I wake up in the pitch black darkness, fumbling around the tent trying to find my phone to see what time it is. 4 a.m. I need a bathroom. Did it snow last night? Are the nocturnal creatures just outside? I do love camping and all of the quirks and challenges that come with spending…
Tag: camping
Colossal Cave Mountain Park
Time to get down in the dirt, as some like to say. Camping in January in the Sonoran desert. Most creatures are still deep within their burrows waiting for warmer temperatures to arrive, and the ones that stay topside during these cooler times are the ones you hope to see. The skies are full of…
Magic on the Rim
Winter was knocking on the door in late October. I knew that my opportunities to camp on the Rim before the snow flies were diminishing. Over the past few weeks as I have been exploring the Mogollon Rim area, one particular spot called to my soul. An outcropping of stones that jutted outward over the…
The Mogollon Rim
This story starts with a single picture, as most of my stories do. I see the Blue Ridge Reservoir online and think that the location tag must be wrong, as a place like this can’t be here in Arizona. So I set out to find this place myself. It’s September, which means Fall is starting…
Dogie
Dogie : meaning ‘a motherless calf in a range herd.‘ I return to the trailhead that I discovered previously when exploring the Palatki ruins. The snow and ice is rapidly melting, creating a slippery river at the trails descent into the wild Sycamore backcountry wilderness. It’s a beautiful February day, with clouds shimmering on the…
the Palatki ruins
The open BLM lands around the Vortex area call my name once again. During my past few trips I’ve stumbled across signs pointing one to the Palatki ruins of the ancient Native Hopi Indians. Today I follow the signs along the dusty and desolate road to their destination. Arizona truly has many hidden oasis areas….
The backcountry Yurt
“Put in the extra work to reap an unknown reward.” The words danced around his head as the man was strapping gear to his bike and body in the early morning. The Nordic Center was setting up for a wedding later in the day, but he had other plans. Two backcountry yurts were up in…
House Rock Valley
I hear from a couple of social media outdoor advocates about a random road they found in Northern Arizona that led to great off the grid camping around the Grand Canyon. I left the following weekend to see if I could find a similar spot. Ive been following The Morning Fresh and Brody Leven for…
shuffling through the volcanic ash of Sunset Crater
Just outside of Flagstaff, Arizona, there is a protected area known as Sunset Crater. The ground is covered in soft black volcanic ash, crevasses and fissures can be explored. The Native American Great Spirit is strong here. Start along the boardwalk to get a sense of the area, then head out on a trail…
The Pickin’ in the Pines Festival 2016
For three glorious days up in the cool pines of Flagstaff, Arizona, you can hear some of the greatest bluegrass music our country has to offer at the Pickin’ in the Pines festival. Held in September each year, last years festival was my first time attending. From camping with a village full of bluegrass…
Pickin’ in the Pines – the camping experience
Just outside the town of Flagstaff, Arizona, there is a little festival that happens each year in September. People from all over come to camp for three nights, playing their banjos and other stringed instruments in what is affectionately called the Pickin’ in the Pines festival. Last year was my first time attending,…
camping at Bonito
The large ponderosa pines fill his nostrils as he makes his way down the winding road. Highway sounds fade away, replaced by the chirping of song birds and the faint bugle call of elk in heat. It’s Fall in Northern Arizona, which is perfect camping weather. Time to hang up some hippy blankets and…