Back in July, we took a short backpacking trip to Heart Lake. It was really the perfect length…just when I started to get tired, we arrived! After enjoying the beautiful wildflowers, we camped near Rogers Lake. We then climbed Rogers Pass to get a view of Heart Lake the next morning. From the top of… Continue reading Heart Lake
New York
Back in August, we utilized frequent flyer miles and hotel points to take a 7th anniversary trip to New York. I had saved hotel points from previous jobs, and we finally made use of them! We stayed in the Tribeca neighborhood and really enjoyed our time in a more “normal,” not-so-touristy neighborhood. Here is a… Continue reading New York
A Grand 30th Birthday Present
If you’ve spent much time with me, you may know that Grand Teton National Park is one of my favorite places on earth. My parents got me hooked on a summer road-trip in 1994. I’ve climbed and hiked some in the Tetons, and I’ve always talked about wanting to climb “the Grand”. Without technical alpine… Continue reading A Grand 30th Birthday Present
Capitol Charmer
Capitol Peak is one of the most beautiful and challenging of Colorado’s Fourteeners. In September 2010, I blogged about my second and Lauren’s first failed attempt on the mountain. This summer was getting away from us, and we decided to give it “one” more try. The drive to the Capitol Peak trailhead is worth the… Continue reading Capitol Charmer
Lima, Peru – Part 2
Finally, this post concludes our wonderful trip to South America! We spent our last few days in the non-touristy but interesting capital of Peru: Lima. First things first…it was HOT there! I had to go to the store to buy shorts and a tank top (remember this is January). Second, since Lima is not a… Continue reading Lima, Peru – Part 2
Lima, Peru – Part 1
After spending New Years’ Eve in Cusco, we headed back to Lima for the duration of our trip. We stayed at a bed and breakfast called Second Home Peru. Lima is neither beautiful nor touristy, and one of our taxi drivers told us this was the best place to stay in Lima. The back of… Continue reading Lima, Peru – Part 1
Machu Picchu, Peru
History lesson: Why is Machu Picchu such a big deal? It’s a big deal because it was basically the only Inca site that wasn’t ever found/damaged by the Spanish and is therefore much more intact. It was “discovered” by non-locals in 1911, so they were wrapping up the 100 year anniversary while we were there.… Continue reading Machu Picchu, Peru
Aguas Calientes, Peru
Augas Calientes is the gateway to Machu Picchu, an expensive train/bus ride away from Cusco. We took a car that had windows in the roof so you can get a better view of the surrounding terrain, including some ruins and terraces. While in Aguas, we attempted a hike up Putucusi, but were turned away because… Continue reading Aguas Calientes, Peru
Sacred Valley, Peru
While in Cusco, we took a tour of the Sacred Valley to see more Inca sites. Unfortunately our tour guide was absolutely horrible, making the day long and miserable. Luckily the price was worth the bus trip alone, as it would be extremely difficult to see all these sites without an organized tour. We began… Continue reading Sacred Valley, Peru
Cusco, Peru
Oh Cusco, the land of handicrafts. By the time we left, I thought I’d die if I was offered another handicraft (I’ll have a picture of handicrafts in the next post). We stayed at the Hotel Rumi Punku, which had nice rooms and a beautiful courtyard. With the exception of one weird interaction with a… Continue reading Cusco, Peru