This stupid virus was bad enough when it left me stuck at home compromising between less attention for work and completely failing to home educate my kids. But at least at the end of the work day, I was able to lace up my running shoes and get out in the sun beneath the trees in our local state forest for a run. Now, thanks to the virus and even more so, the idiots who […]
Is it possible to practice social distancing and stay six feet away from everyone when running past them on singletrack trails? Going into the third week of continuous time at home and the second with kids home nonstop from daycare while trying to work, I’m desperately clinging to any activity that gives me a sense of normalcy, schedule, and sanity. On the few nights its been warm enough to walk, family treks up the street […]
An “extremely strenuous”, “double black diamond” rated hike up a mountain in the middle of the desert in 110 degree heat seemed like a good idea at the time. While traveling to Phoenix for work, I didn’t want to just be stuck inside the whole time. After a long and dreary spring in New Jersey where summer never seemed to come, I just wanted to get some sun. I found it in abundance in Phoenix, […]
You might not think that April would be considered winter, but in parts of Yosemite, it can continue snowing through May. Many of the trails and roads throughout the park, especially those above 6,000 feet or so, don’t open back up until the summer, so it’s important to have a good plan. Don’t be discouraged though, there’s still plenty to see and do in the park in the spring including pretty much all of the […]
Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park is the perfect escape from Las Vegas for those looking for some nature and scenery. Only about an hour from the Strip, it’s a far cry from the fake over-the-top nonsense of Las Vegas. With National Parks nearby too, it gets a little less attention, meaning the crowds are smaller. The sights are no less spectacular though and there is plenty to see and do. Though Valley of Fire […]
Bryce Canyon offers the perfect hiking mix for amateur and expert hikers alike. Weekend warriors will find plenty to challenge them while offering great views of the scenery of the park and plenty of variation in terrain. With peaks of elevation over 9000 feet, there are also short trails that are intense just because of the altitude. It isn’t just the elevation that takes hikers’ breath away, the sights over the canyon and the otherworldly […]
I love Zion National Park. I’ve been there twice in the last two years and can’t get enough. The soaring mountain peaks that overlook the canyon, the verdant green valley along the river, the bighorn sheep I’ve seen every time I’ve passed through the area; these all make it remarkable and incredible. Of the National Parks I’ve been to, it’s the only one that feels less like a unique piece of landscape that deserves protection, […]
The world will be a very different place when my boys are grown up. There might actually be fewer protected public land, fewer animal species, and very different weather. Some of our National Parks, if they even still exist as parks, will be quite different than they are now. We need to take action now, but we also need to start on the next generation of conservationists. To make sure that happens, I’m raising my […]
One day, taking inspiration from Wild and A Walk in the Woods, I’m going to hike the entirety of the Appalachian Trail. When I do it though, I don’t think I’ll be risking it in the winter when temperatures plunge and snow quickly turns to ice. Trail markers get obscured, sections that are technical and challenging in the best conditions become nearly impossible, and snow covers treacherous holes in the ground that can twist an […]
Las Vegas might be known for drinks, shows, and sin, but the reason I really enjoy it is that it’s the perfect jumping off spot for some of the most interesting and stark natural landscape in the country. To the east is Death Valley and Red Rock Canyon. To the west is the Grand Canyon. Further north are the incredible National Parks, Zion and Bryce Canyon. This part of the country is spectacular and makes […]