March 11th, 2010
Spring Break has just started for so many people nationwide, most of you haven’t even had a chance to participate in this year’s mischief yet, or even figured out what mischief to succumb. And yet, here I am telling you that it is time to already start planning your summer vacation! Well, as to not inundate you with too many ideas or bits of information, I am going to share some photos to just one place you must consider for a summer destination…Yosemite National Park.
With perfect summer weather (highs in the 80s and lower as you hike to elevation), gorgeous views and scenery, and the chance to stay active during your vacation, it doesn’t get much better than Yosemite!
So enjoy these photos as a bit of temptation. BTW - all these photos were taken by Yosemite hiker extraordinaire, Laurel Smith.





Tags: John Muir Trail, Little Yosemite Valley, Nevada Falls, Summer hiking destinations, summer vacation in Yosemite, Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite Backpacking, Yosemite Guided Hikes, Yosemite Guided Tours, Yosemite National Park, Yosemite pictures
Posted in Backpacking & Hiking | No Comments »
March 6th, 2010
We at Just Roughin’ It are always asked what the temperatures are like at Grand Canyon for any given month. And more often than not, we get the nonbelievers challenging us on this very issue. For example, average temperatures in the inner canyon (i.e. Phantom Ranch) for March are lows in the high 40s and highs into the low 70s (Fahrenheit). But we always have someone tell us that they also checked temperatures and they are below freezing for the lows and highs into the mid 40s. So why are we lying to so many unsuspecting people? While [...] Continue Reading…
Tags: Grand Canyon Backpacking Tours, Grand Canyon Day Hikes, Grand Canyon weather, hiking tours, North Rim Weather, Phantom Ranch weather, South Rim Weather
Posted in Backpacking & Hiking, Photo Friday | No Comments »
March 2nd, 2010
Respectfully enjoying the Grand Canyon
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What is Leave No Trace? If you’ve spent any time in the back country in the last ten years you are probably familiar with the term and hopefully you know and adhere to these principles. Simply stated, Leave No Trace Principles are a set of guidelines that help ensure that when we leave the wilderness after a hike or backpacking trip, there is no sign that we were there.
These principles have their beginnings back in the 1970’s and 80’s as means to manage the impact that camping and hiking in the [...] Continue Reading…
Tags: Leave no trace, Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, Leave No Trace Principles, wilderness ethics
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February 26th, 2010
California Condors at the Grand Canyon
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Test results released Monday revealed that three California Condors died last month in Northern Arizona as a result of eating lead pellets while feeding on carrion. Condors generally feed on dead animals and that includes the entrails of deer, elk, and other big game killed by hunters. The high levels of lead cause the bird’s digestive system to shut down which causes it to eventually starve to death. Since the reintroduction of the California Condor into the wild back in 1996, 15 birds have been killed as a result of [...] Continue Reading…
Tags: California Condor, Condor, Condor deaths, Condor lead poisoning
Posted in Arizona Stuff | No Comments »