Alex McCafferty 
What’s in my Bag? Amy and I are gearing up for the west coast. What we will carry on the PCT is quite different than what we carried on the AT. The reasons why we made so many changes are varied; old gear needed replaced, new products were invented, or the terrain requires specialized equipment. … Read more
Trip Report Since I found myself unemployed a month before flying out west to attempt the PCT, I had some time on my hands for a backpacking trip. Unfortunately, Amy couldn’t swing it, as she was apparently the bread winner now and had to work for another two weeks. However, Tim and his dad Chris … Read more
Trip Report For 2024, we wanted to push ourselves and attempt the longest trail we have ever hiked on a vacation. Tim, Season Pass, Amy, and I were in for the long-haul, planning to cover 174 miles around the entirety of Lake Tahoe in just nine days. This was uncharted territory for some of us … Read more
Trip Report What: Rachel Carson Trail Challenge 2024 Where: Rachel Carson Trail between North Park and Harrison Hills Park When: 6/22/2024 Distance: 37.8 miles Conditions: high of 93, low of 75, partly cloudy Rachel Carson It would be remiss for me to not mention Rachel Carson, to whom this trail is dedicated. I did not … Read more
Trip Report Did you know there is a Grand Canyon in Pennsylvania? It’s true, and it is way cooler than the one in Arizona (temperature wise). It’s officially known as Pine Creek Gorge and is a true hidden gem. There is a popular biking trail called the Pine Creek Rail Trail that travels through the … Read more
Trip Report Our annual, week-long backpacking excursions continue! This time a record five people decided to waste their vacation days walking in a circle: myself, Amy, Tim, Dan, and Alex VR. For sake of clarity, I will henceforth be referring to myself as Alex 1, and Alex VR as Alex 2 (please note: I … Read more
Trip Report My brother Tyler is getting married in June and I wanted to plan a lowkey bachelor getaway for his upcoming wedding! Not much of a party though, it was originally supposed to be a weekend expedition to the Sierras. We did some research and managed to score a permit to hike the Rae … Read more
It’s hard to believe it has been nearly a year since we began hiking AT. Amy and I enjoyed a long winter season of relaxing and regaining all of the weight we previously lost, but felt it was time to plan our first hike since our descent of Katahdin. We missed everything about our life … Read more
9/23 – Day 146 9.7 miles from Abol Pines to The Birches Thru-hikers can camp in Baxter State Park without an advance reservation at a site called The Birches. Only the first twelve hikers each day can reserve a spot and you cannot stay more than one night. While it is possible to summit … Read more
9/16 – Day 139 4.2 miles from Lake Hebron to Shaw’s Hiker Hostel It was a quick, two hour hike to the road from our lakeside campsite. Notably, it was a chilly morning and still very windy. We began hiking in all of our layers before beginning to shed them one-by-one after we walked … Read more