Water is scarce in the desert. What little you do find is usually seeping from a tiny crack in the bright red sandstone or a murky, stagnant puddle of rainwater lazily evaporating into the arid heat. Rivers can be clear but are quick to muddy after any precipitation. The Colorado River is, more often that […]
Having just visited Hawaii, I was curious about the island chain and all its volcanoes. I’ve read a few general things about the volcanoes in my travel guidebooks, but I wanted more details. Which ones are active? Is it possible to reach the summit on all of them? Which ones are accessible by car or by […]
The Ptarmigan Traverse is a high elevation route in the North Cascade Range of Washington State. It was first done in 1938 by a group from the Ptarmigan Climbing Club and didn’t become popular with mountaineers until much later. Nowadays, many groups tackle the traverse every summer. For experienced mountaineers, this trip has a lot […]
Many have heard about the state highpoints quest and contemplated it over a beverage or two. An experienced mountaineer or even someone who is fit and very determined could do most of the peaks. You could even get a little help, like on Rainier where climbers often use a guide service. Denali in Alaska however, is in […]
There is a reason why the Ansel Adams photographs of the Snake River and the Tetons have become some of his most recognizable works. The dramatic contrast between the flat river valley and the steep peaks is stunning. Grand Teton stands erect at 13,770 feet and Jenny Lake, at its base, sits at 6,783 feet. […]
Mount Stuart looks out over the Teanaway and Yakima River valleys in rural Kittitas County, Washington. From the summit, the views extend from Mt. Adams to Mt. Baker and practically every inner-Cascade range in between. Stu is one of the tallest non-volcanic peaks in the state at 9,415 feet and said to be a solid chunk […]
If you live in Alaska and are even remotely connected to the outdoor community, you’re aware that Valdez has some of the most fantastic ice climbing there is. So, as someone who’s recently had my first addicting taste of digging tools into the ice, Valdez zoomed straight to the top of my “gotta get there” […]
Sandwiched between the continental divide and a spectacular array of 13- and 14,000-foot mountains, Summit County boasts the highest elevation stretch of I-70 as it crosses central Colorado. With four world-class ski resorts, multiple 14ers, one of the main headwaters of the Colorado River, and an endless amount of alpine terrain, there is a reason […]
Snoqualmie Pass’ 3,000-foot elevation isn’t impressive even by Washington standards. So why are there four separate ski areas? And even stranger, why is there a high concentration of backcountry skiing routes in the area? Well it’s a combo of high snowfall amounts above that elevation and the proximity to a couple million people down the hill. […]
Remote rivers pose a unique access challenge. You either have to pare down your gear and run them in whatever you are willing to haul in on your back, or work out a complicated scheme, usually involving more than one mode of transport, to get as close to the water as possible. Thankfully, Washington’s remote […]