Cape Lookout State Park
One of my favorite bike-camping destinations along the Oregon coast is Cape Lookout State Park. The hiker-biker campground here is tough to beat: thick stands of sitka-hemlock forest AKA hammock-trees galore, seclusion from car-campers, miles of hiking nearby, and mere steps from the ocean. A tip from me to you: Don’t feel like biking 72 miles from Portland to…
Alaska By Land – Denali Part I
Before going to Denali, I did my homework. There was a slim chance we’d be eaten by bears and I wanted that chance slimmer. Planning is key (*see end notes). We traveled by train- the Denali Star, to reach the park. I humored the idea of birding by train, but that was pretty much impossible. The…
Alaska By Land – Denali Part II
We saw five grizzly bears from the shuttle bus on the way towards our unit. Intimidating, much? We prepared for such encounters as best we could before setting off into the backcountry. Hiking in Denali has a few requirements. Contrary to Pacific Northwest training to walk single file along trails, Denali hikers are to spread out, preventing new trails…