March Hiking Schedule

Sat. 3 – Mormon Pioneer Trail
Sat. 10 – Provo River Parkway
Tue. 13 - City Creek Canyon
Tue. 20 – Frary Peak, Antelope Island
Fri-Sun 23-25 – Havasupai, Grand Canyon

Want to join me on the trail?

A leading outdoor publisher just asked me to write a book for their popular series 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles. They want me to write the Salt Lake City edition and report on the 60 best hikes within 60 miles of Salt Lake City.

During March, April and May I’ll be taking hikes at lower elevations (under 7,000 ft). During June and July we’ll turn our attention to the higher elevation hikes.

Anyone is welcome to join me on any of these hikes. Just drop me an email or call me at 801-226-9026 the day before.

Friends frequently ask me what my next planned adventure will be. Aside from local hikes and several spring groups to Havasupai and the Grand Canyon, my big summer adventure will be hiking the Haute Route in the Swiss Alps. I'll be leading a group of no more that 10 from Verbier to Zermatt along the walker's Haute Route from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn. We'll stay in charming mountain villages like Arolla, Grimentz, and Gruben. Along the way we pass 10 of the 12 highest peaks in the Alps.

We soak up stunning mountain and sub-alpine scenery every day, then drop into a small village in the afternoon where chalet-style inns await with 5-course Swiss cuisine and eiderdown comforters. A shuttle transports our luggage, so all you need to carry is a small daypack. This trip was just announced and there's still space. If you want more details, go online at http://murdockescortedtours.com/ . The tour is an incredible deal since it includes air from Salt Lake City (other air gateways available). I've looked at similar tours that don't even include airfare and they charge the same price.

The Winter Outdoor Retailer show, although considerably smaller than the summer Expo, still had plenty to keep me excited. The focus is more on winter gear and the paddling sports are absent. I find it a better time to meet people since the pace isn't so busy. I ran into author and mountain guide Brad Johnson of Peaks and Places Travel in Ridgway Colorado. Brad's been guiding in Peru's Cordillera Blanca for 20 years. He is also the author of Classic Climbs of the Cordillera Blanca, an exceptional and beautiful climbing guide to the region. In addition to some incredible climbing, Brad also guides some treks in the Cordillera Blanca, the nearby Cordillera Huayhuash, and in the Inca highlands near Cuzco.

Brad's business partner in Huaraz Peru is Chris Benway who arranges logistics for climbing expeditions. Chris is a master of managing the details so that everything on your trek or climbing expedition comes together flawlessly. He will arrange transportation to the trailhead, cook staff, porters, mule drivers---anything you need. Working with Chris can save you days of frustration and a lot of money in the long run.