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A Castle of Rock and Ice – Cerro Castillo National Park
Well into Patagonia by this point, Maggie and I were eager to explore the mountains. We continued south to a small, but epic national park where we got out for a full value day hike. 18 January 2023 Maggie and I got our day going on the Dolphin Rocks just off the Carretera Austral. We…
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To Argentina and Back Again – Entre Lagos to the Carretera Austral
In order to avoid a few ferry crossings on Chile’s Carretera Austral, Maggie and I chose to drive through Bariloche, El Bolson, and Alerces National Park in Argentina. Customs, cash, and camping all presented new challenges, but we were excited to carry on with our south bound road trip… 15 January 2023 After a scrambled…
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‘Yaking, Laundry, and Taking the Wheel – Pucón to Entre Lagos
On a recommendation from a friend, Maggie and I stopped in Pucón, a cute tourist town on the edge of Lake Villarrica. We had originally hoped to climb Villarrica volcano, but with grand goals to continue south, we didn’t make time for the hike. Instead, we explored the lake and the town, and made plans…
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Puzzles in the Mist – Curacautín & Conguillío National Park
The Andes were calling. Volcanoes, lakes, and bizarre trees were just up the hill from us in Curacautín. Without a car, we enlisted a local eco-tourism outfit for lodging and transportation, but first we had to prepare for a night out in the mountains. 9 January 2023 Maggie and I had wanted to go to…
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On the Trail Again – Concepción
After a couple of flops and lots of time in urban centers, Maggie and I were feeling motivated to explore the outdoors. We finally got out on our first South American hike after spending a week in Chile. 6 January 2023 We were up and out of bed at 7 am. Our next destination was…
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Bussing to the Beach – Rancagua & Pichilemu
2 January 2023 It was our last day in Santiago. Maggie and I packed up in the hostel, then left our big packs in the lockers for the morning. We went out for breakfast at Wonderland Cafe, an Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant. It was a little kitschy, but a fun vibe, and being in…
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33 South Bound – Denver to Santiago
When I’m bored, I often peruse a combination of Google Maps and Wikipedia (because I’m a nerd). I quite enjoy exploring the world from the comfort of my own home. Well, one day I was looking at South America on the map. That enormous, unbroken chain of mountains from top to bottom was alluring. The…
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Our PCT Thru Hike By the Numbers
I love crunching data! Shortly after getting off trail, I entered all of our mileage data into a spreadsheet to see how our hike looked by the numbers. In journaling our thru hike, I kept track of how far we hiked each day. This was made easy by the FarOut app, which tells you the…
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PCT FAQ
When Maggie and I returned home after hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, our friends and family naturally had lots of questions about our journey. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions: What were your trail names? Russell: Fanny SnacksAfter the 100 mile mark and a few beers at the Montezuma Valley Market, we…
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Pacific Crest Trail – Thoughts and Reflections
14 February 2023 There is so much to say about the Pacific Crest Trail, and yet I’m at a loss for words as I reflect several months after ending the hike. Hiking the PCT was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, but it came with the greatest rewards, more than I could…
Boldly going nowhere in particular
Distance Over Time 