The Santa Rita Mountains are an underrated mountain range. They can be seen from dozens of miles around, but the draw of a national park directly to its north tends to lure visitors away. They hold a secret though. A secret that crawls through the most remote parts of the forests, avoiding the few visitors that hike the trails, and lives a lonely life of solitude.… Keep reading...
There’s no better way to usher in a long-distance thru-hike than by entering a National Park Service entity that leads directly into a designated Wilderness Area. Two very well preserved areas rising in a mountain wilderness above an undisturbed desert vastness extending into Mexico. A sky island secretly hiding forests, snow, wildlife, and many others treasures that wouldn’t survive at its base.… Keep reading...
Our first obstacle came before we even reached the trail. I had buddied up with two other thru-hikers through an online forum. Most Arizona Trail (AZT) thru-hikers will, at some point, get pointed to the hikearizona.com website to meet other thru-hikers and collect valuable information. Such was my case since I needed help.… Keep reading...
I was alone. More alone than I could have ever imagined. I was hopelessly alone in an unfamiliar desert. All I wanted in that moment was to feel loved, but I was completely cut off from the civilized world. This was a new version of loneliness for me. It was so bad I was now getting bored of talking to myself.… Keep reading...
Some days you’re just defeated, something hard to admit after you’ve just hiked over 700 miles out of a goal of 800.
I had just crossed the Grand Canyon before camping on the North Rim. It was the last major obstacle along the Arizona Trail. The last major planned obstacle at least.… Keep reading...
Deep in winter’s freeze in January, I headed out at first light to hike one of Grand Teton National Park’s most popular summer trails, Taggart Lake. In the dead of winter, however, only a few locals and brave tourists explore beyond the parking lot. Before sunrise, no one is there.… Keep reading...