Want to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc — Europe’s most celebrated Alpine hike — this summer? Well, you better get cracking…The trekking season gets under way in less than six weeks. Realistically, you probably should have started planning for it already. Sylvia and I did the complete tour in late July of 2018. But we began our bookings in […]
Hiker Killed In Attack On The AT
Man Arrested in Connection With Apparent Machete Attack on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia A murder has happened on the Appalachian Trail. News reports are saying that a pair of hikers were attacked by a man wielding a large knife or Machete while hiking the AT in the backwoods of Virginia. One of the two was killed; the other escaped […]
On A Clear Day…Olympic National Park
A while back we did a post about our visit to Hurricane Ridge in Washington’s great Olympic National Park. Hurricane Ridge is one of the best viewpoints in the Pacific Northwest, for sure, with a tremendous panorama of the Olympic Range. But this was not Brian’s first visit to the area. He first visited Olympic National Park in 2007, during […]
Can I Hike Mount St. Helens?
*Brian completed the Monitor Ridge Route Hike of Mount St. Helens in 2007…it was his second solo Bucketlist hike. Conditions on the mountain today may not be exactly as described here, and the permit system has changed. Check with the National Forest Service website before attempting this hike.* **This is NOT a hike that we would recommend to novice hikers. […]
A Sea of Clouds: Hiking Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens via the Monitor Ridge Route: Part Two Almost nothing about the hike up Mount St, Helens is easy. Even reaching the trailhead involved some serious driving. The Monitor Ridge hike leaves Climbers Bivouac, which is located on forest service roads some ten miles outside of the tiny town of Cougar. But it’s a good hour from the […]
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 […]
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 […]
Sedona: The Red Rock Paradise
Sedona, AZ There is, believe it or not, much more to see than just the Grand Canyon in Arizona. During their 2009 Grand Canyon expedition Brian and Sylvia decided to see some more of what the Grand Canyon State has to offer. Of course, Brian had in fact been to the Canyon twice before, including a full North-South traverse of […]
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 […]