The Serrano River flows southwest out of Torres del Paine National Park. This river drains most of the park, but with the exception of one large Class VI rapid that must be portaged, the river is flat and relatively calm – ideal for a multi-day float from the west edge of the national park all…
Patagonia – Hiking Torres del Paine NP
We met up with Kevin in Santiago and the flew to Punta Arenas to start our Patagonia adventure. After several days there we travelled North to Torres del Paine NP and the beginning of our backpacking trip. The O-Trek is not quite as well-known as its sibling hike, the W-Trek. At a total 76 miles…
Exploring New Zealand’s South Island
Our journey through New Zealand’s South Island kicked off in the adventure capital, Queenstown. Nestled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, this charming town is surrounded by the majestic Southern Alps. Originally settled by the Maori people, Queenstown gained prominence during the gold rush era, its streets echoing with tales of fortune seekers and pioneers….
Tasmania – Cradle Mountain to Lake St Claire Trek
After returning from our day at Bells Beach, we made our way to the ferry terminal in Melbourne, ready to embark on the next leg of our adventure—Tasmania. It had been nearly 50 years since our last visit in 1975, and this time we were returning with our adult children, Kevin and Eric. The nostalgia…
South Australia – 2005
Sydney Our adventure to hike two legendary trails—Cradle Mountain to Lake St. Clair in Tasmania and the Routeburn Track in New Zealand—began with a flight to Sydney, Australia. This was the first stop on our way to meet our sons, Kevin and Eric, who would be joining us for this incredible outdoor journey. We were…
John Muir Trail – Piute Pass to Whitney Portal
Amidst the whispering pines and the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada’s rugged magnificence, I along with my wife Patty and our son Kevin stood at the threshold of an adventure that promised to test our mettle: backpacking the southern half of the John Muir Trail. Stretching from Piute Pass to the summit of Mount Whitney,…
Hiking the Wind River Range – Green Lakes to Big Sandy
Our great journey began with mimosas in Cleveland Ohio waiting for our flight to Jackson Hole Wyoming. Patty and I were joined by Sue Brown and Jerry Lynch for this once in a lifetime adventure. After arriving in Jackson Hole, we were shuttled to the Green Lakes trailhead, where we would begin our trek the next…
West Coast Trail-Vancouver Island, BC
As we embarked on our journey to the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, we couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of excitement and anticipation. This trail has been on our bucket list for years, and finally, we were joined by our son Eric. We boarded a shuttle bus from Victoria to the trailhead…