All in Adventure Destinations
Are you looking to stand on the summit of a mountain in the Eastern Sierra on your next road trip? Perfect! You found the right place for a tick list. Below you will find 10 peaks, some obvious, some not so much, that have been challenging, enjoyable, and made my list of “Must Summit” peaks. Most of these peaks can be done in a single day of hiking, but are often made more enjoyable if you have the time for a backpacking trip. Regardless, park your vehicle at the trailhead and get started, the Eastern Sierra is calling!
In this episode, we chat with Ryan Lynch, the founder and head shaper at Timber Surf Co. Throughout this interview we chat about a wide variety of topics, but there is a theme; pursue your dreams. I know, this is cliche, but Ryan has embodied this mantra as he quit his corporate job working at Tesla, road tripped through Central America as a honeymoon—for several months—, and started his own sustainable surf board shaping business. Over the past few years, his shaping bay has transformed, as his goal of moving the shaping industry towards a scalable and sustainable endeavor. Check out his boards, give this a listen, and enjoy the video at the bottom!
As we flew, the Alaska Range skyline reviewed itself to us. Transitioning from green to white, we glided over glaciers, jagged peaks, and stared out upon our object. Thirty minutes passed and the descent towards the glacier began. Time had moved faster than ever before.
Heading to the beach to escape the cold, in search of the best mix of surf swells, or for all around fun? I’ve been heading down to Baja during the winter for most my life. Living out of my van and walking distance from the ocean presents some pretty awesome opportunities to dive in for your own snack, especially ceviche.
Looking for travel ideas in Baja, Mexico? Well, you are in the correct place. I have traveled through Baja, Mexico over 30 times in search of adventures. Throughout the experiences, there have been many take aways, but the most important is to be open. Traveling in Baja is much slower than the US, the people are friendlier, and the landscape is uninhabited in comparison. While you do not need to know Spanish, if you know the basics, you’ll be happier. Below you will find a bucket list of adventure travel ideas for your travels to Baja, Mexico.
Sucking it up, I put my big boy pants on— mainly to avoid being left behind by Kristin—and head to the hot spring. It was my first time here, I didn’t know what to expect and I was blown away. The landscape was cloaked in a orange glow as the light danced down the mountains and across the fields in the distance. Staring out from the warmths of the hot spring, I was proud that we persevered.
Growing up in a small town outside the city limits on the north shore of the lake, my family spent every opportunity skiing, hiking, swimming, and mountain biking around the blue waters. However, my parents were never keen on sleeping in tents, so backpacking was an activity I fell in love with during my time in college. When I returned home the summer after graduating and told my parents that I was going to thru-hike the 165 mile Tahoe Rim Trail, alone—to collect my thoughts before diving into a career—they rolled their eyes.
We were hesitant, at first, as we got a lay of the land and understood how packed the sand was. Smashing corners felt a bit risky, as did putting the pedal to the metal, but we wanted to kick up some dust for the shots. In the back of our minds, we couldn’t shake the reality that breaking breaking down here had consequences. Running out of gas in Cataviña had smaller consequences, but it would not be ideal. Regardless, we were committed to fun and creating stellar images.
Highway 395, the scenic road which gives you access to the Eastern Sierra, stretches from Palm Springs to Mount Shasta. This old trade route has now become the land of adventure for many reasons. The famous black and white photographer, Ansel Adams, main body of work is based throughout the Eastern Sierra. Mount Whitney, the highest point in the continental US can be gawked at from the highway.
Today is February 1st, which means it is time to flip your calendar :-) In addition to the video and calendar flip, I wanted to share some insights for your next visit to Yosemite National Park. If you are looking for a good day hike, iconic photographs to recreate, or just want to brainstorm ideas for your next trip to Yosemite, this is the blog for you.
DANG!! This was a cold one. Lake Sabrina is one of my favorite lakes to swim in during the summer, but I had not taken a dip in the winter… or late fall. When I say cold, I mean that I was shaking, my lips turned purple, and at some point, I ended up throwing up because I was so dang cold! Swimming in the Eastern Sierra during the winter was a fun challenge I am not sure I would take on for myself again. Once out of the water, I hunkered down in a sleeping bag, inside of my van, turned the heater on, and tried to warm up. Andrew was laughing at me the whole time!
After a little mix up, @cbeaumartino and I met up in the buttermilks just outside of Bishop, CA for some climbing. While waiting, the morning was quite productive as I worked on a blog about cool camping spots in the Eastern Sierra.
As you plan and research your trip along HWY 1, I wanted to toss in a few of my favorite places, for you to consider. Some of these are spots are seasonal and some are just good for a quick stop. My goal is to share a few places that aren’t already on your list! I must say, this is not a comprehensive list and is focused on the Big Sur to San Francisco section of HWY 1. Be on the lookout for ideas that are more south and north in the future! Here are my four suggestions:
Our thighs were burning as we tromped up Keasarge Pass to gain our first view into Kings Canyon. All three of us have explored different sections of the Eastern Sierra and JMT, but none of us had been to this area. To avoid the burn, we diverted our attention to the "What do you think is over there” game, trying to see who could paint a better picture of what was on the other side of the pass. Turns out, we were all wrong.
In 1969 Emerald Bay was recognized as a National Landmark, preserving the land for future generations. Within the bay, the only island in Lake Tahoe exists, Fannette Island. Which harbors the “tea house” on the island. For most, sitting on the bluff of Eagle Falls is the closests they will ever come to the tea house. Regardless, this national landmark is an emerald for us all to marvel at.
Conception Bay in Baja is a mind blowing combination of calm, warm water and an adult playground. Offering access to dozens of beaches Bahia Concepcion, as it is called in Spanish, directly translate to Bay of Concepcion, but most ex-Pats and travelers call this area Conception Bay. This absolute must stop when you travel to Baja is a long, narrow bay that stretches over thirty miles from the Sea of Cortez. Mountains encased the bay both sides with only narrow openings at the northern end. Located between Mulege and Loreto along the Sea of Cortez, Bahia Concepcion offers access to outstanding beach camping, each with their own spectacular views and reasons to visit.
As a photographer, my main focus is to chase light. A mentor of mine described photographers as the “Seekers of Light”. While I must admit, the majority of my work is focused more on the moment than light, I will say that my favorite photographs are those with unique light. Regardless, the purpose of the poem is to dive into what makes us human, keeping in mind the cycles of life. Hoping to highlight the daily as well as yearly cycles we all encounter, putting into perspective the one, hopefully long, cycle of life we are all living.
November 18th, 2019
The day started with a colorful, yet cold morning in Davenport, CA, just up the coast from my mailbox in Santa Cruz. Often, I would make the trek to watch the sunrise and seek out waves for dawn patrol, but the reality is often a foggy and waveless day. However, this morning was one of those special days.
