• The Subway

    The Subway

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    Jake Bramante

    The Subway in Zion National Park is one of my favorite day hikes that you can do as an out and back hike or a through canyoneering trip, but both need a permit. The out and back hike is called the Bottom Up Route and is a non-technical route that brings you to a slot canyon…

  • Swiftcurrent Lookout Early 2015

    Swiftcurrent Lookout Early 2015

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    Jake Bramante

    I’ve been having a lot of emails asking about current conditions in Glacier National Park. I had a free day to sneak up into Glacier. I decided to get into some high country and hiked to Swiftcurrent Lookout. The day started out as a perfect bluebird day. I drove up to the Loop, parked and…

  • The Grotto Trail

    The Grotto Trail

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    Jake Bramante

    The Grotto Trail in Zion National Park is a short half mile trail in the main Zion Canyon that connects the Grotto with the Zion Lodge. This level trail is a nice trail, but not remarkable in and of itself. It has nice views of the surrounding canyon walls interspersed with shade. It’s biggest value is…

  • Logan Pass Opening 2015

    Logan Pass Opening 2015

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    Jake Bramante

    The arrival of the opening of Going-to-the-Sun Road all the way to Logan Pass in Glacier National Park is always exciting. At present, it has only opened up from the west side, but the east side should follow sometime after the 19th of June this year. The snowpack is much lower than it was last…

  • Sand Bench Trail

    Sand Bench Trail

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    Jake Bramante

    The Sand Bench Trail in Zion National Park is mainly used by the horse concessionaire for trail rides. That being said, it’s still a hiking trail. While some of the views are great, the lack of cover and trail conditions (very sandy and smelly) make it lower on the list than most of the other…

  • Walk-in Backcountry Permits of Glacier National Park

    Walk-in Backcountry Permits of Glacier National Park

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    Jake Bramante

    It’s easy to get excited about backpacking in Glacier National Park’s backcountry, but obtaining a walk-in permit can be a bit stressful and tricky. Here are a few tips and tricks to help out. (Resources below the video.) Anyone who backpacks in Glacier National Park needs a backcountry permit. They come in two flavors: advanced…

  • Yellowstone National Park Announcement

    Yellowstone National Park Announcement

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    Jake Bramante

    While primarily known as a “driving park”, Yellowstone National Park has some great hiking as well and I’m about ready to dive in. I’m beginning work on my third Day Hike Map and am incredibly excited. Yellowstone has over 1,000 miles of trail and, while I won’t be hiking all of them, I’ll be knocking…

  • Harlequin Duck Survey Part 2

    Harlequin Duck Survey Part 2

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    Jake Bramante

    For mid-May, McDonald Creek in Glacier National Park was low and clear. Normally at this time, it’s fast, high and muddy. Either way, it’s a great time to go looking for Harlequin Ducks. With it being so clear, however, we had front row seats to watch them dive and feed. Once again, I was fortunate…

  • The Watchman Trail

    The Watchman Trail

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    Jake Bramante

    The Watchman Trail in Zion National Park is one of the shorter hikes originating from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center parking lot that offers great views up the Zion Canyon. It offers little shade, so it’s best to avoid the heat of the day and hike it in the morning or in the evening. Kristen and…