Johnston Outdoor Adventures

Canyoneering in Water Canyon-Utah

2011-08-07T17:19:00.008-05:00

We did some canyoneering outside of Zion National Park (most of the canyoneering in Zion requires a permit and is very competitive). We drove to Colorado City and hiked up Water Canyon which is a popular canyoneering site. The road to the trailhead was pretty washed out and rutted. From the time we arrived at the trail head until we hiked up canyon to our jump off point it took about 2 hours. We had about 7 rappels all of which were fun as we descended the canyon. The last one was over water and it was cold. We actually welcomed the sun on the hike out. Paul got turned upside down on one rappel but other than that no injuries. We had a great time. On the left you see Gabe on a rappel and Paul already on the bottom. Of the right you see me swimming through the water with the rope on the final rappel.

Great Sand Dune National Park

2011-08-07T17:12:00.009-05:00

Two years ago I got a national parks book as a gift. I asked Gabe to look through it and pick parks he would like to explore someday. One of the parks he picked was Great Sand Dune National Park. My brother Paul described it as a "big kitty litter box" as we drove in on the entrance road. However as we began to hike the dunes to our destination (the 750 ft.dune)we all realized that this is a truly unique park. The mountains in the background offer a wonderful blue contrast to the brown sand dunes. Paul took the picture on the left of Gabe and I hiking toward the top of the 750 ft. dune and Paul is buried in sand on the right. The video shows Gabe sprinting down a small dune which give you an idea on the scale of the dunes.

Mesa Verde National Park

2011-08-07T17:05:00.005-05:00

The Cliff Palace was something we had always seen in pictures so as we drove through SW Colorado on our way back to Wisconsin we decided to stop and spend a day here. The ruins were 700 years old and scientists can only speculate why the Native Americans moved off the mesa into the cliffs and why they only lived there for 90 years before moving out. These are multiple family dwellings that are wonderful works of architecture. They have been protected from weather by the cliffs for centuries. On the left is the Cliff Palace as seen from the trail leading in. On the right are Gabe and I in the Balcony House.

Zion National Park

2011-08-07T16:55:00.007-05:00

We had always heard that Zion should be on the must visit list for national parks and is certainly lived up to its reputation. My brother Paul, Gabe and I spent three days here hiking and canyoneering. The canyon is majestic with it's beautifully layered rock. Shuttles take you in and out of the canyon to cut down on traffic in the park. Pictured on the left bottom is Paul, Gabe and I on Angels Landing, on the left top is Gabe on the spine leading to the top of Angels Landing and on the right is Gabe and Paul on the side of a trail leading into a narrow canyon hike.

Bryce Canyon National Park

2011-08-07T16:48:00.006-05:00

We hiked around in Bryce Canyon, Utah on July 25th, 2011. I highly recommend a visit to this park as the Hoodoo's are a unique rock formation and the trails are challenging. We hiked the Navajo Loop and Peek-a-boo Trail which turned out to be a bit more taxing than we thought. We got caught in a summer monsoon and were fortunate that we had our rain gear. They closed some of the trails down (while we were on them) due to the rain. On the left is Gabe overlooking the main viewpoint at Bryce and on the right is me on the Peek-a-boo trail.

The Arches National Park

2011-08-07T16:41:00.005-05:00

The thing we will remember most about camping at The Arches is the intense heat and trying to find shade at our campsite in the high desert. The best time to do anything here is in the early morning or late in the evening. Regardless, this park as some of the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises we have ever seen. We camped in the Devils Garden. Pictured on the left is Gabe at Delicate Arch and on the right is a sunrise in the park.

Climbing in Colorado National Monument

2011-08-07T16:33:00.008-05:00

On, July 23, 2011,Gabe and I climbed Independence Monument in Colorado. The weather was hot and dry and it took us a while to adjust to it. The climb was 5 pitches on Otto's Route 5.8 difficulty. The sandstone offered plenty of friction and quite frankly spoiled us when compared to climbing at Devils Lake. The first 4 pitches were in the shade and the rest of the time we were in the sun. There was no hiding from the sun after that point. We were getting baked and not looking forward to the 2 mile hike out. The climb, however, was great and the view at the top was wonderful. Well worth the trip/effort.

Ice Climbing in Wyalusing

2011-01-30T15:18:00.009-06:00

Gabe and I went down to stay at my brother Paul's house in Prairie du Chien last night (1.29.11). We wanted to go ice climbing in Wyalusing Sunday and we had not seen Paul in a while so it all worked out well.

The weather was nice (high 20's). We parked off the road next to the quarry and hiked North on the railroad tracks until we saw the climbs. The main route was being lead by a couple of guys from N.Dakota so we kept walking until we found some shorter climbs with nice ice about .5 miles down the tracks. Access was good so we set up a top rope and did some laps on the short but fun route. It was very clear we were not in climbing shape. Paul came with us to get some exercise hiking.

Gabe is in the photo on the left and Paul is in the photo on the right.

Good time had by all.

Spelunking at Pop's Cave

2010-11-06T17:20:00.006-05:00

The Outdoor Adventure Club from Logan traveled to Pop's Cave (Bosstown, WI)to do some spelunking. Gabe and I went along also to do some exploring.

In case you are not familiar with the term, "Spelunking" is the touristic visitation of wild caves and "caving" is the exploration of natural caverns in the earth. Our group may have been tourists, but we had a great time exploring the cave.

It was a nice hike up to the cave as we had to park over a mile away. The weather was beautiful even though we spent 2 hours underground without seeing the sunshine. We all had headlamps and helmets. Most of the kids brought a change of cloths as it was wet and muddy.

You don't realize the depth of darkness until you turn off your light in a cave. Your eyes never adjust because no additional light is coming in.

We all enjoyed the experience and Gabe and I will look to come back sometime with a few of his friends. On the right is Gabe and I at the mouth of the cave. On the left, is Gabe in the cave. Everything appears light because the flash illuminates the subject.

Family Climb

2010-09-06T19:35:00.007-05:00

We have what is becoming a yearly outing for our family to go climbing at Devils Lake. My sister Lori, Jimmy (future brother-in-law), Paul, Beth and Gabe all attended. We tried to talk our 74 year old mother into climbing, but she insisted on taking care of our dog. There was probably more laughing and conversation than climbing going on, but everyone did at least one climb.

Jimmy (The Rookie Mountaineer) did a very nice job his first time climbing. I set the Grotto which is a nice chimney climb and he almost made it to the top on his first try. Paul, Lori and Beth had all climbed last year and commented that it was easier this year because they had some experience and knew what to expect. Lori had a bad knee which she was trying to save for an upcoming marathon. I think she was disappointed in not being able to climb more as she really enjoys it.

We finished up at around 2:00. Paul and I headed up to the top to take down the sets while Gabe led everyone else down to the parking lot. It started to rain and we ended up helping a family with two small children down the CCC trail as the rocks were getting slippery and the parents had their hands full.

After climbing we went to Hooties to have some food and beverages.

Pictured on the left is Lori and Jimmy. On the right is Gabe.

End of Summer Day at DL

2010-08-28T07:16:00.004-05:00

Gabe wanted to bring his friend Tristan rock climbing before the summer ended. Tristan has climbed with us before but had never done a rappel. We hiked up the CCC to the Guillotine and set up a releasable rappel on a short route for Tristan. I wanted to give Tristan a progression of rappels at low heights before trying a taller rappel. We then moved up the CCC to Anemia which has a nice belay ledge to do a top managed climb from and set a higher rappel for Tristan and Gabe to rappel and climb. Both Tristan and Gabe did a great job climbing today. They celebrated by jumping in the lake on the South Shore to cool off after we were done.

Pictured on the left are Gabe and Tristan. On the right is Tristan on rappel.

Kayaking

2010-08-23T20:49:00.012-05:00

Gabe, Beth and I decided to try out some canoeing and kayaking at Buckhorn State Park today. Buckhorn is only about 1.5 hours from LaCrosse so the drive went quickly. We took a paddle tour to scout out some of the backpacking sites in the park. I think we found a couple of sites that we will camp at sometime in the near future. The water was calm with a light breeze and we took our time to pull up on beaches and check out sites. We had never been in Buckhorn before, but it is a beautiful park.

Later in the day we drove to Necedah to scout out the climbing areas for a trip later this fall. The bugs were thick as we got into the woods below the climbs so we made it a fast scouting trip.

In the photos you see Gabe at the top, then myself on the left and Gabe helping Beth with he boat on the right.

West Bluff Climb

2010-08-18T19:10:00.006-05:00

It was a beautiful day so Gabe, Keachen and myself drove out to Devils Lake to do some climbing. Keachen is a teacher at Logan who enjoys many outdoor activities as well as climbing. I originally wanted to climb on the Lost Face but we ended up at Cleo's as I did not want to take a lot of time trying to find the Lost Face. We rappelled in after we set a climb and later moved ropes to another climb near Kings. The day went quickly and before long it was midday and time to hike out. Everyone had a good time. Pictured on the left is Keach belaying Gabe on Kings. On the right is Keach getting set to rappel.

Rocky Mountain National Park

2010-08-05T07:57:00.003-05:00

On July 27-31, Gabe, myself and my brother Paul traveled from Cheyenne, WY to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. My brother flew into Cheyenne to meet us and continue on our trip.

We arrived at RMNP at around Noon. It was a nice day so we setup camp in the Moraine Park campground. We wanted to acclimatize a couple of days at 8400 ft. before we went backcountry. We did some short dayhikes in the Bear Lake area up to Emerald Lake.

We went backcountry to Fern Lake entering at the Fern Lake trailhead. It was a modest elevation gain of a little over 1000 ft. Fern Lake was beautiful...when it was not raining. Our campsite had a more restricted view that I would have liked. It was surrounded by White Pines and Firs so much so that we could not see the lake or anything except the top of the mountains. I much prefer a site that offers a clear view of a lake or mountains. The plus side was the sites were very spread out and secluded.

We tried out our new steri pen and it seemed to work well for water purification (we will know how well it worked in about a week). We spent quite a bit of time dodging into the tent avoiding the rain, but we had nice weather for our hike out.

All-in-all it was a nice trip but I think after spending 3 summer trips to the Rocky's we are ready for some new territory next summer.

The photo on the left is Gabe and Paul in the tent during a rain storm and the photo on the right is of Fern Lake and surrounding mountains.

Devils Tower

2010-08-04T07:41:00.006-05:00

On July 26-27, we spent some time climbing and learning multipitch routes on Devils Tower. It was a great experience as most of the climbing we do is top roped and single pitch. We met Frank Sanders who has made over 50 first ascents on the Tower since the 1970's. Seth Zaharias (our guide) and was very professional, safe and knowledgeable.

The Native Americans believe the Tower has a spiritual quality and we would commonly see prayer flags as we hiked to the start of our climbs.At the end of the day, as we walked out with our climbing gear, the tourists hiking along the base would ask, "What is climbing on the Tower like?" Or... "Did you make it to the top?"

The easiest route up is 5.7, so there are no easy ways to the top. The climbing is different in the sense we had to learn proper hand jam technique. The rock is very abrasive when compared to the quartzite at Devils Lake that we were used to. Next time we climb, we will wear pants instead of shorts. We worked on our multi pitch technique, hand jams, double rope rappels, anchors and rescue pulley systems.

Pictured on the left is Gabe on the Durrance route. Pictured on the right, Gabe and I on the Leaning Column (I had read about the Leaning Column moving. We can both state factually that it does move slightly when you climb up it.)

The Badlands National Park

2010-08-03T18:09:00.004-05:00

On July 25th, Gabe and I drove to The Badlands National Park in South Dakota. We had previously driven past the park before but never stopped. We were very glad we stopped and visited this time.

We arrived early in the AM when it was still cool to hike. The Badlands have a unique beauty that is different from anywhere we have been before. We went on a 4 mile round trip dayhike into the parks backcountry. I was amazed at how fresh the air was. I expected stifling heat and humidity. Perhaps we just picked the right day and time because though hot, it was not humid. We took our camelbaks and a survival kit and made good time on the trip. I worked with Gabe on compass directions and dead reckoning. We watched our hand and foot placement near any shaded cracks or blind corners. We did not want to grab or step on a rattlesnake by accident.

I was amazed at how many parents took their small children on some of the back country trails with only a bottle of water for 4 people. I admit to being someone who carries more than I need to, but this would be the wrong place to get heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Pictured on the left is Gabe and Gabe and I on the right.

Climbing in Pallesades State Park

2010-08-03T18:03:00.002-05:00

On July 24th, Gabe and I drove to Pallesades State Park in South Dakota. We had never been there and heard the climbing was good. Much of the climbing was over the river. We got some beta from some local climbers who were very helpful. We set up next to a family who was climbing that day also. We ended up getting to know one another and shared ropes. This made the day go much better as we did not have to keep re-setting anchors. Pictured is Gabe on one of the climbs.

Golfing at Irish Hill

2010-06-22T18:36:00.005-05:00

It was a beautiful day so at Noon I called my co-worker Terry Curtis to see if he wanted to go golfing. Terry was eager as he had an upcoming golf tournament to practice for so and Gabe, Terry and I went golfing at Irish Hills in LaCrosse.

We walked the course, shanked and lost quite few balls and had numerous "mulligans". However, no one was injured (no other golfers were hit by our balls) and we had fun so it was a good outing. It took us about two hours to golf 9 holes.

This was the first time Gabe had golfed (outside of the driving range) and he did a pretty good job. He hit a few irons very well and wants to go again but next time rent a cart.

Gabe is pictured on the left. On the right, both of us are wondering if we could golf better is someone pitched us the ball.

Camping and Climbing At Devils Lake

2010-06-13T14:45:00.003-05:00

On Thursday, June 10th Gabe and I took a group climbing at DL. After the day was done, we set up camp at Ice Age Campground and then went to Todd and Amanda's house to have some pizza. We got back to the campground at around 8:00 PM and started a campfire to spend some time reading by it. We were both tired from the day so we pulled out the sleeping bags at around 9:30 PM. The storm(s) started moving through at/around 1:00 AM. The tent held up well but some water got into the floor of the tent, however we were above it thanks to our sleeping pads. Gabe slept right through the storms which ended about 4 hours later.

On Friday we made bacon and eggs and packed up to climb on the West Bluff. We spent some time climbing at Cleo's on Queens Face and Between Queens. We packed up and headed for home at around 2:00 PM. We both felt is was nice to just have a day to ourselves to climb.

In the picture, Gabe is getting ready to climb Between Queens.

Season Kick Off for Rock Climbing

2010-04-03T06:40:00.003-05:00

We spent the afternoon climbing at Devils Lake yesterday. The weather was in the mid 60's. We hiked to the Railroad Amphitheater and almost walked past the climbing area. The brush on both sides of the track have been cut back and in most cases, entire trees have been taken out which has changed the traditional landmarks. The shade that climbers benefit from when climbing at Railroad is no more. We set "Cantenary Crack" (5.9+) and "The Pillar"(5.6) and then met Nick, Sarah and their friends who were also climbing. Todd came out later with Harper. Todd set "Jack the Ripper" (5.10c) so Nick, Todd and I gave it a go. We climbed until 4:00 and the rain started to move in so we packed up and headed out. Gabe and I were going to camp but the rain changed our minds. Gabe is climbing The Pillar in the photo above.

Skiing at Granite Peak

2010-03-21T17:30:00.010-05:00

Gabe and I went Skiing/Snowboarding at Granite Peak (Rib Mountain) in Wausau this weekend (Gabe is pictured on the left and I am on the right). We were a little apprehensive about the snow conditions as the website noted 12-14 runs closed down. However, when we got to the hill and the temp. was 20 degrees on Saturday AM, we knew we would be having a great day. The runs that they groomed the night before were hard packed but loosened up as the sun hit them. I would rate this as excellent late season skiing. The temps moved up to the 40's on a blue sky day. We hit all the single and double black diamond runs and found them to be short but fun. This will end the ski/snowboard season for us this year. We are getting ready to rock climb next weekend. If you are interested in learning how to climb and want to have a great time contact us at http://apexadventurealliance.com/index.php

Ice Climbing at Gov. Dodge State Park

2010-02-28T18:20:00.004-06:00

Gabe and I spend Sunday at Gov. Dodge State Park doing some ice climbing with Todd Stowell. Temperatures were in the mid 30's which was a little warm to ice climb but very nice to belay. The ice was very soft and our ice axes and crampons sunk in deeply. We both had fun and we plan to do much more of it next year. Gabe is in the picture on the left and I am on the right.

Skiing and Snowboarding

2010-02-21T18:54:00.004-06:00

The winter has gone quickly. Gabe and I have skied/snowboarded 2-3 times per week mainly at Mt. LaCrosse. As March closes in on us we are looking forward to rock climbing and other outdoor activities but we still have plans to ski/snowboard until late March.

Halloween Climb

2009-11-01T12:35:00.005-06:00

Some of the best climbing at Devils Lake is in the fall and Halloween day is no exception. Gabe and I set a couple of routes on Pseudo's and climbed in the early PM. The weather was dry and the temp was 36 degrees. We only saw 12-15 people on the East Bluff today. The tree canopy had changed dramatically from last week as the bright leaf colors have begun to dull. We had a great time.

Yellowstone National Park

2009-10-02T06:41:00.003-05:00

We took a trip to Yellowstone in August and were rewarded with beautiful views and abundant animal life. We hiked to the top of Mt. Washburn in search of a herd of Bighorn's that frequented the mountain top. We did find them and watched them for quite a while. If you want to see animal life, Yellowstone is the place to go. We also saw, two grizzlys, elk, bison and many other smaller species. Pictured is my brother Paul, Gabe and I.

Grand Teton National Park

2009-10-02T06:31:00.003-05:00

My brother Paul, Gabe and I went backpacking in Grand Teton National Park in August. Here we are on the trail to Holly Lake (El. 9400 ft.) in the Paintbrush Canyon. Mt. Moran is just to the left in the photo. The Teton's are rugged and beautiful. It took us a day to acclimatize to the altitude. The trail to Holly Lake had an elevation gain of over 2000 ft. We arrived at the lake tired, but in good spirits.

The Needles

2009-10-02T05:53:00.003-05:00

Gabe and I on the "Needle" in Custer State Park in South Dakota. The rock quality here has something that Devils Lake has little of...friction. We plan on making another trip back next summer to climb in some of the less traveled areas of the park.

Taylors Falls

2009-10-02T05:48:00.002-05:00

Gabe and I taking a break after climbing in Taylors Falls this summer. We had a great day! The weather was good and our campsite was near the St. Croix River.

Glacier National Park

2009-09-26T07:33:00.006-05:00

Glacier National Park

If you want to see majestic beauty complemented by glacier fed streams and waterfalls that peacefully put you to sleep as you camp near them, then Glacier National Park is for you!

This is still the crown jewel of the National Park System as far as we are concerned (although we have yet to visit Yosemite).

Paul, Gabe and I went in at the Jackson Glacier Trailhead and backpacked about 7 miles (after a detour to a waterfall in which we bushwhacked most of the way) to Gunsight Lake where we camped for 2 days. On the second day we went up to the Gunsight Pass and took in the sights including a mountain goat that wanted to race us across the snowfields. Some of the snowfields looked unsafe due to melting so we backtracked back down to Gunsight Lake by late morning and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon exploring other areas.

(Pictured above left are Gabe and I crossing a snowfield near the Gunsight Pass in Glacier National Park.)

Appalachian Trail

2008-10-04T13:59:00.000-05:00

Looking for a great test of mind, spirit and stamina? Try some sections of the Appalachian Trail.
The AT:
* Is a unit of the National Park Service.
* Is the nation's longest marked footpath, at approximately 2,178 miles.
* Is the first national scenic trail, designated in 1968.
* Crosses six national parks.
* Traverses eight national forests.
* Touches 14 states.
We hiked some sections in July, 2007. The size and scale of the AT and surrounding area is really quite amazing. I can see how someone can leave the marked trail for a short time and lose their bearings. Thick vegetation and tall trees fill most spaces around the main trail. When openings do occur, you are rewarded with breathtaking views of the Smoky Mts. Pictured above are Gabe and I at the "Jump Off Point" which is a spur trail off the main AT. We also hiked to Clingmans Dome, Mt. Leconte and biked around Cades Cove.