re: Louisiana Purchase Cypress Legacy trees - Anybody seen one?

haha I definitely won't be doing that.

But, that is the kinda thing I'd love to go do with someone who knows what they're doing and can show me the ropes.

Now, what real value is there in knowing the age of the trees is a whole different conversation. It's just interesting to me and seems like it could be a fun thing to do on weekends (but not something I'd want to do day-in, day-out for a living).

I feel like it's such a shame I don't have that swamp trekking experience. I've done plenty of alpine climbing and backpacked 1,100 contiguous miles out west, I really need to delve into some Louisiana adventures. Right now, I'm eyeing the Lone Star Trail for Memorial Day, but it's only 100 miles and I'm not expecting the coolest of scenery.

If the Boy Scouts ever open up their resources to the public for the Swamp Base in the Atchafalaya, I'd love to camp at their spots while kayaking.

My other back-burner idea is a hike on the levee from Natchez to New Orleans, somewhat following in the footsteps of one of my ancestors who made a made of the river and the lining plantations in the 1850s. That'd be more of a personally rewarding kinda thing.

I'd love to make the jump to expedition style treks, but that's just so much planning, time off and money that I don't think it's realistic at this point. I guess there's just something more alluring to me (perhaps as a Louisianan) about doing that kinda thing in the swamps than the mountains.