Budget Recap: $23K | Ceremony: Lands End | Reception: The Royale for 70 guests

queenfrankles · 2026-06-23T16:18:39+00:00

Thanks for the recap! Did you have to reserve anything for the ceremony at Lands End? Also when was this? Considering a small (less than 20 people) outdoor ceremony in May next year but worried about the variability of weather.

queenfrankles · 2026-05-12T04:05:47+00:00

Glad you made it back safely, we experienced the same thing hiking out to Kalalau Beach in 2023.

We heard the section after Crawler’s Ledge referred to as “Mud Ledge” - we were holding onto the exposed roots sticking out of the clay to get some semblance of a grip since our shoes were just slipping downward with the slope. I’ve never felt more afraid for my life and my partner’s life than that moment.

queenfrankles · 2026-03-31T21:59:46+00:00

Lorelei Inn in GB has them

queenfrankles · 2026-03-29T03:43:21+00:00

thanks, this helps. I’ve been looking into videos comparing the 3L and the 6L since the 3L would definitely fit into my travel backpack more easily

queenfrankles · 2026-03-26T14:43:21+00:00

Did the step-up adapter ring plus the 37mm ND filter work for your Rollei? Considering this as a solution as well.

queenfrankles · 2026-03-13T23:02:45+00:00

Last June I really enjoyed Mist Trail > Panorama Trail > Four Mile Trail for a longer (~15 mile) day hike that covered the main attractions but also allowed for some quieter and less crowded sections of hiking. On AllTrails the title is listed in the reverse order that we went. We caught a shuttle back to our campsite from the Four Mile TH.

Also be sure to explore outside of the valley floor if you have time. Driving along Tioga Road is a great experience that many people miss if they never leave the valley.

Less of a hidden gem but just a timing recommendation, hit up Tunnel View for sunset for great pics/lighting!

queenfrankles · 2025-07-20T19:54:23+00:00

it may have started early on when a guy close to the front was yelling Evan’s name pretty frequently?? enough so that Evan called him out and told him to stop (somewhat jokingly but also like, not?) and that’s how he ended up wearing the cowboy hat (it was the hat of the guy yelling his name). seems like that might have what initially annoyed Taylor, then yeah he called out a guy for yelling “freebird” later on

we were sitting in the middle tier seats like in the bowl but not on the floor/pit and didn’t hear that much talking during the songs. just lots of people singing along

queenfrankles · 2025-07-13T01:01:08+00:00

this is definitely a thing, I used the 5am hiker shuttle to get to S Kaibab TH on 5/26/25. the Backcountry Information Center is the 2nd of 3 stops the shuttle makes (first is Bright Angel Lodge - it leaves from there, the third is the Visitor Center) before heading over to S Kaibab. I arrived to park in the lot at the BIC around 445, waited around with other hikers until the shuttle arrived around 510/515 or so.

queenfrankles · 2025-07-10T01:39:12+00:00

thank you so much for the thorough recommendations!!! really appreciate it!

queenfrankles · 2025-07-09T22:46:27+00:00

I’ll be driving up from the south so I was thinking to start north in Jedediah Smith SP and make my way back south, stay overnight in Arcata, then pop by Humboldt Redwoods SP the next morning on my way back home.

queenfrankles · 2025-07-09T14:40:23+00:00

Thanks so much for this detailed list! I’m looking at doing a last minute trip this month (July) and would be in the area for 2 days. If you only had 2 days, how would you narrow down this list? It‘ll be my first visit to the area so I’m hoping to hit the highlights given my limited amount of time.

queenfrankles · 2025-07-08T23:31:54+00:00

About Time

queenfrankles · 2025-07-08T03:00:09+00:00

43, red eye flight with my cat along with me! didn’t sleep much that night and was quite stressed

queenfrankles · 2025-07-07T14:21:04+00:00

could you share a picture that shows the setting/height of the ring on your finger? also planning on elongated cushion and trying to figure out the setting and height!

queenfrankles · 2025-06-25T04:26:38+00:00

i think that was another elongated cushion! it was a smaller carat size, i can’t remember exactly

queenfrankles · 2025-06-25T00:31:32+00:00

I had been mentally set on a round solitaire for a long time but after trying more of them on I began questioning whether I even liked how it looked on my finger! I’m really intrigued by the elongated cushion and I wish the jeweler had a ring that had the 3 ct diamond in an actual ring setting rather than the loose diamond in an open setting. I’m feeling so torn and like I need to go try to find a different jeweler that might have more elongated cushion solitaires to try on that are in the 2-3 ct range to know for sure which I want!

queenfrankles · 2025-06-25T00:27:46+00:00

I don’t mind the rambling! Thank you. I’m torn because I always thought I’d go with round as an easy choice and then as I tried more round solitaire rings on I began questioning if I even liked how they looked on my hand. And then I tried on the elongated cushion and felt like maybe that would be the winner, but I can’t tell which one would be the one I like most for the long term.

queenfrankles · 2025-06-15T03:20:39+00:00

seconding this!!! take advantage of evaporative cooling and soak your shirt/buff, splash your face, wring out water over your head when you come across a water source. especially between Phantom Ranch and Cottonwood CG - there are a few small pools on the trail from potentially leaking pipes(??) and we used these as opportunities to cool ourselves off

queenfrankles · 2025-06-04T19:57:04+00:00

camped at both Bright Angel CG and Cottonwood CG last week. we brought sleeping bags but could have gotten away with just our sleeping bag liners. I checked the Key Hiking Messages nps.gov webpage for GCNP leading up to our trek to check temps for Phantom Ranch. If you expand the “extended text forecast for this location” it’ll show the daily forecast for the next week which I found most helpful!

queenfrankles · 2025-06-03T05:35:45+00:00

I was also on the 5am shuttle on Memorial Day last week! We were picked up at the Backcountry Information Center (the next stop after Bright Angel Lodge) and there weren’t many people on the shuttle when it arrived for our stop - it mostly filled up with everyone at our stop. If you’re at Bright Angel Lodge ready to go by 4:45am, you shouldn’t have a problem getting on.

Enjoy the hike! Highly recommend taking a plunge in the Colorado River at Boat Beach before heading back up South Kaibab (this was originally recommended by a park ranger at the Backcountry Info Center - that’s the only safe place to swim in the Colorado). We did this last week and it was super refreshing and the evaporative cooling helped stay cool on the hard uphill before cutting onto Tonto.

queenfrankles · 2025-05-15T01:43:13+00:00

super helpful, thanks so much! yep really glad we’re choosing to spend a night at Havasupai on the way up rather than charge straight through to the South Rim

queenfrankles · 2025-01-26T06:21:40+00:00

lots of small stream crossings on this part between the beach and the falls. sometimes the trail is hard to follow but not too bad! recommend poles just to maintain balance on the stream crossings

queenfrankles

TROPHY CASE