Distance: 7.3 MilesElevation Gained: 3,900'Difficulty: StrenuousTime: 6 Hours, approximatelyCritters: Marmots, chipmunksPros:- Some of the most epic scenery ever- Alpine Lakes- Towering granite crags- Adventures at Trail CampCons:- Thunder, lightning, and hail- Wet camping gearDetails:Adventure. Excitement. A hiker craves not these things. Or perhaps he does since, even though events may suck at the time, the …
Continue reading "Mt. Whitney Trail to Trail Camp and Consultation Lake"
Distance: 1.7 MilesElevation Gained: 150'Difficulty: EasyTime: 0:48Critters: NonePros:- Weird boulder formations- Not nearly as hot as the desert normally is in AugustCons:- NoneDetails:I got back to my car at the Meysan Lake trailhead just in time to feel the first few fat drops of rain hit my windshield. The threat of a thunderstorm had become …
Distance: 7 MilesElevation Gained: 2,400Difficulty: Moderately StrenuousTime: 3:45Critters: Marmots, chipmunksNew trees: Singleleaf Pinyon Pine, Black Cottonwood, Mountain Alder, Mountain MahoganyPros:- Great warm-up for Whitney- I love the Sierra Nevada MountainsCons:- Forgot the sunscreen- Looming thunderstormsDetails:So, this Whitney thing kind of fell into my lap. I met a guy named Kyle on a hike to Mt. …
Distance: 7.6 MilesElevation Gained: 1,300'Difficulty: Moderately StrenuousTime: 2:45Critters: NonePros:- Sunset in August is a brilliant thingCons:- Heat in August sucks huevosDetails:So, last month, I actually failed to reach 100 miles of hiking for a month for the first time all year. Granted, I hiked 99.7 miles, which is hardly a cop-out. Yet, I looked at …
Continue reading "Blue Sky Ecological Reserve and Lake Poway"
Distance: 15.5 MilesElevation Gained: 3,700'Difficulty: StrenuousTime: 5:43Critters: DeerPros:- Elevation gain stretched out over long distances makes lots of easy stretches- Great desert, mountain, and city views- Lovely forestCons:- Since I didn't bring hiking poles, my knees are killing me- One section features a 500' descent and re-ascent, which just isn't funnyDetails:Mt. Baden-Powell is a 9,400' …
Distance: 4.9 MilesElevation Gained: 600'Difficulty: EasyTime: 2:15Critters: A deer and an egretNew Trees: Atlas Cedar, Black WalnutPros:- Leisurely hike to an old favorite- Not too hot for a July afternoonCons:- Forest trail was blocked by a downed treeDetails:I'm up in Agoura visiting my family and some of my friends who still live here. I'm also …
Distance: 1.1 MileElevation Gained: NoneDifficulty: EasyTime: 0:45:00Critters: A herd of bisonPros:- Ridiculously colorful- Grand Prismatic Spring is kind of insaneCons:- Crowded- People can be really stupid some times- We were tiredDetails:Our last stops in Yellowstone were geothermal in nature. Recalling a trip to Yellowstone when I was just an embryo, I wanted to stop at …
Distance: 3 MilesElevation Gained: 1,000'Difficulty: Moderately StrenuousTime: 2:00Critters: Bison, elkPros:- Epic waterfalls- Epic views of an epic canyonCons:- Hot- Crowded, particularly on the stairs- Sight-seeing fatigueDetails:After the stops at Norris Geyser Basin and Mammoth Hot Springs, Kelly and I set out for a long stretch of driving around the northern loop through Yellowstone Park. To …
Continue reading "Yellowstone: The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River"
Distance: 1.5 MilesElevation Gained: 300'Difficulty: EasyTime: 1:00Critters: NonePros:- Bizarre and fascinating hot spring terraces- Good views of surrounding canyonsCons:- Hot- CrowdedDetails:Mammoth Hot Springs sits at the northern end of Yellowstone Park. I've been fascinated with it ever since I was kid. My parents have this book that has a lot of pictures and descriptions of …
 Distance: 2 MilesElevation Gained: 200'Difficulty: EasyTime: 1:00Critters: Bison, Elk, GeesePros:- Most active geyser basin- Cold morning air created a lot of dramatic steam- We got stuck on the road behind a heard of bison- We got to drive alongside a bull bison- We practically had the geyser basin to ourselvesCons:- NoneDetails:I always hated getting …
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