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Home » adventure

July 28, 2019 By YExplore Leave a Comment

Nepal Peru 2020

Nepal Peru 2020 is an ambitious plan to trek on two continents on two adventures of a lifetime in the span of two months. The journey begins March 22, 2020 in Kathmandu, Nepal. From there we will fly to the famous Lukla airstrip for the commencement of the Mount Everest Base Camp Trek. Next we visit Peru in South America on May 22, 2020. Upon arrival in Cusco, we will tour that city and other Inca sites before embarking on our next expedition. Then we will take the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu to complete our epic journey.

Nepal Peru 2020

Nepal Peru 2020

I welcome all of you to join one or both of these exciting expeditions. Nepal Peru 2020 will be significant for many reasons. 2020 will be a major milestone year for me so I am looking to celebrate the entire year with adventures on multiple continents. I am personally going to join both trips and look forward to each one. Don’t hesitate and apply for your passport now.

Nepal 2020

The trip to Mount Everest Base Camp will be a 13 day trek. We will stop in tea houses along the way that will provide warmth and hearty meals. We will learn about Nepalese Culture while enjoying all the breathtaking scenery of the Himalaya. Book now to make your Everest Base Camp reservation today. We are offering a special discount code EBC150 for $150 off each person.

Peru 2020

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu will follow the historic path in Peru created centuries ago. This will be a 9 day tour visiting many cultural sites in Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu. We will begin in Cusco for some culinary delights blended in with tours of the vibrant city rich in culture. Then we will visit some locations nearby for more enriching experiences before our trek begins. Finally, we make a four day journey into the Andes Mountains for an unforgettable experience. Sign up now to make a Machu Picchu reservation today. We are offering a special discount code ITMP500 for $500 off each person.

Space is limited to 12 people for each tour. Sign up today to receive your discount. I hope to see you in 2020.

If you are interested to learn something about Kilimanjaro then read more here. To get a full picture of our global treks, take a look at this page.

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Filed Under: Everest Base Camp, Global Adventures Tagged With: adventure, adventures, andes, base camp, cusco, everest, expedition, global, hike, hiking, himalaya, kathmandu, lukla, machu picchu, peru, tour, trek, trekking

May 17, 2013 By YExplore

Echoes and the Bunnymen

Cathedral Peak, Cockscomb, and Echo Peaks from Lower Cathedral Lake
Cathedral Peak, Cockscomb, and Echo Peaks from Lower Cathedral Lake; Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

By John P. DeGrazio

Mountaineers aren’t made; they’re born.

Waking up at 5 am is never fun, but sometimes it is more tolerable than others. As my alarm sounded, I sprung out of bed, eager to meet the day’s challenge. I couldn’t shovel the oatmeal in my mouth fast enough, and I sprinted out the door with a full pack of food, water, and plenty of sunscreen.

Morning Light on the Back Side of Pywiack Dome, Yosemite National Park
Morning Light on the Back Side of Pywiack Dome, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Gabe Mange Feeling Strong
Gabe Mange Feeling Strong by John P. DeGrazio

We arrived at Pywiack Lake, some like to call it Tenaya Lake, at about 8 am and immediately began our  journey. After some early morning shots of Pywiack Dome, we followed the climbers trail up the Cascades to Lower Cathedral Lake where we were greeted by stunning views of Cathedral Peak, my first multi pitch climb in Yosemite. I was with Red Bro in charge, Gabe Mange, and he was feeling strong.

Tenaya Peak and Pywiack Lake, Yosemite National Park
Tenaya Peak and Pywiack Lake, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Early Morning, Pywiack Cascades, Yosemite National Park
Early Morning, Pywiack Cascades, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

That's What Beards are For
That’s What Beards are For by John P. DeGrazio

We treated ourselves to some sunflower seeds and other snacks before we continued our journey. We stopped briefly to chat with 3 firemen who declined our invitation to join us on the Echo Peaks and a lone camper who all thought we were a bit out of sorts. When I tried to explain what our goal was, Gabe nudged me to end the conversation and reminded me “We’re like on a big mission, man.” From the Upper Cathedral Lake, we ascended through a decent amount of snow to the bench above beautiful Budd Lake.

Eichorn Pinnacle and Cathedral Peak, Yosemite National Park
Eichorn Pinnacle and Cathedral Peak, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

From there, I declared “Dude, we’re camping here in a few weeks”. Gabe concurred.

Cathedral Peak and Clouds, Yosemite National Park
Cathedral Peak and Clouds, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

The views were sublime. I was overwhelmed by emotion as I felt my spirit lifted from my body in way that I have experienced many times before, but only in the mountains. Cathedral Peak was simply stunning, and I had never seen Mt. Dana look so beautiful, all 13,061 feet of her.

Our approach to the Echo Peaks was pretty straightforward, and we didn’t encounter any problems besides a few postholing incidents. We chugged a couple of shots of Red Ace, and Gabe received a jolt of energy he had never felt before. Not to be confused with the other poisonous energy drinks on the market, Red Ace is an all natural beet shot. Each bottle contains three organic beets, and I have been assured by my new friend Miles, the company’s owner, that scientists have proved this supplement can provide energy as well as help mountaineers adjust to higher altitudes. Gabe and I were convinced as we saluted our new found tonic.

Every Climber Needs a Good Partner, Echo Peaks, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio
Every Climber Needs a Good Partner, Echo Peaks, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

We climbed three of the Echoes in all, and made one last push to the Cockscomb, an 11,005 foot peak in the center of the Cathedral Range.

Alpinist Glow, Yosemite National Park
Alpinist Glow, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

We grabbed the summit and decided to call it a day. Our plan was to get down for some fish tacos, but as it always seems, we were in no hurry to leave this magical place. We stopped to photograph the majesty of the peaks who welcomed us. We were not the only ones there that day, as we heard a couple of climbing teams on Cathedral. Although we were not alone, we felt so isolated from the rest of the world and were happy to share this most remarkable terrain with fellow adventurists.

We took our time on the descent and soaked in every last ray of sun as we approached the lake during sunset. We stopped to photograph at every turn where each lighting situation improved. We made it back to Pywaick, and the last bit of sunlight escaped as we ended our 12 hour excursion. We returned happy, tired, and hungry. Although we were feeling the pangs of hunger (missed our chance for tacos), our beings were completely satisfied with another bountiful mountainous feast. Next time we return, this area will be filled with many more adventurous souls on similar missions. This particular thought made our experience that much more memorable.

Cathedral Peak from the Bench
Cathedral Peak from the Bench, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Mt. Dana with Unicorn Peak, Yosemite National Park
Mt. Dana with Unicorn Peak, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Lenticulars and Mt. Conness, Yosemite National Park
Lenticulars and Mt. Conness, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

On a Mission, Echo Peak #3, Yosemite National Park
On a Mission, Echo Peak #3, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Echo Peak #3, Yosemite National Park
Echo Peak #3, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Echo Lake from Echo Peak #3, Yosemite National Park
Echo Lake from Echo Peak #3, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Massive Matthes Crest, Yosemite National Park
Massive Matthes Crest, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Echo Peak #3, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio
Echo Peak #3, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Bunnymen, aka Team RedBro on the Echo Peaks, Yosemite National Park
Bunnymen, aka Team RedBro on the Echo Peaks, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Gabe Mange Descends the Echo Peaks, Yosemite National Park
Gabe Mange Descends the Echo Peaks, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Echo Peaks and Clouds by John P. DeGrazio
Echo Peaks and Clouds by John P. DeGrazio

The Cockscomb, Yosemite National Park
The Cockscomb, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Gabriel Mange and the Echo Peaks
Gabriel Mange and the Echo Peaks, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Whitebark Pine and Cathedral Peak
Whitebark Pine and Cathedral Peak, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Reflection of Cathedral Peak from Lower Cathedral Lake
Reflection of Cathedral Peak from Lower Cathedral Lake, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Cathedral Peak from Icy Lower Cathedral Lake
Cathedral Peak from Icy Lower Cathedral Lake, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Cathedral Peak from the Pywiack Cascades Headwaters
Cathedral Peak from the Pywiack Cascades Headwaters, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Gabe Mange Photographing Pywiack Cascades
Gabe Mange Photographing Pywiack Cascades, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Pywiack Cascades, Yosemite National Park
Pywiack Cascades, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

Last Light on Cathedral Peak from Pywiack Dome
Last Light on Cathedral Peak from Pywiack Dome, Yosemite National Park by John P. DeGrazio

If you are interested in reading other poems check out Tokoyee’s Regret or this one.

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Filed Under: Yosemite Adventures Tagged With: adventure, alpinist, beauty, blog, budd, bunnymen, cascades, cathedral, climbing, cockscomb, conness, crest, dana, dome, echo, lake, lenticular, light, lower, matthes, mountain, mountaineer, mt, national, park, peak, photography, pine, pywiack, red ace, unicorn, upper, whitebark, Yosemite

May 5, 2013 By YExplore Leave a Comment

Welcome to the New Age

YExplorelogo_yosemiteIf you are reading this, I would like to thank you for finding us on our newly designed YExplore website and blog. I woke up with the sound of “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons in my head. While I don’t quite think it’s quite the apocalypse, it is a revolution of sorts. We are calling it the Adventure Blog and were formerly the Yosemite Photo Blog. We still plan on being Yosemite-centric, but you will see some new adventures listed on this site now and some more to possibly come in the next 24 months so stay tuned. What we will continue to provide is photo driven adventures in Yosemite and beyond. Please stick around, bookmark the new blog site, and come back often. Oh yea, there’s one more thing. Please be patient as you poke around some of the new features of the website. It is a work in progress, and we could only build out the framework before migrating the entire site. You will notice some of the older pages are still alive so enjoy them while they’re around, but this is definitely the New Age! Thank you all.

If you are interested in reading other poems check out Tokoyee’s Regret or this one.

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Filed Under: Adventure Blog Tagged With: adventure, blog, dragons, imagine, new age, photography, Yosemite

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