Happy New Year, and thank you for reading this little newsletter. I truly appreciate you all and wish you and your family an excellent 2025. This year, you can expect more adventures, gear tips, hiking suggestions, and more. I wrote a 2024 recap on Instagram that you can read here. Also, I still have calendars for sale. Planning a Trip to the Grand CanyonI spent the holidays with my parents in Northern Arizona and finally spent more than just a day at the Grand Canyon. I usually zip up, hike down to the river and back up, then leave. Seeing areas I've never been to before was an immense delight. Below is a condensed version of my Grand Canyon Itinerary article, which you can find here. How Many Days Should You Visit? I think three days is the sweet spot for the Grand Canyon. You'll have some travel on the first/last day, giving you enough time to do a couple of hikes, see the overlooks, spot wildlife, and enjoy the area. Where to stay? You can stay in five to six places inside the park boundaries (not including camping), but you'll pay more to be right in the middle of things. We stayed in Yavapai Lodge, which is only a few minutes from the Visitor Center and Bright Angel Lodge. They also have a Dining Hall and General Store nearby.You can also stay in Tusayan, a mile south of the park's entrance. This has far more options and food choices. If you do opt for this, try getting into the park early. By noon, the line could stretch all the way into the town. Top Hikes in GCNP Easy:
Moderate:
Hard:
Remember, when you visit the Grand Canyon, hiking down is optional. Hiking up is Mandatory. Find more of my top hikes here. Is there anything else to note?
Are you planning any trips or buying gear in 2025? If you use these links, I'll get a small commission at no cost to you!
New Youtube videosThe one thing I'm excited about this year is YouTube - and getting a chance to monetize it. (I need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. So, currently, everything I'm doing is unpaid.) If you want to help me out, click here to subscribe! Backpacking 30 miles to High Pass in Washington Eye to Eye: Flightseeing around the tallest peak in North America Five-day trip to Alaska's Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks |
Alec is a landscape photographer and outdoors storyteller with a zeal for pushing boundaries in the wild. He enjoys hiking, backpacking, and visiting remote places, allowing him to photograph locations the rest of the world shies away from. In addition, Alec loves to write about his travels and craft articles that help educate and inspire others to find their joy in nature.
Happiest of May to you all. The snow is melting, and backpacking trips are getting closer and closer. I wanted to create a gear guide to help those of you who plan to spend some nights under the stars. This is more or less everythign that I carry and recommend carrying. Usually, my pack weighs around 40-45 pounds which is under the 25% mark of my body weight. That's a good threshold to stay around as going over it can start to wear you down. Feel free to ask me any questions and I'll and my...
I'm constantly reminded of the beautiful places Earth has to offer. In early April, I had a chance to spend nine days on Kauai with my fiancée's family, and my gosh, that place is amazing. Its unique microclimates, lush vs dry landscapes, and majestic coastlines make it a 'must-visit' in my book. (Stay tuned for next week's newsletter on how to visit and things to do.) But you also don't have to fly 3,000 miles to see beauty. You can walk the neighborhood as spring blooms unfold, or stroll in...
Happy first day of Spring and the NCAA Tournament. Today, I'm hanging out on the couch, watching copious amounts of basketball, and my perfect bracket is already finished... damn you, Louisville! In more personal news, I returned last night from Michigan after taking a last-minute flight out to see my godmother, who is dying from cancer. My mom and I were supposed to fly out next week, but my godmother's condition is worsening, and we wanted to see her before it was too late. It was a somber...