Hiking, web development, best practices, and general awesomeness
We needed to get out to the backcountry. It was early summer in 2021, and the kids and I were raring to go on an adventure. There was a spot, next to the Sierra Ancha Wilderness, that I had been looking forward to exploring, so with a loose plan and two full backpacks we headed east, driving past…
Noah and Charlotte had been asking about a camping trip for a few weeks, and Thomas, while more hesitant, was lured in by the mention of s'mores, so after work we all piled into the Jeep with a full trunk of gear and headed out to Globe. There are some great trailheads in the Eastern Superstitions…
Fire restrictions for Kaibab Forest would kick in on Friday, making campfires illegal, so I drove the kids up on Thursday after work and we found a small site off of FR 150, south of Williams, and after quickly setting up camp we made our classic hot dogs over a small, crackling fire. It was a…
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…
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…
Driving up Hewitt Canyon Road with three anxious kids was an exercise in patience. First there was the traffic to deal with along the first few miles, the ORVs and timid explorers, who clogged up the trail with parked vehicles; then the bumpy travel over exposed rocks on the bottom of Hewitt Canyon…
Near the end of September, when the school year had started for Noah and the Arizona temperatures were still unbearably hot, we decided to go for another camping trip in the higher elevations. As usual, it was just me and the kids, as Katie's work schedule has her busy on the weekends. I decided to…
For the third camping trip with the kids I decided to take things easy. We drove up towards Payson for the familiar Mogollon Rim and found a small campsite along Forest Road 139, which is a stone's throw from U-Bar Trail. There we met Chris and Kirsty and we all set up our gear. Having three adults…
This summer I haven't had much free time to pursue my usual passion of solo hiking and backpacking. Instead, my weekends have been full of Mountain Rescue and parenting. Sure, the kids and I go hiking together, it's just not the same as the epic twenty-plus mile death marches that I prefer. Anyways,…