Hiking, web development, best practices, and general awesomeness
As I've began to venture into the Sierra Ancha Wilderness, I can't help but wonder if it'd be a suitable destination for my kids. Compared to the Superstition and Mazatzal Wilderness it is rather small (a mere 20,000 acres), which is reflected by the shorter trails and easier access, yet it is much…
Waking up in the Sierra Ancha Wilderness, sleeping under a twisted oak with only a down quilt between me and the elements, was a pleasant and leisurely affair. I ignored the predawn rush and continued reading my book from last night, eagerly devouring the last dozen chapters before emerging onto a…
Descending down Moody Point Trail was an exercise in variety. The route quickly entered a devastated burn section, cutting wide switchbacks through a dead, gray landscape, exposed to the sun, and obvious mud damage to the tread. The trail maintenance was fantastic - thorny stuff cut back and helpful…
Musk of skunk hung heavy over Parker Creek Trailhead. As I laced my boots and checked my pack I wondered idly if my Jeep had been sprayed on the drive up, or if I had just missed an encounter a few minutes ago. Either way it reeked. I double-checked my pack, making sure that my key was safely tucked…
Driving west of Phoenix can be a dreadfully boring endeavor. The desert is flat and hot, the highways are straight for miles, and there are few smatterings of interesting rocky formations in the distant haze. I've driven this way a few times on the way to Quartzite, where my grandparents live and…
The day after the challenging and difficult, yet ultimately relaxing and recharging, solo adventure to Deadman Falls, my kids were driving me nuts. They had buckets of pent-up energy, nagging me while I clung to my coffee like a drowning man. Katie was fed up with them after a long Saturday alone so…
There is a set of waterfalls in the Mazatzals that, for as many times I've adventured in the wilderness, I had never seen. They are somewhat popular on social media sites, even though they are deep enough in the mountains that many visitors opt for overnight trips. There is even a convenient, if…
Numerous creeks fight their way through the Mogollon Rim, draining south and west towards the desert lowlands of Phoenix. One of these, Wet Beaver Creek, is not only protected by a wilderness boundary, but it also once supported a thriving native population whose ruins you can still visit today. On…
Dim ridges and cliffs reached high above Cherry Creek, towering above me at the humble Leisure Canyon Trailhead. I was parked about a mile away from the Sierra Ancha Wilderness, near the southeast corner, and I was trying to convince myself that climbing Moody Point Trail with an over-laden backpack…
A full day and night of rain had left the sky gray, the air wet, and the desert damp. I waited a few hours to confirm that the precipitation was cleared before taking the kids out to Willow Canyon Trailhead for a hike in the Goldfield range. The parking lot had a half-dozen cars and a single RV,…