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2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014

• Tuesday, January 28 ; Anza Borrego Badlands Route (Full Loop)

  I woke Thursday morning to temperatures hovering around freezing, cold as hell in Blair Valley. Struggling to gain the motivation to pack up my gear and begin heading out, I delayed as the sun rose. Within hours, I would be setting off on a planned nine day adventure to finally complete the Anza Borrego Badlands… Continue reading Information
  

• Thursday, November 28 ; Anza Borrego Badlands Route Part 2

  Following an 80 mile attempt at a long route through the badlands of Anza Borrego Desert State Park in March, I have continued working on lengthening that route. As I explored potential avenues, I created a long loop exploring the badlands. On Friday, November 22, I set out to attempt the new route, ultimately completing… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, October 23 ; Joshua Tree: California Riding and Hiking Trail Yo-Yo

  After a few months with family, I finally got back out on the trail this weekend. On Friday, October 18, I set off once again on the California Riding and Hiking Trail through Joshua Tree National Park. While I completed this same trail earlier this year, I decided to instead yo-yo it this time (i.e.… Continue reading Information
  
• Saturday, July 6 ; On The Future

  The future is always a funny thing for me. I enjoy making long term plans, and it is my rule to never give up on a dream. Yet I prefer the excitement of embracing the unknown. This has served me well as I embarked on this nomadic lifestyle over the last years. Yet I never… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, June 3 ; Rogue River Trail

  On June 1, I headed to Southwestern Oregon and hopped on to the Rogue River Trail. Having a nearby outfitter shuttle my car to the end the following day, I hiked the 39.5 mile trail between Grave Creek Boat Ramp and Foster Bar over the weekend.
  
• Sunday, May 26 ; California Riding and Hiking Trail (Joshua Tree National Park)

  In April, I went up to Joshua Tree National Park to hike the section of the California Riding and Hiking Trail that makes its way through the park. The trail totals about 35 miles per the mileage on my topo map. Really, a great short thru-hike that would serve great for those new to desert… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, March 28 ; Anza Borrego Badlands Route

  I have been staring out over the different badlands around Anza Borrego Desert State Park and Ocotillo Wells SVRA for years now. For the last few, a thought has been stirring endlessly in my mind: there must be a route through it all! Well, with some staring at maps and working on Google Earth, I… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, February 28 ; Trans-Catalina Trail

  On February 21, I hopped aboard a boat to Catalina, where I spent 4 days hiking the Trans-Catalina Trail. Officially, the TCT is a 38.5 mile trek across Catalina island. I began in Avalon and hiked to Two Harbors, before continuing on to Parsons Landing for one night and taking the boat back to the… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, January 28 ; Formally Introducing Mirja

  Alright. Alright. I traded in Tivona back in December, getting a new 2019 Subaru Ascent instead. It is time for me to formally do the whole introduction thing here on the blog. I got the Living Setup updated, and here is the introduction post. 😉
  
• Thursday, January 17 ; San Diego Trans-County Trail and Reflections (Jan 2019)

  On January 5th, I set off on another adventure on the San Diego Trans-County Trail. This time I did the hike solo, and tried to squeeze it in between a couple of storms. It was an amazing experience, and a wonderful opportunity for me to reflect on a challenging year now behind me.
  

• Monday, August 27 ; Eagle Cap Wilderness Backpacking Loop

  After finishing the Loowit Trail, I was tempted to take a month off of hiking altogether, but after a good week of rest, I decided to go on and do another hike! Unfortunately, so much smoke blew into Washington, I ended up retreating into Oregon. Fortunately, that ended up meaning doing a 37 mile loop… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, August 7 ; Loowit Trail (Mount St Helens)

  While doing research on hikes in the PNW further, I ran into the Loowit Trail, which circles all of the way around Mount St Helens. A couple of years ago, I visited this mountain for the first time and fell in love with it in a special way, so I was especially excited to see… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, August 1 ; Backpacking the Timberline Trail (Mt Hood, Oregon)

  After backpacking around the Three Sisters, I decided that I really hadn’t had enough and wanted to get out more. Knowing that the Timberline Trail went around Mt Hood and was close, I decided to look it up. At about 40 miles total, as a loop, it would make for a wonderful weekend trip. And… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, July 10 ; Three Sisters Loop Backpacking

  For July 4, I had a total of 5 days off to do what I wanted to do with, so I decided to find some good hiking in the area. I took those 5 days to hike the Three Sisters Loop, in the Three Sisters Wilderness, Oregon. The loop itself is some 45 miles or… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, July 1 ; That first half of 2018

  I obviously haven’t been keeping my blog up to date since some time in early February. Those who follow me on Facebook and Instagram are aware that this lack of blogging hasn’t been for lack of travels. Over the course of these last few months, I visited a few new sights in California and have… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, February 25 ; On How Backpacking Changes Me

  I recently made a post on social media about how backpacking has changed who I am in a subtle but notable way. Each time I go on a significant backpacking trip, some part of me is changed. My behavior, thinking, and even emotional makeup are changed. In saying this, I got a surprising amount of… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, February 8 ; Mt Wilson (Angeles National Forest) Loop Hike

  This weekend, I joined a group of friends hiking up Mt Wilson in Angeles National Forest. We started at Chantry Flats and did a full loop that came to over 14 miles and over 4000 ft of elevation gain.
  
• Wednesday, January 17 ; San Diego Trans County Trail and Existential Reflections

  On January 4th, I began hiking the San Diego Trans County Trail. It took me 12 total days, counting 2 “zeros” to complete a route that totaled about 170 miles of walking. While hiking, I also took the opportunity to  reflect on the last year of my life as my 30th birthday approaches on the… Continue reading Information
  

• Friday, October 27 ; Cactus to Clouds Hike (Attempt)

  This last weekend, I headed down to Palm Springs and made an attempt at hiking the Cactus to Clouds route. Starting in Palm Springs and climbing all of the way to the summit of San Jacinto peak, it is often cited as one of the most difficult day hikes in the country. It made for… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, October 17 ; White Mountain (14,252ft) Summit Hike

  This weekend, I decided to continue hanging out around Bishop and head up into the White Mountains once again. This time, however, I would do the hike to summit White Mountain, itself. At 14,252ft, it is the first ever “14’er” that I have hiked up.
  
• Friday, October 13 ; Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest and Hot Creek

  This weekend, I decided to play it somewhat easy and head up into the White Mountains to visit the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. I ended up doing about 5 and a half miles of hiking, checking out these amazing trees, some over 4000 years old, along with a good amount of fun driving. The following… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, October 2 ; Yosemite NP : Vogelsang Pass

  On Friday evening, I packed up and headed down to Mono Lake. Saturday morning, I woke up early and drove into Yosemite National Park, where I ended up hiking up to Vogelsang Pass and back in a day. It was a wonderful although difficult hike to cap off the summer.
  
• Wednesday, September 27 ; Lassen Volcanic NP : Lassen Peak, Cinder Cone

  With several weeks of hiking and backpacking over, I headed into Bend, OR to rest for a couple of weeks. But I couldn’t stay resting for too long, so I headed down to Northern California, and ended up at Lassen Volcanic National Park this weekend. I ended up hiking up Lassen Peak on Saturday and… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, September 7 ; Hells Canyon : Backpacking The Seven Devils Loop

  For Labor Day Weekend, I decided to head over to Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. Since visiting the area last year, doing a large hike has been on my list of things I’ve been wanting to do. With some research, I decided to do the Seven Devils Loop, looping around the Seven Devils Mountains on… Continue reading Information
  
• Friday, August 25 ; Sawtooth Wilderness : Eclipse Backpacking Sawtooth Lake, Baron Lakes, Cramer Lakes

  For “Eclipse Weekend”, I decided to spend 3 nights and 4 days out backpacking in the Sawtooth Wilderness. I planned out a large loop route that would give me a wonderful view of several sites throughout the wilderness, including a great view for the eclipse itself.
  
• Thursday, August 24 ; Sawtooth Wilderness : Alice-Toxaway Loop Hike

  On Last Friday (flashing back to August 11), I drove into Boise for some hiking supplies, with the plan to return to Stanley and go on a long day hike Saturday. Unfortunately, Tivona ended up having problems and I ended up stuck in Boise until Sunday morning. Nonetheless, I drove the loaner car the dealership… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, August 8 ; Hyndman Saddle Hike

  On Saturday, I woke up early and headed to the trailhead, intending to hike up to Hyndman Peak, the high point of Central Idaho’s Pioneer Mountains. The overall hike ended up being a difficult one, with more constant beauty than I had expected. It has easily become one of my favorite hikes of the year… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, August 1 ; Sun Valley Boondocking, Pioneer Cabin Hike

  Originally I intended to spend a weekend in Yellowstone doing some hiking, but as I had to go find usable internet reception on Friday for work, I gave up and headed to Central Idaho. I found a lovely boondocking site in Sun Valley, allowing 16 days stay. On Sunday, I ended up also going on… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, July 27 ; Moving on to Idaho (Red Rock Pass)

  Through all of the hiking and adventure in Colorado, I finally decided I had enough of it and moved on this past weekend. With one night at Rabbit Ears Pass outside of Steamboat Springs, I spent Saturday traveling through Wyoming to Grand Teton. After dealing with some unexpected car troubles, on Monday, I finally made… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, July 19 ; Rocky Mountain NP : Mount Ida Hike

  This last weekend, I returned to Rocky Mountain National Park once again to hike to the summit of Mount Ida. Starting at Milner Pass Trailhead, the path quickly climbs above treeline before disappearing in the alpine tundra and rock fields leading to the summit. It proved to be a beautiful hike, and perhaps my favorite… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, July 4 ; Rocky Mountain NP : Nokoni Lake Hike

  Over the last week, I was looking at several different hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. I ended up deciding that trying to do the about 21 mile hike to Lake Nokoni and Lake Nanita sounded amazing. On Saturday, I set out on the hike, finding my way to Lake Nokoni and partaking in quite… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, June 29 ; Rocky Mountain National Park

  This last weekend, I didn’t really have any plans. I started out driving over Independence Pass on Friday but finished back in Leadville for the night. Saturday, I made my way up to Rocky Mountain National Park, where I took Sunday to do one large hike in the Bear Lake region of the park.
  
• Tuesday, June 13 ; Million Dollar Highway to Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP

  This weekend, I decided to leave my spot near Cortez and head further North. I drove back to Durango and headed up US 550. I found a campsite near the Potato Lake Trailhead, where I stopped to hike to Potato Lake before crossing the Million Dollar Highway on Saturday. Visiting the south rim of Black… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, June 7 ; Mesa Verde, Yucca House, Canyons of the Ancients, and Hovenweep

  This weekend, I headed to the Cortez area of Southwest Colorado for some adventure. I spent a couple of days experiencing Mesa Verde National Park, including staying one night in the park and going on the three guided tours. On Sunday, I headed to the Four Corners Monument, and also visited Yucca House National Monument,… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, June 1 ; Petroglyph and Chimney Rock National Monuments

  This past weekend, I took the long weekend to take on some adventure. I got a hotel room in Albuquerque for a couple of nights, taking the opportunity to visit Petroglyph National Monument. From there, I then moved up into Colorado. Stopping at Chimney Rock National Monument on the way, I found a wonderful boondocking… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, May 22 ; Rio Grande del Norte National Monument : Wild Rivers, River Trail Loop

  On Saturday, I returned back to the Wild Rivers area of Rio Grande del Norte National Monument with plans to do the best hike I could. I did a large loop, including the entirety of the River Trail.
  
• Wednesday, May 17 ; Rio Grande del Norte National Monument

  On Sunday, I decided to head out for some adventure in Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. A little over a drive from my campsite to get to the National Monument later, I found myself spending all day exploring and thinking of future adventures to have within.
  
• Friday, May 12 ; Public Comment on National Monuments Review

  A recent executive order signed by President Trump orders Secretary Zinke to review a significant series of National Monuments declared by prior presidents over the last 20 years.Public comments are now being accepted at https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=DOI-2017-0002-0001 I have decided to make my comments public here, and I encourage all US Citizens to consider submitting their own comments (please… Continue reading Information
• Wednesday, May 10 ; Bandelier and Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monuments, Valles Caldera National Preserve, and Manhattan Project NHP

  This last weekend, I finally headed out to visit some of the national parks around the Los Alamos area. On Saturday, I went to Bandelier National Monument and then drove up to Valles Caldera National Preserve, doing some light hiking at both. Not finished quite yet, I drove back into Los Alamos and visited the… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, May 1 ; El Malpais and El Morro National Monuments

  Time to catch up on the blog! After hanging out just outside of El Malpais National Monument for a week, I spent last weekend exploring El Malpais itself and also El Morro National Monument before heading up to Los Alamos. The next week brought snow and cold in the mountains, so I didn’t get out… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, April 24 ; Navajo and Canyon de Chelly National Monuments

  It seems that I forgot to update my blog after last weekend, so here we go! I decided to go ahead and move on from Flagstaff on Friday, although I wasn’t entirely sure of what I wanted to do. After finding the North Rim of the Grand Canyon was still closed for the season, I… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, April 13 ; Flagstaff National Monuments: Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater Volcano, Wupatki

  This last weekend, I left my campsite at McHood Park and headed into Flagstaff. I spent a day exploring the three national monuments just outside of the city before spending a night in a hotel in town. Finally, just outside of Walnut Canyon National Monument, within Cococino National Forest, I found a wonderful campsite which… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, April 3 ; Boycott Utah

  I have been struggling with the idea of whether or not to go to Utah, more-or-less all of 2017 so far. Utah is a state that I love. The opportunities in that state are nearly unrivaled; they even have what I consider to be probably the most underrated hike in the entire national park system… Continue reading Information
  
• Saturday, April 1 ; Petrified Forest NP : Onyx Bridge

  This morning, I headed into Petrified Forest National Park once more. I ended up hiking the “off the beaten path” adventure to Onyx Bridge from the Painted Desert Inn, before driving south to see Agate Bridge as well; the latter being immediately off of the road.
  
• Wednesday, March 29 ; Petrified Forest NP : Devils Playground

  Today, I had the pleasure of securing a permit to go hike around Devils Playground in Petrified Forest National Park.
  
• Tuesday, March 28 ; Goldstrike Canyon, Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest NP

  After a week at Lake Mead and finally getting all of my car registration stuff done in Vegas, I was more than ready to leave and head to better adventures somewhere else. As I was preparing to head out, a friend hit me up and invited me on a backpacking trip in Goldstrike Canyon, just… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, March 21 ; Amboy Crater Super Bloom Instameet

  Time to catch back up on the blog! After my weekend backpacking in Joshua Tree, I stayed in the area for my sister’s wedding nearby the following weekend, before spending the next week in LA. Alas, time came to hit the road again, and I kicked it off with an official Instameet put on by… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, March 7 ; Joshua Tree Camping and Backpacking at Black Rock

  On Friday afternoon, I packed up from Arizona and headed towards Joshua Tree with plans to spend a couple of weeks in the general area. After one night at a free spot on the South end of the park, I drove to the Black Rock area on Saturday and did a single overnight backpacking trip… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, February 27 ; North Maricopa Mountains (Sonoran Desert NM), Apache Trail

  With one more whole weekend to spend in the Phoenix area, I decided to visit Sonoran Desert National Monument for a hike in the North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness on Saturday. Feeling quite hiked out after an 11.6 mile hike, I then took Sunday to drive the Apache Trail (Arizona State Route 88) through the Superstition… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, February 21 ; Motezuma Well and Bradshaw Mountain Adventures

  Although I already went to Montezuma Castle, I realized that I skipped past Montezuma Well, so I decided to go see that on Friday, and also ended up taking a brief drive through the Red Rock Scenic Byway. However, as a heavier rainy storm came through, I didn’t get to do much else with my… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, February 13 ; Montezuma Castle, Tuzigoot, and Agua Fria National Monuments

  On Friday, I decided to head north from my camp in Tonto National Forest to visit a few more national monuments. I ended up seeing all of Montezuma Castle, Tuzigoot, and Agua Fria National Monuments, and found a wonderful, free campsite in Agua Fria.
  
• Monday, February 6 ; Casa Grande Ruins and Tonto National Monuments, Tonto National Forest Boondocking

  On Friday, I decided to leave the camp at Gilbert Ray outside of Tucson and head north into the Phoenix area. On the way, I stopped to enjoy Casa Grande Ruins National Monument before finding a boondocking site in Tonto National Forest. On Saturday, I also took some time to drive to Tonto National Monument,… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, January 30 ; To Tucson: Las Cienegas NCA, Saguaro National Park, Gilbert Ray Camp

  On Friday, I decided to leave my camp at Gunsight Wash and head into the Tucson area. After one freezing cold night in the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, I went on to visit both halves of Saguaro National Park and settle on a paid campsite at Gilbert Ray Campground in Tucson Mountain Park.
  
• Tuesday, January 24 ; Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and Gunsight Wash

  Although I had only spent about half a week in Kofa, I decided to take a break from recent rains over the weekend to go checkout Southwest Arizona’s Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. It turned into a surprisingly beautiful adventure! I also found a new boondocking campsite nearby for the week, at Gunsight Wash.
  
• Thursday, January 19 ; Through Imperial Dunes to Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

  As Wednesday was my birthday, I decided to take the day to leave San Diego. As I went, I crossed through the Imperial Dunes area again, being a spot that I previously enjoyed traveling through. I finally ended up at Kofa National Wildlife Refuge south of Quartzsite, Arizona.
  
• Monday, January 16 ; Garnet Peak and Reflecting on a New Year

  With the holidays over, and 2016 having given way to a new year, I begin looking forward to my birthday on the 18th. Using the time for reflection and thinking ahead, I decided to visit Garnet Peak in Cleveland National Forest East of San Diego. With a short, brief hike, I arrived at the summit… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, January 9 ; Obsidian Butte, Salton Sea

  On Saturday, I met up with some friends in San Diego and went out to another adventure at the South End of the Salton Sea. We ended up spending all afternoon, into the evening, exploring only one of the active volcanoes, Obsidian Butte, and the nearby shores of the giant lake.
  

• Monday, December 19 ; Cabrillo National Monument

  On Saturday, I decided to head to the Cabrillo National Monument, on the south end of Point Loma in San Diego. Even though I lived in San Diego for many years, I never ended up finding my way down to the national monument, so I was excited to take the time to do so, finally.
  
• Tuesday, December 6 ; Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR and Southern California’s Only Active Volcanoes

  While in Southern California for the season, I decided to do a run over to the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge. I had recently discovered that a small series of active volcanoes–the Salton Buttes–were located within and nearby the wildlife refuge, and this became a goal of this adventure.
  
• Monday, November 28 ; To San Diego: Peak 3339, Gasp Benchmark, Groan Benchmark, Rozzie Mountain

  A couple of weeks ago, on Wednesday, I decided to leave my campsite outside of Zion and head back to San Diego. I spent the majority of the time with family and friends, running out to McCain Valley Recreation Area and Carrizo Gorge Wilderness to hike to Peak 3339, Gasp Benchmark, Groan Benchmark, and Rozzie… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, November 15 ; Zion NP: Kolob Arch and Deertrap Mountain

  While continuing to hang out nearby Zion National Park another week, I decided to spend my weekend doing a good amount of solid hiking. Saturday morning, I woke early and headed out to the Kolob Canyons to do the 14 mile trek to Kolob Arch and back. Sunday, I then did the 20.6 mile trek… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, November 7 ; Zion Canyon Weekend: Emerald Pools, Angels Landing, Hidden Canyon, Observation Point

  Friday afternoon, I decided that I had had enough of the cold around Bryce Canyon and headed down to St George and Zion National Park. Over the course of Saturday and Sunday, I visited the park, hiking to the Emerald Pools, Angels Landing, the arch at the end of Hidden Canyon, and Observation Point.
  
• Wednesday, November 2 ; Utah: Natural Bridges NM, Capital Reef NP, Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, Bryce Canyon

  On Friday, I decided that I had enough with Moab and moved on. Over the course of the weekend, I ended up visiting National Bridges National Monument, the proposed Bears Ears National Monument, Glenn Canyon National Recreation Area, Capital Reef National Park, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and Bryce Canyon National Park. I finally found a… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, October 24 ; Weekend at Moab : Canyonlands NP : Needles District, Druid Arch, The Joint, Chesler Park

  After arriving at Hamburger Rock Campground Saturday night, I headed to the Elephant Hill Trailhead early Sunday morning, set out to hike to Druid Arch. I had actually not received any particularly compelling reason to hike this particular route, but I enjoyed it so much that I ended up also including most of the Chesler… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, October 24 ; Weekend at Moab : Arches NP, Devils Garden

  Friday afternoon, I decided to pack up and head back to Moab for a weekend of hiking and fun. Staying a night at the familiar Willow Springs Road that night, I woke early and headed into Arches National Park to do the Devils Garden Primitive Loop hike. Once complete, I headed to the Needles District… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, October 16 ; Colorado National Monument

  Friday afternoon, I decided to make my first ever visit to Colorado National Monument. I was surprised by how much I grew to love it, simply driving through and going on a few small hikes. I returned Saturday afternoon to hike into Monument Canyon, getting a more solitary, up-close experience with the national monument.
  
• Tuesday, October 11 ; Loneliest Highway in America: From Nevada to Grand Junction

  On Friday, I decided to leave my campsite outside of Winnemucca, NV. I wanted to spend the weekend again exploring the Loneliest Highway In America: Nevada’s section of US-50. I didn’t make any actual plans, choosing only to hit the road and see where it took me. Seeing artifacts of the old Pony Express and… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, October 3 ; Malheur Refuge, Steens Mountain, Sheldon Refuge, and Winnemucca’s Water Canyon

  On Friday, I left my campsite outside of Bend, OR, and I headed to Southeast Oregon. I found myself driving through the recently newsworthy Malheur National Wildlife Refuge before finding a campsite at the Western base of Steens Mountain. I woke up in the morning Saturday to explore the mountain and then head down to Sheldon… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, September 25 ; Hanford Reach, John Day Fossil Beds, and Newberry Volcanic

  After boondocking in Snoqualmie Pass and visiting Seattle, I ended up deciding to move to just outside of Hanford Reach National Monument. I spent a good week and a half there before moving on to visit John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, which I absolutely fell in love with spending the day there. However, as there… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, September 7 ; Snoqualmie Pass Boondocking

  On Tuesday, I woke up in my hotel room in Walla Walla, and set off to the local tire shop. After getting the tire repaired, I set off to a campsite for the week, finally ending up on the Western side of Snoqualmie Pass, at a free boondocking spot in the National Forest.
  
• Monday, September 5 ; Hells Canyon Adventure

  On Friday, I set off from my spot at Hayspur Fish Hatchery, headed West towards Oregon. I spent one night on the Snake River outside of Huntington, Oregon, before spending all of Saturday exploring Hells Canyon. Saturday night, I camped on the West Rim of the canyon before heading towards Washington on Sunday. Due to… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, August 29 ; Craters of the Moon Hikes: Indian Tunnel, North Crater Trail, Wilderness/Broken Top Trail

  I decided to spend this weekend hitting up some of Craters of the Moon, since it was so close. I ended up exploring Indian Tunnel and then hiked the North Crater Trail on Saturday. On Sunday, I returned to hike the Wilderness Trail and the Broken Top Loop trail together.
  
• Sunday, August 21 ; Wildfire, Hells Canyon, and Hayspur Fish Hatchery

  Late Wednesday night, a wildfire started up on the mountains above my campsite at Shorts Bar. I had fun watching the fire burn, but as the smoke continued making my stay uncomfortable, I set out Friday afternoon to find some new camping. I ended up checking out a good portion of the Idaho side of… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, August 15 ; Into the Idaho Panhandle: Coeur d’Alene and the Salmon River

  On Friday, I finally decided that it was time to move on out of Montana for the year. I have been eyeing Idaho, wanting to get in and explore it more than I did last year, when I really did barely any more than just driving through. Already, I’ve been having a lovely stay and… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, August 8 ; Blacktail Mountain Boondocking

  After my hike in Two Medicine, I stayed for a time at Cut Bank Campground again, before finally saying goodbye to the national parks for a while. I didn’t move too far, though! After Sunday night on the Middle Fork Flathead River again, I moved over to the Blacktail Mountain area for some quiet solitude… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, August 2 ; Glacier NP : Dawson Pass – Pitamakan Pass Loop Hike

  After my recent hike in Grand Teton, I again looked up another hike I wanted to do in Glacier: the Dawson Pass, Pitamakan Pass Loop. The trails finally were declared clear and snow free, and with the wildfires near Grand Teton becoming a difficulty, it was time to go tackle that hike! And another amazing hike… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, July 25 ; Grand Teton NP : Paintbrush-Cascade Loop

  Since leaving Grand Teton National Park, I have had one hike on my mind. So, Friday, I decided to take off, headed back towards the Tetons. After a stay north of Yellowstone Friday night, I got into Grand Teton on Saturday and did the hike up Paintbrush Canyon, over the Paintbrush Divide, and down Cascade… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, July 21 ; Glacier NP : Triple Divide Pass, via Cut Bank

  I ended up having the day available to take off of work on Wednesday, so I decided to go ahead and go on another hike in Glacier! The park was packed on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, and I ended up just deciding to head off to Triple Divide Pass over the course of the afternoon. It… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, July 18 ; Glacier NP : Gunsight Lake and Florence Falls

  After a day of short hikes in poor weather on Saturday, I woke up to a lovely–although cold–morning on Sunday. I knew the forecast had some chance for showers, but the skies were clear blue. I quickly headed to the Gunsight Trailhead and started on a long hike–would turn out to be almost 16 miles–hoping… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, July 18 ; Glacier NP : Hidden Lake Overlook, St Mary Falls, and Viriginia Falls

  I woke up in camp on Saturday morning and decided to head into Glacier for some hiking. The weather generally sucked, so I decided to do a couple of smaller hikes that had cool things the weather wouldn’t obstruct. I ended up hiking to the Hidden Lake Overlook from Logan Pass, and then followed that… Continue reading Information
  
• Friday, July 15 ; Cut Bank Campground

  On Thursday, I decided to head out of camping on the Middle Fork Flathead River. I had technically overstayed my welcome by one day already, and I didn’t want to tempt the Rangers there to yell at me. Eyeing several hikes this weekend on the East side of Glacier, I headed to Cut Bank Campground.
  
• Tuesday, July 12 ; Glacier National Park and Middle Fork Flathead River Camp

  On Friday, after finishing my work for the day, I decided to head out of Yellowstone country, on a vague path towards Glacier National Park. After a stop in Bozeman, MT, I ended up doing the full drive to Glacier, where I’ve been hanging out since, largely at a lovely campsite right on the Middle… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, July 7 ; Paradise Fishing Access Camp

  After a long July 4th weekend, I woke up in Upper Teton View to try and work Tuesday. Unfortunately, that didn’t prove to work too well. I ended up heading back up Carbella Recreation Site that day, and then moved further North on Wednesday to Paradise Fishing Access site, operated by the Montana Department of… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, July 7 ; Grand Teton National Park : Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes

  With a 4 day weekend, I still had July 4th, itself, to play with. I had originally thought of spending 3 days in Yellowstone National Park, but after driving around it so long, I opted to spend the day hiking in Grand Teton National Park instead. Following the advice of a Park Ranger, I did… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, July 7 ; Yellowstone National Park (East Drive)

  Waking up Sunday morning, I had decided that I was going to drive on the Eastern Side of Yellowstone National Park this time. I ended up driving the majority of what I had missed on Friday, taking in a great deal of sites. I then settled in to boondocking with a view of the Tetons.
  
• Thursday, July 7 ; Grand Teton National Park, Drive and Inspiration Point

  Waking up Saturday morning at camp in Headwaters Lodge & Cabins at Flagg Ranch, I set out early again. This time, I traveled further south, visiting Grand Teton National Park. I did a loop drive around the park, stopping to hike to Inspiration Point along the way, before arriving back at camp in the afternoon.
  
• Thursday, July 7 ; Yellowstone National Park (West Drive)

  I discovered that I had the day off of work on Friday, so I decided to spend the day visiting Yellowstone National Park. I ended up only getting through the western half of the park, before pulling out and finding a campsite in the John D Rockefeller Jr Memorial Parkway.
  
• Wednesday, June 29 ; My Rules: 15. It Is Always Better To Give Things Up

  “I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb nail.” – Henry David Thoreau “Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, June 27 ; Carbella Recreation Area

  Last night at Itch-Kep-Pe Park was a bit loud and noisy for my taste. The park was busy, and early in the night, there was a lot going on with cops and ambulance going through camp. I ended up using  ear plugs to sleep better, and so I decided to take off after breakfast and… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, June 26 ; Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Entering Montana

  On Friday, I left the Hankinson Hills area and headed West. I ended up getting a hotel room for 2 nights, giving me one full day to explore and enjoy Theodore Roosevelt National Park. What a wonderful place! Unfortunately, I was ready to say goodbye to North Dakota for this year, so I continued onward… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, June 23 ; Hiking the Hankinson Hills Trail

  Yesterday afternoon, I decided to take off down the Hankinson Hills Trail. It is an 8 miles loop that passes right by the campground I have been staying at. Passing through long grass prairie and woodlands, it’s an enjoyable hike. With some wrong turns, I even got to see some of the sand dunes, and… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, June 20 ; Visiting Family and into North Dakota’s Sheyenne National Grassland

  It has been a while since I updated the blog now, as I spent a lot of time bouncing around with family. From Badlands NP, I headed further East to visit with family in South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. A couple weeks of that, and I headed back out on my own. I scoped out… Continue reading Information
  
• Friday, June 17 ; Updated Living Setup

  I updated the Living Setup page on the blog! Check it out for details on how I live this lifestyle, living full time out of a Subaru Outback.
  
• Tuesday, May 31 ; To South Dakota: Through Wyoming, Devils Tower, and Badlands National Park

  After 2 weeks in Idaho, I finally reached the time to start heading East again. With it being Memorial Day Weekend, I had a whole extra day of travels, so I took my time traversing Wyoming. Discovering wonderful free camping. Crossing the Continental Divide. Stopping at Independence Rock. Camping and getting drunk with locals on… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, May 24 ; My Rules: 14. Leave No Trace

  “Once destroyed, nature’s beauty cannot be purchased at any price.” – Ansel Adams “Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread. A civilization which destroys what little remains of the wild, the spare, the original, is cutting itself off from… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, May 16 ; Things Going Wrong, Ending Up In Idaho

  I ended up with one hell of a crazy weekend! Everything from a broken camp stove to a flat tire, I ended up traveling the remainder of US-395 and the majority of the Nevada section of The Loneliest Road in the US, US-50. Stopping at multiple sites along US-50, including Great Basin National Park, I… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, May 11 ; My Rules: 13. Never Give Up On A Dream

  “Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” – Henry David Thoreau This is one… Continue reading Information
  
• Saturday, May 7 ; Death Valley and Owens Valley

  Yesterday, after finishing my work for the day, I decided to go grocery shopping and then bail out of the general Las Vegas area. I ended up driving through Death Valley to get to Owens Valley. After one night stay at the magnificent Alabama Hills, I headed north towards Bishop to stay at the Volcanic… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, May 4 ; My Rules: 12. Embrace the Unknown

  “People don’t want their lives fixed. Nobody wants their problems solved. Their dramas. Their distractions. Their stories resolved. Their messes cleaned up. Because what would they have left? Just the big scary unknown.” – Chuck Palahniuk “Do one thing every day that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt There is this common thing I hear some… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, May 2 ; An Adventurous Day on the Road

  Yesterday morning, I left Blair Valley without any real plan of where to go. I just packed up and hit the road. I explored some areas around Joshua Tree National Park before deciding to head north, eventually ending up at Lake Mead once again.
  
• Saturday, April 30 ; Inaja Memorial and Blair Valley

  I bailed Trona Pinnacles at the end of last weekend, heading back to San Diego to finish off the last things to do there. Picking up my mail and appropriately setting up mail forwarding to the new address, I hung out for a week, and am slowly heading my way out elsewhere.
  
• Saturday, April 23 ; Nevada Residency and Trona Pinnacles

  Yesterday, I drove into Henderson, NV to finally make my Nevada residency official! It took most of the day, but it’s all done, finally. Then, I headed out of Nevada to go find a campsite at the wonderful Trona Pinnacles.
  
• Thursday, April 21 ; My Rules: 11. Always Maintain an Adventure Mindset

  “Funneling the intense energy of insanity and uniting it with the sound coolness of rational decision making creates a potent force in emergency scenarios. Condensing this potency can best be summed up in one simple statement: the clarion call ‘Party On!'” – Cody Lundin “If you are scared, you will die.” – Richard Van Pham… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, April 18 ; 8 Mile Road

  Sometimes, a campsite just kinda sucks for me. It can be one that seems great, has great reviews, etc. For whatever reason, it just sucks for me. This was Government Wash for me this weekend. Last night, an LEO came and told me that the spot I had setup in was apparently not acceptable for some reason.… Continue reading Information
  
• Saturday, April 16 ; Government Wash Lake Mead

  Yesterday, I decided that I had enough of Telephone Cove. After finishing my work for the day, I packed up and headed North again. I made my way up to Hoover Dam, which was quite an enjoyable experience on its own. From there, it was a rather short drive up to Government Wash, a large… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, April 11 ; Leaving San Diego: Amboy Crater and Telephone Cove

  The time has finally come. I’m headed out of San Diego for however long it takes. I left yesterday morning, taking a scenic drive through San Diego’s desert, and continued on through scenic desert driving all day. I visited the Painted Canyons, Box Canyon, and Joshua Tree National Park before finally arriving at Amboy Crater. After… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, April 4 ; My Rules: 10. No Rule is Absolute

  “Nature provides exceptions to every rule.”  – Margaret Fuller “FREEDOM!” – ‘William Wallace’ This rule is really at the heart of this entire philosophical and spiritual bullshit that is my rules. All of my rules are useless without this one. In one simple line, it describes the freedom that all of my rules are actually about,… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, April 3 ; Unnamed Peak with an American Flag? Hike!

  I have been staring at this one mountain peak for the last week, thinking about climbing it. There was a clear use trail going up at least part of the way, although finding out how to get there would be a little rough. No worries: I went on ahead to tackle it!
  
• Saturday, April 2 ; Hiking up Pine Valley Creek

  After a recent walk up Miners Road, I was curious to continue heading up, following Pine Valley Creek north. On one topographic map, I also so an old gold mine marked out, making me quite curious. Today, I hiked up on the road and beyond for a total of 6.6 miles and about 1750ft of… Continue reading Information
  
• Friday, April 1 ; Gettin’ Caught Breakin’ The Law

  Today, I was hanging out in camp when a law enforcement officer with the USFS showed up and chatted with me for a bit. I haven’t had a permit while staying here, and that is required. Caught! Ooops!
  
• Wednesday, March 30 ; My Rules: 9. Always Listen Actively

  “Listening is being able to be changed by the other person.” – Alan Alda “If for a moment you are inclined to regard these taluses as mere draggled, chaotic dumps, climb to the top of one of them, and run down without any haggling, puttering hesitation, boldly jumping from boulder to boulder with even speed.… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, March 29 ; An Evening Walk Around Pine Valley Creek

  As I’m camping around the Noble Canyon and Pine Valley Creek area, I decided to head up a nearby dirt forest road and see what was up that way. It looked cool from the campsite, but I fell in love with the area upon exploring the area more!
  
• Monday, March 28 ; Noble Canyon: Hike and Camp

  On Saturday, I decided to head to the southern end of the Noble Canyon National Recreation Trail. I ended up hiking about 6 miles up on the trail, before turning back for a total of 12 miles round trip. It was a lovely hike! Afterwards, I found a nearby campsite and set up my home… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, March 23 ; My Rules: 8. Always be a Survivor, Never a Victim

  “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” – Viktor E Frankl “Extraordinary people survive under the most terrible circumstances and they become more extraordinary because of it.” – Robertson Davies This rule: this rule… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, March 20 ; Hiking Big Laguna and Noble Canyon

  Yesterday, I headed back up to the Mount Laguna area for some more boondocking. While here for the weekend, I decided to also do some hiking. The campsite I chose, specifically, is right next to a crossing of the Noble Canyon trail, near where it intersects the Big Laguna trail. I opted to spend this… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, March 9 ; My Rules: 7. Be Radically Self-Reliant

  “Insist on yourself; never imitate. Your own gift you can present every moment with the cumulative force of a whole life’s cultivation; but of the adopted talent of another you have only an extemporaneous half possession. That which each can do best, none but his Maker can teach him.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson “Don’t compromise… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, February 23 ; My Rules: 6. Never Stop Changing

  “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” – Winston Churchill “If you want to be a new man you have to stay in new places, and do new things, with people who never knew you before. If you go back to the same old ways, what else can you be… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, February 22 ; Pine Creek Road Boondocking and Other News

  While camping up on Big Black Mountain, I ended up running out of water and so had to head on down to refill my water jug. While already down the mountain, I then decided to head over towards the Mount Laguna area of Cleveland National Forest and check out some alternative boondocking locations there. I… Continue reading Information
  
• Friday, February 19 ; Boondocking up Big Black Mountain Again!

  This week, I headed back up Big Black Mountain in San Diego. I’ve stayed here a couple of times before, and it’s always an amazing treat. I absolutely love the spot, and I’m spending a couple of weeks up here this time. Between the adventure of a drive getting up and the amazing sunsets, the… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, February 10 ; My Rules: 5. Laugh At Yourself

  “You grow up the day you have the first real laugh at yourself.” – Ethel Barrymore “Laugh at yourself, but don’t ever aim your doubt at yourself. Be bold. When you embark for strange places, don’t leave any of yourself safely on shore. Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory.” – Alan Alda What’s… Continue reading Information
  
• Saturday, February 6 ; Hiking Sombrero Peak

  Today, I decided to go on a shorter, easier hike, making my way to the summit of Sombrero Peak. I’ve been staring at this particular peak for months, so it was wonderful to finally climb it. I even got to experience some snow up on this mountain, again.
  
• Wednesday, February 3 ; Avoiding the Sand Men and Ghost Lights: Hike to Goat Canyon Trestle, Puff Benchmark, and Jacumba Mountain

  Today, I decided to go on a hike to Goat Canyon Trestle and Puff Benchmark. While up on Puff Benchmark, I made the sudden decision to also shoot for Jacumba Mountain. Overall, the whole day was absolutely amazing, and I was very happy with my decision. The combinations of views was absolutely breathtaking!
  
• Thursday, January 28 ; Comprehensive Update on Car Setup

  A lot has changed since I went into details about the setup inside of my car on my blog, so I wanted to go ahead and provide a comprehensive update, describing how everything is these days!
  
• Friday, January 22 ; My Rules: 4. Always Expect The Worst And Always Hope For The Best

  “I’m beginning to think that to hope isn’t the same as to expect something. To hope is to believe that life is an acceptable chaos.” – Goenawan Mohamad “I smile at every circumstance that comes my way because I don’t expected life to be an easy journey.” – Edmond Mbiaka Murphy’s Law states that anything… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, January 19 ; What Am I Doing With My Life?!

  With the new year, and my birthday now through, it’s time for a little rambling about reflections and my plans for the future. The last year has been a crazy one, and the next year is promising to be interesting, if much slower than the last. I’ve got all kinds of thoughts and plans, and… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, January 19 ; Birthday Hike! Indian Hill and Moan Benchmark

  Today, for my birthday, I decided to go on a hike, traversing another section of the larger hike that I failed to accomplish earlier this weekend. Specifically, I decided to tackle Indian Hill and Moan Benchmark, both within the Jacumba Mountains.
  
• Saturday, January 16 ; Big Updates, and Piedras Grandes Mountain

  I realize that I have not update my blog in a while! Well, after hanging out with some amazing folks outside of Borrego Springs, I eventually found my way back to the Carrizo Badlands Overlook. It’s an amazing spot that I just can’t get over! Besides, I have more hiking to do here! Today, I… Continue reading Information
  

• Thursday, December 31 ; Hiking San Diego’s Coyote Mountain

  Since coming over to boondocking near Borrego Springs, I have been staring at Coyote Mountain with dreams of hiking it. For me, of course, it doesn’t take long for me to cave to these thoughts, and yesterday, I went on that hike! At 11.65 miles with steep bushwhacking and scrambling, it’s a difficult hike, but… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, December 29 ; My Rules: 3. There is a Time and Place for Everything

  “There is a time for everything, … a time to kill and a time to heal, … a time to weep and a time to laugh, … a time to search and a time to give up, … a time to love and a time to hate” – King Solomon of Israel This is one… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, December 28 ; Boondocking near Borrego Springs

  After stopping along the San Diego coast for Christmas week with the family, it is time to head back out to some boondocking for a bit. I’ve spent the majority of the last couple of months at one spot. I love that spot, but it was time to try something new, and maybe a little… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, December 15 ; My Rules: 2. Seek The Beauty In Everything

  “Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson “If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; blame yourself, tell yourself that you are not poet enough to call forth its riches; for to the creator there is… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, December 14 ; Hiking San Diego’s Red Hill, Mount Tule, and Carrizo Overlook

  Yesterday, I decided to spend the morning and afternoon exploring on some hikes around Southeast San Diego. I returned to the Alverson Lava Flows nearby, with the goal of reaching the summit of Red Hill–the high point of the Volcanic Hills mountain range. Once completed with this, I also drove out to the McCain Valley Recreation Area,… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, December 9 ; Hiking Mine Peak of the Coyote Mountains

  Throughout the time that I have been staying on-and-off at the Carrizo Badlands Overlook in San Diego, I have been staring intently at the Coyote Mountains. After hiking down into Canyon Sin Nombre yesterday, I decided to go ahead and hike to the summit of these mountains at Mine Peak.
  
• Monday, December 7 ; My Rules : 1. Right Now Is More Important

  For the meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day and from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general but rather the specific meaning of a person’s life at a given moment. – Viktor E Frankl The heart of this rule is to always… Continue reading Information
• Sunday, December 6 ; Hike in San Diego’s Carrizo Badlands and Canyon Sin Nombre

  Such an awesome hike today! I dropped fro Carrizo Badlands Overlook in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, into the Badlands themselves. Traversing a system of washes through the difficult land, I made my way into Canyon Sin Nombre. Dwarfed by canyon walls and ancient Lava flows, I made my way, finding a slot canyon on… Continue reading Information
  
• Saturday, December 5 ; Quitting Smoking and Thanksgiving in Joshua Tree

  My time around San Diego has mostly been continuing, leaving me without too much to post about on my blog. Dealing with dentist appointments and the usual of enjoying this location has been the majority of recent times, really. I also had the pleasure of spending Thanksgiving weekend around Joshua Tree with family, before returning to… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, November 8 ; Introduction to My Rules

  I have written down all of My Rules on my blog already, and now I want to kick off a “series” of blog posts about them! This is just an introduction–a general overview–today. As I continue, I will be making a singular post for each rule, delving into them quite a good bit.
• Saturday, November 7 ; San Diego Sunrise and Badlands

  Since my last update here, things went briefly downhill. I ended up leaving the wonderful boondocking spot I had in order to take care of some emergency issues. However, I was still determined to get back up there and get back out!
  
• Monday, October 26 ; Back to the Boondocking — Mt Laguna

  I spent the last few weeks in San Diego, hanging out with friends and family. Alas, it is time to get back out to the boondocking!
  
• Monday, October 5 ; A Farewell to Arches and a Grand Way to San Diego

  While staying outside of Moab, I made one more adventure into Arches National Park before heading out towards San Diego again. I didn’t get to see all of Arches or Canyonlands, but that just gives me more reason to return again some day! On the way, I stopped at the Grand Canyon North Rim, and… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, September 27 ; An Island in the Sky… With an Impact Crater!

  Today, I decided to head out to visit the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park. The canyons were all stunning, and as an added bonus, I went and hiked some of the trail around the impact crater, Upheaval Dome–formed during the Jurassic period (or sooner) by a large meteorite. Quite amazing! I… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, September 27 ; A Delicate Morning

  Yesterday, I decided to wake up a bit before sunrise and head on out to Arches National Park. It was a beautiful morning exploring the southern half of the park before I decided to leave as the crowds began to grow ever thicker and more difficult to deal with. I finished the adventure at Delicate… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, September 24 ; Hike to Balanced Rock

  Wednesday afternoon, I decided to try out taking a hike down Willow Springs Road, into Arches National Park. I ended up hiking a total of 14 miles, making it to the Balanced Rock Viewpoint. I saw a few arches from a distance while I was out as well, and generally enjoyed the scenic hike. Continue… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, September 21 ; Unplanned Beauty and Return to the Beast

  As my allowed time at Rocky Lake came to an end uneventfully, I set off with plans to make it into Idaho for the next week. As the weekend unfolded, plans got changed quite drastically, and I found myself returning to Willow Springs, where I had quite the adventure back in June. However, it would… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, September 13 ; Ending a Chapter and a Terrifying Start to a New Chapter

  The time finally came to finish with the Cascades, and I planned a nice finish. I visited Mt Baker and then headed through North Cascades on my way east, out of the Cascades. A couple of last nights with those wonderful mountains, and I was off to new adventures. And sure enough, adventure would certainly… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, September 8 ; Surprise from Olympic Peninsula

  Yesterday, I took the day to travel through the Olympic Peninsula. It was a long drive, but I really fell in love when I got to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park. I actually did a big loop, starting on the East side and driving all the way to the West side of the peninsula,… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, September 6 ; A Shy New Friend Found: Mt Rainier

  Today, I headed out to visit Mt Rainier National Park. I didn’t really know what to expect, but the park definitely exceeded any concepts of an expectation I had. I arrived initially at the Southwest side of the park, driving across the Southern side. Mt Rainier itself was hiding in the clouds throughout that drive, only… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, August 31 ; A Magical Day at Mt St Helens

  After some debating with myself yesterday morning, I decided to spend my day at Mt St Helens National Volcanic Monument. Had I known that I would fall so in love with the place, I would have planned multiple days, but instead, I spent more time in a single day than I have anywhere since starting… Continue reading Information
  
• Saturday, August 29 ; To Washington! Mima Falls

  I had enough of Oregon’s antics! Maybe I’ve only seen Oregon’s bad side or something, but it did not win me over. Newberry National Volcanic Monument was great, but didn’t really offset everything that I grew to dislike about Oregon. Maybe at some later date, I’ll give it another chance to win me over, but… Continue reading Information
  
• Saturday, August 29 ; The Lava’s Ass

  I have this terrible thing where I play with words, and the word “Butte” is one of the most fun–I love saying “Butt” instead! Thus, I visited Lava Ass today! In seriousness, I went to the Lava Land and Lava Butte area of Newberry National Volcanic Monument this afternoon. I went for a short walk… Continue reading Information
  
• Friday, August 28 ; And the Lava Flows

  After my small adventure at Newberry National Volcanic Monument yesterday, I was ready for more in the beautiful area. This time, I went over to the Lava Cast Forest area of the monument.
  
• Thursday, August 27 ; Seas of Glass and A Large Caldera

  I can’t always wait for the weekends to go visit places that look amazing. Sometimes, the anticipation just gets to me. Coupled with the fact that I have been kind of underwhelmed and bored by Oregon so far, honestly, I decided to go ahead and treat myself to Newberry National Volcanic Monument a bit earlier… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, August 26 ; Bees?

  While staying in Fremont-Winema National Forest, I entered a seemingly endless struggle with yellowjackets. Nope, not bees, actually. Hornets! They swarmed the front of my car, and entered me in constant distraction.
  
• Sunday, August 23 ; More Volcanoes and a Whole New State!

  On Friday, I left my spot in Lassen National Forest and headed on to Redding, before making my way up towards Lava Beds National Monument. On Saturday, I continued through Lava Beds National Monument, into Oregon. After another drive through Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and a stop in Medford, I continued on to a spot I scoped… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, August 17 ; Heaven and Hell : Lassen

  On Friday, I decided it was time to head on out of Lake Tahoe, and I moved over to Sacramento for a night before continuing on to Lassen National Forest. I had a wonderful time visiting in Sacramento, and am excited about my new spot in Lassen. I also visited Lassen Volcanic National Park, which… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, August 10 ; New Blog!

  I have moved my blog to a new location, under hosting and powered by WordPress. I am excited to have finally completed this, and look forward to using the new blog. That is all for this one! Just a nice, special announcement!
• Sunday, August 9 ; Mono Lake area to Lake Tahoe

  After staying in the wonderful area of Inyo National Forest for a week, visiting all of the alien planets of volcanic activity in the area, I hadn’t quite had enough. I decided to visit Mono Lake and the nearby Panum Crater before heading up to a new camping location I scoped out in the Lake… Continue reading Information
  
• Friday, August 7 ; More Alien Planets! Devils Postpile and Volcanic Fissure

  I decided I haven’t had enough of the alien worlds, so I decided to go ahead and head over to Devils Postpile National Monument. In the meantime, I stumbled across a “Earthquake Fault” which is actually a volcanic fissure near the area. All of this area is full of prior volcanic activity, making all sorts… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, August 6 ; To An Alien Planet: Inyo Craters

  Sometimes, living on Earth gets a little boring. Cravings for some alien planet come to mind. Impossible, you say? Why, of course not! Alien planets exist far closer than in the range of impossible! With some lucky finds and a little bit of imagination, an alien planet could turn up in your own backyard!
  
• Monday, August 3 ; Adventure in the Southern Sierra Nevada

  On Friday, I left the Keyesville SRMA area near Lake Isabella, and began my journey through the Southern Sierra Nevada. I had scoped out a pathway through the area, with three campsites, which I had hoped to take a good, long while to get through. Due to lack of cell reception, however, I ended up… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, July 30 ; Weather, LNT Fail; Moving to BLM in Keyesville SRMA

  After a few nights at the Black Gulch area of Sequoia National Forest, a lot of negatives were surfacing about the area. Almost all of this was caused by careless campers who came before me, but with rainy weather rolling on into the area, it was time for me to move away from the river.… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, July 26 ; On the Negatives of this Lifestyle

  There’s been a theme of discussions about my lifestyle lately. Each conversation tends to word it differently, and each person has different points of input to give on the general subject. The theme is a very negative one, unfortunately. It can be wrapped up in a few questions. How does this lifestyle suck? What are… Continue reading Information
• Saturday, July 25 ; Pinnacles, another Laguna Mountain, and Black Gulch in the Sierras

  After more than long enough hanging out in a motel room, the weekend finally came, and I was off to see some more adventure! I planned to hit up Pinnacles National Park, the BLM operated Laguna Mountain Recreation Area in Central California, and finally end up in the lower, southern Sierra Nevadas Sunday night. It… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, July 22 ; Setup Inside of the car

  There’s some common questions I get asked about everything that I have in my car, from the solar panel setup to details about the specific things I carry. How do I make it all work? How much did it all cost? What do I even actually have in there? I spent a good amount of… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, July 21 ; From San Diego to LA to Adventure with Los Padres National Forest

  Leaving San Diego since my last post on here, I headed up to the greater Los Angeles area, where I visited family for a week. It was a fun week with the family, hanging out and enjoying my time in an apartment for a bit. From there, I headed on North, attempting a couple of… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, July 6 ; Boondocking on San Diego’s “Big” Black Mountain

  I had my two nights of staying with friends in the San Diego region, celebrating July 4th, nursing the resulting hangover, and just hanging out. It was time to head back to the mountains! Back in September, 2014, I hiked up San Diego’s “Big” Black Mountain, located in Cleveland National Forest. It was also one… Continue reading Information
  
• Thursday, July 2 ; Boondocking in Laguna Mountain Recreation Area, Cleveland National Forest, San Diego

  After a week spent “in town” with my parents, on their boat, I have really started to itch to get back out to the wilderness! With a 4 day weekend ahead of me, I’ve got plenty of time to truly enjoy it, if I wanted to. So, once a few errands were complete for the… Continue reading Information
  
• Wednesday, July 1 ; Zion, Vegas, San Diego

  On Thursday, June 25, I headed out of my camp spot in Cabin Hollow with plans to head to Las Vegas one night and then San Diego. I made the decision to drive through Zion National Park on my way to Vegas, which was absolutely amazing! It took a bit longer, but I hadn’t been… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, June 23 ; Ramblings about Timing and Lack of Regrets

  Multiple people have started asking me whether or not I am beginning to have any regrets about choosing this lifestyle. The truth is, beyond a doubt, I am not having any regrets about this at all. Disclaimer: This is a long post with almost no pictures. Just me rambling about existential bullshit. There is no… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, June 21 ; Bryce Canyon National Park Day 2

  After hiking 8.8 miles and doing a little bit of driving around Bryce National park yesterday, I left knowing that I was going to go back today and see more. That’s exactly what I did! Since I saw most of the stops and such after Bryce Point (going in) yesterday, I decided to start the… Continue reading Information
  
• Saturday, June 20 ; Bryce Canyon National Park

  Camping out in the Cabin Hollow area of Dixie National Forest, I’m very short drive away from Bryce Canyon National Park. I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting this national park before, so today, I decided to drop in and check it out! Upon entering the area, I drove all the way down to the… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, June 16 ; Boondocking in Cabin Hollow, Dixie National Forest

  I don’t much like leaving a camp spot early and putting off work onto the weekends, but Willow Springs was just too much for me to stay! Packing up, I headed back up to I-70, where I headed west through the San Rafael Swell and Fishlake National Forest. I absolutely love that drive–one of my… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, June 16 ; Willow Springs Adventure

  I was really sad to be leaving the Pole Mountain camp, but I had a plan and wanted to try to stick to it to the best of my ability. So, I set off for Willow Springs campground in BLM land just outside of Moab, Utah and Arches National Park.
  
• Monday, June 15 ; Camping at Pole Mountain

  After heading out from the Badlands, I made a quick stop in Rapid City to fill up on water and buy a few extra bits of food supplies. From there, I headed into Wyoming, towards the Pole Mountain area of Medicine Bow National Forest, between Laramie and Cheyenne. The drive was largely uneventful, except for… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, June 15 ; Camping at Sage Creek Campground in Badlands National Park

  After spending a week with family around South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, I set out for my first solo adventure. I planned to head to the Sage Creek Campground in Badlands National Park. Having stayed with family on the Eastern side of South Dakota the night before, the drive wasn’t too terrible, and I arrived… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, June 2 ; First Trip — To Minnesota with Parents

  On Thursday, May 28th, 2015, I turned in my keys to the apartment and began the new life out of the car. After a stop in the dentist office for some last minute work, I traveled to the San Diego harbor to spend the night with my parents, who live on their boat. The following… Continue reading Information
  
• Monday, April 20 ; Saga of Cutting the Hair

  When I moved to Southern California some 11 years ago, I began with “buzz cut” hair. Since that time, I grew out my hair quite long, observing as the curls came out. I’ve been resistant for quite a long time about ever cutting the hair. It seemed that once a certain point was reached, the… Continue reading Information
• Saturday, March 28 ; Thoughts about leaving

  One thing I got asked a lot is, “Why?” Why am I going to start living out of my car? What inspired this dream, and what are my reasons for doing it? To be honest, that is one of the hardest questions I can possibly answer. In the years and, more specifically, the months that… Continue reading Information

• Tuesday, December 16 ; Ending Thoughts, Future Adventure(s), and New Introductions

  It is now mid-way through December, and the new year is approaching faster than ever. In strangely New Year fashion, I’m finding myself reflecting on the last year and contemplating the future. The last year has been among the most challenging and most rewarding years of my life. It has been a year of saying… Continue reading Information
• Monday, October 27 ; Vista Nature Conservancy, Public Walking Trail (10-27-2014)

  Location: Vista, CA Difficulty: Easy Hike Statistics: 1.5 to 2 miles round trip; negligible elevation change Conditions: Day, clear sky, 72 degrees, mixed shade Trail Hours: Sunrise to Sunset Trailhead: Brengle Terrace Park ; Wildwood Park ; Several additional points along path provide access in and out GPX Track: Google Drive (Note: Accuracy Not Guaranteed; track maps Brengle Terrace Park to… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, October 26 ; Desert View Tower and Old Highway 80 (10-25-2014)

  A friend invited me to go on an adventure they were planning along Old Highway 80. I wasn’t really sure what I was getting into, but decided to jump right in and see what happened. We started the day by driving out to the Desert View Tower just into Imperial County. On the drive in, once… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, September 28 ; Indian Flats, Caliente Wilderness, to Combs Peak (09-27-2014)

  Location: Indian Flats Campground, Caliente Wilderness area in Cleveland National Forest, near Warner Springs, CA; Combs Peak in Anza Borrego Desert State Park Difficulty: Strenuous (Could be done in sections of Moderate to Difficult) Hike Statistics: 27.2 miles, over 16,000ft of cumulative elevation change (over 8,000ft gain) Conditions: Cold to Cool, Mixed Shade (40s-80) Requirements:… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, September 21 ; “Big” Black Mountain (09-20-2014)

  Location: “Big” Black Mountain, Cleveland National Forest, near Ramona, CA Difficulty: Strenuous (technically possible to make easier) Hike Statistics: 14.5 miles, over 8,000ft of cumulative elevation change (over 4000ft gain) Conditions: Comfortable, Mixed Shade (60s-80s per forecasts) Requirements: May need Adventure Pass, deepending on parking location Trailhead: 33.140460, -116.850113 ; on Pamo Road in Cleveland… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, September 14 ; El Cajon Mountain, El Capitan Open Space Preserve (09-13-2014)

  Location: El Cajon Mountain, El Capitan Open Space Preserve, Lakeside, CA Difficulty: Strenuous (Moderate to Difficult hikes technically possible) Hike Statistics: 11.87 miles, over 10,500ft of cumulative elevation change (over 5200ft gain) Conditions: Pre-dawn start. Temps ranging upper 60s at the start to 100 on return. Very sparse shade on return. Preserve Hours: 7am to… Continue reading Information
  
• Friday, September 12 ; Hot Weather Hiking!

  I have often talked to some people, posting on Facebook and in discussion, about how I survive hiking in hot weather. From small, local San Diego hikes to the Grand Canyon where I faced temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, to one day on a Pacific Crest Trail section hike where temperatures were over 110 degrees… Continue reading Information
• Thursday, September 11 ; Foster Point (09-10-2014)

  Location: Foster Point, Mt Laguna, CA Difficulty: Easy Hike Statistics: 1.4-1.5 miles round trip; about 200ft elevation change Conditions: Night, high 50s to low 60s; Clear sky, bright moon Requirements: National Forest Adventure Pass (Cleveland National Forest) ; Required on car to park in the area Trailhead: 32.889452, -116.441021 GPX Track: Google Drive (Note: Accuracy Not Guaranteed;… Continue reading Information
  
• Sunday, September 7 ; Hellhole Canyon Open Space Preserve (09-06-2014)

  Location: Hellhole Canyon Open Space Preserve, Valley Center, CA Difficulty: Easy to Difficult Hike Statistics: 9.2 miles, 7320.54ft elevation change (3658.69ft gain) Conditions: 90s to 100s, Mixed shade/no shade Preserve Hours: Friday – Monday, 8am to Sunset. Preserved closed Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Closed entire month of August due to extreme heat. Trailhead: 33.216444, -116.934028 GPX… Continue reading Information
  
• Tuesday, September 2 ; August 2014 Pacific Crest Trail Section A San Diego

  On August 22, 2014, I drove down to San Diego. After staying with my parents for a night, they drove me the US/Mexico border south of Campo, California. At the Pacific Crest Trail trailhead, I began hiking. Over the next 8 days, I hiked 138 miles (plus 4 miles hitchhiked from Ranchita, CA back to… Continue reading Information
  
• Saturday, August 16 ; Black Mountain Open Space Preserve (2014-08-16)

  Location: Black Mountain Open Space Preserve, Poway, CA Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Hike Statistics: 6.57 miles, 4392ft elevation change (2173ft gain), average slope of 11.2% (60.8% max slope downhill; max uphill slope of 44.5%) Conditions: 80 to 90 F ; Some shade Trailhead: 32.999111, -117.098028 (Hike Described Below) ; Hilltop Community Park ; Miner’s Ridge Loop (North… Continue reading Information
  
• Saturday, August 9 ; Monserate Mountain (08-09-2014)

  Location: Monserate Mt, Fallbrook, CA Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult Hike Statistics: 5.22 miles, 3971ft elevation change (1984ft gain), average slope of 13.4% (45.8% max slope downhill; max uphill slope of 44.5%) Conditions: Upper 80s F, No shade Trailhead: 33.366000, -117.157667 GPX Track: Google Drive (Note: Accuracy not guaranteed; Only includes hike described below)
  
• Saturday, August 9 ; July 2014 Grand Canyon : Rim to River and Back in One Day

  I am writing this account of my adventure mostly for my own sake. I know others may find enjoyment or some other benefit from it as well, so I am sharing it. Disclaimer: I want to say up front that I do not encourage doing the hike I am documenting here. Yes, it is a… Continue reading Information