Desert | Aspen's Adventures

Even though we only spent one day here, it was one of the most memorable experiences I have had out West. A perfect mix of playing like kids and romantic date on the beach.

Right away we decided to buy sleds for sliding down the dunes. This was super fun and I highly recommend it. Unless of course you are not prepared to laugh intensely and act as if you were 10 years old again! The white gypsum sand never got hot in the summer sun and felt great to walk on, although the super fine particles stuck to everything they touched. Afterwards we laid out a tarp, listened to music, and watched the sun set. It feel like an amazing day out at the beach, minus the water and add mountains off in the distance.

The sunset was incredible. This coming from a true sunset chaser – I plan trips around watching that beautiful ball of light hit the horizon. I have run down mountains with little to no light just so I could be up top to watch the beautiful show of lights as the sun falls. This evening at White Sands did not disappoint. It was one of the greatest sunsets I’ve ever witnessed and if I am ever nearby again, I’ll definitely be stopping by.

One summer I set off on a 13 day desert trip with the man who opened my eyes to this outdoor world of adventure. Although our time together would not last, my never ending relationship with the natural world around me had just begun. The one true hike we did during that whirlwind desert tour was down the Bright Angel Trail from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. I had no clue what I was in for and only knew from the park newspaper to drink more water and eat more salty foods than I imagined my body actually needed. We hiked the 12 miles round trip to Plateau Point, not recommended due to the intense heat, long distances, and elevation change, in 8 1/2 hours. We stopped to snack and hydrate and re-wet our shirts, hair, and hats at every resthouse and had no problems in terms of overheating or exhaustion. My legs, however, did not want to continue working the last mile or two of our hike out. None the less, we made it out before sunset and could not have been happier to have gone on this hike.

This short trip to the Grand Canyon had such an impact on my life. Afterwards, no hike seemed unattainable to me as I started immersing myself in the world of hiking and backpacking. So it seems fitting that this is how I start my blog.

I don’t have many words to share when it comes to the actual experience of being down there. It’s such a hard thing to put into words. The canyon is vast and as I first stood on it’s edge I could not grasp the reality of it. My only thought was that I must get into it to really see it. I’ve selected a few photos, Incredibly small snippets from such an enormous piece of the Earth. I hope you enjoy them.