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.”
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.
While it’s a hidden gem for backpacking, mountaineering, hiking, and many other things, Kings Canyon is a remote location to visit. Because of its location, many visitors lump in a day trip to Kings Canyon when visiting Sequoia National Park. While I think that Kings Canyon deserves a visit of a lot longer than just one day, there are plenty of things to keep a visitor busy from sunrise to sunset.
Even though I'm a little late to talk about it, it's time for the annual Quadrantid Meteor Shower. Technically, the peak of the meteor shower was last night to early this morning (January 2-3, 2014), but in case you missed it, its worth taking a look at the night sky tonight (the evening of January 3, 2014 to early morning January 4, 2014) as meteors don't operate on a set schedule or timeframe. This year, the Quadrantid's are easier to see as there the moon is a new moon, meaning that it is not visible in the night sky. If you're going to take a look tonight, first, bundle up as it is quite cold in a majority of the United States, and second, look toward the North-Northeast from midnight to dawn. If you're lucky, you'll see the only meteors falling through Earth's atmosphere that are named after an obsolete constellation. Good luck!
To put it in wilderness terms, the end of the year is a time to check your bearings, and see where you’re headed by scanning the horizon; or to use another tired cliché, view the entire forest, and not just the individual trees. That, I think is the nature of the holiday season: seeing what you are grateful for in your life; appreciating such people (or things that you are grateful for); and finding out where you will want to go (and perhaps how those people will help you get there).
While these trails are amazing, and very popular with summer backpackers, these large expanses of open wilderness and long distances also dissuade many casual visitors to the park. In this respect, many people incorrectly assume that as most of the park is wilderness, they must be a wilderness expert as well to brave Kings Canyon. While it is true that one should be properly prepared before heading out into the backcountry, it’s also true that Kings Canyon has a number of trails for all skill levels that visitors can attempt. Case in point is the park’s most accessible – and popular trail, Zumwalt Meadows, which, with a little effort, can be combined with another trail to view a spectacular waterfall.
Good news everyone! It's time to train our eyes upward and see if we can see the annual Geminid Meteor Shower streaking across the nighttime sky. The Geminids are caused by the asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, which is a rock comet. The meteors that burn up in Earth's atmosphere are parts of 3200 Phaethon that have broken off due to thermal fracturing. This makes the Geminids one of two major meteor showers to not originate from a comet (the second major meteor shower to not originate from a comet are the Quadrantids). Although the Geminids are generally considered one of the best yearly meteor showers, this year the shower will be slightly obscured by the moon.
According to the experts, the best time to watch the Geminid Meteor Shower will be after midnight on December 13, 2013, and December 14, 2013. While the waxing moon will illuminate the night sky, many of the Geminids are so bright that the moonlight cannot and will not obscure their fiery trails. If you are concerned about not seeing any of the Geminids because of the waxing moon, there will also be a period of darkness between moonset and dawn during which the shower will likely be particularly visible, but bear in mind that this period of time will be between 4:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., depending on your location! While the early morning hours of December 13 and 14th, 2013 will be the best times to view the shower, it's worth noting that the shower has already begun, as evidenced by the large Geminid that streaked over Tucson last night! In this respect, from this point on, there is a chance to see the Geminids anytime after 10 p.m. on the nights of December 12, 13, 14, and probably even on December 15. (More information on observing the Geminids here, here, and here.)
As always, you can rest assured that I will be outside watching the Geminids, because I love meteor showers. If you're interested in seeing a meteor shower for the first time, let me provide you with three handy tips: 1) Get outside. Cities provide a lot of light pollution, which makes it harder to see everything in the night sky, including the Geminids. 2) Be patient. Allow your eyes time to adjust to the dark; sit back; relax, and enjoy watching the universe move in inscrutable and beautiful ways. 3) Have fun! Bring food, drinks, and plenty of blankets and pillows to stay comfortable and warm.
Interested in science? You might like this NASA app HERE.
Long time readers of this blog know that I was raised on a diet of science fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, and adventure as a child. It should therefore come as no surprise that I wanted to live in a cave during part of my childhood. But once I read The Time Machine, I developed an irrational fear of morlocks and the I-want-to-live-in-a-cave-phase was over. Even though I never lived in a cave, I know a spot where people have lived – and died in a cave: Boyden Cavern, in Sequoia /Kings Canyon National Park.
So, long-time readers, I have some big news: this winter, I have been offered the opportunity to partner with Outdoor Research (“OR”) as part of their Outdoor Research Insight Lab (#ORInsightLab) initiative. Chances are if you follow me on Twitter, or listen to me on In Ice Axe We Trust, you already knew this, but as it’s still exciting to me, I wanted to announce it again. What this means is that OR has provided me with some of their gear to test; and in exchange, they are expecting some of my pithy insights as to how the gear performs in the field.
