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…
Beautiful Swimming Hole at Lake Siskiyou
I’m sitting here at my computer desk, and on the wall is one of those analog calendars; the kind with a picture on top and the days of the month in big squares so you can write all your appointments…
Hiking the Clatsop Loop in Ecola State Park
The Clatsop Loop Trail in Ecola State Park, Oregon, is certainly a trail of diversity. Starting out are views of surfers on the nearby beach, with sea stacks a short distance away. Then the hike winds upward through a true…
Afternoon at the Yaquina Head Lighthouse
Oregon has its fair share of lovely beachy stuff – cliffs, sand, rock formations, tide pools, impressive tides, sea stacks, and so much more. It even has lighthouses. One that caught our attention – mostly because we took a hike…
Hiking Cannon Beach to Haystack Rock
Probably one of the more well-known icons of the northern Oregon Coast is Haystack Rock, located near the town of Cannon Beach. I’d read about a nice little beach stroll from the town to the rock, so I thought I’d…
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…
Early Morning at the Mt. Shasta Horse Camp
The Horse Camp on Mt. Shasta is quite the destination. The views are very nice, but beyond the fact that it’s a popular day hiking destination, it’s also a “parting of the ways” for many climbers ascending Mt. Shasta, as…
Arch Rock Picnic Area: Sea Stacks in Oregon
Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor really is unique and beautiful, even among the beauty of the rest of the Oregon coastline. I didn’t do half as much there as I could have; just some exploration around the Natural Bridges…
Terrifying Trails of the Western US
Hiking any trail can have its frightful aspects – walking away from civilization and the comfort of your car and into the unknown wilds of who-knows-where (not to mention scary stuff like spiders, snakes, bears, wolves, and sheer drop-offs). But…
Beverly Beach Hike: Lighthouses, Volcanic Rocks, and More
Have you ever thought how nice it would be to walk along the Oregon Coast? To hike a stretch of beach without high rises and hotels and restaurants and just enjoy its sand, uniquely shaped rocks, sheer cliffs, and an…