Tag: backpacking
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So Long and Thanks for all the Adventures, Salida
I could see my time in Colorado coming to a close. I had received a job offer to return to Los Alamos National Lab. I tried to avoid this possibility, but it was a job I knew I could do which came with benefits and a good salary. After six months of job searching, I…
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Old Stompin’ Grounds, New Adventures – New Mexico
Maggie and I explored a good portion of New Mexico in the three years we lived there. Even so, it is thrilling to look at a map and find there is yet more to do. Fired up by the recent backpacking trip in Montana, I felt compelled to get out and explore new places in…
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A Glacial Confluence – Glacier National Park
I was hoping to have a job by July or August, but despite my job hunting efforts, I was still drifting through the summer. Maggie and I talked on the phone almost every night. As it became clear that my job prospects were still months out, Maggie convinced me to fly up to Montana for…
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Dune Cool Stuff With Cool People – Great Sand Dunes National Park
1 June 2023 It’s hard to express the bond formed between thru hikers. Even though Maggie and I rarely spent more than a handful of days with the friends we made on the PCT, there is something special about the shared experience. When I got a text from Noodle that he was passing through Salida,…
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The Gravity of Canyonlands
In our down time this past spring, Maggie and I decided to sign up for a Wilderness First Responder (WFR, or “woofer“) course. Maggie needed to renew her WFR certification ahead of starting a ranger position with the National Park Service, and I had been thinking about taking the course for quite some time. When…
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Taking it Easy & Hiking Hard – Torres del Paine Day 5-6
At Camp Grey, Maggie and I only had 31 miles of trail left on the O circuit. Our itinerary split that nicely into two halves: seven miles to Paine Grande Camp, followed by twenty four miles to the car. We leaned into the relaxation on our easy day, then pushed hard to finish the trek…
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A Trek Around the Mountains/A Lap Around the Sun – Torres del Paine Day 2-4
After a busy first day in Torres del Paine National Park, Maggie and I started making our way into the backcountry along the O trek. It didn’t take long to find some solitude, which was a welcome change and nice surprise. Fresh views were found around every corner as we wandered deeper into Patagonia. 29…
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Towers and Traffic Jams – Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine Day 1
One of Chile’s many crown jewels – the Torres del Paine massif – is tucked away near the southern end of the continent. It is far from just about everywhere, yet it has become a destination for backpackers and big wall climbers from around the globe. Maggie and I made our way to this remote…
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A Tough Hazelnut to Crack – Torres del Avellanos
Ad·ven·ture (noun): an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity… Maggie and I were heading into the mountains on a suggestion, a trip report translated from Spanish to English, and a low resolution screenshot of the route. We weren’t entirely sure what to expect, but we knew we were in for a big adventure… 20 January…
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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…