Posts Tagged ‘off-pavement’
Posted on March 8, 2020, 4:34 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
From a photographic point of view, a shallow depression in the ground didn’t seem too promising, but since from a geological point of view, Kilbourne Hole is one of the most unique and little-known natural features of the Southwest, I nevertheless decided to spend half a day checking it out, part of my explorations of […]
Posted on December 13, 2019, 12:40 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Grand Staircase Escalante is arguably the crown jewel of national monuments, however, the Trump administration wants to reduce it to half its size. Follow me on a tour of six of the most remarkable areas of the monument to lose their protection. When designated in 1996, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, stretching over 2938 square […]
Posted on December 5, 2019, 7:10 pm, by QT Luong, under
Gear.
My car wrecked last September was a Impreza, the most fuel-efficient Subaru. I replaced it with a Toyota Prius Prime. Read about the reasoning behind my choice, and how it worked for an adventurous road trip in the West during which I camped in the car, spent much time driving backcountry unpaved roads and had […]
Posted on June 28, 2019, 3:00 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
The Basin geographically defines the state of Nevada. That word may confuse you, since it is included in Great Basin, Great Basin Desert, Great Basin National Park, Basin and Range Province, Basin and Range National Monument. What are they, and how do they relate to each other? The Great Basin is like a huge bowl. […]
Posted on June 21, 2019, 11:26 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Only a few miles removed from Interstate 15, Afton Canyon remains hidden and unknown to the millions that speed across the desert. Last year, I abandoned my plans to explore Afton Canyon at a river crossing after estimating a depth of more than 18 inches. This year, I came equipped with a Jeep with which […]
Posted on June 14, 2019, 9:33 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Since Bear Ears National Monument was controversially reduced by 85%, Gold Butte National Monument, which happened to be designated on the same day of Dec 28 2016, is the most recent large national monument. Gold Butte National Monument protects almost 300,000 acres of Nevada, northeast of Las Vegas, bordering Lake Mead National Recreation Area on […]
Posted on May 21, 2019, 4:44 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
The Grand Canyon’s North Rim receives nine times fewer visitors than its South Rim. To the west, the awesome Toropweap overlook (described here) is seen by considerably fewer. However, no matter how little traffic Toroweeps gets, it still dwarfs that of the rim points further west, the subject of this post. The northwestern rim Grand […]
Posted on May 14, 2019, 10:11 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
The Coyote Buttes are the most sought after area of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, and as such are subject to quotas and permits. If you didn’t win one, a great alternative is to visit the White Pocket, which for now does not require a permit despite being in my opinion equally impressive and otherworldly. Previously […]
Posted on May 7, 2019, 6:10 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
In 2001, 18 years ago, even though it was a cold and rainy day in the middle of winter, there was already some competition to visit the Wave in then recently designed Vermilion Cliffs National Monument. And on such a day, my wife and I were surprised to be asked for our permits on site, […]
Posted on May 28, 2018, 8:29 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
North of highway 20, the character of Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument changes. Elevations rise, conifer forest dominate, and roads are all unpaved. Snow Mountain, the highest point in the monument, offered an unexpected adventure that reminded me of higher and further mountain ranges. Getting to the trailhead is half the adventure Berryessa Snow Mountain […]
