Hiking, kayaking, biking, skiing, camping, hunting and other outdoor activities. Show me your pictures

Unfortunately you are right. The first picture is my reaction upon seeing Half Dome for the first time.. and then realizing that's what we were planning to climb. At the end of a 5,000 ft climb, it's a pretty intimidating sight. Here is me at the top of the cables where it starts to flatten out. A majority of the 500 ft climb up the cables is at a 50 degree incline on solid granite rock face. View attachment 167105
Remember driving to Tuolumne Meadows and we pulled over to see those poor bastards leaned over headed up Half Dome. No thank you.
 
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Laurel Falls today. Wanted to go to Bryson City but wife was sick of being in the car. Nice simple hike. Very nice waterfall.

We also did River Rat tube trip. Very relaxed at times...until ya get stuck.
 

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What camera do you guys use? I'm thinking about getting into photography while I do some birding. Any recommendations? I'm looking for mirror less with a good AF and shutter speed. Less than $1000 right now
 
In Glacier National Park for the week. My 4 favorite pictures from the first 3 days.
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Your timing is outstanding. Depending on how the fall foliage "gods" cooperate, you should have an excellent chance of seeing aspen near their peak of color. Have you heard any elk bugling yet? It is one of the signature sounds of wilderness and, once you have heard it, you will never confuse it with anything else.

We will pay Glacier a visit later next month, once we have relocated to Billings.
 
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Your timing is outstanding. Depending on how the fall foliage "gods" cooperate, you should have an excellent chance of seeing aspen near their peak of color. Have you heard any elk bugling yet? It is one of the signature sounds of wilderness and, once you have heard it, you will never confuse it with anything else.

We will pay Glacier a visit later next month, once we have relocated to Billings.
Ended up getting really lucky with timing. Got here on Monday and discovered that Going to the Sun Road had been closed up until Monday due to the wildfires. I was off the grid prior to arrival and totally oblivious. I guess the wildfires have been especially bad this year, but are beginning to calm down. Foliage is starting to shift right now at higher elevations. Going to the Sun Road around Logan's Pass (6,800ish ft) has shifting colors. Crowds have died down a bit and many smaller stores in West Glacier have closed for the season. I would still describe the park as busy, though.. especially around popular areas. Would expect freezing temps to arrive in the next week or so as it got down to around 34 last night (I think). Have not heard any elk bugling. But did see a moose, some big horn sheep, and a mama black bear and cub (from the safety of my truck) all today. This place really is special. I only wish I had found a hiking buddy prior to arrival as going solo thru grizzly country at this time of year is a bit nerve wracking.
 
Ended up getting really lucky with timing. Got here on Monday and discovered that Going to the Sun Road had been closed up until Monday due to the wildfires. I was off the grid prior to arrival and totally oblivious. I guess the wildfires have been especially bad this year, but are beginning to calm down. Foliage is starting to shift right now at higher elevations. Going to the Sun Road around Logan's Pass (6,800ish ft) has shifting colors. Crowds have died down a bit and many smaller stores in West Glacier have closed for the season. I would still describe the park as busy, though.. especially around popular areas. Would expect freezing temps to arrive in the next week or so as it got down to around 34 last night (I think). Have not heard any elk bugling. But did see a moose, some big horn sheep, and a mama black bear and cub (from the safety of my truck) all today. This place really is special. I only wish I had found a hiking buddy prior to arrival as going solo thru grizzly country at this time of year is a bit nerve wracking.


If you have not already been over there, spend a night at St. Mary KOA on the east side. They almost always are open until the end of September. I can almost guarantee you that you will be serenaded by bull elk at dusk there. Also, if Chief Mountain Road is still open, head up to the extreme northeastern corner of the park. There is a massive grove of aspen that absolutely turns a carpet of electric gold in fall. Most of the best fall foliage viewing sites are on the east side: Lower St. Mary Lake, which straddles the park boundary with the Blackfeet Reservation, Many Glacier, Two Medicine and Cutbank Valleys, and the aforementioned Chief Mountain area. With the notable exception of the Boulder Pass Trail in the North Fork area, the most spectacular hiking trails are also on the east side, particularly in the Many Glacier and Two Medicine sectors of the park.

Have you been to Polebridge and sampled the legendary pastries at the Mercantile? The Inner North Fork Road from there up to Kintla Lake will practically jar your fillings loose, but the North Fork of the Flathead is some of the most remote country in the Lower 48. Temperatures in the range you cited will definitely start the fall foliage fireworks in earnest. You are absolutely correct that Glacier is special, but the last week of September and early October are a positively sacred time to be there.
 
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Anyone ever hiked the Maroon Bells loop in Colorado? I want to do it so much! 30 mile 3 pass hike.


I have visited the Maroon Bells several times, most recently in early October 2016, but never had the opportunity for an extended pack trip. Is the itinerary you envision different from this "four-pass" loop (ProTrails | 4 Pass Loop, Maroon Snowmass Trailhead, Aspen - Snowmass, Colorado)? If they are the same, it will require superb cardiovascular conditioning, but I am sure you are already aware of that.
 

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