Had five separate hikers die in az over the weekend heat wave. The dedication to go for a hike when its to hot for planes to takeoff is something I don't have.
I've hiked at 115+ around Vegas. The keys for me are to be conservative - don't push as hard. And to know your terrain so that you can get to a cooler or shaded spot for relief from the heat. Don't go exploring somewhere completely new unless you can see that there is somewhere to get out of the sun. I also take a soft stadium seat so that I don't have to sit directly on hot rock. Also good to throw in a rain fly or something to make shade out there
Yeah its been hot as shit out here the past week. Had record temps at the Grand Canyon and Death Valley hit 129 this weekend.
Pic of my old man, who worked as a park ranger in Sequoia-Kings Canyon in the 50's and then again in the 70's-80's.
Haven't been keeping up with this thread, but any of you guys done a whitewater rafting trip through the Grand Canyon? Potentially trying to start planning for that next year. Also have plans in the works to get up to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. Considering taking a few days to backpack and hike the Teton Crest Trail as part of that trip. Obviously looking at a week long trip here to really make it count.
rafted the Colorado from Lee's Ferry to Phantom Ranch 5 years ago - we did it with OARS and it was top notch. one of the best trips I've ever done. lived in Jackson just south of Grand Teton for two years so let me know if you have specific questions on the area. I've never done the Teton Crest but am really familiar with the area.
Just got off the river in may. We did self guided with rafts and kayaks. If you can get on a self guided group do it. Completely different experience. Put your name in the lottery and you can easily fill in your group with experience going forward. My total costs for 24 days was 1100$. Hell, if you win let me know and I'll jump in again.
Oh also read/listen to this book. Perfect for getting a feel of what you're getting into. https://www.amazon.com/Emerald-Mile-Fastest-History-Through/dp/1439159866
we've been saving to finish it off since we got done. nobody has the experience for self-guided. and the OARS team made it hard to think about downgrading.
Everybody in this thread should enter the lottery and we could do a tmb bros on the Colorado. I could pretty easily get guides together as the canyon is high on everyone's list. And me, my kayak and lava falls have some unfinished business. https://npspermits.us/grandcanyon/river/login.cfm
I'll be in the Tetons on Saturday for 3 days, then 3 more in Yellowstone. Been planning this for a long time. Also, Goldenbear - your Pops is the man!
Going to Rocky Mountain National Park Saturday AM. Anyone have a favorite trail? Hoping for more wildlife than peaks
Favorite trail for me starts at Bear Lake Trailhead or Glacier Gorge Trailhead. Take the hike to Mills Lake and then continue on to Black Lake (round trip from trailhead to Black Lake is about 10 miles). But these trailheads are extremely popular so you'll need to be there before 8am or odds are you'll have to shuttle. Don't do that. Best shot at wildlife is going to be more on the western side of the park (Grand Lake side) since there isn't as much human traffic over there. You'll also need to get started very early for best shot at wildlife. I've spotted moose on that side of the park but got on the trailhead by no later than 7am.
I did Glacier Gorge to Sky Pond. It was awesome 2nd time, I did Ute Trail (up on the Alpine Tundra). Was awesome, bummed there was no wildlife. The same day, I did Odessa Falls from Fern Lake Trailhead and saw a Moose. Good times. Gorgeous stuff. Gives me motivation to go to the other popular parks and break away from the crowds
I'm up in the black hills area for a few days. Might try to find a climbing partner for devils tower, do some caving look for some national treasure.Anything particularly exceptional up here?
Don't post anything on Craigslist that says "single male tourist looking to climb the Devils tower." You won't like the responses.
Just checking in, will be heading to Yosemite on Friday for a week. Got the Half Dome hike on Monday. Pretty stoked. Will bring back pics.
If you have the legs for it instead of going back down the mist trail hang a left at Nevada falls at take the panorama trail to glacier point. From there you can take the trail down to valley, a bus or even leave a car there. Adds a few miles but waaaay worth it. Also dramatically better for your knees. There's a gem of a place called hidden falls that's off the path and is a great place to pack some beers out to and spend the day in some relative solitude with a usually private waterfall. Pm me if u want deets as I lived in the valley for a few years and the high country for a season.
Well shit guess I forgot to update. Went at the end of Sept. Stayed 6 nights. 5 down in the valley at Upper Pines and the 6th night went up north to Tuolumne Meadows campground. It was a huge drop in temperature. Yosemite Village was nuts and there were hardly parking spots, traffic was pretty nuts, can't imagine how crazy it would be during the busy season. Half Dome hike was amazing. Started at 4 am from our camp ground. Got up there around 11. My buddy was camping and had to stop every half mile to stretch put his legs. The cables were amazing and my favorite part. Going down we got stuck behind a couple who would barely move and it took us about 15 minutes, was the only aggravating part. GPS said about 16 miles round trip. The hike messed my buddy up for the next 2 days so I had to go out alone and hike around. Highly recommend the May Lake trail. Spoiler Taft Point May Lake:
My fiancé and I are going to Italy like a month after we get married for another wedding and are making that our honeymoon. But we also want to do a couple of days somewhere right after we get married and are thinking about Big Bend. Anyone ever been?
Yes. Its awesome. Canoe down the Rio Grande to boquillas and have you a gringo honeymoon. Would be really memorable. Then you can keep going to Lajitas and stay there, really nice spa and golf course.
This is what I mainboard for. Btw, took my fiancé to a REK concert Thursday. She loved it and specifically mentioned that song as one she really liked
Its literally about going to Boquillas on your honeymoon. I think the crossing is back open. I went on that trip three times for spring break in college and all three times its my favorite trip Ive ever been on.
Did you stop at the camp at all? Or make it up Mount Hoffman? We had a marmot that lived in the big stump in the middle of camp. If you left anything out with bleach on it he would steal it and take it into his stump so we named him bleaches. I think now they are up to grandson of a bleach. On the other side of the Hoffman ridge line is the most perfect little alpine lake in the park next to a cave that cuts through metamorphic quartzite and empties into a gully full of garnets . Its the oldest geology in the park. That lake is the headwaters that eventually go over Yosemite falls. Man i miss that place.
We stopped at the camp and ate for like 20 minutes. On the way up a guy was coming down and he had just hiked Hoffman. We didnt know anything about it and luckily just randomly drove by the sign and decided to hike up.
Felt good to walk by that trail sign at Happy Isles knowing I was doing the 211 to Whitney last summer. Congrats on the Half Dome hike, that's an aggressive one day up and down, I see why a lot of people overnight it at LYV.
How was the JMT? And if i ever go back and do half dome again ill do it LYV and get up and make it to the top in time for sunrise.
Pretty great, basically all the best of the High Sierra. You're making miles so you can't always explore one area too much but it's an ideal way to go a longer trail. Looking forward to going back and checking out some parts more thoroughly.
What are some NPs that would be a good march visit? Want to go to yellowstone and glacier but obviously out of season
Protip: grab a girl, a bottle of something, your sleeping bag and pad and go up the dome after the sun goes down. Sleep in one of the large cracks by the diving board. You'll have pretty much the whole thing to yourself for sunrise and win every "where's the best place you had sex" discussion forever. Super jelli. Always planned on doing that but just got distracted. Now I don't know if the knee could handle 211.
more of a hiker, snowshoer. Like seeing big wildlife and worthwhile views at the end of a long hike. Went to Rocky Mountains this summer. Been to smokeys many times. that felt like a newspaper personal ad
Heard the HSR is pretty tough but looks amazing. Thought you couldn't camp there. But looking back there are plenty of good cracks up there.
A lot of it is off trail so you're never moving as fast as on trail and have to know how to navigate a little. From what I understand it has the advantage of not having as much elevation change, you just stay up high. A typical day on the JMT has a 1,000 foot climb over a pass, a 3,000 foot drop and then 2,000 back up to your next campsite. All this over about 12-15 miles.
Grand Canyon is pretty amazing with snow and easy to travel around. It's like a different park than summer Also Olympic National Park is open that time of year and has quite a bit of wildlife moving around then
Well, strictly speaking it would be out of bounds camping but as there isn't any enforcement the local rules of don't be an asshole and ruin it apply. If you get a chance and haven't already done it spend a spring full moon in the valley. The granite glows and the moonbow at lower Yosemite falls is one of the best things in the world.
Great suggestions. I'd say Olympic would be my choice. Can run out to cape flattery. Down to three forks. Go check out the rain forest. Not sure if the trek to mount olympus is open but if so that's a gem.
Only issue is the North Rim is seasonal and doesn't open until May bc of weather. Just keep that in mind. Still plenty to see in the South Rim tho.