colorado – Journeys With Dave

My Top Five National Parks (USA)

January 9, 2024January 11, 2024davidpwahr

I recently loaded the National Park Service’s app (look for “NPS App” at the Google Play Store or Apple Store) which has several nifty features. Including the ability to keep lists of parks and units that you’ve visited. I was a little surprised that I’ve been to nearly half of the National Parks in the United States so far. I doubt I’ll ever get to them all, but it won’t be for lack of trying!

To be honest, I don’t think that there is a park I’ve visited that I haven’t liked. With that in mind, below are my top 5 parks that I would like to visit again if I can make the opportunity along with a few thoughts on what makes each park special.

As the National Parks have gotten more popular in the past couple of years, especially since the pandemic, reservation systems have been put into place at several of the most visited parks. Not only for camping and other accommodations but sometimes even just to get into the park. So before heading out be sure to do some research. The National Park Service website is a good place to start (nps.gov).

In recent months I’ve discovered that podcasts can be a great source of information for travel. For National Parks I like the Dear Bob and Sue podcast. It’s hosted by Matt and Karen Smith who have visited every national park in the USA and territories. They offer loads of hints and ideas in each episode and they are entertaining to listen to as well (this is not a paid endorsement)!

Yellowstone

The first National Park is arguably still the most impressive. If you want it chances are that Yellowstone has got it. Love to view wildlife? Yellowstone has more than you can imagine just don’t pet the fluffy cows (aka bison)! Love mountains and wilderness hiking? Check. Geysers and hot springs? Uh, hello, Old Faithful is just the beginning of the greatest collection of geysers and thermal features on the planet!

Denali

I only had a couple days in Denali during my recent trip to Alaska (August 2023) so I know that I’ve only scratched the surface of what this vast wilderness has to offer.

We splurged and took an airplane tour of Denali itself. Well worth the extra $500 (again, in 2023) to see the tallest and largest mountain in North America up close. The blue of the glacial lakes and the sheer size and majesty of the glaciers, snow fields, and peaks can really be appreciated from just a few thousand feet away. The plane was small but our pilot was confident and well skilled so despite a few pre-take off jitters the ride was comfortable and almost relaxing.

The second day we boarded a packed tour bus and took the road into the park’s interior. As of this writing the road is still partially closed due to a landslide and isn’t expected to re-open until 2025 or possibly later. However, we saw plenty of wildlife even on this somewhat shortened tour: caribou, moose, grizzly, Dall sheep, and more. The bus is equipped with cameras and screens to help you spot the wildlife and see it when you are on the wrong side of the bus.

I didn’t have the opportunity to hike very far into the park but there are several short hikes around the visitor’s center and my brother and I made it part way up a relatively small mountain where we saw a variety of plant life and another moose. Though she was in the parking lot just yards away from the visitor center!

Me in front of the plane we flew in. I was in the co-pilot’s seat!

Rocky Mountain

I debated between Rocky Mountain and Glacier National Park for this list (I like mountains) and chose Rocky Mountain because I’ve been to it several times and I think that it is overall more accessible than Glacier – at least as of my last visit a few years ago. Stunning vistas are just the beginning of what Rocky Mountain has to offer. On a relatively secluded hike on the way down from Trail Ridge Road on the west side of the park starting at the Coyote Valley Trailhead I ran across a female moose – fortunately without a calf – and saw plenty of mountain goats and other wildlife along Trail Ridge Road (the highest paved highway in the USA).

Okay, the views are spectacular from the mountains, too. Even if I never actually hiked to the top of Long’s Peak there’s plenty of climbing for both the experienced and novice hiker.

Grand Canyon

Not a mountain park, strictly speaking, more like a mountain that’s been inverted. One of the natural wonders of the world the Grand Canyon is one of the few things in this world that is more impressive in person than on a screen. At least that’s my thinking. Like most parks, hiking to spectacular views is the main activity but I believe that you can still ride a mule to the bottom- though not necessarily to the Colorado River which is further away than it looks.

I have only visited the North Rim which I believe is still the more “relaxed” side of the park. Certainly the least developed rim. There’s a hotel, cabins, and a campground. When I visited about 40 years ago with a friend we ended up staying in a cabin because the campground was full. I’m sure it’s even harder now to get a reservation!

We took a mule ride to the bottom which ended up being more exciting than planned. On the way back up a strap on my friend’s saddle snapped off with a loud “crack” which startled his mule. The mule then jumped toward the edge of the cliff! Fortunately, the mule’s survival instinct was strong and it got back to the center of the trail. Later my friend told me that the only thought which flashed through his mind was “how am I going to keep this mule between me and the bottom?”

Sadly, there have been fatalities at the park from falling over the side. Almost all were because someone didn’t pay attention to the signs and fences warning them about the edge.

Yosemite

Back to the mountains and valleys, too. Thousands flock to Yosemite to admire the postcard perfect views of waterfalls, cliffs, and meadows of the valley at Yosemite. However, I suggest getting above the crowds to the mountains. Glacier Point is the best place to see the iconic Half Dome and there is hiking galore in the mountains surrounding the valley. Which is also where you will find the groves of Sequoia trees. I haven’t made it to the Hetch Hetchy area but I understand that it is beautiful even though its valley is now flooded and used as a reservoir serving the San Francisco area.

I once stayed at the Wawona Hotel, specifically in the White Cottage, which to this day still retains it’s Victorian era charms. Including a shared bath house – bring a robe!

Among the most crowded of parks in the summer you’ll need reservations just to enter. So like every other park check the nps.gov website to start planning your trip.

Is there a more iconic spot in America than the view of Half-Dome from Glacier Point?

What do you think of my top 5 parks and what are your favorite parks? I’d love to know!

All photos by David P. Wahr unless otherwise noted in which case the original artist retains all rights. Otherwise photos and words @copyright by David P. Wahr

Favorite Destinations: Mountains

February 13, 2021February 15, 2021davidpwahr

“The mountains are calling and I must go…”
John Muir, 1873

Like John Muir I occasionally hear the call of the mountains. There is something both comforting and awe-inspiring about these lands that seem to be trying to touch the sky. Who hasn’t thrilled at the site of the Grand Tetons rising above the plains of Wyoming? Dreamed at least once of climbing Everest or at least of owning a mountain cabin in the woods somewhere? As a result, I’ve been to a few in both the United States and Canada (I’m presuming that Mont-Royal in Montreal counts) and have attempted to climb some as well. Though it seems that my climbing limit is somewhere around 13,000 feet (3,962 meters) and the only way I’ve gotten above that elevation is by car, Mt. Evans and Pike’s Peak in Colorado, I still enjoy the attempt.

I also find that if you are open to it you may encounter a new friend or two along the way. Hikers in general seem to be a friendly and helpful group. I think that they share the common knowledge that out in the woods we are all to some degree strangers in a strange land. If we don’t help each other “out there” there is a real chance that someone may not make it back to the comfort of their living room that night.

Here are a few of my favorite mountain hikes from coast to coast. Including a couple where I did not make it to the summit. We’ll start with the “urban” climbs:

The view straight down from Diamond Head. Photo by David P. Wahr

Diamond Head, 761′ (232m): located in Honolulu, Hawaii this ancient volcano crater may not technically be a mountain. However, it’s the only one I’ve climbed where I had to access it by going through a tunnel in the crater wall. Again, it’s another urban hill with stairs. There’s 165 of them in total both 99 steps straight up and another 76 from a circular staircase. The tropical heat can make this short climb deceptively difficult. Your reward is a stunning view of Honolulu, the Pacific, and some WWII era “pillboxes” and fortifications at the top.

A few of the stairs at Mont-Royal. Photo by David P. Wahr

Mont-Royal, 764′ (233m): located in the heart of Montreal, Quebec it is the mountain from which the city takes it’s name. It’s small by most mountaineering standards and even has a stairway leading to the top, but it’s worth the climb to see the views of the city. Don’t feel like climbing 550 steps? Don’t worry, you can drive to the top. Bonus, you’ll have plenty of time to see all of Montreal after your short hike!

Me after a refreshing hike up Stone Mountain!

Stone Mountain, 1,686′ (514m), the Atlanta metro area’s largest monument and tourist attraction to the Confederacy (what is this fascination people have with carving things into the faces of mountains? See also Mount Rushmore). Regardless of your feelings about the carving the park is pleasant enough and there are plenty of things for a family to do including a tram to the top. However, I chose to take the trail up the backside of the dome. Slippery when wet, you are climbing a large granite stone after all, it’s a gentle trail with a gain of about 700′ (213m) in elevation.

Camelback Mountain, 2,707′ (825m), when I first started going to Phoenix on a regular basis about 30 years ago I swear that this park was on the edge of the city. Now it’s surrounded by residential housing. Technically another short hike but it’s also a demanding one. Not only because of the desert heat but because there are sections that require some actual rock climbing. No gear needed, but you will be using arms and legs to scale the side of the camel’s “hump” at least from the Echo Canyon side. I don’t know if I would have made it except for the urging of a young woman (my “angel”) who took pity on the old man who looked so cute trying to climb to the peak like he was a real person. You’ll want to have plenty of water and the rangers are pretty serious about making sure that you know you need to be off the peak by sunset!

Me and my “angel” – proof that she was not a mirage. The shadow of Camelback looms large over the Phoenix metro area. Photos by David P. Wahr

Mount Monadnock, 3,165′ (965m), is located in southern New Hampshire and the main reason I visited it was because I had played the Narrator in a production of Thorton Wilder’s Our Town in which this mountain is mentioned. Another relatively easy climb but a rocky one if I recall correctly. The mountain is surrounded by a state park and is isolated on the plain. In fact, the name comes from the Abenaki Native Americans word for isolated hill.

Blue Mountain Fire Tower circa 1993. A scary climb then for sure. Photo by David P. Wahr

Blue Mountain, 3,750′ (1,143m) is a more serious climb. Located in New York’s Adirondack Mountains, where the chairs come from, it is easy by mountain climbing standards in the sense that this is a hike not a technical climb I found it a little challenging when I climbed it nearly 30 years ago. There is a abandoned fire observation platform at the top which appears to have been repaired some since I visited.

Mount Pisgah, 5,721′ (1,744m), located in North Carolina outside of Asheville, this mountain is in the Appalachian Mountains and accessible from the Blue Ridge Parkway. The trail is about 2.6 miles (4.2km) roundtrip and has an elevation gain of only 750′ (229m). It’s rated as ‘moderate’ difficulty by most sites but this is another one that I found more difficult than it looked. It had been raining earlier in the day and the trail was very slick, a real issue on the steeper portions. This is another trail where I found an “angel” who kept an eye on the novice who seemed to be breathing too hard for comfort. I’m sure that he would have gotten up and back a whole lot faster if he hadn’t been keeping an eye on me. The view from the top is great – just ignore the broadcasting antennas and equipment behind you.

Fresh as a daisy at the summit of Mount Pigsah!

Sign post ahead. Next stop, the quiet zone. Photo by David P. Wahr

North Chilco Peak, 5,635′ (1,718m), located in the Idaho’s panhandle this climb was a more true wilderness experience for me. I only encountered two other people on the trail who were mountain biking. How they got to the summit, the final approach was through a boulder field, on bikes I’ll never know. But they said they did so who am I to argue. The view and silence were both spectacular! An easy climb with multiple switch backs and a well maintained trail. The trail is about 4 miles (6.4km) round trip and the elevation gain is nearly 1,500′ (457m).

At the Keyhole in 1988. I’m in the middle, my sister on the right and my brother-in-law’s friend on the left. Photo by Rodney D. Blanchard

It’s no coincidence that the peaks I’ve failed to summit are in the Rocky Mountains. Despite the best efforts of my cousin and his daughter, both avid outdoors enthusiast and climbers, I only made it to about 13,000′ (3,962m) on Colorado’s highest peak, Mount Elbert which summits at 14,400′ (4,389m). The part of the mountain I climbed wasn’t difficult for most people who were used to the relatively thin air and , let’s face it, in better shape than I was. Thin air at least by this Michigan boy’s standards. The trailhead is at an elevation almost twice as high as any random mountain out East for gosh sakes! The trail was well maintained though and passed through lush forests before going above timberline. I may not have made it to the summit – which is a shame because I was actually fairly close based on the map. But, every foot at that altitude for me was felt about the same as trying to travel a half-mile. I was moving slow to say the least. I found the view so wonderful though that I was content to just sit and stare into space while my hiking companions went on ahead. At least the day was clear and calm.

I’m also sorry to say that I was never able to summit Longs Peak (14,259′ – 4,346m) in Rocky Mountain National Park. Realistically, I know that this goal is now out of reach for me. It is a climb which could require some climbing equipment, depending on conditions, and frankly my sense of balance probably isn’t up to crossing the “ledges” safely. I did make it to the Keyhole (13,200′ – 4,023m) in my youth and I’ll always savor that memory.

There have been other mountains and trails, of course, but these are the ones I remember best. What’s your favorite climb? I’d love to hear about it!

Onward and Upward!

The author enjoying the view on Mount Elbert.

Fitness Quest: October 2017 and Olympic Goals

November 11, 2017December 20, 2019davidpwahr

A little late on my update for last month – but it’s been a busy week so this update will flow into the first part of November as well:

Crohn’s Update: things are going very well with my Crohn’s. I’ve had only one or two days where I got off to a slow start do to the disease. I believe that being regular with my vitamin regimen, staying active as possible, keeping up with my weight training, and watching my diet are all helping. If I feel better over all, my Crohn’s stays quiet.

Workouts: progress continues! I’m gaining strength, slowly but surely, and stamina. My arms are a little larger, my chest is larger, my shoulders more defined, my waist is shrinking, and my weight is decreasing.

I did spend the first week of November in Colorado Springs at the Broadmoor Resort no less (one of America’s true luxury resorts) at a business conference (NACAS – where I was inducted as the board President). Though I suffered early on a brief attack of altitude sickness, several gallons of water and many deep breaths later I was feeling positively energized in the thin mountain air. So good that by the end of my stay I was lifting weights in the fitness center each night – including 250 on the bench for three reps. Twenty five more pounds than at home – it was on a machine though so it didn’t require as much use of the stabilizing muscles as a “true” bench press. Still felt good though!

Cardio: most of the month was ho-hum in this area. Being in a play (mentioned in the last post) did slow me down somewhat. However, one the play was finished I was able to step things back up so to speak. Also, as I mentioned above, I took a trip to Colorado Springs. Nothing like a stay in the thin mountain air, hikes up a couple of hills (and 224 steps to the top of Seven Falls and another 185 to the Eagles Landing) and walking all over a spread out resort (the Broadmoor) and conference center to get those steps in!

Nutrition: I’m doing pretty well in this department. I hit my protein goals most days and stay below my carb goals. Fats, still an issue, but getting better. I’m finding some supplementation with protein drinks is really helping. I’m making my own smoothies starting this week as well. Now that my weight is down, I’m considering adding a few more calories per day to see if I can spur some additional muscle growth without adding fat. A challenge for anyone – let alone a middle age man with a history of being fat prone. But, if you don’t experiment you don’t learn, right?

Other Cool Things this Month: the biggest cool think I did this month was visit the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs as part of the aforementioned conference. Here I got to meet several Olympic and Paralympic athletes and I’ll post more about that later. But what a thrill it was to participate in an Olympic Flame lighting ceremony and meet so many athletes. If I needed any more motivation to keep working out, I got it that night. I may never have the body of a gymnast – the shoulders and biceps on those guys – but I can keep pushing my own personal limits.

And so can you.

Onward!