In 2016, I passed through the Cottonwood Lakes Basin on the exit of my SOSHR attempt with Art and Joe. That trip didn’t go quite to plan; however, it did inspire me to make several other trips into places near that route since then. I have a love affair with the Eastern Sierra for which there’s no substitute. Although Mammoth…
Backpacking
Somehow two years passed since I last backpacked and slept outside for more than a night. Time passes so quickly; monuments that mark notable events in our lives act as reminders of that. It’s so easy to put things off, to feel like we are on the cusp of doing that thing that we’d get around to someday, then before…
Mt. Whitney is not only the highest peak in the continental US, it’s also auspiciously situated near the Southern terminus of the John Muir Trail. A true gem of the Sierra Nevada, and one that is no doubt on many bucket lists. It’s also notoriously difficult to get the necessary permits to hike Mt. Whitney because of the amount of…
I find myself back on the East Side again. This trip was sort of by happenstance, but none the less a nice hike. The Saddlebag Lakes area is as good a place as any to use as a launch pad for trips into and around Yosemite and although it can be busy during the peak season, it’s nowhere near the…