Tragedy in Zion
It’s been a sad week for my SoCal hiking family. While I did not know those that perished personally, I know others that are overcome with grief and sorrow. With so many of my fellow hikers hurting and knowing that our community has lost some amazing people, I am hurting too. When something like this happens, I know that my … Read More
Mt. Langley Backpack, Day 2 – Cottonwood Lake #3 to Summit & Out, August 29 2015
After sleeping really well (big props to Jacks ‘R’ Better), we were on the trail by 3 AM. We moved quickly until we closed in on Cottonwood Lake #4 (labeled 5 on the map below). There were a few different use trails in the area and we got headed in the wrong direction more than once. Using my GPS and … Read More
Trail, Water & Smoke Conditions: Rush Creek, Thousand Island Lake & Banner Peak, September 12-13 2015
I’ll have a full trip report next week, but figured I should post some conditions for other hikers. Trail Conditions Nothing notable for the maintained trails from Rush Creek to Thousand Island. We went around Gem Lake (orange route) on our way in, then through Spooky Meadows (blue route) on our way out. We hiked from Thousand Island Lake to North … Read More
Trip Planning: Thousand Island Lake via Rush Creek, September 2015
I’m not exactly sure how I learned about Thousand Island Lake, but when I first saw pictures of it, I knew I had to find a way to get there. With a busy schedule and limited overnight trips though, this has proven to be a challenge. Luckily things seemed to line up for me this week – I found permits, … Read More
Mt. Langley Backpack, Day 1 – Cottonwood Lakes Trail to Cottonwood Lake #3, August 28 2015
Soon after my first Mt. Whitney summit in 2011, I started looking at Mt. Langley. Despite planning the trip multiple times over the years, a solid attempt at Langley never panned out (closest was a 2013 attempt that ended after a Cirque Peak summit). Weather, conflicting schedules and my obsession with Mt. Whitney generally threw a wrench into my plans. Having … Read More
Gear Review: Farm to Feet Merino Wool Socks
Why Buy? Back in June, I went on my first multi-night backpacking trip in eight years, covering 60+ miles in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park on the High Sierra Trail (HST). It may sounds ridiculous, but one of my concerns leading into the hike was figuring out what socks and how many pairs of socks I needed to carry. Here are some … Read More
Blue Mountain Training Hike, August 22 2015
With a backpacking trip planned for August 27-29, I wanted to get out for a couple of hours to get some cardio in and test the replacement lens I bought for my camera. Unexpectedly, it was foggy and humid. My pictures weren’t looking good, so I decided to mess around with HDR while we were out there. Geek Stats Distance: 3.45 miles || … Read More
Gear Review: LowerGear.com’s Rental Service
Why ‘Buy’? Quality hiking and backpacking gear is expensive. This cost can grow exponentially when you’re inexperienced and unsure of what gear is going to work for you. It is not uncommon for individuals to buy gear, find out it doesn’t work well for them and then find themselves repurchasing gear. Others buy gear, then find out they don’t like backpacking … Read More
Duck Pass, August 16 2015
My wife, son, dog and I spent the weekend in Mammoth to get away from the heat in SoCal. I had planned to hike Duck Pass Saturday morning for sunrise, but after arriving at the hotel at 2:30 am, I decided it was best to wait until Sunday. Saturday I ended up doing a couple of short hikes to Mammoth … Read More
Gear Review: Cotton Carrier Camera Carrying Systems
Why Buy? Taking photos is an important part of hiking for me. I enjoy writing trip reports and sharing my experience through photos. In an effort to reduce weight, I’ve tried using my smartphone, as well as point & shoot cameras, but I’ve been unsatisfied with the results. In order to get the photos I desire, I need to carry something … Read More