Category Archives: Outdoors

SOMETIMES, HIGHEST IS NOT BEST – JEREBIKOVEC AND DEBELA PEČ

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Rjavinja, Triglav and Skrlatica from Jerebikovec.

Slovenes love mountains. They love them so much they put one on their flag – Triglav. Triglav is all and good. If not for the fact that everyone wants to climb it, Triglav is still a pretty neat peak. But there are so many other peaks in Slovenia, just as fascinating with views as good. Sometimes, the best views are not off the highest peak, but of the highest peak. Here are two such cases, Jerebikovec and Debela peč. We have already seen other cases further west in the Julians.

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MALA MOJSTROVKA THE EASY WAY UP – Vršič Pass

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north face mala mojstrovka
The magnificent north face of Mala Mojstrovka from Vratica saddle.

Slovenia is not a flat country.  There are lots of hills culminating in the Julijske Alpe – the Julian Alps.  The border with Italy bisects the range leaving the highest peak, Triglav 2,864 meters, in Slovenia and the second highest peak,  Jôf di Montasio 2,755 meters, in Italy.  The mountains figure deeply into the soul of Slovenia with Triglav being featured on both the Slovene flag and coat of arms.  To explore this mountainous wonderland, you can do it cursorily from a car or motorcycle.  But at some time, you will need to wander the trails and climb the peaks to understand the specialness of these mountains.  There is no better place to explore Slovenia from the top than to join the crowds parked atop Vršič Pass – 1611 meters – and walk. From Vršič Pass, the magic of Mala Mojstrovka awaits.

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MISTY REALM OF THE BLACK CUILLIN HORSESHOE OF SKYE

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The Horseshoe of the Black Cuillin is not only the center of attention for would-be mountaineers on the island of Skye, but maybe Britain, as well. Making a trip to the ancestral home of Scotland – maybe the first of my clan since the early 18th century – I decided to include a little walking with the history on my first venture into Scottish mountains.

Skye is a bit north of the islands of my clan – Mull, Islay. Vikings and the clan Macleod and MacDonald figure strongly in the histories here. The island has become a bit of tourist destination with its wild beauty and Celtic traditions. “Winged Island”, “Isle of Clouds” are two interpretations of the original meaning of Skye. The latter version showed up in force during my visit.

The Black Cuillin Horseshoe on the island of Skye from atop Bruach nan Frithe.

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WHITE MOUNTAIN PEAK – A CLIMB TO CALIFORNIA’S THIRD HIGHEST SUMMIT

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A FOURTEENER FOR THE EVERYMAN

White Mountain Peak stands straight ahead on the jeep road to the top.

Look at a topographical map of the Great Basin region and you will see mountain ranges looking like waves running in a south-to-north.  On the fringe of that region mainly taken up by the state of Nevada are the two greatest ranges of the region – the Sierra Nevada and the White Mountains.  Both ranges have their origin in the Nevada Orogeny, the period when the many Nevadan ranges formed, as well.  The Sierra is simply one of America’s most magnificent ranges.  Separated by the Owens River Valley, the White Mountains, lying in the rain shadow, rise almost as high as their celebrated brothers to the west.  White Mountain Peak stands atop the range, California’s third highest peak at 14,252 feet-4344 meters – also one of only two peaks in California rising to over 14,000 feet outside of the Sierra.

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OLYMPIC RANGE FROM A HIGH PERSPECTIVE

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The Best Experiences are not always the Easiest

The best visit to the Olympics goes on high. Olympic National Park, much like North Cascades, is a climber’s park. Standing atop one of the many peaks gives you a true experience to the wild wonderland.

Looking south to Mt Ellinor from atop Mt Washington in the southeast corner of the Park
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RAIN AND COVID? TIME TO BIRDWATCH AT RIDGEFIELD!

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Rain is an all too common factor in Pacific Northwest winters. Grey days can go on for weeks at a time. The rain does not fall in huge dumps, but tends to lightly fall for much of the day. Short grey wet days. Cabin fever. No mountains to climb, so what to do? Then add on top of it the COVID pandemic. Perfect time to go birdwatch at Ridgefield!

A rainy day at Rest Lake along the Auto Tour Route at the River “S” Unit at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.
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BARRETT SPUR REVEALING THE ICY SIDE OF MT HOOD

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Barrett Spur rises to the left of the 7,300 foot saddle with the north face of Mt Hood beyond.

Barrett Spur is one of my favorite places on Mount Hood. While some prefer Cooper Spur and others Cathedral Ridge, for me, it is the Spur.

The Spurt is a little bit difficult to reach both due to the altitude you gain and the route condition near the top.  But your jaw drops with the incredible views of the glaciers pouring down off the north side of the old volcano.

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WALKING ON THE DRAGON’S BACK – TREKKING ATOP THE DRAKENSBERG

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Sentinel Peak rising above the mists of the Amphitheatre.

The Zulu and Afrikanse name are both used for this exceptional mountain range and both names are superb in their own rights. “uKhahlamba” is the Zulu name meaning ‘Barrier of Spears’.  The escarpment resembles the name from the distance. “Drakensberg”, the Afrikanse name, means ‘Dragon’s Mountain’.  A mythical beast one would not be altogether surprised at seeing when climbing/hiking amongst the often-misty rock walls and towers of the range.

Coming from the western US, the dramatic rock wall escarpment is not unlike the mountain walls found in the Great Basin country – the Sierra Nevada or South Warner Mountains of California; Ruby Mountains of Nevada; Steens Mountain of Oregon. These ranges, as here in South Africa, gradually gain height in the west, terminating in a grand wall of cliffs and towers along the eastern side.  This trek would be a celebration.

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MOUNT MARGARET – ON THE BOUNDARY OF MT ST HELENS

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Written after a hike to Mount Margaret on the Boundary Trail in 2019 from a series of hikes up into the Cascades. It was a very good summer in there were no complications from forest fires which seem to mar things in August and early September in recent years.

Lakes mount margaret boundary trail
Lakes and the Backcountry near Mount Margaret from the Boundary Trail.

BOUNDARY TRAIL

Save the best for last? Mount Margaret lies along the Boundary Trail, the 53
mile trail running from Johnstone Observatory in the Mt St Helens Volcanic National
Monument to Mt Adams. The trail was built in 1910 to service fire
lookouts on the border between the forest reserves of the Cowlitz – to the
north – and the Lewis – to the south.

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BAD KREUZNACH – REMEMBER AND RETURN TO THE NAHETAL

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2018 panorama over Bad Kreuznach from the Kauzenburg.

The Nahe Canyon leading to Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg is on the right.

Bad Kreuznach – Bad “K” or just “BK” to most former Americans living here – was and is a wonderful town to be introduced into culture beyond America.  Who says you can’t go back?  I lived and worked here for three years back in the 1980’s, a time of strong US dollars and a last fling of Cold War uncertainty. 

Today’s blog is a simple chance to amble down through the mists of my time and a chance to update photographic memories of a part of Germany flying under the radar of the Viking longboat cruisers.

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