Backpacking Clark Fork of Illilouette Creek to Merced Pass Lakes – Day 2 to Ottoway Lake
The second day of Kate, Kris, Jacquie, Dan, Curtis & I’s backpacking trip to Ottoway lake turned out to be a bigger adventure than I had planed (See day 1’s blog here). The goal was to travel from our previous night’s campsite, at the Clark Fork of the Illilouette, to Lower Ottoway Lake – approximately 10 miles of total hiking. I knew it would be a hard day of hiking…
Backpacking Mono Meadows to Clark Fork of Illilouette Creek – Day 1 to Ottoway Lake
On August 24th through the 28th 2013 six Michigan Technological University alumni (Curtis, myself, Jacquie, Dan, Kate, and Kris) were to backpack Yosemite National Park, from the Hwy 120 down to the valley. It was to be the quintessential backpacking trip, half dome hike included… but since the Rim Fire happened to be blowing up that very weekend, in the words Kenny Rogers (and latter covered by punk band Elmer):…
The Rim Fire from Groveland
In case you have not heard, the big news around Groveland & this stretch of of the Sierra recently has been the Rim Fire, currently at 228,680 acres & the 4th largest wildfire in California history. Curtis, I, and our pets (Basil and Herman) are now back at home and safe, but it was an adventure getting here! We survived home evacuations, road closures, visitors, and backpacking trips during this chaotic…
Day Hiking the Duck Pass Trail, Mammoth Lakes
It is fire season in California, which means two things: (1) Curtis leaves me behind to work looking at fire damaged soils, down near this time near San Bernardino, and (2) There is smoke everywhere, including the Mammoth Lakes Basin on the east side of the Sierra from a fire on the Sierra National Forest. But even if the vistas are a little obscured smoke should not, and will not, ruin a…
Hiking the Wild and Scenic Clavey River to God’s Bath
2015 Summer Update: Many of the parts of the Stanislaus National Forest that were closed to the public last summer because of Rim Fire dangers are now open again. Please use your common sense when attempting this or any trail – don’t go if there is a sign that says no access/closed/etc (yes, even if someone knocked it down or moved it out of the road). Check in online to see if there are any alerts…
Reflecting on Life through the Tuolumne River: Poopenaut Valley Trail & Rafting
I have had a river filled couple of weeks here in July, enjoying the wonders of the wild and scenic Tuolumne & Clavey Rivers. Great for the hot weather, and even better for the heart…
Sentinel Dome & Taft Point Loop Hike
I have been meaning to post about Curtis & I’s hike to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point since late June. We hiked this one on June 20th, on a rare weekday day hike. The trek was not very intense, but provided some of the best views of far eastern mountains that we have ever seen while inside of the park. If we had to choose one over the other, personally…
Backpacking Buckeye Creek, Hoover Wilderness
A couple of firsts this 4th of July weekend – My first backpacking trip of 2013 and Curtis & I’s first backpacking trip in the Hoover Wilderness! I choose this trip out of Exploring Eastern Sierra Canyons: Sonora Pass to Pine Creek, which I recently found and bought a copy of in the Groveland Museum (which I was surprised to see has the best selection of regional hiking books and…
Elizabeth Lake Hike, Yosemite
Happy first day of summer 2013! I feel as if I have been slacking off on my duties as a summer trip planner – I only have reserved permits for one backpacking trip so far (more on that latter) … but in the mean time Curtis and I have been checking off shorter Yosemite day hikes off our master list. Better yet, with day hikes less than 6 miles we…
Hello! I am a 30-something outdoors-lady, backpacker, and resident of Groveland, California - 
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