Thanks for being out there, too! I appreciate all the trail volunteers! 🙏🏼 And that isn't an easy section to Ridgerun, I'm sure!! 💛 (but so beautiful!)
You look happy. There is something about you that glows when you are out in the woods! Litter bugs drive me crazy (inconsiderate people in general do) so thank you for doing what you do.
I really Dislike people who Trash God's Creation, I live on the Trail Of Tears Road in Arkansas and have to pick up Trash for 1/2 Mile every week, if I didn't it would look like a Garbage Dump in a month...
Hey there, Dan! Thanks for watching this one and for your kind words! I hope your Christmas and New Years were great! Have a wonderful 2025, will see you again soon! :)
Wow, that view at the end was beautiful! I teared up! The music got me too! I know you are having the time of your life with views like that! So, so happy for you!
Thank you for subscribing! Welcome to our lil community! 💛 So glad you’re here. And thanks for the well wishes for the new year! Hope you have an awesome 2025 as well!
Omg that bird lol I knew what it was instantly. I don't ever hear them in southern NH but my years in the northern part of the state those things would scream their names all day and night lol
What a beautiful day you had in your "office with a view" despite the wounds & mishaps. I really enjoyed this video -- you are such a light to the world. Phooey on the Bible scorner -- if not that, they would have something else to scoff about.
Wow what a woman!! Thank you for your service and maintenance on trail. You are a Wonder Woman I may never meet you out there but what pleasure it would be to do so someday. You are so kind hearted and have a beautiful sole. Stay safe out there and Happy Trails.
@KaraKirtley Thanks. At 62 I'm trying to average 10-12 miles a day, which the shelters permit except the northern 33 miles where I only see the Gravel Springs Hut. Are there other campsites along that stretch or stealth sites?
There are established stealth sites - I think if you click on the little popup in FarOut it gives the guidelines for stealthing - you have to be a certain amount of distance away from the trail, structures and the road (and not in a "no camping" area) but there are a lot more stealth sites than hikers realize... (and fires at stealth sites are prohibited) Water is kind of an issue but you can probably plan around that. I'll try to check my app to see if I left any notes about specific sites in that area! You may see some comments in FarOut too.
You look so happy doing your job! I have one fear in life, and its snakes! I would've been running when I saw that snake. Happy New Year Kara! Wishing you the best in 2025! Love watching your videos!
Really liked this video Kara. Keep thinking there is a song in this .Im a ridge runner baby and I roam the trail. oh well thats all Ihave. Go ahead add to it. Peace
Town food cravings while backpacking is REAL. Last year, in the CA Sierra I literally ran with my backpack on after learning the grill I was aiming for was closing early that Monday. I’m 61. Thanks for all you do.
Kara! I haven't seen a video from you in a while. Glad you put this up. My replacement knee, necessitated by a fall during my 2023 thruhike attempt, has pretty much stabilized enough that I was looking forward to some winter hiking, but, while cleaning leaves the day before Thanksgiving, I sprained my right (other leg) ankle badly on a hidden rock. That's coming along slowly, but I have hernia surgery coming up, then back to work to put some money back in the bank to facilitate my hiking addiction. I still have half of the Trail to do for my second complete section hike. I still want to accomplish a true thruhike, but, at 71, I question that possibility. Take care, andGodbless. 🙏 Tinker (halfway) '23.🎉
Hearing the song of the Whippoorwill brings back happy childhood memories of visiting my grandparents in Maine and my grandmother taking me into the woods for some natural history lessons. Whippoorwill was the first bird song I learned, I was about 5 or 6 y/o.
I really appreciate your work. In New York , the DEC , forest service, does a lot of the maintenance. And some of the trails are not up to these standards. I love the Adirondacks, but it can be very frustrating to deal with blown downs and missing trail information.
Oh wow! The big bonus of Shenandoah is that so much of the trail is easily accessible and usually not super rugged terrain to get out to blowdowns. But it really does make me appreciate the hard work of these volunteer maintainers! Thanks for watching and Happy Trails to you!
@KaraKirtley I have done some small day hikes in Shenandoah. Your videos are beautiful. I wish there were more standards and Stewardship across all trails.
Curious if you pick up all the toilet paper on trail that some feel is biodegradable so leave as pop up tents? Also, once read that one of the most common items left in hiker boxes is crampons. Do you leave or pick them up?
It really just depends! For most of the AT, it's actually okay to bury toilet paper as it decomposes pretty quickly if buried correctly (the LNT organization studied this a few years ago). If I found it on the surface, I typically would either pack it out or bury it myself. The worst are the "flushable" wipes - they do not decompose so I would always have to hike those out. Very gross! LOL. And the doggy bags! I never saw crampons left but would have gladly taken them, lol! Mainly just saw books and items that were unintentionally left in shelters. We had an unfortunate situation with a trail angel who left food often in bear boxes that I always carried out, which was super heavy and often covered in trash as well...
Awesome…I didn’t even know the forest service had Ridgerunners…I follow a lot of hikes…and I know not that ,any Do 15 mile days…so how in the world do they expect you to do 15 and trail maintenance etc,etc…you shouldn’t have to do anymore than 7 miles and that’s Still a lot. You are precious and doing such a good thing with your heart in it!!!!
My base weight is about 20 pounds also. Is it normal for a reasonably fit person when the pack seems to fit comfortably on your back to feel it as a mild ache in your legs just above the knee? (Technically, the 'pick 'em up and put 'em down' muscles!) I use a 55 L ULA Circuit and carry a 2.5 lb Kelty sleeping bag, a 2 lb Mceto bivy tent, dry clothes, and hygiene supplies, cooking/water purification system, etc. No 5 lb Bibles here!
You know, I wonder if your pack is not sitting (or maybe not fitted?) correctly and is hitting a nerve or cutting off circulation in some way... Or else it might just be your body getting used to carrying a pack. You might want to bring your setup down to an REI and try on some other packs *just to see* if they also do the same thing (they can do a pack fitting too to see if your backpack is the correct size). With your pack weight that low, it really should feel pretty good carrying it... Happy Trails to you and thanks for watching the video!
That's a great question! It actually felt a lot like thru hiking, especially near the end (was out for 6 months). But the miles can be much harder and slower going. More of an upper body / all over workout verses just using your legs. It's also a lot lonelier as I hiked in the opposite direction of hiking traffic, so I would meet awesome people but usually only once, as opposed to seeing them daily thru hiking. Some parts are easier - like I end up at my car every week and can drive myself to restaurants and resupply!
Are you allowed to ride a mountain bike along your routes to maybe speed things up or go farther then usual? And do carry walkie talkies in case of emergency's?
I have found that picardin also works for repelling insects. Unfortunately, having been out for 13 hr days consistently for years a an environmental consultant, the only thing that stuck on my wet sweaty clothes was good ol’ Sawyers lol Most common tick borne disease I’ve come across on east coast other than Lyme is alpha gal syndrome. Also sucks…. But manageable. I should know because I have it 😉
There's an app you can get for your phone that will identify all the plants in the wild that Mother Nature has they're very cool I have one on my cell phone as an herbalist but I don't know them all,
Have you come across any dangerous animals while doing your job? Bears, mountain lions [cats], cougars, snakes, Bigfoots. You dont get freaked out being out there all alone? I know i would. Lol.
You can always tell when someone is possessed by a demon if they get very offensive about a Bible or the name of Jesus. You should have started praying out loud, pleading the blood of Jesus and demand that evil spirit leave in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
YOU BETTER START READING IT, BECAUSE GOD WANTS TO TALK TO YOU THROUGH HIS WORD, HE MAKES SOMEBODY TO FORGET THE BIBLE FOR YOU TO READ IT!💪😅📖YOU HAVE FOUND THE GREATEST TRESURE IN THE PLANET! READ FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION! BUT ONLY IF IS KJV VERSION! GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST💪😂📖YEEEEES😂
Thanks for taking care of the Trail for the hikers. As a volunteer Ridgerunner near McAfee’s I really appreciate all of you!
Thanks for being out there, too! I appreciate all the trail volunteers! 🙏🏼
And that isn't an easy section to Ridgerun, I'm sure!! 💛 (but so beautiful!)
You look happy. There is something about you that glows when you are out in the woods! Litter bugs drive me crazy (inconsiderate people in general do) so thank you for doing what you do.
That's so kind, Andrea! Thanks for being here and for your encouragement. Hope you had an awesome Christmas and New Years. 💛🙏🏼
I really Dislike people who Trash God's Creation, I live on the Trail Of Tears Road in Arkansas and have to pick up Trash for 1/2 Mile every week, if I didn't it would look like a Garbage Dump in a month...
Hey Miss Kara!! Great job on the trail work and thanks for sharing this video! Take care and god bless
Hey there, Dan! Thanks for watching this one and for your kind words! I hope your Christmas and New Years were great! Have a wonderful 2025, will see you again soon! :)
Wow, Kara, I had no idea how much work being a trail runner can be! Thank you for sharing your day!! I really admire you and what you've accomplished!
Thanks for blogging your experience and the music and pictures. A memory for you forever and takes the rest of us back to trail.
You’re so kind! It’s super fun to re-live these moments! 💛
@KaraKirtley I look forward to hearing and seeing more! What a dream job in a gorgeous place!!!
Wow, that view at the end was beautiful! I teared up! The music got me too! I know you are having the time of your life with views like that! So, so happy for you!
Thanks for your service 👍and stay safe 🙏
You’re so kind! I appreciate it! Thanks for watching 🙏🏽
Fabulous video !Makes an old Mountain woman wishing to get up them hills again.Love the closing song and wildflowers captures.Thanks
Awww thank you so much! I hope you can get back out there soon! 💛
Thank you for your service to the trail and us thru hikers! I can’t tell you how much your hard work is appreciated! I’m very grateful!
You got me subbed with the thumbnail. I hope your new year is a healthy and wealthy one for you.
Thank you for subscribing! Welcome to our lil community! 💛 So glad you’re here.
And thanks for the well wishes for the new year! Hope you have an awesome 2025 as well!
I really appreciate this sunny spring day during a cold and multi-day snowstorm!
Oh really good point! This Polar Vortex is wild! ⛄️ ❄️ Where are you watching from? Hope you are staying warm!
@@KaraKirtley St. Louis
You pushed through a rough day of 85° weather, bugs, trees, ticks, wheww, what a day. Well done
Kara, you're doing an amazing job, thank you so much!
You are so kind! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for all you do!
Absolutely! I’m so glad you’re here! 🙂
Omg that bird lol I knew what it was instantly. I don't ever hear them in southern NH but my years in the northern part of the state those things would scream their names all day and night lol
Oh my gosh, right?! They really never bothered me until this past year 🤣🤣 but they are SO loud LOL!
What a beautiful day you had in your "office with a view" despite the wounds & mishaps. I really enjoyed this video -- you are such a light to the world. Phooey on the Bible scorner -- if not that, they would have something else to scoff about.
SO true! Thanks so much for being here, Cyndi! So glad you are here! 💛
Wow what a woman!! Thank you for your service and maintenance on trail. You are a Wonder Woman I may never meet you out there but what pleasure it would be to do so someday. You are so kind hearted and have a beautiful sole. Stay safe out there and Happy Trails.
The other day I started planning my May section hike thru SNF. I can't wait! 😊
That is awesome! It's truly magical there. Have so much fun!
@KaraKirtley Thanks. At 62 I'm trying to average 10-12 miles a day, which the shelters permit except the northern 33 miles where I only see the Gravel Springs Hut. Are there other campsites along that stretch or stealth sites?
There are established stealth sites - I think if you click on the little popup in FarOut it gives the guidelines for stealthing - you have to be a certain amount of distance away from the trail, structures and the road (and not in a "no camping" area) but there are a lot more stealth sites than hikers realize... (and fires at stealth sites are prohibited) Water is kind of an issue but you can probably plan around that. I'll try to check my app to see if I left any notes about specific sites in that area! You may see some comments in FarOut too.
@@KaraKirtley Thanks. I also see large campsites nearby if you don't mind all the people and want a shower and tent site.
@@lightwalker4558 congratulations. I'm 69 I wish I had in my legs what I need to even do what you are accomplishing.
What a cool job!!!!
It really is! 💛
Have you tried tractor supply for the tick repellent? To remove the fiberglass you can treat the area with white vinegar. Good luck and great job!
Ooh those are awesome tips.
Thank you!!! 🙏🏽
Ticks aside, it's still a pretty cool job! Thanks for the video, enjoyed seeing all the green on this cold icy day here.
Thank you. Stay safe. ☺
Thanks for watching! 💛❄️⛄️
You look so happy doing your job! I have one fear in life, and its snakes! I would've been running when I saw that snake. Happy New Year Kara! Wishing you the best in 2025! Love watching your videos!
Really liked this video Kara. Keep thinking there is a song in this .Im a ridge runner baby and I roam the trail. oh well thats all Ihave. Go ahead add to it. Peace
Love it, David! What's the tune? I'm thinking, Loser by Beck, lol! Kind of catchy?!
Town food cravings while backpacking is REAL. Last year, in the CA Sierra I literally ran with my backpack on after learning the grill I was aiming for was closing early that Monday. I’m 61. Thanks for all you do.
Kara! I haven't seen a video from you in a while. Glad you put this up. My replacement knee, necessitated by a fall during my 2023 thruhike attempt, has pretty much stabilized enough that I was looking forward to some winter hiking, but, while cleaning leaves the day before Thanksgiving, I sprained my right (other leg) ankle badly on a hidden rock. That's coming along slowly, but I have hernia surgery coming up, then back to work to put some money back in the bank to facilitate my hiking addiction. I still have half of the Trail to do for my second complete section hike. I still want to accomplish a true thruhike, but, at 71, I question that possibility.
Take care, andGodbless. 🙏 Tinker (halfway) '23.🎉
What an awesome job!
Thank you so much! 💛
Keep up the good work!!
Thank you so much, Sue! 🙏🏼
Love, love following along with you!!
I love that you’re here! THANK YOU! 💛
Thank you, Mother Earth protector, much appreciated 👍
I am doing a pratice hike end of February in the SNP. Hope I meet you. Thanks for what you do!
That is so cool! Thanks for watching and I hope you love SNP, it’s so special!
Hearing the song of the Whippoorwill brings back happy childhood memories of visiting my grandparents in Maine and my grandmother taking me into the woods for some natural history lessons. Whippoorwill was the first bird song I learned, I was about 5 or 6 y/o.
Beautiful video! You have a really hard job. Praying you don’t get Lyme disease.
that is an awesome shelter. glad to see it has some stuff in it and is not trashed
Yes!! I love that shelter!
Those naughty Whipoorwills woke me up several nights in VA... But I still love tbem! Happy Trails!🌈🌄🏕
I really appreciate your work. In New York , the DEC , forest service, does a lot of the maintenance. And some of the trails are not up to these standards. I love the Adirondacks, but it can be very frustrating to deal with blown downs and missing trail information.
Oh wow! The big bonus of Shenandoah is that so much of the trail is easily accessible and usually not super rugged terrain to get out to blowdowns. But it really does make me appreciate the hard work of these volunteer maintainers! Thanks for watching and Happy Trails to you!
@KaraKirtley I have done some small day hikes in Shenandoah. Your videos are beautiful. I wish there were more standards and Stewardship across all trails.
Yes! The native Flame Azaleas❤❤❤. We used to have I think the orange ones on a property my parents owned.
Woah - that's so cool!! I never knew how amazing azaleas were until this. 🌸
You rock!
Thanks so much for being here! 💛
Curious if you pick up all the toilet paper on trail that some feel is biodegradable so leave as pop up tents? Also, once read that one of the most common items left in hiker boxes is crampons. Do you leave or pick them up?
It really just depends! For most of the AT, it's actually okay to bury toilet paper as it decomposes pretty quickly if buried correctly (the LNT organization studied this a few years ago). If I found it on the surface, I typically would either pack it out or bury it myself. The worst are the "flushable" wipes - they do not decompose so I would always have to hike those out. Very gross! LOL. And the doggy bags!
I never saw crampons left but would have gladly taken them, lol! Mainly just saw books and items that were unintentionally left in shelters. We had an unfortunate situation with a trail angel who left food often in bear boxes that I always carried out, which was super heavy and often covered in trash as well...
@@KaraKirtleyThose leaving food on the trail need to understand they are endangering wildlife. Also eating in shelters and tents is not helping.
Awesome…I didn’t even know the forest service had Ridgerunners…I follow a lot of hikes…and I know not that ,any Do 15 mile days…so how in the world do they expect you to do 15 and trail maintenance etc,etc…you shouldn’t have to do anymore than 7 miles and that’s Still a lot. You are precious and doing such a good thing with your heart in it!!!!
Enjoying getting to see how you spent your summer.
Thanks so much, Don! Awesome seeing you the other day! Hope your trip was lots of fun.
Always wondered what was inside that ivy creek building…
It was pretty cool inside! Tools - and lots of mice, lol.
I wish all the trail was as open as you are making it for us umbrella users ;
LOL! Good question! I will say, the PATC really has the maintenance part down pat! Their section always looks fantastic and they made my job easy!
Years ago, I suspect that there were many old Home Sites on these Ridge Tops, many probably Planted Fruit Trees and Berry Vines...
I wanna hike that someday ...
You definitely should!!
Any part of the trail are you ridgerunners able to do by horse back?
We don’t have access to horses but they are allowed on I believe two very short sections of the Appalachian Trail. Would be fun!
My base weight is about 20 pounds also. Is it normal for a reasonably fit person when the pack seems to fit comfortably on your back to feel it as a mild ache in your legs just above the knee? (Technically, the 'pick 'em up and put 'em down' muscles!) I use a 55 L ULA Circuit and carry a 2.5 lb Kelty sleeping bag, a 2 lb Mceto bivy tent, dry clothes, and hygiene supplies, cooking/water purification system, etc. No 5 lb Bibles here!
You know, I wonder if your pack is not sitting (or maybe not fitted?) correctly and is hitting a nerve or cutting off circulation in some way... Or else it might just be your body getting used to carrying a pack. You might want to bring your setup down to an REI and try on some other packs *just to see* if they also do the same thing (they can do a pack fitting too to see if your backpack is the correct size). With your pack weight that low, it really should feel pretty good carrying it... Happy Trails to you and thanks for watching the video!
Kara, what is it like being on trail as a ridge runner vs a thru hiker?
That's a great question! It actually felt a lot like thru hiking, especially near the end (was out for 6 months). But the miles can be much harder and slower going. More of an upper body / all over workout verses just using your legs. It's also a lot lonelier as I hiked in the opposite direction of hiking traffic, so I would meet awesome people but usually only once, as opposed to seeing them daily thru hiking. Some parts are easier - like I end up at my car every week and can drive myself to restaurants and resupply!
It was fun to see Augie in your photos at the end 😉
Are you allowed to ride a mountain bike along your routes to maybe speed things up or go farther then usual? And do carry walkie talkies in case of emergency's?
Unfortunately bikes aren’t allowed on any stretch of the trail. I carried a radio though!
The burger was a good decision cause you offloaded the heavy book!
Haha I like your thought process here! 🍔
I have found that picardin also works for repelling insects. Unfortunately, having been out for 13 hr days consistently for years a an environmental consultant, the only thing that stuck on my wet sweaty clothes was good ol’ Sawyers lol
Most common tick borne disease I’ve come across on east coast other than Lyme is alpha gal syndrome. Also sucks…. But manageable. I should know because I have it 😉
✌️❤🙏.....check your venmo 😊
Oh my gosh, Dorothea, I was NOT expecting that! THANK YOU!!! SO very generous. So glad you are a part of this lil community! 💛
The burger was worth it!😊 Bacon Wrap
There's an app you can get for your phone that will identify all the plants in the wild that Mother Nature has they're very cool I have one on my cell phone as an herbalist but I don't know them all,
A burger is never a mistake. Vehicle can't run on fumes.
Hey, I like your thought process! I always hike faster after a burger. LOL!
Smokey the Bear 🐻
Awesome!! 🐻
Do you draw a salary for this?
I do! Ridgerunning is a full time job. Yay! Paid to hike :)
👍
🙏🏽🙏🏽
That hamburger and chips looked like the real deal.
Have you come across any dangerous animals while doing your job? Bears, mountain lions [cats], cougars, snakes, Bigfoots. You dont get freaked out being out there all alone? I know i would. Lol.
Doxycycline as soon as you can get to a doctor.
Yes! Thank you 💛
I would have made a fire out of that book the night before. The lord would just have to forgive me!
You can always tell when someone is possessed by a demon if they get very offensive about a Bible or the name of Jesus.
You should have started praying out loud, pleading the blood of Jesus and demand that evil spirit leave in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Really good point! 🙏🏽
I have found a lot of those on my job and could never burn a bible
I know 😭😭😭
WWJD?
Tag it apparently.
😭
YOU BETTER START READING IT, BECAUSE GOD WANTS TO TALK TO YOU THROUGH HIS WORD, HE MAKES SOMEBODY TO FORGET THE BIBLE FOR YOU TO READ IT!💪😅📖YOU HAVE FOUND THE GREATEST TRESURE IN THE PLANET! READ FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION! BUT ONLY IF IS KJV VERSION! GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST💪😂📖YEEEEES😂