Travel stories with mild geo-flavor
irreverentoutcrop 
After wrapping up our time in Pond Inlet on the north shore of Baffin Island, we made a connection through Iqaluit and arrived at the Inuit village of Pangnirtung (aka Panniqtuuq), which is nestled deep within a fjord of southeastern Baffin Island. Pangnirtung: “the place of the bull caribou” Pangnirtung is located on the Cumberland … Read more
My last post covered first impressions of Nunavut’s capital Iqaluit, and this one will continue our journey further up north to the Inuit village of Pond Inlet in Northern Baffin, as well as the adjacent Sirmilik National Park. Pond Inlet: “the place of Mittima’s grave” Pond Inlet is a traditional Inuit village on the northern … Read more
We took a trip to Baffin Island (i.e. “Qikiqtaaluk” in Inuktitut, meaning “very big island“) in August 2025, exploring lively permafrost, ancient rock formations, and spectacular Arctic fjords, while also getting a glimpse of the unique lifestyle of Inuit people today. This trip was overflowing with fascinating and thrilling experiences, far too many to capture … Read more
We took a trip to the Yukon this spring! Our itinerary was fairly relaxed: we mostly stayed in Whitehorse, the territory’s capital, and explored the national park to the west as well as nearby First Nation towns. Whitehorse lies along the upper Yukon River on the eastern slopes of the Saint Elias Mountains. The surrounding … Read more
The north shore of Kauai is not only home to luxurious mansions but also features a variety of estuaries, most of which are wave-dominated, bar-built types. We visited five of these estuaries: Except for Manoa, the sandy beaches at the estuaries share the same name as their rivers. There is also another river, Wainiha, located … Read more
I recently came across a site where you can draw flight routes on a 3D globe. It doesn’t have as many features as gcmap, but it’s more interactive that I can spin around and explore freely. The visual style leans toward geometric and minimalistic, and the colors for the globe and routes are easy on … Read more
North of Los Angeles lies a striking sandstone outcrop known as the Devil’s Punchbowl. I’d seen it before from the air— it’s right where the Transverse Ranges of Southern California give way to the Mojave Desert, directly adjacent to the San Andreas Fault. But it was not until this year that I finally had a … Read more
Last autumn, we explored the vibrant foliage of Hokkaido’s Shikotsu-Toya National Park (支笏洞爺国立公園), visiting Lake Toya, Noboribetsu Hell Valley, and Lake Shikotsu—all iconic natural landmarks. A must-see for nature enthusiasts! Geology overview of Hokkaido Hokkaido has a complex geological structure, with numerous faults, volcanoes, and geothermal features across the island. It sits on the Okhotsk … Read more
During our March 2025 trip to Kaua‘i, Hawaii, one unforgettable day stood out: we spent seven hours soaking in the breathtaking vistas of the Nā Pali sea cliffs, the volcanic Lehua tuff cone, and the remote shores of Ni‘ihau – often called the “Forbidden Island”. Magma from the Hawaiian mantle plume hotspot has continuously erupted … Read more
In the winter of 2023, we traveled to the northernmost mountain range of the North American continent—the Brooks Range. The heart of this range lies within Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska. 1. Fairbanks to Bettles On the day of departure, the temperature was still below freezing, but the sky was perfectly clear. … Read more
I’ve often pondered why so many destinations that captivate my imagination lie perpetually out of reach. No matter where I’ve lived, these places remain scattered to opposite ends of the Earth. Are these far-off vistas truly more breathtaking than the landscapes nearby, or does their appeal stem solely from the novelty of their remoteness? 1. … Read more
We visited the Grand Canyon in Arizona this spring and hiked all the way to the bottom! Starting with the Kaibab Formation at the top, which formed around 270 million years ago during the Permian period, and moving down to the Vishnu Schist at the canyon floor, which formed 1.7 billion years ago during the … Read more
The prime season for iceberg viewing in Newfoundland is in May and June. We joined in the excitement this year (2024). The sea ice in Baffin Bay on the west coast of Greenland melts in spring, and the resulting icebergs move southward with the Labrador Current, along the so-called “Iceberg Alley”. They cross the entire … Read more
During my trip to the Hexi Corridor in September 2024, I visited the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang. I was quite amazed by the caves that I would like to insert this post of cultural topics here, not quite related to nature or geology like most of the other posts on my website. Dunhuang is located … Read more
When we were going back to Phoenix from the Grand Canyon, we turned east in Flagstaff and took a 45 minutes detour to visit the Barringer Meteor Crater (a.k.a. Meteor Crater Natural Landmark). This is the most well-preserved meteor crater in the world and the first confirmed impact crater on Earth caused by an extraterrestrial collision. The meteorite … Read more
My earlier post Micronesia part 1: secluded stones mainly discussed high island landscapes related to volcanic rocks and megalithic cultural sites. This upcoming part 2 will focus on low island features derived from coral reefs. Not having read part 1 won’t affect understanding this post. Calcareous skeletons of corals form limestone, which falls into the … Read more
Shield volcanoes and stratovolcanoes are two major types of volcanoes. Other smaller-scale volcanic features also include cinder cones, volcanic domes, calderas etc. To put it simply, low-viscosity magma flows gently outward instead of erupts violently, resulting in shield volcanoes with gentle slopes. In contrast, stratovolcanoes form from viscous magma that often erupts violently and couldn’t … Read more
When flying over areas with clear weather, if I can secure a window seat for free or at a reasonable cost, I usually opt for it to enjoy the view. This post sums up some of my personal experiences and tips. I’ll use solo adult economy passengers as an example here to keep things simple. … Read more
California. The oldest, tallest, and largest (by volume) known living trees on Earth are all around the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Each of them is worth a separate visit. The oldest trees – bristlecone pines An ongoing research project is investigating a cypress tree in Alerce Costero National Park in Chile that might be … Read more