47 Parks
As I planned a spring road trip down into the Carolinas, I scoped out some potential places to hike and/or … Read more
47 Parks
With my sleep schedule still on east coast time, I rose before dark to drive another two hours into Utah. The terrain vacillated between green-covered mesas and stark red rock rising up alongside the road. In the distance, I could spot the San Juan mountains dappled with snow, a contrast to the landscape immediately surrounding … Read more
47 Parks
When the temperature creeps towards the triple digits and the humidity starts blanketing my soul, I know it’s time to escape the region I call home. Last summer was an adventure to the High Sierras, a perfect respite from the daily routine of trying to stay cool.
This summer has been hallmarked by last-minute … Read more
47 Parks
There’s something special about a serene river surrounded by an immense meadow, surrounded by blue-gray mountains. Like Russian nesting dolls, the intricate scenery just keeps going. I was above 8,000 feet, in an area of Yosemite known as Tuolumne (too-all-uh-me) Meadows. It was an absolutely beautiful place, unlike anything I had yet seen … Read more
47 Parks
Up, up, up.
Hand over hand, one foot in front of the other.
I took a break to wipe my face, hoping to prevent the sunscreen I had just applied from going into my eyes. The sun was hot, but the strong breeze blowing from the north side made me feel less like a pastry … Read more
47 Parks
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity” – John Muir
There’s a reason Yosemite is such a well-known national park: its mountains are unequivocal and its waterfalls are unparalleled. Furthermore, during the country’s most important camping trip, … Read more
47 Parks
In April 2017 on a rainy day, I visited Kings Canyon National Park. I remember the overcast skies, the mystical feel of the huge sequoias, and the feeling of disappointment at road closures. That spring had been a record snow fall in the mountains, and only the very entrance of the park was accessible. … Read more
47 Parks
I enjoy the mountains – the sharp majestic peaks or the gentler rounded ranges that go on as far as the eye can see.
I enjoy the beach – the sand between my toes, the cool water on summer days, and the accepted laziness that comes along with it.
During my last-minute trip into the … Read more
47 Parks
By the middle of June, Virginia’s humidity levels typically reach legendary proportions. This year was no different: sweat doesn’t evaporate, plants hang limply, and dishes washed by hand take days to try.
A slight exaggeration? Perhaps.
But it was during this mid-June slump in which I envisioned the hot, moist summer stretching out lazily before … Read more
47 Parks