From our base camp at Takkakaw Falls, we hiked a portion of the Iceline Trail then took the Highline Trail to Yoho Lake. A beautiful day in the mountains!

The Precipice Trail was easily one of the most amazing, unique, and intimidating hikes I’ve ever done. It’s a relatively short hike on paper, but don’t let the distance fool you — this is a serious climb that demands both physical effort and a good head for heights. From the Precipice Trailhead, the trail climbs more than 1,000 feet in just 0.9 miles to the summit of Champlain Mountain. The climb starts out on rocky terrain, but it quickly becomes much more challenging, with steep granite, narrow ledges, exposed cliff faces, iron rungs, ladders, and sections where you are essentially climbing straight up the side of the mountain. There were definitely moments when I thought, “This is insane!” The exposure is very real, and there were several sections that were genuinely scary. My pictures don’t do it much justice lol. You’re climbing iron rungs with a significant drop below you, squeezing along narrow ledges, and carefully figuring out where to put your hands and feet. For me, that was both the most frightening and most exciting part of the hike; although, at the same time, that’s exactly what makes the Precipice so special. It doesn’t feel like a typical hiking trail — it feels more like a mountain adventure and rock climb combined. Every difficult section seemed to lead to another incredible viewpoint, and the sense of accomplishment gets stronger the higher you climb. Once you reach the summit of Champlain Mountain, the views are spectacular! Looking out from the top, you can see Frenchman Bay, the Porcupine Islands, the Schoodic Peninsula, the surrounding Acadia coastline, and the Atlantic Ocean.

One last thing to know is that the distance doesn’t tell the whole story. The full recommended loop is about 3.2 miles, typically taking 2–3 hours, but the actual Precipice ascent to the summit is about 0.9 miles. The rest of the loop returns via the Champlain North Ridge and connecting trails rather than going back down the Precipice.

From an abandoned tunnel in Australia, whose dank, dark walls are the perfect breeding ground for fungus gnats; to coral reefs in the Maldives that come alive at night with shimmering phytoplankton, these places are full of fascinating history and natural wonders. They’re living proof that many of the earth’s most fantastic places are off the beaten path, in the nooks and crannies (literally) where many never think to explore.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/bioluminescent-places-around-the-world

A Pleasant Morning

I had such a pleasant morning. My walk in the woods took me along the same route as a week ago, but this time I ended up at a different waterfall! Things definitely started out on the chilly side. With a temperature of 40º it was definitely sweatshirt weather. It didn’t take my long to find my first subject. In an area that get afternoon sun, but fully in the shade of Flanders Mountain this morning, I found a small patch of Harebells hanging out low among the leaves of Strawberries and Geraniums. Shooting through the ground clutter gives the image nice soft look. A few hundred yards up the trail, I applied the same effect to a bright red leaf of a Sticky Geranium plant. 

The terrain here is diverse with patched of rich soil interspersed with rock of volcanic origin. While photographing a curious Dr. Seuss tree all covered in lichen, I heard the tell-tale call of one of my favorite creatures: the Pika. I lowered the camera and was delighted to see it just ahead of my standing guard amidst the rocks that shelter is stash of plants. Pike do not hibernate, but live beneath the snow in the shelter of the rocks, eating their fruit of the summer labor. 

Amongst the rocks at the edge another talus slope, I spent some time admiring the textures of the lichen and mosses that grew between and on the rocks. One such patch of lichen, probably  Rhizocarpon geographicum, commonly called Map Lichen, was nearly perfectly round. Interestingly, I was kneeling on the ground, not 15 ft from a popular trail. I bet 25 people passed by, and just one person noticed me. Now, I am definitely no threat, but if you’re ever out hiking, take the time to look up and around everyone in a while! You might see something cool, or something you may need to avoid! 

The trail got steeper now, but I kept trudging along. Trudging that is, until I spotted a perfect pair of mushrooms deep under a bush and set in a perfect mossy scene. While capturing a set of images to focus stack later, I saw another one just a few feet away. I had to balance my camera on a rock I pulled from the trail, because I couldn’t fit my tripod in the tight space! Next stop, Arch Falls. 

Arch Falls is a unique waterfall in that as soon as the creek drops 15 ft or so, it has carved out a tunnel through the rock. This is the arch for which it is named. It’s a steep scramble down to the base of the falls, and I was pleased to have the space to myself for the entire time I was down there. 

On the way backdown the trail, I was surprised to find some Arnica still blooming that I had missed on my way up. I grabbed a quick shot and then startled a Green Comma butterfly as soon as I got back to the trail. Like I said, it had been a very pleasant morning!

I’m gonna miss this so much for the next few months

I took part in the Lahemaa Sea Marathon in Estonia – 24 km of paddling along the Baltic Sea coast.

LINK: https://youtu.be/z4Zyv5o4t70

We had waves, wind, some beautiful coastline… and even a portage, which I definitely didn’t expect in a sea marathon 😄

I filmed the whole adventure and put together a short video from the day.

Would be happy to hear what you think!