Tag: national park
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Creeksgiving Part 1 – Explorin’ the Needles
As fall of 2025 was creeping in, some friends extended an invite to go on a group climbing trip to Indian Creek. For the uninitiated, Indian Creek is a premier climbing destination in South East Utah just outside of Canyonlands National Park. The area is known for its endless supply of crack climbing in the…
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I’m a Hoodoo Child – Bryce Canyon National Park
Working for the National Park Service seems to be a bit of a tradition for Maggie and her mom, Heidi. While Maggie was working on the archeology team at Colorado National Monument summer of 2025, Heidi landed an Interpretation Ranger position at Bryce Canyon National Park. Everything aligned for us to visit Heidi in the…
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Big Days with the Boys – Mt. Massive, Jicarita, and Bandelier
I’m not going to lie, Maggie’s knee injury was a major bummer. More so for her than me, but it put a damper on all the things we love doing together outside. I had big dreams for summer 2024, which largely disintegrated along with Maggie’s ACL. I stayed by Maggie’s side as much as possible,…
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Rim to Rim to Rim – The Grand Canyon
A seemingly insurmountable geographic barrier, The Grand Canyon is surrounded by as much lore as the canyon is deep. Traversing from rim to rim and back is a popular test piece for endurance athletes, especially now that the National Park Service has well maintained trails and water stations at several points along the way. When…
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Archeological Eclipse – A Reunion of Wayward Adventurers
Maggie was making her way from Montana down to New Mexico, there were a few places on her route we wanted to explore. The timing happened to be perfect for catching the annular solar eclipse that was passing over New Mexico! 11 October 2023 Maggie and I made plans to meet up in Mesa Verde…
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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 Solo Road Part 3 – South Dakota
18-22 May 2023 Equally popular and overlooked, the Black Hills of South Dakota are a true gem. It would be a stretch to include the Black Hills in discussions about the Rocky Mountains, as it should be, since they have a character uniquely their own. I spent five days romping around the Black Hills, hiking,…
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The Solo Road Part 2 – Wyoming
16 May 2023 Next up on my route south was Yellowstone National Park. My past experiences with Yellowstone left something to be desired… Given that I missed the eruption at Old Faithful some years ago, it is the parking lots, gift shops, and crowds that stand out in my memory. Another attempt to explore a…