Author: Alison and Matt

Respectable teachers by day, mad travelers by night, Alison and Matt spend every chance they can get going on far-flung adventures to experience the very best of Mother Nature and document it on their blog, Take a Hike Photography.

Your Guide to Peru’s Cordillera Blanca: The Cedros-Alpamayo Circuit

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Mention hiking in Peru and chances are that most people immediately think of the classic trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Well, here’s a little secret: while the Inca Trail is fantastic, it’s not the only game in town. Many people may not realize that Peru is home to countless other trekking opportunities that can give the world-famous (and extremely popular) Inca Trail a serious run for its money any day of the week. So, if you are looking for a serious romp through a beautiful alpine paradise with only a handful of other people, have we got a place for you!  (more…)

Getting Our Hiking Legs in Huaraz: Laguna 69 Overnight

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Overnight Hike to Laguna 69

Laguna 69 is the most popular day hike in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca and is a consistent crowd pleaser for good reason. The hike itself passes through a valley in Huascarán National Park that sports gorgeous alpine scenery before heading up to an unbelievably blue lake nestled below a sheer wall of stone and ice that rises hundreds of meters above. The view of Laguna 69 is so grand, it’s impossible to fit it into your camera without using a wide-angle lens! (more…)

A Return to Peru

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Machu Picchu 2009

Be forewarned. Traveling is seriously addictive. Develop a case of wanderlust, and it is hard to ever feel totally satisfied. Case in point: we have an ever-evolving wish list of travel destinations that somehow seems to get longer the more we travel. And, with an endless supply of amazing new places to discover, it is a struggle for us when we visit a country and really love it. Will we ever find our way back again? Or, with so many new places to go, will we just have to be satisfied with one visit to a dream destination and move on? (more…)

Wonderland Trail News You Can Use!

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Hello all! We know it has been a while since our last post, and we apologize for the long period of silence. It’s been a very busy school year for us, and we’ve had to put this here blog on the back burner for a while. We know that’s a totally lame excuse, but we have been diligently working on some posts from our trip to Peru last summer. We promise to start publishing those posts soon, but, before we do, we have some very exciting news to share with anyone who is still out there. So here goes… (more…)

Love Your Gear: MindShift’s Rotation 180 Professional Backpack

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We at Take a Hike Photography try to combine our two greatest passions of hiking and photography every chance we get. Over the years, however, we’ve discovered that these two hobbies don’t always mix well in the field, especially if you are crazy serious enough about your photography to carry a DSLR camera with you on the trail like we are.

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We never set out on a hike without our Canon 7D bodies, a selection of lenses, various filters and a tripod in our kit. Believe you me, the weight of the camera gear alone adds up in a hurry, and lugging it around mile after mile takes some serious dedication. (more…)

Plan Your Trekking Adventure: Ladakh, India

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Located in the Himalayas of northern India near the border with Tibet, Ladakh is one of the world’s great destinations for alpine trekking. With the promise of pristine landscapes, stunning vistas and the tranquility of trekking through a land far-removed from the distractions of the modern world, Ladakh is well worth traveling halfway around the world to get there.  (more…)

Marmot Mania!

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Just watch any broadcast of the evening news in the United States, and it’s hard not to think that this country is going to hell in a handbasket. Our government is totally dysfunctional; deadly drought, rampant wildfires and countless other natural disasters plague the continent; and shocking violent acts have pitted policemen against the population they vow to protect. It’s all terribly depressing, isn’t it?

Well, dear readers, in the spirit of misery loving company, we thought you might enjoy knowing that things aren’t much better in the marmot world.

Marmot Mania!_2

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