Having worn significant holes in every pair of socks, my feet had seen better days. I found snow fields lingering in the shadow of Mount Jefferson, and walked across them barefoot. It was perfect sledding snow. Solid underneath, soft and wet at the surface. I sat down and let gravity take its course. Sledding until […]
Category: Hiking Journal
Hitchhiking into Sisters, Oregon
Milk run into town. From Santiam Pass it’s an easy hitch into and out of the town of Sister’s… except for the news. Two people that I cared about had passed away. My Mom’s husband, Fred, and a good hiking friend named Spider. It will take a while to sink in, that they aren’t there […]
Obsidian Falls, Blue River, Oregon
Back on trail, devouring homemade mac ‘n’ cheese, and burning through socks. From Elk Lake to Obsidian Falls on the PCT. Meadows covered in smoke, my home for the night. Drinking from the headwaters of Glacier Creek after a night spent somewhere on the side of North Sister, one of the volcanic peaks making up […]
Getting on the PCT, Elk Lake, Oregon
Summer vibes permeate lazy days… until your family decides that you need a couple of training hikes before you jump on the Pacific Crest Trail. Our first hike took us up Mount Bachelor, standing majestically in the Cascade Range at 9,068 feet. Then we explored Tamolitch Falls, also known as Blue Pool. Despite the falls’ […]
Romero Pools, Tucson, Arizona
Pusch Ridge looms majestically over Tucson and the sprawling desert as a defining feature of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Its lower slopes are adorned with iconic saguaro cacti, while its higher elevations are shrouded in the deep green of Douglas-fir trees. It was the ideal sanctuary to bask in nature’s beauty while waiting for my […]
Hitchhiking to Globe, Arizona
Craving a change of pace and a refreshing half gallon of milk, I knew it was time to switch gears. My body was pleading for respite from the relentless miles, a sign that hitchhiking was the only way to catch my train out of Tucson. But first I had to get out of the mountains […]
Night hiking the Mazatzal Wilderness
The heat during the day was getting oppressive. I’d take long breaks, next to a water source if possible, but always in the shade. I’d hike through as much of the night as I dared, some of the footing through the Mazatzal Wilderness is sketchy even in daylight. With the moon casting its ethereal glow […]
Slowing Down in the Mazatzal Wilderness
The plan had been to hike 30 mile days through the Mazatzal Wilderness in order to catch my train in Tucson. But something had changed in Sedona. Though my body got the message to slow down, my conscious mind was a little behind the learning curve. I didn’t understand why we were taking breaks, why […]
Hitchhiking to Strawberry, Arizona
Sedona seemed determined to keep me within its grasp. The canyons I ventured into felt like relics of a forgotten era, their ancient aura casting a timeless spell that slowed my pace, and made me hesitant to leave. What was meant to be a straightforward six-mile hike to the bus stop morphed into a three-hour […]
Stealth Camping Sedona
Nestled in the tranquil shade, far from the bustle of civilization, I surrendered to sleep. For days on end, I followed a routine: stash my belongings in a tree, hike miles to the trailhead, and catch the shuttle into Sedona. After only a few hours in town, replenishing water, savoring a meal, I’d board the […]