The trail continued around the east side of the lake entering a gathering of trees forming an insignificant forest along the lake’s shoreline. From our viewpoint, the trees concealing the trail eventually dispersed on the southeast side of the lake, and the trail blended into the landscape. Using our imagination, we envisioned the route against the rugged terrain sloping into the lake. No point in taking a vote now, we had trekked to the lake and the consensus was to proceed with a lap around the lake.…
It all started when a few days before summer break began last year when I overheard my step-dad and uncle talking about a hiking trip in Colorado that we were going to take sometime in the month of early July. So I just let it be and was going to see and find out if I was going to go along with them. long story short, I got a really, really early Christmas present from my mom and step-dad. A hiking trip to the Rocky Mountains!…
If possible, try to avoid pushing each other over the edge, as that would cause me extra paperwork.” The coach opened the doors, and they all stepped outside. The Grand Canyon spread before them, live and in person. Extending over the edge was a horseshoe-shaped walkway made of glass, so you could see right through it. “Man,” Leo said. “That’s pretty wicked.” Jason had to agree. Despite his amnesia and his feeling that he didn’t belong there, he couldn’t help being impressed. The canyon was bigger and wider than you could appreciate from a picture. They were up so high that birds circled below their feet. Five hundred feet down, a river snaked along the canyon floor. Banks of storm clouds had moved overhead while they’d been inside, casting shadows like angry faces across the cliffs. As far as Jason could see in any direction, red and gray ravines cut through the desert like some crazy god had taken a knife to it. Jason got a piercing pain behind his eyes. Crazy gods ... Where had he come up with that idea? He felt like he’d gotten close to something important—something he should know about. He also got the unmistakable feeling he was in danger. “You all right?” Leo asked. “You’re not going to throw up over the side, are you? ’Cause I should ’ve brought my camera.” Jason grabbed the railing. He was shivering and sweaty, but it had nothing to do with heights. He blinked, and the pain behind his eyes subsided. “I’m fine,” he managed. “Just a headache.” Thunder…
The Grand Canyon is a beautiful place that is located in Arizona filled with nature and ancient stories. The Grand Canyon is valued for its combination of size, depth, and exposed layers of colorful rocks dating back to Precambrian times. There are a multiple stories of why the Grand Canyon was made. But only one story was correct.…
“We have a long way to go Julie. We have to push ourselves to reach the site before dark.” While true that I worried about our reaching the site ahead of the dark, my real fear was the pain from the loaded backpack. Ten minutes ago I considered it just a temporary irritation, but now it had grown into a real strain on my back and shoulders, and it was an exertion to walk, even on level ground. Rather than yielding to defeat, I felt it best to travel another mile of two and possibly sedate the pain through a softer hiking stride. Not until I had exhausted every possible option, which included a dose of extra-strength ibuprofen, did I not want to surrender to my pain, or speak to Julie about my problems. Since she was ten, we've completed about 40-day hikes in the Smokies, totaling almost 300 miles, and most of that mileage, if not all, were tougher than any we would encounter on Lakeshore Trail.…
My feet ached as I passed through the automatic screen door to the snow filled Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport parking lot. The cool, crisp air stung my face, but my smile remained. Seven slow years have passed since I visited Crested Butte, Colorado, and I have been craving to return the moment I left. The towering mountains, blissful blue sky, and blinding white snow from the piercing sun makes Colorado a place like no other. I stood waiting on the icy concrete for my dad to pull around Baby Blue, a 1996 Chevrolet Astro van my family had nicknamed. My family visited Colorado in 2010, because my mom’s boss owns a timeshare condo, which included Baby Blue. He offered us a vacation to Crested Butte where we could have a free place to…
Yesterday me and my Dad went on an 11ish mile hike on the Appalachian Trail. This hike was probably one of the coolest hikes I've been on. It went from one beautiful landscape to another. As I was laying in bed that night with my muscles aching from the extra 1.5 miles we didn't plan on, I realized I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my Dad. He introduced me to my love of the outdoors and my passion to hike the entire AT. I hope one day ,Dad, we can stand on Mount Katahdin together and look back at the 2190 miles behind…
I remember the day vividly: the sizzling of food frying, children yelling, my tears running, it was the first time I adventured to Six Flags. The uneasiness of my stomach while swaying tens of feet from the ground on the Texas Giant petrified the adventurous spirit out of me. However, I did not realize that moment `would shape the next eight years of life, emerging in my memory at every unfamiliar experience I faced. It was my senior year when I declined an invitation to go camping with my friends an epiphany struck me. How many of these opportunities was I going to skip out on due to my reluctant manner?…
Everyone has their own community or organization for which they belong to. Within that community you tend to find who you are and what you are about. For me I found my identity in being an outdoors man. Being an outdoors man at my young age seems to be rare at this day, but that doesn’t prevent me from doing something I love and appreciate. Growing up with my family full of avid outdoors men helped influence me and only made my identity stronger.…
As a student I find myself seated in front of a computer screen for long hours at a time; likewise, it is my obligation as a student to use technology as a resource to further my comprehension in my degree. In my opinion a good excuse to be seated in front of a computer for long hours. It is easy to say that I find a lot of inspiration form online sources, blogs, and social media – which I do – however, I feel most inspired when I step away from the computer screen. I find inspiration in the ordinary; I love to travel and see new things, in this case this is where I found my inspiration. Along my travels to Whistler Mountain in previous winters I saw a portion of land that was clear-cut, but one tree stood alone covered in snow. This piece…
I conquered Mount Le Conte at the age of nine, the 3rd highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains. It intersects with North America’s longest hiking trail - The Appalachian Trail - with over 2,200 miles of mountains, rivers, and pure wilderness. Ever since learning about the Appalachian Trail, I have wanted to hike it. So that’s what I did.…
It was an extremely cool day in the Poconos Mountains, and we had made a reservation to go white water rafting. The next morning we had to wake up extra early to eat breakfast so we weren’t late for our trip. When my parents said, “were going white water rafting” I thought we were going straight down to the river , but of course it wasn’t.…
I've never been an "outdoors" experience kind of person. Maybe, it's because I'm very sedentary and prefer to stay inside to read and enjoy tranquility. I avoid all types of chaos and crowded places. Nevertheless, my visit to the Camuy River Cave Park (back in 2004) was refreshing and enriching in knowledge, historically, scientifically and spiritually. That experience brought the best out of me, as a human being and a nature lover, by giving the chance of experiencing a whole new level of peace and tranquility.…
My dad always told me that my imagination and ideas are wild. I never quite knew what he meant until a few years ago. Even though you may be terrified of certain things it is important to face them and widen your comfort zone and become fearless.…
Sometimes you only have to visit a place once, to know whether or not, you will ever revisit that location. As for me that would be Mammoth Cave National Park in south central Kentucky when I was thirteen. That park remain to be one of the best places I have ever visited, the trip to it was a long one, due to the fact that we drove all the way their while making various stops at other locations.…
