Outbound

The myriad rock features offer many different climbing options for each crux which can help or confuse. Sometimes it is easier to do an improbable face move to the side of a major feature. Some 5.8 moves, the crux on Haystack for example feel like 5.7 if you have the perfect beta or 5.10 if you miss a key hold. Beat? Want good food at a decent price? Strawberry Lodge is right there (http://ww...

Vineyard beach offers up a convenient place to get your SUP or kayak in the water. This spot is free to enter and allows for swimmers, so if you get tired or just want to hang out, this is a great spot for you. And unlike it's neighbor, Utah Lake is completely fresh water. When you head out on your paddle, you can start paddling west to check out Lake Mountain along the coast of the west side o...

At 14,309 feet, the summit of Uncompahgre Peak is the highest point in the entire San Juan range, but getting to it requires only good hiking skills, good physical shape, and a four-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicle to get to the trailhead. From Lake City, head west along the Alpine Loop about 5 miles to a turnoff (right) for Nellie Creek. The next four miles to the trailhead are extremely ...

This is one of my favorite quick "getaway" loops in the Pisgah Ranger District. Turn onto Black Balsam Knob Road (Mile Marker 420 on the Blue Ridge Parkway) go until you reach a dead end and park at the parking lot. You'll see the Sam Knob trail to the right of the public bathrooms. From there, it's 1.8 miles to the summit of the 6050 foot Sam Knob. I love setting up camp in the middle or clos...

There are two popular starting points from Guardsman Road. The lower trail climbs and the higher one trail descends, then they converge at Scott's Pass below Puke Hill. The shuttled ride ends with a pavement rush down Mill Creek Canyon (and a possible detour onto Mill Creek Pipeline on the way down). But there are two favorite "classic" starting points: (1) Go all the way to the Guardsman Pass ...

The first portion of the trail is smooth, hard-pack dirt with a gentle slope. After a mile, the slope increases. Rocky sections will test your bike handling skills. ("Endos" are common on this trail during the ride back.) Most of the year, you'll encounter some water running in sections of the trail. We'd rate this trail a solid intermediate with some short advanced portions. Even on weekdays, ...

The Colorado Trail (http://www.coloradotrail.org) is 500 miles long and stretches from Denver to Durango. Perhaps the most-traveled portion of the Colorado Trail is at Kenosha Pass. Kenosha Pass is well-known for its thick, colorful stands of aspen in the fall. During peak leaf season (late September-early October), the trailhead at Kenosha pass is packed with leaf-peepers. The vast majority of...

Start from Agnew Meadows about 7 miles away. You can take the High Trail out as part of the River Trail with a long detour passing by several other scenic lakes, including Shadow Lake, Garnet Lake, and Ruby Lake. You will arrive at Thousand Island Lake a few hours after lunch, just in time to set up camp, nap, and then have dinner. If you're heading down Minaret Road (SR 203) to get to the Agn...

Galena Falls Trail is just under 5 miles out-and-back along the hiking trail. With a decent 800ft elevation gain, make sure to bring at least 1 liter of water per person on this hike or plan to fill up at Galena Falls. If filling up at the falls, make sure you filter your water.  Starting at the Mt. Rose Trailhead off of the Mt. Rose Highway, head out along the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT). Along the...

Oneula is a nice, slow break, excellent for beginners. The waves are like White Plains, but not nearly as crowded. There is plenty of parking right on the beach, so this is a family friendly location. The vibe in the water and beach is very friendly, with people saying hi in the water and aloha on the beach. It's never too crowded here which again, makes it a great place to learn without the cr...

I recently spent the weekend in Breckenridge, and not being from the area, there was one hike that was on my bucket list: Mohawk Lakes. It didn’t disappoint! In late September, the Breckenridge area is full of gorgeous golden aspen trees, providing spectacular long-range views. In summer, abundant wildflowers are the name of the game. This hike starts out deceptively easy. But the rule of thum...

Phantom Spires is a rock climbing area west of south Lake Tahoe consisting of granitic rock formations, or spires, among low scrub and old burned pines. Various sport and trad routes have been established, mostly single-pitch, though some might be more convenient to do in two pitches. Some of the routes have walk-offs, but others require rappelling. Compared to Lovers Leap, it's less crowded, w...

Hyalite peak is one of my favorite hikes. Named after the canyon it sits in Hyalite peak as 360 degree views, an offers and escape from the crowds of Hyalite Canyon due to the length of the hike. This 15 mile hike starts at the upper parking lot of hyalite canyon. The trail follows a river nearly the entire hike. The first 5 miles are all in the trees and fairly shaded, you pass several waterf...

Ten miles long and nearly 500 feet deep, Lake McDonald, the largest lake in Glacial National Park. Sprague Creek is a small 25-site campground on the northeast shore of the lake, about 9 miles from the west entrance of the park. Campsites are on a first-come, first-serve basis and fill up early. Potable water is accessible in the campground, and restroom facilities provide flush toilets and si...

This very scenic Glacier National Park hike off of Going-to-the-Sun road is 4.5 miles with a total elevation gain of 730 feet. The hike to Avalanche Lake begins from the Trail of the Cedars trailhead. Be prepared for a lot of incline. Approximately one half mile from the trailhead you’ll reach a footbridge that provides views of the lower Avalanche Gorge. It is just past this point that you’...

The Jardine Juniper Trail is a nice hill climb, and worth doing just for the ride. At its end point there are great views, plus Utah's oldest tree, the "Jardine Juniper". The first two miles, the trail heads straight up the bottom of the canyon, with some undulation and big rocks to knock you around. Although not as steep (on average) as the switchback sections that follow, this part actually s...

TRT: Big Meadow to Echo Summit is a point-to-point trail that takes you by a lake located near South Lake Tahoe, California.

You can't miss this spot in the open snowfields of Tahoe Meadows. This area is not privately owned or maintained, which is perfect. It is a short drive up the Mt. Rose Highway from Reno and Sparks and there is plenty of free parking (except on super-busy days) right next to the sledding slopes and snowshoe trails. Dress warm and bring your own sled. A word of caution: the parking is along a maj...

During those summer days when you’re desperately seeking some sand between your toes, open space to soak up the sun, and nature to play around in…Sauvie Island is calling your name. Located just 10 miles outside of downtown Portland, Sauvie Island offers a convenient rural escape that’s just begging to be explored. You’ll find lakes to fish, sand beaches to wander, water to paddle, farms to pic...

There are several ways to access the Shining Rock Wilderness Area, but go for the main trail head off of Hwy 276. The trail is split by the Pigeon River, providing a seemingly infinite combinations of trails and routes, keeping in mind that this area intersects often with the well known Art Lobe trail. We like to go on two night trips, spending the first night at the base of the mountain playin...

The Roan highlands, possibly one of the best sections of the Appalachian Trail, is a section of grassy balds that range from 5000-6000 feet following the A.T. Start at Carvers Gap ( Highway 261 NC / Highway 143 TN) on the TN/NC border. You can either leave a car at Highway 19E or arrange for a shuttle with Mountain Harbour Hostel. Head North on the A.T. Climbing Round Bald, Jane Bald, and Gra...

We stood there, against the wind, looking at 3-4 pitches. The line appeared too good to be true. It was a bit of an ice pitch, followed by a snow coliour, finishing with a pitch of mixed climbing that would take us to the top.I'd heard things about The Beartooths. But, they weren’t validated until I was there. I had previously envisioned some sort of Yosemite meets the Wild West.Aki and I drove...

Bozeman Pass is a great crag just out side of Bozeman. It offers limestone sport climbing ranging from 5.6-5.13. The approach is a short hike, unfortunately right next to the road, but otherwise enjoyable. To get there, you drive east towards billings and exit at trail creek, and take a left under the over pass. At the end of the road there is a parking lot. The trail goes through grass fields ...

Chapman Pond Loop is a 2.9 mile loop hike that takes you past wildlife located near East Haddam, Connecticut.