Tag: hiking

Wonderland Trail News You Can Use!

· 23 Comments ·

P1030799

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

· 12 Comments ·

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.

P1070209

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

· 14 Comments ·

Title

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!

· 24 Comments ·

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

(more…)

Misadventures on the Road from Joshimath to Leh

· 28 Comments ·

Title

Ever wonder what’s the best way to cure the hiking blues after finishing an amazing trek? Starting another one, of course!

With so many incredible hiking destinations to choose from in the India Himalayas, we had to take advantage of being halfway around the world and do another trek in this fabulous alpine locale before heading back to Chicago. So, after completing the Nanda Devi Alpine trek, we planned to meet up with friends in Ladakh, a region in the far northern India known as the “roof of the world.” (more…)

Discovering Uttarakhand: India’s Hidden Himalayas

· 18 Comments ·

Discovering Uttarakhand_3

The summer of 2014 was a banner hiking season for us. We’ve already told you about our amazing Wonderland adventure in Mount Rainier National Park, but, believe it or not, that trip was just the icing on the cake. We actually began our hiking adventures in India, of all places. That’s right, India! As soon as school let out, we headed to India’s Uttarakhand, where we spent 11 glorious days trekking in the foothills of the Himalayas. (more…)

Big Fun in Big Bend

· 20 Comments ·

Big Bend National Park in far west Texas is an amazing place. Snuggled into a big bend of the Rio Grande on the US-Mexico border, this park is known for striking sun-kissed scenery where its three distinct habitats of mountains, desert and river meet.

Mountains, Desert, River

Even though this park is undeniably gorgeous, it seems to be a well-kept secret. At over 800,00 acres, like all things Texas, Big Bend is huge, yet it only sees an average of 300,000 visitors per year. Compare this to the 8-10 million people who visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and you’ll feel like you have this desert paradise all to yourself.

Why such a difference, you ask? In a word: Isolation. (more…)

Exploring the Natural Wonders of the Evergreen State

· 22 Comments ·

Iron Creek Falls, Mount St. Helens

For those of you needing a quick brush up on your state trivia, the nickname of Washington is the Evergreen State. While I am fairly confident that the moniker was intended to honor the abundant amounts of evergreen trees found in the state’s natural areas, sometimes I’m not so sure. Could it be that the forefathers of that great state had me in mind when the epithet was chosen?

You see, although I love spending time in Washington state, I have to admit that deep inside I am crazy jealous whenever I am there. Washington is a dream come true for any nature-loving, photograph-taking, outdoor-seeking person, and being there makes me “ever-green with envy.” Do Washingtonians realize how fortunate they are to live in such a beautiful place? Is it really fair for one state to have so much?

(more…)

The Wonderland Diaries: Exploring the Enchanting East Side

· 10 Comments ·

The Enchanting East Side The east side of Mount Rainier was the final four-day segment of our Wonderland adventure, and, in many ways, it felt like we had saved the best for last. Beginning on the south side of the park, we admired many beautiful trail-side waterfalls in the forested lower elevations before climbing back into the higher elevations of the east where a veritable alpine paradise awaited us. Spending our last two nights on the trail at Indian Bar and Summerland, two of the most beautiful camps in the park (if not the entire country), was a fitting end to the amazing experience of completing the Wonderland Trail. By the time we were through exploring Rainier’s enchanting east side, we wished we could turn around and do it all over again! (more…)