Hiking

[Catrin]

That's great, Catrin. What a milestone for you!

What are "armored crossings"?

These are mountain bike trails I'm hiking, and at least around here, they are literally carved out of the side of the hill/ridge, usually by hand. I've helped build them So think about the trail climbing up/down following the side of the hill or ridge rather than going up and over the hill. Of course there are fall lines and actual stream crossings that intersect the trails, and these areas are lined with rocks to assist draining and to allow the area to dry more quickly. Here is a post on the Hoosier MTB Association page that discusses this and include pictures (in Indiana all MTB trails are built and maintained by volunteers). Usually these areas are quite short but sometimes they are longer sections depending upon the landscape. These are sometimes easier to ride than to walk, especially when wet

I've also figured out the route that I'm leading some friends on a hike next weekend! It won't be the same trail, but that same park has 28 miles of MTB trails and each trail has a different character - though they are all full of switchbacks. Many of those miles are VERY remote, so a good map or knowledge of exactly how the trails interact is very important.