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.All Trips / North America / Oregon / Pacific Northwest / Washington
The Amazing Columbia River Gorge!
One of the most scenic road trips anywhere in the world is on the Oregon side of the Gorge, on the Columbia River Highway (I-84), between Portland and the Dalles. Besides a smooth drive on the freeway, an excellent diversion here is to head up the old Historic Columbia River Highway, a narrow road that twists its way through the mountains and cliffs, past dozens of waterfalls, including the beautiful 620-foot (190 m) Multnomah Falls.
The Columbia River is one of North America’s longest, at 1200 miles (1930 km) long, starting in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. The Columbia River Gorge was carved by glacial floods (especially the Missoula Flood) thousands of years ago and is the only sea-level passage through the Cascade Mountain range. …
Tagged Cliffs, Columbia River, Columbia River Gorge, hiking, mountains, nature, waterfalls
.All Trips / British Columbia / North America / Western Canada
Magnificent Takakkaw Falls, Yoho National Park, British Columbia
There are hundreds of amazing places in the Canadian Rockies. Beautiful lakes and rivers, wonderful mountain peaks and breath-taking vistas from high alpine meadows. Yoho National Park, in eastern British Columbia, straddles the continental divide on Alberta’s border and not only is a place of great beauty but geologic significance as it is home to the legendary Burgess Shale Formation. Yoho derives its name (not from a Johnny Depp pirate song but) from the Cree language, meaning “Awe and Wonder”.
The crown gem of this beautiful area, in my humble opinion, is Takakkaw Falls which thunders as it pours into the Yoho Valley not unlike the waterfalls of Yosemite Valley. Takakkaw Falls has a total drop of 384m (1260 …
.All Trips / Central USA / Colorado / North America / Utah
One of the Most Scenic Road Trips in America! The Grand Army of the Republic Highway (Hwy I-70).
The United States has some of the planet’s finest scenery and boasts dozens of great drives. From the California’s Pacific Coast Highway, to Montana’s Going to the Sun Road, to Newfound Gap Road in the Smoky Mountains, there’s scenic drives in almost all parts of the country. But I think this highway is one of the best. As it winds through eastern Utah and western Colorado, you see varied scenery including desert with memorable and colorful rock monoliths, the Colorado River, canyons and the lush forested Colorado Rocky Mountains.
The road I’m referring to is the I-70 freeway and particularly the stretch between Salina, Utah to just before Denver, Colorado. As it is a freeway, the highway is well maintained although …
Tagged Colorado River, desert, mountains, Road trip
“Pic of the Week”. February 7, 2014. Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California
One of the classic symbols of Yosemite National Park (or the USA for that matter) is Half Dome in Yosemite Valley. This mountain rises 5000 ft (1500 m) above the valley floor and its summit is 8800 ft (2680 m) above sea level. Half Dome is best know for being a half a mountain (as its name implies). John Muir, the father of conservation of the Sierra Nevada, correctly postulated that this appearance was due to glaciation, half the mountain having been removed by glacial action not unlike a knife cutting a cake in half.
The color of the granite in the valley changes dramatically with changing daylight, as seen in the …
Feb 6, 2014
Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”. February 7, 2014. Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California
“Pic of the Week”, November 15, 2013. Mani Stones, Khumbu region of Nepal
There are many memorable moments when one treks in the Khumbu. From flowering rhododendron bushes, to mountains that seem to stretch to the stars, to glaciers cracking and calving and feeding rushing rivers and streams. But perhaps even more fascinating than the dramatic landscapes are the Sherpa people who reside here. Living in a harsh and rugged land their lives are filled with hard work and few pleasures. But they are happy and cheerful people, grateful for small acts of kindness and happy to engage with you as best they can given language difficulties.
I was especially struck by the deep Buddhist faith of these folks, a trait shared with their neighboring Tibetan brethern, which you’ll see manifest as colorful strings …
Nov 14, 2013
Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”, November 15, 2013. Mani Stones, Khumbu region of Nepal
“Pic of the Week”, November 8, 2013. Greenland from 30,000′
One of the advantages of the polar route between Europe and western North America is that on the westbound flight you generally travel during daylight. The route takes you over southern Greenland and on a good day the view out your window is spectacular! You’ll see part of its massive icecap, with thousands of square kilometers of mountains, ice and snow, and dozens of sharply defined glaciers. It’s really a unique view, almost like flying over another planet. Sadly most people have their shades closed and miss this spectacular scenery, napping or watching their video screens instead.
In the past few months I’ve had the opportunity to sit by the window on this route without a wing or engine blocking my …
Nov 7, 2013
Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”, November 8, 2013. Greenland from 30,000′
“Pic of the Week”, August 23, 2013. Jeffrey Pine, Sentinel Dome, Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is one of my favorite places in the United States. Grand landscapes, granite mountains with sheer valleys carved by glaciers, thunderous waterfalls engorged by the spring thaw plunging thousands of feet, and several groves of majestic Sequoia trees (the largest living things on the planet). Everything about it seems bigger than life! It’s easy to see why it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
One of the best places to gain views of the park is from its granite domes. These domes, smoothed and rounded by the action of glaciers, offer 360 degree views that are remarkable! Sentinel Dome is among these, near both Yosemite Valley and Half Dome it’s accessible and a fairly easy …
.All Trips / Alberta / Central Canada / North America
Banff National Park: A visit to beautiful Boom Lake
In a region where every turn of the road brings an even more beautiful view, it’s hard to pick favorite spots in Banff National Park. I’ve recently grown very fond of the area near Castle Junction, off Highway #93 on the road to Kootenay National Park and Radium Hot Springs. The ascent of Hwy #93 from the Bow River Valley gives grand views of the mountains and forests, brings you near the treeline and hanging glaciers, and provides easy access to some great high altitude trails, such as that to Boom Lake.
Boom Lake’s trailhead is located behind the Boom Creek picnic area parking lot a few kilometers west of the TransCanada highway. The trail crosses a bridge over Boom Creek and begins …
