ASCEND & WANDER

2020 January 31. I had just finished a cycle trip that went around Kilimanjaro before heading west through Arusha and ending at the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. My legs were sore from peddling 529 kilometres and my butt was sore from being in a bike saddle for 9 days. I had 48 hours before my flight departed for Canada. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to do a game drive inside the crater. After all, one can't travel all the way to Africa and not do a safari. It turned out to be the perfect way to conclude my Tanzania trip. Ngorongoro Conservation Area Statistics say 25,000 large animals live in the crater. I was skeptical of this number initially, but now I can understand why the land is now a World Heritage Site. As we descended into the massive hollow that was once formed when the volcano erupted, it almost didn't seem real seeing ungulates everywhere. First we saw water buffalo, then zebra, wildebeest, lions, hyena, black rhinoceros (rare), gazelle, ostrich,...

Mount Kilimanjaro to Uhuru Peak (5895 metres, 19341 feet). My father and I hiked the Machame route over 6 days in January 2020. Shoutout to B + C + J from Florida, R + M from Australia, M + K from Dubai, and M + L + H from England for bringing good vibes  😎 A busy day at the Machame Gate starting point The National Park mandates all expeditions to go through a local guiding service. Which is great to develop Tourism, but has consequently lead to other issues like the harsh treatment of certain employees, unethical business models, and sustainability concerns. I have mixed feelings about the global commercial hiking industry overall; let me know if you have an opinion on the subject and want to discuss further! I'm sure these problems would also be evident on other popular treks like Everest Basecamp or Machu Picchu.  The scenery is incredible; starting in the wet and muddy rainforest before ascending ridges to gain elevation and eventually scrambling ...

Bryce Canyon is high elevation (above 8000 feet) so you can expect a consistent deep snowpack during the Winter. Immediately after storms the roads would be inaccessible but with a decent weather window, the main national park road should be open all the way to Rainbow Point (17 miles). Shuttles were not running this time of year.  I went in December 2019 and their most recent snow event was 9 days prior. The trails had several feet of snow which required snowshoes but the more common routes were hard packed and I got by just fine with nano spikes. The usually busy national park had few visitors and many were locals from the nearby big cities like Salt Lake City. The maple leaf sewed on my backpack initiated lots of conversations with other Canadians who were taking advantage of the cheap flights to Las Vegas this time of year. Ponderosa Canyon Trudging through the deep snowpack along the Bristlecone Loop from Rainbow Point. You see the black scared trees f...

Kolob Canyons trailhead. 14 miles out and back following La Verkin Creek.  If you have the option to shuttle or hitchhike, I explained a better day trip option below.  The trail winding through the valley below Shuntavi Butte and Timbertop Mountain La Verkin Creek runs through the Kolob Canyons and connects this northern section of the park with the rest of Zion. This trailhead around Lee Pass is less busy than traveling through Springdale.  Campsite #5 (the best one).  Sun, soft sand, open space, and sheltered by a large rock wall behind.   The junction with Lee Pass, Kolob Arch, and Hop Valley.  A great 'one way' option would be starting at Lee Pass then following the route through Langston Canyon which intersects with Kolob Terrace road. One would need to hitchhike or find a way back to the trailhead. Shuttles were not running this time of year. Kolob Terrace Road was also closed and gated due to snow at 2050 feet elevation wher...

In the heat of summer, this hike would be full of people.  Perks of the off-season is only encounter a few people in one of the busiest parks.  Viewpoint after the switchbacks Chain assists on the scramble up Angel's Landing West Rim Junction Snow lingering in the shade of the canyon  The ascent to Cabin Spring Campsite  My highest point on the West Rim Trail. Snow was making very slow moving

The California Riding Hiking Trail is a 61 kilometre (38 mile) footpath across Joshua Tree National Park. It is typically hiked west to east starting from Black Rock Canyon Campground and ending at the trailhead near the Twentynine Palms park entrance. The trail crosses many park roads and while it avoids the popular attractions it travels through remote sections which offer a nice balance with the usual crowds and driving tours that the American National Parks are known for.  There are not any water sources available near the trail so you need to cache water beforehand. The best locations to cache water is at Covington Flats (kilometre 14), Juniper Flats (kilometre 30), or Twin Tanks (kilometre 42). The trail junction at Covington flats involved dirt roads. I was unsure how my little economy rental car would handle anything other than asphalt and for that reason I only cached water at Juniper and Twin Tanks. Animals like ravens, coyotes, and other people have been known t...