Marcus Rivera
Adventure Correspondent
Based in Boulder, Colorado · 15 years covering travel · Writes in English, Spanish
Marcus Rivera has spent fifteen years writing about places you have to walk into. He has guided in Patagonia, reported from Kilimanjaro's quieter routes, and has strong opinions about which of them are worth the airfare. He is based in Boulder, mostly so he can leave it.
What Marcus covers
- —Multi-day treks and the logistics of getting to the trailhead
- —Permit systems, shoulder seasons and when a route is genuinely closed
- —Outfitter selection — who runs a safe trip and who sells one
TripWriters is an AI-assisted publication. Marcus Rivera is an editorial persona, and the portrait above is generated — it is not a photograph of a real person. Every article is checked against our editorial standards before it runs.
Articles by Marcus Rivera
Cataract Canyon: A Quick Guide to the Colorado River's Wildest Rapids
Cataract Canyon's 14 miles of Class III–V rapids are some of the wildest whitewater in the West. A remote, permit-limited stretch of the Colorado where spring runoff turns every rapid into a test.
Powder Highway Secrets: Backcountry Skiing Rogers Pass
Four days skinning Balu Pass and Asulkan Valley in Glacier National Park, where a century-old CPR lodge once stood and every tour still starts with a guide reading the avalanche bulletin aloud.
Walking the W: A Trekker's Guide to Torres del Paine
Five days on Patagonia's classic W trek, from the blue ice of Glaciar Grey to the granite towers at sunrise, with honest difficulty notes, refugio-versus-camping advice, and gear for wind that can knock you sideways.
The Great Migration and Beyond: Kenya's Maasai Mara for Serious Adventure Travelers
Balloon flights at dawn, river-crossing vigils, and low-vehicle conservancies: here's how serious adventure travelers should rank their Maasai Mara priorities, plus when to go.
Sacred Ground: Tracing American Sacrifice Along Normandy's D-Day Coast
Four days tracing the American D-Day coast on foot, from the crosses at Colleville-sur-Mer to the cratered cliffs of Pointe du Hoc and the wide sand of Utah Beach.
Kayaks, Crampons, and Ice: The Ultimate Adventure Menu in Paradise Harbour
A ranked, honest look at every adventure activity on offer in Paradise Harbour — from glacier-side sea kayaking to a mountaineering scramble — with which expedition operators actually run each one.
My Spring in the Maldives: A Travel Story
Five days across a Maldives local island and an Ari Atoll resort: whale sharks, drift dives, sandbank picnics, and the food that fueled all of it.
The Complete Guide to the Amalfi Coast: What to See, Do & Eat
The Amalfi Coast in full: the Path of the Gods hike done properly, where to base yourself from Positano to Sorrento, what stays open in winter, and a three-day itinerary that earns every meal.
Essential Tips for Traveling to the Amalfi Coast
Winter turns the Amalfi Coast into a quieter, cheaper, harder-to-navigate destination. Here's how to handle the road closures, suspended ferries, and shuttered restaurants that catch off-season travelers off guard.
Bangkok Quick Guide: Everything You Need to Know
Bangkok in winter is cool and navigable. Eat from street stalls and markets, explore the canals by boat and bike, and stay in one neighborhood long enough to live like a resident.
My Winter in Kyoto: A Travel Story
Six weeks in a rented Nishijin machiya taught me a slower Kyoto — snowy temple roofs, empty torii gates at dawn, and soba shops older than the shogunate.
Paddling Through Ice: A Kayaker's Diary of Cierva Cove
A first-person diary of kayaking through Cierva Cove's icebergs and leopard seals on the Antarctic Peninsula, from Ushuaia embarkation to the cove's coldest, quietest ten minutes.
My Winter in Istanbul: A Travel Story
Five cold, windswept days crossing the Bosphorus, running muddy forest trails, and steaming out on a 440-year-old hamam slab — a first-person account of winter in Istanbul.
Essential Tips for Traveling in Norway
Norway rewards planners: book fjord trains early, pack for four seasons in a day, and pick your season for midnight sun or northern lights. Here's the essential prep guide.
The Complete Guide to Charleston
A warm, practical guide to Charleston, South Carolina, from Rainbow Row and Fort Sumter to Lowcountry plantations, Gullah culture, and a three-day itinerary that covers all of it.
A Week in Torres del Paine
A week hiking, boating, and eating cordero al palo across Torres del Paine — from the Base of the Towers to Grey Glacier's blue ice, day by day.
Beyond the Peninsula: Planning an Antarctic Expedition via South Georgia and the Falklands
Skip the Peninsula-only crowds. South Georgia's 150,000-pair king penguin colonies and the Falklands' albatross supercolonies turn a 21-day expedition into the richest wildlife route in the Southern Ocean.
Backpacking Utah's Mighty 5: A Trail-by-Trail Guide to the Ultimate Desert Loop
A trail-by-trail plan for Utah's Mighty 5 loop — from the Zion Narrows to the Needles District — with real permit timing, water logistics, and shoulder-season strategy for backpackers.
Crossing the Drake: An Adventurer's Guide to Antarctic Peninsula Expedition Cruises
Crossing the Drake Passage is the price of admission to Antarctica's wildest wonders. Here's how to choose a true expedition ship, pick your adventure add-ons, and survive the crossing.
A Week in the Swiss Alps: Train Routes and Mountain Villages
I spent seven days riding Switzerland's legendary scenic railways and hiking between alpine villages. Here's every route, every view, and what it actually costs.
The 10 Best Hiking Trails in Southeast Asia
From volcanic peaks in Indonesia to jungle treks in northern Thailand, these are the must-do hikes for adventure travelers in Southeast Asia.
Scuba Diving in the Caribbean: Top 5 Sites for Every Level
From beginner-friendly reefs in Curaçao to expert-only wall dives in the Cayman Islands, these are the Caribbean's must-dive destinations.
Santorini Beyond the Caldera: Quiet Villages and Black Sand Beaches
Everyone knows the whitewashed cliffs of Oia, but Santorini's eastern coast hides volcanic beaches, traditional wineries, and villages untouched by cruise ship crowds.
Caribbean Island-Hopping: Your Complete Planning Guide
Planning a multi-island Caribbean adventure? Here's everything you need to know about routes, ferries, flights, and which islands to combine.