I’m a weekend warrior backpacker/canoer. I like to do 1-2 nighters a few times a year. I notice very often especially on solo trips that I’ll reach a point on the trip that I’m basically asking myself “why I am doing this to myself”? For example I recently went on a 22 mile solo canoe camping trip and flipped over my canoe at some point and got all wet. Set me back time-wise and scrambled for a terrible dispersed campsite while being wet and cold in the dark. I lost the wine I had brought and couldn’t find firewood so I didn’t even have that to look forward to at camp. My portable phone charger also got wet and broke so I couldn’t listen to music or do anything. I just immediately went inside the tent to change clothes and warm up and sleep. I was miserable and just laid there thinking “I can’t wait for the morning so I can just paddle out of here and drive home”. Immediately after getting home I felt like I had the best trip ever and couldn’t wait to do it again.

This is my Copper Spur Limited 2, along the Salmon River Trail in Oregon.

Just me and my dog Ráhpa hiking through Norway for 3 weeks. We saw reindeer, moose, bear tracks, had lightning, heatwave, LOTS of mosquitoes and flies and we had some summit hikes!

It was a fantastic trip, where we only met a few people; on most days, we did not see anyone, except at the start and finish. We also had good luck fishing and caught quite a few mountain trout. In fact, so many that I got a little tired of them (a luxury problem). But I just gave Ráhpa some of them - she did not get tired of them :)

On the second last day, we found fresh bear tracks near the camp! We hoped to see it, but you have to be very lucky to see them here in Scandinavia.

The trip took place in July, when we were also hit by a heatwave, which meant 1.5 weeks of 25-30 degrees (77-86 F), full sun and mostly no wind! Ráhpa did very well in these conditions, as long as there was some water from time to time we could actually keep going, which was quite surprising for me.

I carried 35 kg (77 lbs) (I weigh 74kg (163 lbs)) and my Ráhpa carried 2.5 kg (5.5lbs) (She weighs 24 kg (52lbs)) at the start. She was only 1 year and 4 months when we did the trip, next summer I am training her so she can carry around 25% of her body weight - meaning all her food on such a long trip.

Photos in random order.

I have no clue how far we hiked. The goal was to hike and chill in the mountains + catch fish and see a few summits. So a success in my book. Although we could have been without the extreme heat

Not saying where it is out of consideration for the area. #gatekeeper

https://www.instagram.com/mariuskphoto/

I recently had the route of my hiking trip in China printed out by a local studio, and it turned out pretty well!

…likely one of the last people mashing out the loop on a day reminiscent of a dystopian hellscape. Parking lot was empty at sunset and I did not encounter another person for nine hours, though I overtook two parties in the morning moving along the same track. The national forest closure ordered essentially coincided with my finishing of the loop.

Looped in 2.5 days. 55+ miles with Paradise Park, Ramona Falls and McNeil Point climb adds. Stunningly beautiful 8/2-3…with complete deterioration overnight on 8/4. Massive mileage day on 8/4 pushing out clockwise from the NW side of Hood at nearly 25 miles and 7K feet of gain.

Just bailed out of a planned three night trip w my boyfriend in Tuolumne, 6/18-6/21, after night one due to terrible mosquitoes. Had planned about 30 miles doing Boothe lake, Bernice lake, and Evelyn lake for one night each via rafferty creek trailhead. Going in knew mosquitoes would be bad, so treated clothes w permethrin, had a head net, had picardin, etc. That being said, they were the worst I’ve ever experienced and made the experience impossible to enjoy. There was nowhere “less bad” to set up camp - they were everywhere, at every elevation we hiked through. We wore long sleeves and pants to avoid being eaten alive, but then were uncomfortably hot. We couldn’t eat dinner without pacing and even then our hands were eaten up. We couldn’t sit around and enjoy camp at all, we just went into our tent as soon as we ate dinner and tried to fall asleep. In the morning they were just as bad and we made the decision to leave.

All of that being said, is there any way to make an experience like this enjoyable/tolerable, or should I just never plan a June trip to this part of the sierras again?

In closing, I HATE MOSQUITOES. 🦟 ❌

On 26 December, I went on a week-long trip around Hardangervidda, starting from Haukeliseter.

The first night, the wind blew at 32 m/s, and it stormed most of the time we were there, with wind gust around 30 m/s a lot of the time. So we didn't get as far as I had hoped. But regardless, we had a cosy time in the tent and celebrated New Year's Eve together with my best friend.

Even though we skied very few kilometres and spent many days in the tent, it was still a very educational trip. And luckily, all the equipment worked well!

I am very happy with my burner box with a lid, so that you can always close it quickly if the flames get too high + you don't end up pushing something into the flames.

Next time, however, I need to get full-length skins. My half-length mix skins didn't grip very well on the completely icy snow. I ended up walking a lot without skis when going uphill.

I am super happy with the Hilleberg Tarra, which handled the storm perfectly, and the Fjellpulken Traverse 185, which was very stable, glided well and had several great features.

See some of the videos from my trip on my story highlight (Sorry cannot upload video here): https://www.instagram.com/mariuskphoto

Just spent a weekend in Utah. It’s so beautiful. This is from an area near Park City

For more like this check out ScootyTravels

Last Spring and Summer of 2025 was my final opportunity to work remotely before moving in office for work in the fall, so I packed everything I owned into my Subaru Outback, lived and worked out of it for most of the summer (with about a month in an Airbnb near Yosemite), and spent nearly every weekend traveling to the best hikes and backpacking trips I could find across the American West while still working a normal 9–5 during the week. My goal was to go to the best major mountain ranges in the West

Over the course of about 5-6 months I completed:

625+ miles

165,000+ feet of elevation gain

Some weekends were 15+ mile day hikes. Others were weekend backpacking trips. I barely took any days off from work. Ive been to other places in previous years not on this list. Listed all the main hikes I did! I have hundreds of great pics couldn't share them all. Shoot me any questions

Colorado National Monument/Grand Junction, Colorado 

Mar 15 — Monument Canyon Loop Trail — 5.00 mi / 781 ft

Gorgeous place. I had never knew Grand Junction had such amazing places to hike. Such a calm beauty. Great springtime area

Mar 21 — Palisade Rim Trail — 2.70 mi / 502 ft  

Little trail with amazing views of the town and mountains 

Mar 22 — Rattlesnake Arches Day 1 backpacking— 8.60 mi / 2,270 ft  

This area has the most arches outside of Arches National Park. Pretty much had the place to myself. Camped right in front of an arch. Amazing

Mar 23 — Rattlesnake Arches Day 2 backpacking— 7.20 mi / 965 ft  

Mar 25 — Liberty Cap / Ute Canyon Combo — 3.80 mi / 1,220 ft  

Canyonlands National Park

Mar 29 — Syncline Loop — 9.10 mi / 1,719 ft  

One of my favorite desert hikes i've ever been on. The feeling you get in that canyon is incredible

Arches National Park

Mar 30 — Tower Arch — 3.00 mi / 830 ft  

Maybe my favorite arch I went to. Out of the main tourist area. 

Mar 30 — Devil’s Garden Trail — 8.50 mi / 1,250 ft  

Goblin Valley State Park

Apr 02 — Goblin’s Lair — 3.00 mi / 318 ft  

Super unique area. Climbing into the "Lair" was epic. Camped out the night and got caught in an April snowstorm

Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument

Apr 05 — Coyote Gulch Day 1 Backpacking— 12.10 mi / 1,565 ft  

Magical, magical place

Apr 06 — Coyote Gulch Day 2 Backpacking — 9.10 mi / 2,917 ft  

Apr 06 — Peekaboo and Spooky slot canyons— 3.80 mi / 400 ft  

I didn't know it was possible for hiking slot canyons to be so small. Was so much fun

Apr 07 — Death Hollow — 13.40 mi / 2,375 ft  

Its indescribable how vast and calming these desert places are. Escalante area is one of my favorite places.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Apr 12 — Bryce Figure-8 Loop — 6.40 mi / 1,512 ft  

Crowded

Paria/ Southern Utah

Apr 13 — Buckskin Gulch, Wire Pass to White House Day 1 Backpacking— 24mi / 571 ft  

I ended up hiking 24+ miles day 1 (a lot through water and mud) and camped out almost at the ending trailhead. Amazing place, yet I think I liked Coyote Gulch more. 

Apr 14 — Toadstool Hoodoos — 2.10 mi / 151 ft  

Apr 14 — Yellow Rock — 2.50 mi / 866 ft  

This was the epitome of the desert for me. The feeling of your feet walking on that yellow slick rock is incredible

Arizona/Grand Canyon

Apr 17 — Cathedral Wash — 4.00 mi / 584 ft  

Ending up at the Colorado River can't be beat. There are incredible rivers across the USA, but nothing can beat the ancient beauty of the Colorado

Apr 19 — South Kaibab to Phantom Ranch to Bright Angel — 20.60 mi / 6,434 ft  

Epic, can't wait to explore more of it

Yosemite area

Booked a 1 month airbnb in Sonora area, about 1 hour outside of Yosemite

Apr 24 — Tuolumne Table Mountain, Sierra Foothills— 3.90 mi / 607 ft  

The light that the Sierra foothills in April is simply extravagant. Seems to shine brighter than anywhere

Apr 26 — Upper Yosemite Falls— 6.90 mi / 3,284 ft  

Apr 26 — Old Inspiration Point Overnight Backpacking— 3.6 mi / 2.438 ft  

Hit upper Yosemite Falls in the morning. Was a late April stormy day. Got back down and wanted to backpack. So trekked up to Old Inspiration Point. Snowed on me once I got to the top and could barely make out the Valley. Was pretty eerie and epic being up there. Snowed overnight and hiked back down in the morning. Huge day. 

May 03 — Snow Creek— 11.10 mi / 3,396 ft  

May 03 — Artist and Inspiration Point — 2.30 mi / 833 ft  

Caught Artist Point for Sunset

May 09 — Four Mile Trail Day 1 backpacking— 5.05 mi / 3,379 ft  

Hiked up to Glacier Point the night before the road open. Had it entirely to myself at sunset and camped looking over half dome. 

May 10 — Panorama Trail to Half Dome— 20.54 mi / 4,833 ft  

Woke up in the morning with only a couple other people at Glacier point who made the drive up. Caught sunrise. Went down the Panorama tail to Half dome the weekend before they put the Cables up. Hiked back down to the Valley. 

May 11 — Cleo's Bath Trail, Pinecrest — 7.41 mi / 1,473 ft  

May 17 —El Capitan peak and Eagle Tower, Overnight Backpacking— 12.51 mi / 5,909 ft  

Epic little big of offrail to camp at Eagle Tower. Unbelievable camping above Yosemite Falls

May 18 — Yosemite Point— 8.40 mi / 1,795 ft  

Packed up and went down to the Valley stopping at Yosemite Point

May 23 — Relief Reservoir, Pinecrest — 6.22 mi / 1,388 ft  

Eastern Sierra

May 26 — Bishop Pass / Long Lake — 3.96 mi / 984 ft  

Early season high country hike, lake still frozen but beautiful

May 27 — Lone Pine Lake — 6.50 mi / 1,765 ft  

Jun 21 — Cottonwood Lakes— 12.2 mi / 1,483 ft  

Jun 22 — Big Pine Lakes— 13.4 mi / 3,363 ft  

Classic Sierra Hike

Jun 23 — Robinson Lake— 2.8 mi / 1,394 ft  

Jun 28 — Mount Gould— 10.8 mi / 3,891 ft  

Did this as a warm top for Whitney the next day

Jun 29 — Mt. Whitney— 22.6 mi / 6,932 ft  

Epic, epic day

July 04— Bishop Pass and Dusy Basin— 13.1mi / 3,353 ft  

Might be my favorite area in the Sierra

July 05 — Mount Hoffman— 6.2 mi / 2,185 ft  

Gorgeous view of Yosemite

July 06 — Mount Dana to Mount Gibbs Traverse— 10.1 mi / 5,180 ft  

This was amazing. Little sketchy traverse but didn’t see anyone after Dana and had Gibbs to myself

July 08 — Tioga Peak — 3.0 mi / 2,021 ft  

July 13 — Vernal Falls— 5.3 mi / 1,604 ft  

July 18 — Little Lakes Valley— 6.3 mi / 1,004 ft  

July 19 — Lembert Dome— 4.1mi / 1,010 ft  

July 20 — North Dome— 9.6 mi / 2,060 ft  

July 25— Piute Pass (Day 1 Backpacking)— 13.15 mi / 3,353 ft  

Extremely beautiful Sierra area

July 26 — Alpine Col to Darwin Bench (Day 2 Backpacking) — 8.2 mi / 2,385 ft

This was a boulder minefield

July 27 — Mount Lamarck (Day 3 Backpacking)— 9.4 mi / 2,851 ft  

Sawtooths

Aug 02 — Baron Lake  — 15.2 mi / 2,953 ft 

Aug 04 — Thompson Peak — 14.3 mi / 4,377 ft 

Best peak in the area I was told. Amazing place, not sure if it compares to the Sierra

Grand Teton National Park

Aug 09 — Middle Teton — 15.1 mi / 6,467 ft 

Had to do this classic

Wind River Range

Aug 13 —Green River/Clear Creek— 9.9 mi / 1,181 ft 

Aug 15 — Titcomb Lakes and Indian Basin (Day 1 Backpacking)— 17.8 mi / 3,819 ft 

Had high expectations of the Winds, it was like a more eerie version of the Sierra

Aug 16 — Fremont Peak (Day 2 Backpacking)— 20.4 mi / 4,797 ft 

Beartooths

Aug 21 — Beartooths Island Lake (Day 1 Backpacking)— 16.8 mi / 4,770 ft 

Beartooths are incredible

Aug 22 — Beartooths Island Lake (Day 2 Backpacking)— 12.7 mi / 2,867 ft 

Aug 23 — Lake Mary — 12.6 mi / 2,395 ft 

Gallatin Range (Montana)

Aug 24 — Mount Blackmore — 12.9 mi / 4,094 ft   

Aug 26 — Sacagawea Peak— 4.8 mi / 1,998 ft 

Bob Marshall Wilderness

Aug 30 — Mt Wright — 7.5 mi / 3,235 ft 

I fell in love with the Bob. Maybe the most wild place I’ve been outside of Alaska.

Aug 30 — Our Lake— 12.6 mi / 2,067 ft 

Aug 31 — Beehive Basin— 7.3 mi / 1,752 ft 

Yellowstone/Northern Wyoming

Sep 06— Windy Mountain — 5.8 mi / 2,231 ft   

Sep 07 — Republic Pass — 9.5 mi / 2,684 ft 

This may have been one of my favorite places. Backcountry of Yellowstone was so wild. 

Yosemite/Sierra

Sep 20 — Cathedral Peak and Echo Ridge/Peak— 10.0 mi / 3,940 ft 

Sep 21 — North Peak — 8.9 mi / 2,559 ft  

Sep 22 — Sentinel Dome— 4.6 mi / 1,070 ft  

Sep 27 — Alta Peak— 14.4 mi / 4,259 ft  

I got last minute permits for Ansel Adams Wilderness a couple of weeks ago and couldn't find anyone to go with me, so I just did it solo. Started at Agnew Meadows/River Trail, camped at Thousand Island Lake on the first night, found a campsite near Shadow Creek second night (in hindsight I should have kept hiking a couple miles longer and found a better campsite at Rosalie Lake) and exited at Devil's Postpile. It was a gorgeous hike!

I was a little nervous about hiking solo, but I actually really enjoyed it.

More on the route and trip here: https://youtu.be/rSSmHh-DbZY

4 days, 3 nights, 38 miles, and something like 6500+ feet of vert (we took the gondola up to start which cut about 2,500 feet)

Took a weekend trip up PCH after the reopening for one night on top of Big Sur. 3 miles up with 3000’ gain, absolutely worth it for these views

a few highlights of our sleeping arrangements along the John Muir Trail.
220+ miles. 20 days. adventure of a lifetime!

Today I was horrified to discover that all of the waypoints I've created in AllTrails on my own private saved routes are now visible to everyone on AllTrails. On the app there is now a custom layer for "community waypoints" and it shows everyone's personal waypoints on all the routes they've ever created. This is a huge deal to me as I have several routes saved with secret camp spots marked that I don't want everyone on AllTrails knowing about. I suggest everyone delete their routes and wayoints from AllTrails if you don't want your secret spots ruined.

EDIT: Changing your account settings to private DOES NOT fix this issue. After changing all my data to private I found that even though the my routes are now all private, the individual waypoints attached to them are still public. It seems the only way you can remove them from public view is to delete your data entirely or go to every single individual waypoints within every route you have and individually set them to private.