Waking up in the morning, I felt invincible. It was going to be a good day. Laying my clothes out in the sun to finish drying, I went about my morning routine, and was returning from digging a cathole when I spotted a marmot gnawing on my shirt. Now, it’s Read more…
The Sierra is a magnificently beautiful mountain range in its own right, but the sharp contrast between the mountains and the surrounding desert valleys result in a sense of magnitude and scale that is difficult to describe. Lone Pine sits at 3,727 feet above sea level, on the floor of Read more…
Leaving the summit of Mt. Whitney and arriving back at our camp at Crabtree Meadows, I decided to eat, rest a while, and then press on. We would be climbing Forester Pass tomorrow, and I wanted to get as close as possible so that we could get there first thing Read more…
The air was cold and damp as we stepped out of the van at the trailhead – very different from what we were used to after 700 miles of desert. Still, it felt good be back on the trail. Our time at Grumpy’s and Kennedy Meadows had been enjoyable, but Read more…
Climbing up out of Tehachapi Pass, the wind swept over the ridge like an ocean current. At times, I could barely make forward progress as the strong gusts screamed over the barren landscape. Other times, I could barely stay on the trail as the current buffeted me to one side Read more…
It’s been brought to my attention that I often refer to “we” as I describe my adventures on the trail. Yes, I set out to hike the trail on my own, but I never had any intention of hiking alone. The trail is a social place, and it’s often the Read more…