Musings
Last Adventurer
#preservethegood

As you’ve seen above, #preservethegood could mean anything – it could mean helping someone in a time of need; it could be picking up trash on a trail, or a wilderness area; it could be educating people on leave no trace principles; it could be making a difference in any way you want; and it could be just about anything you want as long as you are focused in keeping the magic and the unique positive things in this world and this life. In terms of tangible things, I encourage you, my readers and followers to use the hashtag when you post a photo of something amazing; or when you’re talking about something exceptional you – or someone else has done to improve the world. I look forward to seeing how all of you end up preserving the good in 2015, and you can rest assured that as always, I will keep preserving the good where I find it as well, because as Plato says, “Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.” 

#preservethegood
Hiking, State Parks
Last Adventurer
Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls

As I mentioned previously, Waimea Canyon is a site that is most definitely one of the “must-view” locations on Kauai, and in the world; and as I also mentioned, the best way to experience it is to hike it. While there are many great hikes through the canyon, the best hike in my book is the Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls. It is the best hike to me because at four miles roundtrip, it is accessible, it has stunning views of the canyon from inside the canyon, and it ends at the top Waipoo Falls. It also allows the hiker the chance to swim in a waterfall, which is a once in a lifetime experience.

Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls

Hiking

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Kitchen Creek Falls

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Kitchen Creek Falls

Among outdoor enthusiasts, through hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (“PCT”) is one of the most coveted accomplishments. But at 2,650 total miles, completing the PCT is a daunting task that requires a substantial amount of time. As a result, instead of completing the PCT in one fell swoop, many hikers elect to “section hike” – hike sections of the trail – over an extended period of time. While perhaps not as glamorous as a through hike, section hiking allows hikers to complete the trail at their schedule, and allows one great latitude to appreciate the many hidden gems that are along the PCT. One of the first hidden gems along the PCT is Kitchen Creek Falls, a seasonal waterfall that is just off the first section of the PCT near Campo, California. Irrespective of whether one is starting out to complete all of the PCT, section hike the PCT, or head out for a day hike, Kitchen Creek Falls is a great destination year-round.

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Parry Grove Trail

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Parry Grove Trail

With windswept sandstone cliffs, and stunning year-round views of the Pacific Ocean, Torrey Pines State Reserve is one of San Diego’s most popular parks. Even though it is a park that is popular with locals and visitors alike, few people realize that the park was established to protect the Torrey Pine, which is one of the rarest trees on the planet, as it only grows in and around the confines of the park and on Santa Rosa Island. While there are many spots within the park where one can walk under, view, and get close to the pinus torreyana, there is only one spot that demonstrates the risks that these rare trees still face, and that is the Parry Grove Trail.

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French Beach Provincial Park

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French Beach Provincial Park

With over 2,138 miles of coastline, Vancouver Island has a plethora of stunning beaches. The most accessible beach with the greatest scenery and opportunities for serenity and solitude is French Beach. French Beach, and the park it is located in, French Beach Provincial Park are named for James French, a nineteenth century Canadian explorer and pioneer who walked across the entirety of Canada over a two year period. The Provincial Park bearing his name was established in 1974, and encompasses fifty-nine hectares. As the name implies, the signature feature of the park is the beach, which is located near where James French ultimately resided. From the beach, travelers can view the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and on a clear day, can see across it to America, and Olympic National Park.

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Torc Waterfall

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Torc Waterfall

Established as a National Park in 1932 to protect some of Ireland’s highest mountains and lakes, Killarney National Park has always been a popular area to visit because of its stunning natural beauty. Today, the National Park is mostly visited by parties who wish to experience the Ring of Kerry, a scenic day, or multi-day drive around the Iveragh Peninsula that covers a portion of the park along with other scenic and historic sites. Depending on the time of year, visitors traversing the Ring of Kerry will either experience an open road, or bumper to bumper traffic; but irrespective of when one visits, the Torc Waterfall is worth a stop for a short walk to stretch one’s legs, and to briefly experience some of the fantastic natural features of the national park.

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Mystic Beach

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Mystic Beach

With its empty sand and rock covered beach expanses, to its eerie old growth forests, and its high mountain peaks, Vancouver Island has a plethora of outdoor locations to visit and experience. The island is also home to two challenging and well-known hiking trails, the West Coast Trail, and the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail that traverse the southwest corner of the island. While worthwhile, both of these trails are lengthy, challenging affairs that require a multi-day time commitment to complete. Fortunately, for all levels of hikers, there is a short trail at the end of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail that allows everyone to experience the epic scenery of Vancouver Island in a short distance and includes a trek through the forest, a suspension bridge, and a stunning beach with caves and a waterfall. That trail, and that destination is the aptly named Mystic Beach.

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Potrero Peak

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Potrero Peak

San Diego County has many high points of over a thousand feet; and out of these high points, some are more popular than others. While there are many lists of mountains that can be climbed, the main list for hiking enthusiasts in the confines of the county is the Sierra Club “100 Peaks” list. Over the years, due to a variety of factors, some of the peaks on the list have been exchanged for others. Despite the changes, the mountains that originally started on the list have remained, and in most cases, are still accessible. One of the original peaks of the “100 Peaks” list, Potrero Peak was removed, but is to this day, remains accessible for hikers in the county who want to climb a mountain along the Border Range.

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Palisade Glacier

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Palisade Glacier

Unbeknownst to most people, California was the place where glaciers were “discovered” in the United States, atop Mount Shasta. And while the words “California” and “glacier” will never be synonymous, the state still has twenty glaciers (seven located on Mount Shasta, and thirteen are located in the Sierra Nevada). While each of California’s remaining glaciers offer their own individual logistical challenges, the Palisade Glacier is one of the easiest to visit from May to mid-October. In this case, easy is a relative term, as visitors to the Palisade Glacier will have to traverse ten miles of trail to the end of the glacier, and gain 4,000 feet of elevation, before returning back to the trailhead. From mid-October through May, the ascent to the Palisade Glacier becomes substantially more difficult, as it is over snow and ice, and requires proper preparation and navigation. However, for those willing to make the trek, the Palisade Glacier is a spectacular sight to behold; and is a relic from a long lost past that is disappearing in the modern age.