Big Schloss

Spring breaks are normally used for drinking and partying. Instead, I used mine to go hiking. Big Schloss means big castle in German, and with a summit of 2164 feet, it definitely lives up to its expectation. The hike itself isn't all that challenging, with most of the switchbacks being incredibly minor and early on in and the adventure. Around every single turn, however, lies a beautiful photo opportunity of the Appalachian Mountain Valley and the Shenandoah River Valley. Since the mountain itself lies in the greater Appalachian Mountain section and borders the Shenandoah, there are lots of Scenic views to be shared between Virginia and West Virginia throughout the entire hike.

Here is one of many beautiful panoramas of the area.

For a total difficulty of this like, I would put it at about a 3 out of 10. There was a hefty section in the beginning the required some walking straight uphill, but once you got to the switchbacks, they were actually very mild compared to other trails and both the Appalachian and Shenandoah ranges. There are no rock scrambles, and most of the hike is over flat ground that does not flood very easily. There is some optional rock climbing, which gets you a couple of cool pictures, but nothing too severe or major.

You'll start your day near a small town in West Virginia, supplying up on trail mix, energy bars, and whatever lunch or dinner you intend to eat on the trail. The sun will be directly overhead for most of the hike, but there is just enough tree coverage to prevent you from overheating. Pack your containers full of water and your typical hiking supplies though, and all will be okay. It is very hard to overexert yourself on this mountain, as it is meant to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace.

During my hike, I encountered no wildlife besides a couple of birds chirping in the trees. I did, however, enjoy crossing a footbridge to the summit and enjoying the silent beautiful realm of nature. Being one of the tallest mountains in West Virginia, with its Summit itself being in Virginia, it was quite an incredible Adventure to see the mountainside in all of his glory. My shadow was cast over the entire valley because of the way the sun hit the cliff face.

And I felt magnificent.

Once you're done hiking, Harpers Ferry is about 20 minutes away for another fun and fancy stop on your travels. There are also another couple of towns nearby that I'll provide their own cute little charm. The biggest reason I would say to hike this mountain is because it is a fun and enjoyable hike for anybody in the family. So if you need a weekend activity, this is how to do it.

My Mission Statement and Ambition

Hello dear readers, one and all.

As you read some of my blog content in the next coming days, weeks, and Dearest, it may occur to you that I attempted to do a lot of outlandish stuff.

It occurred to me that I do some pretty outlandish stuff. Things that most people don't think of doing on an average basis. And I'm perfectly okay with that. I like that, and I live for that.

This post is to share a bit of my ambition and my mission statement, now that you've gotten to know a bit more about me through my first couple of posts.

I am a broke college graduate, looking to find the most sustainable way to travel, and to do so whenever I have even the slightest bit of pocket change.

My intent is to share stories to inspire the community that reads them, and to inspire people to get outside and do more. My boy scout troop put the out in scouting, and that is exactly what I have grown to live for.

My ambition is to see as much of the world as humanly possible in my short life. Being born in the

United States, and being born Male, my prescribed life expectancy is roughly 78 years of age. Given that I was 23 at the time of writing this post, that means I had approximately 55 years left to explore.

My mission statement is to right the world through dialogue, search for peace from within, and to help tear down walls that have divided us for so long. The easiest way I know how to do that is to write, to speak up, and to put myself out there.

Whether I am working with patients, performing on stage, speaking in public, or privately working on writing new music and literature, my end goal will always remain the same. My end goal is to prove to myself, and eventually to others, that anything is possible if you believe in yourself first.

As hominids, as Earthlings, we learn and grow and inspire every single day. When we stop doing this, then we have ceased to function and live. I will share what I learned in the only ways that I know how, as excessively to the public as possible.

Life is a journey. Where is your destination, and what roads will you take?

Taken near the Potomac River.

Choosing the Right Hike For You

Everybody goes hiking for different reasons. Some people go for the views they receive at the end of the hike, some guys for the exercise; others go because it gets them out and about. Some people just go because they want a family activity and they have identified that they enjoy nature. The reasons vary from person to person, but there are a few things to bear in mind when selecting a destination.

Defining a hike.

Not only is it a figure of speech (i.e. wow, that’s a hike!) to infer something that is quite some distance away, but it also has its own Merriam-Webster and Oxford dictionary definition. Different people view it in different ways, but it is generally referred to as being a large span of distance that is walk with intention. To many people, it is also used as a figure speech to mean anything that is outside the normal drivable distance. Defining what a true hike means to you as important because you will be able to go from there I decided where you want to go exactly. To quote Merriam Webster, a hike is “to rise up; especially to work upward”. As per Oxford, it is ”a long walk or walking tour”. So now, it’s time to dig into the nitty gritty details of choosing the right style of hike for you.

1) Who is coming with me?

When you establish this, hopefully it is easy to see what you are going to do from there. For instance, you probably wouldn't take your small child or infant hiking for 5 mi uphill. And personally, you and your stern hiking buddy going on a very easy trail would be too boring. As such, you must assess the skill levels and hiking competency of everybody in your hiking group, and it comes down to a few factors; previous hiking experience, level of physical fitness, their willingness to explore, how old they are, and any other underlying health complications.

Normally these things all flow in equilibrium, being with somebody who is older is usually more experienced with hiking and occasionally more physically fit. However, this might not always be the case. Good examples are Jordan Romero, who summited Kilimanjaro at age nine and Everest at age thirteen, or perhaps a couch potato who is willing to explore but not much else (and usually via the discovery channel). That being said, you can start to look at the next item of mention.

2) How much of a challenge do you want to be in for?

This kind of ties in with the other part of this post talking about the Yosemite grading system, but it deserves a mention as well. Are you in your group of people looking for a stroll in the park? Or are you looking to have a challenging hike ahead of you? This factor plays a lot into your physical fitness level, so choose wisely. What might be good for one person may not be for the next person, so it is important to know you and your groupmate’s limitations before you try anything too crazy.

3) How far are you willing to travel?

Unfortunately, a lot of hikes I attempt are dictated strictly on how far away they are. Or, inversely, they're dictated by how long the trail is. If there since we're not an issue, I would be all over the United States hiking right now. Sadly, that is not the case though. Another part of hiking is deciding how far you want to travel to reach the trail, and how far the purported destination is from the trailhead on the trail. Some things you need to plan out an entire day for, others can be done in a quiet afternoon. Either way around, make sure to make your decision responsibly and considering your energy levels. And whatever you do, make sure to bring trail mix and some sort of snack and beverage.

4) Trail Rating.

Next, you must bear in mind the rating of the trail itself. Just as I mentioned earlier, The Yosemite Decimal System was incepted for this reason. It breaks down hiking into 5 sections, as follows:

Class 1: Easy hiking with minimal elevation gain and few obstacles

Class 2: More difficult hiking, some of which may be off-trail, and may require putting your hands down for balance at times.

Class 3: Rock scrambling and/or un-roped climbing.

Class 4: Climbing with a rope and lateral ascension at parts.

Class 5: Technical climbing, mountaineering, ice picking, etc.

So not only do you have it broken down by difficulty and duration necessary for the height, but this YDS breaks it down further into things that you will encounter along the trail. Different difficulties work for different people, but I take it most people reading my blog will stay with a 3 or below, like myself. Class 5 would be something like climbing K2 with ice picks and crampons. Class 4 would be something on par with the Seven Summits and needing to climb them with poles and ropes. And then, if kind of goes downhill from there. Hah! No pun intended. Pick your hike based on the rating you think you can tolerate the best.

5) Do you like your lungs?

If the answer is yes, then stick to altitudes that are lower in hiking, particularly below 8000 feet. If the answer is no, and you feel as though you can handle altitude sickness well, then choose a hike that is above 8000. However, be aware of elevation related sicknesses and physical conditions that can occur in your body. Lake elevation related hypoxia, air bubbles potentially forming above 15000 ft, and so on. You don't need to let it scare you away from a really good hike, but it is something you definitely should be aware of.

6) What scenery are you after?

The last notion that is worth mentioning is that of scenery. There are a lot of great hikes with good scenery, although a lot of them are short. And then inversely, there are a lot of really hard ones. You need to identify what balance is right and make your judgment as such. It would also be a good idea to look at reviews and pictures from other hikers online, as it will give you a better indicator as to what the heck would be like. My blog is one of many places and what you can do just that.

I hope this post provided some insight to how you plan on choosing your next hike. Now get out there, go hiking, and enjoy yourself. You have nothing to lose and everything (and a lot of altitude) to gain!

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