Over winter break we flew into Las Vegas, NV and headed south toward Joshua Tree National Park direct from the airport. This trip had started off with some of the longest airport and car rental lines we have ever encountered. Like good travelers we arrived at the airport two hours ahead of our scheduled flight departure yet due to the lines at ticketing, baggage drop, and security we arrived at our gate as the plane was boarding. Note to self; traveling on one of the busiest days of the year (December 27th) may not be a great idea… The worst line…
Sunshine Wall – Vantage
Fall has officially hit Seattle and the rainy weather convinced me to road trip the 2.5 hours out to Vantage for some sunny rock climbing. Friends Casey and Matt joined in the shenanigans and of course Latigo came along for the ride as well. We got a moderately early start – everyone was in the Explorer and on I-90 by 7:45am. We made good time through the pass and were all very excited as we left the rain behind and beautiful rays of sunshine began to beam down on us. I watched the thermometer on the dash slowly rise as we…
Eightmile Campground and 8-Mile Rock
Rain was predicted for the weekend but that doesn’t generally stop us from seeking adventure! We set off Friday night for Icicle Creek Canyon. It’s one of our favorite spots in the State of WA and we haven’t camped here since early spring. We aren’t the only ones who enjoy this area and the campgrounds are generally packed every single weekend. We hoped that because it was the weekend after Labor Day and the gloomy weather report would keep the crowds away and we would be able to secure a site at the popular Eightmile Campground. There are five campgrounds…
Vantage Camping and Climbing
September is one of the most popular months to venture to Vantage for some of the best climbing in Washington. We set off on Saturday morning with our friends Paul and Marie and their Portuguese Water Dog, Beth. The car was crammed with climbing and camping gear, dogs, and people. Our Yakima Rocketbox had been given it’s place of honor atop the roof and was filled to capacity. Vantage is a little bit more than a two hour drive from Seattle, but it’s easy to get to, just head east on 90! The eastern side of the Cascades is far…