04 Our Favorite National Park Lodges

What’s it like to wake up with a view of Crater Lake from your bedroom window? In this episode, we gleefully revisit some of our favorite National Park lodges and the adventures we had staying in them. We discuss the “parkitechture” and fascinating history to each of the lodges. We regale some hilarious stories from our stays at Crater Lake Lodge and El Tovar lodge at the Grand Canyon. We also talk about how to get reservations and some fantastic places for sunset viewing,

In this episode we discuss:

  • Staying in the largest log structure in the world in Yellowstone NP
  • Watching bears from the deck in Glacier NP
  • Wintertime stay at Zion lodge
  • Ranger programs at Bryce Canyon lodge
  • Twin beds at Paradise Inn in Mt. Rainier NP
  • President Roosevelt’s stay in Olympic NP on Lake Crescent
  • An unexpected surprise at Crater Lake Lodge
  • The mule-train journey taken by Matt’s shorts in the Grand Canyon
  • The public space at the Ahwahnee Lodge in Yosemite NP

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03 Arches National Park: Getting Lost in the Fiery Furnace

Would you go into a fiery furnace on purpose if you knew you’d probably get lost, have to squeeze through narrow openings, and be forced to crab walk over sketchy boulders? Well, that’s exactly what we did, and we even waited in line for a permit to do it. The Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park is a special treat for visitors as only a limited number of people are allowed permits each day to hike through this magnificent maze of rock formations. We’ve visited the fiery furnace in Arches National Park a couple of times, and in this episode, we talk about our experiences along the trail.

In this episode we discuss:

  • Karen’s fantasy of being an off-duty park ranger
  • Our ranger-led tour into the fiery furnace
  • Returning on our own and getting lost in the slot canyons, and
  • How we live and work together 24/7

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02 North Cascades National Park: Glaciers and Boulders and Scree Oh My!

Join us on our backpacking trip to Sahale Glacier in North Cascades National Park. Along with our friends John and Lolly, we braved the treacherous trail and a few overly friendly mountain goats to camp at the base of a glacier in a truly sublime setting. It was a strenuous, magical, and unforgettable journey. In this episode, we relive our trip into one of the most beautiful alpine areas in all of the national parks. If you ever want to make this trek yourself or would just like to hear about our challenging yet humorous adventure, this episode is for you.

In this episode we discuss:

  • Why we should stop reading the reviews of our books
  • Our struggles with making it to Sahale Glacier Camp
  • Why you should never separate when hiking as a group
  • The toilet with the best view in the world
  • And address a few questions from listeners like you

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