Our travels through the Western States of the U.S.

SPRING TOUR 2011

coming soon... :-)

SPRING TOUR 2010 13.05.-01.06.2010

>> Story behind the scenery

Seattle - Olympic National Park (Second Beach, First Beach, Ruby Beach, Hoh Rain Forest) - Fort Stevenson S.P. - Cannon Beach - Ecola S.P. - Rockaway Beach - Cape Kiwanda (Keyhole Arch, Whale Watching) - Newport Aquarium - Oregon Dunes N.R.A. - Samuel H. Boardman State Park - Mack Arch - Brookings - Howland Hills Road at Jedediah Smith Redwoods S.P. - Redwood N.P. - Falls Creek Falls - Watson Falls - Salt Creek Falls - John Day Fossil Beds N.M. (Painted Hills Unit) - Palouse Hills - Palouse Falls - Columbia River Gorge (Multnomah Falls, Punchbowl Falls, Oneonta Gorge, Triple Falls, etc etc etc) - Abiqua Falls - Seattle

FALL TOUR 2010 29.10.-17.11.2010

>> Story behind the scenery

Los Angeles - Prescott (2x sunrise Watson Lake) - Sedona (Red Rocks Crossing, West Fork of the Oak Creek Trail - Coyote Buttes North (twice, thanks Gerhard and Nora!!! :-) ...) - Lower Antelope Canyon - Paria Plateau Sand Hills Area (Pinnacle Valley, Lower Reservoir, Cowboy Hat, Bush Head Valley) - Zion N.P. (Narrows, Subway) - Valley of Fire S.P. - Las Vegas (we stayed at a Lakeview Room at Bellagio) - Death Valley N.P. (sunrise at the Mesquite Sand Dunes) - Monarchs @ Pismo Beach - Pfeiffer Beach Arch - Ano Nuevo S.P. - Santa Cruz Natural Bridge - San Francisco

SPRING BREAK 2009 20.03.-13.04.2009

>> Story behind the scenery

L.A. - Wildflowers near Arvin and Gorman - Phoenix (Lost Dutchman S.P., Hewitt Canyon Arch, Boyce Thompson Arboretum) - Page (Antelope Canyon Photography Tour, Coalmine Canyon, White Pocket - two days in the Paria Plateau Sand Hills Area (Pinnacle Valley, Cathedral Valley, Middle Reservoir, The Beehives, Joe's Tank, Soap Creek Tank) - Monument Valley Mitten Shadow Event - Hanksville (Goblin Valley S.P., Little Wild Horse Canyon, etc.) - Page - Flagstaff - Valley of Fire S.P. - Little Finland - Las Vegas (Las Vegas Outlet Center, Ellis Island Steak Dinner) - Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve and Gorman - L.A.

FALL TOUR 2009 09.09.-04.11.2009

L.A. - Sequoia N.P. - Yosemite N.P. (Glacier Point, Lake Tenaya) - Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve - Bodie Ghost Town State Historic Park - Bishop - Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest - Red Rock Canyon near Bishop - Extraterrestial Highway (Hwy. 375, Little A’Le’Inn, Rachel) - Cathedral Gorge S.P. - Bonneville Salt Flats - Yellowstone Bear World in Rexburg - Yellowstone N.P. - Grand Teton N.P. - Vernal - Fantasy Canyon - Dry Fork Petroglyphs - San Juan Mountains - Mesa Verde N.P. - San Juan Badlands - Santa Fe - Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2009 (Special Shapes Rodeo) - San Juan Badlands - Grand Gulch and Cedar Mesa - Moqui Dugway - Muley Point - Goosenecks S.P. - Valley of the Gods - Coalmine Canyon - Page - Coyote Buttes South - Yellow Rock - Willis Creek Slot Canyon - Golden Cathedral (Neon Canyon) - Bryce Canyon N.P. - Escalante - Lower Calf Creek Falls - Valley of Fire S.P. (Fire Wave) - Lovell Wash - Las Vegas - Alabama Hills - Big Sur - Monarch Grove Sanctuary - Santa Cruz Natural Bridges State Beach - 17 Mile Drive - Garrapata S.P. - Julia Pfeiffer Burns S.P. - Pfeiffer State Beach Arch - Big Sur - Madonna Inn - Monarch Butterfly Grove at Pismo State Beach - L.A.

WINTER TOUR 2008 26.01.-10.02.2008

>> Story behind the scenery

Las Vegas - Valley of Fire S.P. - Little Finland - Coyote Buttes North - Page - Coal Mine Canyon - Grand Canyon South Rim - Tucson - Saguaro N.P. (West) - Arizona Desert Museum - White Sands N.P. - Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge - Canyon de Chelly N.M. - Monument Valley Tribal Park - Coal Mine Canyon - Lower Coal Mine Canyon - Lower Antelope Canyon - The Great Wall (Water Holes Canyon)- Grand Canyon South Rim - Seligman - Valley of Fire S.P. - Las Vegas

SPRING BREAK 2008 24.04.-12.05.2008

>> Story behind the scenery

Denver - Green River Road (Chaffin Ranch Geyser, Motel 6, Moonshine Wash) - Hanksville - Goblin Valley S.P. - Deadman Trail to the Great Gallery at Horseshoe Canyon - Leprechaun Canyon - Blanding - Natural Bridges N.M. (Sipapu Bridge, White Canyon) - Cedar Mesa (ruins, ruins, ruins...) - Needles Distric (Chesler Park, Joint Trail, Elephant Hill Trail, Beef Basin) - Around Moab (Dead Horse Point S.P., Olympic Torch, Mc Comb Arch, Tukuhnikivats Arch, Jeep Arch, Aztec Butte Granary) - Arches N.P. - Crystal Geyser - Sego Canyon Pictographs - Denver

FALL TOUR 2008 26.09.-12.10.2008

>> Up up and away

Denver - Garden of Gods S.P. - Colorado Fall Foliage (San Juan Mountains, Owl Creek Road, Dallas Divide, CR 5, CR 7, CR 9, Yankee Boy Basin, Million Dollar Highway, Yankee Girl Mine, Molas Lakes) - Mesa Verde N.P. (Cliff Palace, Square Tower House, Balcony House Guided Tour) - Aztec Arches (Arch Rock, Rooftop Arch) - Bisti Badlands - Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah W.S.A. - San Juan Basin - Rio Rancho Badlands - Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 2008 (Well Fargo Special Shapes Rodeo^TM) - Turquoise Trail (Madrid, Cerrillos) - Santa Fe - High Road to Taos - Nambe Church - Santuario de Chimayo Church - San José de Garcia Church at Las Trampas (under severe construction...) - San Francisco de Asis at Rancho the Taos - Rio Grande River Gorge - Pueblo Outlets - Denver

SPRING TOUR 2007 16.03.-09.04.2007 ... our honeymoon! :-)

L.A. - Newport Beach - Laguna Beach - Anza Borrego State Park - Joshua Tree N.P. (Teddybear Cholla Cactus Garden, Jumbo Rocks, Keys Ranch Guided Walking Tour, Wall Street, Baker Dam) - Grapevine Canyon - Las Vegas - Little Church of the West on 20th March 2007 high noon, thank you Laurent, Heiko and our parents for being there! :-))) - Valley of Fire State Park - Rhyolithe Ghost Town - Death Valley N.P. (Zabriskie Point, Mosaic Canyon, Racetrack Valley, Stovepipe Wells Sand Dunes, Artist Drive, Badwater Salt Flats, Darwin Falls) - Alabama Hills Recreation Area - Flagstaff - Red Mountain Volcano Geologic Area - Grand Falls of the Little Colorado River - Page - Water Holes Canyon - Lower Antelope Canyon - White Pocket - Coyote Buttes South - Coyote Buttes North - Toroweap Point Grand Canyon N.P. - Nampaweap Petroglyph Site - Red Cliffs Recreation Site - Little Finland - Las Vegas

OUR FALL TRIP 19.09.-14.10.2007

Phoenix - Hewitt Canyon Arch - Superstition Mountains - Onyx Bridge in der Black Forest im Petrified Forest N.P. - Little Painted Desert County Park - Thousand Pockets - Hoodoos at Stud Horse Point - White Pocket (no pools although heavy rain) - Double Barrel Arch an der House Rock Valley Road - Grand Canyon North Rim (frontier cabin - the lodge had vacancy unexpectedly!) - Point Imperial - Kanarra Creek - Grafton Ghost Town Zion N.P. (Narrows of the Virgin River, Orderville Canyon, Left Fork of the North Creek, Lava Point (nice fall colors!) - Escalante - Devils Garden Outstanding Natural Area - Dry Fork - Peek-a-boo Canyon - Spooky Gulch Slot - Brimstone Canyon - Dance Hall Rock - Moki Hill - Zebra Canyon - Tunnel Slot - Red Breaks - Capitol Reef N.P. - Hanksville - Factory Butte Arch - Goblin Valley S.P. - Cedar Mesa (ruins, ruins, ruins...) - Monument Valley - Teardrop Arch - Moki Dugway - Farmington - Angel Peak Recreation Area - Bisti Badlands - Ah-shi-sle-pah Wilderness Study Area - Petrified Forest N.P. - Flagstaff - Alstrom Point - Water Holes Canyon - Wupatki N.M. - Apache Trail - Lost Dutchman S.P. - Goldfield Ghost Town - Arizona Mills - Phoenix

SOUTHWEST 06.04. - 01.05.2006 (our first tour together)

Las Vegas - Valley of Fire - White Pocket - Coyote Buttes South - Coyote Buttes North (via Notch Trailhead) - Cottonwood Canyon Road (Yellow Rock, Red Top, Yellow Rock Valley, Kodachrome Basin S.P., Round Valley Draw) - Skutumpah Road (Deer Range Canyon, Tank Canyon, Lick Wash) - Nipple Ranch Road (Monkey House, Deer Creek Toadstools and Big Horn Panel) - Coal Mine Canyon - Escalante - Hole in the Rock Road (Devils Garden, Sunset Arch, Moonrise Arch, Hurricane Wash, Jacob Hamblin Arch, Dance Hall Rock) - San Rafael Swell (Upper Chute Canyon, Straight Wash, Reds Canyon Loop) - Hanksville (Factory Butte Arch, Little Egypt Geologic Area, Smith Fork) - Blanding (Grand Gulch, Sheiks Canyon, Collins Springs) - Sedona (Red Rock Crossing, Schnebly Hill Road, West Fork of the Oak Creek, Devils Bridge, Secret Canyon) - Little Finland - Las Vegas

OUR FALL TOUR 22.09. - 15.10.2006

Denver - Black Canyon of the Gunnison N.P. - Rocky Mountains & San Juan Mountains (Maroon Bells, Kebler Pass Road, Dallas Divide, Owl Creek Pass Road, Last Dollar Road, Million Dollar Highway, Yankee Girl Mine, Crystal Mill, Cinnamon Pass, Animas Fork, Guston Mine, Alta Ghost Town) - North Clear Creek Falls - Treasure Falls - Shiprock - Royal Arch - Aztec Arches (Cox Canyon Arch, Petroglyph Arch, Rooftop Arch) - Bisti De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area - Ah-shi-sle-pah Wilderness Study Area - Largo Canyon (very good petroglyphs) - Jemez Mountains (Soda Dam, Teakettle Rock) - Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks N.M. - Bandelier N.P. - Santa Fe - White Sands N.M. (bad weather) - Three Rivers Petroglpyh Site - alternate schedule because of a large bad weather front: Petrified Forest N.P. - White Pocket (A Time for Reflection) - Coyote Butte South - Arches N.P. (Courthouse Wash Pictographs) - Canyonlands N.P. (Island of the Sky, Mesa Arch sunrise, Grandview Point, Green River Overlook etc.) - Colorado River Scenic Byway 128 - Denver

NORTHWEST 29.07.-20.08.2005

>> Tour 2005

Olympic Peninsula (La Tongue, Salt Creek Recreation Area, Cape Flattery, Makah Indian Reservation, La Push, Rialto Beach, First Beach, Second Beach, Third Beach, Ruby Beach, Kalaloch Beach, Hoh Rain Forest, Quinalt Rain Forest) - Mt. Saint Helens (Windy Ridge Road) - Mt. Rainer - Glacier N.P.

Steffens Tour: Southwest Spring Tour

Steffens Tour: Southwest Fall Tour

COLORADO PLATEAU 04.10-30.10.2004

Las Vegas (Luxor) - Valley of Fire S.P. - Warner Valley Dinosaur Tracks - Johnson Farm St. George - Grand Canyon North Rim (Pt. Sublime) - Marble Canyon - Wahweap Hoodoos - Coyote Buttes North (twice) - Lower Antelope Canyon (twice) - Upper Antelope Canyon - Wahweap Hoodoos - White Rocks - Rimrocks - Old Paria - Cottonwood Canyon Road - Page, AZ (Horseshoe Bend) - Bryce Canyon N.P. (Navajo Loop Trail, Queens Garden Trail, Peek-a-boo Loop Trail) - Moqui Marbles - Hole in the Rock Road (Broken Bow Arch, Sunset Arch) - Escalante (Steffen and I met us for the very first time in the Cowbowy Blues Bar; also there our dear friend Philippe) - Navajo N.M. - Coral Pink Sand Dunes - Zion N.P. (Subway, Angels Landing etc.) - Valley of Fire S.P. - Las Vegas (Venetian Resort - nice, but was it worth all that money...?)

Steffens Tour: 17.03- 03.04.2004 (together with Thomas, Janina and Dirk)

Denver, Bisti Wilderness (Hunter and Gateway Wash) - De-Na-Zin Wilderness - Monument Valley (guided tour to Teardrop Arch for sunset; $20 p.p.) - Mexican Hat Rock - Raplee Ridge - Coal Mine Canyon - Ha-Ho-No-Geh Canyon - Balanced Rocks near Lee's Ferry - Page (for the 4th time at Alstrom Point - Sidestep Canyon - Bringham Plains Road - Cockscomb Hike - Yellow Rock - Coyote Buttes South (Cottonwood Teepees, Cottonwood Cove) - Coyote Buttes North (Sand Cove, Top Rock Plateau etc.) - Horseshoe Bend - Paria Movie Set - Zion N.P. (Submarine Rock, The Subway) - Springdsale (Fatalis Galery) - Las Vegas (Ellis Island "Complete Steak Dinner" for $4.95 inkl. soup and salad; all drinks for $1; delcisous beer) - Death Valley (Ubehebe Crater, Racetrack Valley, Zabriskie Point) - Skutumpah Road (Bull Valley Gorge, Willis Creek Canyon) - GSENM (Golden Cathedral, Moki Hill, Broken Bow Arch, Peek-a-boo and Spooky Slot, Coyote Gulch via Jacob Hamblin Arch descent, Hike to Coyote Natural Bridge, sunset at Devils Garden, Escalante Overlook) - Burr Trail (Long Canyon, Strike Valley Overlook), Nottom Road Scenic Backway (Waterpocket Fold) - Capitol Reef N.P. (Cathedral Valley, Walls of Jericho) - San Rafael Swell (Little Wild Horse, Bell Canyon) - Goblin Valley S.P. - Fantasy Canyon - I-40 (terrible snowstorm in the Rockies) - Denver

Steffens Tour: California & Southwest Fall Tour (with Philippe)

Escalante River Trail - Perfect Kiva at Bullet Canyon - Salt Creek Canyon (hike to the All American Man Pictograph) etc.

Steffens Tour: 30.03.-18.04.2003

Phoenix - Organ Pipe N.M. - Tucson - San Xavier del Bac Church - Saquaro N.P. - Biosphere IIPetrified Forest N.P. (Crystal Forest, Blue Mesa, Painted Desert, Giant Log Trail, Agate Bridge) - Canyon de Chelly N.M. - Page (Upper Antelope Canyon, Wahweap Hoodoos, Alstrom Point, White Rocks (White Valley, Violette Peaks, Colored Canyon) - Cottonwood Canyon Road (Grosvenor Arch) - Hole-in-the-Rock-Road (Devils Garden, Zebra Slot, Peek-a-boo Slot Canyon, Sunset Arch) - Lower Calf Creek Fall - Kodachrome Basin S.P. (Panorama Trail) - Fahrt zum Bryce Canyon N.P. - Coral Pink Sand Dunes S.P. - Paria Movie Set - Coyote Buttes North - again White Rocks (White Valley, Big Camel Hoodoo) - Alstrom Point (once again) - Cobra Arch - Toadstool Hoodoo - first exploration of the Coyote Buttes South (Cottonwood Cove) - Valley of Fire S.P.- Las Vegas (sunset at Stratoshpere Tower, Laser Show at Freemont Street) - Phoenix

Steffens Tour: Southwest Second Spring Tour

Steffens Tour: Southwest Fall Tour

Steffens Tour: 25.05.-14.06.02

San Francisco - Highway #1, sea lions at Ano Nuevo State Park - Yosemite N.P. (Glacier Point, Yosemite Valley, Mirror Lake) - Kaweah Lake - Sequoia N.P. (Giant Forest) - Barstow - Las Vegas - St.George - Springdale - Zion N.P. (Angels Landing, Lower and Upper Emerald Pools, Narrows, Canyon Overlook Trail, Checkerboard Mesa) - Bryce Canyon N.P. (sunset at Fairyland Point and at Sunset Point, Navajo Trail and Queens Garden Hike) - Scenic Byway 12 - Kodachrome Basin S.P. (Needles, Shakespeare Arch) - Grand Staircase Escalante N.M. - Capitol Reef N.P. (Scenic Drive, Cassedy Arch, Grand Wash Trail) - Moab - Goblins Valley S.P. - Mills Canyon Dinos Tracks - Dead Horse Point S.P. - Arches N.P. (Windows Section, Double Arch, Landscape Arc, Double O Arch, sunset at Delicate Arch) - Navtec Boat Tour from Fisher Towers on the Colorado River - Canyonlands N.P. - Needles Overlook - Newspaper Rock - Monument Valley - Valley of the Gods - Goosenecks S.P. - Muley Point - Page (swimming at Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Dam, Horseshoe Bend, Lower Antelope Canyon, first exploration of the Coyote Buttes North on June 9th, 2002) - Grand Canyon N.P. (Rim Trail Hike from Grand Canyon Village to Hermits Rest) - Las Vegas (Flamingo Hilton)

CENTRAL WEST 04.08.-02.09.2000

Salt Lake City - Antelope Island - Copper Mine - Bonneville Salt Flats - Transcontinental Railroad Road - Golden Spike N.H.S. - City of Rocks - Bruneau Dunes - Gooding City of Rocks - Craters of the Moon N.M. - Grand Teton N.P. - Yellowstone N.P. - Bighorn Canyon - Charles Russel N.W.R. - Makoshika S.P. - Theodore Roosevelt N.P. (North Unit & South Unit) - Medicine Rocks S.P. - Devils Tower N.M. - Badlands N.P. - Mt. Rushmoore N.M. - Crazy Horse - Black Hills/Needles - Custer S.P. - Wind Cave N.P. - Toadstool Geologic Park - Hudson-Meng Bison Bonebed - Carhenge (Stonehenge made out of cars, funny!) - Scotts Bluff N.M. - Chimney Rock N.H.S. - Rocky Mountains N.P. - Mt. Evans - McKee Spring Petroglyphs - Dry Fork Canyon Petroglyphs (one of the best we´ve seen!) - Red Fleet (nice dinosaur tracks!) - Flaming Gorge - Salt Lake City

USA SOUTHWEST 12.3.-10.4.1999

Las Vegas (Luxor) - Red Rock Canyon N.R.A. - Northshore Rd - Valley of Fire S.P. - Mojave National Preserve (Cima Rd, Kelbaker Rd., Kelso Sand Dunes) - Calico Ghost Town - Palm Springs - Joshua Tree N.P. (Covington Flats, Indian Cove, Keys Ranch, Cholla Cactus Garden; snow!) - Salton Sea - Anza Borrego S.P. - Imperial Sand Dunes - Old Plank Road (police took us for illegal mexicans...) - Organ Pipe Cactus N.P. (Puerto Blanco Drive, Senita Basin, Ajo Mt Drive) - Casa Grande N.M. - Goldfield Ghost Town - Apache Trail - Old Tucson Studios - Arizona Sonora Desert Museum (great wildlife) - Saguaro N.M. (East & West) - Mission Xavier del Bac - Tombstone - Chiricachua N.M. - City of rocks - White Sands N.M. - Three River Petroglyph Site N.R.A. - Valley of Fires Recreation Area - Carlsbad Caverns N.P. - Guadalope Mts N.P. - Big Bend N.P. (snow!) - Palo Duro Canyon S.P. (cougar track in the sand at dusk...) - Amarillo - Big Texan Steak Ranch (very good!) - Cadillac Ranch - Capulin Mountain N.M. - Great Sand Dunes N.M. - Taos Pueblo - High Road to Taos - San Francisco de Asis Chruch - Santuario de Chimayo - Nambe Falls - Santa Fe - Bandelier N.M. - Tent Rocks - Turquoise Trail - Sandia Peak (snow!) - Petroglyph N.M. - Trinity Test Site (open to the public just twice a year!) - Very Large Array - El Malpais N.M. - Chaco Canyon N.M. - De-Na-Zin Wilderness - Bisti Wilderness (wonderland of hoodoos!) - Petrified Forest N.P. - Meteor Crater - Sunset Crater N.M. - Wupatki N.M. - Grand Canyon N.P. (South Rim) - Oak Creek Canyon - Sedona - Jerome - Havasupai Indian Reservation (Havasupai Falls, Mooney Falls) - Chloride - Hoover Dam - Las Vegas (Treasure Island)

Steffens Tour: Southwest Tour in July (with RW)

USA WEST 24.5. - 21.6.1997

L.A. - Joshua Tree N.P. - Organ Pipe N.M. (Ajo Drive) - Saguaro N.P. (West Unit) - Arizona Sonora Desert Museum - Biosphere 2 - Petrified Forest N.P. - Meteor Crater - Grand Canyon N.P. (South Rim) - Sedona - Monument Valley - Goosenecks - Valley of the Gods - 4 Corners Monument - Mesa Verde N.P. - Canyonlands N.P. (Needles District & Island of the Sky) - Arches N.P. (Windows Section, Delicate Arch, Devils Garden) - Colorado River Scenic Byway 128 - Dinosaur N.M. - Flaming Gorge - Grand Teton N.P. - Yellowstone N.P. - Salt Lake City - Goblin Valley S.P. - Capitol Reef N.P. - Bryce Canyon N.P. - Cottonwood Canyon Road - Old Paria Movie Set - Upper Antelope Canyon (at that time $10) - Marble Canyon - Coral Pink Sand Dunes - Zion N.P. - Valley of Fire S.P. - Las Vegas (room at the Treasure Island Hotel) - Valley of Fire S.P. (once again, lovely!) - Death Valley N.P. (40°C outside and although heating(!) on our cooling water started to boil several times ...) - Lone Pine - Mt. Whitney Portal - Mono Lake South Tufa - Bodie (there is no better ghost town!) - Yosemite N.P. (Tioga Pass, Mariposa Grove) - Route 49 - San Francisco - 17 mile drive - Big Sur - Madonna Inn (just crazy...) - Solvang - L.A.