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

Question and Answer with Ueli Steck

Question and Answer with Ueli Steck

Whether one is a casual mountaineer or climber, or a veteran outdoor enthusiast, chances are you’ve heard of Ueli Steck, or as he is generally known, “the Swiss Machine”. With two Piolet d’Or Awards, innumerable fastest known ascent times, and the recent accolade from National Geographic in 2015 as one of their “Adventurers of the Year”, Ueli Steck has a list of honors and accomplishments that most people can only dream of. Recently, in an interval between climbing trips, Ueli was touring the United States in connection with the American Alpine Club’s 2016 National Athlete Tour. During the tour’s stop in San Diego, I was fortunate to sit down for a few minutes with Ueli during his day and quickly learned that being a professional alpinist calls for busy days both in the backcountry and in urban settings. Prior to chatting with me, Ueli had arrived in San Diego late the prior night before from his previous tour destination, and had spent the day climbing, getting his hair cut, eating tacos at San Diego’s well-known Lucha Libre, and of course preparing for his nightly presentation and the next stop on the tour. Despite his hectic schedule, we were able to have a relaxed conversation about mountaineering and travel, and where he sees the sport going over the next couple of years.

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Hiking the Trails of Arenal 1968

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Hiking the Trails of Arenal 1968

While all of Costa Rica is stunning, one of the more popular regions in the country is the Arenal/La Fortuna Region. With a nearby lake, a national park, and many adventure opportunities the area truly has something for just about every adventure traveler. Without a question, however, the high point of the area is Arenal Volcano, both literally and figuratively. Although the volcano has not been active since 2010, and climbers and hikers are not allowed on its slopes, it is a must-see location in the area. One of the best locations with unobstructed views of the volcano is also one of the area’s historic sites, the trails at Arenal 1968.

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Sol Duc Falls

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Sol Duc Falls

For most people, Washington is the land of trees, mountains, rain, waterfalls, and the Space Needle. While Washington is more than all of these things, it is a state with stunning waterfalls. Like any location, all of the state’s waterfalls have the own unique charm and features, which makes rating them a subjective task at best. However, in my opinion, the one of the best – if not the best waterfalls in the entire state of Washington is Sol Duc Falls, which is easily accessible by a short hike in Olympic National Park. If the “best waterfall of Washington” claim wasn’t enticing enough, the falls are also located in a historic area of the park, the Sol Duc region.

Fremont Troll

Fremont Troll

One of the more interesting pieces of public art in Seattle can be found in Fremont; although technically, if one’s being honest, a lot of interesting things can be found in Fremont. In case you’ve never heard of Fremont, it is a suburb of Seattle that was its own town until it was annexed in 1891. Today, Fremont is known for its claim that it is “the Center of the Universe”, for its unique and funky vibe, and for its street art. Even though the reclaimed giant statute of Vladimir Lenin is fairly impressive, the Fremont Troll is by far the most-well known piece of art in Fremont.

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Planning Your Forest Adventure

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Planning Your Forest Adventure

If your dream vacation is set in a forest, there are many options for making it a vacation you won’t forget. Whether you want to hike or canoe in to fish and tent camp, drive your RV for a “plug and play” vacation, or if you want to relax in a mountain resort and feel pampered, there is a forest, mountain, campground or resort just waiting for you to visit. There is even an option for making it a vacation you can enjoy again and again!

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Merriman Falls

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Merriman Falls

One of the reasons to visit Olympic National Park is that it is one of the most unique biomes in the continental United States, if not the world. Although there are many factors that have led to Olympic National Park becoming such a unique location, one of the factors has been the frequent and abundant rainfall that the region has received throughout the years. Even though rainfall totals vary, in general, the park receives at least 140 inches of rain per year; and all of the rainfall that the park receives has also led to the formation of large rivers, and spectacular waterfalls. While the park has many accessible waterfalls that visitors can view and explore, the easiest waterfall to view and visit is Merriman Falls, even though the waterfall is technically slightly outside of the park’s boundaries in the Olympic National Forest.

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Five Peak Challenge

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Five Peak Challenge

Over the last thirty years as hiking, backpacking, climbing, trail-running, and other outdoor activities have become more and more popular, the number of races, challenges, and other activities that package elements from more than one trail have also increased. Some of these challenges have set days, like the Phoenix 7 Summit Challenge; and some of these challenges can last over the course of a year, like my friend Jeff Hester’s Six Pack of Peaks challenge. And, as of November 7, 2015, Mission Trails Regional Park inaugurated San Diego’s own trail challenge, the 5-Peak Challenge, which can be completed in a day, or over the course of a year.