Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

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A Devilish Rest Day: Devil’s Bathtub and Devil’s Tower

A Devilish Rest Day: Devil’s Bathtub and Devil’s Tower

After 2 days of  crankin’ in Spearfish Canyon, our crew was ready for something a little more low-key.  The only must-do on our agenda was to make our way 3 hours west to Ten Sleep, Wyoming, but nobody said a rest day had to be boring…We had found out from some locals about a surreal swimming hole along Sunshine Creek in Spearfish Canyon, which seemed like a great way to pass by the morning.  It was about a 2 mile hike round trip, along a well-worn trail that was mostly flat and often meandered back and forth across the creek.…Read the rest of this entry →

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Wild West Whirlwind Round 1 – SPEARFISH CANYON

Wild West Whirlwind Round 1 – SPEARFISH CANYON

As most of you already know, our family just got back from a whirlwind climbing trip to South Dakota and Wyoming.  To say that the trip was a success would be an understatement – we had a fabulous time, and as I look outside at my droopy, hot backyard as I type this, my only regret is that we’d had more time to spend out there!  This trip was a far cry from our usual weekend excursions, and in a lot of ways, it was somewhat of a “luxury trip” (for us anyway…though it probably doesn’t fit most people’s definition…Read the rest of this entry →

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A Pilot Mountain Legend: Lloyd Ramsey…

A Pilot Mountain Legend: Lloyd Ramsey…

This is the second time in under a month that I have had to post about the loss of a North Carolina climber.  It’s definitely not getting easier, and I certainly don’t want to make this a habit.  This one really hits me hard because Lloyd Ramsey is someone whom I knew very well.  In fact, I can probably count on one hand the number of times that I’ve climbed at Pilot Mountain and haven’t ran into him.  Lloyd was a staple figure at the park, and anyone who has climbed in the area with any amount of regularity would recognize him.   Not…Read the rest of this entry →

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Creating a Cragbaby – The Toddler Years

Creating a Cragbaby – The Toddler Years

Somehow (overnight it seems) I became the mother of a toddler.  And with that, our crag “issues” have shifted a bit.  No longer am I trying to balance a soft carrier with a baby on the front and a pack full of gear on my back (sigh of relief…).  Instead I’ve got a big boy that’s not quite as big as he thinks he is, who often insists upon hiking in himself, only to discover halfway through that his little legs are, to quote my Maw Maw, “plum wore out.”  He never asks to nurse at the crag anymore, so…Read the rest of this entry →

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Athleta Allotments: Summer Threads Review

Athleta Allotments: Summer Threads Review

With the weather heating up (seriously 100+ heat index before June?!?), I figured some of my female readers might be on the lookout for some summer threads that will keep you feeling (and looking) cool!  I’ve been putting my new Athleta gear to the test over the past few weeks, which culminated in a sandstone-filled sauna in Tennessee a few weekends ago.  I’m happy to report that most of it passed with flying colors!  Here’s a quick sum-up of the clothing items I received as well as my honest and un-biased thoughts about the summer collection.  Again, my apologies to…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN