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Hikers and Nature by Ron Strickland

Hannegan Pass

How should hikers, experienced or otherwise, think about Nature? My own thoughts have evolved in ways that I never expected. Back when I was a teenager I fell under the spell of a seductress named Wilderness. Her allure was originally defined for …

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Climbing Mt Meader and the Brickett Falls Trail

Waterfall and swimming hole at the base of Brickett falls on the Mt Meader Trail in Evans Notch

Dave said, “Mt Meader Trail is the most boring trail in Evans Notch”, but when I asked him for specifics he couldn’t remember hiking it. He was wrong. In addition to magnificent Brickett Falls, there is a great swimming hole near the …

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Backpacking to Unknown Pond

Packrafting on Unknown Pond

The town of Berlin, pronounced “BURR-ln”, with the accent on the first syllable, has the feeling of a modern frontier town, where logging trucks, 4×4 pickups, and ATVs outnumber passenger cars. Located in the northernmost section of the White Mountains and New …

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Camping Fears: Eastern Black Bears and Safety

The best way to avoid black bear encounters is to make a lot of noise when hiking and keep a clean camp when sleeping

Had a reader contact me recently asking me how I managed to get any sleep when backpacking solo. He’d gone on their first overnight trip in Dolly Sods (WV) and been freaked out worrying about eastern bears at night and being attacked …

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