The first volume of my Zion National Park hiking, scrambling and climbing guidebook is now available!
Focusing on summit routes in the park, the book will be the first of its kind. Anticipate a 250-page guide covering routes to nearly 80 summits in and near Zion National Park, including photos and maps.
Just a handful of the summits featured in the book are The West Temple, Mountain of the Sun, Twin Brothers, The Watchman, Mount Kinesava, Mount Spry, South Guardian Angel, North Guardian Angel, Johnson Mountain, Bridge Mountain, Mount Moroni, Lady Mountain, Angels Landing, Cathedral Mountain, North Sentinel, Deertrap Mountain, Langston Mountain, Mount Majestic, Tabernacle Dome, Canaan Mountain, Pine Valley Peak, Red Butte, Checkerboard Mesa, Smithsonian Butte, Horse Ranch Mountain...
"That list one keeps in one's head of places to see and explore in the Zion area will surely get longer after one gets his hands on this book. "Knowledge is power" someone said or wrote. This guide is definitely powerful. The descriptions are concise and down to earth. 'Sheep turds as well as cairns will help lead the way.'" - Jeff Branin, North Carolina
"...the book [...] is clear and informative, yet has a homey, cozy style to it. Not nearly as dry as much of the genre. I am really enjoying the read so far. A must for any serious outdoor library." - Steve Ramras, Colorado
Cover photo by Rick Kent
Cover design by Michael Cressman
Zion National Park: Summit Routes
Rambles & Scrambles: The Definitive Guide to Peakbagging Around Las Vegas
My guidebook, Rambles & Scrambles: The Definitive Guide to Peakbagging Around Las Vegas, is currently available!
In the book, a total of 239 peaks in and around Las Vegas are covered. Heavily featuring hiking, scrambling and climbing routes in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and Lake Mead National Recreation Area, it also covers mountains in Mojave National Preserve, Sedona, Grand Canyon National Park and Great Basin National Park...to name but a few! Dig it.
Photo courtesy of Michael Cressman/Design by Michael Cressman
Hogwarts (My 3rd Time!)
Where: North Wash, Utah
When: November 2009
Who: Sarah & Dominic Meiser and Aron Ralston
Dante's Paradiso
Where: Bullfrog, Utah
When: November 2009
Who: Ram, Steve Levin, Roger Briggs, Sarah & Dominic Meiser, and Aron Ralston
Shenanigans & Main Leprechaun
Where: North Wash, Utah
When: November 2009
Who: Ram, Steve Levin, Sarah & Dominic Meiser, Aron Ralston, Dan Ransom, Matt Brechta, Roger Briggs, and Landon from Salt Lake (Shenanigans) / Sarah & Dominic Meiser, Aron Ralston, Landon from Salt Lake, and Chuck from Salt Lake (Main Lep)
Although I'd descended the very tight main fork of Leprechaun several years earlier and found it to be delightful (though DB got stuck!), I'd repeatedly put off the area classic Shenanigans because it was said to be so tight that anyone over 180 pounds would not fit through. After a hard-working summer in the mountains, and a fall that was nearly as active, my weight was trimmed to precisely 180 pounds! I was ready (sort of)!
Turns out, Shenanigans was a delight. With some help from Ram and others, I squeezed through with surprisingly little effort (other than the psychological kind). I'd love to go back and do it again...but first, we headed off for another Main Leprechaun run!
Alligator, Buried Mountain & Black Hill
Where: Outside Indio, California
When: October 2009
Who: DB & I.jpg)
While I'd had every desire to hike up San Gorgonio and a couple of the sub-peaks of San Jacinto while in Indio for Phish Festival 8, the experience was too overwhelming to do anything more than bag a trio of short, easy peaks in the desert not far from the venue. Still, a rewarding time was had!.jpg)
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The Blythe Intaglios
Where: Outside Blythe, California
When: October 2009
Who: DB & I.jpg)
Our friend Jason Pease brought these intaglios to my attention a year or so ago. Since then, I'd had it in the back of my mind to check them out the next time I was in the seedy neighborhood of Blythe. While driving to Festival 8 at the end of October, we found the time....jpg)
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