I’ll be honest: I avoided hiking Maple Pass Loop for years. Not because I didn’t think it was beautiful—but because it was too popular. I’m that person who hears “everyone loves this trail” and immediately thinks “well, there must be better, quieter options.” But after finally hiking Maple Pass Loop multiple times again recently— sunset, peak larches, even in the snow (I was trying for a sky with lots of color) —I have to admit I was wrong. This trail is famous for a reason. It’s not overhyped. It delivers more alpine beauty per mile than almost any other accessible trail in…
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A Comprehensive Beginners Guide to Backpacking
Last Updated: January 2026 | Reading Time: 20 minutes At a Glance Day hikes are great.But spending the night outside? That’s a different experience entirely. Waking up to sunrise with hot coffee in your hands. Watching stars you forgot existed because you live in the city. Carrying everything you need…
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Visiting the North Cascades: The Complete Guide to Washington’s Wildest National Park
Last Updated: January 2026 | Reading Time: 25 minutes I’ll be honest: the North Cascades confused me for a long time. I’d driven Highway 20, hiked Maple Pass, snapped the Diablo Lake overlook photo — and thought I understood the place. I didn’t. That drive was my gateway, but it…
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Best Spring Wildflower Hikes in the Columbia River Gorge
Peak Blooms, Iconic Trails, and When to Go Spring wildflowers in the Columbia River Gorge feel different than anywhere else in the Pacific Northwest. Instead of waiting for high alpine snow to melt, the Gorge wakes up early — sun-soaked hillsides bursting into color while much of the state is…
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Best Waterfall Hikes in the Columbia River Gorge (Oregon + Washington)
The Columbia River Gorge is one of the most waterfall-dense regions in the Pacific Northwest, with dozens of named waterfalls spilling over basalt cliffs on both the Oregon and Washington sides of the river. Fed by snowmelt, spring rain, and steep Cascade terrain, these Columbia River Gorge waterfalls range from…
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Spring in the Columbia River Gorge: Waterfalls, Wildflowers & Where to Stay
Spring is when the Columbia River Gorge comes alive—waterfalls roar, wildflowers blanket the hillsides, and cool evenings make hot springs and cozy basecamps especially appealing. It’s also the most misunderstood season—conditions change quickly, bloom timing varies by elevation, and popular hikes require planning. I’ve visited the Gorge many times across…
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Pack Rain Suits and Let Them Chase Waves: An Oregon Coast Road Trip
Last Updated: December 2025 | Reading Time: 14 minutes The forecast said rain for three days straight. We’d already booked the campervan. The kids were packed. So we went anyway. It rained the entire time—sideways, relentless, the kind of Pacific Northwest rain that laughs at your Gore-Tex. And my kids…
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White Pocket: What I Learned Hiring a Guide (and Why I’d DIY It Next Time)
White Pocket looks like another planet — swirling sandstone, brain rock formations, colors that shift every few minutes as the light changes. It’s one of the most photogenic places in the Southwest, and one of the most intimidating to reach. The road kept me from going for years. Seven miles…
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Complete Guide to Goblin Valley State Park: Utah’s Otherworldly Playground
Goblin Valley State Park is one of Utah’s most unique and underrated landscapes — thousands of mushroom-shaped hoodoos scattered across a broad desert basin. Unlike most parks, you’re free to wander anywhere here: climb, explore, and weave through the “goblins.” It’s a photographer’s dream, a kid’s fantasy world, and one…
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The Solo Trip That Started Because Nobody Could Come With Me
Last Updated: October 2025 | Reading Time: 20 minutes I’m standing at the edge of Grizzly Lake in the Yukon, alone, having just hiked 11 kilometers with everything I need for four days on my back. My family is fourteen hours and a barge crossing away. The tundra stretches out…
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Hiking PCT Section J Solo: 7 Days, 90 Miles, and Why Long Trails Are Different
If you’ve ever dreamed of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail but don’t have five months for a thru-hike, Section J in Washington is the perfect test piece. Stretching about 90 miles from Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass, it’s rugged, gorgeous, and packed with alpine lakes. I hiked Section J solo…
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North Cascades Fall Larch Season Itinerary: 3 Days Among Golden Needles
There’s something truly magical about hiking through alpine meadows glowing gold, with jagged mountain peaks rising all around you. That’s larch season in the North Cascades — and it’s absolutely worth planning a trip around. Whether you’ve been eyeing October on your calendar for months or you’re suddenly free for…
