A Snapshot and The Scoop: The Three Corners

Reachable only via (really awesome) four-wheel drive roads, the corners of Arizona, Nevada, and Utah converge out in the middle of the Mojave Desert, not far from the tiny town of Littlefield, Arizona. While not as famous as it's Four Corners counterpart (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah), the three corners is still a bustling place during good-weather days. It was also the most remote aid station at this year's Grandmasters Ultra race, and I spent a day here with Torrey, Tyler, and Chris while we served runners completing their race. I would probably never have visited this little concrete and metal monument if not for the race, so props to the race directors for giving me a chance to see something new!

National Trails Day 2019

Beneficial. It's no secret that being outside makes you feel better; there's been research supporting this for years. We've even seen a trend toward "green" prescriptions: where doctors recommend spending time in nature to lessen anxiety, improve mood, and even promote healing. No wonder, then, that people like me have made a holiday celebrating the trails that take us into nature, where we can forget our troubles and find happiness. To celebrate National Trails Day this year, I've compiled a list of my favorite hiking trails over the last five years or so. Some of these trails are short day hikes, some are long multi-day backpacking trips, but each of them hold wonderful memories and make me wish I was back on them as I look at each picture. In no particular order, here they are:

Andrew's Glacier, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

If you're looking for a small challenge with a big reward, hiking to one of Rocky Mountain's few glaciers is definitely worth it! A beautiful walk through a mountain forest spits you out on the shoulder of a mountain, and up you go! You can't see the glacier or the tarn until you're standing on the edge of the world... And what a feeling it is!

Chesler Park, Needles District, Canyonlands National Park, UT

A long day hike, and not one to do in the heat of the day, this desert park is a place that I keep meaning to revisit! Surrounded by red and white striped hoodoos on all sides, this grassland looks like a meeting place for desert fair folk.

Rainbow Falls to Mt. Le Conte, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN

While I really wouldn't recommend this hike alone in the rain, the foggy landscape sure set the mood for a quite hike to a remote mountain top in Great Smoky Mountains. Of course, grab a hiking partner and plan to get wet, because the view from the top and the tunnels of green are worth it.

High Dune, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, CO

Who doesn't like to play in the sand, especially when surrounded on three sides by 14,000 foot mountains and on one side by biologically diverse marshlands? And hiking 3 miles to the top of some of the tallest dunes in North America just adds bragging rights. Make sure to pack plenty of water and sunscreen before you tackle this hike!

Hidden Canyon, Zion National Park, UT

A lush, cool canyon hidden away on the wall of an even bigger canyon, all in the heart of a desert? Yeah, that's what you get when you make the trek to Zion's Hidden Canyon. Getting here is half the fun and not for someone afraid of heights; there are several sections of chains to grip along the narrow parts of this cliffside trail.

Angel's Landing, Zion National Park, UT

Another trail for those with no fear, the hike to Angel's Landing is short but absolutely not easy. The entire last quarter mile to the Landing is located on the ridge of a narrow fin, with a chain to help keep you from falling off. The challenge makes the trail popular though, so don't expect to be alone up there.

Tonto Trail, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

A less-used connector trail in the mid-elevations of the Grand Canyon, this trail hosts some pretty awesome backcountry camping sites and all but guarantees you solitude. Be warned, you're looking at a minimum 3 night trip to do even a small section of this trail, including descending to it and ascending from it on trails from the rim of the canyon on your first and last days.

Thunder Pass via Box Canyon, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

Another trail that, while technically can be used as a day hike, is much more rewarding if you stay at the backcountry site along the way. Right at the edge of the park, Thunder Pass marks the park boundary. On one side is the park, on the other a national forest area, with trails leading to the pass from both sides.

Sky Pond, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

I don't know anyone who doesn't love alpine lakes, and pretty trails along glacier basins to get to said lakes are even better. Done as a day hike this trail isn't too strenuous or too long, and as long as you're below treeline before the summer afternoon storms hit, every step is worth it!

Buffalo River Trail, Buffalo National River, AR

A friend and I spent a couple years section-hiking this 30+ mile trail during autumn in the Ozarks of northern Arkansas, and we enjoyed our time there so much we're heading back again now that we're finished to hike the shorter trails in the area. We aren't quite ready to give the Buffalo River up yet!

I hope these snapshots and glimpses onto my favorite trails inspire you to hit your own local trail, if not today then maybe sometime soon! If you go, send me a picture so I can check it out too!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Shooting the Moon

As I get more comfortable with my camera I spend more time taking pictures of things I'm less practiced with. Astrophotography, for example. I have very little idea what I'm doing when it comes to taking pictures of the moon and stars, but hey, no time like the present to figure it out. I spent some time during both nights in the desert while volunteering at an aid station for the Grandmaster Ultras in February, trying my hand at shooting the crescent moon. The skies were far too bright, from Saint George, from Mesquite, from Las Vegas, to shoot anything other than the moon, but that was fine with me. The moon itself wasn't bright enough to cast shadows, and paled in comparison to the light pollution in multiple directions, but that didn't stop me from hooking my camera onto my tripod and attempting a few photos. All said and done I'm happy with my attempts, though I know I need a better camera and a better lens to get the clear, close photos of Earth's lunar companion. Someday I'll get there.

Leave me a comment below and tell me if you've ever attempted photographing the moon. How'd it go?

Searching for Winter

Seeking. I went in search of Winter, and I found it waiting for me. This February right after leaving the Grandmaster Ultras in Littlefield, AZ I had initially thought I'd spend a few days chasing the sun in southern Arizona, soaking up as many rays as possible before returning to rainy East Texas. Instead of heading directly south, though, I went up to Zion National Park, right across the Arizona/Utah border and only an hour or so from the race location. I don't know quite what made me go there. Maybe it was because I had forgotten how freshly fallen snow glitters in the sun, like so many diamonds sparking in a jeweler's case. Maybe it was because I needed to feel the sting of frozen air on my cheeks to remember why I don't live in places where breathing hurts. Whatever it was, I got my fair share of freezing temperatures and snow-covered red rock canyons during my visit.

Winter is the only time of the year private vehicles are allowed to drive the scenic road into Zion Canyon. Visitation during the summer months is too high, which the park combats by utilizing a shuttle system to take visitors and hikers to various stops within the canyon. I took advantage of this allowance to drive the canyon road myself, stopping at nearly every pull-out to take in the snow-dusted canyon walls. The Virgin River, responsible for carving Zion out of sandstone, was a churning, chilly thread along the bottom of the canyon, rimmed with ice.

Zion is a whole new park in the winter. With the canyon bottom frozen, trees bare, and walls devoid of the famous hanging gardens, you can't help but be reminded that this is a desert. Sure, the canyon walls provide cool relief and abundant water during the summer months, allowing herds of mule deer and other wildlife a place to flourish, but while those animals are still around during winter the lack of greenery makes the canyon look stark in comparison.

I really, really enjoyed the lack of crowds during this visit. I had Hoodoo with me so didn't get a chance to hit the trails, but just from driving along the park roads and being able to find a parking space was a huge difference between summer and winter in Zion. And the fresh inches of snow covering the park when I woke up after spending the night? Perfection. Is there anything better than red rock covered in snow? I got my taste of winter for the year, and while I couldn't get enough of the views I could definitely do without the freezing temperatures. It was down to ten degrees overnight while I was (tent!!) camping. And once I left the canyon bottom for upper elevations it dropped to zero degrees. I made my way south as quickly as I could after that.

Back to the Desert

Refreshed. Why I decide to travel anywhere further north than my home in Texas during the winter months, I'll never quite understand. Sure, I grew up with winter, I know what snow and ice are, those howling winds on the plains that aren't slowed down by things like trees or hills. But I moved to Texas four years ago, and while I go back to visit I don't exactly have to deal with winter weather much anymore. Except when I decide it's a good idea to travel anywhere other than south during those chilly months. I kept reminding myself that I was fine, that the cold wouldn't be so bad, that I could handle the wind, and that's how I found myself exploring Monument Valley along the Arizona/Utah border, just having driven out of a snow storm to finally see some blue sky and a blazing sun, though not without the reminders of winter's bite. 

I've visited Monument Valley once before, many years ago on one of our first (the first? I'm no longer sure) two week family vacations we began to take when we were younger. We'd arrived in the dark and woken up surrounded by giants. This time I was returning without my family en route to Littlefield, Arizona to help with the Grandmaster Ultras run, and I was traveling in the winter. I knew as soon as I stepped out of the car I would miss the blistering summer heat I so associate with the red rock cliffs and canyons of the Colorado Plateau, but I made myself do it. I almost sat right back down and slammed the door against the wind. Instead I tucked Hoodoo into his sweater and braced myself, hurrying to the visitor center as fast as I could. 

I got a bit distracted on the way to the shelter of the building. Monument Valley is a tribal park, run by Navajo guides who cherish and protect their sacred land. The Navajo government built a park so tourists like myself could experience the awe-inspiring tablelands towering above the desert floor, and with it they created a viewing deck next to the on-site hotel and gift shop, where you can see some of the towering red rock formations unimpeded. I spent long enough on that deck that I couldn't hold my camera still any longer from shivering in the wind, and hurried inside to warm up and get my bearings. 

I brought Hoodoo onto the deck before taking our scenic drive. He was a spring baby, and while he'd met snow on mountain tops last summer he's never seen so much at once. I was sure to lead him over to the sparkly white stuff and let him sniff around to his heart's content, where he surprised me by jumping right into a pile. Apparently he doesn't mind the cold! The wind, however, is not his friend. When he was finished exploring the deck we hopped back into the car and made our way to the scenic loop, a dirt road winding into the valley among the monuments.  

Despite my protests, I do enjoy traveling during the winter. It's off-season in most places, which means there are less crowds. Indeed, while there were a few visitors in the park at the same time as I, finding solitude on the drive was not difficult. Out there, I could have been the only person on the planet. Out there, grazing the bases of towering monoliths, I could feel myself relaxing, could feel the desert welcoming me back. 

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Joshua Trees

Please bear with me as I let my inner plant-nerd see the sun for a minute: There are Joshua Trees in Arizona!!!! I had NO idea!! Granted, I know very little about these plants outside what I know about Joshua Tree National Park in California (and the fact that assholes cut some down during the government shutdown because they're pieces of shit who don't deserve to walk this earth, but that's besides the point) so when I first saw them at our Aid Station while volunteering at the Grandmaster Ultra I was convinced they were something else. When I finally got back to reliable cell reception I looked them up, and sure enough, Joshua Trees can grow in certain places within Nevada and Arizona! So I spent a handful of days camping and hanging out in a Joshua Tree forest, right in the little desert corner of Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, and that knowledge just tickles me pink! And to think, I let Hoodoo climb around on these trees, and may or may not have spent a good amount of time taking pictures of them and him. Seriously y'all, it's the little things!

Leave me a comment below and let me know if you've ever seen a Joshua Tree. Aren't they neat!?

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Wilderness

Wilderness. What do you think of when you read that word? Untouched forests or deserts, nobody around for miles? Elation? Fear? Animals and things that go bump in the dark? When I see wilderness, I see solitude and freedom, adventure and challenge. I see a place to test myself against myself, and hopefully come out stronger. Wilderness is a place where I recharge, where I go to get away from life and people and stress. It is a place that deserves to be cherished and protected, a place that brings different things to different people, but all the same "plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife, are in fact plans to protect man." - Stewart Udall, the man who helped draft the Wilderness Act in 1964.

Wilderness is a place "where man himself is a visitor who does not remain."

For those of you who celebrate, Merry Christmas! For those of you who don't Happy Tuesday!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Catching the Sunrise

Being in the right place at the right time to capture this view of the sunrise over the La Sal Mountains and Buck Canyon in Canyonlands National Park was not intentional. Alisha and I had camped on BLM land on top of the mesa near the entrance to Canyonlands and were up well before dawn with the intention of watching a sunrise through Mesa Arch. A popular photography spot, we knew it would be crowded but we were in no way prepared for the people who were straight up sitting under the arch itself, making it impossible to get a photo of the sunrise and the arch without some idiot's head in the shot. We were there for all of ten minutes or so before we got frustrated enough with the blatant rudeness and gave up. Instead, we hurried up the road a little ways to the overlook for Buck Canyon and ran (literally) to the viewpoint. We were in time to watch the sky light up and guild the clouds with the first rays of the day's sun, and saw the desert below us color with life. We had the view all to ourselves, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Those people didn't know what they were missing.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Delicate Arch

What's a trip to Arches National Park without stopping to see the arch, Delicate Arch itself? I mean, it's even featured on Utah's license plate! This particular visit to the arch was way less crowded than I expected it to be, though that may be in part due to thunderstorms in the area, and sunset was still more than an hour away. We were actually able to get photos of the arch without someone standing under it for once, with no need to get creative with camera angles! I still circled around the edge of the bowl that the arch perches on, and climbed down to the sandy bottom to get a few shots looking up at the monolith, but that was purely for pleasure. I don't think it's possible to have too many pictures! In fact, it was this arch that Jared asked me to bring him back as a gift after one trip. Like, the actual arch, not a decal or a figure of it. He wanted the arch. Becuase that's a normal thing to ask for. But hey, shout out to my wonderful, loving, goofy husband on his birthday! Happy Birthday Jared, I love you!!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Skyline Arch

A half day spent in Arches National Park didn't leave my sister and I a lot of time during our summer adventures, but we made sure to stop at a couple of arches along the way. This one, Skyline, doesn't seem to be as popular as some of the other, easier accessible arches, perhaps in part because you can't see it from the road. Still, it is only a half mile or so round trip walk to the arch over easy, sandy earth that Lisha and I refused to put real shoes on for. You can get right up to the base of the sandstone fin the arch  is carved out of, and if you're feeling adventurous you can climb fallen boulders scattered here and there in the shade. I'll be honest, as many times as I've been in the park, I've never stopped to see Skyline, so I guess that's another one I can check off my list!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Schafer's Trail

Do you see the smooth white line that runs down the middle of the picture, and then trace the line coming out of the lower left corner along the edge of that thousand foot cliff? Yeah, that's Schafer's Trail, a dirt road that takes you from the top of Canyonlands National Park Island in the Sky District all the way down to the Colorado River near Moab, Utah. The road itself if bumpy and not one to take if you're afraid of heights, but it is one of the easiest ways to get into the belly of Canyonlands National Park. It joins up with the White Rim Road, a hundred mile route around the white rim (you can see it in  this picture, the road leads to it), which sits a thousand feet below the top of the mesa, yet also a thousand feet above the Colorado and Green Rivers. Never do I wish for a four-wheel drive vehicle as when I see this road! Some day!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Four Corners

Have you ever been in four states at once? The only place this is possible is on the border of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, and Alisha and I made sure our roads just so happened to take us past this particular area during our travels in July. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to stand in the all states that hold so many awesome adventures for us! The Four Corners park itself sits on tribal lands, governed by the Navajo Nation in conjunction with other tribes that call the area home. The offical corners border is marked by the token above set in concrete and stone, and is surrounded in a wide circle by stalls selling souvenirs, shirts, magnets, patches, and handcrafted art. We didn't hang around too long, just enough to get a magnet and chat with a few locals selling their goods, but hey, we got to stand in all four states!

2017 Wrap-Up: A Big Year

Venturesome. What a year! So much has happened this past year its hard to know where to begin. I went on several major trips, sprinkled with many more little ones throughout the year. The biggest adventure: I married Jared in front of our families up in Nebraska at the beginning of July! Read on to see what else I've been up to, and at the bottom of this post you'll find the usual summary of travel stats for the year.

I try to take a birthday trip every year, though sometimes I find that pursuit difficult considering my birthday is in the middle of January. I chose to go to the beach this year, and while it wasn't hot and as sunny as I wished it was still better than snow!

In February I found myself and Callie sweltering in eighty degree weather in the Hill Country of Texas, enjoying our time backpacking at Colorado Bend State Park. It was our first of many backpacking trips this year, and it made such an impression that I want to go back! Maybe another February trip is in order!

This year I did something I've never done before, and travelled for work. Jared had the pleasure of accompanying me (other way around, but still) as we transported a sick cat to Houston for veterinary care, which included an overnight in the city. While I wouldn't wish to be stuck in a tiny exam room for so long ever again, it was still an interesting experience!

In March Callie and I headed back to Hill Country and tucked ourselves into the canyons at South Llano River State Park. I don't often arrive at a campsite with lots of daylight left, and our little secluded camp felt like a true, much needed retreat. Even if the armadillos were loud as they ran through the long grass.

Once again my little adventure dog accompanied me, this time to Copper Breaks State Park in west Texas during a weekend get-away in April. She is such a trooper when it comes to hiking and my incessant picture taking!

I headed home for the Easter holiday and spent some time with family and fine wine. Also, spending time drinking wine on a patio in Nebraska during April is pretty darn good!

Our fourth annual Father-Daughter trip has expanded a bit, now including most of my family and a good time at the River Walk in San Antonio. I can't wait to see what happens next year!

My sister and I spent a week and change deep within the deserts of the southwestern United States, where we hiked more than fifty miles, forty of which were along the Grand Canyon. We also tackled Angel's Landing in Zion National Park, and visited numerous other National Monuments along the way. No big deal or anything.

Jared's and my cross-country trip in June and July really felt like three adventures in one, what with us visiting family in Nebraska, North Dakota, and Minnesota. The highlight of the trip? I got to marry my best friend.

I packed up these two pups and headed to the mountains in Arkansas on a whim on weekend in July, needing to get back to my happy place in nature. It was Ghost's first time camping and he took it all in stride! He's going to make a fantastic adventure dog.

August, once again, found Torrey and I in the Colorado Rockies, this time spending several days backpacking in Rocky Mountain National Park in addition to hanging out around Pike's Peak. The best part of our trip was definitely seeing a bear up close and personal!

I took the dogs and myself to get lost in Lost Maples Natural Area, on the edge of Hill Country in September. While we had quite a few misadventures there, I can't wait to go back and explore some more trails.

I headed back up to Nebraska for a few days at the beginning of October and my dad talked me in to going to Indian Cave State Park while there (he really had to twist my arm...) Indian Cave was a childhood favorite, and heading back there brought a wave of nostalgia that I wasn't quite prepared for.

At the beginning of November Jared and I embarked on a whirlwind weekend up in Kansas City, MO to visit friends and attend a baby shower. While I enjoyed the nine hour one-way car ride, Jared did not. Friends are worth it, though!

Also in November I met up with Torrey at Buffalo National Scenic River to backpack fourteen miles along the national trail that parallels the river. I have yet to post about that trip but rest assured, there were many misadventures and several good stories out of the weekend!

Our most recent adventure just concluded, with us spending nine days visiting family and friends in Nebraska for the holidays. Jared and I had a wonderful time, especially when it came to hanging out with our little niece! (Callie looks like she's being squished in this picture, but she had been giving Charlotte kisses just before we took it!)

I struggled through the second half of last year after I lost Meeka, letting myself lapse on writing and travelling. This year I jumped right back into it, filling a journal full of travel entries, and I think I've been better about posting my trips on this blog! I've listed out my travel stats for the year here, and I know I can see an improvement in my travels compared to last year!

Number of Adventures: 16
Time Spent Travelling: 1615.98 hours
Number of Nights Car Camping: 7
Number of Nights Backpacking: 11
Number of Nights in Someone's House: 27
Number of Nights in a Hotel: 9
Number of Nights in a Cabin: 3
Number of Nights Driving: 1
Total Cost: $3912.93
Number of States Visited: 14
Distance Driven: 21,428 miles
Distance Hiked: 147.16
Number of National Parks/Monuments/Rec Areas/Forests: 13
Number of State Parks: 7
Number of Human Companions: 60
Number of Furry Companions: 21
Number of Scaly Companions: 2

I absolutely cannot wait for my 2018 adventures! I am planning two major trips already, but I'm going to keep them to myself until I get all of the details figured out. 2018 is going to be a good year!