This weekend, I headed out to Aspiring National Park for a much-anticipated backpacking trip. I have been wanting to go camping in the backcountry since arriving in New Zealand, which was unfortunately in winter. Due to my strange hospitality job schedule and the excessive amounts of winter rain, I never got around to it. But …
After one of my first days in Queenstown, after work, my friend/coworker, Maz and I headed up to Moke Lake to take a walk. We drove alongside Lake Wakatipu and crept higher in elevation. It was so stunning. The views of the lake and the mountains behind it in every direction are stunning. Once we …
Published Nov 2019 A weekend in New Plymouth is the perfect weekend getaway if you’re in Auckland. When traveling, if you’re someone that’s more interested in doing your own thing, rather than heading with the throngs of other tourists to the most bustling destinations, New Plymouth is the place for you. Do you love good …
Published 2019, Updated 2025 To Do New Plymouth: Ski and Surf All in One Day I can never find the words to describe living in a new place/city/country. I always freeze up. Rather than saying living in NZ is “good and I’m having a great time!” to everyone who asks and wants to hear more, …
Having already been to two different parts of the Northside of Mount Taranaki, upon our boss’ recommendation, we headed East to Dawson Falls. On the rainiest day of the week, it was definitely hard to motivate for this hike, but totally worth it. After committing to the causes of exploration and new experiences, we drove …
DAY ONE: My first time going up Mt. Taranaki was when I hiked to Pouakai Tarns, a mirror lake that reflects the mountain, which is the first section of the Pouakai Crossing. I loved this walk because the path was so well-maintained and easy to follow. It was incredible how curated and constructed the wooden …
When I lived in the Hudson Valley, I fully embraced my passion for trail running. I’ve been using MapMyRun to map my runs and create a collection of my favorite trail runs from the area. I thought this would be a good resource for others to have and for me to look back on. Additionally, …
Half Dome is the ultimate Yosemite day hike – the one you can’t die without doing, and the one you’re most likely to die while doing. Yosemite Day Hikes Last week, Nick, Ben and I hiked Half Dome. Half Dome is a dome-shaped rock in Yosemite National Park- famous for its unique shape and its …
On my road trip across the United States, I stopped at Lower Antelope Canyon. After spending the night at Lake Powell in Utah (see this adventure here), Nick and I woke up bright and early and headed out to Lower Antelope Canyon in Arizona. The only way to visit the canyon is to go through …
Photos from the mountains in and around Yosemite National Park. Taken on film and digital.