Trail Report- Lick Wash Trail at the Grand Escalante Staircase National Monument

The Quick and Dirty:

Location: Grand Escalante Staircase National Monument
Distance: 8 miles round trip but we only did about 4 miles before losing light and turning back
Terrain Type: Slot Canyon, although the canyons are much wider than the Willis Creek canyons we hiked previously
Difficulty:  Easy during summer with long days.
Best Time: Year round
Special Conditions: Approximately 20 miles off-roading, 4WD and high clearance vehicle recommended during wet seasons, although we did this in our 2WD sedan when the road was in good condition
Duration: Around 4-5 hours, however we only hiked the first 2 miles

P1070670

Entry point of the Lick Wash Trail

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Japan, Kyoto- Fushimi Inari Shrine

For our last day in Kyoto, I wanted to visit Fushimi Inari Shrine in southern Kyoto. The beautiful orange colors of the torri gates in the midst of the bamboo forest really caught my attention when I first started reading about traveling in Kyoto. I was also eager to spend sometime outside hiking after almost one week of walking around in the city.

Fushimi Inari

The orange gates of Fushimi Inari

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Gear Review – REI Ultra Dog Pack

Quick and Dirty
Gear Type: Dog Pack
Material: Rip Stop Nylon
Trail weight: 18 ozs (small)
Price: $75, on sale for $25
Link:  REI Ultra Dog Pack
Pros: Light, large storage pockets, well balanced and won’t slide off the dog, somewhat water proof.
Cons: Price, weight distribution is important for proper fit, minor chaffing, straps will drag if not tied properly, belly pads move around a lot.

Dakota

 

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