Tag: hiking
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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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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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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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Terminus – Stehekin to Denver
You never know what is around the next bend on the Pacific Crest Trail. With less than 100 miles to go, Maggie and I were eager to reach the Canadian Border, the northern terminus of the PCT. We were feeling the fatigue from five months of hiking, but we knew we could finish the journey.…
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Ramping Up the Vert and the Views – Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass
The Cascades are North America’s youngest mountain range. The bulk of the mountain building in the Cascade Range occurred about 10 million years ago. They are the new kids on the continent compared to the 70 million year old Rockies and 250 million year old Appalachian Mountains. The nascent character is unmistakable in the striking,…
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Berries, Beer, and Rainier – White Pass to Snoqualmie Pass
The crown jewel of Washington state – Mount Rainier. If you’ve been keeping track, then by now you may have noticed the PCT doesn’t actually go over any high peaks. Rather, the trail just gets close enough for a good view. Mt. Rainier is one peak I was happy to admire from a distance as…
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Of Glaciers and Goats – Trout Lake to White Pass
Washington started to deliver the goods! Mount Adams and the Goat Rocks Wilderness were some definite high points in this gorgeous state. Day 142 – 24 miles/2255 (8/17/22) With the big bubble around, we realized sleeping in and rolling into camp at 7 pm wasn’t gonna work much longer. The tent sites were typically getting…
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Into the Green Tunnel – Cascade Locks to Trout Lake
For much of the PCT up to this point, wide open views are the norm. While I do love the sense of wonder and mystery that fills the air in the lush rain forest of the Pacific Northwest, 80 miles of trees becomes a bit of a blur after a while… Day 138 – 10…