Hikes

Perfect 7 Day Road Trip Itinerary : Grand Canyon Plus Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon

December 5, 2018 // by kawestberg// Leave a Comment

Planning a big trip to the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park isn’t easy. There’s a lot of distance to cover and you want to make sure you’ve included enough time in each place.

Lucky for you Catherine and I have already road tested this trip and can say from experience that’s it’s amazing. If you’re only interested in the Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon portion of this itinerary scroll down to Day 4.

Day 1: Arrive in Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, AZ

Depending on where you’re coming from this part of the trip can be variable. When Catherine and I made this trip we were coming from Massachusetts so we had a long flight to Arizona. We arrived in the evening and immediately picked up our rental car and drove to Flagstaff, AZ. This drive takes roughly 2hr. 15min. depending on time of day and traffic.

We knew we wanted to see Flagstaff, but instead of doing that on the way to Grand Canyon (we were WAY too excited to wait) we just arrived, hit the hay and then headed out the next morning. I’ll talk more about our Flagstaff finds on Day 7.

Day 2: Drive from Flagstaff, AZ to Grand Canyon National Park South Rim Village

The drive from Flagstaff to Grand Canyon Village takes about 1hr. 20min. Along the way you’ll see lots of cactus, red rock, desert scrub and gorgeous weather worn rock structures.

When you enter the park you’ll have a chance to purchase a National Parks Annual Pass from $0-$80 depending on the type of pass you purchase. Since this itinerary includes three National Parks I HIGHLY recommend purchasing the pass on your way in.

If you were to pay to enter each park your entry fees would start at $72 and increase depending on the number of people you’re road tripping with. Buying the pass can save you a lot of money and it’s good at all the National Parks in America so you’re set for the year. BUY THE PASS.

Where to Stay at Grand Canyon:

For those of you who have been following Indoorsy Camper you know I’m a BIG fan of the National Park Lodges. Staying inside the park has its perks, namely you don’t have to wait in the entry lines each day and you get to see the canyon pretty much 24/7 while you’re there.

To learn everything you need to know about the Grand Canyon lodges check out my post: Ultimate Guide to Grand Canyon National Park Lodging at the South Rim.

Things to Do on Your First Day at the Grand Canyon:

On our way to Grand Canyon we stopped at a grocery store to stock up on picnic supplies. When we arrived we ate our lunch rim side, saving us a little money (things get expensive inside the park) and allowing us to take in the view while we ate. That first walk to the edge is unbelievable, and to be honest even in my pictures I often think the whole thing looks like a Hollywood backdrop.

Once you’ve been fed and watered check out the Rim Trail. It’s a 13 mile trail that’s mostly paved, making it family as well as handicap friendly. The trail includes several vistas and overlooks as well as exhibits and gift shops. It’s a great way to see the canyon from the top and a perfect way to stretch your legs after a drive.

That first night we decided to eat a light dinner in the El Tovar bar. We deserved a drink and some nachoes after our drive and they were excellent.

Day 3: Grand Canyon National Park

Day three is all about exploring the many trails at the Grand Canyon. We decided to go big and opted for Bright Angel Trail, a 6-mile trail that descends 3,740 feet inside the canyon. We made it down as far as 3 Mile Resthouse and then turned back for the climb back out.

A word of warning. Going down is quick and easy, but it takes about twice as long to hike out. Make sure you bring lots of water, trekking poles if you need extra support and keep reminding yourself of the climb. It’s tempting to keep going down and down and down, but coming out will take infinity more work.

If Bright Angel isn’t for you check out this complete list of day hikes at the Grand Canyon.

After our big hike down and back out we were pretty beat so we went back to our room, cleaned up and ate dinner.

Day 4: More Grand Canyon Exploring + Driving to Zion National Park

Our last morning we got up in time to see the sunrise over the canyon, something I would highly recommend. The color change from blues and purples to warm oranges and yellows was striking and although I took pictures, none of them seem to have truly captured it.

After the sunrise show head into the El Tovar dining room for breakfast (it’s the cheapest meal they serve) and if you’re lucky they’ll seat you beside the windows so you can gaze out on the canyon as you sip coffee and butter your toast.

The next leg of the trip is the drive from Grand Canyon to Zion National Park. This leg of the drive takes about 3hr. 30min. We spent a little more time taking in the canyon and then headed out so we would have enough time to fit in a short hike in Zion before dark.

Where to Stay at Zion National Park:

Again, I recommend staying inside the park if possible, especially at Zion. Unlike Grand Canyon, Zion closes to the public in the evening. This means that reentry can be a long process, but if you stay inside the park there’s no waiting.

Zion Lodge accommodations come in several types; cabins, hotel rooms, suites and accessible rooms. We opted for a cabin because a friend of our highly recommended this option. Each cabin comes with two double beds, a log fireplace, private porch and full bath. I have to say the cabin in Zion might have been my favorite place we stayed during our entire trip. More information on Zion Lodge can be found here.

Hikes in Zion National Park:

Since our first day in Zion was short we opted to hike the Lower Emerald Pool trail. At 1.2 miles it was the perfect hike to get the lay of the land, see several waterfalls and get us back to the lodge in time for dinner.

If you’re looking for a family or more accessible hike try the Pa’rus Trail. This trail follows a paved route from the South Campground to Canyon Junction. If you want more tail options check out the full list of Zion National Park trails.

Day 5: Zion National Park Hikes + Drive from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon

The drive from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon is only 1hr. 20min. Since we knew the drive was short we decided to spend the day in Zion and hike The Narrows. Roughly 60% of this hike is spent wading or walking in the river. You can rent water gear from Zion Adventure Company if it’s cold when you go. We didn’t rent gear when we hiked The Narrows, but if I were to do it again I would want to have neoprene socks and hiking poles.

There are many other trail options if you’re not interested in getting wet. As of writing this post the Kayenta Trail and Upper Emerald Pools Trail and Hidden Canyon Trail are all closed due to flood damage and rock fall. Click here to see a list of Zion day hikes.

After our wet excursion we changed our shoes and pants and then got in the car for the short drive to Bryce Canyon.

Where to Stay in Bryce Canyon National Park:

Once again I’m going to sing the praises of staying inside the park. Although I will admit we stayed outside the park in Bryce mostly because our budget couldn’t handle another lodge reservation. Bryce Lodge offers three types of accommodation; Western Cabins, Sunrise & Sunset Motel Rooms and Guest Suites. Visit the Bryce Canyon Lodging and Cabin Rental page for more information.

Our first hike in Bryce Canyon was the Rim Trail, a 5.5 mile paved trail that extends from Fairyland Point to Bryce Point. If you have more time you can always extend your hike by heading down into the canyon. Here’s a link to the full list of Bryce Canyon National Park trails.

Day 6: Explore Bryce Canyon + Stop at Horseshoe Bend + Drive to Flagstaff

On our second day in Bryce Canyon we managed to link several of the trails together so we could see a good portion of the canyon. If you have the time make sure you look out for Queens Garden where you will see a rock formation in the shape of Queen Victoria.

Other hikes we enjoyed included the Navajo Trail where you get to spend time in a slot canyon where giant Douglas Fir Trees are reaching for the sky. As well as the Peek-A-Boo Loop which takes you through the heart of the Bryce Amphitheater.

Rather than drive from Bryce Canyon all the way back to Flagstaff in one go we opted for a scenic stop at Horseshoe Bend. Located a 2hr. 40min. drive from Bryce Canyon, Horseshoe Bend is a horseshoe shaped meander in the Colorado River. After a 3/4 hike from US Route 89 you will arrive to a gorgeous view of the river from above.

While the hike is short keep in mind that it’s very exposed and on sandy ground, making it a little harder than you would think. Make sure to bring your camera and take you time checking out the bend from multiple viewpoints.

After that scenic stop we carried on the remaining 2hr. 10min. drive to Flagstaff where we stayed for the night.

Day 7: Explore Flagstaff + Drive to Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, AZ

When we booked our flights back to the east coast from Phoenix we made sure to choose an evening flight. This gave us time to explore Flagstaff and make the drive back to Sky Harbor (2hr. 15min.).

Flagstaff has a thriving art and culture scene with endless artisan shops to wander in and out of all day. Mixed in you will find rock shops, gear stores and plenty of Southwest charm.

If you need a coffee break head to Macy’s European Coffee House. Macy’s has been around for over 30 years and is an all vegetarian restaurant. I’ll just say that the coffee was excellent and so were the pastries.

If you’re looking for a great breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner spot head to MartAnne’s Cafe (pictured above). It’s southwest and Mexican fare with excellent margaritas, chips, salsa and guac. With our bellies happy and full we packed up the rental car one last time and drove to Phoenix.

Whether you choose to follow this seven day itinerary or use it as a jumping off point one thing is for sure, you need to do the Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon loop. Arizona and Utah are full of incredible national parks and these are only the beginning.

For us our Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion road trip was a must see bucket list item. What I didn’t expect is that we would love it so much we would head back to Utah to check out Arches and start planning our Rim to Rim hike (fast approaching in 2019)!

If you decide to take this trip template and run with it let me know. Or if you’ve figured out other great sites or routes to take share them in the comments.

6 Delightful Pasadena Hikes to Get You Outdoors

November 27, 2018 // by kawestberg// Leave a Comment

It’s that time of year in Pasadena where the bleachers start getting assembled in preparation for the Rose Parade. Since moving here three years ago I’ve been mesmerized by how early this process starts…I had NO idea!

Our first year here Catherine and I took part in the float assembly process (it’s largely done by volunteers). To this day it’s still one of the highlights of our time here. I mean look at that dragon!

Lots of people travel around the holidays, particularly at Christmas, but here in Pasadena things really start hotting up as New Year’s Day gets closer. Which is why it’s the perfect time to take advantage of these six Pasadena hikes. Well, let me be more clear, some of them are technically Altadena hikes. But they’re close enough for any Pasadena visitor or resident to take advantage of.

Rose Bowl Trail Loop

Hike Length: 3.1 miles
Surface: Pavement/areas of grass or sandy trail if desired
Hike type: loop

While this is not my favorite Pasadena hike, I’ve listed it here for several reasons. First of all if you’re visiting to see the Rose Parade or the Rose Bowl it will give you a chance to tour the tents where the parade floats are being put together. If you’re feeling crafty there’s even a chance that you could sign-up as a volunteer and get to work on one of the floats (I highly recommend).

The Rose Bowl loop trail literally takes you around the Rose Bowl itself as well as past the Brookside Golf Course & Country Club. The trail is dog friendly so long as they stay on leash. There are several grassy areas to play catch, do some warm-ups or stretch before you start your walk. If you’re into road biking there is also a well used bicycle lane.

If you’re not into “hiking” on a paved road make sure to keep an eye out for the dirt trails that run along the roadside. These give you a little more freedom to walk about and help you feel a little closer to nature.

Arlington Garden

Hike Length: variable
Surface: Compressed earth/rock/grass
Hike type: many loops and a maze

If you’re visiting Pasadena and need a short, tame family hike or even a place to take a picnic I highly recommend Arlington Garden. Situated on a 3 acre plot of land, Arlington Garden is a non-profit native plant refuge. The garden is maintained with the help of many volunteers and has plenty of little nooks and crannies for kids and adults to explore.

Arroyo Seco Trail

Hike Length: 3 mi.
Surface: Some paved/ mostly compressed earth
Hike type: loop

If you’re looking to check off a few sites as well as get in a walk the Arroyo Seco Trail could be the answer. This gentle, mostly flat pathway begins near the San Pascual Stables and follows along the Arroyo Seco river.

As you follow the clearly marked trail you will be able to see the arches of the Colorado Street Bridge above you which you might recognize from the movie La La Land. As you make your way around the loop you’ll pass a duck pond as well as an archery range.

Millard Canyon

Hike Length: 2.6 mi.
Surface: Compressed earth
Hike type: out and back

Go slightly north of Pasadena and you will arrive at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains in Altadena. There are many Altadena hiking trails to choose from and I will outline several more in this list of hikes near Pasadena.

Millard Canyon is a perfect family hike for kids and adults of all ages. After passing the Millard campground (a first come first serve campground) you will arrive at the trailhead. This trail has some elevation change, but is generally rated as an easy to moderate trail.

You will cross the stream several times along your way, but unless you hike after a huge rain storm it is highly unlikely that you will get wet. As you get closer to the waterfall you might start to hear the falls depending on what time of year you hike. The picture above was taken in the spring after a wet winter in SoCal. In the summer the falls slows down to a trickle, but there is still water flowing and fun to be had in the small pool it creates.

Eaton Canyon Falls

Hike Length: 1.9 mi.
Surface: Compressed earth
Hike type: out and back

This hike is very suitable for indoorsy camper types. It’s fairly flat, has a little bit of adventure in the form of rock hopping and comes to an end at a waterfall. Eaton Canyon is a great family hike, but can be a little crowded at the weekend so come prepared to look for parking. Like Millard Canyon, Eaton is so close to Pasadena it’s worth crossing over into Altadena to spend some time in the San Gabriels.

Before you head off on the trail make sure to check out the visitor center to get a glimpse of the wildlife you should be on the lookout for along the way. The trail crosses the river a couple times and you might even have a chance to try out your bouldering skills if you’re brave. Before you turn around to head back you will come to Eaton Canyon Falls. Like Millard the amount of water you see will depend on the season you venture into the canyon, but there’s pretty much always some water flowing.

Switzer Falls

Hike Length: 3.6 mi.
Surface: Compressed earth
Hike type: out and back

As if I haven’t included enough waterfall hikes on this list, here’s one more. Switzer Falls is a very popular and approachable family hike. Like Eaton Canyon, Switzer can be fairly crowded on the weekend. Don’t be deterred, there are several overflow parking lots. Keep driving around and you’ll find a parking spot.

On your way to the trail you pass through a picnic area and a paved trail. As you make your way towards the two-tier falls you will see the old foundations of a mountain resort called ‘Switzer-land’ that is long gone. After several switch backs you will begin to descend into the canyon until you reach the base of the falls. Depending on the season you might be able to wade into a pool above the first tier to cool off.

My First Official Backpacking Trip

October 11, 2018 // by kawestberg// 2 Comments

I’m sitting on the floor of our tiny apartment using all of my effort to will my sleeping bag to be smaller…and I’m actually breaking a sweat. The girl at REI showed me how to put my sleeping bag at the bottom of the pack and it’s supposed to go horizontally…not vertically. At present my sleeping bag is too wide and the bottom compartment of my backpack is too narrow. Why is it that this scenario reminds me of so many visits to the dressing room at Nordstrom?

With great force, full utilization of the sleeping bag compression straps and some extra help from Catherine we manage to wedge the bag in place. *I actually Googled “straps that compress a sleeping bag” and Google told me those are called compression straps. This is the level of un-informedness we’re dealing with.

I had the sleeping bag in, now I just needed to get the tent and fly into my pack. Once in place all the other niceties I wanted to bring would comfortably slot into the little crevasses left in the cavernous space that was my backpack. Why is it that I suddenly have the feeling that creepy Facebook is going to show me an ad for a t-shirt that says “NOPE”.

Once again creepy Facebook hits it on the nose. Turns out that after you jam in a sleeping bag, 3-person tent with fly and a sleeping pad you have surprisingly little space left. And so the reconsidering began. In my mind I had already committed to bringing very little on this trip, but after reconsidering it turns out I didn’t need that extra t-shirt, clean pants for the hike out or quite so many snacks. After all, it was just ONE night…after which we would be car camping in luxurious Crystal Cove and we are believers in putting as much stuff in the car as you want.

In the end my pack included the following:

Sleeping bag (I LOVE my Nemo bag…but it turns out it’s kinda big. Which I suppose is good because I am too)
Tent (Some might say we should have a 2-person tent to cut down the weight and give me more space. To this I say, “We will not buy another tent!)
Sleeping pad
Jammas, jams, jammers, pj’s…clean clothes to sleep in
T-shirt
Fleece
Socks
Underwear
Toiletries (body wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste, contact solution, deodorant)
Very lesbian looking sandals (Blue croc-like material Birkenstocks. They are not at all stylish, BUT they are perfect for camping.)
First aid kit
Water bladder with 2 liters of water
1 additional water bottle (Can you tell I’m worried about water?)
Solar panel phone charger (This was brought purely to test it out…it works.)
Snacks (Have you tried Lorissa’s Kitchen chicken jerky? What about Bobo’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oat Bites? Both are very tasty.)

The simple act of packing up my backpack caused me to freak out. I might mention here that Catherine put everything into her pack effortlessly with zero sweating, grunting or emergency YouTube video watching.

In an effort to work our way up to actual backpacking I booked one night of “primitive camping” at Crystal Cove State Park. I considered this our very mini low risk first shot at backpacking. If it went horribly wrong, we were just a few short miles away from civilization. After that first night of truly roughing it we had two nights booked in the civilized campground at the edge of the bluffs overlooking the ocean. And so we packed our hatchback with our backpacks plus a million other things for our snooty seaside camping and set off. A short hour long drive later we pulled up to the ranger check-in booth, me a little anxious and Catherine most likely cool as a cucumber.

I handed a very nice semi-retired gentleman our booking and he walked back to the little hut he was station in. Over the sound of our car engine and the waves crashing I could hear his conversation with a co-worker. From what I could hear there were no reservations that night for the primitive campsites…except we had a printout with our name, a payment and the correct date. After conferring with one another and studying the print out they told us to pull forward and wait for their supervisor to return.

This was a somewhat worrisome way to start this first backpacking adventure. What made it more worrisome was the fact that the semi-retired gentleman told us that we were brave for hiking in and camping there. Thanks for that.

After waiting a few minutes their supervisor whizzed by on his ATV and gave us the green light to proceed to our no frills campsite. We parked the car, placed our permit in the window, heaved on our packs and began our 3-mile hike in.

When I booked our site at Lower Moro campground I picked it because it was the shortest hike. Catherine and I spent much of the spring and early summer building strength and endurance by hiking most weekends, but summer in southern California makes for tough hiking and to be honest we hadn’t gone out in more than a month. To say we were a little out of practice and more importantly out of shape would be an understatement. This coupled with the additional 28 pounds on our backs made for a slow and sweaty climb.

There are two possible routes to hike into Lower Moro. The first takes you straight up along a relentless ridgeline the other brings together three trails that are rated easy, difficult and strenuous to give you a slightly easier ascent. Knowing our lack of stamina we chose to take the easier route up and enjoy the ridgeline on our way down the next day.

It didn’t take long for the heavy breathing to kick in resulting in many breaks of heaving and water drinking. Turns out hiking with 28 pounds on your back is harder than hiking with two cans of soup for extra weight in your daypack, who knew?

To distract myself from the heavy breathing I made sure to take plenty of pictures with my “old school” DSLR that I decided to bring along. I call it old school because while it does have a ridiculously small screen at the back to review your shot, it doesn’t have live view, so you need to actually bring the camera to your face and look through it to take a picture. I love this.

What I did not love or anticipate was that the camera strap would constantly rub on my neck creating a line of irritation, or that if I didn’t hold the camera as I walked it would bounce back and forth, further irritating my neck and my bruising the girls. Something to think about if you’re going to bring a heavier camera on your first backpacking trip.

As we worked our way up the many switchbacks we were able to see the canyon ahead of us filled with desert plants including grasses, cactus, flowers, some trees and general scrub. My second mistake of the hike was the decision to squat down low in order to get a close-up shot of a particularly spiky cactus that was being hit by the light just perfectly. As it turns out squatting down low while wearing a 28lb backpack is not as easy as your run of the mill squat. All that extra weight is just dying to push you further forward. I came very close to face planting on a cactus. But look at that shot…those spikes would have been brutal.

I haven’t mentioned the weather yet, but let me tell you that it was hot. Not excruciating, but as we were pretty much always in full sun it was quite warm. I often wear all black while hiking. This isn’t because I’m goth or too cool for bright colors, I LOVE bright colors and show tunes for that matter.

I wear black while hiking because I’m a very sweaty person. I’ve had my head erupt in sweat for no apparent reason. I once had a personal trainer comment on the amount of sweat I was producing, using the phrase “sweating bullets” and as he said it a bead of said sweat shot down my face and landed on his shoe. So yeah, I’m sweaty.

You know what happens when a sweaty person wears say a pair of lovely blue hiking pants on a hot day? There is a moment when it starts to look like they’ve wet their pants, but as I (I mean they) have a fully functioning blatter that’s not the case. The wet spot in the crotchal region….it’s sweat. And it ain’t pretty. This leads me to the next thing I learned on my first backpacking trip and that’s to stick to tradition and wear black because you can’t see sweat stains as well when you wear black.

By the time we reached our campground sunset was upon us. Campsites in Lower Moro are first come first serve and while the ranger said there were no reservations for that night there was one tent already pitched and more to come. We did a quick walk around to figure out which site looked best to us, in this case we were looking for a little morning shade, a good view and a little distance from the trail and the pit toilet.

We found our spot and got our tent up before dark. As the sun set and the mist started to descend we ate our dinner of potato salad with green beans and tomatoes, spicy tuna pouches and Ritz crackers. It was delicious! Dessert was hot chocolate and Nutella & Go Hazelnut Spread and Breadsticks. We may have been roughing it, but Nutella is always in order.

It felt pretty amazing to be so far away from civilization surrounded by the sea and coastal hills. With darkness setting in, increasing condensation on everything and a no fire policy we decided to head into our tent and turn in for the night.

After struggling to get out of our wet clothes, attempting to extinguish the stink coming from us with wet wipes and putting on fresh pj’s we laid down and realized that up in these hills we had the perfect cell phone reception….better than our own house. And thus we both proceeded to scroll through Instagram until we were ready to go to sleep. Ridiculous but true.

Lessons learned on my first backpacking trip:

Your sleeping bag and tent take up nearly all of your pack.
Seemingly nice semi-retired rangers do not offer the best encouragement for first time backpackers.
Cameras are heavy, and their ability to chafe your skin is great.
Squatting while carrying a full pack is ill advised.
People with a history of serious sweating should wear BLACK not blue hiking pants.
Take a little time to scope out the best spot once you reach the campground.
It’s hard to take your wet hiking clothes off while laying down in a tent.
It’s harder to give yourself a “wet wipe bath” while laying down in a tent.
Cell phone service in the middle of nowhere can be pretty good…better than in your own house.

Save Money: The Hiking Gear Can Wait

July 17, 2018 // by kawestberg// Leave a Comment

Who doesn’t love a trip to REI? When I walk in the store I get this invincible, adventurous, go out and get’em feelin that makes me want to do crazy things like hike the PCT or climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. First they seduce you with a pitched tent right at the door then the rest of the store bamboozles you into purchasing a new water filtration system, special breathable underwear or an artisanal bag of dehydrated camp food.

Don’t get me wrong I LOVE going there…but my bank account lets out a tiny scream when I enter the store. The thing that keeps bringing me back again and again is the knowledgeable staff. During my most recent visit I eavesdropped on an associate teaching a family about camp stoves. Then I tried on some hiking pants. And I rounded things out with a solid lesson on the various types of water filters and purification systems they currently sell. Every time I walk out of the store I feel a tiny bit smarter.

As I made my way to the register I had the pleasure of being helped by a gentleman who we’ll call Mark. As Mark was scanning my purchases he asked me if I had a trip coming up. I said I was working up to backpacking, but wasn’t quite sure where my first trip would take me yet.

In response he leaned in and whispered, “don’t tell anyone, but I’ve actually never been hiking, camping or backpacking”.

We laughed about it and then he let me know my total. My face must have given away my shock because he followed his comment up by saying that he hasn’t gone because getting the gear is so expensive.

This comment struck me as true and really sad.

If I could say one thing to the people who aren’t getting outside because of cost I would say, start small and just go. You don’t need special shoes, high-tech clothing or a fancy pair of trekking poles to hike. All of that gear can wait.

The first step to getting outside is to GO OUTSIDE. The outdoors are all around us. There’s no need to drive for hours to a national or state park to be outdoors. Take a walk around your neighborhood or in a city park. Even when you live in a densely populated urban area you can get outside.

The key is to open your mind to what “outside” means. If you want to be technical about it, outside is simply a space beyond an enclosure. The moment you step out of your house, your car, work or school you are in the outdoors. Once you start paying greater attention to the world around you and you will start to notice new pathways, plants, bugs and animals.

This is pretty much how I started getting outside. Before moving to California I lived in Massachusetts. Back then I was mostly a gym rat, but occasionally on a crisp fall day I would take a walk. These walks were mostly around the streets near my apartment….I wouldn’t want to stray too far, I was indoorsy, what if I got lost?! So I walked. I slowly increased my distance. I enjoyed looking at all of the New England houses (as someone who grew up in Texas the colonials and Cape Cods were new and exciting). I listened to the leaves blow in the wind and the birds singing. Yes, there were car noises, lawn mowers and the occasional leaf blower, but I enjoyed my time outside.

Once I’d exhausted all of my nearby streets I asked a coworker about local trails and she mentioned one just steps from my house. It was a pretty tame loop that amounted to roughly 3 miles from door to door. I started walking that loop in my sneakers and gym wear. No new equipment necessary. I jumped when twigs cracked, moved away from rustling bushes, and occasionally cursed at the bugs who refused to fly anywhere but in front of my face. I bought bug repellent. And I sprayed it on my hat.

Over the next several years I started hiking more. I got a little braver and a lot stronger. I bought a backpack and went on longer hikes. I made travel plans and visited state and national parks. Now I hike several times a month, but until a few weeks ago I didn’t even own a proper pair of hiking shoes. And so I’ll say it again, all of the gear can wait. I’m a testament to this fact. I hiked for many years in my runners, jeans and a t-shirt. I hiked with my phone in my pocket and my water bottle in hand. And it was great!

I got to go outside, appreciate nature, figure out how much I loved it and start saving for the gear I needed and the trips I was dreaming about. You don’t need to go broke to go outside, you just need to open your eyes to the beauty and be brave enough to start a new adventure.

Lesbian couple sitting on edge of Grand Canyon — Catherine and I on our dream trip to The Grand Canyon

Nature Calling On Line One

June 26, 2018 // by kawestberg// 2 Comments

I have a confession to make.

I’ve never peed outside. (well, at least not until last weekend)

[pausing for shaking heads and most likely eye-rolls]

I didn’t call this blog “Indoorsy Camper” because I like roughin’ it. I called it “Indoorsy Camper” because I like to cook lamb tagine (recipe from Melissa Clark….you need to make it!) in my Instant Pot and bring the leftovers on my camping trip where I snuggle up in my cozy sleeping bag and read all the books.

My current read is Wild by Cheryl Strayed, which I’m sure everyone else on the planet has already read. I’m one of those people who will sometimes jump on the bandwagon (i.e. avocado toast) and other times hold off while the rest of the world basks in the glories of Harry Potter. Don’t worry I rectified that a long time ago, and truth be told I watch the movies WAY too often.

If Wild has done one thing for me it’s completely freak me out! Cheryl has managed to describe in detail all of the many things my neurotic mind fixates on while I’m trying to go to sleep.

Bears
Rattle snakes
Using a shovel called “U-Dig-It” to drop a deuce outside
Toe nails turning black and falling off
Needing to learn how to use an ice axe
Using an ice axe
Jamming a sponge up your lady bits….then pulling it out, squeezing it and reinstalling (Too much detail? Yea, it was for me too!)
Watching my hiking boot fall off the edge of a mountain….I didn’t even have that fear until this book!

Needless to say I’m enjoying the book….but I’m conflicted.

The whole peeing outside thing came up earlier in the week and Catherine advised me to practice….in the shower. WHICH I DID NOT DO.

Cue Seinfeld discussion: “It’s all pipes! What’s the difference?!”

For the record I side with Jerry and Elaine.

In my freaked out state I started looking into purchasing a Go Girl. Which if you didn’t know is basically a piece of plastic that funnels your pee so you can do it standing up….like a man…..if a man had a funnel he held to pee and then had to figure out what to do with the urine soaked funnel after he was done. So that solution was out.

This conversation happened early in the week, so I of course decided to not think about this issue anymore. When in doubt do nothing and wait for the problem to arise naturally.

I’ve never gone backpacking or even on a hike that was long enough to require an al fresco pit stop…..until last weekend. Since the weather here in SoCal was surprisingly mild we decided to go big with our hike and head for the Bridge to Nowhere (yes, that’s an actual place). I’ll talk more about the actual hike itself later, but for now let’s stay focused on the wizz.

We hiked 5 or so miles to the bridge. It was amazing and gorgeous and everything I hoped it would be. Then we had to head the 5 miles back….and my water reservoir was surprisingly low. Catherine (being the outdoorsy one in this duo) proclaimed that she needed a wee stop. We walked a little ways away from the bridge and found a more secluded spot by some rocks.

Down she went and before I knew what was happening she was done. DONE. Seconds. It took seconds!

Between the sound of the water flowing under the bridge, my receding reservoir and actual peeing happening near me I started to feel a little urge to go to the bathroom.

Was this going to happen? Could I pee in the great outdoors?

Turns out I can.

And I did.

So this explanation is for all the indoorsy hikers out there who are afraid to pee outside (which to be clear, I’m still scared of doing it).

How to pee outside like a champ

Find a secluded spot. It’s no fun being interrupted by a fellow hiker while you’re mid-stream. Look at the surrounding foliage (don’t want any pokies coming at you or heaven forbid a poison ivy leaf), make sure you have enough room to get down, and if it’s windy plan accordingly.
Designate a lookout. This isn’t always possible, but if you’re hiking with friends why not recruit them to help.
Get low. The lower down you can squat the better, we want to avoid the dreaded splash-back (nobody wants their own urine to splash all over their clothing). Now, pull down those pants and bring all the fabric towards the front of your body. This will prevent that splash-back problem and as an added bonus acts as a privacy screen.
Go. You’re in your spot, your lookout is in place, your squatting like a champ so get it over with. I recognize this might not be easy…I know I had a moment of bashful bladder, but I forged ahead. You can too.
Regroup. Pull up your britches and start your celebratory “I Peed in the Wilderness!!!!!” dance!

And there you have it. It’s done. I did it. And so can you.

Hiking Challenges for Women & Families

June 20, 2018 // by kawestberg// 1 Comment

We’re just about half way through 2018, which is hard to believe. If you’ve managed to keep your New Year’s Resolutions up to this point I’d say you are doing pretty good. BUT, if you’ve found yourself having difficulty keeping them maybe it’s time to start a new challenge.

There’s nothing like a little challenge to keep you going, and in the case of some of these challenges you not only get bragging rights, but you have a chance of winning some seriously good gear!

Hiking Challenges for Women:

Women Who Hike Challenge

This challenge is very approachable for all kinds of hikers. You set your own goal in one of the following categories; a short term hiking goal, a long term hiking goal or a non-hiking goal.

Hashtag your progress pictures using #wwhchallenge. You can follow along with other hikers and be a part of the challenge community. If you are a Women Who Hike member you can submit your goal and update them on your progress via email. Become a Women Who Hike member HERE.

Participants will be entered to win one of three @deuter bags of your choice! Not bad!

10K Women Trail Project

Hike it Baby has a challenge called the 10,000 Women Trail Project. Over the next year, their goal is to encourage women to bring female friends and family on a trail at least once a month.

Their goal is to see if, together, they can inspire 10,000 women to hike and log their adventures in 2018. To have your hike counted toward the project, you must log your hike and have brought at least one other woman or girl on a trail with you.

Hiking Challenges for Families:

Hike it Baby 30

Hike it Baby 30 is a 30-day, membership-based family challenge to encourage families across the globe to get their babies and children outside for 30 miles in 30 days or 30 minutes three times a week. They offer the challenges four times a year (January, April, September, and November) and you don’t need to live in a Hike it Baby city to participate!

100 Hours Unplugged

Families who take the #100HoursUnplugged challenge will commit to turning off their devices and tuning back into nature and each other for at least four days this summer. Whether it’s a rafting or camping trip, a trip to a National Park, or simply a series of day hikes exploring nearby natural spaces, the goal is to plan to spend quality time together in the outdoors.

Hiking Challenges for Everyone:

52 Hike Challenge

The 52 Hike Challenge is a global movement inspiring you to take a personal journey to discover the physical, mental and spiritual benefits gained through hiking once a week for an entire year. Thousands of people all around the world are taking the challenge to help change their lives in a positive way, one step at a time.

Leo Carrillo Camping Review

May 28, 2018 // by kawestberg// Leave a Comment

According to the calendar it’s not officially summer until June 21st, but in my book summer starts on Memorial Day Weekend (am i right?). This year Catherine and I decided to pregame the long weekend with a three day camping trip in Leo Carrillo State Park.

Nothing says summer like sand, waves, surfers, s’mores and some killer hikes…the fact that it’s all in Malibu is an added bonus. Snagging a campsite at Leo Carrillo is tough which is why we had to be flexible and go for a mid-week trip rather than the official holiday weekend. On the plus side this freed us up for the REI Anniversary Sale….new gear reviews to come!

The park is named after actor and conservationist Leo Carrillo who is most famous for his role as Pancho in Cisco Kid, an early 1950’s TV show. According to the park’s website, “Leo Carrillo served on the California Beach and Parks commission for eighteen years, and was instrumental in the state’s acquisition of the Hearst property at San Simeon.”

The more time I spend out in state and public parks them more grateful I am to the individuals who came before me that had the presence of mind to make protecting our lands a priority. So before I move on I want to say a big thank you to Leo Carrillo for all he did.

Reservations at Leo Carrillo Campground:

Leo Carrillo Campground reservations can be made 6 months in advance of the current date. Which means if you want to spend July at the beach you better make your reservations in January (I suggest you set your calendar reminders now). Weekends get snapped up quick so if you can swing staying during the week you might have a better chance of getting a spot.

While we were there I noticed lots of empty sites, but I knew that according the website they were “full”. I spoke with a representative from ReserveCalifornia to figure out what was going on and she let me know that individuals who have reserved sites can call the park and let them know they will not be arriving on their specified date. They pay a fee for this, but get to keep their site.

When I asked her if it was possible to snag these unused sites she basically told me it was tough, but that doesn’t mean you can’t check the website every day before you want to camp….you never know you could get lucky.

What to Expect at Leo Carrillo Campground:

First things first, Leo Carrillo Campground is pretty big (139 sites) which means there are lots of other people around…luckily our camp neighbors were pretty mellow. If you’re not fan of sharing the outdoors with other people I’m going to go out on a limb and say this park is not for you.

If you have kids this campground is a pretty special place to take them. There were TONS of kids running around, exploring, playing war games in the wooded areas and walking over to the ocean for some beach time. On the flip side this meant that there were war games being played just behind our tent the entire first day….not exactly what I had in mind, but it was ok since we went off hiking.

Leo Carrillo Campground has a lot of amenities including: showers (hot and cold water!), flush toilets, dump stations, RV hookups, a general store, visitor’s center and a footpath to the beach (no running across PCH with your kids and gear!). I was very impressed with the clean bathrooms and the stock in the general store (especially when our milk went bad and we needed our coffee!).

Getting to Leo Carrillo Campground is pretty straight forward so I won’t waste much time explaining that…we all Google everything anyway. What I will say is that you have access to a couple beaches, one is more of a cove with lots of sandy spots to relax or boulders to climb up for a stellar view and plenty of surfers to watch. If you manage to come here when the tide is low you can also explore the tide pools.

A short walk North on the footpath or a very quick drive on the road will lead you to North Beach and Staircase Beach. These beaches are longer and offer plenty of amazing views, nesting sea birds, and the occasional dolphin in the distance.

In addition to beaches, Leo Carrillo also has several hikes with a nice variety of intensity levels.

Leo Carrillo Beach Trail is about 5 miles long and hugs the coast, giving you great views. It can be somewhat steep in places so consider it a moderate hike.

The Yellow Hill Trail is a 5.9 mile out-and-back hike that leads you away from the beach and into the nearby mountains. The park service rates this hike as easy so it should work well for families or those working up to something bigger.

If you’re looking for something challenging head for the Nicholas Flat Trail. This 6.9 miler hike takes you up 2,000 feet so be prepared for some heavy breathing. Catherine and I managed to tick this one off our list and even added some extra mileage on (thanks to me not bringing the map). More information on that hike to come.

Leo Carrillo Campground Pros:

Clean campsite and facilities (no clogged sink drains like in Furnace Creek!)
Well stocked store
Close to local restaurants and grocery stores if you’re tired of camp cooking
Endless beach options
Close proximity to a variety of hikes

Leo Carrillo Campground Cons:

Lots of people (and in our case shouting kids)
Too many brazen squirrels and crows hopping on tables

Park Rating: 10/10

Facilities Rating: 8/10

Overall Campsite Rating: 9/10

Death Valley National Park Hikes – Ubehebe Crater

April 17, 2018 // by kawestberg// Leave a Comment

Ubehebe Crater

Total Distance: 2.00 mi.
Trail Type: Loop
Net Elevation Gain: 276 ft.
Hiking time: about an hour

Ubehebe Crater is is a 1/2 mile wide hole created by a maar volcano. Unlike an asteroid crater or a volcanic eruption, maar volcanoes are created by steam and gas explosions. As hot magma rises to the surface of the earth it comes into contact with ground water. The hot magma flash boils the water creating steam that expands until it reaches the point of explosion, blasting the earth out of its way resulting in a crater.

Death Valley National Park contains more than one of these maar volcanoes and this particular hike will let you experience Ubehebe and it’s neighbor Little Hebe. While this hike is not very long the initial incline coupled with the loose gravel path can make the start of your journey slow going.

Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley — Ubehebe Crater from the top.

Once you’ve made the initial climb be sure to stay on the trail and be careful along the edges of the crater as some areas may be unstable. The loop features views the inside of the crater itself, the surrounding cinder fields as well as the Panamint Mountains. If you’re feeling ambitious you can also hike down into the crater itself, but make sure you have the stamina for the climb back out.

As with all hikes make sure to bring water and sun protection. This trail is completely exposed with little to no shade to block out the sun. You might also find that the temperatures at Ubehebe are a little cooler than other parts of Death Valley so have an extra layer in your car just in case.

Since Ubehebe is a ways away from other more populated parts of the park you will most likely have a quiet hike. If you drive a high clearance 4×4 you can also take a side trip to check out the strange moving rocks at The Racetrack.