Frequent readers may have noticed that I haven’t published a single “Vanlife diaries” update since we were in the Sawtooths in late June, and that’s because we’ve been back in Washington for the last 2 months, spending as much time out of the van as we have in it— on various mountaineer[...]
Stretching 700 miles from southern British Columbia to northern California and comprising more than 3,750 named peaks, the Cascades are undoubtedly one of the continent’s most spectacular mountain ranges— and Washington’s Cascades are the very pinnacle. The summits are taller, the lakes are b[...]
Pioneered in 1938 by the Ptarmigan Climbing Club, a group of 4 climbers out of Seattle who summited 12 peaks and put up half as many first assents over just 13 days, the iconic Ptarmigan Traverse represents Washington mountaineering at its very finest. Each day brings high passes, steep glaciers, w[...]
Among the most popular photo vantage points in the entire North Cascades, Sahale Glacier Camp is simply breathtaking. After hiking an incredibly gentle trail to Cascade Pass and then continuing through the heather to ascend a much steeper, rockier route to Sahale Arm, the entirety of the range seem[...]
Standing at the base of central Idaho's towering snow-capped peaks, their serrated silhouette dramatically backlit by the summer sun, it's truly impossible to understand why the Sawtooth Mountains aren't more popular. They have all the grandeur of the Tetons, even greater accessibility than the Nor[...]
Growing up in the shadow of Mt Rainier, the most glaciated peak in the continental US, it seemed only fitting that this be my first major glacier climb— what I hadn't anticipated was just how incredibly technical, physically exhausting, and mentally demanding it would be. This week, I set[...]
Idaho locals would have you believe there’s nothing particularly special about this landlocked western state (their licence plates say “Famous Potatoes”, need I go on)— turns out they were just trying to keep the gem state all to themselves this entire time. And honestly, who can blame them[...]
As one of the country's most popular parks, it should come as no surprise that Zion National Park in southern Utah is literally overflowing with amazing things to do— but unlike other destinations that can be checked off a bucket list after a few days, Zion is the kind of place that takes a[...]
Nestled between towering sandstone cliffs and extending along lush riverbanks, Zion National Park preserves an extensive network of canyons, desert towers, thriving forests, and altogether unlikely landscapes in southern Utah that truly defy comparison— in a state whose claim to fame is the[...]
Awed by the dramatic beauty of the Sawtooths and with absolutely no plans to leave anytime soon, the week quickly passed with another handful of hikes in central Idaho’s mountain paradise. This just might be the highlight of our entire trip! What we've been up to this week We started off th[...]
After spending the better part of 5 weeks in Utah, we left our little southwest paradise behind and ventured north into Idaho, where we’ll be spending the remainder of the month hiking and climbing everything in sight. I spent an awesome few days in the Sawtooths last winter and Dan spent a coupl[...]
Finally heading north and leaving the desert behind, we spent the week exploring Utah's Wasatch Mountains on long day hikes and then checked out Salt Lake City when temps soared into triple digits. We were both incredibly impressed by our time in central Utah and can't wait to come back! What we[...]
Canyoneering is the quintessential Utah experience, an intriguing blend of hiking, scrambling, climbing, and rappelling that takes you deep inside narrow desert canyons and demands just as much mental energy as it does physical exertion. And for a sport pioneered right here, you truly haven't exper[...]
After some much-needed rest and relaxation at the start of the week, we ended up enjoying another string of busy days, joining several awesome canyoneering tours around Zion, then hanging out on the shores of Lake Powell, and finally squeezing in a few hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park. [...]
Located in the vibrant desert of southern Utah, Zion National Park protects an extensive network of slot canyons, dramatic sandstone towers, lush riparian ecosystems, and wildflower-encrusted forests, each diverse square of the park more spectacular than the last. A whopping 84% of Zion is further[...]
The towering canyon walls of Zion National Park boast what are arguably southern Utah’s most spectacular trad and multi-pitch climbing routes, drawing experts from around the world to its red sandstone towers. You can often watch the microscopic progress of these rock climbers all the way from th[...]
An adventure sport pioneered in Southern Utah, canyoneering involves rappelling deep into desert canyons and then making your way through by means of scrambling, hiking, down-climbing, sliding, and still more rappelling. It’s no easy task, but it’s also one of the most incredible, adrenaline-in[...]
Of all the incredible hikes within Zion National Park, the Subway, a hollowed-out sandstone gorge resembling an underground tunnel, is one of the most spectacular— and also one of the most highly sought-after. Elusive wilderness permits greatly restrict visitors to the canyon, and techni[...]
After several zigzagging border crossings last week, we finally left Arizona behind and crossed into Utah to continue exploring Zion National Park. This is one of our absolute favourite places in the southwest, but it’s also everyone else’s, so the week was largely dictated by permit availabili[...]
If you read my previous weekly update, you might remember that we were headed to the Grand Canyon last Sunday, hoping to spend the next several days hiking around the North Rim. As it turned out, the North Rim didn’t actually open until THIS weekend (a pretty substantial oversight, oops), and the[...]