Week 1 on the A.T.

Hello from Ranger!
I was given my trail name on day 3, by a Thru-hiker named Obi Trail Kenobi. It was a close call for getting one I could live with, with the options being Fresh Fish ( because I was new to the trail) or Workin on It (because that's what I reponded when asked what my trail name was).

It's been a great experience so far! I have hiked for 8 days now, and reached 79 miles! Much better average mileage than I was expecting. I met some friends along the way as well. Tumbleweed is from Maine and also a female Flip-Flopper, and B.C. is a recent college grad flipping as well. I've had some great laughs with them in the past week.

We all were given the best trail magic possible during our first foray into town. Walking down the road trying our thumbs at getting a ride to Walmart to resupply, we passed by a woman doing yard work. She offered us a cold drink, then a ride and pickup, then proceeded to surpass any expectations by allowing us to take showers, do laundry, sleep in her heated garden shed (much nicer than the trail shelters!) and stuffing us full of steak dinner. A truly amazing lady! We named her Mama Speedbump.


I'm now taking advantage of the Wi-Fi at the Ironmaster's Mansion Hostel (truly a mansion, built in the 1820's) and am about to enjoy a waffle breakfast. Although it's still early in the trip, I decided to treat myself to a nearo day ( nearly no miles walked) and stay overnight to dry out clothes, clean up and pick up mail.

I'm going to be cruising by myself for a bit, seeing if I can catch up to familiar faces, but I also want to enjoy the views while the terrain is still relatively flat, since I know it will not last long!

Happy Trails!!

Gear Test Run

"The world is big and I want to have a good look at it before it gets dark." - John Muir

Last "weekend" I went to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park for a test run of some of my new items of gear. On the agenda to test during the trip: footwear, rain gear, hammock tarp (and remembering how to hang my hammock) my new Sawyer water filter and my legs. 

Leaving from work on Wednesday, I planned a two night jaunt into Friday, leaving time for the trip back home. After a three hour drive, I arrived with just enough time to set up camp in the Wilderness Road campground and settle in for bed. 

The next day I stopped in at the visitor center to get some information on the trails. I was looking to hike 6-8 miles to a back-country site for my second night out. Unfortunately, because of limitations only allowing camping in established back-country campsites,  I learned that my options were a 3 mile trail or a 10 mile trail. 

I grudgingly decided on the 3 mile trail, feeling a bit better when I learned it was the steepest in the park.

Because it was so steep, the ranger recommended a four hour hike time. I left myself five hours in order to have plenty of time before dark to check out the nearby historical Hensley Settlement, set up camp and cook dinner.

I completed the trail in 2 hours. (Legs work. Check!)
I even stopped to get pictures of the beautiful flowers along the way.

Luckily, I had brought a book! After setting up camp, I spent a few relaxing hours reading.

Upon feeling thirsty, I went to test out my new water filter at the water source that was nearby.
 It was absolutely dry.
This unluckily meant that of the 2L of water I had brought, I had about 4 mouthfuls remaining, not enough to cook my dehydrated meal for dinner.

If I was Bear Grylls I would have probably rigged up a solution to obtain water in minutes, but instead I settled in for a dinner of trail mix, washing it down with a package of apple sauce.

Feeling a bit bored, I wandered down the trail to check out the settlement, and started a fire when I returned to camp. (Pretty pleased with my fire starting skills!)

I settled in for the night about 8pm, just in time to prevent getting rained on. My new hammock tarp worked like a charm. It's the ENO Housefly rain tarp and protected me against the rain and wind all through the night. In the morning both my gear and myself were dry!

Although I had left my cookpot out to hopefully catch some rainwater, I only succeeded in getting a half cup, so I decided to pack up and walk back to civilization for a drink. At this point I was going on 19 hours without water.

I hiked back down to the trailhead in a light drizzle, but made good time, heading straight to the local coffeeshop, The Pineapple Tea Room, where the lovely ladies outfitted me with both coffee and a tall glass (or 3) of water.

Although there are always things that cannot be planned for, I felt this trip was a good trial run. Much of my gear was a success, including rain gear and the use of trail runners on slick rocks, and I was able to enjoy the outdoors while seeing some beautiful late spring sights.

2 weeks to the A.T. !!!
AT Hike Charity Donation Link

Seeking Less, Gaining More

"In every walk with nature one recieves far more than he seeks"- John Muir

It's official! I am hiking the Appalachian Trail this summer!

What's that?

Glad you asked! It's one of the oldest long distance hiking trails in the world, stretching from Georgia to Maine, 2189 miles. That is equal to taking 5 million steps over the course of 5-6 months.

I will be hiking the trail in one season, which means that upon completion I will gain the boasting rights of being a thru-hiker. It's a crazy idea right?

I know. It is an idea that I was first introduce to about 5 years ago. I never thought I would be one to tackle this sort of challenge. I am not in the best shape and before about 3 years ago had virtually no outdoor skills.

Since getting into the outdoor field as a career path, I have slowly been building my outdoor repertoire, and testing and growing my self-confidence. Two years ago I got the idea in my head to start saving towards one day stepping foot on the trail. At the time I didn't know when that would be, or how long I would hike. MUCH research, saving, planning and exercising later, that crazy idea has become a dream and in just 30 days will be a reality!!!

I will be leaving from Harper's Ferry, WV May 15th to start my Northbound journey to Maine. After reaching the terminus of the north at Mt. Katadhin, I will come back to WV and then start hiking Southbound to Springer Mountain to complete the trail.

I am incredibly excited to be so close to such an adventure. It is a scary, daunting, exhilarating opportunity. I know I will be learning much about myself, nature and outdoor living along the way.

While my goal this summer is to hike the entire Appalachian Trail, I also am trying to raise money for two separate charities. I understand that there will be moments when I will be tired, hungry, wet, dirty and I'm sure smelly. When the initial infatuation of the trail starts to wane, I do not want my passion for finishing to disappear. I have many reasons for doing the trail (details in a coming post), but I know that working towards these charities will be an additional source of motivation.

I have chosen to raise money for Feed My Starving Children and The Shoe That Grows. Both charities provide much needed items to impoverished people. I hope to raise $1000 (or more!) which would provide 2,000 meals and 33 pairs of shoes. Please check out the link below for more information.

https://www.crowdrise.com/atcharityhike2016/fundraiser/debbrzozowski

First Snow 2016

"January brings the snow, makes our feet and fingers glow." - Sara Coleridge

After a relatively warm winter, even for "the South", here in Kentucky, we received our first snowfall three weeks ago. Along with most of the nation we got snowed in with the Blizzard of 2016. Over 10 inches of snow fell, closing most areas nearby me for 2-3 days. 

Then, as soon as it came, it was gone. In the course of one week, we had three snow days and 60 degree weather. Well, my winter in Florida last year has made me appreciate the finer things in life- like not freezing for 5 months straight! By end of the week, I was so happy to have the opportunity to enjoy warmer temperatures again. 

To take full advantage of the weather, I went outside to enjoy some hiking with a friend at Red River Gorge National Geologic Area. Famous for its views and rock climbing, it also has superb hiking. 

This trip was my second visit to the area. The plan was to hike to the Double Arch Trail, but although the snow had all melted at home, there was still plenty of it in the Gorge, resulting in the trailhead access roads being closed.

Luckily, Natural Bridge State Park was open for business only two miles down the road. (Pick up a map at the lodge) We hiked the Original Trail up to the Natural Bridge. The total loop was only about 1.5 miles, but took over 3 hours because the trail was mostly packed snow and ice. (I was wishing I had brought my YakTrax)

Benefits of less than ideal conditions: the Bridge and the lookout point to ourselves! We made the most of the view by testing out my selfie stick and having some hot chocolate. 

Afterwards we checked out the overlook at Lover's Leap and began our descent via Balanced Rock trail. The other descent options were Needle's Eye or Devil's Gulch, both incredibly steep. 

(Use caution if you choose to hike either route!)

On the way home, we took a detour and drove the scenic loop, checking out the one lane Nada Tunnel.

Our winter adventure was a success! Fingers crossed to an early spring and more adventures soon! 

Presidential Traverse

"For a little while we are able to see as a child sees, a world of marvels. For a few moments we discover that nothing can be taken for granted... and our journey here on earth, able to see and touch and hear in the midst of tangible and mysterious things-in-themselves, is the most strange and daring of all adventures." - Edward Abbey 

I survived! (Barely) My foray into the Presidential Range of the White Mountains in New Hampshire was without doubt more difficult than I expected. I’m glad that I planned beforehand but I still have much to learn about backpacking.

My first day was the best of the trip, as one can guess. Fresh legs and beautiful weather contribute greatly to a feeling of peace and adventure. I got a late start because of road construction delays, but still managed to get everything situated and hike 7 miles to Mt. Eisenhower Trail as planned. Along the way I climbed three mountains on the AMC list and stopped at the beautiful Mizpah Spring hut.

The initial view I had from the top of Mt. Jackson literally took my breath away. I had forgotten the feeling of being totally inconsequential when compared to the vastness of the wilderness you are staring out across. I just had to laugh a little bit at the thought of it.  Absolute gorgeousness preserved solely for the enjoyment of that moment; space that hopefully will exist and inspire awe in generations to come.

As I hiked on, the weather turned foggy and gave a surreal effect to the last 2 hours of hiking- knowing that hundreds of feet had walked before me, but not seeing a single person. My campsite for the night was a not-so-stealthy stealth site about 0.1 miles down the Mt. Eisenhower trail. I slept well in my Eno Hammock despite temperatures falling into the mid 30’s during the night. Luckily I had been informed prior to heading out about a phenomenon called Cold Butt Syndrome (CBS) and had prepared by bringing a cheap foam pad for insulation.

The next morning I woke bright and early and headed back to the main ridge trail to continue toward Mt. Washington. I had planned 12 miles on my itinerary, according to the information I had gathered through hiking forums, guidebooks and by looking at the topography on the map.

After summiting Mt. Washington- home of crowds and stupidity- it looked as though the trail would be a relatively quick hike, following the ridge and descending slowly. Assuming this was the case I took a lunch break at the summit of Washington and lingered letting my legs take a break as well as refreshing my water supply and ditching some unneeded food.

Unfortunately I was wrong about the North side of the mountain being easy and was instead faced with about 3 hours of rock hopping through a continuous boulder field.

I would not have made it to Valley Way tent site as planned if not for the help of a thru hiker named Heartwood. It is amazing what good conversation can do for a flagging spirit. Meeting her gave me enough energy to go on and I reached Valley Way about thirty minutes after sunset. The 0.6 miles from Madison Spring Hut seemed impossibly long and there were moments when I wondered if I had passed it in the dark. I can’t describe the relief I felt when I saw headlamps in the distance and realized I had finally found the site. I set up my camp as quickly as possible and fell into bed immediately.

I slept in the next morning and descended the 3.8 miles to the Appalachia parking area uneventfully. From there I received a ride back to highland center by a very kind hiker and her daughter, who turned out to be from the same town in New York that I’m from.

This trip had been on my bucket list for while, and I’m glad I completed it successfully. It was challenging and pushed my limits to near breaking at points, but once I had finished I had the desire to return to those moments on the mountains.

Final count- 3 days, 23 miles and 8 mountains. 

Wilderness is a Necessity

"Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity.”

-John Muir

I’m very excited to announce that I will be visiting New Hampshire and the White Mountains in just under a week! On the schedule is a 3-day backpacking trip across the Presidential Range. It will definitely be nice to take a few days, get smelly and challenge my leg muscles again.

In many ways I do view this as going home. New Hampshire has made me feel the most at home of all the places I have lived in the past few years. And, although I don’t consider myself nerve-shaken, and very seldom civilized, I do agree with Dear John that the wilderness is a necessity. There is nothing quite like planning a foray into an area that few have truly experienced. Part of the excitement of this trip is the unknowns. Last year I was oblivious to many of the challenges involved with backpacking, but no matter how well I plan, I expect I will still be learning over the course of this hike. I believe there is an unending stream of knowledge in nature, although many times we are too busy or too loud to notice it.

I am taking this trip solo; although not the original plan, I think it will add to the adventure. When I last left you I had just had my first backpacking experience, hiking 9 more mountains on the AMC 4,000 footer list over the course of three days. The final count at the end of Summer 2013 was 20 official 4,000 foot mountains, 3 unofficial. This trip across the Presidential Range will add 8 more official mountains and 1 unofficial. Below is the list:

Mt. Jackson- 4052’

Mt. Pierce- 4310’

Mt. Eisenhower- 4780’

Mt. Franklin- 5001’ (unofficial)

Mt. Monroe- 5372’

Mt. Washington- 6288’

Mt. Jefferson- 5716’

Mt. Adams- 5799’

Mt. Madison- 5367’

My route will take me over the range from the South to the North. Not many people do this direction, but I chose it because the elevation gain is slightly less intense. My trip will also be different in another way: I’m taking multiple days. I haven’t decided if it will be 2 or 3 days. Part of that decision depends on weather and how my legs feel the first day. Many people do the entire range in the course of one day, which is definitely a feat to be admired, but considering I’m not crazy and not nearly as in shape as last year this time, I am planning conservatively, leaving plenty of time for rests and enjoying the scenery.

Depending on the exact trails I take, the estimated distance is between 21 and 23 miles, not counting the distance needed to descend/ascend for camping each night.

I got some very good advice from a hiking forum called Views From the Top (VFTT.com) in regards to camping spots, one of the biggest issues I realized in planning. Much of the route is on the ridgeline, which is great for views if the weather is nice, but bad if the weather turns quickly, which it is known to do. Being on the ridge also means I have to descend to tree line (trees above 8ft) in order to camp per the Forest Service regulations. I will be taking along my new camping hammock to help with the issue of finding flat ground for a tent.

Drool worthy pictures to come after the trip!

Utah Adventures Part 2

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome and dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.” 

-Edward Abbey

 Ah, snow. There is something to be said for four seasons, and having the chance to enjoy snow for a few months. It freshens up the leafless world, brings a spirit of fun to the cold weather and enables a variety of outdoor activities. I love having a good snowball fight (complete with battlements of course!) and sledding, but I especially love skiing. Whether it is observing the sights while plugging through the woods cross country, or the exhilaration and focus of steering downhill, it is a great way to get outside. I had the opportunity to ski for a day with my sister while visiting Utah in December. It was my first time downhill skiing in almost 7 years, but I was amazed to have my skills come back in the course of an hour. I forgot how much I enjoyed it, and how successful I felt after the challenge of a long run down the mountain.

While visiting Utah, my sister also introduced me to a new sport involving snow- snowshoeing. Although I had strapped on a pair in the past, walking around my yard didn’t prepare me for the experience of hiking while in the mountains wearing snowshoes.

After an intro course on the Bench Trail before work one morning, I got the real deal on a weekend hike. Breaking free of the inversion in the valley we headed to the Willow Heights Trail located outside of Salt Lake City in Big Cottonwood Canyon- getting there involves a drive up to 8,000 feet, essentially doubling the starting elevation. As I learned throughout the course of my visit to Utah, almost everything my sister and brother-in-law do for fun involves pain. Getting out the car, I could feel the difference in the altitude, and as we prepared for the hike I wondered what I had gotten myself into.

The trail is slightly less than 2.5 miles round trip, and leads to a large meadow with a frozen lake. Getting there requires a steep climb of ~600 feet, which had my calves and lungs burning, and my pace lagging. At the top the hill, I was rewarded (as is almost always the case after a strenuous hike) with a gorgeous view of breathtaking, snow-covered mountains. The combination of sunshine and exercise made for an enjoyable jaunt around the lake, even though the wind was stiff.

Although the approach the lake had been tough, the descent back to the car was enjoyable. I was able to take in my surroundings more, and noticed a variety of animal tracks crisscrossing the snow. The sounds around me were muffled by the snow except for the whistle of the wind and the crunch of my snowshoes. The sun streaming through the aspens almost felt tangible, as if I could reach out and touch an individual sunbeam.

The combination of the stunning view while crossing a pristine sea of snow didn’t feel like a workout, but instead inspired me to be as quiet as the things around me, and take in the beauty of the moment. Simple colors of blue, green and white came together to create a masterpiece. Sometimes a simple scene is the most complex sight of all when you take the time to give it a good look!