Planning Our Trip

We won a silent auction item that included a free night in the Kentucky State Park Resort of our choice. We decided to visit a park that was new to us, and hoped to check out some fresh mountain bike trails. I researched the parks that included mountain bike trails, and excluded those with which we already had considerable familiarity. Carter Caves State Park was within a few hours driving distance and has over 12 miles of connecting contain bike trails. I also wisely (as it turns out), explored other activities and favored to the option of taking a cave tour in case the weather was unpleasant.

The Restaurant

Carter Caves State Park Lodge was typical for a Kentucky State Park. We visited Tierney’s Cavern Restaurant for lunch shortly after arriving to Olive Hill, Kentucky. The menu was standard for Kentucky State Parks. My veggie burger and french fries were enjoyable, and the view from the lodge overlooks a forest, which provided a peaceful backdrop for our lunch. If you’re not prepared to make your own food or just want to get out of the weather than this is a decent place to eat. There is a small town outside of the park but you’ll only find a small pizza place and a grocery store, so beggars can’t be choosers.

The Lodge Room

We normally opt to hammock camp or to stay in our van but as part of the silent auction we had a night in the lodge. The lodge room was also fairly typical of state parks. There was a typical restroom with standard shower/tub and toilet, a vanity in the main room with a sink, coffee maker, and large mirror. The queen bed was comfortable, and the room included a desk, couch, and an outdoor wooden balcony overlooking the hiking trails.  We struggled to control the temperature in the room. The air conditioner worked exceedingly well.  As soon as the room warmed, we would adjust and nearly instantly the room was chilly. In the summer, I am sure this feature would be glorious. To be honest, the room was comfortable, but not outstanding.  If you are in a state park, logic would dictate you likely will not spend all day cooped up in a room anyway.

The Caves

As it turned out, most of Kentucky experienced heavy rains and flooding the weekend we visited Carter Caves. We began our visit first thing in the morning with a tour of Cascade Cave. The day we visited, the cave was particularly aptly named. The rain from the ground level created waterfalls that the guide said were nearly never present and made the established falls even stronger. Our group was small, with only two parties of four people total, and the guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and relaxed. The tour was a true highlight of the trip.

At one point, the path exists the cave and overlooks a stream. The landscape revealed the after effects of a cave collapse hundreds of years ago. The boulders, trees, stream, and rock wall facing rivaled most any spot in Kentucky I have witnessed with my own eyes. The sound of the rushing water, cave behind us, rock overhangs, and the beautiful foliage created a peaceful nook that the visitors were allowed to absorb due to the relaxed pace of our small group.

The tour continued on to grand rooms, and a stories high waterfall. We were greeted by small and large brown bats, as well as cave crickets. We had planned to visit the other cave while in the state park. However, by the 4:30 p.m. start time, the cave had flooded.  The ranger determined it was unsafe to tour the cave, so we will have to check out the cave during our return trip.

The Trails

We explored a few miles of trail surrounding the lodge. Unfortunately, due to the flooding, the trails were been unsuitable for mountain biking. The Three Bridges Trail led down to Smoky Bridge, a natural rock bridge extending over a stream. The trail to the bridge was short, but beautiful. While it was close to the lodge, it felt secluded. We also took the Raven Bridge Trail to Raven Bridge, another impressive rock bridge feature. This trail was slightly longer and featured waterfalls along the way.

We left the lodge area and took a portion of the Carter Caves Cross Country Trails out to the Shangra La Arch. Traversing this trail was somewhat challenging. The high water in the stream required some true scrambling.  After passing through the arch, there was a set of very steep steps which were somewhat wobbly and angled. However, the view was certainly worth the unsteady footing and the mud smeared on my pants.

We hope to visit Carter Caves State Park in the future and will report back on the mountain bike trails.

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I have a confession to make. When the other half of Outdoor Wanderlust said we would add the Grand Canyon to our itinerary,  I envisioned every cliché road trip from the comedy movies of my childhood. I lacked the wisdom at that time to understand why clichés are developed. Our stop along Hoover Dam on the way did not disabuse me of the idea the canyon would be underwhelming. I found Hoover Dam to be an impressive feat of human engineering. But, that much concrete just did not impress my outdoor loving soul. I was a fool to underestimate the Grand Canyon, however, and I’m not too proud to admit it.

Preparations

We planned to arrive mid day on our first day in the park. First, would explore the South Rim at highest elevation, accessing the visitor center and paved side walks leading to crowded overlooks. Then, we planned to eat dinner, visit the store for last minute supplies, and hammock camp overnight in the Mather Campground. The next morning, we had plans to take Bright Angel trail to the 3 mile rest house and hike back out. Then, take the park trolley to Hermit’s Rest, Hopi House, and the visitor’s center. We would camp again that night before moving on to our next destination.

We were prepared with all of our hammock gear, fire starting kit, cooking supplies, layered hiking clothes, sun blocking hat, trekking poles, trail map, snacks, water, and salt stick fast chews.

From the Rim

I immediately had to revise my initial attitude. After a five minute walk from our dessert animal themed parking lot, I realized why the Grand Canyon was the center stone of so many corny road trip tales. It is overwhelming and amazing. It is the star of so many cliches, but they are all true. The massive rocks were cut by water over a span of time I could not comprehend. I felt tiny in the scale of both time and space. I felt the complex duality of intense connection to my planet, and the sense that myself and my minute problems were meaningless in the vastness of nature. It was the experience I seek every time I wander into the outdoors, only magnified. All this, while I was dodging selfie sticks and tourists. I could not wait to be on the other side of the protective metal railing, on a trail working my way only fraction of the way down into the canyon.

We pulled ourselves away from the lookout, visited the visitor’s center for some information and a quick film. We wandered to one of the lodges for a quick dinner, stopped by the well stocked store and purchased snacks and a t-shirt for our trusty dog sitter, and found our campsite for the night.

Camping in Awe

We setup our hammocks at Mather Campground and got the rest of our camp squared away. This would be my first night hammock camping. I had enjoyed afternoons and lengthy naps in my favorite local parks–and even my own back yard– in a hammock, but never the entire night. Anytime my backpacking companions chose to hammock camp, I kept my tent accommodations to stay warm and safe with the furry members of Outdoor Wanderlust. I set up my own Kammock hammock, and used a Yukon Outfitters Kindle Underquilt, and a Kammock Dragonfly Bug Net. We built a fire, set up our trusty luminoodle on the picnic table, and enjoyed the quiet of the campground.

We extinguished our fire early, as Nick had heard that on a clear night you can see the Milky Way in the sky over the Grand Canyon. After waiting and waiting, the sky finally cleared enough. A milky blue streak illuminated by soft light cut its way across the sky. I was breathless. Apparently, an imperfectly clear sky obstructed our view. I can not imagine what perfect conditions would have allowed me to behold. Awesome is a truly overused word, but it is the only one apt for the situation in this case. I was truly in awe of the sky, and my view of our solar system with my bare eyes.

Eventually, I pried myself away and tucked into my hammock for a warm, comfy night’s sleep. I awoke in the morning happy to find an Elk had not entangled my hammock in his antlers. After a quick breakfast, we were ready to hit the trail.

Bright Angel Trail to 3 mile Rest House

The most compelling thing about our hike into the canyon was the way that it changed every few feet. As we made our way through steep switchbacks, one might have assumed the views would be repetitive. However, the morning light was constantly in flux, interacting with the canyon walls and chasing their colors, creating new shadows and highlights every few feet of descended elevation. The path was dusty, with some loose rock. We met a large group of friendly hikers going in the same general direction. It was early morning, and overall the trail was still quiet and peaceful. The trip to the 1.5 mile rest house was pleasant (others would joke of course this was the easiest part, as we were obviously going down hill).

We stopped at the rest house, ate a snack not out of hunger, but to be safe on the trail, and took in the views. A little squirrel had picked up on the habit of hikers snacking in the rest house, and kept scurrying through looking for any crumbs. We packed out our trash and made our way toward the 3 mile rest house.

This section became more populated. We began to meet groups hiking out of the canyon, likely having backpacked and camped the night before, and even met a few teams of mules packing supplies and possibly trash out of the canyon. To my surprise, I found fresh legs and no blisters when we settled into the 3 mile rest house. It was a very happy 3 mile hike.

Hiking Out of the Canyon

This section of our hike became very much populated. More and more teams of mules passed.  I gave each complete right of way, being careful to step to the inside of the rock wall, avoiding the edge and any potential lethal falls. The pauses were welcome at times, as the ascent was steep, and the day was warming up. We met several friendly groups who were in high spirits and joked about how far we had left, or the difference in effort required to venture down verses climb out. The hike was not strenuous.  Yet, there was a steady incline, and none of the rolling hills or scrambles I had come accustomed to in my hikes through the Eastern United States.

Exploring with the Shuttle

One of the highlights of our exploration of the park via shuttle was Hermit’s Rest, the end of the shuttle route. Not only were there excellent views from just past the shuttle stop,  Mary E.J. Coulter’s famous stone structure portrayed in the style of shelter for a 19th century miner. Now the structure features a large hearth and fireplace, a gift shop and a snack bar. We stopped at several look out points along the way back to the village. From there we drove over to the Hopi House, next to the impressive looking El Tovar lodge. We browsed through native goods and crafts, and enjoyed the replica of a pueblo crafted in 1905. We were also sure to visit both the Lookout and Kolb art studios. After we enjoyed a meal in the Bright Angel Lodge, we  topped it all off with a couple of scoops of ice cream before heading back to camp.

Summary

As is usual, our only regrets were that we did not have more time to explore everything the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and the Canyon itself had to offer. Given more time and a leisurely itinerary, we would have liked to have hiked further into the Grand Canyon, perhaps even backpacking our way to hammock camp in the true wilderness.

References & Links

• South Rim Visitor Information – Website Link
• Mather Campground Information – Website Link
• South Rim Map & Services Guide – PDF Download

Photo Gallery

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Old Man’s Cave Area

Our first stop along the Grandma Gatewood Trail was Old Man’s Cave. All four members of Outdoor Wanderlust made our way over slick rock trail to behold this gorge including two waterfalls and a beautiful human-made rock bridge. Some families frolicked in the creek that cut through the gorge as we passed. This is where the majority of people were coming that visited Hocking Hills. In certain areas it was extremely crowded and the tranquility of the outdoors was interrupted with people yelling or kids screaming.

Devil’s Tub and Upper Falls

The trail offers several highlights along the six mile trail connecting Old Man’s Cave to two of the major attractions, Cedar Falls and Ash Cave. One of our first chosen stops was Devil’s Tub, a deep, swirling whirlpool fed by water rushing under a rock formation. Along the way we were treated to forested trail scenery, and a view of the Upper falls, where a small wedding was in progress. It was easy to see why a couple would choose this spot to hold a ceremony, the waterfall carved through the rock and created a crystal clear pond surrounded by white sand.

Sphinx Head

The view from the rock formation referred to as Sphinx Head serves as the reward for a bit of climbing and a shimmy through a slick, dark tunnel (which led to two very nervous trail dogs). From a distance, the rock face resembles that of the famous Egyptian world wonder. Unfortunately, we were unable to find the perfect vantage point from which to compare its likeness, but were nonetheless impressed with the view of the gorge from this height.

Rock House

Outdoor Wanderlust was lucky to arrive at Rock House early enough to beat the crowds. When we arrived at the elevated, hollowed out rock formation, we were able to explore with only Pigeon coos to keep us company. Both dogs bounded up the boulders to enter the depths. The hike to Rock House was wooded, beautiful, and the entrance was steep enough that the trail builder provided several sets of railroad tie stairs. We only regretted our inability to explore more of the trail in this area before leaving. All of our experiences in Hocking Hills were enjoyable and beautiful, but this stood out to me.

Ash Cave

We were also able to explore Ash Cave while in  Hocking Hills. The trail to Ash Cave was very wet.  The hike with two dogs was slightly more challenging than it might have otherwise been. The views along the way were beautiful nonetheless. The impressive horseshoe shaped cave, with a tiny waterfall dripping over the edge – as though someone on the other side of the cliff had inadvertently left a faucet barely running was the true payoff. Words cannot do the experience justice, so I suggest you see it for yourself.

Camping and Lodging

There are several campgrounds and many lodges available in the area. We planned out our trip with very short notice in excellent weather, so we missed out on the opportunity to stay in the campgrounds in or nearby Hocking Hills. It worked out fine but we ended up in a small family owned campground that resembled more of somebodies yard then actual camping. We suggest you make plans in advance to be able to take advantage of the better lodging options in the park.

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No Heat, No Water, No Assembly

Super non-processed, potentially not packaged

When searching for whole food, plant-based options, of course nature has several offerings. Nuts are a delicious, easily packable, energy dense option. I have found pistachios are a delightful snack when on the trail–just be sure to collect your shells. Oranges are an excellent camp food as they tend to stand up to crushing and jostling better than many other fruits. Carrots can be heavy, but are usually hardy when traveling and resist bruising and are less susceptible to temperature changes. I have typically eaten an apple a day when not traveling and sometimes I will attempt to gently transport one in my mesh bottle pocket, hoping for minimal bruising. The truth is I have attempted to search out bars for their ability to stand up to weather and packing, and over time I have just searched harder for the most plant-based bars possible.

Bars

Granola, protein and snack bars are a classic camp food. In terms of bars, I have gone through phases with three of the major bar brands including: Cliff, Luna Bar, and Larabars. I know some of you out there have your own homemade bar recipes and I would love for you to share them with us in the comments.

Luna Bars

When I first began cycling, I picked up a bar habit with Luna Bars. I enjoyed a half a bar at the top of Iroquois Park every Saturday with the local bike club’s Saturday morning ride. My favorites were Nuts Over Chocolate, but I would often share a Lemon with my husband. This brief break came near lunch time, and the 180 calories (or so), and crunchiness of the bars were just filling enough to finish the last 20 miles or so. One of the biggest drawbacks for me were that they easily melted in my pockets. The Luna Bars tasted good, and were excusable when exercising, but they just didn’t seem nutritious enough to eat when I wasn’t about to immediately burn them off.

Cliff Bars

I have typically reserved Cliff bars for meals. They are a go-to breakfast camp food when backpacking, and an on-the-go lunch when visiting national parks, Disney Paris, or even at work. I still enjoy Cliff bars, and I still consider them a small meal. I’ve just picked up a box of Crunchy Peanut Butter for my upcoming camping trip to Chattanooga, TN.

Larabars

A few years back, I tried a Larabar. I believe I tested the Apple Pie. In contrast to the sweet Luna Bars, I found the taste ruled them out of my repertoire. Which was disappointing at the time because I really appreciated the calorie count and straightforward ingredients.

Fast forward a few years to 2017 when I began to pursue a Whole Foods Plant Based diet. Larabar uses four very recognizable plant-based ingredients in several flavors. For instance the Peanut Butter Cookie bars contain dates, peanuts, and sea salt. I gave the bars a second chance and I realized many of them are quite delicious. I now eat them when I want a snack, or to help boost a breakfast or a lunch. They aren’t as sweet as the Luna bars I previously preferred, as they are missing the chocolate dip accompanying most Luna bars. As my overall diet changed, I suppose my palate did as well. I’m excited to try the Mint Chip Brownie flavor this weekend on the trail.

Chews

In situations where one hand may be holding a leash or steering my bike and quick fuel is needed, chews are a great option. When cycling, especially road cycling, I typically enjoy Skratch chews. I prefer the orange flavor. They are chewy, sweet and salty, and they don’t stick in my teeth or require me to drink half my water to wash them down. I believe they have prevented cramps on longer rides, curbed my hunger, and seemed like a treat rewarding the previous hills and miles. While I cannot truly confirm these are vegan, they are free of gelatin (a culprit which often renders otherwise vegetarian food off-limits). They likely do not count as a “whole food,” but that being said, I recognized and can pronounce each and ever single of listed ingredient.

Waffles

When I do not have the chews, I often opt for Honey Stinger Waffles. These are another “treat” food I use for a bit of a burst of energy or to tide me over until the post ride meals. One “con” of this food is they crush fairly easily. The “pros” are easy- they taste eerily close to the Stroop Waffles enjoyed in Amsterdam on our Europe trip, they are low profile, so they do not bulk out any pockets. There are flavors (including salted caramel) which are offered in gluten-free options. In addition, other Honey Stinger waffles are noted to be organic. While they appear to be vegetarian at first glance, they are not vegan, as they contain milk and eggs.

Assembly Required

Our go to camp food for lunch is a tortilla peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Occasionally we mix it up and switch out for single serve packs of Nutella. We enjoy mission fajita size tortilla. The mission tortilla are soft and seem to hold up well in a backpack. They have always tasted good on the trail, even if they’ve been traveling for five days. We enjoy individual packets of Justin’s peanut butter, or Justin’s almond butter, or Jiff single packs. We often use individual jellies, such as Smucker’s. Often, we use small packets we’ve saved from meals out. I distinctly remember eating tortilla Pb&J in Yosemite on the way to Half Dome (and it was a beautiful, delicious lunch). At times I would pack string cheese, pistachios, or dried fruit as accompaniments.

Minimal Cooking

Just Add Boiling Water

During winter months, warmth is a key factor in choosing a camp food. We use our Optimus backpacking stove when we go backpacking. When in a hurry we boil water and eat Instant Lunch (ramen contained in a styrofoam cup), Oatmeal, or dehydrated meals. Of course, Mountain House is a go-to for hikers and backpackers all over. I have grown to love both Backpacker’s Pantry and Alpine Aire. Mountain House offers a few vegetarian options, Backpacker’s Pantry offers a few more with dishes I enjoy at home. Alpine Aire also offers some vegan varieties.

A Few Food Fails

Like all things when traveling, or backpacking, we have run into a few failures. We’ve brought along cans of tuna or chicken intending to eat them right out of the can only to realize we had forgotten our trusty p-38 can opener.  I have ruin into a few Alpine Aire which required cooking in the pan. This was clearly my fault for not reading closely enough before packing my food, but just a head’s up, they have non-pour, zip and wait options. We have poured boiling water into Easy Mac containers only to be met with very crunchy inedible noodles. It turns out Easy Mac really is a microwave food, not a handy camp food.

In a future article we will talk more about some of our favorite meals requiring dishes and utensils, and perhaps a few more fails.

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The Plan

Fly to Kansas City to pickup our new 2018 Ford Transit Van at Matt Ford. Then drive 500+ miles back home to Kentucky. Stopping along the way at anything of interest. We were going to just sleep in the van but I had a certificate for a free night at the Marriott, so I might as well use it.

What Really Happened

We managed to wake up on time and get to the airport as planned. Then it got interesting. Our mobile boarding pass with Southwest wouldn’t load in the app so we grabbed the paper boarding pass from the kiosk and hit the security line. Beth’s boarding pass wouldn’t scan so she got sent back to the airline desk while I was shuttled on through security. Then I got pulled aside to have my bag searched. “Do you have any tools in your backpack?” asked the security guard. My response… “No.” He then proceeds to find and extract a crescent wrench from my backpack. What the… oh yeah, I forgot I put that there. Images of being pummeled by a horde of security guards crossed my mind but they simply asked if I wanted to check it or lose it. I’m not gonna argue over a wrench. I said they could have it and I was on my way. Beth managed to finally get through security and we were off. The actual flights (one to chicago and then onto Kansas City) were pretty uneventful.

We finally arrived in Kansas City at 11:30am where we hopped in a car with a guy from the dealership. After a 40 minute ride we lay eyes on our new Ford Transit van. Our overall experience at the dealership was okay, but was not an overwhelmingly exciting event (get the full sales process experience here). Since we had already handled all the pricing and discussions prior to our arrival it was a straight forward transaction. I did a full walk around and inspection on everything I could think to check and then we took it for a test drive. Everything looked goo so we popped in the office signed a few papers, got our keys, and hit the road in search of some Kansas City BBQ.

Kansas City BBQ

We head back into Kansas City and dropped in Q39 for some BBQ on a recommendation from a business colleague. This introduced the first tiny parking lot and parking test. I had to circle the building twice until someone left to find an empty spot (Kansas City Chief fans were in mass at the restaurant) but I was able to successfully back the beast into a space. The van is big — bigger than our previous compact SUV– but not as difficult to manage as you might expect. This went a long way in squashing any future concerns about being able to maneuver the van in day-to-day driving.

The BBQ was great but we were losing light and wanted to grab a few photos and sneak in a quick hike since we had been sitting all day. We managed to find a hike nearby at Burr Oak Woods Conservation Area. After a quick out and back hike we were able to grab a few photos before the sun began to set. Check the gallery below for some of the photos. With daylight gone it was time to buckle in and knock out driving the full width of Missouri to get to St. Louis where our hotel reservation awaited.

In the Final Stretch

Rested and ready for a day of adventure, we set out fresh on Sunday morning with plans to hit the botanical gardens.  The weather had different plans with rain expected the entire day. So, we pivoted and dropped in the IKEA for some oddball van items and some sightseeing as we made our way out of St. Louis. We had 5 hours of driving ahead of us and a time zone change. Unfortunately Beth woke up feeling sick and it only progressively got worse throughout the day. So we predominantly stuck the highway while jamming to some tunes.

We finally got Griffin home well after sundown but couldn’t wait to let our dogs hop aboard to get familiar with their new home on wheels for future adventures. This was a very successful trip (minus Beth getting sick) and are incredibly stoked for the next phase of the van, the BUILD!!

Initial Impressions on the Van

Going on a few short test drives before buying didn’t give us a lot of insight into the vans total comfort or performance. So when we set out on 500+ miles if was an opportunity to get familiar with the van and pick up on the suttle aspects you miss on a quick test drive.

The power of the 3.5 Liter EcoBoost V6 is awesome! Plenty of power to get out of the way or pass a semi on the freeway. It’s hard to not want to floor it all the time until you hit the gas pump. The ride quality is much better then I envisioned a van being but with it being completely empty currently it is a little bouncy in the rear. Time will tell on how that improves as we out weight in it. The steering is a mixed bag. Most of the time it tracks really well and the steering wheel is really easy to turn. However, it is a small steering wheel for such a large rig and has a small degree of error so minor adjustments easily get you drifting lanes. It’s not like the big bus wheels of the past. This is both a pro and con when you have side wind hitting that massive side wall on the highway.

The leather 10-way heated seats are great but are a little stiff. Hopefully in time they will soften up some but with dogs we like the idea that they won’t be packed in fur all the time. Factory stereo is pretty garbage but works okay if you crank the bass to the max to offset highs. Visibility and maneuverability was a concern since I’ll be driving the van as a daily commuter but so far it’s not that bad. Other then being aware of low overhangs and the occasional “compact” parking spaces its just like any large SUV or full-size pickup. The mirrors have great visibility and the backup camera works well in the high elevated position above the doors, a new placement for 2018. Thought the backup screen is tiny (That will be solved with a new stereo).

So far we are impressed and super stoked to get started on the build. We couldn’t be happier with our choice to buy a Ford Transit Van versus some of the other options on the market.

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Hitting the Trail

We hit the Adirondack LOJ for a trail report and insight from the rangers. On their advice we swapped our route to go up avalanche pass rather than descend it due to a fairly solid sheet of ice encapsulating the trail. We would be very grateful for this advice later that day. We set off with snow shoes on our backs and micro spikes at the ready. The first few miles of the Van Hoevenberg Trail are fairly flat forest trails with some wooden bridges and tall pines.

Hitch-up Matildas

About 4.2 miles in we came to Avalanche Lake which was frozen but not traversable on foot or snowshoe. After the required selfies on the frozen lake’s ice we caught back up with the trail for some solid rock scrambles along the shoreline. Frozen boulder hopping is fun but sketchy. I took a misstep and went almost knee-deep into the lake. Somehow I didn’t turn my boot into a bucket and kept my feet dry. (Kudos to my gaiters and waterproof hiking boots.)

Near the end of the boulders is a section nicknamed “Hitch-up Matildas.” Large wood beams have been driven into the side of a rock wall that protrude out over the water’s edge to allow hikers to cross over to solid ground. Below the beams the water is only about waist deep. Prior to the beams, guides would lead hikers through the water. The name comes from a story about a guide who was carrying a woman across this section and her sister continued to yell out, “Hitch-up Matilda!” to keep out of the water. I don’t know how true it is but it’s funny to think about.

Climbing Avalanche Pass

2 miles. 2,000 feet up. Stair stepper exercise? Maybe. What would normally be a good workout turns into a physical challenge when you add a couple inches of ice and snow to the mix. We threw the micro spikes on and started up. A few rock slides altered the trail and created ice slopes that turned into some adventurous crawling. The hike up in the bright white snow-covered landscape was incredibly beautiful. There were plenty of great spots to stop, turn around, and take in the views.

Summiting Mount Colden

As you near the top, you cross into the Alpine zone with lots of short pine, exposed rock, and low vegetation. It was a beautiful frozen wonderland on our visit. At this point, trail markers are painted on the ground, and were difficult to follow as the snow-covered the ground and he markers.  A few icy rock scrambles on all fours and a well placed log ladder later we finally saw the summit. The views of the surrounding high peaks are amazing. We would’ve hung out a bit to take in the sights but the weather, including the temps in the teens and building wind, encouraged us to move more quickly.

The descent was fairly uneventful other than a few fun butt-slides in the snow. We hightailed it down to get back to the trail head right at the beginning of sunset. It gave us just enough time to get to Lake Placid to find some dinner and a beer.

Visiting Lake Placid

Just north of Mount Colden is a small mountain town nestled on the southern edge of Lake Placid. The town, named for the lake, is a fun touristy collection of local shops and restaurants. We enjoyed some lunch and visited a few of the shops before cruising around the lakeshore. We didn’t get to spend much time at Lake Placid as we had to head back to Albany to grab a flight home in the afternoon.

This was an awesome weekend adventure and I would love to check off another ADK summit in the future.

Hike Details

Elevation: 4,714 ft
Trail Length: 13.8 miles
Google Maps: Click Here for Map
Trail Map: Click Here for Map
ADK Website: https://www.adirondack.net/business/mount-colden-11078/

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We drove up for a relatively short trip over an extended weekend, with our two dogs. We don’t often get to travel to truly new places with our dogs, and it has been a long time since we took a non-backcountry trip with them by ourselves. Since discovering mountain biking usually the dogs tag along on group bike trips. I love traveling with my dogs. Despite Ripley’s carsickness and resulting human stress, I always feel better when my dogs are with me. This trip was extremely dog friendly, we never had to leave them in the car while we ran into a restaurant or went for a ride or a hike.

Off To a Bad Start

The trip did not start out well. The weather was terrible, and our first choice of campsite left much to be desired. We were the only tent campers in the whole park and our view consisted of rows and rows of permanently established mobile homes. The weather was so bad that the tent attempted to transform to a kite and we all had to just sit back in the car for a while. The campground had lost power. We understand you cannot control nature, but this also meant they locked all the facilities. In addition, the road was closed due to a downed tree and they would not let anyone leave the campground, even after the tree was cleared. We were stranded without access to running water or a toilet- and I am fine with primitive situations, but if I had tried to find a tree to utilize as cover, I would have been in someone’s “yard.” We got up first thing and tried our hand at the state run campground that has a first come, first serve policy.

Best Campground Ever.

We struck gold. Dunewood Campground was beautiful, wooded, and each site was relatively private. It also boasts the best campground bathing and restroom facilities I have ever encountered. The showers were individual rooms made of beautiful wood, with benches and sinks and mirrors all your own— oh, and hot water and steady pressure. After my first shower, I declared I could live there forever. While I usually prefer a more primitive camping experience, I have to say this was very high quality car camping. We would have stayed here originally but since it was first come, first serve we couldn’t get a site the night before since we arrived late in the evening.

The Three Dunes Challenge

After securing the campsite first thing that morning, we headed to the Indiana Dunes State Park, and realized our youngest dog, Ripley, had never really seen sand. She pounced and ran, and play bowed her way up the first dune with glee. The rain was not secluded to our previous night’s accommodations, so the dunes were packed in. Later we learned this made the Indiana Three Dune Challenge much easier. We easily hiked up all three dunes, and in fact, the most challenging part of the first day was the wooden stairs leading away from the first dune due to our dog’s nerves. We hiked down to the dog beach, through what seemed very much like the treelined trails I am used to-with the exception that the ground was sand instead of packed clay and dirt. At the beach we experienced the joy of watching Rocky run into the waves and chase his tennis ball into the lake before laying down and letting the water creep over him, and watching Ripley pounce and run from the waves. The lake seemed to stretch out forever, and seemed more like an ocean skyline.

Dog Friendly Lunch and Swamp Lands

That afternoon we ventured into Michigan City to Bridges Waterside Grille.  We enjoyed lunch while the dogs rested in the shade, and the other guests remarked how cute they are. We walked the dogs through the outlet mall, and through the park. That evening we drove through swamp lands, adding another ecosystem to those we had encountered on this diverse trip). We arrived to another section of the waterfront. As we drove through the swamp Rocky let his head rest on the window seal and the wind blow through his ears. I was almost as relaxed as he was. We played on another beach and took note of the interesting architecture of the lake houses. That night we cooked on the campfire, enjoyed the stars, and slept well.

The Real Challenge

The following day we enjoyed more dunes, and began to realize how climbing a dune can be challenging. Climbing hills became much harder with the sand dry. We encountered one that had to be steeper than a 45 degree angle at Warren Dunes State Park. For every step I took up, I slid three feet backward. Kids were playing on the dunes all around us-some sledding from the very top, others struggling to climb and erupting in laughter as they lost footing and rolled down the hill. Ripley jumped and pulled at the end of her leash. Apparently this was a job for four feet, not two. The view from the top was amazing. Standing at the edge, my eye level was over the tree.  Only a foot from the edge the hill you had just climbed to reach the top disappeared from view. We found our way to yet another beach, played, and hiked, and returned to the big hill to slide our way down. (There may still be sand in my hiking boots.)

Dog Friendly Town

We took in a drive in movie that night (at a dog friendly drive-in). Rocky and Ripley laid down and were quiet the entire four hours at the drive-in, probably due to having hiked all day. During our final day we explored St. Joseph, Michigan. The town had a cute shopping district adjacent to the pier with a large play area, walk up pizza stand, and the Silver Beach Carousel. We took a walk out on to the dock with the dogs. A startled Ripley jumped three feet in the air at an approaching ship’s horn blast, entertaining everyone on the dock. We shopped in the well equipped outdoor store Wanderlust Outfitters, and ate ice cream— much to Rocky’s delight. Kiwanis Park, a free dog park, was next. Rocky and Ripley enjoyed a few rounds of fetch (to work off his nibble of ice cream). North Pier Brewing Company was close by and dog friendly. We went over to enjoy a flight of craft beer.  The dogs relaxed in the shade again, except for the few moments when Ripley crawled into Nick’s lap.

Lake Michigan was beautiful. Dunewood Campground was nearly perfect. The surrounding ecosystems were diverse and interesting. If there wasn’t such a big world to explore, I would have already been back.

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In September of 2016 I visited the western United States including Arizona, Nevada, and California. Sedona, Arizona is certainly a highlight when I think back on all of my travel experiences.  I completely fell in love with the outdoor opportunities and the foreign, captivating landscapes of red rocks. I also had one of my favorite tourist experiences in the Out of Africa Wildlife Park. In my opinion, the park was very reasonably priced, especially for the value of the experience. Our ticket (which included a tiger feeding and a Jeep safari tour) cost us less than our local theme park admission. I set my expectations low due to the reasonable price, but I was quickly pleasantly surprised. Out of Africa Wildlife Park offers a unique experience in which you can interact with a variety of animals. We split our day into four distinct activities: Solo Exploring, Jeep Safari Tour, Feeding the Tigers, and the ZipLine.

Solo Exploring 

In the morning, we took the shuttle to the beginning of the gravel trail that winds through the animal enclosure. We explored the park using only the paper map as our guide. Physically fit people can easily walk to each of the animal exhibits, but the shuttle between major intersections can reduce the amount of walking required. Out of Africa provided each animal more space than any other animal exhibits I have visited, but the angles of enclosure plots are taken advantage of so that visitors can see animals in quick succession.

At Out of Africa we were very close to the animals. We were so close to large predators that at times I felt afraid. I had confidence I was safe, yet  the park was unique as there were no giant ditches or plexiglass separating animals and humans. The experience was very intimate, even before we added any optional experiences.

Jeep Safari Tour 

When it was time for our Jeep Safari tour, we loaded into the jeep with a cheerful guide. She demonstrated knowledge and an excellent relationship with the animals we visited on the tour. The guide fed hyenas and coaxed them to laugh for us. She scratched furry bellies and was able to encourage animals to stretch on the fence to show their height or claws. We learned indiviudal animals’ names and detailed species information. The tour visited animals along the walking path, but also entered a large plains area where zebras, giraffes, and several other goat, antelope, and sheep-like animals resided.

Visitors fed small “cookies” to giraffes and zebras, who  would come right up to the jeep to receive the offerings. The guide encouraged me to hold the cookie in between my lips and allow the giraffe to retrieve it— a practice advertised on Out of Africa t-shirts as “kissing a giraffe.” I have never been closer to my favorite non-domesticated species. It was definitely a highlight of the entire trip west.

Feeding the Tigers

Around mid-day my husband and I headed over to the Tiger show. Trainers and the big beautiful cats gathered near a large pool with of inflatable toys. The trainers demonstrated the fact that the animals are the leaders of the show. The tigers participate to the degree they desire each day.  Trainers rely exclusively on positive reinforcement, and the tigers initiated many of the behaviors and games during the show. At the end of the show, my husband and I participated in the Tiger Feeding. We used a two-foot long pinching tool to feed the tigers large chunks of meat through a chain link fence. Again, I have never been closer to a “wild” animal, especially a predator.

ZipLine

On my previous trip, I discovered I am acrophobic. This was somewhat new information to me, but when my husband expressed interest in the zipline through the park, I knew I would not “Zip” by his side. Though relieved to be in the observation tower, I was a little bit jealous. As he glided overhead, he had unique view of the area where giraffes and zebras roomed freely. His thought the zipline was a fun, but was limited because he only rode a single line. There are multiple ziplines in the park but he snagged a single ride late in the day. Having the bird’s eye view cruising over a lion’s pen is a unique experience that you won’t find in many other places. 

A Happy Place for Wildlife

I love animals with a childlike glee that is evident in even a mediocre zoo. Yet, I have a conflicted relationship with the concept of captivity. Captivity is not a natural state, and many factors seems to reduce the animal’s quality of life, even when it is necessary for survival of the animal. Even with this viewpoint, I appreciated many facets of Out of Africa Wildlife Park. Spacious enclosures contained several sources of exercise and entertainment that seemed suited to each animal. There were tall trees and connecting appliances for animals who climb and swing, platforms for animals who like to observe surroundings, and plenty of tall grasses in which  the tigers and lions to practiced stalking and pouncing.

Every interaction I observed between staff and the animals clearly demonstrated passion and patience. I never encountered any lethargic, sad-looking animals common in my experiences of other animal parks and zoos. I felt like a guest in the animals’ home, rather than feeling guilty for having drug the animal into our artificial environment.

Go to Out of Africa, Bart is Waiting

Finally, Out of Africa offered the option to meet a sloth named Bart, up close and personal. I cannot believe I let myself walk out of the park without meeting Bart! I think it is an excellent reason to go back. If sloths are your favorite non-domesticated species, definitely go to Arizona and meet up with Bart.

The post Out of Africa Wildlife Park – A Safari in Arizona appeared first on Outdoor Wanderlust.

But Why, Though?

Packing this light offered several benefits for the trip. Having one backpack means you only have one thing you might lose. It is easy to keep track of. Our trip included five flights (a few were connecting legs of our overseas flight) and on only one occasion did we have to check our backpacks. Not having to check our bags means less chance for the airline to lose them.  Our two bags fit nicely in every train storage situation we encountered. Also, having only one thing to carry and carrying it on your back, means cracks in sidewalks, stairs and running for gates is less of a problem than it would be if we were trying to drag along roller carry-on bags. Not having to pay fees to check bags means we could reallocate our funds for our experiences. That bit of money likely covered one of our more expensive meals and may have even gone a long way toward off setting our Disney Paris admission fees.

Mindset is the First Step

It is always important to me to look appropriate, but I am inherently not a vain person. I wear the same pieces of jewelry almost every single day. I rarely wear a full face of make up. Essentially, I am telling you it is easier to pack everything you need if you can decide that you just really do not care [that much about] how you look. I did not bring hair styling appliances beyond one brush. My hair was almost perpetually frizzy. (It rained often in Paris). And my pictures are still satisfactory. I was not the best dressed person in most of the rooms I entered, but I was comfortable, and I was too busy looking at art, architecture, and the Swiss countryside to notice how I looked.

Part of not caring how I looked meant I took two pairs of shoes. I had a pair of Adidas trail runners that I wore hiking and on particularly rainy days. I took a pair of leather Bobs for all other occasions. I would have preferred to have a few more shoes, and maybe a dressy pair for nice evenings out. However, I made the mental shift before leaving that I had to accept that I was a tourist. I thought, but ‘people will know I am an American if I wear sneakers!’ Turns out people knew I was American by the way I spoke and the fact that I had come to visit a tourist attraction. My shoes weren’t the give-aways I thought they would be. I was a tourist, and I had to be okay with that, and then decided it was okay if I looked a little bit like one.

Another part of not caring how I looked meant deciding on a color scheme so that each and every one of the items I packed was interchangeable with the others. This actually was not very hard for me at all. I packed an array of grey, black and navy items, which also happened to be the palette of which my wardrobe primarily consisted. Even my scarf was white, black and grey. I packed a black pair of tights and a black cardigan. I also had a grey long sleeve technical shirt that could serve as a base layer or a top layer in place of my sweater.

Carefully selecting garments is also helpful. I chose items that were light when I could, including thin cotton skirts, and casual tops, as well as technical items that resisted wrinkles. I packed two dresses as they seemed to serve two purposes for less space in the bag (a top and bottom).  I also chose items that were easily washed and had properties such as wicking or odor resistance so I could wear them more than once before washing. You can check out my review of one of the most important elements of this selection here (Hint: it covers my butt). This was the first time I took a trip and packed fewer pairs of underwear and fewer socks than there were planned days of the trip.

Traveling with one backpack meant we had to be judicial about souvenirs. I knew that we had limited room, so we made careful and thoughtful choices about what to bring back to the US with us. when it was all said and done we brought two chocolate bars, three magnets, a t-shirt and a tin of chocolate, several bus and subways passes and many brochures.

Finally, figuring out how to manage your straps is a necessity. When checking a backpack, the straps and

fasteners are liabilities — they could rip off, damage your bag, or cause any number of other problems. My husband became a pro at hiding these away and even in converting the straps to condense the luggage. One of our bags was specifically designed for this sort of travel: the Osprey Farpoint 55 (Check the link for our review). But the other was an REI climbing bag, and required more inventiveness to wrangle each of the straps.

A Little Bit of Luck

The weather was definitely on our side. The temperatures were in the upper 50s to low 70s most of the trip. This meant we weren’t sweating through our clothes most days, and with only a couple of layers we were comfortable. We did not require bulkier items such as thick sweaters or insulated pants.

Also, our preferred experiences did not often require specific attire. We packed one bathing suit each, but did not require climbing gear, cycling specific gear, five-star dinning, or formal apparel.

What’s in the BAG?!?

Here is a list of what I packed. I’m sure I have left something out, as I am writing this after I unpacked, but I believe this is fairly representative.
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• Packing cubes – These helped us to stay organized. I had one for special items, pajamas and bathing suits, one for underwear and socks, and one for all other clothes.
• Zip Lock bag with our toiletries:
• Hand sanitizer
• Face wash
• Shampoo
• Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap (for laundry and body)
• Burts bees chapstick
• Sunscreen
• Bobs black leather shoes
• Adidas trail running shoes
• Three pairs of socks
• Three pair underwear 2x ExOfficio (Link to our review)
• ExOfficio Pants
• One pair of soft shell warmer pants for hiking in the mountains
• One pair of lighter nylon material for travel days and warmer cities
• Four t-shirts/ casual tops
• Two classic black t-shirts
• One nicer grey cotton top
• One blue v-neck t-shirt
• Bathing suit
• Sports bra
• Pair running shorts
• Long sleeve tech shirt
• Semi-tech t-shirt
• Two dresses
• Three skirts (Navy striped, Light gray, Black)

[/column]
[column lg=”6″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]
• Footless tights
• Button up cardigan sweater
• Packable coat
• Rain coat
• Shorts for cycling – no chamois
• Hair ties
• Hairbrush
• Razor
• Book
• Book light
• Tiny moleskin notebook – I used this to write down the most needed phrases in each language, and also did a bit of planning for work
• Pen
• French-english dictionary
• Snacks – I have a tendency to get hangry, so a stash of larabars was necessary. In fact, they were particularly handy in Disneyland Paris.
• Ginger chews – these are very helpful for nausea
• Sunglasses
• Purse (x 2) – I carried a very thin shoulder bag with three zippers. I could wear this comfortably under my sweater or coat, it’s very small but accommodated my wallet, phone, and sunglasses. If stretched, I could add a snack.
I also carried a larger Overland Equipment Donner Bag. This is one of my favorite bags, and stores all the essentials. It housed my books, notebooks, and pillow on travel days.
• First aid
• Neck pillow
• Pack cover (rain protection)
[/column]
[/row]

What I Could Have Left Home

Turns out I the French dictionary was less helpful than the google translate app on my phone. I also did not read the book I carried with me, largely because I used my local library’s multimedia app to download audiobooks – listening to my books on a gently rocking train is much less likely to inspire motion sickness. I could have also left one of the dresses and my non-chamois cycling shorts. I had brought them as a layer of modesty should we rent bikes in one of the cities. We did not end up renting bikes as a means of transportation (traffic patterns were somewhat scary in a few of the cities we visited), and I ended up not wearing these shorts. Also, despite visiting the beach in Anzio, Italy I could have left my bathing suit at home. The water was too cold for me to venture in past my knees.

We could have gone even more minimalist if we really wanted to but found we used just about every item. What are your thoughts? Anything you would add or remove from the list?

The post 15 Days of European Travel in One Backpack appeared first on Outdoor Wanderlust.

Getting There

Getting to Stoos is a 45 minute train ride from Lucerne, Switzerland to Schwyz, Switzerland. Once in Schwyz you’ll need to hop on the #1 Bus to Stoosbahn and take the funicular to Stoos. The current funicular is about a hundred years old and will be replaced in 2018 with a modern funicular. The new one will be the steepest funicular in the world once opened.

If the weather is good, you’ll have a few options for hiking. Stoos has a few chairlifts available to reach the summits or you can hike the trail to the top. Our trip consisted of riding the chairlift up to Mt. Klingenstock where we met up with the panorama trail leading to Mt. Fronalpstock. At 6,338 ft., Mt. Klingenstock is the tallest peak along the trail.

Our Experience Hiking in Switzerland

We feared that our trip would be met with a rain storm but after a few light rain drops, we were relieved to find clearing skies. As we hiked along the ridge, we passed in and out of the low clouds. For a while a constant billow of fog rose from the valley on our left and met the clear skies on our right, creating a beautiful divide of light and dark on our path forward.

Eventually the skies began to clear in all directions and the sun painted the ridge line. Much of the trail is well-managed with log steps or chain barriers on the more precarious sections. If you have a fear of heights you will have your nerves tested at times with numerous skinny paths along sheer rock faces. We found a few picnic tables or benches at the peaks where you could enjoy a snack or lunch if you were prepared.

We’ve hiked many mountains in the U.S. but this was the first in Europe. We’ve hiked solid rock exposures and tree-lined alpine regions but this was different with its lush green grasses all the way to the peaks. With every breeze the grass moved like water up the slopes. Constant jingling cowbells from livestock below provided a soundtrack reminiscent of wind chimes for our hike. The view from the ridge included several other peaks (some still covered in snow), tiny homes and ponds, and a crystal blue Lake Lucerne as the trail grew closer to Mt. Fronalpstock. It was a beautifully unique experience that is well worth the trip if you’re in the region.

As we came to the end of our hike and arrived at Mt. Fronalpstock, we met a large crowd of visitors eating lunch at the peak’s restaurant. Many tourists opt to take the chairlift up to the restaurant and lookout point but not hike the ridge trail. From the patio of the restaurant, you can look over Lake Lucerne while sitting in fur covered chairs. We rode the chairlifts back down but you can take a trail if you’re not pressed for time.

We thoroughly enjoyed hiking in Switzerland during the brief time we were there. It’s definitely going on the list for a return trip and an extended adventure in the mountains.

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