Author: snukes

Lassen Day 2: in which we are finally chased out by the smoke

August 12, 2021

One foot in front of another, again and again. I could not refrain from checking my watch every few minutes to see how many feet of elevation I had put behind me. I celebrated every twenty feet. Climb twenty feet enough times and somehow you get there. I was grateful not many other people were idiotic enough to start this climb in the hot heart of the day, which meant at least I wasn’t being passed by every other tourist in the park. … More Lassen Day 2: in which we are finally chased out by the smoke

Climbing Lassen Peak while California burns

August 8, 2021

bump-ass hell” while talking to the ranger, and got laughed at. Apparently the appropriate pronunciation is “bumpus,” but… “bump-ass” is an easy and practically mandatory mistake to make. I even refuse to make apologies to Kendall Vanhook Bumpass, the unfortunate explorer who discovered these springs in the 1860s by accidentally falling leg-first into one of them. (He lost the leg, making him the most brilliant object lesson in park history. Don’t leave the boardwalks, kids.) … More Climbing Lassen Peak while California burns

Day 3 on the Teton Crest Trail, in which marmots attack!

July 26, 2021

Not a bear, I thought, but it’s something big. Do moose graze at 3am? In any case, I was sure it was rooting around in the vegetation several yards from the tent, and not rooting around in my backpack, stored just outside my tent flap. I shifted around, making a little noise, hoping to scare it off. The one thing I was definitely not going to do was look outside, as doing so was a surefire way to turn the creature into a bear. … More Day 3 on the Teton Crest Trail, in which marmots attack!

How to sleep in the Tetons backcountry

July 25, 2021

The first night in a tent is the absolute worst. If one is not accustomed to sleeping in a tent, there is no way to focus on anything other than how inadequate your sleeping pad is, how clammy your feet feel, and all the noises the definitely-a-bear is making. Is it raining? Is a marmot stealing my boots? No really, what IS that bear doing?? … More How to sleep in the Tetons backcountry

How not to start a five-day hike in the Tetons

July 23, 2021

“Hello, we’d like to get a permit for a four-night backpacking trip starting tonight, please. We know it’s noon on a Friday in the July after COVID, so we understand that all the permits were probably gone by 8:03. We know we’re idiots, but we’re experienced, well-prepared, super-flexible idiots and we have a backup plan!” … More How not to start a five-day hike in the Tetons

The Great Northwest Road Trip Begins! (er, began…)

July 18, 2021

Greetings from Alturas, California! The motel is cheap and the smoke is thick, but we made it out the door and our Summer Adventures are well underway. I started this trip with every intention of updating (nearly) daily as we progressed from park to park, but good intentions are no match for the poor quality … More The Great Northwest Road Trip Begins! (er, began…)

The Great Southwest Trip: the good, the fine, the bad, the ugly

June 9, 2021

We’ve been home for a couple weeks now and have had a little time to reflect on our trip. If we got to do it over again, would we do anything differently? Was there anything so awesome we’d do exactly the same thing again? Here are is a little collection of highlights and a very … More The Great Southwest Trip: the good, the fine, the bad, the ugly