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Hiking UltraTrax Massanutten 2026 with a 20-Pound Pack
Train for mountain adventures at UltraTrax Massanutten 2026 — an endurance hiking and rucking event in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley featuring steep climbs, rugged trails, and weighted pack divisions. Read our experience hiking the course with a 20-pound pack while preparing for the Tour du Mont Blanc.
Snowshoeing the Blue Ridge Parkway: Cold Miles for a Big July Goal
We snowshoed the Blue Ridge Parkway while it’s closed for winter to train for the 108-mile Tour du Mont Blanc trek in July. This post covers cold-weather endurance training, using weighted Osprey packs, the importance of proper backpack fitting at REI, and our favorite post-hike stops in Crozet, Virginia.