Trip Reports

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Hiking The Green Lakes And Soda Creek Loop

Set between the volcanoes of South Sister and Broken Top, the Green Lakes are one of the Oregon Cascades most beautiful chains of mountain lakes.  Reached via a moderate trail, the lakes themselves are a fairly easy day hike.  When I visited this region in July of 2022, this hike to the Green Lakes and then looping back through the Three Sisters Wilderness was one that I had circled for quite a while! Miles/Elevation: 13.1 miles 1,656 feet vertical gain...

Hiking To No Name Lake: A Stunning Glacial Lake In The Oregon Cascades

Outside the city of Bend in Oregon’s Central Cascade Mountains, No Name Lake is a stunning alpine lake set beneath one of the region’s most iconic volcanic mountains, Broken Top.  This lake is reached via a long day hike, but if you can make the journey, you’ll be rewarded with incredible views of massive volcanoes and mountain lakes spread across the Cascades. I hiked this trail in the summer of 2022 on my summer road trip, and this was my...

Hiking the Beautiful Tennessee Valley Loop

On a beautiful fall weekend, we headed up north of San Francisco for a pair of awesome oceanside hikes.  This first one, the Tennessee Valley Loop, was the shorter of the pair, but with some steep inclines it honestly felt tougher!  This hike promised some fantastic ocean views, and as it turned out, we had perfect weather and the views lived up to the hype! Miles/Elevation: 5.5 miles 1,292 feet vertical gain About Golden Gate National Recreation Area: Named for...

Hiking To Noble Lake Along The PCT

After summiting Mt Reba the day before, we set out on another hike in the central Sierra Nevada on a beautiful fall day.  On the docket was Noble Lake, a small alpine lake off the PCT.  Set at just below 9,000 feet, Noble Lake is located in the arid eastern portion of the range, and the hike getting there promised some fun trails and big time views! Miles/Elevation: 9 miles 1,594 feet vertical gain About Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest: The largest...

Hiking The Mt Reba Trail

On a quick fall trip to the mountains, we explored a bit of the Central Sierra that we hadn’t spent much time in before!  While we had spent time along the Highway 4 corridor in spring, exploring the town of Arnold and Calaveras Big Trees State Park, the high mountains above Highway 4 were still unknown to us!  The first hike we did to explore the area was Mt Reba! Located just above Lake Alpine and near the Bear Valley...

Hiking The Spine Trail To The Bay Area’s Best Swing!

Ocean hikes are always great, and the rugged California coastline is one of the best places to do them!  Big Sur may be more famous, but there are actually a ton of awesome coastal hikes right in the Bay Area.  The Spine Trail just north of Half Moon Bay is one of these. Beginning just off Highway 1, this hike will take you up a steep and rugged ridgeline as you climb away from the ocean towards the peaks of...

Hiking The Brutal Meysan Trail From Whitney Portal

When you start a hike in the acclaimed Whitney Portal, most would assume that you’re on your way up the lower 48’s highest peak.  However, there is actually another awesome trail that has a fraction of the traffic, huge views, alpine lakes, scrambling, and none of the shenanigans that go into getting a Whitney Permit.  That trail is the Meysan Trail. Beginning at the Whitney Portal Campground, the Meysan Trail climbs Whitney Portal’s neighboring valley.  The end point of the...