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Filtering by Category: Hike
Ogden
Lewis Peak (run / hike)
Ben Lomond Peak (run / hike)
Mt. Ogden Peak (run / hike)
Waterfall Canyon (run / hike)
Cutler Ridge (ski)
Southern Utah
Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef (hike)
Moab (bike)
Uintas
Amethyst Lake (hike)
Standing 9,716 feet tall, Ben Lomond looks down over Ogden, UT. With all travel coming to a halt this year, it was finally time to summit mighty Ben. As soon as I made it up once, I was addicted. Below are three different routes.
North Ogden Divide - Skyline Trail
Start: North Ogden Divide Trailhead
Duration: ~15.5 miles
Elevation gain: 3500 feet
Difficulty: moderate - difficult, due to duration and steep sections
What to expect? The first 1.5 miles of switchbacks are rocky and moderate/difficult. The trail becomes smooth dirt until reaching the saddle of Ben Lomond. This is the point where the Skyline trail meets up with Cutler Sprint trail and Ben Lomond trail. From here there is a 1.5-mile final push up to the peak, gaining the last 1,000 feet.
GPS *this is my favorite route
North Fork Park
There are two routes from North Fork Park. For extra fun, make a loop out of these two!
Start 1: Loop B - Corals Parking
Duration: ~14.5 miles
Elevation gain: 3900 feet
Difficulty: moderate - difficult, due to duration and steep sections
What to expect? The trail is mainly smooth, with some rockier sections close to the bottom. The trail is very straight forward until you reach the saddle of Ben Lomond. This is the point where Ben Lomond trail meets up with Cutler Spring trail and Skyline trail. From here there is a 1.5-mile final push up to the peak, gaining the last 1,000 feet.
GPS *note this was early season, we did not make it to the tippy top due to snow
Start 2: Mule Shoe Trailhead parking or Cutler Flats Parking
Duration: ~11.6 miles
Elevation gain: 3900 feet
Difficulty: difficult, due to duration and steep sections
What to expect? The trail is the steepest of the options, and the least trafficked. I’d recommend trekking poles. From the parking lot, you can follow the road towards Cutler Flat, or hop on the trails and head to Cutler Springs trail. At 2.9 miles in, you have the option to continue straight on Cutler Spring trail, or you can take a sharp left to connect up to Ben Lomond Trail. Cutler Springs trail is slightly shorter but much steeper. At the saddle, Ben Lomond trail, Cutler Spring trail, and Skyline trail all meet. From here there is a 1.5-mile final push up to the peak, gaining the last 1,000 feet.
GPS *bonus - this is also a great ski touring route in the winter
Ben Lomond + Willard Peak
If you’re feeling up to it, continue another two miles past Ben Lomond to Willard Peak! The trail is flowy and beautiful.
Ben Lomond looking down to Ogden, UT
Ben Lomond to Willard Peak
Traffic
For the second year in a row, Labor Day Weekend was spent in Grand Teton National Park. This year, with a different crew! You can check out the details from Labor Day 2017 here.
Quick background, stolen from last year’s post:
Grand Teton National Park stretches 310,000 acres across the Northwest Corner of Wyoming. The Park is located 10 minutes South of Yellowstone National Park and just North of the popular outdoor town destination of Jackson Hole.
Grand Teton National Park is known for the unique formations of the Teton Range. Home to nine 12,000 ft. peaks, 11 glaciers and sprinkled with alpine lakes. The jagged peaks of the Range are a popular destination for skiers, climbers, mountaineers, and hikers.
Getting there: From SLC it is an easy 4.5 hour drive North to the Southern Park entrance. If you’re staying in the Northern part of the park, that will add another hour.
Where to stay:
Camp sites: There are six large campgrounds in the Park, as well as backcountry permits available. We grabbed a spot at the same place as last year, Colter Bay. Colter Bay is in the northern part of the park, right on Jackson Lake. Camping was $30 / night, but well worth it for facilities, bear box, convenience store, marina to rent Kayaks/Canoes, and being RIGHT on Jackson Lake. We were hoping to stay at Jenny Lake, but realized we would need to be in line waiting by 6AM. Leaving from SLC, this would mean a bit too early of a wakeup call.
BLM Land: If you don’t mind driving into the park every day, there is plenty of surrounding BLM land to camp
What to do:
· No matter what type of outdoor rec you’re interested in, you can find it at Grand Teton National Park or somewhere in the surrounding area! There’s access to everything from hiking, trial running, road running, cycling, mountain biking, climbing, skiing, swimming and paddling. Make sure to stop into the Visitors Center, pick up a few maps, and talk to a Ranger for recommendations.
Day 1:
Arriving just around lunch-time at Colter Bay, we set up camp, and with bear spray in hand, went out for a quick run to stretch the legs. Colter Bay is a great location, with easy access to a trail running along Jackson Lake (run GPS here). While waiting for the rest of the crew to arrive, we relaxed along the Lake until a delicious camp dinner of Jackfruit Tacos.
Relaxing at the beach
Jackfruit tacos: Use pre-packed Tex-Mex Jackfruit mix, and ready to go rice/quinoa mix. Easy tacts topped with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and pico de gallo!
Sunset at the lake
Day 2: (Big Hike Day)
Looking for a full-day hike, we chose Cascade Canyon to Lake Solitude. You can opt to take the ferry across Jenny Lake to cut out 4 miles, and 1500 extra feet of vert, we chose this option. Arriving to the East Boat Dock around 9 AM, we just barely beat the rush. A round trip ticket is $15, and reservations are not necessary (all the details here at Jenny Lake Boating).
Don’t be discouraged, this hike starts off steep for the first few miles, then becomes gradual. I’d recommend trekking poles if you have any knee issues, as they will be helpful on the way down!
Cascade Canyon Trail follows a rushing river deep into the Tetons. Along this trail you’ll be surrounded by the towering Teton peaks, see wildflowers, cross a few wooden bridges, and spot multiple waterfalls in Cascade Canyon. Just pass Cascade Canyon, the trail will take you Lake Solitude. This alpine is lake is the perfect lunch spot, but be prepared with an extra layer as it gets a bit windy!
After returning to camp for a quick pasta dinner, we loaded up into the car, and drove around the park at dusk in hopes of seeing some wild life!
PC: @benjamintfleming
Day 3: (Unexpected Big Hike Day)
After a long hike the day before, we were looking for a shorter, incredibly scenic hike, with enough time to head into Jackson for dinner. We chose the 8.5 mile hike (you can see our route here) around Jenny Lake, with a little over 1,100 feet of elevation gain. While it was a bit more strenuous than we were expecting, we saw a Moose, almost saw a bear, and enjoyed a view of the lake the entire time!
For dinner we headed into Jackson to Snake River Brewing and dessert at Häagen-Dazs® Ice Cream Shop (they have #plantbased flavors!)
Jenny Lake
PC: @benjamintfleming
Have you been to Grand Teton National Park? Let me know if you have any suggestions of things to do next Labor Day!
Growing up in the midwest I had a very distorted, romanticized view of the West. I thought all of the skiing was in Colorado and Utah, and the rest was just farmland or vast nothingness. I was definitely wrong.
Once I moved to Utah, Idaho quickly moved onto my radar and to the top of the list of places to go for winter and summer mountain adventures.
With the 4th of July Holiday falling on Wednesday this year, I took the opportunity to take the rest of the week off and head up to Sawtooth National Forest!
Camping
By the time we decided to go, all sites in the region were booked up. I spent a few hours finding first-come first-serve sites in the Stanley / Galena region, made a list, and hoped we’d get lucky! I used recreation.gov and freecampsites.net.
We left Ogden by 7 AM on Thursday, and headed straight for the first site on my list – Sunny Gulch. Located North of Galena, and just south of Stanley, we would have access to hiking, biking, lakes and rivers.
Rolling into the campground around 1 PM, we had plenty of sites to choose from. We discovered this is the perfect time to look for a site, as the campers from the previous night were heading home, and lots of people wouldn’t arrive until closer to dinner. We chose a shady spot, complete with a nice fire ring, picnic and prep table. The campground runs along the Salmon River, providing a perfect natural ice bath for sore feet after a long day of hiking.
Next time I camp in the region, I’ll try and book a bit sooner and get a spot on the West side of State Road 654B with a better view of the mountain range. But for last minute, this Sunny Gulch was perfect.
Salmon River
(Hike) Day 1: Redfish Lake Trailhead to Marshall Lake Hike
After setting up camp, we made our way to Redfish Lake to go for a hike. Without planning a specific hike (something I don’t normally do), we found the trailhead, packed two water bottles, and started up the trail towards Marshall Lake. The hike would be roughly 10 miles round trip, with over 2200 ft. of elevation gain. Winding away from Redfish Lake, and deeper into the Sawtooths, the trail was beautiful. About one mile out from the Lake, there was a fork in the trail, without any signs pointing to which trail would take us to Marshall Lake (you can see photos of this. This is the first time I can remember hiking without a map, and our we quickly learned our lesson.
We chose the fork to the left – 1. It looked like a more scenic route and 2. It looked steeper, so we were thinking it would be a shortcut. ¾ of a mile later, the trail ended in a valley between two mountains, with Marshal Lake just on the other side of the ridge. We chose to scramble up boulders ½ mile up the ridgeline, hoping we could just scramble down the other side, ending up at the lake. We made it to the top, peered over the other side, saw beautiful Lake Marshall…and knew we would have to return the way we came. It was nearly 90 degrees, both of us were out of water, and all I wanted to do was get back to the trailhead.
Using the breadcrumb feature on our Suunto GPS watches (Suunto 9), we made our way back to the trail, and returned safely to the trailhead.
This was a beautiful hike, but left me with a humbling reminder to respect nature, and to always be prepared. Just like I learned in Girl Scouts :)
The end of the trail, beginning of scrambling
Scrambling
Scrambling
(Ride & SUP) Day 2: Lake Stanley
Determined to make up for yesterday’s mishap, we were determined to go for a great ride, and be fully prepared.
Starting at the Stanley Lake trailhead, the smooth dirt trail takes you through beautiful fields as it makes it’s way into the woods. The “moderate” trail could be classified as “easy” until you reach the first river crossing. Advanced riders can pedal across, I had a good foot-numbing wade across. From here the trail gets a bit more technical, with lots of down trees from recent flooding. A few sections of trail was washed out completely. Despite our best efforts, there was one last river crossing that I was not game for before reaching the top, and for the second day in a row, we did not make it to the destination.
However, with 1500 feet of climbing up, we knew we were in for a fun downhill (outside of a few sections where I had to pick up my bike over trees every 50 feet)!
SUP- Stanley Lake
We ended the day with an awesome paddle board session / took time to rinse off the dirt from the past two days. NOTE: to paddle board in Idaho, you need to pick up an Idaho Invasive Species sticker. You can pick these up at the super market in town. The sheriff in town told us these will soon be available at more of the boating/fishing stores as well.
Cleaning up in the lake using bio-degradable soap
(Ride) Day 3: Galena Lodge
After two peaceful nights of camping, we packed up our things and headed back south towards Utah, stopping along the way at Galena Lodge.
Ride – Galena Lodge
After driving along State HWY 75 in what seems like the middle of nowhere, you turn a corner, and run into Galena Lodge. The Lodge offers great, healthy food options, along with maintaining 40+ miles of awesome trails.
We chose to connect Psycho Ride -> Outhouse Loop -> Gladiator -> RIp & Tear for a 6.5 mile fun loop, complete with lots of climbing, and my first time riding what felt like a roller-coaster of bermy-downhills.
Takeaways for next time:
Looking down at Pineview Reservoir
If Snowbasin is your local ski resort, or you’re an Ogden resident, chances are you can point out Mt. Ogden by the tall satellite towers atop the 9,572 ft. peak. As one of the tallest peaks in the Northern Wasatch, Mt. Ogden is a great day hike, providing beautiful views (when you’re not socked in with clouds), and a good amount of elevation gain!
**I hiked this in September after our first snowfall of the year. Typically it is clear and beautiful, and not covered in snow in September!**
Getting There
Mt. Ogden can be reached via trails from Ogden , or via Snowbasin. From Snowbasin you have two options:
The Trail
(Hike up) At the top of Needles Gondola, make a left and start down the road in front of the Needles Lodge. Jump on the first trail you come across on the right. Follow the trail until you reach Needles Circque Trail to the Ridge. The trail quickly steepens at this point as you make your way back and forth up a series of switchbacks. You’ll drop down on the backside of the mountain, giving you views of Ogden and the Great Salt Lake. At this point you’ll also start to see trails coming up from Beus, Taylor, and Waterfall Canyons.
Halfway up the steep service road, make a right onto the trail
Follow the trail for another ¾ mile until you reach the steep service road. Head up the service road until you reach a small trail sign. Make a right, and hike the final portion of the trail to the helicopter landing pad at the top of Mt. Ogden!
(Hike Down) Instead of following the same trail down, we made a left onto the well defined service road, and dropped down in front of Becker Lift.This brought us across the front of the mountain, with beautiful views of the valley. After descending 1,000 from the summit of Mt. Ogden, you'll make your way under Needles Lodge, and head back up the mountain, ending the hike with a 500 ft climb back up to the lodge. Make sure to reward yourself with some hot tea and french fries inside the lodge before taking the Gondola (or hiking) back down!
Total Distance: 4 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,275 Ft.
Hike Time: 1:40 minutes
Takeaways
Grand Teton National Park stretches 310,000 acres across the Northwest Corner of Wyoming. The Park is located 10 minutes South of Yellowstone National Park and just North of the popular outdoor town destination of Jackson Hole.
Grand Teton National Park is known for the unique formations of the Teton Range. Home to nine 12,000 ft. peaks, 11 glaciers and sprinkled with alpine lakes. The jagged peaks of the Range are a popular destination for skiers, climbers, mountaineers, and hikers.
Getting there: From SLC it is an easy 4.5 hour drive North to the Southern Park entrance. If you’re staying in the Northern part of the park, that will add another hour.
Where to stay:
What to do:
Grand Teton National Park is an outdoors person dream backyard. There’s plenty to do from hiking, cycling, mountain biking, climbing, skiing, swimming and paddling. Make sure to stop into the Visitors Center, pick up a few maps, and talk to a Ranger for recommendations.
Day 1:
(Bike) Starting at Willow Bay Junction, we rode a 32 mile loop down to Jenny Lake Visitor Center and back. This was a beautiful ride along the Park road; winding in an out of trees, through fields (unfortunately, no wildlife spottings), and passing Jackson Lake, Leigh Lake, and Jenny Lake.
We made it back to camp in time for dinner and to catch the sunset along the rocky Jackson Lake shore.
Day 2:
(Swim) Wetsuits in hand, we made our way to Jackson Lake for a quick training swimming in the crystal-clear waters. This was my favorite training swim of the season, with the sun rising over the trees just as we were halfway to our destination - a small island in the middle of the lake.
(Hike) We took our time warming up and eating breakfast before packing up and heading to Taggart Lake Trailhead, for a long hike up to Taggart, Amphitheater, and Surprise Lakes. We chose this hike based off a recommendation from a Ranger for a “longer, challenging hike”, it was just that.
I quickly regretted forgetting my trekking poles while gaining 3,400 ft. in a little over 7 miles. However, the view at the top was well worth the burning calfs. Nestled in the heart of the Teton Range, Amphitheater Lake has 360 views of the jagged peaks, with The Grand Teton towering overhead.
Power-hiking our way down the 7 miles to the car (nearly 3 miles of switchbacks), we quickly changed, and headed to Jackson for dinner. Jackson is a picture-perfect mountain town. Good restaurants, cute shops, lots of flannel, pro athletes wandering the streets, and awesome views.
(Eat) We ended up at Snake River Brewing, where they had plenty of plant based options.
Day 3:
(Run) On our last day we stopped at String Lake for a quick trail run on our way out of the Park. With bear spray in hand, we made our way around the 3.5 mile loop. This was a beautiful run, and would make for a great hike, or place to pack a picnic and hang out on one of the numerous beaches around the lake.
The trail starts at the North Ogden Trailhead, the same trailhead as Ben Lomond, located along the North Ogden Divide (E 3100 N).The trailhead has ample parking and facilities.
No time for a warm up on this trail. The trail kicks into high gear out of the gate with steep switchbacks, climbing 1500 ft. in the first two miles. The majority of this part of the trail is covered in trees, so make sure to bring a headlamp and a light layer if you’re hiking. The trail quickly opens up to beautiful views of Ben Lomond, Eden and Pineview Reservoir.
The fun really starts once you make it to the first sign, telling you 2.5 miles to the summit! The trail changes from steep, rocky, uphill, to smooth, golden, rolling hills. As you make your way to the peak, you have the option of climbing each hill and getting in more vert, or continue along the lower trail. These options make Lewis Peak one of my favorite trails I’ve discovered so far in the Wasatch.
Made using Suunto Movescount
Shoes: Salomon Sense Ride - Before working for Salomon, I trail ran in my road shoes. Now, I trail run in best in class trail shoes, and the difference is significant. I love the quick lace technology, so I can keep my focus on not tripping over rocks, instead of my laces. The Sense Ride's have Vibe technology throughout the entire sole of the shoe, providing extra shock absorption, and extra cushioning. Out of the box I ran 13 miles in these shoes. No pain. If you're looking for your first pair of trail runners, or for an upgrade, consider Salomon.
Pack: Salomon S/LAB Sense Ultra 5 - This pack holds two 16 oz. flasks in the front pockets, leaving amble room for snacks, gels, phones, cameras, keys, headlamps, etc. You want the fit to be snug. I'm 5' 2'', and wear an XS.
Photo shows how you can take the high vs. low trails for different vert.
Watch: Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HR - This is my go-to every day / every workout watch. With built in wrist HR, I know when I need to pick up the pace, and when I need to dial it back I bit. More importantly, with the incredible GPS I feel safe when running alone, and know I can find my way back if I get lost (which happened for the first time this weekend, thank you bread crumbs!)
Water: 2 - 8 oz. flasks and 1 - 6 oz. flask
Nutrition: Dates and a waffle (Organic ones are dairy free / egg free, but made with honey. NOT vegan)
Hiking in early spring, the trails are muddy from snow melt. Snow covered half the trail, forcing us to turn around 3 miles in.
Ostler Lake
Amethyst Lake
Ice cold summit 'croix.
Buffs = mosquito protection
It's amazing looking through these photos, pulled from my Mom's scrapbook, all taken before digital cameras.
I. Getting There
With friends coming in from out of state, logistics were important. Because Ben lives in Orange County, we chose the OC as our meeting point. We flew into various airports in the area, piled all of our gear into the rented minivan, and drove up to Yosemite. (If you can, flying into San Francisco is a better/closer option.) We also had a google document tracking everyone’s flights, expenses, packing lists, etc.
II. The Campsite
If you’re interested in reserving a spot, it’s crucial to plan ahead. Campground reservations open five months in advance, and fill up fast! It’s like trying to get tickets to your favorite band the minute tickets are released!
Our group stayed at the Upper Pines Campground. There were multiple bathrooms, sinks for foods waste, and water fountains. This location worked well as we were close to Curry Village (unfortunately renamed Half Dome Village in 2016), and a few of the trailheads.
If all sites are filled, another great option are the canvas tents we stayed at on our last trip.
III. Itinerary
We’ve found that the best way to make the most of any trip, is to plan out the big hikes we’re doing every day, and have a few options for the evening. We could not have planned them better. Doing the hikes in this order worked out perfectly! It's also important to do you some research and plan ahead according to the time of year you're visiting. HWY 120 into the park closes during the Winter, and was still closed when we were there in March. Check all of the conditions here.
Fun fact: I used to hate crossing streams on the trails. Now, I love it!
Day 1 (half day)
After stopping at Tunnel View and Bridalveil Falls* on our way into the park, we set up camp and set off for Four Mile Trail. When the full trail is open, this hike takes you from the Valley Floor to Glacier Point. After 2.5 miles, the clouds began to shift, a storm rolled in, and it began to snow. As we made it back to trailhead, the clouds rolled out of the valley, and we were left with a gorgeous evening. From the Four Mile Trail trailhead, we headed across the meadows to Yosemite Falls, and wandered around the Valley Floor Loop for a bit before heading back to camp.
Total Mileage: ~ 6
Total Time: ~2 hours
View from 4 Mile Trail
Wandering along the Valley Floor
Day 2: Yosemite Falls
We woke to the sound of the gushing waterfalls, cooked up our go-to breakfast of oatmeal and coffee, piled into our minivan, and made our way to the Yosemite Falls trailhead by 9. The hike is strenuous, so plan on spending the majority of the day on the trail.
Total Mileage: ~ 8
Total Time: ~6 hours
Before a Golden Hour hike at Mirror Lake we made a quick stop at the campsite for fuel (aka more Clif Bars, trail mix, dried fruit, and Chex Mix), before making our way to Mirror Lake for Golden Hour.
Hannah 1, Hannah 2 (me), and Alex at the top of Upper Yosemite Falls
View from Mirror Lake
Day 3: Vernal and Nevada Falls
On our last full day at the park, we chose another longer, strenuous hike to the top of Nevada Falls. Along the way, the trail passes the Vernal Fall Footbridge, up to to the top of Vernal Falls.
There are a few different trail options to go all the way to the top of Nevada Falls*:
We opted to take the JMT to the point at which it was closed - Clark Point. We then cut down to the Mist Trail, up to the top of Nevada Falls, and back all the way down the Mist Trail. This route was less busy/dryer on the way up. https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
*Depending on what time of year you go, part of the trail(s) are closed. Make sure to check in before your trip with the Park Rangers, or online!
Total Miles: ~8
Total Time: ~6 hours
We ended the day with a hot shower, and pizza from Curry Village. For those plant powered folks, they will make you an awesome dairy-free, veggie pizza!
Day 4: Sunrise at Tunnel View
05:00 AM- We woke to the sound of our iPhone alarms telling us it was time to get up, pack up the our two tents, and make our way to the park exit. There was just one more stop on our itinerary – Tunnel View.
In front of Lower Yosemite Falls. Photo: B. Fleming
IV. Gear
In addition to what is listed over on my my new gear page, other important items we brought were:
V. Meals
Breakfast/lunch/snacks: pretty standard for camping - lots of oatmeal, PB&J, fruit, trail mix, tortillas, Clif Bars and more PB. (I think I FINALLY over-did it on the Clif Bars. I'm back to homemade bars now!)
Dinner #1 - Hannah made an awesome Vegan curry!
Dinner #2 - Curry sweet potatoes (cut up sweet potatoes + curry powder + heat) and tons of warmed up canned veggies. This was our first time using canned veggies, and it worked great!
Dinner #3 - Ate out at Curry Village. There are ton's of choices. I went for a salad, and vegan pizza!
Hanging out in El Cap meadows
Stopped to enjoy the smooth pavement along US-190.
PC: B.Fleming
After recent trips to Joshua Tree and Yosemite, it was time to make it to another California National Park – Death Valley. With my adventure buddy and close friend Hannah in town for a few days, it was the perfect opportunity to make the trip!
Located 4.5 hours Northeast of LA, a weekend trip to Death Valley is easily achievable with an early start. Leaving LA Saturday morning at 5:00 AM we avoided traffic and made great timing, pulling into the ranger station at Stovepipe Wells by 9:30. Given we were only staying one night, we asked the ranger for recommendations, and made our plan for the next 24 hours.
Badwater Basin – At 282 ft. below sea level, Badwater Basin is the lowest place in the Western Hemisphere. When looking across the 200 Square Miles of Salt Flats, the basin looks as though it is covered in a light dusting of fresh snow, instead of dried up sea water!
Artist's Drive – A 9 mile scenic drive loop, exposing beautiful different types of rocks and rock formations.
Golden Canyon Trail – There are a range of great hiking trails along the Golden Canyon Trial. We opted for the 2.5 mile loop to Red Cathedral. There are plenty of secondary trails along the way where you can explore deeper into the canyon.
Mesquite Flat Dunes – We made our way out onto the dunes an hour or so before sunset, and experienced a truly magical golden hour. The particles of sands were glistening, the mountains surrounding the valley were glowing, and the sky was painted shades of pink and purple.
PC: B.Fleming
Zabriskie Point – If you make it to Zabriskie Point for sunrise, you’ll likely run into dozens of photographers, for a good reason. This is the perfect spot to watch the mountains change color as the sun rises, and fills the valley floor with light! There is also a large parking lot, with facilities, and a paved path up to the point.
PC: B.Fleming
Furnace Creek – Furnace creek campground is a 30-minute drive past Stovepipe Wells. In the village of Furnace Creek you will find all of your essentials, so don’t worry if you forget tin foil or want to go to a café for dinner.
There was also plenty of water and gas throughout the National Park. We filled up our bottles at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and Stovepipe Wells.
15 years after my first trip to Yosemite, I was ecstatic when my mom flew out to make a quick three day weekend trip with my brother and I. We loaded all of our gear up, and made the 5 hour drive from LA to Yosemite.
Accommodations: We glamped. Due to the last minute planning, and to ensure we had a spot, we booked a two bed canvas tent cabin (we comfortably slept 3!) in Curry Village (re-named Half Dome Village). This was a great choice. We didn’t have to worry about spending time setting up and tearing down camp, and were able to get in as much hiking as we could.
The drive in to the valley is pretty spectacular. After winding through the forest on Route 41, you shoot out of the Wawona Tunnel to the famous Tunnel View. After a necessary photo shoot, we continued to Curry Village to check in to our tent.
Afternoon Hike - Valley Floor Loop
This loop is great because you can easily make it as long or as short as you want. We began at Lower Yosemite Falls, hiked for 6 miles, and caught a shuttle back to our car. We chose to do this hike the first afternoon/evening so we could 1. see a lot of the valley floor and 2. not wear ourselves out too much before a tough hike the following morning.
Notable stops along the way included Camp 4, El Capitan, El Capitan Meadow, and crossing the Merced River.
Evening Hike - Taft Point
A quick 1.1 mile hike out to Taft Point promises one of the best sunset views in the park. Make sure to bring layers, and a headlamp for the way back.
El Capitan Meadows
View at Taft Point
Taking in the sunset
Day Hike - Four Mile Trail
Starting at Four Mile Trailhead, this is a beautiful, strenuous 4.8 mile hike from the valley floor up to Glacier Point. Be prepared for this hike with trekking poles, water, and some snacks. The hike up features amazing views of the Valley floor, El Cap, the Three Brothers, Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls, and Half Dome the majority of the hike. After a hard hike, you’re treated to a well-earned view at Glacier Point. There is also a cafe, gift shop, restrooms, and lots of tourists waiting for you at the top, just remember you earned the view! :)
Hikers can either hike back down (which is what we did!), or drive down if you dropped off a car at the top. Another option is to pay $20 for the shuttle bus at the top.
Evening Activities
Ahwahnee Lodge (Majestic Yosemite Hotel): To celebrate my brother’s birthday, we enhanced our glamping experience with a fancy dinner at the Majestic Yosemite Hotel. I had delicious minestrone and a huge garden salad.
Sunrise - Glacier Point
It doesn’t take too long browsing the internet to discover one of the most epic sunrise location in Yosemite - Glacier Point. We left our tent at 5, packed up our gear, and made our way up to Glacier Point. Bundled in my down jacket and wrapped in a sleeping bag, I had plenty of time to have my coffee brewed and in-hand, oatmeal cooked, and camera’s ready, all by the time the sun began to rise.
Morning Hike - Sentinel Dome
A great stop on the way back down to the valley is Sentinel Dome. This 2.2 mile loop shares a trailhead with the Taft Point trail. This trail is a little tougher, with a steeper climb up to the summit. However, you’re rewarded with an amazing 360 view.
Beautiful view looking back towards Santa Monica
The trail leading off from the fire road, out towards Parker Mesa
Trail Access:
The overlook can be reached by multiple trails: Los Liones Trail, Trippet Ranch and East Topanga Fireroad. I chose the 5.7 mile route, starting at the top of a windy residential street, Paseo Miramar I didn't have trouble parking either time, as many hikers are locals who can walk or ride their bikes in.
Distance: 5.7 Miles
Time: 1.5 - 2 hours depending on pace
Trail Condition:
With a 900 foot elevation gain, you are hiking at a steady incline the 2.8 miles to the top, and will be sure to work up a sweat. The majority of the hike you're on a well maintained fire road, and can easily choose to run or bike.
What to pack:
I brought my go-to day pack, GoPro, Water, Sunscreen and a Clif Bar. I may have been overpacked, but when it's 80 degrees at 8:00AM it's always good to bring some water and fuel just in case.
Next time i'm going to leave the pack, and try a quick trail run instead!
The first time Ben, Hannah and I hiked this trail in January 2015.
For a different perspective, and even more details on our hike, head over to hannah's blog!
PC: B.Fleming (btfleming.com)
PC: H. Labadie (hannahlabadie.com)
Dressed in running tights, base layers, an awesome Patagonia Nano-Puff, my Michigan State winter hat (still celebrating the B1G Championship Game win from the night before), and a head lamp to top it all off, we started our hike around 3:00 AM. Stowed in our packs we had cameras (mine being a Cannon Rebel SL1) thicker gloves for the top, snacks (Clif Bars and dried fruit), and of course water (we each fill our CamelBak’s and carry another 1L water bottle). This hike is strenuous, and the path can get a little unclear at times, but I felt safe. I had done the hike twice before, and was with more experienced hikers.
Honestly, when I’m doing a hike for the first time all I can think about is getting to the top. I’m working on this. Yes, I wanted to make it to the top, I wanted to be able to relax and take in this AMAZING sunrise. But I wasn’t as anxious as usual to get there. This is important. During this hike I was genuinely enjoying the challenge, which made me realize how important being outside is to me.
PC: BF
SUPing in Newport.
California is a unique place to live, since I now live here! You can be in a completely different environment by driving an hour in any direction. This weekend we got the best of both worlds, a day spent at the ocean and a day spent hiking in the mountains.
We kicked off the weekend with breakfast at Stuft Surfer in Newport, followed by renting Stand Up Paddleboards and playing in the waves for few hours. Not a bad Saturday.
Sunday we headed North to Mt. Baldy. The hike starts around 6,000 ft., increasing to 10,064 ft. over the course of 3.8 miles. This hike was not only my longest hike, reaching the highest elevation, but definitely the hardest. I'd like to say it was because Friday was leg day, but I know that would be a lie. Investing in a pair of trekking poles was a great decision.
Part of the hike up to the top of Mt. Baldy.
The descent across Devil's Backbone.
Typically the descent is six miles, the last three of which along a fire road. We chose to ride the ski lift down, cutting off around three miles.
My initial sun-burn is finally starting to turn to tan as I've been in California for a little over a week!
Weekend #1 in California was spent soaking up the sun on a 8-mile, slightly harder than we were expecting, hike up to Potato Chip Rock. The trail winds along Lake Poway, leading to the top of Mount Woodson where Potato Chip Rock is perched. We left around 10 AM, so it was hot, and we probably had to wait a bit longer to take our memorable picture (personally I think this is a missed marketing opportunity for Pringles).
Regardless, the hike was great, and I can't wait to check out more of the San Diego area!
Hanging Lake
Two Fridays ago (this post is a little late) my mom and I left Kalamazoo to drive across the country so I can give my job search a real shot in the LA area.
With my car busting at the seams (because i'm optimistic!) we drove to Indianapolis to see One Direction perform at Lucas Oil Stadium!
From there we hit the road and drove a few hours to get a head start on our biggest leg of the trip, Indy to Denver. After a long day of driving on Saturday we ended up not being able to find a hotel in Denver, and opted to save money and slept in our car a little west of Denver. This actually worked out perfectly. We were able to get up early to make our way to our first stop of the trip: Hanging Lake. The hike up was pretty strenuous, but definitely worth it! It's a little over a mile each way, and takes a few hours. This was a great way to stretch our legs!
Next stop: Zion. From Hanging Lake we got right back on I-70 and headed West towards Zion. We stayed at a rustic B&B 15 minutes away from the East entrance, allowing us to quickly get up and get to the park. Due to time restraints we had to chose one hike, Angels Landing. This hike is definitely challenging, including 21 switch backs, and my first experience using chains!
After Zion we headed to Las Vegas, where my mom would catch the red-eye home.
This 4 day adventure covered 2,412 miles in 38.33 hours (according to my mom's calculations.) Now, to find a job so I can keep doing these amazing adventures!
Top of Angels Landing
