4 ms·

I live slightly south of Frozen Head, and have hiked there a number of times in the last year or so since I moved down here (dryish-winter hike[1], a snowy day

by cwal37 12y ago

I live slightly south of Frozen Head, and have hiked there a number of times in the last year or so since I moved down here (dryish-winter hike[1], a snowy day up top[2]). It really is a beautiful park and TN state parks are free, so if you're in the area I recommend stopping by. I've been trying to convince a few ultra-marathoner friends to apply for the Barkley since I got out here, but they're all extremely hesitant. From everything I've read and gathered this race is just totally unlike what they're used to out West in terms of its general terrain (including plants, stepping off the trails in the spring and summer you can quickly get into quite vicious thorns, and the race isn't really on trails anyways as far as I know), and overall idiosyncratic nature. The weather down here can also be all over the place this time of year. I hiked Frozen Head in the high 50s/low 60s back in late January or early February; this past Sunday I was 2 hours south, in the Smokies, hiking in 5-6 inches of snow. It's certainly a personal pie-in-the-sky feat to dream about before I move away in a few years, but realistically I'll just settle for an AT through hike instead (which should be far, far more manageable). [1] https://www.flickr.com/photos/23215983@N02/sets/72157640742661175/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/23215983@N02/sets/721576407426... [2] https://www.flickr.com/photos/23215983@N02/sets/72157642283756455/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/23215983@N02/sets/721576422837...

mason240 12y ago
If that kind race looks interesting, but you are not an ultra-marathoner, check out orienteering: http://www.mensjournal.com/adventure/outdoor/the-rise-of-orienteering-no-path-no-rules-20150327 http://www.mensjournal.com/adventure/outdoor/the-rise-of-ori.... It's basically a land navigation race. The club I'm in, (http://mnoc.org http://mnoc.org), does courses that are usually 3km to 8km in length (there will be several to choose from). The events are pretty minimalist compared to obstacle races like Warrior Dash, mud runs, ect. It's just you, a map, and a large chunk of woods.
- cwal37 12y ago
  That actually sounds incredibly appealing, thanks for the heads up. I love finding my way with a map and a compass, but I've somehow never heard of orienteering specifically before. I hike basically every weekend, but since most of that is in the Smokies I adhere to the trails. It would be nice to venture into some more self-guided routes. I have relatives up near the UP I visit once or twice a year, I'll definitely look into this the next time I'm near a more active orienteering community.
  - nl 12y ago
    There's also the sport of rogaining, which is like orienteering but much longer (6-24 hours):http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogaining http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogaining

by cwal37 12y ago

mason240 12y ago

If that kind race looks interesting, but you are not an ultra-marathoner, check out orienteering: http://www.mensjournal.com/adventure/outdoor/the-rise-of-orienteering-no-path-no-rules-20150327 http://www.mensjournal.com/adventure/outdoor/the-rise-of-ori.... It's basically a land navigation race. The club I'm in, (http://mnoc.org http://mnoc.org), does courses that are usually 3km to 8km in length (there will be several to choose from). The events are pretty minimalist compared to obstacle races like Warrior Dash, mud runs, ect. It's just you, a map, and a large chunk of woods.

cwal37 12y ago
That actually sounds incredibly appealing, thanks for the heads up. I love finding my way with a map and a compass, but I've somehow never heard of orienteering specifically before. I hike basically every weekend, but since most of that is in the Smokies I adhere to the trails. It would be nice to venture into some more self-guided routes. I have relatives up near the UP I visit once or twice a year, I'll definitely look into this the next time I'm near a more active orienteering community.
- nl 12y ago
  There's also the sport of rogaining, which is like orienteering but much longer (6-24 hours):http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogaining http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogaining