A few weeks ago, Casey and I took a hike up Bells Canyon, which is located just lookers right of Little Cottonwood Canyon. It’s a beautiful hike, only minutes from the Salt Lake City valley. The colors in Little Cottonwood and Bells Canyons are incredible in October, and it was a perfect spot to test my new DJI Mavic Pro. Here’s some footage from it’s first flight up to the waterfall and a few close passes around some mountain goats!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YAnefxtlyE

New Zealand is a very young country both in terms of human history and its geology.  It is part of the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire” – a string of volcanoes and seismically active zones around the Pacific Ocean. For anyone interested in geology and volcanoes, New Zealand is a true paradise, with a long list of volcanic and mountain formations to explore. 

The Central Volcanoes of the North Island – Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro are easily accessible. In addition to their geological wonders, they offer terrific hiking, rock climbing in summer and skiing in winter. In this article, I’ll explore just a few of the long list of the Central Volcanoes’ attractions, along with some useful information. 

Location 

To begin with, the Central Volcanoes are located just south from the Taupo Lake (and township) and are approximately 4-5 hours’ drive south from the Auckland city. They are part of the Tongariro National Park, and more information about the recent conditions, tracks, nature and anything else you might be curious about can be found at the local Department of Conservation offices.  

There are several places to stay around Taupo and Turangi, as well as some backcountry huts in the mountains. If you are planning a winter trip, you will probably want to find indoors accommodation, or the weather conditions are likely to be poor. 

Weather 

These three magnificent volcanoes are some of the most prominent land features of the entire North Island, standing tall and unprotected from any of the storms that hit that part of New Zealand. Given their relatively high elevation and high exposure to the elements, the volcanoes are notorious for their fast weather changes that can get you in trouble. It is not uncommon for hikers and skiers to get caught in a complete white-out in a matter of minutes, which with poor preparation might be detrimental. 

Before heading out for a hike, even if it is just a short day trip, always make sure to check the mountain weather forecast on metservice, compare the car-park elevation conditions to those higher up, and prepare accordingly. It never hurts to carry a light, waterproof/windproof jacket and an emergency blanket, even in the best of conditions. 

Hiking the Central Volcanoes 

Tongariro Crossing 

The most popular and well known track of the region is called the Tongariro crossing. The popular version is a day trip across the craters of Tongariro, but a longer, multi-day circuit version is also available. The day crossing is a 20 km one-way hike across the incredible rough volcanic terrain with its unique flora, rock formations and spectacular landscapes. The first section of the trail leads you through volcanic flats and ash fields from the recent 2012 eruption. After the first hour or of two of hiking, the trail starts climbing up the crater area. If you want an extra challenge, take a side tour up the Mt Ngauruhoe– a steep scree climb that will take you several hours to get up and 15 minutes to get down. 

Continue through the flats until another climb leading to the colourful Red Crater and Emerald Lakes. Excellent photo opportunities will be plentiful at this lunar-like place. The trail passes several other craters and steaming springs until it start descending into a luscious green native forest on the other side. Well worth the day! However, make sure to arrange transport at the end of the track, as it ends on the different side of the mountain. The best is to hike with friends and have two cars, but shuttle options are also available.

Mount Ngauruhoe Climb 

We have all seen the Lord of the Rings and know of the mighty ring mission to Mount Doom. Well in fact, you can climb it yourself – the mountain actually exists and it’s called Mt Ngauruhoe. The climb up Ngauruhoe summit is a 3h hike (6 km) from summit crater or approximately 6-7 h (19km) return from Mangatepopo parking area. Most of the climb is up a steep loose rock/scree field, which is extremely exhausting to climb up and very quick and effortless to get down. The views are, needless to say, breath-taking, especially if you get a clear day. 

The surrounding landscapes are equally as spectacular, with rough and unique shapes and colours. 

Exploring Mount Ruapehu 

Mt Ruapehu is the largest of the three volcanoes with a number of distinct features. One of them, which is well worth the visit, is the Crater Lake. It is a colourful, acidic lake that serves as an indicator for the volcanic mountain activity. Colours vary based on the temperature: from green tones at around 10 degrees C to grey, at 60 degrees C.  The contrasting shades of the lake with colourful volcanic rock, ashes and residual snow makes for a really spectacular view. There are no specific defined routes on the mountain, but given its distinct shape, it is easy to navigate with a help of a map and some common sense. If you are less experienced navigating in mountain terrain, I suggest you find some people who are, or take a GPS device with you, so that you could backtrack your route. 

The Central Volcanoes in Winter 

Ruapehu is a major skiing mountain, where majority of the New Zealand North Island skiers gather. The Mountain is so massive that it contains three ski resorts – Whakapapa and Turoa being the main ones and a third smaller Tukino ski field. It is also possible to do some ski touring outside and above the ski resorts, and explore locations such as the Central Plateau – an incredibly scenic vast Ruapehu summit area with its peaks framing the white shiny fields. 

Ice and mixed climbing is also an option on the Ruapehu mountain, but are both condition-dependent You should consult the New Zealand Alpine Club for more information. 

Image Credit & Copywrite: Br3nda, https://www.flickr.com/photos/taniwha/

Rock Climbing Around the Central Volcanoes 

Where there’s rock, there’s climbing (most of the time). There are several interesting rock climbing options around the Tongariro National Park. Some really good areas include Mangatepopo valley, Whakapapa Gorge and Tukino climbing crags. Most of the climbing in these areas is traditional – requiring gear placements to protect the climb. 

Gear 

The best part about many of the Central Volcano hikes is that they are packed with sights and exciting landforms, but can be done in day, which means that even those visiting for a brief period can have a taste of what it is all about. However, hiking up the volcanoes you are entering alpine environment, and hence you should be ready for any unexpected circumstances. A light backpack for a day will fit food to fuel you for the day (including extra emergency snacks), some extra warm and waterproof layers, a first aid kit with an emergency shelter and sufficient water. Don’t forget a pair of sunnies and sun-block if it’s sunny outside. It’s easy to get severely sunburnt in New Zealand due to the Ozone-layer hole. 

Concluding remarks 

The Central Volcanoes of the North Island are an exceptional and a memorable location. The area is famous for its geology, vegetation, scenery and much more.

After you are finished exploring the volcanoes, make sure to stop at the peaceful waters of Lake Taupo. The area is also very rich in cultural heritage and history – a very special treat. 

There are no words that accurately describe my complete love obsession with winter. I feel a slight “meh” about everything 3 seasons of the year, and then winter hits and the child in me awakens. Maybe it’s the beautiful blankets of white that hug Mother Nature’s mountainous curves. Or the blizzards that force everyone to snuggle together by the fire. The anticipation of weightless powder turns or that feeling I have after I can’t help but utter “that was the best single turn of my life!”

Whatever the reason for my wintertime stoke, I can assure you, my love of snow pales in comparison to the sheer joy that my dog has for this time of year. Gone are the days of panting in the heat, of laying on the bathroom floor trying to cool down. Of being left home alone with the cat because it’s too hot to hike. Screw that! It’s time to play, romp, prance, and roll in the beautiful fluff outside. Catch snow balls, sprint for no reason at all, jump like a dear, and when no one is looking, make some yellow snow.

If your dog is anything like mine, you share a fondness of playing outside in the cold. Winter is a great time to explore the outdoors with your dog and you can both stay active and healthy while enjoying wintertime hikes. That said, it’s important to make sure your dog stays warm, hydrated, and happy when you two are out in the snow. Many dogs LOVE and can handle cold conditions. That said, many breeds can only tolerate cold conditions for short periods of time, or not at all. Make sure your activity is suited for your dog’s breed and is age appropriate in order to have a great winter together. Need help? Learn about “How Cold is too Cold for Dogs” before venturing out this winter.

Spread Stoke Winter Hiking Dog Tips: 

1. Keep the Trails Clean. Joking about “eating yellow snow” is much more fun than stepping in poop. Plus, as a dog owner, it’s your responsibility to help keep hiking trails clean and clear for everyone to enjoy. Keeping an entire roll of earth friendly biodegradable pick-up bags with you is a MUST. These can be carried in a pocket, on a leash, or in your dogs pack for quick and easy access.

2. Trail Dog First Aid. Dogs are pretty susceptible to injuries while hiking. There are plenty of things to slice a paw open on, branches to run into, or rocks/ice to slip out on. Make sure you bring a doggy specific medical kit with you on your adventure. Not all are created equal. We suggest one that has an eye wash, a pet first aid booklet to review BEFORE you go out, irrigation syringe, tape, multiple wipes (antibiotic and alcohol versions) various wound closures, and gauze are also good to check for.

3. Hydration and Snacks. Sprinting around in the snow is fun, no doubt! Winter hikes can dehydrate both of you while burning calories o’plenty. Make sure your pup has plenty of fresh drinking water and don’t forget to bring snacks/food in case you need to rest for a bite or if you have an emergency and get stuck somewhere overnight. There are a ton of great dog food pack options and water containers out there. I’ve taught mine to actually drink out of a water bottle for quick and easy access while on the go, but always bring a bowl for him/her to drink out of as well. Provide your furry one with water at least every 15-20 minutes.

4. Doggy Gear & Accessories. Depending on your dog’s breed, you may need different items to keep him/her safe and warm this winter. Things to consider: Does your dog get cold easily? Does your dog have a natural winter undercoat? Does your dog’s fur hold moisture or collect snow and ice? Does your pup need winter boots? Your dog might need an insulated jacket, snow slicker, booties, or the like to stay warm and dry out there. You might also consider buying bright colored jackets, harnesses, and leashes so it’s easy to spot your snow beast in all that white! If your dog will NOT wear boots (I feel you!) keep an eye on their paws to prevent & clean out ice & snow build up. That brings us to…

5. Pause for the Paws: When hiking with dogs in the snow, the fur between their paw pads can collect ice melt, snow, ice, dirt, salt and all sorts of other nasty winter things. They can also freeze, split, crack or get cut. Keep your eyes on them, clean them out, and don’t let your best friend eat/lick ice melt or salt off their paws when they’re out and about. Or, bribe them with bacon to keep their winter boots on (good luck with that!). If bribery doesn’t work, grab some Musher’s Secret, a dense barrier wax for all season protection.

6. Pack It In, Pack It Out! I have a working dog, so she obviously LOVES any task given to her. One of her tasks is to carry her own stuff on a hike. This allows me more room in my pack for extra water and jackets (and let’s be honest, a few beers) and Kira carries her own load. Plus, then I don’t have to put poop filled bags in MY pack. Her poop, her problem! Different dogs can handle different sized loads and packs. Make sure yours is appropriate for the difficultly of your hike and your dog. I suggest grabbing a bright colored pack with multiple compartments, light reflectors, and a front leash attachment. I also LOVE a pack that has a handle on the saddle so I can quickly grab my snow beast when needed. Also make sure that each side of the pack has equal loads of weight so it sits properly on your pup’s back.

7. Leash Up. While there are TONS of off-leash doggy trails all around the country (check the local laws before you venture out), you never know when you need to secure your buddy with a leash. Maybe you see a few wild animals roaming around, sprinting children that might get herded, or lots of traffic at your local trail head. Always keep a leash with you and ready to use.

Most of all, enjoy your time together in the snow and let the stoke fly.

For those of us who haven’t found the perfect soul mate with whom to share fine vistas while celebrating the accomplishments of Saint Valentine, I wrote a little love letter. My thought was that I’d rather focus on the things that bring me giddy joy rather than grudgingly celebrating “Singles Awareness Day.” So for those Spreading Stokesters out there, I present this Valentine.

XOXO Love, 
Lexi 

Last winter Justin ‘Trauma’ Lichter and his partner Shawn ‘Pepper’ Forry completed the first winter thru hike of the Pacific Crest Trail.  For those unfamiliar with the “PCT” it is a 2650 mile trail from Canada to Mexico that cuts through 3 US states including Washington, Oregon and California.  This diverse trail crosses deserts, mountain ranges, deep forests, glaciers and volcanic peaks, and is considered one of the most difficult hikes in the world….in the summer!

For the western US states the winter of 2014-15 was very mild compared to normal winters.  Many areas reported record low snowpack, which might lead one to believe that this would be a great year to attempt a winter thru hike on the PCT.  However, it turns out the lack of snowfall and unpredictable weather patterns were a major challenge that almost forced Trauma and Pepper to abandon their expedition.  Not too long after starting in Washington, Trauma and Pepper found themselves caught in an unexpected storm that left them debilitated with frostbite.  Later on the trail they had to ditch their ski touring setup (due to lack of snowpack) and rely on snowshoe travel, which takes more time and burns more calories.  Thru hiking in the winter is filled with challenges, especially when it comes to food.

For many long stretches, the PCT is a desolate trail that cuts through uninhabited wilderness.  Trauma and Pepper often went weeks without seeing another person.  Many small towns with re-supply stations along the PCT close for the winter, which meant Trauma and Pepper had to be meticulous with their meal planning.  Cold weather and minimal pack space greatly limited the types of food Trauma and Pepper could eat.  According to Trauma, “our breaks were centered around eating. Any time we stopped we would spend that time ingesting calories. And if we took a break we couldn’t sit still very long because of the cold, so we had to keep moving.”  The most efficient calories came from conveniently stored nutrition bars.  The guys rotated between Lara Bar, Pro Bar and Kind Bar and ate 10 bars each per day, receiving 1/3 of their daily calories from bars.

Cooking at night proved to be another serious challenge.  Often times Trauma and Pepper had to melt snow for the next days water supply, since they frequently did not have a running water supply available.  Due to the terrible snowpack there was often “sugary” snow, which does not hold much water content and takes up to 2 hours to boil down for the next days needed water supply.  After a long day of hard work, the guys were often hungry, tired and ready to sleep, but had to commit an extra two hours of work to melt water.  This left little time for cooking dinner.  Trauma and Pepper relied on quick one-pot calorie dense-meals such as, Top Ramen, Knorr Sides, angel hair pasta, cheese, beef jerky, instant mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, or any combination of these.  Trauma was especially a fan of the instant mashed potatoes because they can be made without bringing the water to a boil, which saved time and fuel.

Snacks were another essential in their backcountry pantry.  While dinner was cooking or snow was melting, Trauma would often snack on chocolate chips, Justin’s Hazelnut Butter, and Justin’s single serving almond butters.  The single serving packets were especially handy because they were easy to ingest and provided quick calories to his tired body.

In addition to making food, getting supplies was often another daunting task.  Trauma and Pepper had to hike miles off the trail to find open grocery stores or to access post offices with re-supply boxes that they had mailed to themselves before they embarked on their journey.  One much appreciated surprise came from a ‘trail angel’ who hiked miles to leave an anonymous supply box at a remote location.  Even though they were often isolated, the support from the PCT trail community was received throughout Trauma and Pepper’s trip.

After an astonishingly fast 132 days Trauma and Pepper reached the US/Mexico boarder to complete the first successful winter thru hike of the PCT.  As they signed the book at the end they were greeted by friends, family, and a champagne celebration to end their historic journey.

Check out the Adventure Dining Guide episode to learn more about Trauma’s PCT cooking challenges.

You know those items of clothing where your friend or sibling finally says, “When is the last time you washed that thing?” Or better yet, “Do you ever take that off?” Yeah, you know what I’m talking about…

The Sambaya Stretch Fleece is that item of clothing. I was fortunate enough to acquire this fleece several weeks ago before a trek to Escalante, Utah. With temperatures dropping below 20 degrees at night, this was the perfect go-to item to throw on top of some thermals. The best part of this warm and insanely soft zip-up is the hood! I love hoods, and it seems rare to find them attached to technical layers. The Cotopaxi Sambaya takes quality and fashion into account. To note, I tested this in a size medium in the color Capri. This item runs pretty true to size and I could have probably gotten away with a size small, but this works perfectly for layering!

The Polartec Power Stretch fleece fabric keeps you dry, regulates body temperature, and is breathable.  The design allows you to keep that womanly figure and camp in style, with it’s long fit (just below your hips) and long sleeves with thumb-hole cuffs (LOVE!). It’s fitted, but has enough room for several base-layers underneath. It has two big pockets to keep your hands warm or to store snacks for your day hike, along with an internal stash pocket and a small breast pocket for smaller items. The Sambaya comes in two bright colors (Capri or Terracotta) that are vibrant and match everything or black (Raven) which will be my next purchase. I can’t say enough about this fleece, it’s performance quality is great for outdoor expeditions and it’s stylish enough for causal use while tripping around town. My only wish is that it could also block wind a bit, but the breath-ability makes up for it!

Bonus? Each purchase of the Sambaya Fleece provides 1 cancer treatment for a patient in Senegal. If you are going to purchase gear, might as well feel good about it and give back while doing it.

*Disclaimer: Cotopaxi provided the author with the Sambaya Fleece as a sample product (at no cost) in order for us to test. 

Buy the Cotopaxi Sambaya Fleece from Cotopaxi.com

SPECS

Last week I came home from Damascus, VA where I was given the opportunity of a lifetime – to section hike the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. I had never backpacked or camped for 5 straight days before this, but I didn’t feel nervous. I felt ready to push my comfort zone farther and test all the outdoor skills I had gained from my recent ex-boyfriend. Damascus was a consistent 85 degrees with a bit of humidity, but as soon as I got off the plane something was wrong – Delta had left my pack in Atlanta where I had connected. I was in a panic and I nearly missed my ride back to the hostel I planned on staying in Damascus. Dave, my personal driver, is the town artist, and he assured me there was another woman being picked up that afternoon and that I could hitch another ride and see if my bag was on that flight. So we left the airport empty handed. As we drove, my worried look quickly faded as I was in was in awe of the rolling hills of green. In that moment, I knew that whatever was to happen would happen, pack or no pack. I had the walk through those woods.

When we got to Mt. Rogers Outfitters, Dave informed the guys of the issue and they agreed to take me with them when they picked up Gina (my tent mate, which I didn’t know it at the time). Bill was the driver. He had a lazy eye from a stroke a few years back and a big blonde/white beard. After losing his home and job elsewhere, Bill moved to Damascus in 2000 and now lives with his dog, D.O.G, in a hammock along the Creeper Rail Trail. Bill was my first encounter with trail magic. Bill drove through the hills along the back roads to the Tri-Cities Airport and showed me some beautiful homes, landmarks and lakes. We talked about everything; why I came on this trip, where I was from, things to do in Damascus, and we concluded with how I could move here. At one point Bill tapped my leg, leaned over, and said, “Welcome home.” This moment I will never forget because he was right, I was home. The intimate feel of Damascus, the community surrounding the AT happily welcomed me as a new citizen.

After five enlightening days on the AT where I lived a temporary life covered in sweat, dirt, and deet, I felt like I belonged here. Our guide, Jan, had educated us on all things backpacking and she left nothing out, which seemed daunting at the time but I couldn’t be more appreciative. On The evening of Day 2, Jan told me I was a very strong hiker, and I took that to heart. Jan is a seasoned hiker, mountaineer, and snowboarder, so a compliment from her is quite valuable. From there on, I viewed our trip differently. Rather than being annoyed with our glacial hiking pace, I became more present and viewed this trip as a trail run for my next adventure on the AT.

By Day 5 it hurt to leave and I knew I had to return. The canopies, the ridge lines, the smell of Jefferson National Forest, and the kind encouragement to take a walk through the woods was nothing like I had ever experienced. I was welcomed whole heartedly; I had found my untainted little town that revolved around the love of the surrounding forest, and I was home.By Sunday afternoon, before I flew home, I had lunch with Jan and she helped me map out my next AT trip in October 2015. We mapped out the state of Georgia, but then moved on to central VA because of its beauty in the fall months. Jan showed me a hostel that she had stayed at and where to find a shuttle from the airport on the ATC website. I was so grateful that Jan was sharing her wealth of knowledge with me and belief in me; in that moment I felt more confident and capable than I ever had in the last couple months.

I couldn’t be more ready to leave this life behind and continue to walk through the woods.

From where I was stood, balanced on top of a huge pile of dead trees stretching for 200 meters across the front of an old damn, I could see no good way forward.  My two year old, Eli, rested his hands on top of my head, and solemnly surveyed the scene from his perch on my shoulders.  We were searching for a new swimming hole, and had spent the past half hour thrashing through weeds, unsuccessfully attempting to avoid the poison ivy lurking in the underbrush, climbing over boulders, and balancing on logs.  We found an old damn which funneled water into a disused/crumbling hydroelectric plant, and the original thought was that if we walked out this damn towards the middle of the river, we might find a good spot in front of the damn where the water backed up.  The massive log jam in front of us, the product of decades of floods and storms, proved my intuition was wrong.

It was at that moment that I realized that the word “explore” really just means “to make lots of mistakes.”

I said as much to Eli, who really just wanted to swim.  He digested the information philosophically, then informed me we were “esplorering.”  I took that as his blessing to continue.

We backtracked (back down the damn, over the huge logs), then crossed from the damn to an island on a fallen tree.  A short walk and a short wade later, we found a beautiful, isolated gravel bar next to a section of river that was the perfect depth with a sandy bottom, and enough movement in the water to keep it fresh and not stagnant.  Freshwater mussels littered the river bottom, and small fish flitted from eddy to eddy.  We splashed and swam until it was time to head home for dinner.  Eli fell asleep on the way home, which is as good a measure of an expedition’s success as any.

The whole experience caused me to reflect a bit on exploration.  At the time I was only half serious when I said exploration really just means making lots of mistakes.  Yet as I thought about it more, I realized that making mistakes is a huge part of exploration. In order to make my musings more formal, I looked up the actual meaning of explore in the dictionary.  This is what I found:

EXPLORE:   A transitive verb. 1)  To investigate, study, or analyze. 2)  To become familiar with by testing or experimenting. 3)  To travel over (new territory) for adventure or discovery. 4)  To examine, especially for diagnostic purposes. -Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Definition #3 is a no-brainer, especially for my purposes.  But I think I like #2 best; in a nutshell, its exactly what we were doing. We figured there would be a good waterhole somewhere in the area we were exploring, and set off to test our hypothesis. Failure and mistakes are inherent to the process of exploration.  As famously pointed out by The Princess Bride, ”Anyone who says differently is selling something.”  A brief glance at history is enough to prove that exploratory expeditions seldom go completely as planned.  Look at my favorite explorer, Ernest Shackleton, who was well aware of this fact.  He famously recruited men for his expedition to Antarctica with a newspaper advertisement that read “Men wanted for hazardous journey.  Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness.  Safe return doubtful.  Honor and recognition in event of success.”  He lost his ship to the ice, and his crew had to survive on whatever they could until rescued.  Hardly auspicious, yet we view Shackleton as a successful explorer.  Why?  Because of how he responded. Since making mistakes is an inherent part of exploration, fearing those mistakes shouldn’t hold you back.  Instead, the best explorers focus on responding to mistakes and challenges in positive and well-considered ways.

Back to Shackleton.  After he lost his ship, he undertook a daring voyage in an open boat to an isolated whaling village to get help for his men.  He ended up rescuing all of them. We’re not all Shackleton, or J. Michael Fay, or David Livingstone, or Ed Viesters.  But we can explore nonetheless. Because explore is just a big word that means to make lots of mistakes.

A few months ago, I headed out to the Northern Cascades with a few great friends, Lizzie and Sylvan, to lead some 15 and 16 year old kids through a backpacking adventure. We had a few bumps along the way, but I ended up so extremely blessed with one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever been on.

Sauk Mountain starts off as a winding road that you take up to the trail head–seemingly endless turns and twists! But, eventually, you hit the car park and see a stunning view of the valley. Unfortunately, this particular day didn’t start off as we had planned–one of our kids got sick and had to stay back at camp with Sylvan–so Lizzie and I took the rest of the group on a morning hike up Sauk. With fingers crossed, the hike began. I could already tell that it would be a good one.

A thick fog dragged along the mountain side, drifting in and out of the granite slabs sticking out of the hills, floating over hundreds upon thousands of fresh wildflowers. It felt like a dream. The morning dew still sat gently on the flower beds and as we trudged up and up the mountain. The fog got thicker, only leaving momentary glimpses of the valley below us. It felt like infinity! There were small parts of the hike that took you under giant redwoods, and back out into fields of flowers. It was straight out of a fairy tale. How did we get here!? As we reached the tree line, snow started to appear towards the peak. Still in a thick fog, still in complete disbelief. We sat at the top by the cairn, took out our bags of trail mix, and reflected.

The climb back down was just as surreal as before. Finally, we reached the van, fog almost cleared as we glared down the valley and back up the mountainside where we had just came. We discussed the surreal feelings we all shared, the blessing that the hike was, and the gratefulness we all felt. Sometimes all you need is a little bit of mother nature’s touch.

We slipped back into the van, put on some Ben Howard, and followed the twists and turns back down to the main road.

Snow Canyon State Park, anyone heard of it?  Heck, I hadn’t even heard of it until I passed the sign for the state park on the highway.  I figured it would be fun to check out, so I pulled my car to the parking lot and went for a hike!  Snow Canyon State Park has many different trails to hike, the two I explored were the lava flow from the Santa Clara volcano and petrified sand dunes.

The lava flow was awesome!  I hiked out not expecting to see anything but the rock cliffs around me.  Yet, this was not so.  There were lava tunnels throughout the hike!  Many of the tunnels have collapsed since the last eruption of Santa Clara, but there is access to parts of these tunnels.  Unfortunately, I was hiking by myself and the park required groups of at least three people to hike through the tunnels and as it was a spur of the moment hike I also lacked a flashlight.  Despite not actually being able to go inside the tunnels, I hiked around them and farther past them.  Oh, and the petrified sand dunes were awe-inspiring!  The dunes were beautiful and a bright orange / red in color!  Southern Utah is such a beautiful place!

And I almost forgot my new little lizard friends!

More photos will come soon!!

Some pictures from a 3 day backpacking trip to Desolation Wilderness in the Sierras.  Echo Lake, Upper Echo, Lake of the Woods, Lake Aloha.

This summer started out a little difficult for me. I was stressed out after juggling a few jobs and full time school. Upon graduation I was a shambling mess. I could not hike over a quarter mile without some knee pain developing. And I had back and jaw pain from poor posture. I has just ended a relationship as well, so let’s get emo and add a broken heart to that list… *tear*.

With the new found time from leaving school and consolidating into one job I began what I called the “montage summer” where I dedicated myself to rebuilding and healing myself. I started working out two or three times a week, focusing on my legs and back. I began taking Tai Chi classes which helped retrain my movement to make it easier on my knees and back and I began to meditate in a style that relaxed my mind, and allowed me to dissolve the pain I was feeling all over my body.

I have made a surprising recovery! I am hiking again and spending time in the places I love with the people I love! You don’t get to the the montage of the work, but you do get to see the reward! Hiking, tubing, paddleboarding, camping all I am missing is footage of a nice evening around an outdoor fire pit! Enjoy the vid and the world!

There are endless mountain waves out there just waiting to be surfed. It’s simply up to the rider to seek them out and make it happen. Geography, motivation, timing, a creative mind and knowledge of your environment are what matters most. The possibilities for binding-free powder riding are endless, and we have only scratched the surface of what is possible.

Riders: Jeremy Jensen, Craig Stevenson, Chris Dunker

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