CELEBRATE THE OUTDOORS
40 years outdoors experience, extensive info on Mt. Rainier’s Wonderland Trail, original music, equipment reviews, off trail videos, other peaks in Mt. Rainier NP
Another year has passed, and although I didn't get through my wish list for the year, it was filled with quality trips: Portugal, Rome, Cycling in Riccione, my 35th Wonderland, RIMROBOD, the Northern Loop Trail and a few peaks, to name a few. Once again I was lucky to be in good health with heightened fitness from consistent cycling training. Happy Holidays everyone! Caveat: no drones were used in this footage.
Been a busy year at Willis Wall. Relocating back to the Pacific Northwest, basing out of the van for 5 months logging hundreds of miles and thousands of feet on foot, bike and skis. Besides my usual stomping ground at Mt. Rainier National Park, I trained at the US Air Force Academy, did the High Sierra Trail with my daughter to Mt Whitney, managed a week of cycling in Italy, turned in one of my best Wonderland Trail hikes and hit some great places like Olympic National Park, Colorado National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, Craters of the Moon National Monument, White Sands National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Joshua Tree National Park and Saguaro National Park. Family matters precluded the time to write original music this year so I recycled some Christmas tunes from previous projects. I wish viewers good health and happiness for the coming year!
2020, the year of COVID. Lots of changes in the Willis Wall World….retirement, selling our house, purchase of a Class B RV a few years ahead of schedule, and temporarily residing in Colorado. I traveled and lived full time in the RV for 3 months, traveling from Washington to California (spending two weeks hiking with my daughter), then back to Washington. While back in my home state I spent some time in the Olympics but the majority of my hiking was in Mt. Rainier National Park; peak bagging, hiking the Northern Loop Trail and my 32nd time around the 93 mile Wonderland Trail. I departed at the end of October and made my way to Colorado to rejoin my wife, stopping in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. From 9,000 miles of driving, 1000 miles of foot travel and over 174,000 feet of climbing come snippets packed into a 6 minute video. My thanks to my son and my friends who allowed me to spend a few nights in their driveways during this time. Please enjoy, and stay safe!
Self quarantine allows one to indulge in more leisure activities; in my case, assembling and editing video and photos. I chose close to 100 photos of Mt. Rainier from various vantage points, some on trail, on the roads, off trail and far afield cross country. The mountain presents faces in almost unlimited variety, depending on the time of day, time of year, and position/elevation on the orbit. Hugging the flanks at 9000 feet offers a unique vista vice being miles away at low elevation. Decades of hiking in the park in all seasons allows me to present this comprehensive assembly, starting at Longmire and proceeding clockwise around the mountain. Presented in 4K, please enjoy!
Just a bit early this year but a Happy Holidays goes out to everyone! I had a good year hiking (and biking) solo and with my daughter, and got out with my buddy Craig a few times. Places included: Mt. Rainier National Park, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, Alpine Lakes, Enchantments, and Olympic National Park. Please enjoy this video compilation from the past 10 months.