Mountain Climbing in Peru – Yanapaccha in the Cordillera Blanca

This article may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!I knew there was no way I could go to Huaraz without doing a little mountain climbing in Peru and putting in an attempt in the Cordillera Blanca. To date, my highest summit remained Mount …

Climbing Mount Olympus in the Heart of Olympic National Park

Ever since I started my life in the outdoors, I always gave thought to climbing Mount Olympus. While the 8,000 feet Olympus certainly is not the biggest peak around, it offers an alpine feel rivaling peaks much higher… And it includes a fairly formidable approach. The trip was four days, about 43ish miles total round trip (17.5 one way to …

6 Best Places to Go Backpacking in Virginia

Looking to go backpacking in Virginia? Then you’re in luck because Virginia is underrated when it comes to the outdoors, hiking, and backpacking, in my opinion… I know I certainly didn’t consider it to be a great place for hiking and backpacking when I first moved to Washington, D.C. But I’m so glad I was wrong. I’ve explored many, many trails …

Coyote Gulch Backpacking in Grand Staircase Escalante

Backpacking Coyote Gulch in Grand Staircase Escalante

I spent a few days exploring Grand Staircase-Escalante while I was on my Utah national park road trip. One of the unexpected highlights for me was backpacking Coyote Gulch just off of Hole-in-the-Rock Road… though it is technically in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, most begin the Coyote Gulch hike within Grand-Staircase Escalante. This was a hike that came …

Climbing Mount Stuart via the Upper North Ridge

Classic–one of the select routes chosen for inclusion in the Fifty Classic Climbs of North America, one of just six in the Pacific Northwest. The Upper North Ride of Mount Stuart (9,415′, Grade IV, 5.9) is widely considered to be one of the premiere alpine rock routes in Washington State. Full Value–longer approach, glacier crossing, open air bivvies, 18 or …

Mount Rainier Kautz Glacier Climb

Climbing Mount Rainier via the Kautz Glacier Route

Climbing Mount Rainier was something that had been in my sights for a number of years, training in glacier travel and gradually bigger mountains. I’d even put in an attempt on the Kautz Glacier Route before but got turned away by the weather. This mountain still loomed large in my imagination in the years to follow and I’d find myself …