Blue skies and blue water of Bowman Lake

A Weekend with Glacier Institute

What is the Glacier Institute? A 501(c)3 nonprofit, The Glacier Institute provides educational programs for visitors to the Glacier National Park area. The organization uses field-based activities to help participants learn more about the area’s ecology and anthropology. Current courses are listed here. My Visit Whenever I visit a new National Park, I love to …

Selfie at the Sugarloaf Ski Lift

Cecret Lake & Sugarloaf Peak, Alta, Utah | 52 Hike Challenge | Hike 32

The last hike of my time in Utah! 52 Hike Challenge Hike #32 was a big one – hiking in Alta first to Cecret Lake, then up towards Sugarloaf Peak. The most challenging of my entire year-long challenge and wish I could do it again! Cecret Lake Pronounced like “secret.” It’s not much of one. …

We completed the Mighty 5!

Landscape Arch Trail, Arches National Park, Utah | 52 Hike Challenge – Hike 30

We did it! We hit The Mighty 5 in our time in Utah! I know this isn’t an actual accomplishment but…it felt like one to me. Although it was kind of miserable, we managed to get a hike in at Arches National Park. This was Utah park #5 and my 52 Hike Challenge Hike #30 …

Lisa Falls - and me!

Little Cottonwood & Lisa Falls Trail, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah | 52 Hike Challenge – Hike 31

For Hike 31 of my 52 Hike Challenge, Eric and I decided to hike Little Cottonwood Canyon, not far from where we were living in Salt Lake City. We decided to tackle Little Cottonwood Creek Trail. When we finished we noticed another trail to a waterfall just across the street and decided to tack that on, …

Upheaval Dome, Canyonlands National Park

Upheaval Dome, Canyonlands National Park, Utah | 52 Hike Challenge – Hike 29

When deciding which hikes to do with our limited time at Canyonlands National Park, we couldn’t pass up a quick walk out to the rim of the Upheaval Dome. Scientists and geologists debate what actually caused this geologic anomaly in the relatively stable area and it became my Hike 29. The Upheaval Dome The showstopper feature …

The landscape will humble you. Nothing but a tiny little speck, but loving every minute.

Grand View Point, Canyonlands National Park, Utah | 52 Hike Challenge – Hike 28

If the Grand View Point Trail doesn’t knock your socks off, I believe you’re bound to be bored with everything else on earth. This was Hike 27 of my 52 Hike Challenge, and what a great way to kick off the second half of this project. The day started with an incredible sunrise that I …

Campfire at Yosemite National Park

Campfire Hair

OK, I need the internet to solve my internal conflict for me. Upon return from a recent camping trip, I took my ponytail down before getting into the shower and was overwhelmed by the smell of campfire that had soaked into my hair. I have conflicting feelings about this. First I think “Ahhhh…what a great …

Eric checking out the scenery

Roadside Ruin & Cave Spring Trails, Canyonlands National Park, Utah | 52 Hike Challenge – Hike 27

These Canyonlands hikes were both pretty short, so I’m combining them into Hike 26 of my 52 Hike Challenge – the halfway point!! Roadside Ruin We arrived in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park and since the Visitor’s Center was closed and the closest town was an hour away, we hit the trails right …

"Lake" Mary

Lake Mary Trail, Utah | 52 Hike Challenge – Hike 26

Oh, Lake Mary. I suppose it’s only fair that right around the halfway point of the 52 Hike Challenge (Hike 26) I get slapped with a big dose of hiking reality. Consider this my midway contemplative hike of the Adventure Series, because boy did it make me think. So here’s the deal. I used to pick hikes …

Sulphur Creek, Capitol Reef National Park

Hike 25 of my 52 Hike Challenge was a day full of firsts. This experience was unlike anything I had ever done before, and I can’t wait to revisit Capitol Reef National Park. About the Park Capitol Reef was, admittedly, just somewhere I wanted to go to check off all of Utah’s “Mighty 5” National …