Located in Western North Carolina, Pisgah National Forest comprised of 500,000 acres, filled with thousands of hiking trails, breath-taking waterfalls, and of course, black bears.  Most of Pete’s early backpacking adventures occurred in this area, many with campers from a boys’ camp near Hendersonville, NC (Camp Mondamin). Later his wife and two children would share in the adventures with Pete and grow to love the region and the stories that developed from these adventures.