Range Rocky Mountains
A 13-day road trip from Wisconsin to Colorado linked state high points, four Ultras, Yellowstone and Utah desert parks, from Michigan’s 12-centimetre summit dispute to a 4,302 m finish on Pikes Peak.
Range Southern Rocky Mountains
After snow stopped my 2019 attempt, I returned to drive Pikes Peak Highway, meeting bighorn sheep, crowds and brake checks before finally reaching a summit I admired more as a road trip than a mountain.
RegionUtah
Four spare hours after Mount Peale became a fast Arches circuit through 43°C heat, dark storm clouds, Balanced Rock, the Windows and enough roadside geology to justify the detour immediately.
Range La Sal Mountains
Mount Peale, highest point of the Colorado Plateau and a Utah Ultra, looked like a short outing until loose scree and a fast-building thunderstorm turned the summit into a brief touch-and-go.
Range Colorado Plateau
A failed Mount Ellen attempt unexpectedly produced Capitol Reef: Waterpocket Fold scenery, roadside Fremont petroglyphs, an OHV detour into badlands and a much better afternoon than the original plan.
Range Southern Wasatch
An Ultra-prominence hike through deer and wildflowers became a judgement call under distant thunder, then ended with a parking ticket that finally explained the trailhead’s nearly useless permit system.
Range Great Basin Ranges
At 40°C, Frary Peak delivered an exposed climb above the Great Salt Lake, an accidental Class 3 ridge variation, a shade-free summit and post-hike encounters with bison and bighorn sheep.
Range Greater Yellowstone Rockies
A second Yellowstone circuit traded bison for travertine terraces, smaller geysers and the impossible colours of Grand Prismatic, which easily became my favourite stop before a crowded Old Faithful finale.
Range Greater Yellowstone Rockies
My first Yellowstone day belonged to bison beside steaming ground, Hayden Valley and mudpots, with geothermal basins steadily overwhelming the irritation of a new $100 nonresident surcharge.
Range Bighorn Mountains
A first-light start became a 40.4 km, 15-hour day of quiet lakes, endless granite boulders, Cloud Peak Glacier, one summit apple and a careful return across the same log crossing after dark.
Range Great Plains
North Dakota’s high point rises from almost horizontal prairie as a compact island of pale, eroded terrain, reached by an easy ranchland trail whose public access has its own highpointing history.
Range Great Plains
A few hundred metres of tractor tracks reached a grassy South Dakota high point whose 150 km of isolation and open Coteau des Prairies landscape mattered far more than its summit shape.
Range Midwest-Great Lakes Area
I came for 215 km of isolation and found beautiful Minnesota lake country, an old lookout tower, uncertain summit ground and enough mosquitoes to turn a 1.5 km walk into a sprint.
Range Midwest-Great Lakes Area
Wildfire smoke made the drive uncertain, but Eagle Mountain became a calm walk through wetlands, Whale Lake and forest to Minnesota’s high point, its survey history and remarkably isolated summit.
Range Midwest-Great Lakes Area
Wildfire smoke and disastrous forest-road shortcuts complicated the approach to Mount Curwood, where a 2024 dGNSS survey challenged Mount Arvon’s official status and identified a new Michigan high point by about 12 centimetres.
Range Midwest-Great Lakes Area
Racine gave a spare half-day a clear direction: Lake Michigan shoreline, a quiet harbour breakwater and Wind Point Lighthouse, where historic foghorns proved more rewarding than a risky scramble over slippery rocks.
Range Midwest-Great Lakes Area
A nearly level Wisconsin summit with 210 km of isolation, two observation towers and one misread park entrance turned a 1.8 km walk into an unusually memorable lesson in topography and parking.
Range Cascade Range
June is a fantastic month for mountaineering. While many Northern Hemisphere peaks are still covered in snow, the Intermountain West offers an ideal window to climb ultra-prominent summits. To make the most of this opportunity, I’m booking an affordable Lufthansa flight from Vilnius to Los Angeles. My goal is to ascend several of these impressive…
Range Central and Southern California Ranges
I intentionally kept this peak as a backup for the trip since it’s relatively close to the airport. If I run out of time, I can save it for next time—it’s not going anywhere. I woke up early, a bit south of Bishop, and drove towards the Mount San Antonio trailhead. It was a bit…
Range Great Basin Ranges
Arc Dome was on my to-do list last November, but too much snow and limited time got in the way. This time, I was determined to tackle it and add another ultra-prominent peak to my list. After finally hiking Arc Dome, I can say it’s a fantastic trek with lots of open space and stunning…
Range Great Basin Ranges
There are 455 peaks in the world with 300 km or more isolation, and Wheeler Peak is one of them. It boasts over 2000 meters of prominence, nearly reaching 4000 meters, and features on at least 60 different peak lists. That’s the reward you get after climbing this majestic peak. But wait, there’s more! It…
Range Great Basin Ranges
Hurrying towards North Schell Peak, sunlight bounces off something in the distance. My brain screams “reflection,” but a nagging voice whispers, “roll down the window, buddy, is that thunder?” Turns out, the little voice was Einstein today. Another flash, then a rumble confirms it – storm’s brewing, maybe 6 km out by the sound of…
RegionUtah
Until today, I’d only seen the vastness of the salt flats on a flat TV screen. This experience had always piqued my curiosity – I yearned to see, feel, and truly understand these unique places. Today, that day finally came. On my way from Flat Top Mountain to North Schell Peak, I stopped at the…
Range Great Basin Ranges
This peak wasn’t in my original plan. But again, I check my calendar, I check the map, and bang… I have time and there’s an unclimbed-by-me ultra-prominent peak in relative proximity. Such a coincidence. Of course, I find a way to the peak. At the trailhead, there’s a big parking area (no overnight stays mentioned…