The Virginia Lakes! They are beautiful, especially early in the season when they are surrounded by snow. But at any time of the summer or fall they are a destination well worth visiting – near enough to Yosemite National Park…
Sneak Peak: A California Trip through Desert and Snow
Well, I just got back from a fantastic trip to California! We saw the desert, and we saw snow (lots of snow!), not to mention some truly fabulous views of mountains, cliffs, slot canyons, salt flats, and the beautiful NorCal…
Spectacular Hidden Valley on Mt. Shasta
There may be no other trail in the US quite like the one to Hidden Valley, high on the side of Mt. Shasta in California. The trail begins as a fairly normal one, passing through forests up to a stone…
Spectacular Gnarl Ridge below Mt. Hood
Sometimes there are hikes that you just know as soon as you arrive (at the parking area or the destination) that this is one epic hike. Gnarl Ridge, high on the southern side of Mt. Hood, was one of those…
12 Epic Hikes of the Western United States, Part 3
Or, 12 Dayhikes You Should Take With Your Kids Before They’re Grown Today we have another collection of Epic Hikes in the Western US! This time our man is middle-age, highly creative, full of energy and fun, and was the…
10 Places to Go Exploring in the Western US
Trails are nice, trails are great. I like trails (especially trails that lead to and through spectacular views!) But there comes a time when the inner anti-establishment in us all decides it would like a bit of freedom – and…
Table Mountain – Up and Down the Face Trail
Table Mountain, on the “non-tourist” west side of Grand Teton National Park, has got to be one of our favorite views ever – and I mean that seriously. If you interviewed everyone in the group, they’d probably list that single…
10 of the Best Trails In and Around North Cascades National Park
I absolutely love North Cascades National Park when the weather is nice. It’s filled with that wild wilderness that makes you feel like you’ve really left it all behind, not to mention peak upon peak and tranquil valley after alpine…
The Pass & Views above Upper Darby Canyon
A few months ago, I posted about finding fossils in Upper Darby Canyon on the west side of the Tetons. Well, my goal that day wasn’t fossils; in fact, I didn’t even know they existed until they appeared in boulders…
12 Epic Hikes in the Western US, Pt. 2
This is a guest post from one of my group members. She’s young, fun-loving, and is apt to tell you that she spent her first 3 birthdays hiking the wildernesses of the US, so she’d be just as happy to…