This was Derek’s first trip to Yosemite! Luckily it’s early season so it wasn’t very busy…not like you hear about in the summer season. We had zero wait time at the South entrance gate…just drove right in. Phew. First stop was Bridalveil Falls. Famous for its misty, wind-blown appearance – often called “Pohono” or “Spirit …
The hike up Isabella Peak in Lake Isabella, CA is short and sweet. We stopped and knocked it out on our way to the Kern River Brewing Company to sample beers. The hike is across the lake from where we’re boondocking and we were able to see our trailer from the peak. It’s only 1.5 …
Short and sweet, this hike out into Mosaic Canyon by Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley is a favorite. I hiked it before but the road to it was closed so I had to hike there and back which made it very long. Thankfully, this time we didn’t have to do that. The Death Valley area …
Fall Canyon hike in Death Valley National Park is a doozy. It’s pretty remote, located in the far northern section of the park. While the parking lot can be busy because it shares with the Titus Canyon parking area, the hike is quiet. The hike is almost entirely on gravel and rocks. I don’t think …
The mountains above Vegas got a quick snowfall that really highlighted the colors and textures in the canyons. We hiked a challenging loop out into Red Rock Canyon State Park. This loop is not maintained and dives directly into the rugged, isolated heart of the Calico Hills requiring hands-on scrambling across the iconic red and …
Tecopah, CA is a tiny place in the middle of nothing. It’s claim to fame is the China Ranch Date Farm. According to available sources, a Chinese man named either Quon Sing or Ah Foo came to this canyon after many years of work in the Death Valley borax mines. He developed the water, planted fruits and …
Winter boondocking is all about stalling out in warmer areas and chasing sun. We run off solar so it’s important to have sun! After consulting weather apps we made a decision. Two weeks outside Vegas lets us get some maintenance done on the trailer (thank god for mobile rv techs). First up, we hiked Middle …
Down the sandy and rough road we boondocked on is a tunnel. Not just any tunnel. Burro Schmidt Tunnel. The historical Burro Schmidt Tunnel is a mining tunnel dug with hand tools and dynamite over a 38-year period by William “Burro” H. Schmidt (1871–1954). “Burro” Schmidt was faced with a dangerous ridge between his mining claims and the smelter to the …
I think everyone knows of the2,650 mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) that runs from Canada to Mexico. We hiked just a small day hike from Walker Pass near Ridgecrest, CA as an out and back one day. During the Gold Rush of 1848–1855, Walker’s Pass led hundreds of pioneers into California. Years prior to the …
Whenever we scope out routes and spots to boondock we look for everything there is to do in the area. This time, coming from Joshua Tree on our way to Death Valley, we stopped over for a week near Ridgecrest. What did we find to do? California City Wait, first, have you ever heard of …