ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
The last time we were in Page back in 2008, we decided against visiting Rainbow Bridge because it seemed pricey just to look at a natural bridge, even if a spectacular one. Ever since, I wondered if we'd missed an opportunity, not knowing if we'd ever return to Page. As luck would have it, we did... Continue Reading →
The Canyon Overlook Trail is a nice, moderately difficult hike, but it's so easy to miss. The trailhead doesn't start from the valley floor but rather from just east of the Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel, 600ft above the valley floor. Entering or exiting Zion will also treat you to spectacular vistas as you take the winding... Continue Reading →
We'd been looking forward with some trepidation to this hike. Last time we were here in April 2008, it wasn't possible because the currents were too strong and water levels too high. The Narrows at Zion National Park is not a hike in the traditional sense because it involves wading in the Virgin River virtually the... Continue Reading →
Situated in the middle of Dixie National Forest, Cedar Breaks National Monument is a testament to the forces of uplift and erosion. It shares the visual splendor of Bryce Canyon National Park not too far away, but it stands 2,000 ft higher in elevation at over a breathtaking 10,000 ft above sea level. Although both... Continue Reading →
One of the great hikes for wildflower viewing is in my own backyard, on the east side of the Olympic peninsula, part of Olympic National Forest. The Big Quilcene River Trail climbs 3,500 ft in a little over 5 miles, past old growth forest of hemlock and Western red cedar, yellow cedar and subalpine fir. The... Continue Reading →
An acrophobic attraction at Whistler is the Peak 2 Peak, a gondola ride that connects the tops of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, constructed for the benefit of skiers. It takes 11 minutes to cross. The towers at each end span 4.4km (2.7mi) and, at one point, hovers over 1,400ft above Fitzsimmons Creek below, the greatest... Continue Reading →
Sea stacks, those lonely rock sentinels off the coast that punctuate the seascape, are Oregon's distinctive shoreline features that draw admiring tourists and photographers. They are the remnants of millions of years of erosion of headlands that have unevenly given way to the forces of water. They are no more picturesque than the Three Graces... Continue Reading →
Hug Point used to be used as a trail by stagecoaches. Its name derives from how closely the carriages had to "hug" the point, even at low tide, to get around. Now it is part of a state recreation site for public day-use. The tide was getting higher when we arrived, still low enough that... Continue Reading →
Being the largest sea stack off the coast of Oregon, Haystack Rock stands like an intertidal sentinel just south of Cannon Beach and is responsible for much of the tourist industry here. We approached it from the south on foot, after parking our car in a neighborhood and finding a public access path to the... Continue Reading →
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