
Sunrise Hike at Spooner Lake
In: Trail Notes
September 3, 2022 by Olya Andronova
This morning, I woke up early to do a sunrise hike with my kitten Pasha at Spooner Lake in Lake Tahoe. My reason for waking up early to do the hike with my kitten is the weather is much cooler and more pleasant early in the morning than it is in the afternoon. Temperatures lately …

Hiking with Pasha
In: Trail Notes
August 26, 2022 by Olya Andronova
I have adopted a three-month-old kitten from the Humane Society in Reno, NV. I named him Pasha meaning, “small”. Pasha is also a diminutive short name for Pavel in Russian language. His original name at the shelter was “Quack.” After bringing him home, he was very skinny, had diarrhea, and was terrified of everything, including …

8 Day Hiking Trip to Arches and Canyonlands National Park
In: Trail Notes
June 7, 2022 by Olya Andronova
When I think of Arches and Canyonlands National Park, what is the first thing that comes to my mind? Sandstone arches? Rugged scenery? Dramatic canyons? Yes. Arches and Canyonlands National Park has a lot of that and much more. Both parks are worth a visit! I spent a good amount of time exploring both of …

Surviving a Fire Maze Hike In The Valley of Fire
In: Trail Notes
June 1, 2022 by Olya Andronova
I survived a 100 degree Fahrenheit hike in Valley of Fire. Fire Maze Trail is only three miles long, but hiking this trail took every sweat out of me. Park Rangers recommend, you don’t hike this trail if the temperatures rise above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. They also close the Fire Maze Trail in June through …

Snowshoe Hike to Monkey Rock
In: Trail Notes
December 14, 2021 by Olya Andronova
We have received over 2 feet of snow in Lake Tahoe area. One of my favorite things, I love to do every winter in Lake Tahoe is to take a hike to Monkey Rock. Monkey Rock Trail is a 2.6 mile out and back located near Incline Village-Crystal Bay, Nevada that features a lake and …

McGee Lake via McGee Creek Trail
In: Trail Notes
September 14, 2021 by Olya Andronova
This past Memorial Day weekend, I did a quick trip to Mammoth Lakes, Ca. While in Mammoth, I did a 14 mile day hike to McGee Lake via McGee Trail in John Muir Wilderness. I started my hike around 6a.m. and finished it before 2:30p.m. McGee Creek Trail offers stunning views of surrounding mountains, nearby …

Exploring Coast Redwoods in Northern California
In: Trail Notes
September 6, 2021 by Olya Andronova
This Labor Day weekend, I took a trip to Redwoods National and State Parks. After driving 462 miles from Lake Tahoe to the coast of Northern California, I was thrilled to hit the trails and immerse myself in nature. After visiting a couple of groves, coastal redwoods almost seem to be immortal. Their eight to …

Zion NP: Top Day Hikes to Explore
In: Trail Notes
July 30, 2021 by Olya Andronova
Did you know about 200 million years ago Zion was a barren desert? Yes. Barren desert, buried deep in dunes of wind blown sand that resembles the modern-day Sahara. These great dune fields later solidified into stone to form the Navajo sandstone formation. This formation is more than 2,000 feet thick in places, and it …

Backpacking in Mt. Rose Wilderness
In: Trail Notes
June 27, 2021 by Olya Andronova
This past weekend, I did a backpacking trip to Mt. Rose Wilderness. I camped on top of the summit with some of the rewarding views I could ever dreamed of. For a one night backpacking trip, I did not take a lot. Just my favorite Montbell sleeping bag, sleeping pad, my tent and few granola …