.All Trips / Argentina / South America

A Final Hike in Tierra del Fuego National Park

01 Tierra del Fuego National Park

The final chapter of our exploration of Patagonia was a visit to Bahia Lapataia (Lapataia Bay).  Here you’ll find the southern most point of the Pan-American Highway, the longest highway on earth.  At a parking lot beside the road’s end,  you’ll find this sign marking this important landmark.  It’s only about a 45 minute drive from Ushuaia, but is the farthest south you can drive in the Western Hemisphere.
We drove to the area, parked, and hiked a little through a swampy forest of beech and evergreens.  Fortunately there were boardwalk trails through the wettest areas, so our feet didn’t get soaked.  The weather was wet and cold and windy — not exactly terrific hiking weather, but typical of the area.  The …

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“Pic of the Week”, April 28, 2017: Arrival at Torres del Paine National Park

11 Arrival at Tores del Paine (9)

We approached Torres del Paine National Park from the east, entering Chile from Argentina.  Many people drive down the Chilean coast and enter the park from the west, so their perspective would be a little different than ours.

Our trip took us through large stretches of hilly and uninhabited grasslands (the pampas).  The first views of the National Park are among the most memorable of any mountain region I’ve ever visited (and I’ve seen many in my days).   Torres is a popular tourist destination, with good reason. Among its most iconic sites are the 3 granite towers from which Torres del Paine derives its name.

 

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.All Trips / Central USA / North America / Wyoming

Old Faithful Inn, Yellowstone National Park

02b Old Faithful Inn 07-2015 (87)

I’d first seen the Old Faithful Inn as a youngster about 40 years ago.  It’s hard to miss it if you come to the park to watch the Old Faithful Geyser erupt — it’s been described as the world’s largest log cabin.  I remember wandering into the cavernous 5 story (76 ft high) lobby and being fascinating by its unusual log construction.   This lobby alone is worth seeing when you’re done watching Old Faithful Geyser erupt (which happens about every 90 minutes).

When my wife and I were planning where to go for our 30th wedding anniversary, we both agreed to visiting Yellowstone NP and staying at the Old Faithful Inn.  That’s not as easy at it might sound.  Unless you’re …

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