Distance: 4.8 miles (7.8 km) round trip
Summit elevation: 5,785 ft (1,763 m)
Elevation gain: ~1,500 ft (457 m)
Date: March 16, 2011
Angel's Landing (left of center) from the Grotto in January 2011
Angel's Landing in Zion National Park in southwest Utah is one of the most spectacular hikes in North America. The short trail ascends to the rock formation in the middle of Zion Canyon and has sections were the trail is only a few feet wide while there are 1,500 foot vertical drops on both sides.
The trail up to Refrigerator Canyon
The trail is accessed from the Grotto and follows the Virgin River for the first half mile before rapidly ascending into Refrigerator Canyon, which can have air temperatures ten degrees cooler than the surrounding area. At the upper end of the canyon begins the ascent to Scout Lookout through a series of 21 consecutive switchbacks known as Walter's Wiggles.
The trail from Scout Lookout to Angel's Landing
Scout Lookout can be safely accessed year round, although there will likely be ice on Walter's Wiggles in winter. From here to the summit of Angel's Landing it is very dangerous when snow/ice is present as footing can be slippery even when the rock is dry. This section is narrow with vertical drop offs, steps cut into rocks, and chains to provide handholds. Several fatalities have occurred on this trail.
Looking down Zion Canyon from Angel's Landing
The summit is wider and has space for plenty of people to sit and enjoy red rock canyon. The summit, while far below the canyon rims, has a view that is stunning even on cloudy and windy March day, such as the day I made the hike.
Distance: ~1.6 mi (2.6 km) round trip
Highest elevation: 1,058 ft (322 m)
Elevation gain: 958 ft (292 m)
Date: November 24, 2010
The Precipice is perhaps the best and most challenging trail in Acadia National Park. The trail ascends nearly 1000 feet up the vertical eastern face of Champlain Mountain. I did this hike on a chilly and windy November day when there only a couple other people in the park and none on this trail.
The trail begins at the Precipice trailhead on the Park Loop Road south of Bar Harbor. The trail begins gaining some elevation for a short distance until you reach the bottom of the cliff. Next comes the best part of the hike when you reach ladder rungs inserted into the granite of the cliff. You also have to walk along several narrow exposed cliff edges, only a few of which have railings, in order to reach each following set of ladders.
The views from this trail are fantastic and are well worth it. During my visit the prevailing winds were coming from the w…
The Spyglass Hill Trail is a 20-mile network of hiking and equestrian trails along the south side of Enid Lake in Mississippi. This trail is on Army Corps of Engineers land and can be accessed from multiple trailheads (see the map below). I hiked the trail the warm winter afternoon of January 27, 2017.
I began my hike from Ford's Well, which is a developed day use area and campground on the eastern half of the trail network. Overall, I found this trail to be much like other hiking trails in the region: wide (often plowed by machines), predominately used by horses, on the same paths as old roads, and very poorly marked, often with many side trails. Cumulatively, I hiked a little over five miles on this trip.
I began my hike by going clockwise on the small loop south of Ford's Well, which passes through forest, cleared areas, and then returned on an old road to the trailhead. From the trailhead it took a fair bit of searching around to find where the trail continues from the far…
Summit elevation: 12,662 ft (3,859 m)
Distance: 7 miles (11.3 km) round trip
Elevation gain: 5,550 ft (1,692 m)
Class: 3
Date: August 8, 2011
Borah Peak in the Lost River Mountains is the highest point in Idaho and the 11th highest state high point in the United States. The route to the summit is only 3.5 miles one way but gains 5,550 feet making for a very steep ascent. Along the route, Chicken Out Ridge, at over 11,000 feet, is a very difficult class 3 section that will test the nerves of anyone who attempts it. The peak, as well as the rest of the Lost River Mountains are on Salmon-Challis National Forest.
The trailhead is accessed via a dirt road heading east from US route 93 north of Mackay and south of Challis. It is strongly recommended that you begin hiking between 5:00 and 6:00 am depending on your pace in order to avoid afternoon thunderstorms and lightning, which may occur regardless of precipitation. There is a campground at the trailhead, but no water is available at…
The Rocky Ridge Horse Trail is an 8-mile round trip network of trails along the northern shore of Enid Lake in north Mississippi. The trail starts from the Plum Point area, with the trailhead on the left as you're driving towards the campground.
The only map I have been able to find of this trail is the one that is on the board at the trailhead. I went on this hike with the knowledge that there is supposed to be a trail here, but that's it. This trail turns out to be a lot like others in Mississippi - poorly maintained, poorly signed, used by ATVs, and has numerous other side trails that at times go in every direction. To hike this trail you need to know of the general direction to hike in, how to get back, and just go.
Once I got about a mile and a half from the trailhead the trail looked like it received very little use. I eventually reached the midway point on the trail where a dirt road provides access to the lake. From this point, a left the trail and walked along the dr…
On my trip to the Riu Bachata in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic I spent some of my time looking for some of the island's wildlife. A variety of lizards were plentiful in some areas of the resort around dusk, but may of the birds took some extra searching.
Most of the birds I was able to find were around the resort, and this included a couple of endemics: the Hispaniolan woodpecker and the palmchat. The Antillean grackles and red-legged thrushes, a close relative of the American robin, were commonly seen in grassy areas. Gray flycatchers were always flying in open areas along the rock cliffs and seemed unfazed by people.
I wanted to see at least one of three species on Hispaniola: the Hispaniolan trogon, broad-billed tody, or narrow-billed tody. The only one I was able to find was the broad-billed tody (picture here), another endemic in a family that exists exclusively in the Greater Antilles. I also found West Indian whistling ducks in a swamp near th…
I just recently did this hike! It was great, check out my pictures here: https://www.seekadventure.net/d/9-utah-angels-landing-zion-national-park
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