Jump to content


TrailGroove Blog

A Blog by the TrailGroove Team

  • entries
    551
  • comments
    688
  • views
    503,463

Contributors to this blog

  • Aaron Zagrodnick 248
  • Mark Wetherington 76
  • PaulMags 27
  • Susan Dragoo 27
  • Steve Ancik 18
  • tmountainnut 12
  • David Cobb 11
  • Eric 10
  • HappyHour 9
  • jansenjournals 8
  • DustyD 7
  • Karen Garmire 6
  • Cinny Green 6
  • HikerBox 6
  • Daniel Anderson Jr 5
  • AndreaL 5
  • michaelswanbeck 5
  • George Graybill 5
  • SparbaniePhoto 5
  • mgraw 4
  • Wired 4
  • Kevin DeVries 4
  • JimR 3
  • eliburakian 3
  • Jen 3
  • JimG 3
  • Steven Genise 3
  • Jessica Smith 2
  • seano 2
  • MattS 2
  • Adrienne Marshall 2
  • Doug Emory 2
  • sarahtied 2
  • Peter 1
  • Allison Johnson 1
  • Isak Kvam 1
  • Tucker Ballister 1
  • Claire Murdough 1
  • Curry Caputo 1
  • BSuess 1
  • SarahLynne 1
  • Grace Bowie 1
  • Greg Jansky 1
  • Tephanie H. 1
  • DKim and PatriciaV 1
  • Ben Libbey 1
  • Madeline Salocks 1
  • J. Parascandola 1
  • Adel 1
  • Rob Newton 1
  • Barbara 1

Gear | Trips | Food | Technique | Reading

Entries in this blog

Trips

The High Point of Texas: Hiking Guadalupe Peak

A spur of the moment side trip landed us in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park with easy access to the tallest point in Texas. Guadalupe Peak looms over the surrounding desert flatlands at a respectable 8,751 feet, accessible only after paying the price of a grueling 8.4 mile round-trip, 3000-foot elevation gain trail. This is truly a spectacular not-to-be-missed hike that comes with bragging rights for ascending the highest peak in Texas. Located in Guadalupe Mountains National Pa
Karen Garmire

Karen Garmire in Trips

1
Trips

Hiking in Winter: A Yearly Gift & Reflection on a Season

Unique among the seasons, winter wields the power to make many hiking destinations inaccessible. Roads are gated due to snow, mountain passes become snowbound and hazardous, and specific four-season gear is required in many regions for those venturing out in the winter months. Human-powered recreation is mostly left to snowshoers, skiers, snowboarders, and winter is also a good time to focus on cleaning gear, summer trip planning, fitness routines, racking up vacation time, and other hobbies. Ge
Mark Wetherington

Mark Wetherington in Trips

2
Trips

Two Short Hikes in Zion: Canyon Overlook & Many Pools

Zion National Park is one of my favorite national parks, and for good reason: there are amazing views, beautiful cliffs and streams, abundant photography opportunities, and wonderful hikes. The park has several well-known popular hikes – The Subway, Zion Narrows, and Angel’s Landing for example – but there are some other shorter or lesser known hikes that are also well worth your while. I have made a couple of short visits as part of my mountain biking and hiking trips over the past two years, a
Steve Ancik

Steve Ancik in Trips

0
Trips

Hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail Day by Day

For many backpackers, thru-hiking a major long trail just isn’t a realistic option. Not everyone can pause life, quit their job, and leave their family and friends behind for half a year to hike a long trail. Even if they could, not everyone has the mental and/or physical stamina to enjoy such an arduous task over multiple months. Maybe you’re an aspiring to thru-hiker, but feel like you need more experience before committing to such a long endeavor. If you fall into any of these categories, or
Wired

Wired in Trips

1
Trips

Backpacking the Needles District, Canyonlands National Park

On this trip, I was able to return to Canyonlands National Park, but this time stayed on the opposite side of the river from the Maze to join up with Ted Ehrlich and Christy who drove in from Colorado to backpack through Salt Creek Canyon and the Needles. The Needles offer a near endless array of unique rock formations to find and routes to explore. Backpacking Into the Needles Our respective drives late on a Thursday night resulted in a noon-ish start from the Cathedral But
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Trips

2
Trips

The Crossing: A Hike Across Olympic National Park

Chris, Randy and I sat at a local brewery, a map of Olympic National Park spread across the table. We had climbed in the Olympics for decades, but now we were attempting something different – a thru hike from one side of the park to another. You might have thought planning to cross using established routes would be simple, but it was proving anything but. “Even the freaking rain forest is on fire.” Chris traced a route with his finger. The Pacific Northwest was suffering through one of its
Doug Emory

Doug Emory in Trips

4
Trips

Two Wheelers: Hiking Wheeler Geologic Area & Wheeler Peak

Since my sister Melissa retired, we have taken several hiking, backpacking, and photography trips together. This time, we headed to Colorado and New Mexico for another adventure. Melissa has wanted to hike to Wheeler Peak for years. I’ve wanted to see the Wheeler Geologic Area for years. So, we combined the two desires into one awesome trip – The Tale of Two Wheelers. Hiking & Exploring Wheeler Geologic Area We started off early on the morning of July 5th and headed west across Okl
Steve Ancik

Steve Ancik in Trips

0
Trips

Thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Lessons Learned

While any thru-hike will involve an uncountable number of steps, the biggest step of them all is the proverbial first step – making the decision to go hike the trail yourself. After you’ve watched the videos and read the articles, the inspiration is at its highest, and you finally decide to hike a long distance trail, the second major step into the world of long distance hiking is preparing to walk – up to 25 miles every day for up to 6 months straight. Is Hiking the PCT a Physical or Menta
jansenjournals

jansenjournals in Trips

1
Trips

Hiking in Sedona: A Sampler of 5 Scenic Day Hikes

“What are some of the more scenic trails in the area?” my friend Joan asked a local man at a hiking store in Sedona, Arizona. “All of them. They’re all scenic. Everywhere you look is scenic,” he said with a well-practiced manner, unable to hide his weariness with such questions. Even the trail map on display at the store was marked in bold black ink with exclamatory statements: “It’s scenic!!” “The views are amazing!” To say the least, it became apparent that we weren’t the first out-of-tow
Susan Dragoo

Susan Dragoo in Trips

3
Trips

Walking in Circles: Hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail

“Looks like you’re going in circles” is a way to tell someone that they're wasting their time. Talking in circles generally isn’t a compliment either. However, walking in a circle can be a good thing for backpackers, provided they’re walking around something interesting. Think about it. Logistics become pretty easy. No ride back to the start is required. In the case of the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT), walking in a circle is a great experience. From high above, this spot on the Tahoe Rim Tra
JimR

JimR in Trips

5
Trips

Backpacking the Maroon Bells: A Shoulder Season Weekend

We shuffle off the bus and melt into a crowd of tourists, all headed for the perfectly framed view of the Maroon Bells surrounded by bright yellows and greens. Just a minute from the parking lot and we’re already sold on our three-day adventure. More commonly a four-day trip, the Four Pass Loop is one of the most popular – and most photographed – backpacking routes in the United States. The 28-mile trek takes hikers over four mountain passes, ascends and descends over 7,800 feet, and
SarahLynne

SarahLynne in Trips

0
Trips

Olympic National Park: Backpacking the Quiet Corner

From beaches to rainforests to glaciers, Olympic National Park provides hikers with access to a stunning variety of landscapes. Although I’ve barely scratched the surface of what there is to do in the park’s 922,650 acres, I have had the privilege of soaking in its hot springs, swimming in its alpine lakes, and walking among the giant trees in its rainforest. The extensive trail network of Olympic National Park allows for memorable backpacking trips of all lengths, from overnight outings to week
Mark Wetherington

Mark Wetherington in Trips

1
Trips

The Escape: Hiking Fish and Owl Creek Canyons, Utah

The desert is full of little gems, and again I was off to explore another little nook in the wide expanse of the Colorado Plateau in Utah. As I headed south on U.S. 191, passing through the sleepy towns of Monticello and Blanding, my headlights cut through the darkness of the night-shaded road. I was on another unplanned road trip, fueled by my need for some space and nature therapy after having a typical week in the city. After car camping for the night I awoke the next morning to my
tmountainnut

tmountainnut in Trips

0
Trips

Hiking the Canyons & Trails of Southern Utah

Canyons are compelling for reasons I rarely consider on a conscious level. Like no other terrain they attract me with an intrigue born of curiosity and an underlying sense of danger. The potential for flash floods, snakebite, falls, and losing my way brings an edge to the experience of walking a path between walls of stone, not knowing what’s around the next bend – this is the essence of a canyon. Slot canyons compound the appeal – their narrow, sinuous heights enclose me as I probe their depths
Susan Dragoo

Susan Dragoo in Trips

0
Trips

Hiking Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness | Appalachian Trail

I’m no stranger to a new challenge. Two years ago, after two decades as a carpenter and building contractor, I took a chance and changed my life. Though sawdust runs in my veins and I’ve always imagined myself as a builder to the end, the only other profession I thought I might like is teaching. In October 2019 that notion became reality when I became an instructor in the Building Construction Technology Program at a local Community College. That’s when the challenge began. The idea of teac
Curry Caputo

Curry Caputo in Trips

0
Trips

Thru-Hiking the John Muir Trail: A Day in the Life

The first light of morning begins to stream over the mountains, through the tree’s canopy, and into your tent. These mornings were welcome, as seeing the sun’s morning glory while still bundled up warmly inside your tent was actually a rarity on the JMT. More often than not, however, you’re confronted with the unenviable task of rising to the dark, cold blanket that lies heavily on your campsite before the sun’s rays have the chance to lift it off. Chilly mornings thicken the blood and slow
Tucker Ballister

Tucker Ballister in Trips

0
Trips

Backpacking North Cascades National Park: A Smoky Trip

After the landscape itself, the memories made with companions, and the wildlife seen, the weather is usually one of the most memorable parts of a backpacking trip. Bluebird skies, sideways rain, scorching heat, unexpected inches of snow – these are often the things which come to mind when reminiscing on trips where weather was either a blessing or a curse. In much of the West, another weather phenomenon also has an outsized influence: smoke. Even if you’re hundreds of miles from an active wildfi
Mark Wetherington

Mark Wetherington in Trips

0
Trips

Bryce Canyon National Park: A Quick Hiking Guide

Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah is a popular park and for good reason – its stunning rock spire formations (hoodoos) and the Bryce Amphitheater that can be seen from the canyon rim provide amazing views for those that visit. When it comes to hiking in Bryce Canyon, various trails provide a means for visitors to experience the canyon close up, while getting some good exercise and can offer a bit more solitude than the rim as well, if the timing is right. An array of Bryce C
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Trips

0
Trips

Hiking in Yosemite: Waterfalls and Winter Solitude

It's an early December afternoon in Yosemite National Park, and I'm watching a bobcat padding down the trail in front of me. In his mouth is a lifeless gray squirrel, so large that he drops it several times. He turns and surveys me with the lazy arrogance of a house cat who's proud of his kill. I'm unsure if I should be following this wild creature down the trail. I think of how animals are protective of their food. Still, the large cat and I are headed the same way, so I continue at a distance.
Allison Johnson

Allison Johnson in Trips

8
Trips

Hiking the Grand Enchantment Trail: GET Wet!

Whitecaps swirled in the ochre mixture of water and clay in the flooded wash at our feet. I never knew water so muddy could have whitecaps and now our route lay on the opposite bank of the torrent as it raged over unseen boulders and cut into the edge of its banks. Standing there at the two-track crossing in the middle of nowhere New Mexico, I wondered how many “do not enter when flooded” signs we passed on paved roads in the Southwest. It was late October and the third day in a row o
HikerBox

HikerBox in Trips

3
Trips

An Ancient Canyon: Hiking in Bandelier National Monument

Birdsong filled the canyon as we stepped into the cool of the morning. By arriving at dawn, my sister, Carol Harper, and I were beating both the crowds and the heat of the late July day, the former objective intensified by our recent escape from the summer hordes at Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. A stop at Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos, New Mexico presented an appealing alternative on the way home to Oklahoma. Not exactly on the way, but close enough. Signs of
Susan Dragoo

Susan Dragoo in Trips

0
Trips

Going Long: Skiing Around Oregon's Crater Lake

One-by-one we traversed the narrow cut in the cliff, careful to lean to the right in case we slipped – the steep drop-off on our left plunged over a hundred feet to the valley floor. The sun had already set behind the western Cascades, painting the sky a burning red but leaving our trail in rapidly increasing darkness. That we were struggling to remain upright on our cross-country skis on even the slightest descent made each step even more nerve-racking. By the time we traversed the top of the c
mgraw

mgraw in Trips

0
Trips

Section Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: A 40 Year Hike

It was 105 in the shade at my brother's house near East Los Angeles. Smoke from a foothills fire browned the sky while rolling blackouts swept through the city, defeating the air conditioning, closing restaurants, leaving us to swelter without benefit of even a fan. Darkened traffic lights made the already horrible traffic impossible. We left LA at dawn, escaping north on US395, heading to the southern terminus of the Sierra Nevada at Walker Pass. We had taken this road forty years ag
HappyHour

HappyHour in Trips

0
Trips

Canyons & Creeks: Backpacking the Rogue River Trail

I turned up the heat in the car at the trailhead. It was a chilly, near freezing November morning as we finished getting our gear ready. There was a sense of excitement. As I hoisted my pack, I could feel the not-so-gentle protrusion of the solid kitchen frying pan in my back. I knew it would be worth it. I carefully left my key in the car in the prearranged location, hoping that the arranged transportation would deliver it to the end of the trail as planned. There were three of us: a good
Eric

Eric in Trips

0
Trips

Hiking and Backpacking During Wildflower Season

Nature has a rhythm. The snows covers the landscape in winter. There is beauty to be found, but the beauty is a cold, ethereal one. A landscape with a palette of a few colors. Green trees, white snow, brown grass, gray rocks, and blue skies. But then the snow starts to melt. The mountain streams grow from a bare trickle to a steady flow and then become a raging torrent. The birds are making their morning calls more frequently. Old man of the mountain wildflowers gracing the high count
PaulMags

PaulMags in Trips

0



×
×
  • Create New...