In the Alakai’i Swamp
The Island of Kauai is really one large 5 million year old eroded shield volcano. It has a 15 – 20 km wide summit caldera which is also the wettest spot on Earth. The caldera has an impenetrable jungle and … Continue reading →
Category Archives: Nature Hikes
Raft Mountain Wildflowers
On Mt. Bowman
I have hiked to the top of Mt. Bowman a few times. It is the premier hike in the Marble Range, west of Clinton and above the Fraser River. The mountains have the karst topography and the upper areas feature … Continue reading →
Snags and Lone Twisted Trees
In shoulder season or on mild days in winter I hike in the windswept hills. In exposed spots I often find lone standing snags and wind-shaped trees. On this clear fall day I hiked off-trail through the hills in the … Continue reading →
In Siphon Draw
Just before the onset of Covid-19, we were in the Phoenix area to hike and our last planned hike was up Siphon Draw to the Flatiron in the Superstition Mountains. This was one of the best hikes in 2020. In … Continue reading →
Sonora Desert Museum
On the road from Tuscon to Saguaro National Park (West), the Sonora Desert Museum is a must-see stop. On the 98 acre grounds is an extensive botanical garden which we toured after hiking in the desert hills. A few photos … Continue reading →
In Pima Canyon
One of our favorite hikes of 2020 was a hike up Pima Canyon in the Santa Catalina Range outside of Tuscon, Arizona. It was a mid-March date and a sunny, warm day. Spring run-off in the dry, rocky canyon provided … Continue reading →
Some Pollinators in the Desert Canyons
We hiked the Sonoran Desert canyons and ridges in March and enjoyed the warm, dry weather and the burst of wildflowers along the trails. Insects were busy on blooms and the camera was also well-used capturing a few images of … Continue reading →
On Zoa Peak in October
In mid-October we hiked to the top of Zoa Peak in the Coquihalla Summit area on a warm fall day. The trailhead area was busy with Trans Mountain Pipeline work as we started out, hiking along the original pipeline track … Continue reading →
In the Grasslands in Early Fall
On a fall hike into the hills on a grey day a few wildflowers were still in bloom in the grasslands and in the forest routes. Curly-cup gumweed (grindelia squarrosa) plants were still producing many flowerheads. Most parts of the … Continue reading →
In the Six Mile Hills
I paddled Pat Lake, then went for a short hike in the hills on a smoky day, taking photos along the way, a few of which are shared here. Prickly roses had finished flowering and rose hips were now ready. … Continue reading →
On Murtle Lake
We portaged into Murtle Lake and paddled the west arm of the lake just before the smoke came in. We spent 3 days on the lake and took some photos. We did not hike the trails, so all photos were … Continue reading →