Somehow two years passed since I last backpacked and slept outside for more than a night. Time passes so quickly; monuments that mark notable events in our lives act as reminders of that. It’s so easy to put things off, to feel like we are on the cusp of doing that thing that we’d get around to someday, then before…
Category:
Hiking
As all of us go through life, we inevitably hit that phase where it get’s “real”. I find myself there this year. It seems I’m not alone either, as many of my friends who love the trails are also in the same general spot. Maybe it’s a “getting older” thing, or maybe it’s because people like us relish in experiences,…
I had been itching to return to Zion National Park ever since running the Trans Zion route with friends a few years ago. The soaring, red rock walls of the canyon, the bright green cottonwoods in the Grotto, and the dramatic views of the mesa’s in the backcountry make Zion an experience like the Yosemite of the desert. I promised…
I went for a walk in the woods. I didn’t have a map, and I didn’t make a plan. I didn’t turn my GPS on, didn’t record how far I went, how much elevation I gained, or how fast I got there. In fact, there was no “there” to get to. I did have to cross a few things off…
Before even completing my last trip out at SEKI, I was already scheming on shorter trips that I could put together to get into the areas of the Southern Sierra High Route that we were forced to bypass on that outing. Since I have passed by Center Basin so often but never visited, the pull to head out there was…
This trip report will be a little unusual since it sort of reflects a failed attempt at the Southern Sierra High Route, which consequently turned into a nice section hike of the JMT with a couple days of cross country thrown in. Although it wasn’t what we set out to do, it was still a great trip and definitely one…
This post will be part of an ongoing academic project on GPS error. This is not exactly breakthrough research, but it’s a fun project that I’ll share here for anyone else who recognizes their inner geek, and seeing as today is Pi Day the timing is perfect! Many of us rely on GPS to either follow an existing path, record…
Mt. Whitney is not only the highest peak in the continental US, it’s also auspiciously situated near the Southern terminus of the John Muir Trail. A true gem of the Sierra Nevada, and one that is no doubt on many bucket lists. It’s also notoriously difficult to get the necessary permits to hike Mt. Whitney because of the amount of…
San Francisco is host to a plethora of iconic sites however The City also has a lesser known tourist attraction – it’s the geographic epicenter for outdoor adventure surrounding the bay. Bike culture is big in The City; running is another popular way to get moving outside, and there is endless urban exploration within the city limits to keep one…
Read the PostOutdoor Guide to the Greater San Francisco Area
There are places that sometimes don’t get paid as much attention as they should. It’s hard to say that Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Park are among them, but Yosemite does tend to hog the spotlight. California locals know though, as do other lucky visitors who’ve experienced these parks. We know what’s out there. The deepest canyon in the US.…