Elevations of locations along our summer road trip route mapped and shown in a linear diagram (below). The labels get pretty small, so click to zoom and get the close-up view.
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Elevations of 2020 “River & Ranges” Road Trip
Posted in Infographics, Maps
Tagged Infographics, Maps, Road Trip Infographics, rocky mountains, rocky mountains road trip
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Nick & Neil’s Best of 2020
Travel was somewhat limited in 2020, but we still managed to eat and drink some amazing things and stay in some great lodging. This year’s list leans more heavily on pizza and beer than usual due to pandemic-related convenience (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Cheers to what will hopefully be a mid-2021 return to our more usual routine of seeking out the best classic cocktail bars.
Best Food (Ordered chronologically)
1. Smoked Salmon Sandwich – Uncle Wolfie’s : Milwaukee, WI
2. Alicia Sandwich – Obo’s Deli : Pinedale, WY
3. Pappardelle – Sawtooth Hotel : Stanley, ID
4. Meatloaf – Sawtooth Hotel : Stanley, ID
5. Chickenator Pizza – Papa Brunee’s : Stanley, ID
6. Korean Street Tacos – Sawtooth Brewing Public House : Ketchum, ID
7. Idaho Trout – Tundra : Hailey, ID
8. Cornish Hen – Cucina : Salt Lake City, UT
9. Brunch Bibimbop – Avenues Proper : Salt Lake City, UT
10. Raspberry & Chocolate Roulade – Maison La Belle Vie : Palisade, CO
11. Vegetable “Risotto” – Bin707 : Grand Junction, CO
12. Hog Heaven Pizza – Pal’s Brewing : North Platte, NE
13. Asparagus & Fontina Pizza – The Copper Trout : Bayfield, WI
14. Cherry Bacon Marmalade Burger – Cherry Republic Brewing : Glen Arbor, MI
15. Berry Croissant Breakfast Casserole – Cottonwood Inn B&B : Empire, MI
Best Overall Meal:
Cucina : Salt Lake City, UT
Other Outstanding Restaurants:
Sawtooth Hotel : Stanley, ID
Tundra : Hailey, ID
Best Drinks (Ordered chronologically)
1. How Dare You Speak To Me IPA – Hacienda Beer Co : Milwaukee, WI
2. Alphabetical Order Pink Guava Gose – Company Brewing, Milwaukee, WI
3. Kringle Monster Pastry Stout with Raspberry – MobCraft : Milwaukee, WI
4. Ghost Town Hazy IPA – Wind River Brewing : Pinedale, WY
5. Sunbeam Imperial IPA – Sockeye Brewing : ID
6. Pika Peanut Butter Milk Stout – Sawtooth Brewing : Ketchum, ID
7. The View – Palisade Brewing : Palidade, CO
8. Villard Blanc – Maison La Belle Vie : Palisade, CO
9. Rosé – Mesa Park Vineyards : Palisade, CO
10. Un-Oaked Chardonnay – Restoration Vineyards : Palisade, CO
11. Operation Dark Snake – Tres Litros Brewing : Salida, CO
12. Smash Face – Hop Lot Brewing : Sutton’s Bay, MI
13. Fun Guv’nr Black IPA – Stormcloud Brewing : Frankfort, MI
Best Drinking State this year: Colorado
Best Hotel:
1. Sawtooth Hotel – Stanley, ID
Other Outstanding Lodging:
2. Farm Airbnb – Clifton, CO
3. Cottonwood Inn B&B (Carriage House) – Empire, MI
2020 Year in Review
2020 was a lighter travel year than usual for us. Most of our original plans had to be scrapped, including our entire spring trip to Utah in April. Our summer trip was drastically altered to avoid air travel any any location that might be crowded. It wasn’t all bad though, because we discovered some hidden gems and managed to salvage a portion of our originally planned route between Stanley, Idaho and Dinosaur National Monument.
Here are some statistics and memorable moments from 2020. Let’s hope 2021 offers increased travel opportunities!
Statistics: Ranges & Rivers 2020 Road Trip
Some informative information and statistics from our Covid-altered summer road trip to some of the more remote sections of the U.S. (July 14-August 1, 2020)
Ranges & Rivers 2020 Gallery
A selection of images from our 4,560-mile summer getaway. This was an alternate plan, created after flying became undesirable due to the pandemic. (We’ll save Portland and the Oregon Coast for when things are back to normal.) We managed to salvage existing plans from Stanley, Idaho through Dinosaur National Monument and found some incredible places on the way there and the way home to explore. The focus became less-popular NPS sites, camping, and lonesome wilderness areas centered around … Ranges and Rivers.
Old Rail Trestle over the Niobrara River outside of Valentine Nebraska now part of the Cowboy Trail.
Prairie Dogs keeping an eye on us at Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge.
Fort Falls, Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge.
Hiking along the Lookout Point trail at Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota.
Baby bison at Custer State Park, South Dakota.
Bismarck Lake Campground, Black Hills, South Dakota.
View from the top of Black Elk Peak, the highest point in South Dakota. Black Elk Wilderness. Little Devil’s Tower is at center-left.
Fire lookout tower on the summit of Black Elk Peak, Elevation 7,231 feet.
Cathedral Spires viewed from the top of Little Devil’s Tower, Black Hills, SD.
Post-hike kayaking on Bismarck Lake. Inflatable kayaks were the best summer investment.
The end of the Sacred Rim Trail overlooking the high peaks of the Wind River Range near Pinedale, Wyoming.
Heading to Green River Lakes meant taking 18 miles of rough gravel road. We might have been the only non-truck on the road but we made it.
This is the view that inspired the trip reroute… Squaretop Mountain reflected in Green River Lakes, the headwaters of the Green River.
Incredible views up Clear Creek Canyon above Green River Lakes.
Fly fishermen along the meandering Green River not far from its source in the Wind River Range.
We may have each gotten 100 mosquito bites while inflating the kayaks, but floating here will still be a 2020 highlight.
Good beer and a practically private hotel. Sawtooth Hotel in Stanley, Idaho.
Stanley is located in the Central Idaho Dark Sky Preserve, and we happened to be there during the new moon, so the Milky Way was out in full force.
Comet Neowise was also near its peak … incredible.
Alpine Lake viewed from the trail to Sawtooth Lake.
Jagged Sawtooth Mountain peaks surround hikers on the ascent.
A pika joined us for lunch along the shore of Sawtooth Lake.
Sawtooth Lake and Mt. Regan.
Nick and Johnny enjoying a morning ride at Mystic Saddle Ranch near Redfish Lake.
Neil and Dickey.
Our guide, Caleb and that beautiful Sawtooth skyline.
Camas Lily sculpture near the Sun Valley Museum of Art, Ketchum, Idaho.
Bow Bridge in Hailey, Idaho.
Our rustic Airbnb cabin in Bellevue, Idaho was perfect.
Campsite 29 at Craters of the Moon National Monument. The sunken tent site was a benefit when wind gusts picked up in the evening.
Craters of the Moon Loop Road viewed from the Big Sink Overlook along Broken Top Loop Trail.
Lava as far as the eye can see.
Spatter cones at Craters of the Moon.
The “Big Craters” area.
Nighttime camping at Craters of the Moon.
Replicas of the locomotives used during the construction of the Trans Continental Railroad ready for the steam demonstration.
Downtown Salt Lake City, Utah viewed from the steps of the Capitol. This was the only major city we visited on the whole trip.
The Quarry Exhibit Hall at Dinosaur National Monument allows guests close up views of a pile of 1,500 dinosaur bone fossils in air conditioned comfort.
Ominous skies over the colorful “Desert Voices Nature Trail” at Dinosaur NM.
Approaching sunset on the way to the Green River Campground.
On the way to our rafting trip, we stopped by some Freemont culture petroglyphs, some of the best-preserved anywhere.
Addy, our Adrift Adventures guide, expertly parallel parked us in this small cave on the Green River.
Overlooking the canyons carved by the Green and Yampa Rivers from Harpers Corner, Dinosaur National Monument.
Palisade Rim Trail above the vineyards surrounding Palisade, Colorado. Mt. Garfield and the Book Cliffs are on the right.
Excellent wine flight and lunch at Maison La Belle Vie winery.
We took the scenic route from Grand Junction to Black Canyon of the Gunnison over Grand Mesa. This is the view looking south from around 11,000 feet. It feels like you can see every mountain range in Colorado from up there.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Looking down at the Gunnison River deep within.
We’ve previously visited the more-popular South Rim at Black Canyon, but went to the remote North Rim this time.
The views from the North Rim might be even more impressive than the South because of the sheer 1,200 foot drop.
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument contains petrified stumps of redwood trees from when the Colorado climate was tropical.
We stopped by a fascinating art installation called “Last Chance Modular Array” near Last Chance, Colorado.
The sculpture by Studio M12 sticks out on the flat plains. You’ll never see this part of Colorado in a brochure.
We broke up the trip home with a night at a “Bed and Brew” across the street from Pal’s Brewing in North Platte, Nebraska.
Nick & Neil’s Best of 2019
Presenting the 2019 edition of the best things we ate and drank during our year in travel. (Ordered chronologically)
Food
1. Chilaquiles – Lunitas : Gibsons, BC
2. Ling Cod – Drift : Gibsons, BC
3. Crispy Brussels Sprouts – Wobbly Canoe : Sechelt, BC
4. Chef’s Menu – Acorn : Vancouver, BC
5. Pork & Prawn Wontons – Bao Bei : Vancouver, BC
6. Asparagus Tart – L’Abattoir : Vancouver, BC
7. Grilled Lamb Saddle – L’Abattoir : Vancouver, BC
8. Beet Salad – Burdock & Co : Vancouver, BC
9. Jaegerspatzel – The Old Salzburg : Radium Hot Springs, BC
10. Bison Trio – The Bison : Banff, AB
11. Cheeseburger Pizza – The Village Idiot : Revelstoke, BC
12. Elk Carpaccio – Tekarra Lodge : Jasper, AB
13. Campfire Creme Brûlée – Jasper Brewing : Jasper, AB
14. Spiced Beet Salad – Bridgette : Calgary, AB
15. Victoria’s Breakfast Sandwich and Hashbrowns – Pigeonhole : Calgary, AB
16. Special Fried Rice – Two Penny : Calgary, AB
17. Buffalo Stew – Buffalo Jump Cafe : Fort Macleod, AB
18. Ham & Swiss Waffle – Waffleton : Waterton, AB
19. Cornmeal Battered Sweet Corn – Yellowbelly : St. Louis, MO
20. BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich – Grass Roots : Culpeper, VA
Best Food City: Vancouver, British Columbia
Drink
1. Stormrider NE IPA – Tapworks Brewing : Gibsons, BC
2. Tequizer – Lunitas : Gibsons, BC
3. Schwarzbier – Aframe Brewing : Squamish, BC
4. Trailbreaker IPA – Backcountry Brewing : Squamish, BC
5. Blood Moon – Keefer Bar : Vancouver, BC
6. Lemon Fog – Faculty Brewing : Vancouver, BC
7. Nebulousness Hazy IPA – Brassneck Brewing : Vancouver, BC
8. Crossroads Smoked Sour – Strange Fellows Brewing : Vancouver, BC
9. Paper Plane – The Diamond : Vancouver, BC
10. London Fog Tea – Coco et Olive : Vancouver, BC
11. Hazy Midwest Sunrise – Anvil & Forge : Springfield, IL
12. Switch Melon – Rumpus Beer Co : Revelstoke, BC
13. Huck Me Baby One More Time – Monashee Spirits : Revelstoke, BC
14. Ridgeline Double IPA – Folding Mountain Brewing : Yellowhead County, AB
15. King’s English – Annex Ale Project : Calgary, AB
16. Gris Gris – Proof : Calgary, AB
17. Huckleberry Shake – The Huckleberry Patch : Hungry Horse, MT
18. Queen of the West – Tupelo : Whitefish, MT
19. Hammerlock – Yellowbelly : St. Louis, MO
20. Radiant Rosé – Revalation Winery : Madison, VA
Best Drinking Country: Canada!
Best Overall Meal
Bao Bei – Vancouver, BC
Other Outstanding Restaurants
Drift – Gibsons, BC
Acorn – Vancouver, BC
L’Abattoir – Vancouver, BC
Burdock & Co – Vancouver, BC
The Bison – Banff, AB
Bridgette – Calgary, AB
Two Penny – Calgary, AB
Yellowbelly – St. Louis, MO
Outstanding Lodging
The Stoke – Revelstoke, BC
Pine Bungalows Cabin – Jasper, AB
Posted in Destinations, News, Travel Tips
Tagged best drinks 2019, Best food 2019, best restaurants 2018, Brewery Road Trip, Calgary Drinks, Calgary Food, Canadian Rockies Drinks, Canadian Rockies Food, national parks road trip, road trip food, Travel food, Vancouver Drinks, Vancouver Food
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2019 Year in Review
Some statistics from our 2019 year in travel.
See Photos from our Trips here:
Spring Break Vancouver/Sunshine Coast
Summer Canadian Rockies Trip
Posted in Infographics, Maps
Tagged 2019 Travel, Infographics, Road Trip Statistics, Road Trips, Travel Infographics, Travel Statistics
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Statistics: Summer 2019 Canadian Rockies
Some information on last summer’s road trip
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Summer 2019 Canadian Rockies Gallery
Here’s a taste of the incredible scenery we experienced on our three-week trip to the Canadian Rockies from July 21 to August 10. It was tough to narrow it down to so few photos, but hopefully this captures the region and the gist of our experiences.
Our first hike in Kootenay National Park near the hot springs.
Sinclair Canyon in Kootenay creates a dramatic entrance.
Paint Pots at Kootenay are pools of glacial water in beds of ochre tinted soil.
This is our campsite at Tunnel Mountain Village in Banff. We camped a total of 8 nights. The coldest temperature at wake up was 38 degrees F.
Johnston Canyon is one of the most popular trails in Banff National Park. We arrived early to beat the crowds.
Waterfalls along the Johnston Canyon Trail.
We extended our hike beyond the canyon to the Ink Pots.
The view of the town of Banff from the trail up Tunnel Mountain.
Cave and Basin Hot Springs National Historic site (within Banff NP) is the birthplace of Parks Canada.
We headed west to Revelstoke for a few days. Our favorite brewery was Rumpus and the poutine at Village Idiot was perfect.
Nick taking flight on Nels’ Nickers at a historic ski jump site in Mt. Revelstoke National Park.
Endless compositions of trees and mountains surrounded us at the summit of Mt. Revelstoke.
The nearby Revelstoke Mountain Resort has a mountain “pipe” coaster that was even more fun than we expected!
Glacier National Park of Canada has stunning mountain views. This is overlooking Rogers Pass from Marion Lake.
We hit some whitewater with Wild Water Adventures in Golden, BC. So much fun! Nick is taking 45 degree water to the face on the top.
High kicking at Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park.
We managed to avoid crowds at Banff’s famous Moraine Lake by arriving at 9:00pm. Still plenty of photographers waiting for the magic sunset moment.
We booked an amazing ranger-guided (Hi Ardelle!) hike up an extremely steep trail to the fossil field on Mt. Stephen in Yoho. Trilobites galore!
Emerald Lake in Yoho… The color of this photo is not enhanced.
Another early morning wakeup to get to Lake Louise in Banff.
We hiked over 12 miles from Lake Louise to Lake Agnes and the Plain of Six Glaciers.
The Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House is a welcome sight after hiking all the way from Lake Louise. They made some great chili with no electricity.
Beyond the Tea House we arrived at the trail’s end overlooking glaciers and Abbott Pass.
Heading back down the ridge of a moraine. That’s Lake Louise in the distance.
On the way north toward Jasper National Park, we stopped at Peyto Lake for what might be the most stunning view of the trip.
We took a great guided hike on the Athabasca Glacier with icewalks.com
Standing above a raging stream on Athabasca Glacier.
Sunwapta Falls in Jasper National Park. The perspective of the island is so weird, I had previously thought photographers of faking this angle.
We woke up to mama bear and her three cubs in the next campsite at Pocahontas Campground in Jasper!
Mr. Moose was out and about while we drove to Maligne Lake for our boat cruise.
The view from the top of the Sulphur Skyline Trail in Jasper. 360 degrees of mountains around us.
The Maligne Lake boat tour’s destination is Spirit Island, considered one of the most scenic spots in Canada.
Downstream from Maligne Lake, the river has carved this narrow and twisting canyon.
A winding road leads to Mt. Edith Cavell in Jasper NP.
Heading back south we viewed Glaciers all along the Icefields Parkway.
We made a quick stop at Mistaya Canyon. More narrow, twisty canyons carved by water.
Calgary provided a couple days of city living. This is the Peace Bridge, designed by Santiago Calatrava.
Downtown Calgary reflected in a pool at Prince’s Island Park.
South of Calgary is Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Indigenous peoples herded bison off the edge of this bluff in a well-orchestrated group hunt.
The Rockies rise back up out of the prairies approaching Waterton Lakes National Park.
We took a 2-hour ride with Alpine Stables on our first evening in Waterton Lakes. We saw three bears from horseback.
Bo and Candy.
Looking south into the U.S. from the Waterton townsite.
The hike to Crypt Lake has been called one of the best in the world. This is Burnt Rock falls on the way up.
Approaching the top of the hike we crossed a ledge and then entered a tunnel.
The hike ends with a loop around Crypt Lake. The big wall of rock in the background is in the United States.
Incredible scenery from the Crypt Lake Trail.
On our last morning in Canada, we took a canoe out for a spin on Upper Waterton Lake. It was super peaceful until a passing motorboat almost capsized us.
Revisiting Glacier National Park in Montana for the first time since 2013. Relaxing with some Canadian beer.
Attending a ranger talk at the St. Mary Campground.
Wild Goose Island is a popular photo subject in Glacier.
Mr. Bighorn Sheep seemed to be posing for tourists at the top of Logan Pass.
Beginning the infamous Highline Trail in Glacier. We wanted to do this hike in 2013 but it was still snowed in in July. Totally worth the wait.
Looking down at Going To The Sun Road.
Beargrass along the Highline Trail.
We took the grueling side trail up to the Grinnell Glacier overlook for a picnic lunch atop the continental divide.
Glacier has amazing views at every turn. This was after passing the Granite Park Chalet toward the end of our 14 mile hike.
We rewarded ourselves with dinner at the Many Glacier Lodge. Our picnic lunch site is along the ridge in the distance.
Morning boat cruise across Two Medicine Lake. This was a nice, secluded part of the park.
We saw this moose couple grazing near Upper Two Medicine Lake. Majestic.
Layers and layers of trees in Glacier National Park.
We couldn’t have planned this, but our 2019 road trip totaled 2019 miles.
Rail yard in Whitefish Montana the night before our departure.
We took the Empire Builder Amtrak route from Whitefish home to Chicago. It was a long 36-hours, but a great way to unwind after so much adventure.
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Summer 2019 National Parks Basics
Here’s some basic location and comparison information on the parks we’re going to be visiting from July 21-August 9. We’re heading mostly north of the border to hit up 7 National Parks in the Canadian Rockies and then coming back into the U.S. to re-visit Glacier National Park (we were last there in summer 2013).
A list of a few of our planned activities and major hikes along the way:
Kootenay: Juniper/Sinclair Canyon hike (3.7mi), Paint Pots to Marble Canyon (4.2mi)
Banff: Johnston Canyon Upper Falls trail (3.7mi), Fairview Mountain (6.3mi) OR Lake Agnes/Plain of 6 Glaciers (9mi), Larch Valley/Minnestimma Lakes (5.3mi)
Revelstoke: Meadows in the Sky Parkway, hiking at summit
Golden, BC: Whitewater Exciter Rafting Trip on the Kicking Horse River
Yoho: Ranger-guided hike to Mt. Stephen fossil beds (5mi), Hike around Emerald Lake
Jasper: Ice Cubed Glacier Walk, Sulphur Skyline Trail (4.8mi)
Waterton Lakes: Wildlife Habitat Horseback Tour, Crypt Lake day hike (10.8mi)
Glacier (US): High Line Trail plus Grinnel Overlook day hike (13.6mi), Two Medicine Lake boat tour
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