After two full weeks of hiking the rugged Eastern Sierras, four days in Death Valley felt like a vacation from our vacation. Death Valley is humongous (3.4 million acres!) and we lazily explored the park, driving through its vast stretches accompanied by the Eagles and Jackson Browne. Though nature’s palette is muted here, it’s not limited…
Fair warning: Two of the quotes in this article are…creatively applied. They’re close, mind you, but a little off from their original intent. They came to me on the climb, though, so maybe I can blame it on the altitude? Backing up, a friend and I climbed Mt. Whitney in mid-October and it could not…
When I set out on a 3-week road trip of the Eastern Sierras, I did not expect to climb Mt. Whitney. It never entered my mind, but my hiking partner was most definitely thinking about it. She very cleverly (some might say diabolically) kept mum and quietly planned a series of hikes to gradually acclimate to…
In a span of three days I hiked amongst ancient Bristlecone Pines, toured Manzanar (a former Japanese internment camp), and explored the Alabama Hills. Visiting one right after the other naturally led to comparisons, and I was struck by their common thread: Beauty - and even triumph - in the face of extreme adversity. Great…
Yosemite is one of those bucket-list destinations, and I’m eternally grateful that my fist visit occurred late-season - the place was mobbed, even in October! I realize Karen and I did our part to add to the crowds, but sheesh, shouldn’t people be at work or in school or something?? Don’t misunderstand: I fell in…
I landed in Reno in early October primed and ready for a 3-week road trip with my best friend from high school. Though the original plan was to head south to Utah’s painted hills, Karen called an audible and switched things up. The Eastern Sierras hold a special place in her heart and the forecast…
I’m not sure why, but when I hear the words “ghost town” I immediately picture a Disney-esque, overly commercialized western town with a shooting gallery, old-timey photo booth, and Sarsaparilla for sale in the corner saloon. Bodie is the polar opposite. Purchased by the California State Parks in 1962, the town of Bodie is a…
Ahh, Mono Lake. Where oh where to start? First off, the name is pronounced ‘moan-oh’ (not ‘monno’ like the fatigue-inducing infectious disease). Second, when visiting, allow time for a sunrise trip to the lake, even if you’re not a morning person. Trust me, it’s worth it. Backing up, Mono is a lake due east of the town…
It’s hard to resist the call of Half Dome, one of Yosemite’s most prominent and awe-inspiring features. The image of that massive edifice drills deeper with each viewing, capturing the imagination and fueling adventurous fires within. What’s that you say? You can climb Half Dome? And there are cables to hold onto all the way…
With ever-increasing reliance on smart phones, we all need to eek out more battery life from time to time. Small tweaks usually suffice until charging is available, but on a recent extended backpacking trip, I needed to drastically minimize drain to ensure 8 full days on one charge. By invoking the so-called “nuclear option” (described…