Backpacking 101, trailblazers hiking club at Blue Blaze Brewing

Blue Blaze Brewing, 528 South Turner Avenue, is the first brewery in the Historic West End. It maintains a strong connection with the outdoors and healthy living. The brewery is named after the “blue blaze” symbol on the Appalachian Trail, which leads hikers off-trail to something interesting, like a spring or overlook.

Blue Blaze hosts bike rides, outdoor-themed film screenings, a pop-up farmers’ market and more.

You can see all their upcoming events on their Facebook page.

Here are some free upcoming events:

Trailblazers Hiking Club, including a free Blue Blaze Brewing Beer
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
U.S. National Whitewater Center
March 9
March 23

Trailblazers will meet at 10 a.m. at the adventure pavilion in the main parking lot of the Whitewater Center (see photos for map). After the hike, all Trailblazers are welcome to join us at River’s Edge for a cold brew. Your first Blue Blaze beer is on us!

Participation in this event is FREE (and did we mention the beer at the end?). Parking at the Whitewater Center is $6 to anyone who does not hold an annual pass. Folks of all ages and skill levels are welcome to join us (drinks only for those who are 21 and older, of course). Leashed dogs can come along for the hiking portion of this event, but will not be allowed in the restaurant. Hike will be led by Appalachian Trail thru hiker, Heidi Nisbett (Class of 2018).
Note: Follow the links (above) to see some details about the hike for each date.

Live Music: Kris Atom
Friday, March 15th, 2019
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Free

Backpacking 101 – Food on the Trail
Sunday, March 17th, 2019
4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Free

The great outdoors can be a wonderful place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and stresses from everyday life. However, spending time in the wilderness, especially doing overnight backpacking trips, can be difficult and unnerving, not to mention dangerous, to those new to the experience. Here at Blue Blaze Brewing, we want to encourage folks to get outside and experience the serenity of nature by providing tips on safety and backpacking techniques. We are excited to be hosting monthly backpacking workshops with experienced backpacker and Appalachian Trail thru hiker, Heidi Nisbett.

Join us on Sunday, March 17 as we go over the variety of food that is well suited for backpacking and trail life. From foraging to ramen to dehydrated backpacker’s meals, there are plenty of delicious options to enjoy in the backcountry. We will also go over different cook systems and how you can still enjoy your meals if you decide to travel without a stove.

Participation for this event is FREE. The purchase of a beer or two (or three) is appreciated. This workshop is open to experienced backpackers and newbies alike. We hope to see you there!

Food provided by local food truck, TBD

Blue Blaze Book Club: “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed
Thursday, March 21st, 2019
7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Free

This book club meeting will take place in our cozy mezzanine loft! Be on the lookout for more Blue Blaze Book Club meetings on the third Thursday of every month.

Blue Blaze Brewing invites book lovers to join us for evening of books and brews. This month we will be meeting to discuss the novel “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed. Local food cart Wild Dog Hot Dogs will be on site.