Avalanche Peak had been on my “must do next time I’m in Yellowstone” list for about 10 years. (No joke… and yes, I visited Yellowstone during that time.) The more I saw friends’ photos of it, the more I knew…
An Old Mining Road & the Climbers Trail to Emmons Glacier Vistas!
Very frequently, when I leave the traditional trails behind on a whim, it would have been better for me to stay on the traditional trail. Not always, of course – I’ve found some very fun and interesting stuff along the…
Exploring Resurrection Canyon
In the way of explorable canyons, Resurrection Canyon near Big Water in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is a stand-out. It’s not a slot – it’s rarely less than 20ft. wide – but it boasts a wild assortment of rock…
Up & Beyond the Emmons Moraine Trail
The Emmons Moraine Trail is purported to be one of the premier hikes (or at least most popular) in the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier National Park. It’s convenient for the campers, since it begins at the campground, but it’s…
Delicate Wraith Falls in Yellowstone
Wraith Falls in the northern part of Yellowstone National Park is a mostly-overlooked little gem. It’s not a very long hike, nor is the waterfall the most impressive in the park, but it is pretty and fairly un-hiked as trails…
Big Balanced Rock in Arches
I don’t believe I’d ever hiked around the Balanced Rock in Arches National Park until my most recent visit to the park. I figured that you could see it from quite a few places – and these things usually look…
Spectacular Sierra Views from Piute Pass
Piute Pass was one of my favorite trails in the High Sierra. (A few of the other contenders were Saddlebag Lake (20 Lakes Basin), Kearsarge Pass, and San Joaquin Mountain.) The sheer beauty along the path up to the saddle…
Smoking Stacks in the Monument Geyser Basin
The Monument Geyser Basin in central Yellowstone National Park was heralded to me as a great adventure. Here you could enjoy a geyser basin in its natural state, without crowds or even boardwalks! Unfortunately, I’m afraid it was a bit…
French Spring above the Maze District
French Spring is one of the minimal number of attractions to see along NP-633 (the road between Hans Flat and the top of the Flint Trail) in the Maze District of Canyonlands National Park.* It’s one of the more difficult…
Biscuit Basin, Mystic Falls, and Biscuit Basin Overlook
I chose the perfect morning to visit the Biscuit Geyser Basin and Mystic Falls. Perfect, as in it was so misty, I could barely see the geothermal features, and the waterfall was almost obscured! I even climbed up to the…