American West, California, Camping, Hiking, Outdoors, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, Writing

Pacific Crest Trails: Cooper Canyon Falls

Cooper Canyon Falls, nestled in the San Gabriel Mountains near the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, is a 25-foot waterfall formed from the perennially flowing stream within Cooper Canyon. On a sunny Saturday in late March, we trekked along the Burkhart Trail to Cooper Canyon Falls.

American West, California, Camping, Hiking, Opinion, Outdoors, Safety, Travel, Uncategorized, Writing

Geology Adventures: Pisgah Crater

Pisgah Crater, located in the literal middle-of-nowhere off Interstate 40, is a geology adventure perfect for rockhounds and cave enthusiasts. In this post, I share our experience exploring the lava fields and crater, along with some practical considerations. Please note that camping is not allowed on private property, and that dispersed camping on BLM land comes with no services. Also, exploring the lava tubes can carry some risk, so proceed with caution.

California, Camping, Outdoors, Travel, Uncategorized

Grays Meadows

Grays Meadows is a lovely camping spot in the Inyo National Forest at the base of the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. Located off U.S. Route 395, the campground is close to the John Muir Wilderness and popular Sierra peaks.

American West, Brunch, Camping, Canada, Family, Hiking, Lunch, Opinion, Outdoors, Safety, Shopping, Style, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, Wine, Writing

Road Trip Canada: A Trek Across Southern British Columbia

This fourth post in our 2023 Summer Road Trip series is a journey through southern British Columbia, traversing the scenic province from Vancouver to the U.S. border crossing at Cristina Lake. The Cranky Camper also discovers what a closed border crossing looks like and reflects on lessons learned.

American West, California, Camping, Deserts, Hiking, Historic Sites, History, National Parks, Outdoors, Style, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, Writing

Death Valley National Park

This is the first post of our Death Valley series. The national park is the lowest, driest, and hottest area in the United States, and there are many opportunities for adventure throughout the park.