The Backpack Almanac Archives
I don’t own a telephoto lens because: They’re expensive I’m a klutz My backpack is heavy enough without a whole bunch of camera equipment in it Luckily for me there’s an easy way to get clear, close up pictures! I learned this trick on my first trip to Alaska, when we visited Potter Marsh; we could see a young bull moose waaaaaay in the distance but I couldn’t get a clear picture… Read More
The Harding Icefield Trail is an 8.2 mile round trip trail in Kenai Fjords National Park outside of Seward, Alaska. At only 4 miles to the end of the trail, hikers might assume that it is an easy hike; it’s not. Travelers gain nearly 1,000 feet of elevation with each mile, putting this day hike firmly into the “strenuous” category. I am putting this hike into our success bucket, because we kicked… Read More
Komodo and Rinca are the two largest islands in Komodo National Park. They are home to a plethora of wildlife, including komodo dragons, wild boars, monkeys, water buffalo, deer, flying foxes and hundreds of bird, lizard and snake species. I’m going to preface this by saying that our experience was more of a nature walk than an actual hike. In touristy places like Indonesia, there is a give and take – we… Read More
Pulau Padar (Padar Island) is the third-largest island in Indonesia’s Komodo National Park, after Komodo and Rinca Islands. It’s famous for the breathtaking views it provides of the Komodo archipelago. For those willing to wake up early, the sunrise from the top of Padar Island turns the entire horizon into a fiery orange blaze. As the sun rises, the mirrored water softens to reveal pristine turquoise bays and beaches with three distinct… Read More
I was planning on making this post a part of my Vacation Chronicles: Alaska series, but when I sat down to write it things got a little out of control. We were only in the park for 1.5 days, they couldn’t have been that eventful right? Wrong. Denali is amazing. I have never spent 8 hours on a bus and been excited to do it again, but the bus tour of Denali is… Read More
The Backpack Almanac 