Yosemite Valley Trip Report: Shit Show

It's really easy for us so-called "experienced hikers" to get complacent and think that we've got all of the bases covered. In fact, we are just as prone as anybody, perhaps even moreso, when it comes to making stupid mistakes on the trail. I got a taste of my own hubris this past weekend when …

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Why You Gotta Get All Political, Bro?

When it comes to social media, I’ve rubbed a lot of cats in the wrong direction because I sometimes take a political stance on public land issues. The complaints all fall within the vein of: “I hike to get away from politics!” and “This is a hiking group! Keep your posts on topic!.” Every once …

Hiking Made Me a Weather Nerd

As I type this, rain is coming down in sheets outside my house. In the last 24 hours, my location (southeast Carlsbad) has received over 2" of rain. Other places in the county that I follow have received similarly prodigious amounts of rain: Palomar Mountain, 9"; Borrego Springs, 2"; Julian, 5"; the Santa Rosa Plateau, …

20 in Twenty: Rancho Carrillo Trails (#9)

As a New Year's resolution, I set the challenge for myself to find and hike 20 trails within 20 minutes of my home. The basic premise is to find a way to hike more and drive less. I also anticipated the secondary benefit of getting to know the trails in my area (Carlsbad) better. However, …

The Dark Side of “Hike Your Own Hike”

Within the hiking culture, one of the brightest and loveliest philosophies is the concept of "Hike Your Own Hike" (herein, HYOH). This phrase flits about our culture like a butterfly of truth and beauty. Its basic tenets underpin our most basic assumptions that "hikers are good people." You can break down the concept of HYOH …