Capturing the Moment

  A magical world of fern and moss in the cave behind Twin Falls on the road to Hana in Maui. One of my favorite waterfalls on Maui is called Twin Falls. It is at the very beginning of the famous Road to Hana, and has pretty easy parking. The trail to the falls is lined with rainforest plants like wild ginger, bromeliads, and heliconia. It only takes about 20 minutes to get to the amazing falls at the end. The waterfall has a gentle pool that is great to swim in and cool off. But the real reason I love this waterfall is the fact that you can access a cave behind the falls. I think as a kid, I watched so many adventure movies where the characters walk through a waterfall and find a secret cave behind, that grew up always wanting to do the same. This is the closest I've ever come. The cave behind the falls is pretty wide, and provides some opportunities for stunning photographs. I got here pretty early, after a sunrise dawn patrol surf session at Hookipa, so the lighting was pretty m...

Hard Charging Mountain Climb     Near the top of Eagle Cliff   As the expedition leader aboard the Safari Quest one of my many daily challenges is to find destinations that can offer multiple level s of challenge to the guests. This may be a choice between a kayak and a skiff tour, a beach walk or a long hike, or maybe even a climb up a mountain vs driving up. The more options that guests have for activities means it is easier to self select which group to go out with. One of the great things about the Pacific Northwest itinerary is that every spot we go to gives us multiple options of difficulty level so I can easily personalize the activities for the passengers we have on that week. Hard Chargers on the Summit    This week we had a group of hard charging hikers onboard so I searched for a good challenge. It came in the form of a mountain ridge climb on the little known Cypress Island, one of the 172 San Juan Islands. The total hike is only...

      From our spot in Jeffersonville, Vermont I can see the highest peak, Mount Mansfield. It is not just the tallest summit in Vermont at 4,393ft, but it the same mountain where the famous Stowe ski area can be found. I have always looked at the mountain, which resembles the profile of a giant face looking up towards the heavens, and wondered how I could get up to the summit. During this visit to Vermont I was determined to make it happen, so after a bit of research I did just that. Crossing beautiful streams on the way up    My calves are still burning as I am writing this, several days later, but the pain is all worth it knowing that everytime I look up towards the mountain I will remember standing on top of it and soaking in that 360 degree view. Here is how I made it.... Breathing hard on the way up    A short 25 minute drive away from Jeffersonville is a place called Underhill State Park. It is located at the base of Mt Mansf...

Glacier Hikers on top of the Ice Cave   If you want the ultimate mind-blowing experience in Juneau and you are a bit adventurous then the ice cave hike is the answer. These caves are slowly changing all the time so my suggestion is to go see them while they last. In just a year's time Mendenhall Glacier has receeded quite a bit, and even though the caves are different than last year they are every bit as beautiful. Imagine the bluest ice forming a dome over you with a river running through it, all underneath a glacier. I can't help but feel like I have been transported to another world, or superman's ice fortress while surrounded by the ice caves. And the beauty of this being in wild Alaska is that you don't have to pay anything to get here. There are some organized tours that kayak or canoe across the lake from the visitors center, but if you make it to the west glacier trailhead a 2.5hr hike across changing terrain will lead you right to the caves and the glacier ...

Sitting on the edge The terminus of the now grounded Lamplugh  This hike is for the extremers, the 'go get em' bunch that doesn't mind some dizzying heights, near vertical scrambles, and some steep dropoffs. If that sounds like you then keep reading. If not then maybe check out a calmer post about my first visit to Glacier Bay National Park three years ago.   In the heart of Glacier Bay National Park there is Lamplugh Glacier. I have heard about the ridge hike which starts from the lookers left side of the glacier for years, but until recently I had never gotten a chance to tackle it myself. Last week I took a hard charging group of hikers from my boat, the Safari Quest, to see just how high we could make it, and what kind of views we could get. Human Totem Pole at the top    For parts of the hike there is a worn trail. The views of the glacier expanding below you, and of all the mountain range extending as far as you can see are more and more ...