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Camping and Outdoor Recreation 2013


Texsox

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Went skiing in North Carolina last weekend. First time skiing somewhere other than Colorado. It was about what I expected (icy), but I had fun anyway. It was just great being back out on the slopes for the first time in years. It was like riding a bike. I was going down blues by my 2nd trip up the mountain.

Edited by dasox24
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QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 7, 2013 -> 04:38 PM)
Google Maps added the Grand Canyon to their Street Views. You can "hike" down every trail in the Grand Canyon with full 360 deg. views.

 

Apparently they've also had a bunch of ski slopes on there already, too.

 

I saw this, made me miss summer. :/

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QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 7, 2013 -> 04:38 PM)
Google Maps added the Grand Canyon to their Street Views. You can "hike" down every trail in the Grand Canyon with full 360 deg. views.

 

Apparently they've also had a bunch of ski slopes on there already, too.

:o

 

Must go see right now. Haven't gotten to do the Bright Angel yet, I guess I can do it virtually.

 

 

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  • 5 months later...
QUOTE (illinilaw08 @ Jul 31, 2013 -> 09:08 AM)
Heading to the Southern unit of Kettle Moraine this weekend. For anyone that has been up that way, any recommendations on hikes? I've hiked and camped extensively out West, but never hit Wisconsin.

The southern unit does get crowded on summer weekends. But as with other popular spots, if you want a little seclusion, then start early and get deep into it. Following the Ice Age Trail is a good way to do that, as (if I remember correctly) it runs the full length of the big section and cuts across the middle. That'd be my recommendation.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Even with both me and my wife injuring our knees on our first hike at Glacier, we had an incredible time. The injuries forced us to modify our plans a little bit (and I couldn't believe that none of the camp stores, aside from the one way down in Two Medicine, sell ace bandages), but we got to see two different areas we didn't originally plan on. We drove down to Two Medicine for an afternoon and went up to Waterton Lakes National Park in Canukistan last Friday. Pushed through the injuries to do the Grinnell Glacier hike, too. We'll definitely be back here.

 

Now we are trying to plan our next trip. We're hoping for the Grand Canyon, but we're probably way too late to book anything down at the Phantom Ranch at the bottom. We're also considering a Pacific NW swing (Crater, Portland, Seattle, Rainer, Olympic, maybe Vancouver) and a Utah trip (Arches, Bryce, Zion, SLC), and maybe even Acadia. If anyone has any recommendations on these or other day-hiking oriented trips, it'd be much appreciated. We're focusing on National Parks right now as a starting point, but we're definitely not limited to them and not trying to visit every last one. We both loved hiking around Lake Tahoe and rafting in the Laurel Highlands in SW Pennsylvania.

 

Here's a shot of the Granite Park Chalet from the Highline Trail, right before we started the steep descent down the Loop Trail (dropping over 2000 ft in 3.8 miles) and ran into a black bear right at the top. Ironically, this remote mountain chalet with pit toilets had the best cell reception I found on the west side of the park.

 

1970-01-01%2017.14.58.jpg

 

 

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QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Aug 12, 2013 -> 09:18 AM)
How was Mammoth? Enough to do without having to slide through narrow passages in the cave?

 

We actually had a great time. The wife and I had been down there about 10 years previous, and I had been there as a kid. There are just tons of great tours and things to see there, but there are a bunch of other caves in the area to see.

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QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Aug 12, 2013 -> 09:17 AM)
Even with both me and my wife injuring our knees on our first hike at Glacier, we had an incredible time. The injuries forced us to modify our plans a little bit (and I couldn't believe that none of the camp stores, aside from the one way down in Two Medicine, sell ace bandages), but we got to see two different areas we didn't originally plan on. We drove down to Two Medicine for an afternoon and went up to Waterton Lakes National Park in Canukistan last Friday. Pushed through the injuries to do the Grinnell Glacier hike, too. We'll definitely be back here.

 

Now we are trying to plan our next trip. We're hoping for the Grand Canyon, but we're probably way too late to book anything down at the Phantom Ranch at the bottom. We're also considering a Pacific NW swing (Crater, Portland, Seattle, Rainer, Olympic, maybe Vancouver) and a Utah trip (Arches, Bryce, Zion, SLC), and maybe even Acadia. If anyone has any recommendations on these or other day-hiking oriented trips, it'd be much appreciated. We're focusing on National Parks right now as a starting point, but we're definitely not limited to them and not trying to visit every last one. We both loved hiking around Lake Tahoe and rafting in the Laurel Highlands in SW Pennsylvania.

 

Here's a shot of the Granite Park Chalet from the Highline Trail, right before we started the steep descent down the Loop Trail (dropping over 2000 ft in 3.8 miles) and ran into a black bear right at the top. Ironically, this remote mountain chalet with pit toilets had the best cell reception I found on the west side of the park.

 

1970-01-01%2017.14.58.jpg

 

Glacier is the best national park ever. Hands down. Of course, I'm somewhat biased since I spent time there every summer for the first 22 years of my life... the benefit of parents who were teachers. On Grinnell Glacier, my Dad has a cool side by side photo of the glacier when they first went there in the 70s and one from five or six years back. The difference in size is absolutely incredible. Waterton has some terriffic day hikes as well (Carthew Summit and the Tamarack Trail are especially good). If you head back up there when you are healthy, make sure to spend a day or two in Waterton.

 

For day hiking trips, the Canadian Rockies (Banff, Yoho, and Jasper) are breathtaking.

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QUOTE (illinilaw08 @ Aug 12, 2013 -> 04:31 PM)
Glacier is the best national park ever. Hands down. Of course, I'm somewhat biased since I spent time there every summer for the first 22 years of my life... the benefit of parents who were teachers.

 

jealous. If I were a teacher as well, that's what my wife and I would be doing.

 

On Grinnell Glacier, my Dad has a cool side by side photo of the glacier when they first went there in the 70s and one from five or six years back. The difference in size is absolutely incredible.

 

Yeah, Many Glacier Lodge has a bunch of these as well. Cool to see, but also sad. Right now they're estimating the the glacier will be gone as early as 2020. That's why we pushed through the pain to still do that hike.

 

Waterton has some terriffic day hikes as well (Carthew Summit and the Tamarack Trail are especially good). If you head back up there when you are healthy, make sure to spend a day or two in Waterton.

We drove up to Red Rock Canyon (the other road was closed) and did a short hike to Blakiston Falls. We really liked the area up there and would definitely consider staying for a night or two when we go back.

 

For day hiking trips, the Canadian Rockies (Banff, Yoho, and Jasper) are breathtaking.

 

I'd love to go to Banff, but my wife is set on "no bear country" for our next trip. Some day, though.

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