#ThrowbackThursday – It has been too long since my last Mt. Whitney trip. Prior to this long sabbatical from hiking the tallest mountain in the lower 48, I was making at least one trip per year to Whitney Portal. Looking at these pics really rekindles my desire to get back out there … The Plan Due to the late snow … Read More
I joined the SoCal Hike and Peakbag Meetup for another epic day of hiking and snowshoeing. With the recent snowfall, I was hoping that there’d be enough snow to test my winter traction devices, put in a few miles with my snowshoes and summit one of the 10,000 foot peaks in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. The conditions ended up being the best that … Read More
I brought my wife snowshoeing in 2013 and she was immediately hooked. We rented snowshoes a few times, then decided to buy her a pair. Due to the CA drought, those snowshoes sat unused for a full 2 years. This past weekend, the local mountains were hit by a significant snowstorm. Not wanting to miss the opportunity to finally get those ‘new’ … Read More
With the recent snowfall, I was hoping to finally climb the Baldy Bowl, a goal that has been eluding me for the past 3 years. The Plan I asked members of the California Peaks FB group for conditions regarding the snow level in the bowl. Several responded to my inquiry and I ended up joining a group that was already planning to go. … Read More
It’s hard to tell how long the snow will last in SoCal, so I took the opportunity to join the SoCal Hike & Peakbag Meetup for some ice axe & crampon practice. It was also my first opportunity to get out with my new Oboz Beartooth BDry boots; with the foot pain I’ve been dealing with lately, I was excited to see how … Read More
While there’s still snow in the area, I am trying to get out as much as possible to test my winter gear. With the warm temperatures in Southern California over the last week, the snow is melting fast. Since I knew there was lots of snow within a few miles of the South Fork Trailhead, we decided to head to the … Read More
I finally participated in my first meetup hike. I joined meetup in 2012, but since most of my hikes were summer hikes on established trails with a group of friends, I didn’t see the need for meetup. Thinking back, I think it’s been three years since I went on a hike that I did not plan. This year I am going on … Read More
If you regularly hike or backpack in California, please join our Facebook group, California Hiking and Backpacking! It’s a great place to ask questions and share your photos, trip reports and gear recommendations. Having received some new gear over the last couple of weeks, I was very eager to get out on the trail to find some snow. I recently learned about … Read More
The Plan I decided to take advantage of my (sometimes) flexible work schedule and get out for a hike before work. At first I wasn’t exactly sure where I should go, but I had a few goals in mind: Get in a good workout. I have a tough hike coming up December 27th. Take some nice snow & sunrise photos Use … Read More
The Plan We weren’t going to hike – we were just planning on going up to Icehouse Canyon to play in the snow with my son. The Outcome When we arrived at Icehouse, there wasn’t much snow at the trailhead and there weren’t any parking spots left. We decided to drive up to Manker’s Flats and walk up Baldy Road for … Read More