113 Articles
Well, unbelievably, we did it. I took all three boys up to Colorado by myself this past weekend to find some Colorado alpine camping– high and cool and up a bumpy 4wd road that thins the herd. Our notional purpose was to hike Mt Huron, a Colorado 14er—one of 54
The Santa Fe and Carson National Forests have implemented Stage 3 fire restrictions, which means that we aren’t allowed in them, at all. Not even for hiking or climbing, let alone camping. This deprives us of all nearby camping and outdoor recreation. This weekend we decided to explore the Rio
I’m big on navigation, and big on being prepared. For twenty-five years I have been using various navigation tools and trying to keep abreast of the technology. Knowing how to use a GPS well has saved my ass many times in the remote Utah desert, finding and escaping slot canyons.
Muley Point, on the southern end of Cedar Mesa in southwest Utah, has a beautiful road, a rarely-visited scenic overlook, and kickass campspots, all in one. If it were located along a major road it would be a must-stop photo opportunity and overrun with tourists. But the overlook happens to
We just completed a surprisingly successful ten-day family roadtrip around southwest Utah. The whole family, all of us jammed in the xterra, camping at 8 different campsites in 10 nights, driving every day but one. It was a lot of driving, but we managed to split it up over the
Whichever tent gets you out camping is the best tent for you and yours. That said, I really don’t like those stand-up-inside multiple-room monstrosities. Perhaps there is a place for them (in the dumpster?) but in my opinion they are too cumbersome to set up, and too weak to provide
The Dungeon is a climbing area, but one need not be a climber to appreciate it. I climbed regularly at this spot nearly twenty years ago, when I was a student at Los Alamos National Lab. But only recently–now that I’m a middle-aged climber and have young kids–have I realized
We’re about to head off on a week-long roadtrip to Utah—this will be the longest trip so far with all three boys, and the first time I will get them up to the Utah desert that I love so much. My trips to southern Utah over the past two decades
The headlamp springs to mind as possibly the most useful camping tool there is. Not only for camping, either. I keep one in my vehicle, and I mounted a 3M hook on the wall next to my bed to hang one there as well. All-in-all, including the ones we have
I have checked it out for you–I have driven across the emptiest stretches of the map, those maximally bereft of gas stations, and I have determined that you can ALWAYS get from one gas station to the next. Just last weekend I traversed the longest empty spot on the map
(happened Apr 7, 2018, writing this Jan 17, 2022) Ortega West is a bouldering area in the Carson NF that some friends of mine developed. I don’t climb much these days, but the parking spot makes for a great, remote camping spot anyway. I took the boys up there by
Cave of the Winds is a Los Alamos local destination that is surprisingly secret; I have met lifelong locals who have never heard of it. It’s a cave. A classic, straight-out-of-a-movie cave. Big and dark, with some small side passages to explore. The boys love it–what boy wouldn’t? When I
Living in Los Alamos has its advantages and disadvantages. We don’t have anywhere decent to eat, and we may only have one or two decent places to get a drink. BUT… I can come home from work at 5 and still go camping with the boys in national forest, on
(written 1/17/22 about a trip 1/21/18) Another dad and I took our families to the Long John yurt at Enchanted Forest x-country ski area, just east of Red River, NM. It is an excellent beginner yurt experience: the hike is short (2.25 miles one way), the trails are groomed, and
Quick trip the NF off the road to the ski hill with just the older two.
(written 1/17/22 about a trip 12/30/17) Did I already use this as the title for a blog post? Well, even if so, it bears repeating. Once upon a time I lived in Crested Butte, teaching high school at a a private boarding school for competitive skiers and snowboarders. The teaching
(writing this 1/23/22 about a trip taken 12/27/16-1/5/17) Though this is obviously not in the southwest (or even the US), it’s nevertheless an awesome trip we slipped in between the parenting and I’m posting it here so I can look back on it and jog good memories. Many (most?) of
The Las Conchas fire was the largest in New Mexico history, and left 154,000 acres burned. There is an unbelievable amount of firewood available up there; the forest service sells permits.