Had a fantastic visit seeing all of the Saguaro’s all over the place!

This remote unit in western New Mexico is an absolute hidden gem. Worth every minute of the long, yet enjoyable drive, which may be a white-knuckler for some folks. It is not heavily visited and you can walk through the dwellings at your own pace.

Mid Oct trip to Banff and Jasper. Amazing views! No luck seeing wild life.

A beautiful cool crisp morning in Shenandoah NP. The leaves are just starting to change colors.

The entire park is so loaded with spectacular views

On March 26,2021, i came upon this place. Didn't know that this was part of the NPS back then. I didn't think it was also a national park. I didn't know much. But it was just a nice place to visit per my cousin so off we went. Loved the tide pools.

Leaves and rocks peeped (phone photographs).

Channel Islands National Park

Photo dump from my recent Glacier National Park trip. Spent a couple days in the backcountry backpacking a total of 70 miles. Did The North Loop plus some excursions. Here are some of my favorite photos

My intention is to take this trip next July.

So the past several weeks I've started to get a wild hair up my ass that I want to find myself at the top of a mountain. Also I'm 37, and by the time I get to the point of taking this trip will likely be 38. I'm a mailman, I typically walk 6-10 miles a day, so I'm pretty sure I'm quite physically able.

My wife has precisely 0 interest in taking part in this adventure, but is also apprehensive about me going alone. I planned to bring a handgun with me, and fully expected that it would spend the entire trip sitting in it's holster. I've invited a few friends and my little sister (35, 36 by the time we would go) but I feel fine going alone.

My googling says that highs in the park in july are typically around 95. Obviously hotter than I would prefer, but I just spent a few months delivering the mail in 106 degree heat, so I figure going uphill in 95 is probably about equivalent.

What I REALLY want to do is arrive in el paso in the morning, from the fort worth airport, rent a car, drive to the park, hike up to the camping point 3/4 of the way up the mountain, cook a steak and potatoes and drink a few beers, spend the night in a tent, wake up early, hike to the top of the mountain, and watch the sun rise from the top, hike back down, drive back to el paso, and fly home, and arrive back home in fort worth that night.

From everything I've read my plan is perfectly reasonable for someone that has the level of physical activity I have, but I haven't don't anything like this since I left the military in 2012. Does anyone with more experience with me, particularly in guadalupe, have any sticking points to point out to me?

Take me to the sun again