I was so honored to be joined by Karen Harriman and Anna Suter the last night camping. They were with us when Anna finished her mortal life here and they were with me when I finished this campaign. Words fail to express my gratitude to them. We were also honored to be joined by Todd and Monica Hollar, long time dear friends from Denver. Anna and their kids, Madeline & Ethan, have all grown up, camping and skiing together. They helped me the next day, providing water, love

I was so honored to be joined by Mary & George Lineham and two of their sons at Black Canyon of the Gunnison! George works with Fred and they have been so supportive of the campaign. Thanks so much guys for joining us! The weather was hot and smoky, not two of the best conditions for hiking in. My apologies for the smoky photos, but it couldn't be helped. To give you an idea of how steep and narrow this canyon is, I'll give you some dimensions that may take the top off you

Grand Junction and Fruita were encompassed in smoke, not only from California and Durango but from their own fires burning on the nearby Book Cliffs at the edge of town. It was terrible! I have never been in smoke that bad before. We made our way up to the Colorado National Monument on the Fruita side. The visitor center is on that side at the top and the campground is beside it. Normally, the views from the campground are expansive and stunning. Nothing but smoke, we co

I have lived in Colorado 34 years and never knew that Chimney Rock National Monument even existed! One reason could be that it is not managed by the NPS, but by BLM. At any rate, it is worth a stop. The history of Chimney Rock goes something like this. Around 2,000 years ago the Pueblo people built the furthest north village in this location. They were part of the Chaco Canyon network, located 90 miles south in New Mexico. In effect, they were the north end of the trade r

I can't believe I'm in the home stretch! 4 more National Parks and 2 National Monuments to go! While I am feeling a sense of accomplishment there is also a sense of dread for the emotional roller coaster these parks will bring. We have taken Anna to these parks her whole life and of course Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction is extremely special because she spent so much time there while she went to University there. So bittersweet... Time to grab a box of tissu

Mesa Verde National Park is truly a National Treasure! There is so much to see here; so please, please, make sure you give yourself at least two to three days here. The visitor center should be your first stop. This is where I recommend buying your tickets for the different tours. The tours to the different cliff dwellings sell out quickly. The visitor center also has beautiful artwork and exhibits that give you an understanding of the area. This statue is called "The St

Mount Rainier was so incredibly beautiful! Teddy and I can't wait to show you around! But first, I'd like to share a picture of Mt. Rainier with you that I took from the plane as I was coming into Seattle. Yes, it's July and that is snow and glaciers. Mt. Rainier has more glaciers than any other mountain in the lower 48. Five major rivers come out of all that snow and ice. Before I take you into the Park, I need to share a very special story with you. As mentioned before,

I was joined at Crater Lake National Park by Betty and Don Neff. Don is my cousin and they were very kind to host me in their home for two nights. So who took the picture? You are not going to believe this! These guys showed up in a zebra striped car! You can't make this stuff up! Aren't they awesome? They were great sports! Crater Lake is well...a crater made by a volcano. This used to be home to Mount Mazama and if you had been in the area 7,700 years ago you would ha

Wupatki National Monument is located about 20 miles north of Flagstaff, AZ. The Ancient Puebloans built many dwellings at this site. The first stop was Box Canyon to hike among the pueblo buildings there. Then it was off to the big ruins at the Visitor Center. Beautiful pottery! Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is next door to Wupatki National Monument. 933 years ago it erupted and of course destroyed some of the pueblos. Those residents were forced to move to other

Getting to Olympic National Park from North Cascades is a pretty unique experience for a mountain girl! So please indulge me as I share the ferry ride from Fort Casey, WA to Port Townsend, WA. They cram all the vehicles in like sardines in a tin. I have done this ferry a few times in my life, and it always gives me a little thrill. Certainly, my family in Southeast Alaska are rolling their eyes and chuckling as they read this. This is how they travel most of the time. Ne