2016 was in many ways a weird and awful year, yet it also saw some of the best outdoor experiences of my life. So in chronological order, here's what I have for the top ten adventures of 2016.
January- Druid Arch
Druid Arch in Canyonlands NP had long been on my hitlist. A large snowstorm had just blown through, and turned what would have been a sizable hike into a beast. Because of snow and ice, this was actually one of the crazier adventures I've ever had. It wasn't a wise choice, but the snow also scared away any chance of people, so I had an exquisite journey.
March- Coyote Gulch
Coyote Gulch was another spot that had long been on my hitlist. It epitomizes the Glen Canyon that once was, now lost under Lake Powell. My brother joining me on his first backpacking trip was icing on the cake.
March- Cedar Mesa
One shocking discovery of the year was that Cedar Mesa had not been on my hit list. AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. The canyons are beyond gorgeous. The archeological history is so prolific and seemingly intact. It seems like an endless potential for adventure and discovery. It's also now (as in the past week) protected in the Bear's Ears National Monument!
May- The Valley of 10,000 Smokes
Wilderness is a land of many meanings. The wilderness of Alaska takes that to a whole new level. Moving to the park service after years of being a forest service wilderness ranger, I wanted to distance myself from wilderness, try to talk about different things. Venturing out into the Valley of 10000 Smokes demonstrated how I can't leave that behind. Come on, a volcano created a landscape that looks like nothing else. Wild. This place also threw two very different experiences at me, the beautiful, mind blowing side seen in this picture, and a deadly, fierce side that was one of the worse and yet surreal moments of my life.
July- Brooks Camp
I could fill a top 100 list with pictures of bears. Getting to spend the summer around Katmai's brown bears was magic. There is no other word for it. This best encapsulates the essence of the wonder. Bears don't nurse their cubs in full view of people just anywhere. The drama of life. Yeah. Bear 128 and her three spring cubs. I thought I could stay objective with the bears, then I connected with this family. Some of the most magical moments I've ever witnessed happened with these bears.
August- Brooks Camp
The night sky is a familiar sight for me, so much so that I'm currently a night sky ranger. So when I went to Alaska, the chance to see something different in that night sky was tantalizing. On one fatefull night, the clouds cleared, the sun was active, and my awesome roommate woke me up. Mindblowing.
September- Brooks Camp
September bears. Words don't describe how amazing watching these tubby bears was. It was so great that I decided to add another bear picture to my top ten.
September- Harding Icefield
Climate change was always something hard to wrap my head around. Not that I didn't believe, it was just intangible, some things are simply too big. Then I saw glaciers. I cried, a lot, seeing these gods of the Earth melt away. This Icefield will be where I will have to bring kids to see ancient ice, theirs may not see any. Meeting the glaciers has been life changing.
November- Big Bend National Park
One thing that was truly different this year was the fact that I spent it with people. Many of these adventures were spent with loved ones, and that added to the experience in ways that I didn't imagine. Visiting friends in Big Bend, a place I likely wouldn't have visited without them being there, exeplifies that change in my life. Love y'all!
December- Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Now I'm in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. I'm being paid to do what I love over a winter. It feels like a good "growing up" step. The Sonoran Desert is beautiful and all its aspects are intricately entwined. The amount of learning and discovery going on is tremendous. Oh yeah, and I'm being paid to play with telescopes. This is awesome.
Here's to hoping 2017 is another awesome year!!
