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Backpacking in Ansel Adams Wilderness August 18, 2022 - My favorite person joined me on this planned 3 night trip which seems now like a lake tour of the area. It was a nice change from going solo. He’s just so easy to be around, effortlessly helpful, always encouraging, up for most anything, of course makes me laugh, and a partner in all decisions. … Continue reading Backpacking in Ansel Adams Wilderness
Running from the weather: Rae Lakes and more August 15, 2022 - I finally made it to Rae Lakes this year, after a wind event halted my hike there via Baxter Pass a few weeks ago. My goal was to enjoy Sixty Lake Basin, which I absolutely did, and I had varying weather to the point of confusion but overall it was sunny and warm. I am … Continue reading Running from the weather: Rae Lakes and more
Mojave Desert to See The Stars June 26, 2022 - It’s been a while since my partner took out the telescope and helped me see some celestial places up close. This weekend the moon was a late-rising crescent and the forecast called for clear skies and no wind so a last minute trip was floated this week and Saturday morning we headed out. No waking … Continue reading Mojave Desert to See The Stars
Day 5: No Hiking, Just A Giant Pancake June 25, 2022 - Instead of the hike out from a campsite near Baxter Pass per my original backpacking plans, I had been having the absolute best time day hiking. After a rough night trying to sleep in the car in Alabama Hills I knew what I needed. I needed Doug at the Whitney Portal Store to cook me … Continue reading Day 5: No Hiking, Just A Giant Pancake
Day 4: ALL THE MILES June 24, 2022 - The days of debating were over: I decided I was going to day hike to a view of Rae Lakes, where I was supposed to be backpacking if the first two days weren’t horribly windy, if it killed me. The shortest, and I think easiest, way there is out of Onion Valley, where I had … Continue reading Day 4: ALL THE MILES
Day 3: Finally I hike out of Lake Sabrina June 23, 2022 - I drove down from Rock Creek thinking I might still use my overnight permit to get to where I wanted (Rae Lakes and Sixty Lake Basin) so I headed south and thought to stay the night at Onion Valley. I got a sub sandwich for dinner and picked up two PCT through-hikers on the way … Continue reading Day 3: Finally I hike out of Lake Sabrina
Day 2: We Are Already In Heaven June 22, 2022 - Since I was no longer backpacking out of Baxter Pass to Rae Lakes due to intolerably high winds, I decided to hit some trails I’ve been meaning to do. I drove north, pondering heading all the way to Tahoe, but instead turned at Tom’s Place, just north of Bishop, to Rock Creek. The drive is … Continue reading Day 2: We Are Already In Heaven
Day 1: Baxter Pass Fail June 22, 2022 - The best laid plans can fall to ruin so fast! I was going to head into some light backcountry, still on at least marginally maintained trails, in my home-away-from-home eastern Sierra Nevada mountains. My well-thought-out and researched plan was to finally get to Rae Lakes and into Sixty Lake Basin but do it the hard … Continue reading Day 1: Baxter Pass Fail
Finally got to Moose Lake, sort of May 30, 2022 - Mind-blowingly stunning weekend in Sequoia Nat’l Park. I was supposed to take the now cross-country route to Moose Lake from Alta Meadow and make it a loop by exiting past Pear Lake. Almost worked out despite snow on the second part until wind…It is very crowded and getting worse by the minute: do NOT go … Continue reading Finally got to Moose Lake, sort of
Rock Creek Winter Backpack – Good news: my eyeballs didn’t freeze January 30, 2022 - It was a 5.5 hour drive but mostly carefree with a lovely sunrise coming up the 15. The temps in the high desert was in the high 40s (F) for the most part and the air was clean and clear, every detail on the mountains (Sierra Nevada to my left, Inyo then White to my … Continue reading Rock Creek Winter Backpack – Good news: my eyeballs didn’t freeze
Last Crumb – I paid $150 for raw cookies January 30, 2022 - You need understand that I love cookies. I’d give up eggs, fish, cheese, candy, caffeine – all the other loves and vices – if I could keep cookies. I want to start the absolutely useless charity of sending cookies to underprivileged peoples around the globe because I think more smiles would make the world a … Continue reading Last Crumb – I paid $150 for raw cookies
Decided on the Garmin Fenix 6S Pro January 30, 2022 - Well, so much for trying to find a tiny GPS watch! In prior posts I discussed my love for the Samsung Galaxy Fit2 as a daily wear – the only issue being no GPS so I always end up bringing a Garmin handheld for longer day hikes which seems like overkill on familiar or established … Continue reading Decided on the Garmin Fenix 6S Pro
Part 2: Tried FitBit, Mostly Fixed Garmin, More Stats November 21, 2021 - Ignore all my long-stressed over words and skip to Bottom Line. In the last post, I was complaining about a lack of Garmin accuracy on the smallest watch with built-in GPS I could find between Polar and Garmin, the Garmin Venu Sq. It’s not really much smaller than the Polar M400, but it’s less bulky … Continue reading Part 2: Tried FitBit, Mostly Fixed Garmin, More Stats
I can’t quit Polar, Garmin accuracy lacking November 15, 2021 - Backstory and Motivation Skip to review if you don’t want to put up with how much I type or don’t care, I’ll understand. It doesn’t make sense that I have been buying new GPS watches hoping to replace something that has never failed me. I think I’m doing it because I want something smaller and … Continue reading I can’t quit Polar, Garmin accuracy lacking
Very dry leaves sketchy water sources, 2 nights up Rush Creek September 28, 2021 - Some gear notes below, but for now let’s start at the beginning: I drove up Hwy 395 last Thursday, enjoying mountain views now that the wind changed direction and the area was more hazy than filled with brown smoke. By the time I made it to the June Lake Loop and skies were blue and … Continue reading Very dry leaves sketchy water sources, 2 nights up Rush Creek
Into thin air on San Gorgonio August 23, 2021 - Yesterday I summitted San Gorgonio via the Vivian Creek Trail. It took 4:50 to get up there (11,503 ft) and 4:03 to get down (6,080′) for 18 miles in 9 hours, but my overall moving time was 8 hours and that is pretty great for me so training has really paid off. I must say … Continue reading Into thin air on San Gorgonio
A hot Modjeska Peak August 16, 2021 - The training continues, this time super locally (25 minute drive on local streets). Most of the area to the east is closed due to a devastating fire, but this area was green and lush looking (when you are in it, it’s poking brush and cactus). I’d never been on this trail before, idea and hiking … Continue reading A hot Modjeska Peak
Cottonwood Trails of the Eastern Sierra August 9, 2021 - Smoke from the Dixie fire filled the high desert. When I was driving up early Saturday the Inyo Mountains were not visible at all and the Sierra was faint from the 395. I was not optimistic about hiking. The winding, steep Horseshoe Meadows Road felt like being in a void: nothing could be seen over … Continue reading Cottonwood Trails of the Eastern Sierra
Lovely San Jacinto August 3, 2021 - Whew, another tough one! I revisited the steep Marion Mountain Trail for the first time in many years: a 5.6 mile (official, my elevation map shows 11 total, which is a bit low, but some people claim 11.4+?) one way trek to the summit of San Jacinto (a rare peak that is a pile of … Continue reading Lovely San Jacinto
Steep trails around San Antonio (Mt Baldy) July 26, 2021 - Okay… OUUUUUCCCHHHH. Writing now that I showered (the amount of salt and sand-turned-mud in the humidity and sweat I could scrape off my face, and I left heel marks on my way in to get clean, ew) and ate pancakes (eating while intense exercise is difficult, so I was real low on calories despite fruit … Continue reading Steep trails around San Antonio (Mt Baldy)
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