Hiking, web development, best practices, and general awesomeness
Bright moonlight shone down over Feldtmann Lake and reflected off its glassy surface. I stood here for only a minute, packed and ready to move, before quietly making my way down the path. To return to the main trail I had to walk past every other campsite and I didn't want to wake anyone else up.…
As my circle of waterfall exploration expanded away from Houghton over the years new thorns appeared on the horizon. At first the thorns, the more stubborn waterfalls that eluded documentation and trails, were still on familiar land. Madison Gap (or Eliza), Upper Sturgeon, Ravine River - at least I…
The trees grew thick and undergrowth tangled along my confused route. I had come a long way from Wolf Lake Road - along clear and exposed rock bluffs, several two-tracks, and through managed hardwoods - and this last stretch on the ridge was the worst so far. There was supposed to be some open views…
Sometimes things go wrong. I have been very fortunate over the years considering the number of adventures and idiotic ideas I've had, but sometimes bad things can and do happen. Among the problems that have cropped up during hikes I've had to deal with car problems, injuries, exhaustion, and…
Dull grey seeped into my tent signalling a long-awaited end to a miserable, sleepless night. I scrambled around in the frigid air, pulling on stiff clothes and grabbing prepared gear in a rush to start moving on a long hike. My campsite was less than ideal even though I had took pains to pick the…
Three years had passed since I last climbed Bald Mountain, the last significant outcropping of the Western Huron Mountains. My first visit was a significant milestone for me, as it was the first non-waterfall hike I attempted in the Upper Peninsula. This initial climb triggered a long and lasting…
A short, bumpy drive along the powerline's service road brought me to a dirt four-wheeler track heading south. I stepped out of my car and immediately felt the heat rising from the ground like a swelling pool of water. Grabbing some water and a few granola bars, I entered the green forest on the…
I woke up early with the sunrise, still sore from yesterday's hiking. Dressing quickly, I rolled out of the tent and started a small fire. The coffee didn't take long to make and I was soon standing on the shore of the northern Rocking Chair Lake, watching the sunrise over the tall eastern hills and…
Cliffs have quickly become one of my more recent hiking interests. Like mountains, they offer some excellent views of the area, and the sharp relief can make for some interesting routes and rock outcroppings. Good cliffs are hard to find in the Upper Peninsula, thanks to the millennia of erosion…
Due to the rugged nature of the Peshekee Highlands, the Dead River's upper reaches are quite unique. From its headwaters in the McCormick Tract, it drops over 400 feet before reaching Silver Lake Basin, the first of five reservoirs along the Dead River. The surrounding land doesn't drop as quickly…