August Day 1: The Channels

I started off my August challenge of outdoor activities with a fairly large hike. My friend Nick and wife Lauren accompanied me to the Channels, a hike recommended by a friend at work. It was about 8 miles total.

Everything was very green and wet. Here I'm already exhausted and only about halfway up the mountain.

My two skinny companions waited patiently for me as I trudged along. We pause for a quick break just before the top.

There's an old fire tower at the top of the mountain. As we approached the summit, clouds started pouring over the top of the mountain. You could see the thick mist sweeping around you. I laid under the tower watching it sweep across.

The hike gets its name from the rocks at the top that have been worn into a network of channels.

We explored the labyrinth of tunnels and caves for about 45 minutes, and only saw a portion of it. The further you go the taller the rocks.

They were incredible.

At the end we scramble and climb to the top of one of the larger rocks and peer over the tree tops.

We spent a little longer playing in the channels then we should have, but they were just too cool. We spent the last 20 minutes or so in the dark, lead by a single headlamp.

All in all this was an amazing hike. It was a little more uphill than I was expecting, but it made me realize just how painful this Appalachian Trail hike will be in the September if I don't prepare. This area of Southwest Virginia is rich with natural beauty and wonder, with dozens of hikes that are just as amazing as the channels. I hope to explore and share several of them with you over the next month.

Day 1: An 8 mile hike, 3.5 hours outside.