partisan, and our polling showed our congressional champions that there was broad support.

The protections faced obstacles dating all the way back to the 1970s, but folks never lost sight of why these places deserved to be a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. I am proud to say that the bill passed also in part because of the hard work of the team at SAWS proving that stewardship is advocacy, and that connecting people to place has real power in generating action. Protections like this take hard work and a long time, a long time like across a generation—but here we are—protections in place for some really special landscapes.

OLYMPIC WAFFLES B Y G R A H A M AV E R I L L

F

un fact: Olympians often eat chocolate covered waffles between Super G runs.

At least, that’s what I tell my kids, Cooper and Addie, when we reach the top of Snowshoe Mountain and I spy the Waffle Cabin just to the right of the lift. I’ve come to believe that family ski trips are as much about the chocolate breaks as finding powder stashes. They typically need the combo of carbs and high fructose corn syrup to stay energetic on the mountain, but this time, they shrug off my suggestion for a waffle break. They want to keep skiing.

“Sarah’s gonna show us some moguls,” my daughter says, before scooting off towards the sign that suggests only experts should keep going.

We’re half way through a day of private lessons at West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain and it’s going better than I expected. My kids, at the ripe old age of nine, have reached the point where they know everything and no longer need my help. Every father outlives his usefulness, but I was hoping it would take longer than nine years in my case. While they might not take advice from their dad anymore, my kids still need ski lessons. They’re solid skiers, able to handle every blue slope and some black diamonds they come across, but they have the same bad habits that plague most skiers who’ve never been taught by professionals. They sit in the back seat. They’re not aggressive. I could use a little help myself, and my wife is always game for improving her form, so I figured hiring a private instructor to ski with us for a day could be the key to a successful family ski trip. We could spend the day ripping powder together, but also improve together. Kind of like a family therapy session. But on skis. I envision learning how to do backflips off of tabletops while my kids realize they still have much to learn from their dear old dad. In this

fantasy, they’d ultimately beg me to teach them how to do backflips off of tabletops and promise to keep skiing with me even when they’re in high school and all of their friends refuse to hang out with their parents. In short, I’m trying to ensure family solidarity through downhill improvement. I’m playing the long-con here.

Our instructor’s name is Sarah. She’s from Ohio and she has an almost supernatural ability to see straight through all of my posturing to reveal my faults. When we met, she asked each of us what aspects of our skiing we’d like to improve. My kids want to ski moguls better. My wife wants to ski steeps more aggressively. I told her I wanted to learn how to do a Double McTwist 1260—Shaun White’s signature trick. Never mind that it’s a snowboarding trick and I’m a skier, or that it’s a half pipe trick and I’ve never skied a half pipe in my life.

I want to be a badass and I want Sarah to help me.

After watching me take turns down a blue slope, Sarah has different plans. She strips me down to the basics. My feet are too close together (because I was raised in the ‘80s and that’s how people skied back then). I’m too far in the backseat. I need to push my shins forward, but loosen up my upper body. Be more aggressive, but relax. It’s like some sort of Zen Buddhist riddle.

Sarah is really good at small talk. Within a few runs, she knows all about our dogs and the other sports the kids play and their favorite music. And she’s killing it with the kids, taking them through the basics of an aggressive ski stance—knees forward, shins against the boots, hands out front.

I notice a difference with the kids after just a few short runs. They’re focused and taking the lessons seriously, engaged in a way that they rarely are when I’m trying to teach them something on our local hill. Sarah has us ski backwards to reinforce

the aggressive position. She has us play follow the leader. She has us skiing on one ski to highlight any weaknesses in our stance. At one point, I watch my kids ski backwards through a small stand of trees, and a vision of their future flitters through my mind.

I see my kids’ double podium finish in the Olympics (twin golds!). I see a life of World Cup glory. I see them starring in the occasional segment for Teton Gravity Research, or Warren Miller.

I’m kidding. I don’t want that life for either of my children—I just want them to be confident on the hill and love skiing. I want family ski trips to be a tradition for years to come. I just want them to be as stoked as I am when there’s fresh powder in the forecast.

Sarah has the kids skiing like pros in a couple of hours, but the best part of having an instructor is that she gets to be the bad guy, which frees me up to joke around. While Sarah gives them drills and techniques to work on, I can throw snowballs and suggest we take chocolate-covered waffle breaks.

The mogul run is a sheet of ice. It’s been a rough winter, even in the typically snowy mountains of West Virginia, so Sarah makes an adjustment on the fly, teaching us how to set an edge on a steep, icy slope. It’s a tough lesson for kids to learn because they have to abandon the wedge and move to a completely parallel stance, while basically putting all of their weight on the thin edge of one ski. No more pizza, all French fry. And they have to do it on a steep, black diamond slope that’s basically become a vertical ice skating rink.

Addie goes first, followed quickly by Cooper, who has a knack for letting his sister enter perilous scenarios ahead of him. Whether it’s riding a bike or jumping off a rock into a river, he’ll suggest Addie take the first plunge and then make the appropriate course corrections if there’s an accident. But this

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time, there’s no accident. Addie sends the ice beautifully, setting an edge and sticking with the parallel stance through the icy section. Then she seamlessly hits the moguls as the slope mellows out. Cooper does the same.

I’m beaming with pride as I tackle the ice myself, thinking of the far-off lands we’ll now be able to ski as a family. In my mind, I’m booking our next ski trip to Jackson Hole. And then I lose my edge and slide down most of the slope on my back and a bruised hip.

Sarah leaves us towards the end of the day— she has another client to teach, another family to set on the right track—so we take a break at the Boat House, a restaurant at the bottom of Snowshoe’s main slope that has a deck hanging over Shaver’s Lake. Before I let Sarah go, I ask her for advice on helping the kids improve after we get back to our little home resort and don’t have a private coach. I’m looking for tips and drills, maybe some dry land training suggestions for the off season, but again, she takes me back to the basics.

“Don’t forget, skiing is supposed to be fun, right?” she says. “Make sure they’re having fun.

That’s how they’ll improve the fastest. And that’s what will keep them wanting more.”

I think about her advice as my wife and I share a beer on the boat house deck while the kids slide down a snowy slope below the lift line on their bellies, pretending to be a couple of penguins. I remember when most of our ski days looked like this. Snowball fights and hot cocoa breaks. We started the kids skiing early, but made sure it was

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more about having fun than learning how to ski.

Along the way, it got serious. I got serious. I started focusing less on fun and more on improvement.

Mistakes. Progression. Perfection.

The next day, there is no Sarah. No lessons. No drills. Just the family skiing together. If it were up to me, we’d progress through the entire mountain, hitting increasingly difficult terrain and working on the tools that Sarah has given us to make us more efficient, better equipped skiers. We’d tackle the day like robots working through a program, maybe work on putting together a highlight reel the family could shop around to potential sponsors. But I’m trying to take Sarah’s advice to heart, so I let the kids lead us. Every once in a while, I’ll remind them to push their shins forward, or weight the edge of their ski, but mostly the kids set the agenda. We ski where they want to ski, eat when they want to eat.

As a result, we spend most of the day doing laps in Snowshoe’s progression park.

Typically, I avoid the terrain park for a couple of reasons. First: I’m old and terrain parks are full of annoyingly young people. People with energy who bounce when they hit the snow. Second: I don’t bounce when I hit the snow, so the idea of hitting a jump or rail and not landing it terrifies me. I can hear my brittle bones cracking as we drop into the first jump. But Snowshoe’s Progression Park is full of mellow hits—table tops and step ups, a few boxes and a mini half pipe. The entire park is designed to allow you to take each obstacle at your own pace. If you want to go big and catch huge air, you can. If you want to take it mellow and roll over

everything, that works too.

My kids start mellow, but after a few laps they’re getting legitimate air, hitting the tabletops and landing on the downhill side with grace. Because they’re going higher on each jump, I’m going higher and higher on each jump. The kids are pushing me.

Not on purpose, but they are. I can’t let my nineyear-olds get bigger air than me. I can’t let them become better skiers than me. Not yet. Suddenly, the roles are reversed. I started this family ski camp with the hopes that we’d all improve, but the kids would find new reason to look up to me for guidance. Here I am struggling to keep up with them. The students have become the masters.

Parenthood is baffling. I’m having a hard time coming to grips with the fact that my kids can handle themselves with confidence on terrain that’s giving me pause, but I still have to cut their PBJ sandwiches diagonal, or they’ll get jelly all over their faces.

By the afternoon, my wife and daughter have called it quits, and my legs are getting weak.

Cooper is still going strong, squeezing the most out of our time on the mountain, but I’m spent.

After a few wobbly landings, I eat it in the half pipe, catching an edge on the rim and sliding to the center of the tube. Cooper does what all skiers do when they see a partner has fallen. He skies right up to me as fast as he can and sprays snow in my face. It’s a tradition.

“That’s it,” I say, laughing. “I’m done. We’re getting chocolate covered waffles now.”

jason schlarb

THE ULTRA-MOTIVATED HARDROCK CHAMP, IRAQ VET AND ADVENTURER DISCUSSES THE SOURCES OF HIS INSPIRATION. B Y C H R I S K A S S A R

CHAMPION ULTRA-RUNNER, JASON SCHLARB

has racked up an impressive resume, racking up a Hardrock 100 win, three Run Rabbit Run 100 wins and a top American finish (fourth overall) in the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc. At times he seems superhuman: At the 2018 Rabbit Run in Steamboat Springs, he finished in 18:48:08 by running sub 7-minute miles for 93 of the race’s 101.7 miles. But, reasons to be impressed with Jason don’t stop there. Since serving for 10 years as an officer in the US Air Force, during which he deployed to Iraq and earned the rank of major, he has focused on creating a life centered around adventures that push his limits.

With that motivation driving him, the 40-year-old has completed a Winter Hardrock 100 (on skis over four days). He has explored remote regions of Patagonia, New Zealand, and this year, China, where he ran a 55K trail race and just days later established the Fastest Known Time (FTK) on 17,703-foot Haba "Snow" Mountain, which he refers to as “the Mount Rainier of China.” When he’s not exploring foreign lands, he lives in Durango with his 7-year-old son, Felix, and girlfriend, Meredith June Edwards, who keeps him moving since she’s also a pro ultra-runner, sponsored ski mountaineer, and skimo racer.

What do you love about running?

For me, it’s the simplicity of being able to run wherever and whenever I want without needing a team or equipment. To just rely on my body while I explore, cover huge distances, and push myself to see how far I can go.

Why did you get into trail running?

In college, I loved backpacking and hiking, but discovered by running I could see vast swaths of lands, cruise over technical trails, and cover 15 to 25 miles while getting to sleep in my bed. This adventure aspect, plus the fact that I learned I was suited for running really fast up mountains, fueled my passion.

So, you’re competitive?

Definitely. I even have a hard time playing board games, but I’ve matured and with sponsors and success my running has evolved so I can enjoy the exploration and travel aspects more and I can go on a run and not worry about if it was 10 seconds faster than last time.

How did you get on this path?

I was on a very conventional track— studying engineering, getting an MBA, becoming a major in the military. Three months after my son Felix was born, I deployed to Iraq.

Being away from him, being deployed presented significant challenges that forced my transition. I decided I wanted to live in the mountains and have freedom. I didn’t plan to be a professional runner, but I took a year off and trained. At the very same time, the sport really took off to the point where athletes could be paid.

I didn’t foresee that coming. It just naturally happened.

Any downsides to the lifestyle?

Sometimes I have fears about what I’ll do next or the income, but the opportunity to be with my son and travel and spend time with Meredith…

There are so many benefits to this lifestyle; it’s been a surprise motivator and outweighs any perceived downsides.

Biggest accomplishment in running?

Winning Hardrock for the second time with Killian Journet. I pushed him, he pushed me, and we decided to finish together and win as a team.

Not only is this race in my backyard, it’s also the most revered 100-mile race among mountain runners and Kilian is a mountain running icon. He is the ultimate. To finish and win with him was incredible.

What was the toughest part about Snow Mountain?

I was climbing by myself and after pushing for hours through a blizzard that dumped multiple feet at basecamp to reach 18,000 or 19,000

BORN TO CRUSH—A FORMER AIR FORCE OFFICER WHO SERVED IN IRAQ, SCHLARB HAS R E P E AT E D L Y R A C E D T O T H E T O P O F I N T E R N AT I O N A L P O D I U M S FROM OMAN TO CHINA. / PHOTO COURTESY JASON SCHLARB

feet, I couldn’t see slope in front of me. I hit that deep-down tiredness that comes from running that high, for that long and I couldn’t even see top. I thought, “Uh oh, how is this gonna turn out?" All that struggle made getting to the top even more emotional.

When asked about your adventure on Snow Mountain, you called Meredith “inspirational.” In what way?

During these efforts, you’re solo.

That’s gratifying and rewarding, but I’m not 20 anymore so it’s a lot more meaningful to share an intense experience and explore with someone I love. Making the right choice is a lot harder than continuing on. Watching her make the right choice to turn around (which is a lot harder decision than continuing on)

was inspiring. To be in the moment and say, it didn’t work out, I have to come back…that’s the hardest thing, but the consequences of not doing that are scary. I do love her and am so glad she would make the tough decision and stay safe.

What are some mental tricks you use to push through?

First, I smile, or force out a laugh. It just changes the way I feel. Next, I turn to a mantra. One I really love is: “nobody else in this race matters but me and what I’m doing.” When you’re out there for so long, it’s easy to get distracted, but I do best when I focus on how I’m feeling and run each moment the best I can. And throughout, I think about Meredith and Felix- doing them proud really motivates me.

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SUMMER CAMPS FOR EVERYONE

NEW PROGRAMS ARE MAKING CAMPS MORE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE

BY ELLEN KANZINGER

PHOTO BY BRADLEY NEMITZ

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H

annah Sjovold credits the Blue Sky Fund’ Outdoor Leadership institute for helping her “develop who I am and who I want to be.”

Blue Sky Fund brings youth from all over Richmond, Va. together through outdoor adventure and service. Rising ninth through twelfth graders spend a few days learning wilderness survival skills like how to set up a tent and light a stove before embarking on a week-long trip to the Grayson Highlands and the summit of Mount Rogers, the highest peak in Virginia.

Although she had previously hiked with her dad, Sjovold said she had never done a multi-day trip this long and strenuous with a group of people she had never met before.

“The first day, definitely, we were all a bit timid,” Sjovold said. “But it’s incredible being out backpacking together. You meet someone in a way that you can never know them again.

By the end of it, we really created our own family. I keep in touch with all of the participants to this day. We still hang out together sometimes. Such a community is built.”

The students learn to navigate each other’s strengths and weaknesses while out on the trail, taking on different roles each day.

“We hiked basically the entire day,” Sjovold said. “Some people wanted to hike faster, and others couldn’t keep up with that pace. Bonding with each other through that and getting through the tough parts. Some people got blisters on their feet and that’s not a fun experience. There was one day where it rained the entire day. That’s hard on the morale but getting through that together is incredible.”

But the program doesn’t end after those two weeks over the summer. The boys’ and girls’ crews come together to meet throughout the school year, volunteering one Saturday a month in urban gardens, parks, and homeless shelters around Richmond.

“I am definitely more aware of my surroundings and the impact that I have on the environment,” said participant Malik Ahmad. “I’ve become more conscious of what I can do to help my environment and to help my community and my earth.”

Although Ahmad had participated in Blue Sky’s afterschool program through the local Boys and Girls Club, he wasn’t as sure about signing up for the backpacking trip.

At the encouragement of his grandmother, he applied for the institute and went on the trip the summer before he started high school.

“It pushed me to try harder and made sure I was being honest with myself and honest with how I felt,” Ahmad said. “I’m typically a pretty nonchalant, non-argumentative person, or I was at the time. I was always hesitant to share my opinions or say how I felt at the moment. Then I realized that if I wanted my needs to be met, I needed to make them alert to myself, my counselors, and my team.”

BUILDING THE TEAM Bly Sky Fund's Outdoor Leadership Institute students are nominated by a teacher, mentor, or alumni of the program and then interview with the program directors. For the students selected, payment is based on a sliding scale to give every student the opportunity to participate.

Starting in the summer of 2019, Blue Sky will accept up to 40 students for four summer sessions.

“We try to get a diverse range of students from different backgrounds because when we’re talking about race, leadership, and unity in our communities, it’s really important for them to learn some new perspectives,” said Program Manager Dustin Parks.

The students build the foundation to have those honest

Discover Your Way

at the Eastern 4-H Center.

Come join us this summer, register for camp today! www.eastern4hcenter.org 252-797-4800

RICHMOND EDITION | FEBRUARY 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

33

conversations through outdoor adventure and teamwork.

“They really just form this unit,” Parks said. “The students work together to set the pace of the day, to figure out where we’re going, how many miles we’re hiking. It’s just a really cool time to see all of these students who four days ago, didn’t even know each other, didn’t really know how to read a map, and they’re navigating the wilderness together… Our students are not only walking away feeling supported by a group of people that are really different from them, but they are also learning a new skill that they can then use in other walks of life.”

Once students finish the year long program, culminating in a graduation in June, they are invited to join alumni trips the following summers to continue building that self-confidence and sense of accomplishment.

With these trips, the students have more control over where they go, learning how to plan, budget, and execute a trip of their own design. Blue Sky provides them with the funds, transportation, and facilitators to make it happen.

After his hesitation about the initial trip, Ahmad was all in on the alumni trip. The group biked from Pittsburgh, Penn., to Washington, D.C. along the C&O Canal and Great Allegheny Passage.

“I think the impact of our programming really creates a safe place for students to come and explore the outdoors,” Parks said. “And explore themselves and kind of learn who they are and learn what they’re passionate about away from the norm of school and sports and stuff like that.”

Similarly, Sjovold found she still wanted to be involved with Blue Sky but could not make it on the alumni trip. During the summer of 2018, the program managers invited her to work as a guide in training.

“It was an opportunity to see it from the other side,” she said. “I wasn’t really a participant in the way that the other girls were participants… I helped to plan some of the in-town days and the lessons we wanted them to understand. It was a really interesting experience, very fulfilling.”

The support from the program leaders extends beyond the institute itself.

“They came to one of my cross country meets and cheered me on,” Sjovold said. “It really makes you feel loved and a part of something bigger than yourself.”

FOLLOW THROUGH The Outdoor Leadership Institute is only one part of Blue Sky Fund’s mission to engage more students through the outdoors.

The organization partners with eight Richmond public elementary schools, working with second through fifth graders on experience-based science instruction. They lead after school adventure clubs at ten locations throughout the city for middle schoolers.

“We see a lot of our students who are in our elementary school program in our middle school program,” Parks said. “And we’re starting to see our elementary schoolers making it to our high school program. They know we’re consistent, they know we’re going to show up, they know that we care…

We’re basically able to see students from second 34

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P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F T H E G R E E N I N G Y O U T H F O U N D AT I O N

grade to twelfth grade and support them along the way.”

Over the summer, Blue Sky offers a six-week camp to expand on the programming they offer during the school year. A full day of camp gives them more time to take the students to places outside of Richmond, including an overnight camping trip each week.

The summer program costs $10 per week but the program works with each individual family so that cost is not a barrier. With all Blue Sky’s programs, most of the funding comes through donations, grants, and private partnerships to reach more children through the outdoors.

Brittany Bailey started working with Blue Sky Fund as an intern in 2013 before coming on full time in 2017. As the adventure program manager, she works with students across all grades and heads up the summer program.

Each week, the campers learn various outdoors skills such as paddling, rock climbing, Leave No Trace principles, and first aid, venturing out to George Washington National Forest and Shenandoah National Park.

“We would love for them to be able to take this and then go to these places with their families,” Bailey said. “Somewhere like Shenandoah, where it’s a paved road that they can get to, it’s really well marked, it’s something that could be really accessible for some of our students to go outside of our program.”

GETTING THE EXPERIENC E For college students, summer is a time for learning the skills needed for after graduation. Whether it’s through a job, an internship, summer classes, or study abroad, it’s an opportunity to explore.

The Greening Youth Foundation started as an environmental education program, partnering with public schools in Gwinnett County, Ga. to teach students about nature and wellness.

As their mission evolved and grew, the foundation began partnering with the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and several outdoor retailers to offer internships for diverse and underrepresented students among the next generation of environmental leaders.

Eboni Preston, the director of programs, said these partnerships present an opportunity for young adults to gain experience in the field and build professional networks. They place around 500 students in a variety of positions every year.

“I tell them all the time I am living vicariously through them,” she said. “They’re working on everything from hydrologist assistants to interpretation, graphic design, social media, historic preservation, and architecture.”

Students apply through the foundation which then works with the partner organizations to match students with positions and parks.

“We are engaging an audience that hasn’t had a lot of opportunities, especially when it comes to this space,” Preston said. “So that screening is we’re talking with them to see what their interests are, who is going to be a good fit. That is really big when it comes to these programs. Like you say that you like nature but are you okay sleeping in a tent? Are you really scared of bugs? Having some conversations so that we can make sure that what the young people enter into will help them be successful there.”

Once students start their internship, the foundation is there to provide support throughout the experience. In addition to summer internships for undergraduate students, there also longer internships available for graduate students.

“We’re uprooting a lot of these young people, sometimes it is for six months to a year,” Preston said. “So, making sure they have somewhere to stay, being an advocate for them, making sure they’re getting a stipend that will help them with whatever expenses they may have is really important for us…

It’s really about making sure these young people are successful and getting to the root of different types of issues they may be having or issues that are within the agency.”

At the end of every internship, Greening Youth asks the students to submit a multimedia reflection piece about their experience.

“For the folks that go outside a lot or have been fortunate enough to visit [national] parks, it’s just something special,” Preston said. “People always talk about their first park experience. It’s breathtaking and it’s life changing. Folks in that space working for one of these agencies, they definitely take growing

opportunities from that.”

While studying biology at Spelman College, Cristha Edwards worked with the Atlanta Botanical Gardens for two years as a conservation and biology intern through the foundation. During the summer, she worked full time in the molecular, tissue culture, and GIS mapping labs.

“Because you spend two years there, you really got to take time and see a project through from start to finish,” Edwards said. “The skills that I learned there actually helped me in the writing of my first publication.”

Now, Edwards is working with the foundation and the Forest Service on a faith-based forestry program at Proctor Creek while she pursues her Master of Divinity at Emory University.

“Even if I don’t end up staying in environmental justice or anything like that, just the skills that you learn, you can take it into any field,” she said. “I think professional development is one of the largest things Greening Youth Foundation has to offer… So not only lab skills, but how to communicate with people in an effective manner that is also professional, the importance of punctuality, and networking.”

Through it all, Edwards said the team at Greening Youth Foundation has been there for her.

“In your 20s, you’re finishing college and it’s a time of transition,” she said. “They’re really good at working with you throughout that time.”

FOR THE YOUNGEST AND THE SMALLEST Free Forest School is not a summer program as the weekly meet ups happen year-round. And it’s not a camp. But it’s a chance for children to spend some unstructured time outside, engaging their sense of wonder at a very young age. It caters to families with children from newborns to six year olds.

Forests schools are not a new phenomenon.

This style of learning encourages people of all ages to interact with the world around them, promoting independence and creativity.

But unlike many outdoor programs for young kids, Free Forest School is exactly that. Free.

“We were looking for things to do outdoors with our family here in Baltimore and I just found a lot of the outdoor programs for families with young children were just so expensive,” said Atiya Wells.

Wells is a pediatric nurse in Maryland and mother of two. After learning about Free Forest School, she went through the process of starting a chapter when she learned there was not one near her family.

“It’s all a child led environment,” she said. “The kids pick which way we go on the hike. They pick where we stop. They pick mostly everything we do

For decades, campers of all ages have flocked to summer camps around the Blue Ridge Mountains for adventure. Set in the heart of Appalachia, these summer camps offer outdoor experiences for kids and teenagers of all ages.

Camp Hidden Meadows BARTOW, W. VA. Surround by the Monongahela and George Washington National Forests, Camp Hidden Meadows offers adventure for campers ages 6-16. Spend your summer learning outdoor living skills, farm to table cooking, mountain biking, and more. Older campers have an opportunity to venture further beyond the base camp on one

out there.”

The group meets once a week at the same local park, averaging around 12 families. They typically walk between a quarter mile and half mile before setting up base camp. The children are then given at least an hour of free play before coming together for snacks and story time.

“Prior to Free Forest School, as a parent with two small children and as a working mom, I was always trying to find something for my kids to do,” Wells said. “After starting Free Forest School, going and observing, I’m thinking I really don’t need to provide them with anything. Everything that they need is already out here. That helped me get them outside, even in our backyard more… It’s really made me more of a relaxed kind of parent. I don’t have to be on edge all the time.”

Since starting the Baltimore chapter over a year ago, Wells said her five-year-old daughter has become more independent when it comes to play.

“She has never really been one to play by herself,” she said. “It was always, ‘Mommy, can you play with me? Can we do this? Can we do that?’ Now she’s started playing by herself a lot more. She’s more comfortable being outside by herself in our backyard.”

Her two-year-old son, who started the program at an earlier age, is more confident on his feet, climbing hills and rocks without any hesitation.

Getting involved with Free Forest School also inspired Wells to enroll in the state master naturalist program through the local extension office.

“This has also sparked more of an interest in me to learn more about nature from the questions that the children were asking me,” she said. “I didn’t know anything about being outside, honestly. Growing up as an African American and living in the city, nature was not a part of our everyday, even once a month.

It’s not something that we did at all. I was under the impression that everything that was green was poison ivy. There were bears everywhere and snakes and everything was going to get you… I was like I really need to know more about what’s out here for the safety of people. From there I realized there’s really nothing to be afraid of.”

The class has helped her identify plants, wildflowers, and rocks with her daughter when they are at their weekly meetups.

Wells also sits on the board of directors to help guide the organization at the national level and promote the accessibility of the program.

“I thought once I started Free Forest School, it’s a free program, there will be more black people and more people of color out there,” she said. “And that was not the response. It really made me do a deeper

dive of what’s really going on here. That has led me down the history of institutional racism and why a lot of people of color are not comfortable outdoors and what needs to happen in order for that to be more of a comfort for them.”

One of the things facilitators like about Free Forest School is the flexibility it offers depending on location.

With dozens of chapters across the country and a handful internationally, it looks a little different in each place.

SarahRuth Owens heads up the Southern Blue Ridge chapter with groups meeting in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The group she facilitates rotates locations after 12 weeks, giving the children time to learn an area but also experience new places.

Owens plans to homeschool her five, three, and two-year-old so Free Forest School gives them a chance to interact with other children, especially her oldest.

“I’ve really seen him take a leadership role in a way I haven’t seen him do,” she said. “He is one of the oldest children. He’ll be like, ‘I know the trail!’ when new kids come. ‘Come with me!’ He’ll race ahead. In other environments, he can be very cautious and not as confident.”

Owens said her group likes water, so the parents consider how deep and swift the water is when scouting locations.

“There are times I can hear him, but I can’t visually see him anymore,” she said. “I know where he is. He knows that area really well. With that in mind, when we go scout, we’re actually scouting for safety so that when we bring groups of children, we don’t really have to be on guard.”

That idea of self-directed play is what drew Mark Jarman and Janice Adelman to the program.

“We are both research psychologists and a few years ago we were looking into how to raise a child that is connected with nature in today’s kind of disconnected way of living,” Jarman said. “There’s more and more research showing the benefits of being in nature for everyone, kids and adults. So, I think they’re doing a great job making this an accessible opportunity for people everywhere.”

The parents of a four-year-old and a four-monthold started a chapter in Rockbridge County, Va. a few months ago. Although the group is still small, they already know this is something they want to continue growing for other families in the area.

“This is what we’ve been needing and what’s been lacking,” Adelman said. “Just that aspect of community building has been really impressive to me, to get people to come together… The organization is really great about putting those ideals and those values first and offering a platform of support to do that.”

of the Earth Expeditions. Spend a week backpacking to the top of West Virginia’s highest peak, whitewater raft down the New River Gorge, and climb the rocks at Seneca Falls.

the graduate expeditions in the Blue Ridge Mountains and Outer Banks.

Green River Preserve CEDAR MOUNTAIN, N.C. With over 3,400 acres to explore, Green River Preserve has plenty of space to explore, create, and learn. During the Mentor Hike, campers explore the many ecosystems of the preserve led by naturalists. These hikes encourage campers to slow down and connect with the natural world. Rising high schoolers through rising college freshmen are invited to return for one of

Smoky Mountain Adventure Camp COSBY, TENN. What better place to spend the summer than in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Campers build relationships with each other, staff members, and the environment through hiking, camping, and paddling. Explore well known areas like Max Patch and Pigeon River, spend a night in the Lost Sea Caverns, and take a turn on the climbing wall. Each session ends with a trip to Ober Gatlinburg for some summertime ice skating.

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | FEBRUARY 2019 | RICHMOND EDITION

THE GOODS

TRAIL RUNNING GEAR

TRAIL RUNNING FAVORITES SHUT-IN CHAMPS REVEAL THEIR GO-TO GEAR B Y G R A H A M AV E R I L L

THE BEAUTY OF LIVING IN THE SOUTHERN

Appalachians is that it’s always trail running season. Aside from a few rogue storms, trail conditions are amicable year-round. Still, it’s safe to say that spring is prime time for hitting the dirt. You’re coming off of winter and looking to get back into fighting shape, the leaves are budding, and you’ve got a full slate of races to train for. It’s time to hit the trails, hard, so we talked with the reigning champs of the Shut In Ridge Trail Run, one of the most respected trail races east of the Rockies, about their favorite running gear.

Last year, Luke Paulson took the men’s title during his first year running the Shut In. “There’s so much hype around that race, which makes it a lot of fun,” Paulson says. “And it’s an interesting distance—it’s long (17.8 miles) but not too long, and most of the runners know the trail really well, so people are moving fast.”

Anne Wheatly has won the Shut In two years in a row, but says winning the race gets tougher each year. “I love the fact that the women’s field grows and gets more competitive,” Wheatly says. “There was a pack of 10 women right behind me this year, which I thought was fantastic.”

Wheatly and Paulson guided us

through their favorite pieces of running gear as they prepare for another season of trail racing.

ANNE WHEATLY SALOMON ADVANCED SKIN 5

I like to use a pack during longer runs. The Advanced Skin fits so well, and Salomon makes a lot of sizes so you can find the right fit for your torso. There’s room for a bladder and handhelds on either side, so you can customize it the way you want. I’ve had this pack for a long time, but when you love a piece of gear, you don’t want to let it go. $155; SALOMON.COM

TRACKSMITH GRAYBOY TANK AMATEUR

Tracksmith’s stuff is really fantastic, with a classic New England style. Their stuff is cut a little better to fit a woman’s body, too. I love this tank, which I think is so funny. $52; TRACKSMITH.COM

STANCE SNOWBOARDING SOCKS

These aren’t technically running socks, but they’re made with a wool blend, and really comfortable and really funky.

I pull them up high on colder runs to add some color and variation to the wardrobe. $18; STANCE.COM

OISELLE HOMERUN HALF ZIP

Oiselle only makes women’s running clothing and they do a fantastic job at it. I love just about everything they make, but the Homerun Half Zip stands out. It has thumb holes, a rear zipper pocket and is made from a soft and stretchy polyester and spandex blend. $78; OISELLE.COM

LUKE PAULSON ON CLOUDVENTURE

My shoe preferences fluctuate with the terrain and mileage I’m doing, but recently I’ve been into these

S H U T- I N C H A M P S A N N E W H E AT L Y ( L E F T ) A N D L U K E PA U L S O N ( R I G H T ) . / P H O T O S B Y A N D Y WICKSTROM

shoes from ON. The Cloudventure is nothing too fancy, but it’s a lightweight shoe with good tread. And it’s really responsive. $150; ON-RUNNING.COM

THE NORTH FACE FLIGHT BETTER THAN NAKED JACKET

This jacket is so lightweight, it feels like nothing at all, but it’s windproof and water resistant so it can keep bad weather at bay when you’re on a run. $60; THENORTHFACE.COM

GARMIN FORERUNNER 25

I always run with a Garmin GPS. The 25 isn’t the fanciest watch they make, but I like that it only has a few functions.

I don’t want a map or heart rate or anything like that. I want to know how fast I’m going and how far I’m going.

That’s it. And that’s what this watch does. $99; GARMIN.COM

MORE GEAR

GARMONT USHUAY GTX HIKING BOOT

MALOJA RICA WOMEN’S JACKET

You may not have heard on Maloja on this side of the pond, but this European company produces some of the world’s best technical ski and winter apparel. Made of superfine nylon and wool with Primaloft paddling, the windproof and water-resistant Rica is both rugged and beautiful, featuring two zip front pockets, and elastic cuff and waistband binding. $265

LEKI MICRO FLASH CARBON

These foldable trail running poles feature lightweight but rugged carbon shafts, cork grips, carbide trail running tips, and push-button release mechanisms for fast and simple assembly. They take up a mere 37 centimeters in your pack, and the added speed, stability, and support they provide are worth all 192 grams.

Named for the adventure hub and gateway to Antarctica, these winter boots provide lightweight, insulated performance for cold, snow, and ice.

The Vibram outsole is super-grippy, even on ice and frozen terrain, and the waterproof outer kept feet dry even in soggy Southern Appalachian slush. $175

VASQUE ST. ELIAS FULL-GRAIN GORE-TEX BOOT

Looking for the go-to boot for big adventures in 2019? The updated St. Elias provides long-distance durability and all-day comfort right out of the box. The waterproof, rugged boot can handle any technical trail and is perfect for tackling Southern Appalachian summits this spring. $129

$179.95

FEBRUARY 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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IN ITS NEW STATE PARK, TENNESSEE PLANS TO BUILD A LARGE ROAD ON A STEEP MOUNTAINSIDE, WHICH WOULD DAMAGE STREAM WATER QUALITY AND THREATEN WILDLIFE.

T

Rocky Fork

A WILD PLACE WORTH SAVING—AGAIN

BY FRANCES FIGART

he cleanest water, the rarest species, the most secluded hiking and biking trails in the region, and a new state park. You can find all this and more at Rocky Fork in the northeast corner of Tennessee. Now is the time to visit this remote and virtually undiscovered wilderness—and to help protect it.

Go to Mount Mitchell, highest peak in the east, in the late afternoon and look directly west: the mountains you see in the sunset comprise the Rocky Fork watershed. Or pick up the Appalachian Trail in the Smokies and hike northeast along the spine of the mountains that divide Tennessee and North Carolina for about four days, and you’ll come to Rocky Fork, a Smokies-like swath of forest that offers an ideal getaway for hikers, backpackers, mountain bikers, trout fishers, horseback riders, birders, and anyone simply seeking solitude in a pristine mountain setting.

Until you actually go “up in Rocky Fork,” it’s hard to understand just what a magical place it is. From the moment you enter the narrow passage that leads into a mossy-green-and-grey labyrinth of rock-strewn waterways, you are enchanted—even haunted— by an ancient energy force that is mysterious yet welcoming. It’s palpable and undeniable: this place has been special to people for centuries.

Rocky Fork is Appalachia at its very best. Part of Cherokee National Forest, the 10,000-acre Rocky Fork watershed is about the size of DuPont State Forest in Henderson and Transylvania counties of North Carolina. It adjoins the Bald Mountain Roadless Area, the largest area of its kind between Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah national parks.

Its former owner was a timber company whose logging tracks crisscross the property in a network of unimproved, overgrown forest roads, ideal for hiking and exploring the remote backcountry. Many of these trails are suitable for mountain biking and horseback riding; some are only fit for foot traffic to protect the many fragile streams and springs.

“Surrounded by wilderness, national forest, and the A.T., the Rocky Fork tract has the potential to become a mecca for trail users with almost limitless options,” says John Beaudet, an A.T. thru-hiker, trail maintainer, and sawyer who moved to Flag Pond a decade ago to live near Rocky Fork. “A number of trails originate in the park and continue into the Cherokee National Forest. Some loop back to the park, and others traverse the remote backcountry connecting to the A.T. as well as to trails in the Sampson Mountain Wilderness. This allows for a wide range of choices—from short day hikes to longer loops that stretch day hikers’ limits to overnight backpacking trips with camping on Forest Service land.”

Who lives in Rocky Fork?

ROCKY FORK CREEK / PHOTO

BY JOYE ARDYN DURHAM

Unlike many people in other parts of the world, we in Southern Appalachia are fortunate that, in some

places, we can actually find naturally occurring, clean water. Rocky Fork Creek has the cleanest water of any tributary in the Nolichucky River Watershed, which feeds into the French Broad and in turn feeds the Tennessee River, flowing all the way across the state and into the Mississippi.

Clean water contributes to healthy biodiversity— and it’s an important reason Rocky Fork has been inventoried and studied by scientists as a biodiversity hotspot. Its cove forest interlaced with pristine mountain streams is a bear sanctuary, home of the Southern brook trout, and a haven for salamanders including the Yonahlossee, hellbender and redspotted newt. There are charismatic fireflies, a variety of frogs, bats, and delicate pink and yellow lady slipper orchids, among many other species.

Perhaps the most iconic species to make its home in Rocky Fork is the peregrine falcon, a raptor with a fabulous conservation success story. Brought back from the brink of extinction due to DDT poisoning in the 1950s and ’60s, literally hand-raised one at a time until viable populations were reached, this indomitable bird is now once again flying over much of its former range. A species that traditionally has not tolerated human disturbance, it seeks out remote, wild, unpopulated areas like Rocky Fork and can be seen near the watershed’s jagged cliffs.

New owner, new threat

Those who know Rocky Fork have likely read about how this “hidden jewel of the Blue Ridge wild” was saved a decade ago from developers who would have carved up the tract into lots for trophy homes.

But the story doesn’t end there. This special place is under threat again, and this time the would-be developer is the state of Tennessee, which already owns a fifth of the tract, and created Rocky Fork State Park—renamed Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park in January of this year.

While the 2,076-acre park is only a chunk of the 10,000-acre watershed, it provides the best point of entry for everyone who enjoys the entire tract, the rest of which was added to Cherokee National Forest.

The small Rocky Fork State Park (RFSP) currently has no facilities and only limited parking. It is accessed via a narrow one-lane paved road, tightly wedged between the gorgeous Rocky Fork Creek on one side and steep-sloping embankments on the other.

The park’s iconic entrance is comprised of a field and wetland on the right, the spectacular creek in the center, and the steep slope of Flint Mountain arcing up from the creek on the left. Last November, after a three-year silence, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) announced plans to replace the natural entrance of the park with a modern visitor center and parking lot on the right, a new auto bridge over the creek, and a massive road cut into the steep slope of Flint Mountain for a twolane, 24-foot-wide access road leading three quarters of a mile ostensibly to an overlook and primitive campground. What would this cost taxpayers? About $15,000,000.

“Before and after its establishment, Rocky Fork State Park was envisioned as a ‘primitive state park,’ one in which preserving the abundant natural and wild characteristics of the site would be paramount.

It was to be a park that emphasized low-impact

ROCKY FORK •

recreational use that included hiking, nature study, mountain biking, and hike-in camping,” says Dr. Foster Levy, an East Tennessee State University biologist who attended early stakeholder meetings about the park’s development, along with mountain bikers, equestrians, and representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), Unicoi County Commission, and TDEC. “Without exception, all supported the concept of a primitive, low-development park. None were in favor of road development within the park.”

Levy says the newly proposed visitor center would impinge on one of the few natural wetlands in the Rocky Fork tract. “This wetland supports the star-nosed mole as well as several noteworthy plant species. Runoff from the parking lot and other paved or graveled areas would flow directly into Rocky Fork Creek, increasing pollution and sediment.”

The site is also the breeding and hatching ground of blue ghost and synchronous fireflies. Lynn Faust of Knoxville has spent nearly three decades doing firefly research in the Appalachians, authored Fireflies, Glow-worms and Lightning Bugs, and created the system that scientifically predicts the peak of firefly activity in the Smokies each spring. While she says that “both Photinus carolinus and Phausis reticulata exist in other parts of the watershed, the proposed

RARE FIREFLIES ARE PROTECTED BY ROCKY FORK. PHOTO BYRADIM SCHREIBER, FIREFLYEXPERIENCE.ORG

visitor center site is the most user-friendly spot for viewing since currently it is a sort of natural amphitheater where people do not have to tread on the actual areas the beetles emerge from in order to witness and enjoy them. Once earth moving and habitat destruction occur—followed by pavement, buildings, parking, heavy foot traffic, and lighting—the populations in this, the most ideal place to showcase the species’ displays to the public, would never recover.”

Small park, big road

The biggest problem would be the road up Flint Mountain, according to architect and rural resources planner Taylor Barnhill of Madison County, N.C. “Construction of the road is an engineering folly, an extreme waste of taxpayer money, and cannot avoid serious environmental damage,” he cautions.

“Sediment and debris run-off into Rocky Fork Creek cannot be controlled under storm conditions. The steepness of this road—at 17 percent grade for much of the length—would be dangerous for any type of vehicle, especially RVs. Despite the statement that this road is not for an RV park ‘at this time,’ the

FEBRUARY 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

39

future intent is clear to those who have followed this planning process from the beginning.”

Hugh Irwin, landscape conservation planner with The Wilderness Society, points out that “direct and indirect impacts of the visitor center and the proposed road could potentially impact many species found in the park, including state-listed species. They could also impact wetlands, stream water quality, and the primitive and natural characteristic of the park environment.”

Johnny Cosgrove of Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning, an environmental advocacy organization based in Oak Ridge, Tenn., says the state’s current plans for Rocky Fork could cause serious damage to 15 streams, five springs, four wetlands, and three seeps within the project limits.

Also in harm’s way are more than 70 plant and animal species within a four-mile radius of the project that are designated as endangered, threatened, of special concern, or in need of management—including the federally endangered Indiana bat and threatened Northern long-eared bat.

“The geology underlying the path of the proposed road is fairly unstable, and it also has the potential to seriously damage the aquatic life in adjacent creeks,” says Josh Kelly, public lands biologist at Mountain True, an Asheville-based conservation group that serves the Watauga, French Broad, Nolichucky and Pigeon River watersheds. “There is a high risk of erosion, landslides, and slope failures due to the construction of the proposed road. Rocky Fork is an exceptional aquatic resource that should not be jeopardized by the development of a road meant to help people enjoy the very stream the road threatens.”

RED-SPOTTED NEWT / PHOTO

BY SHARON MAMMOSER

cultural, and historic resources of Tennessee— promoting diverse recreation while conserving the natural environment. Rocky Fork is a regional treasure and affords an opportunity to provide a unique park experience,” says Carl Silverstein, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s executive director. “Rocky Fork's best feature is its Rocky Fork needs your help solitude, its adjacency to other protected land, and Our planet is now facing the sixth mass extinction access to a backwoods recreation experience. We of plants and animals in its history, according to the believe that with careful planning and promotion, Center for Biological Diversity. Roads are one of the this minimally developed park can become a cultural greatest impediments to habitat and economic driver for Unicoi connectivity, which is necessary County.” for wildlife to thrive. Four million Dr. Levy says those involved “ Rocky Fork is an miles of public roads cross the in the early stakeholder meetings exceptional aquatic U.S. alone and kill roughly a favored private development of resource that should not campgrounds, accommodations, million vertebrates every single day, according to the Wildlands and restaurants in the area be jeopardized by the Network. surrounding the park to spur development of a road economic development in “Rocky Fork is one of the last remaining pure wilderness areas the county. In a 2014 steering meant to help people in our region, definitely a wild committee meeting, Levy enjoy the very stream the place worth saving—again,” says presented a plan for electric road threatens.”

Beaudet. “If there is any place vehicles to transport visitors to on earth where we do not need —Josh Kelly, public lands biologist the park features, “eliminating another road, it’s here.” the need for wide, paved roads with MountainTrue In 2006, the Southern and minimizing environmental Appalachian Highlands impacts while providing access to Conservancy prepared the application for a $6 million members of the public unable or disinclined to walk. grant from the Tennessee Heritage Conservation These electric vehicles could be run as a privately Trust Fund. Co-signed by the U.S. Forest Service, operated concession that would draw visitors and Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Tennessee Wildlife preserve the fragile watershed at a fraction of the Resources Agency, and The Conservation Fund, the cost of the newly proposed 24-foot-wide road.” grant secured the majority of the money used to Barnhill believes that charging in-park fees and purchase the lands now comprising Rocky Fork State sending visitor dollars to Nashville would only hurt Park. “As a conservation organization, we share and the local economy. “With half of its resources in public celebrate the vision of Tennessee State Parks, which lands, Unicoi County should serve as a gateway were established to protect and preserve the natural, community to those lands. As such it has the potential 40

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | FEBRUARY 2019

for significant economic development through private businesses that would support visitation to RFSP and the Cherokee National Forest.” He adds that the state could greatly enhance those efforts by partnering with Unicoi County to support development of private enterprise like RV campgrounds on private land.

“This park does not yet have a comprehensive management plan that considers future uses and stakeholders. No road, visitor center, or campground should be built without this plan and without first considering building the infrastructure on property adjoining the current park boundaries,” says Cosgrove. “If properly managed as a rustic state park, and protected through low-impact, eco-conscious development, Rocky Fork can remain one of the last pristine wildlife refuges in Southern Appalachia.”

What you can do

Those who do not want to see Rocky Fork overdeveloped are following the next steps, which will likely include a permitting process for the roadbuilding project, followed by a public hearing and a 30-day period for public comment. Many more voices are needed to be able to protect Rocky Fork.

Frances Figart is the Interpretive Products and Services Director at Great Smoky Mountains Association. The views expressed here are her own and not those of GSMA or GSMNP.

Learn more about this special place worth saving (again) by following RockyForkJournal. com and liking the Rocky Fork Watershed Almanac on Facebook.

TRAIL MIX

NEW ALBUMS

RHIANNON GIDDENS RETURNS WITH NEW COLLABORATION, OUR NATIVE DAUGHTERS

BY JEDD FERRIS

RHIANNON GIDDENS FIRST EMERGED IN THE

Grammy Award-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, a popular acoustic trio that revived the underappreciated traditions of black string band music in the South. She’s since pivoted to a solo career and notably collaborated with T Bone Burnett, Marcus Mumford, and Jim James on The New Basement Tapes, a project that set new music to previously unused Bob Dylan lyrics.

In 2017 Giddens won a McArthur Foundation “Genius Grant,” which has given her the freedom to explore new creative outlets, like writing the musical score to the ballet “Lucy Negro Redux,” which examines race relations in Renaissance England.

This month she’s also releasing a new collaborative album, Songs of Our Native Daughters, a poignant collection of songs written based on slave narratives in American history.

To make the record Giddens assembled a new band with three

fellow roots-leaning black female musicians: blues singer Amythyst Kiah, Allison Russell of Americana duo Birds of Chicago, and folk singer/cellist Leyla McCalla.

“Gathering a group of fellow black female artists who had and have a lot to say, made it both highly collaborative and deeply personal to me,” Giddens explained in a statement on the new effort. “It felt like there were things we had been waiting to say our whole lives in our art; and to be able to say them in the presence of our sisters-in-song was sweet, indeed.

I see this album as a part of a larger movement to reclaim the black female history of this country.”

Giddens developed the concept after reading accounts of slavery in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and adapting parts of the true stories into songs. Members of the new collective also wrote some of the album’s 13 tracks based on generational stories of slavery passed down in their own families. One of Russell’s contributions, “Quasheba, Quasheba,” is about a paternal ancestor who was sold into slavery off the coast of Ghana.

“As we got deeper into the project, into the source material, slave narratives, and minstrel history, I kept feeling the parallels to my own life and experience,” Russell explained.

Songs of Our Native Daughters will be released on February 22 via Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

5 MORE UPCOMING ALBUMS WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT Mandolin Orange: Tides of a Teardrop RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 1

On the first of the month the North Carolina-based duo of Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz will release their first new album since becoming parents, but life events from the past also inspired the band’s latest batch of emotive, acoustic-based Americana tunes. According to a statement on Tides of a Teardrop, Marlin was inspired to write lyrics about his late mother, who died when he was 18.

“I think her passing was almost the genesis of my writing,” he said. “That was when I really began to find refuge in writing songs. I feel like I tried to find a voice around that time, just because I needed the outlet.”

The group is playing a series of album release shows around the South this month, including stops at the Orange Peel in Asheville, N.C., on February 2 and the Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville, Va., on February 4.

Carsie Blanton: Buck Up

Busy in recent years with his psychjam supergroup Hard Working Americans, the Nashville troubadour hasn’t released a new effort of his own since 2016’s Eastside Bulldog. At press time we didn’t have a track list for the new one, but we know it will be a return to Snider’s folk roots, with mostly minimalist guitar-and harmonica arrangements. The album was recorded at Johnny Cash’s Cash Cabin Studios in Tennessee.

Son Volt: Union RELEASE DATE: MARCH 29

Alt-country pioneer Jay Farrar returns with his longstanding band’s ninth studio album; a politically charged effort that taps into folk music’s protest legacy, while also making heartfelt calls for unity. Farrar was inspired by his well-stated appreciation for folk hero Woody Guthrie; a handful of songs on Union were recorded at the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Also, the album’s closing song, “The Symbol,” was directly inspired by Guthrie’s “Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos).”

RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 15

The Avett Brothers: TBD

On her latest, Blanton a singersongwriter from New Orleans via Luray, Va., moves between sultry jazz, soulful rock, and John Prine-inspired folk.

Standout “Buck Up,” about staying optimistic in troubled times, features a vocal assist from Oliver Wood.

RELEASE DATE: TBD

Todd Snider: Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3 RELEASE DATE: MARCH 15

Details are still forthcoming on the Avett Brothers’ highly anticipated follow-up to 2016’s True Sadness, but we know the North Carolina native sons once again have been in the studio with Rick Rubin. Late last year they also dropped a newly recorded single, the poignant examination of relationship dynamics, “Roses and Sacrifice.”

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FINAL WORD

THE SCIENCE OF AWE

AWESOME: THE SURPRISING SCIENCE BEHIND HOW WE EXPERIENCE THE OUTDOORS B Y WA L L Y S M I T H

A cold front is sweeping over Pickem Mountain in the Jefferson National Forest, blasting a gale-force wind through the cliffs crowning its summit.

The weather has my attention, but the trio of kids I'm hiking with are too busy to notice. They've got other business.

"Is this where the salamanders live?" one of them asks, wandering towards a rock outcrop off-trail. I don't know, but we check it out anyway, shining a headlamp into a narrow crevice midway up. Sure enough, the snub-nosed profile of a green salamander peers out at us.

The kids are certifiably stoked.

"Let me see!" they yell, pushing past each other to get the best look. One of them has his jaw dropped, while another is chattering excitedly about the salamander's behavior. The third is silently staring at the animal, processing a part of the woods they're seeing for the first time.

There’s a common way to describe each child’s reaction: the kids are in awe.

We've all experienced that feeling.

It might not come from something 42

as specific as a salamander in a rock crevice, but each of us has stumbled across one of those outdoor moments that leaves us gobsmacked. Maybe it's waking up to a backcountry sunrise over a sea of valley fog, or perhaps it's surviving a ride down epic singletrack that straddles the razor-thin line between exhilaration and a trip to the E.R. Regardless of the source, there's an undeniable feeling in finding awe in the outdoors. We've experienced something different, and it won't leave us the same.

Why does that feeling happen?

After all, emotions have biological sources, and awe is no different. In recent decades, psychologists have been delving into the science behind awe-inspiring experiences in nature, shedding new light on an emotion that everyone experiences but few easily understand.

Much of that insight is coming from the Great Outdoors Lab, a collaboration between the Greater Good Science Center at U.C.-Berkeley and the Sierra Club. Previous work has shown that a feeling of awe stems from expanding one's horizons— experiencing something different that forces you to reconsider your world— but an outstanding question has been if that experience translates into longer-term wellbeing.

And as humans become more disconnected from nature, that question becomes even more relevant.

“Most of our population lives in cities, and more and more we’re spending all of our time in front of screens,” says Craig Anderson, a postdoctoral fellow at U.C.-San Francisco and formerly a graduate student at U.C.-Berkeley.

“Awe is an emotion that we feel in the

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | FEBRUARY 2019

presence of vast things that take us out of the context that we’re used to, and nature is really good at both of those things.”

Anderson and colleagues tested that ability in research published this past summer, examining diaries kept by whitewater rafters including college students and military veterans. Their results were striking: more aweinspiring experiences outdoors can lead to improvements in well-being and stress responses, including those tied to PTSD. While it makes sense that a single event like a rafting trip would generate transformative awe, Anderson and colleagues went a step further, asking participants to keep diaries detailing their thoughts and feelings as they went through everyday activities.

Out of a list of positive emotions— amusement, contentment, joy, and pride—awe was the one most affected by regular time spent outdoors.

“Those daily moments, whether it’s a sunset or noticing flowers blooming in the neighborhood, those can make you feel awe, too,” Anderson says.

Over the two-week course of the study, participants who felt more awe in nature saw greater improvements in their well-being.

Those of us who spend time outdoors know that feeling all too well.

But why are the outdoors so primed for inducing awe in the first place? It turns out that a love for nature might be rooted in our DNA. For decades, researchers have known that humans are drawn to natural landscapes. As far back as 1984, biologist E.O. Wilson popularized a concept called the Biophilia hypothesis, which Wilson called the "urge to affiliate with other

T H E VA S T N E S S O F N O R T H C A R O L I N A’ S L I N V I L L E GORGE SURROUNDS A HIKER BELOW BABEL T O W E R . / P H O T O B Y WA L L Y S M I T H

forms of life."

Work since then has suggested that our attachment to nature often links to places that support psychological notions like safety in an environment or the exploration of it.

While some debate exists about how extensive those preferences may be in different populations, experiencing awe in nature is very likely a part of what makes us human.

An added implication of Anderson and colleagues' research is that our relationship to nature might also extend to our health. And the medical community is catching on to that notion. In recent years, medical professionals have begun prescribing time outdoors for a litany of health conditions. In Japan, a form of outdoor therapy called forest bathing has been linked to lower blood pressure and reduced diabetes risk. Here in the Blue Ridge, the region's wilderness therapy programs are based on similar principles, as are a growing number of nature therapy centers regionwide.

Granted, you're probably never going to get a script from your doctor that simply says "go do something awesome." But researchers are uncovering that there’s real scientific grounding behind that feeling of experiencing awe in nature, whether it's a thru-hike on the A.T. or getting amped about spotting some salamanders with kids on an afternoon walk. The secret to a long and healthy—and yes, awesome—life, then, might lie no farther away than right outside.

P R O T E C T I N G W I L D P L A C E S F O R T H E I R H A B I TAT A N D R E C R E AT I O N VA L U E S.

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P R OU D M E M B E R

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