Mount St. Helens by the Monitor Ridge Route On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens changed forever. That day the top quite literally below right off of the mountain. The explosion was measured in the megatons (the same yardstick commonly used for nuclear weapons.) Combined with powerful flood waves of ash, mud and debris, the catastrophic blast resulted in the […]
Thinking of Doing Something Big This Year?
Visit Our Tour du Mont Blanc Planning Resources! Thinking of attempting something BIG this year that will change the way you look at the world (and yourself?) Consider the Tour du Mont Blanc. A very strenuous but incredibly spectacular loop hike out of the French town of Chamonix through the Alps, over a hundred miles in length, passing through three […]
Can I hike the Grand Canyon Traverse?
Can I hike the Grand Canyon rim to rim too? The short answer is…yes, this is a hike that even modestly experienced hikers can do, if they are well prepared. But do NOT underestimate the risks and challenges. This is a SERIOUS undertaking! For as long as there have been human beings around to stand upon the edge and see […]
Up Is Mandatory!
The Grand Canyon North South Traverse: Part Two, Final Day **Completed in 2003, the North-South Traverse of Grand Canyon is the first true Bucketlist hike that Brian ever did. He would recommend this hike to virtually any able-bodied hiker as a once in lifetime experience, if that hiker is well prepared for the canyon’s unique conditions.** ***Note that the editors […]
Bright Angel
The Grand Canyon North South Traverse: Part One, Days One and Two **Completed in 2003, the North-South Traverse of Grand Canyon is the first true Bucketlist hike that Brian ever did. He would recommend this hike to virtually any able-bodied hiker as a once in lifetime experience, if that hiker is well prepared for the canyon’s unique conditions.** ***Note that […]
Beauty Measured Out In Sandstone: The Grand Canyon Traverse
The Grand Canyon North-South Traverse **Completed in 2003, the North-South Traverse of Grand Canyon is the first true Bucketlist hike that Brian ever did. He would recommend this hike to virtually any able-bodied hiker as a once in lifetime experience, if that hiker is well prepared for the canyon’s unique conditions.** ***Note that the editors apologize in advance for the […]
Grandscape: The South Rim of the Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon National Park, AZ Excepting perhaps Yosemeti’s famed valley, no landscape has captured the national imagination like the Grand Canyon. Vast, rugged, strange, fantastic, profound…the grandest of canyons carved by the Colorado River through countless layers of sandstone rock is like no other on earth. There are bigger canyons, but none eclipse the Grand Canyon in scale, beauty […]
The Most Celebrated Hole on Earth
The Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon has long been recognized as one of America’s most magical places. Even the name affirms its grandeur…there is no need to explain WHAT canyon you are talking about (it’s the canyon of the Colorado River, technically speaking.) All you need to do is say that it’s the Grand one. Everyone knows which canyon you […]
Can I Hike the Rae Lakes Loop?
The Rae Lakes Loop *Completed by Brian in 2014, the Rae Lakes Loop is one of BecauseItzThere’s BucketList Hikes. It is recommended to fit, self-sufficient hikers as a reasonable alternative to the John Muir Trail, which should only be attempted by VERY fit and experienced hikers. Location: Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA (nearest city Fresno) Distance: Approx. 42 miles Elevation Gain: […]
The Return of the King
The Rae Lakes Loop Days Five and Six The most scenic parts of the hike, and the hardest parts, were now behind us. By we were by no means finished. In fact, we had still had more than a third of the hike in front of us. Fortunately, it was very nearly all downhill. One of the pleasant things about […]