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    ABOUT US

    Stephen & Giselle backpacking the Sierra High Route

    THE LOVERS PASSPORT

    Welcome to The Lovers Passport!

    We are Giselle and Stephen, a couple of California natives with a HUGE passion for outdoor adventure & travel! We thrive on exploring everywhere from the beach to the backcountry, and we just canโ€™t get enough of it! From backpacking and camping to traveling abroad, we’ve got your couple’s travel inspo covered!

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    INSTAGRAM

    Helpful Lightroom Tips & Tricks (โ€˜๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ)

๐Ÿ“ธ Photo Merging: Sometimes, we are actually able to bust out our drone - although 99% of our photos are shot on our tripod & remote! This photo was actually 3 photos we took on our drone stitched together. Our drone cannot shoot in a vertical format, so we combined 3 landscapes in one inside of Lightroom afterwards via a Panorama Photo Merge. Go toย Photoย >ย Photo Mergeย > Panoramaย Merge. This helps capture the immensity and scale of landscape photos without losing pixel quality! 

๐Ÿ“ธ Create Your Own Presets: Select the Presets button at the bottom corner of the โ€œEditโ€ Panel. Hit the three โ€ฆ > Create Preset > Select what you want to copy & name your new preset! Itโ€™s that easy!

๐Ÿ“ธ Change Colors of Clothing/Objects: Mask your object you want to change colors so it doesnโ€™t affect the rest of the image via the adjustment brush tool. You can hit the โ€œOโ€ button to see where you brushed as it will then show your overlay. The most time consuming part of this is definitely the masking. If the corners of your object arenโ€™t perfect, you can try turning down the defringe amount to see if the edges look more natural. Drop the saturation of the original color on this area. Then, use the hue and color sliders to adjust to a new color. Thereโ€™s other ways to do this in Photoshop or other apps, but if you only have Lightroom this is a great way to go about it! 

What did you wish you knew about photo editing when you first started taking pictures?
    Our Favorite Hikes Near Los Angeles ๐Ÿฅพ (โ€˜๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ)

We have been pushing ourselves to not only do our favorite local trails, but also find some fresh scenery and weโ€™ve found a ton of new gems recently! We just use our All Trails app and have been scouting them are finding so many amazing new spots to hike near us in LA & Santa Barbara. These are our Top Hikes to do when visiting the Los Angeles Area (as always make sure to Leave No Trace and recreate responsibly ๐Ÿ‘ฃ)

๐Ÿ“Sandstone Peak - this trail is a 3 mile out and back hike that is where we witness the most cloud inversions! โ˜๏ธ The weather conditions can be epic and it is the tallest mountain in the Santa Monica Mountains๐Ÿ”

๐Ÿ“Ladyface Peak - this is a 2 mile trail that is considered EXTREME on All Trails. It has a lot of elevation gain but we highly recommend it if you donโ€™t mind some rock scrambling ๐Ÿ˜‰

๐Ÿ“Scenic Overlook Trail - this is a new favorite of ours off the Pacific Coast Highway ๐Ÿš™ It takes you on a 2 mile loop that brings you to this beautiful overlook over the Pacific Ocean. Sunset is the best time to go and located in Point Mugu State Park!

๐Ÿ“Tuna Canyon - this is a popular hike during sunset but has so many gems to explore. The trail is wide with a lot of side trails entering and exiting. Create your own adventure and find a perfect spot to watch the sun sink below the ocean.

๐Ÿ“Mugu Peak - this is the perfect sunrise hike that takes you above the โ˜๏ธ if you are lucky enough to witness a cloud inversions! It is a steep 2 mile incline but the views always leave us speechless! 

Have you been getting out hiking? ๐Ÿฅพ
    Best Sand Dunes to Explore in California (โ€˜๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ)
.
Sand Dunes are amazing spots to explore, and thereโ€™s no shortage of them in California! They are HUGE (can you see us ๐Ÿ‘€) and are absolutely incredible to visit during sunrise and sunset when there are shadows cast all over the dunes. Here are our top spots for exploring California Sand Dunes, and as always please leave no trace, recreate responsibly, and get prepared for a workout! ๐Ÿ˜… Hiking in the sand is no joke! ๐Ÿ™ˆ

โณDeath Valley National Park: Death Valley is the home to the tallest sand dunes in CA! There are a variety of dunes including the most popular, Mesquite Flats. Thereโ€™s also the Saline Valley Dunes, Panamint, Ibex, and Eureka Dunes located in the parkโ€™s boundaries.

โณKelso Sand Dunes: These dunes are the most popular hike in the Mojave National Preserve! These peaks are much higher than Mesquite Flatโ€™s, rising up to 650ft in elevation gain. 

โณOceano Sand Dunes: if you are into ATVs and dune buggies, youโ€™ll love this area! Itโ€™s located right along the beach and itโ€™s one of the last coastal dune areas that still allow off-highway vehicles. 

โณGlamis Imperial Sand Dunes: If you are visiting the San Diego area, these are the closest dunes to you! These are the largest mass of sand dunes in the state, and there are also opportunities for using dune buggies in certain spots!

Have you ever visited a sand dune before?
    Ultimate Yosemite National Park Winter Itinerary ๐Ÿž (โ€˜๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ) #ad
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Yosemite National Park can be a totally different experience when itโ€™s winter! Weโ€™ve always loved getting outdoors here, but itโ€™s truly a winter wonderland in the snow! Because of heavy snow/ice in the winter, Glacier road and Tioga Pass close, but there still several beautiful parts of the park that remain open to enjoy! For current closures and conditions, always make sure to check the NPS website before going. Hereโ€™s our top tips for visiting Yosemite in the winter!

๐Ÿž Top Attractions to See: Drive the Yosemite Valley Loop and see Tunnel View (especially for sunrise/sunset), Cathedral Beach, Sentinel Bridge (great view of Half Dome), finishing off with Valley View

๐Ÿฅพ Top Winter Hikes: Mirror Lake, Mist Falls Hike, Lower Yosemite Falls 

๐Ÿ•” Trip Length: Due to recent safety restrictions, the park is currently only open from 8am-5pm for day use recreation. Make sure to keep an eye out on the constantly changing safety guidelines! 

๐Ÿฅถ Gear to Bring: You will need to carry Snow Chains with you as the road gets incredibly icy, and itโ€™s always good to bring some microspikes as well. Weโ€™re also all about the layers! 

Weโ€™ve been absolutely loving getting to explore the snow with the @llbean winter collection to keep us warm and comfortable on all of our day adventures. Our beanies and jackets have been absolute lifesavers! They also make for great pops of color against winter backdrops for photography! 

What is your favorite National Park to visit in the winter? โ„ #LLBeanPartner #BeAnOutsider
    Things to Know Before Visiting any National Park ๐Ÿž ('๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ)

๐Ÿ’ธ Entrance Fees: Most National Parks have entrance fees! They usually range from $25-$35 per park, which is why we always recommend investing in the America the Beautiful Parks Pass for $80 if you plan on visiting multiple in one year! Military members and their dependents can get this pass for free and there are also discounts for seniors. This year, there are 6 Free Entrance days as well, including TODAY! Others include April 17, August 4, August 25, September 25, and November 11. 

๐Ÿ—‘Leave No Trace Principles: weโ€™ve done several posts on this in the past but it is SO important! Always pack out what you pack in and leave only footprints, and make sure to respect wildlife and other visitors. We always emphasize these so we can preserve these beautiful spots for generations to come! 

๐Ÿ“ฑLack of Cell Service: donโ€™t rely on your phone for getting around the parks. Most of them have little to no cell service! Either print or screenshot directions ahead of time and make sure to bring a map or GPS unit with you! We also love the GAIA GPS app to download our maps of areas ahead of time. 

๐Ÿšซ NO drones are allowed! You have to get creative for higher shots by scaling higher elevations with your camera/tripod!

๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐ŸŒพ Park Rangers: if you need advice on what to do, ask the Park Rangers! They are a jackpot of information and usually love to help! Thatโ€™s how we found out about the hike pictured above! 

โ›ฝ๏ธ Gas: Gas is almost always way more expensive inside the parks so make sure to fill up your tank before entering park boundaries or use Gas Buddy to find the cheapest near you!

โ„๏ธ Seasonal Closures: trails are not always open year round! Roads often close for the winter to accommodate for snow so make sure to research winter closures whenever you are planning your future trips.

Are you planning on visiting any National Parks in 2021?
    Last year we hiked over 750 miles on our weekend a Last year we hiked over 750 miles on our weekend adventures ๐Ÿฅพ

Hiking every weekend has helped us escape the busyness of everyday life๐Ÿง‘๐Ÿปโ€๐Ÿ’ป๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿผโ€๐Ÿ’ป There is nothing like being above the clouds, standing on top of a peak, or jumping into a lake after a long adventure. 

When we heard @nature_valley helped restore access to 10,000 miles of national park trails we were so stoked ๐Ÿคฉ

Show us how you get outdoors and Nature Valley will restore access to 10,000 miles more! #RestoreMore #ad
    Our Must-Haves for Every Day Trip Adventure ๐ŸŽ’(' Our Must-Haves for Every Day Trip Adventure ๐ŸŽ’('๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ) 

Most of our trips recently have been day trips due to the restrictions and because we work full time jobs! ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿผโ€๐Ÿ’ป๐Ÿฅ‹Whether you are a seasoned adventurer or looking to start, packing the right things can make or break a trip! Here are 5 Things we ALWAYS have in our packs and bring on our Day Trip Adventures ๐Ÿš™

๐Ÿ”ฆ Headlamp - since we usually go from before sunrise to after sunset we get caught hiking in the dark. Having a headlamp has saved us in so many situations! We also love it because it can make for some cool photo opportunities during blue hour! ๐Ÿ“ท

๐Ÿ”‹Batteries - anyone else always feel like their phone has 1% at all hours of the day? ๐Ÿ˜… we bring an external battery pack, a few AAAโ€™s for our headlamp, spare camera batteries, and charging cords for all accessories. This might seem silly to include but the one time you need the extras you will be happy you brought them! 

๐Ÿฉน First Aid - this is one we feel like a lot of people donโ€™t bring! Having bandages, cleaning wipes, pain killer, and tape are the main things we bring in our kit! We donโ€™t bring a FULL first aid kit because of size and weight, but we bring something for those sticky situations. ๐Ÿค•

๐Ÿ’ฆ Waterproof Gear - it doesnโ€™t rain often here in SoCal (manifesting that CA gets snow soon โ˜ƒ๏ธ) We still always go on trips prepared for wet conditions! We bring a rain fly for our backpacks to keep our expensive gear safe ๐Ÿ“ท We bring waterproof shoes depending on the season ๐Ÿฅพ and always a good rain jacket/wind breaker. Rain and snow can very hard especially on camera equipment so we NEVER go anywhere without the proper protection. 

๐ŸฅพCamp Clothes - this might seem silly but we always bring 2 outfits and 2 pairs of shoes ๐Ÿ˜‚ The feeling of getting back from a day of adventuring and then putting on a pair of comfy shoes, clean underwear, and a fresh set of clothes makes a HUGE difference ๐Ÿ˜Ž We have found that we sleep much better and are more comfy for longer drives after we change out of our gross clothes. 

Do you have anything you must have on every adventure? ๐ŸŽ’
    Best Type of Lenses to use for Adventures ๐Ÿ“ท ('๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ) 

We have been getting a lot of questions on what lenses we use ๐Ÿง We have 4 Lenses that we bring on every adventure! We are going to also talk about why we use them because you can use a different lens on a camera or just a different zoom on a phone camera. 

๐Ÿž Wide Lens - we use a Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 lens for any type of landscape photos. We have also been using the wide .5x zoom on Giselleโ€™s new iPhone which is SWEET! We like using a wide lens when trying to show the SCALE of a landscape like in the photo above โ˜๐Ÿผ 

โœˆ๏ธ Travel Lens - we use a Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 for our walk around lens. We use this because it it the most versatile lens and can be compared to the regular camera on a phone. The focal length is perfect for traveling because it can get pretty wide but also zoom in for detail shots. If we were going to have one lens this would be the one! ๐Ÿ‘€

๐Ÿ”ญ Zoom Lens - we use a Canon 100-400mm f4.5/5.6 for our zoom lens. We primarily use this lens to make the background look much larger then the foreground also know as compression. You can get this affect on a phone by zooming in to 2 x-4x which will make the background appear larger! Our most recent picture of Mt. Shasta covered in snow was shot on this lens which is what made the mountain look so big! We like the 100-400 more then 70-200mm because it has a little bit of extra zoom and we can capture wildlife if we see it out on adventures! ๐Ÿป

๐Ÿ’ธ Budget Lens - if we were just starting off on a new camera we would get the Canon 50mm f/1.8.  It costs $150 which is a budget friendly lens that has portrait capabilities, performs good in low light, and takes great quality pictures! ๐Ÿ“ท

Do you like wide angle or zoom pictures? ๐Ÿง
    What kind of Camera do you use? ๐Ÿ“ท ('๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ) 

This is our number one most asked question โ˜๐Ÿผ The one thing a lot of people donโ€™t realize is the camera doesnโ€™t bust out perfect photos, the photographer is the one that can turn a simple tree into a beautiful shot. Here are 5 tips to take your own photos no matter what kind of camera you are using ๐Ÿ“ท

๐Ÿ‘€ Leading Lines - find natural or artificial lines that lead to your subject. In the picture, the tree leads straight down to us. We always are looking for spots in nature that have natural leading lines. 

๐Ÿ“ Triangles - this might seem silly but itโ€™s REAL! We always try to pose with our legs or body in a triangle position. In the photo above we spread out legs to give it a triangle. In our past 5 pictures see if you can spot how we used triangles to pose better and look more natural ๐Ÿ™ˆ

โ˜๏ธ Cloudy Conditions - take photos in cloudy conditions! This might seem silly but cloudy weather makes it so everything is lit well and has a moody vibe! The photo above was shot in the afternoon around 1pm which would have been much harder to capture if it was sunny ๐Ÿ˜… 

โ˜€๏ธ Sunrise or sunset - the best warm or golden lighting is at sunrise or sunset. As we say, the early bird catches the worm and we love sunrise photography! 6 of our past 9 photos were all shot right after sunrise because the lighting was perfect! ๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿผ

๐Ÿ‘ซStorytelling - this is the hardest part of a good photo. Every picture should tell a story. The shot above was on a hike in Sequoia National Park where we were getting dumped on by snow โ˜ƒ๏ธ trying to do one last hike to this cool location when we saw this HUGE tree. We loved how it was a single giant tree with nothing close to its size next to it. Find something you like about an area and try to capture it by telling a story of that moment. โœจ Much easier said then done ๐Ÿ˜…

We started taking photos on our iPhone(mostly selfies), then upgraded to the Canon 80D, and now shoot on a 5D Mk 3. The camera doesnโ€™t matter, it is all about the person behind it! ๐Ÿ“ท 

What is the story behind your favorite photo you have taken? ๐Ÿง check our stories for our favorite!
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    Helpful Lightroom Tips & Tricks (โ€˜๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ)

๐Ÿ“ธ Photo Merging: Sometimes, we are actually able to bust out our drone - although 99% of our photos are shot on our tripod & remote! This photo was actually 3 photos we took on our drone stitched together. Our drone cannot shoot in a vertical format, so we combined 3 landscapes in one inside of Lightroom afterwards via a Panorama Photo Merge. Go toย Photoย >ย Photo Mergeย > Panoramaย Merge. This helps capture the immensity and scale of landscape photos without losing pixel quality! 

๐Ÿ“ธ Create Your Own Presets: Select the Presets button at the bottom corner of the โ€œEditโ€ Panel. Hit the three โ€ฆ > Create Preset > Select what you want to copy & name your new preset! Itโ€™s that easy!

๐Ÿ“ธ Change Colors of Clothing/Objects: Mask your object you want to change colors so it doesnโ€™t affect the rest of the image via the adjustment brush tool. You can hit the โ€œOโ€ button to see where you brushed as it will then show your overlay. The most time consuming part of this is definitely the masking. If the corners of your object arenโ€™t perfect, you can try turning down the defringe amount to see if the edges look more natural. Drop the saturation of the original color on this area. Then, use the hue and color sliders to adjust to a new color. Thereโ€™s other ways to do this in Photoshop or other apps, but if you only have Lightroom this is a great way to go about it! 

What did you wish you knew about photo editing when you first started taking pictures?
    Our Favorite Hikes Near Los Angeles ๐Ÿฅพ (โ€˜๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ)

We have been pushing ourselves to not only do our favorite local trails, but also find some fresh scenery and weโ€™ve found a ton of new gems recently! We just use our All Trails app and have been scouting them are finding so many amazing new spots to hike near us in LA & Santa Barbara. These are our Top Hikes to do when visiting the Los Angeles Area (as always make sure to Leave No Trace and recreate responsibly ๐Ÿ‘ฃ)

๐Ÿ“Sandstone Peak - this trail is a 3 mile out and back hike that is where we witness the most cloud inversions! โ˜๏ธ The weather conditions can be epic and it is the tallest mountain in the Santa Monica Mountains๐Ÿ”

๐Ÿ“Ladyface Peak - this is a 2 mile trail that is considered EXTREME on All Trails. It has a lot of elevation gain but we highly recommend it if you donโ€™t mind some rock scrambling ๐Ÿ˜‰

๐Ÿ“Scenic Overlook Trail - this is a new favorite of ours off the Pacific Coast Highway ๐Ÿš™ It takes you on a 2 mile loop that brings you to this beautiful overlook over the Pacific Ocean. Sunset is the best time to go and located in Point Mugu State Park!

๐Ÿ“Tuna Canyon - this is a popular hike during sunset but has so many gems to explore. The trail is wide with a lot of side trails entering and exiting. Create your own adventure and find a perfect spot to watch the sun sink below the ocean.

๐Ÿ“Mugu Peak - this is the perfect sunrise hike that takes you above the โ˜๏ธ if you are lucky enough to witness a cloud inversions! It is a steep 2 mile incline but the views always leave us speechless! 

Have you been getting out hiking? ๐Ÿฅพ
    Best Sand Dunes to Explore in California (โ€˜๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ)
.
Sand Dunes are amazing spots to explore, and thereโ€™s no shortage of them in California! They are HUGE (can you see us ๐Ÿ‘€) and are absolutely incredible to visit during sunrise and sunset when there are shadows cast all over the dunes. Here are our top spots for exploring California Sand Dunes, and as always please leave no trace, recreate responsibly, and get prepared for a workout! ๐Ÿ˜… Hiking in the sand is no joke! ๐Ÿ™ˆ

โณDeath Valley National Park: Death Valley is the home to the tallest sand dunes in CA! There are a variety of dunes including the most popular, Mesquite Flats. Thereโ€™s also the Saline Valley Dunes, Panamint, Ibex, and Eureka Dunes located in the parkโ€™s boundaries.

โณKelso Sand Dunes: These dunes are the most popular hike in the Mojave National Preserve! These peaks are much higher than Mesquite Flatโ€™s, rising up to 650ft in elevation gain. 

โณOceano Sand Dunes: if you are into ATVs and dune buggies, youโ€™ll love this area! Itโ€™s located right along the beach and itโ€™s one of the last coastal dune areas that still allow off-highway vehicles. 

โณGlamis Imperial Sand Dunes: If you are visiting the San Diego area, these are the closest dunes to you! These are the largest mass of sand dunes in the state, and there are also opportunities for using dune buggies in certain spots!

Have you ever visited a sand dune before?
    Ultimate Yosemite National Park Winter Itinerary ๐Ÿž (โ€˜๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ) #ad
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Yosemite National Park can be a totally different experience when itโ€™s winter! Weโ€™ve always loved getting outdoors here, but itโ€™s truly a winter wonderland in the snow! Because of heavy snow/ice in the winter, Glacier road and Tioga Pass close, but there still several beautiful parts of the park that remain open to enjoy! For current closures and conditions, always make sure to check the NPS website before going. Hereโ€™s our top tips for visiting Yosemite in the winter!

๐Ÿž Top Attractions to See: Drive the Yosemite Valley Loop and see Tunnel View (especially for sunrise/sunset), Cathedral Beach, Sentinel Bridge (great view of Half Dome), finishing off with Valley View

๐Ÿฅพ Top Winter Hikes: Mirror Lake, Mist Falls Hike, Lower Yosemite Falls 

๐Ÿ•” Trip Length: Due to recent safety restrictions, the park is currently only open from 8am-5pm for day use recreation. Make sure to keep an eye out on the constantly changing safety guidelines! 

๐Ÿฅถ Gear to Bring: You will need to carry Snow Chains with you as the road gets incredibly icy, and itโ€™s always good to bring some microspikes as well. Weโ€™re also all about the layers! 

Weโ€™ve been absolutely loving getting to explore the snow with the @llbean winter collection to keep us warm and comfortable on all of our day adventures. Our beanies and jackets have been absolute lifesavers! They also make for great pops of color against winter backdrops for photography! 

What is your favorite National Park to visit in the winter? โ„ #LLBeanPartner #BeAnOutsider
    Things to Know Before Visiting any National Park ๐Ÿž ('๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ)

๐Ÿ’ธ Entrance Fees: Most National Parks have entrance fees! They usually range from $25-$35 per park, which is why we always recommend investing in the America the Beautiful Parks Pass for $80 if you plan on visiting multiple in one year! Military members and their dependents can get this pass for free and there are also discounts for seniors. This year, there are 6 Free Entrance days as well, including TODAY! Others include April 17, August 4, August 25, September 25, and November 11. 

๐Ÿ—‘Leave No Trace Principles: weโ€™ve done several posts on this in the past but it is SO important! Always pack out what you pack in and leave only footprints, and make sure to respect wildlife and other visitors. We always emphasize these so we can preserve these beautiful spots for generations to come! 

๐Ÿ“ฑLack of Cell Service: donโ€™t rely on your phone for getting around the parks. Most of them have little to no cell service! Either print or screenshot directions ahead of time and make sure to bring a map or GPS unit with you! We also love the GAIA GPS app to download our maps of areas ahead of time. 

๐Ÿšซ NO drones are allowed! You have to get creative for higher shots by scaling higher elevations with your camera/tripod!

๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐ŸŒพ Park Rangers: if you need advice on what to do, ask the Park Rangers! They are a jackpot of information and usually love to help! Thatโ€™s how we found out about the hike pictured above! 

โ›ฝ๏ธ Gas: Gas is almost always way more expensive inside the parks so make sure to fill up your tank before entering park boundaries or use Gas Buddy to find the cheapest near you!

โ„๏ธ Seasonal Closures: trails are not always open year round! Roads often close for the winter to accommodate for snow so make sure to research winter closures whenever you are planning your future trips.

Are you planning on visiting any National Parks in 2021?
    Last year we hiked over 750 miles on our weekend a Last year we hiked over 750 miles on our weekend adventures ๐Ÿฅพ

Hiking every weekend has helped us escape the busyness of everyday life๐Ÿง‘๐Ÿปโ€๐Ÿ’ป๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿผโ€๐Ÿ’ป There is nothing like being above the clouds, standing on top of a peak, or jumping into a lake after a long adventure. 

When we heard @nature_valley helped restore access to 10,000 miles of national park trails we were so stoked ๐Ÿคฉ

Show us how you get outdoors and Nature Valley will restore access to 10,000 miles more! #RestoreMore #ad
    Our Must-Haves for Every Day Trip Adventure ๐ŸŽ’(' Our Must-Haves for Every Day Trip Adventure ๐ŸŽ’('๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ) 

Most of our trips recently have been day trips due to the restrictions and because we work full time jobs! ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿผโ€๐Ÿ’ป๐Ÿฅ‹Whether you are a seasoned adventurer or looking to start, packing the right things can make or break a trip! Here are 5 Things we ALWAYS have in our packs and bring on our Day Trip Adventures ๐Ÿš™

๐Ÿ”ฆ Headlamp - since we usually go from before sunrise to after sunset we get caught hiking in the dark. Having a headlamp has saved us in so many situations! We also love it because it can make for some cool photo opportunities during blue hour! ๐Ÿ“ท

๐Ÿ”‹Batteries - anyone else always feel like their phone has 1% at all hours of the day? ๐Ÿ˜… we bring an external battery pack, a few AAAโ€™s for our headlamp, spare camera batteries, and charging cords for all accessories. This might seem silly to include but the one time you need the extras you will be happy you brought them! 

๐Ÿฉน First Aid - this is one we feel like a lot of people donโ€™t bring! Having bandages, cleaning wipes, pain killer, and tape are the main things we bring in our kit! We donโ€™t bring a FULL first aid kit because of size and weight, but we bring something for those sticky situations. ๐Ÿค•

๐Ÿ’ฆ Waterproof Gear - it doesnโ€™t rain often here in SoCal (manifesting that CA gets snow soon โ˜ƒ๏ธ) We still always go on trips prepared for wet conditions! We bring a rain fly for our backpacks to keep our expensive gear safe ๐Ÿ“ท We bring waterproof shoes depending on the season ๐Ÿฅพ and always a good rain jacket/wind breaker. Rain and snow can very hard especially on camera equipment so we NEVER go anywhere without the proper protection. 

๐ŸฅพCamp Clothes - this might seem silly but we always bring 2 outfits and 2 pairs of shoes ๐Ÿ˜‚ The feeling of getting back from a day of adventuring and then putting on a pair of comfy shoes, clean underwear, and a fresh set of clothes makes a HUGE difference ๐Ÿ˜Ž We have found that we sleep much better and are more comfy for longer drives after we change out of our gross clothes. 

Do you have anything you must have on every adventure? ๐ŸŽ’
    Best Type of Lenses to use for Adventures ๐Ÿ“ท ('๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ' ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ) 

We have been getting a lot of questions on what lenses we use ๐Ÿง We have 4 Lenses that we bring on every adventure! We are going to also talk about why we use them because you can use a different lens on a camera or just a different zoom on a phone camera. 

๐Ÿž Wide Lens - we use a Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 lens for any type of landscape photos. We have also been using the wide .5x zoom on Giselleโ€™s new iPhone which is SWEET! We like using a wide lens when trying to show the SCALE of a landscape like in the photo above โ˜๐Ÿผ 

โœˆ๏ธ Travel Lens - we use a Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 for our walk around lens. We use this because it it the most versatile lens and can be compared to the regular camera on a phone. The focal length is perfect for traveling because it can get pretty wide but also zoom in for detail shots. If we were going to have one lens this would be the one! ๐Ÿ‘€

๐Ÿ”ญ Zoom Lens - we use a Canon 100-400mm f4.5/5.6 for our zoom lens. We primarily use this lens to make the background look much larger then the foreground also know as compression. You can get this affect on a phone by zooming in to 2 x-4x which will make the background appear larger! Our most recent picture of Mt. Shasta covered in snow was shot on this lens which is what made the mountain look so big! We like the 100-400 more then 70-200mm because it has a little bit of extra zoom and we can capture wildlife if we see it out on adventures! ๐Ÿป

๐Ÿ’ธ Budget Lens - if we were just starting off on a new camera we would get the Canon 50mm f/1.8.  It costs $150 which is a budget friendly lens that has portrait capabilities, performs good in low light, and takes great quality pictures! ๐Ÿ“ท

Do you like wide angle or zoom pictures? ๐Ÿง
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