For many, the exciting anticipation of seeing the peak of Mt. Denali (or Mt. McKinley) ends in disappointment. At an elevation of 20, 310 feet, Denali is the tallest mountain on the North American continent. And of all the mountains on the planet, Denali ranks but third in prominence and…
For plenty of hikers, the unusual rock was a destination. Honestly, it wasn’t even on our radar screen. On our recent trip to Devil’s Lake State Park in Wisconsin, we spent a full day hiking. The plan was head out from our campsite along the Ice Age Trail, which follows…
Ever tried sleeping on a hard-as-a-rock pillow and thought you’d never get to sleep? My better half has never been backpacking before. Done many a day hike with me through the years, but never with a 25 lb. pack on her back. Never setting up a tiny, lightweight tent at…
Aside from a couple multi-day backpacking trips, almost all the hikes I’ve done have been with my bride of almost 41 years. We’ve been on day-hike trails in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Arizona, Utah, California, Alaska, Costa Rica, and Malaysia. Surely, I’m…
If the name Forrest Fenn rings a bell, it’s likely not because of his service to the United States, even though he received a silver star for his role as a combat pilot in the Vietnam War. Flying 328 missions in 365 days is quite impressive. But few know him…
A couple of weeks after returning from our trip to the Southwest, visiting Zion National Park and more, I came across a YouTube video of a guy hiking a remote trail in Zion. It intrigued me because I hadn’t seen that particular trail before, so I settled in for a…
If you missed the first two installments, it might be worthwhile to go back and read them to catch the drift of this little series: Part One Part Two. We hadn’t planned a visit to the Valley of Fire. Fact is, I’d never heard of it until a friend recommended…
If you missed part 1, I’d encourage you to read it first. On a recent trip to the Southwest, my wife and I were repeatedly overwhelmed by a beauty wholly foreign to our corner of the world. Part One shares some of our beauty encounters in Zion National Park in…
This post may seem like a mere travelogue. Sorry about that, but it’s going somewhere (no pun intended), though it will take a couple of posts to get there. Hope you’ll go along for the journey. Our first visit to the American southwest—about seven years ago—left us unimpressed overall. We…
At long last, Spring has sprung, not only on the calendar, but in our western Illinois weather as well. What better way to celebrate the vernal equinox than get outside on a bright sunny day with temps in the mid-50s? Since Saturday afternoon was free and the rest of the…
