Earthquakes, Landslides, Convict Creek and Pend Oreille
Last week I was visiting Curtis’s family cabin up by Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho, which is a stunning place that I feel very special to have been able to visit three times now. Right now the lake and surrounding peaks are beautiful when capped in snow, and the trip requires a boat ride to reach the final destination! That is some real off the beaten path stuff for a…
Jackass Lake, Ansel Adams Wilderness: A Tiny Backpacking Trip that Packs in Alot of Character
This is my obligatory exclamation of: What happened to this summer?! I had alot of adventures and day hikes (many of which are still in the blogging to-do queue) but not any backpacking trips. One minute I am kicking off spring with a snowy backpacking trip into Yosemite, then the next we are saying goodbye to fall with another venture into the winter wonderland. Following up with an trip idea…
Round Top & Winnemucca Lake Loop: a 5 mile Jaunt from Campsite to High Country
Earlier in the month I happened on a new hiking book in the library, Alpine Sierra Trailblazer. The hiking, biking, and skiing guidebook covers the area between Sonora Pass and Lake Tahoe. As luck would have it I soon found myself visiting the Tahoe area in early August without any game plan… meaning it was a great opportunity to put this book to the test! I chose to visit Highway…
Sonora Peak, Stanislaus National Forest: Sweeping Views on Sonora Pass
What came first: Sonora Pass, Sonora Peak, or the City of Sonora? Apparently the mining town of Sonora was the first place to obtain the name of ‘Sonora’ in the area. It was named after the Sonora Desert by early Mexican pioneers. I can see how the two may seem similar during the hot dry summer. Latter the Bartleson-Bidwell Party was the first settler party credited to have crossed Sonora Pass, although…
Relief Reservoir, Emigrant Wilderness: Aren’t Dams in the Wilderness Odd?
Note: I now realize looking a little harder at the map (that apparently I made, then posted, without looking at closely) that Relief Reservoir is indeed not inside the wilderness boundary – rather just outside that imaginary line. But still I crossed a wilderness sign! And I have visited dams inside the wilderness before so, point remains – I think it is odd. I have mentioned before, and will mention…
Upper Cathedral Lake, Yosemite: A Chilly Stop on the John Muir Trail
In the fall of 2012 Curtis and I hiked up to Lower Cathedral Lake just before a snow storm started doing it’s thing. At that time a couple backpackers were around (even though no overnight parking was allowed on the road for the season anymore) – but mostly the trail was dominated by a smattering of day hikers enjoying the last nice fall day. Last month I decided to make…
Tioga Peak, CA: A Little Hike for a Big Summit
Choosing the location of hikes is the start of my adventure. Zooming around on Google Earth, searching for maps, trying to predict weather… rarely do I ever just decide to hike down a random trail, I like to have a vision for my hike. Also, its a good idea so I don’t get lost and or in over my head. Happy hiking moods turn sour pretty quickly when I can’t…
Bartlett Peak: Summit Hike from Boundary Lake, Yosemite & Stanislaus
I don’t often plan backpacking trips where we basecamp in one location and dayhike. But maybe I should, it is a great strategy for hitting up nice places where you just don’t want to haul around a giant pack – such as random summits – plus it just sounds so leisurely, day hiking in the wilderness away from the trailhead crowds. Of course for Curtis and I’s trip to Boundary lake…
Backpacking Styx Pass: A Hidden Granite Wonderland in Northwest Yosemite & Emigrant Wilderness
Normally Memorial Day weekend backpacking trips in the Sierra are more like winter camping than a leisurely summer trip – and to my surprise the Sierra gave the whole winter thing a solid try on this backpacking trip up to the Northwest boundary of Yosemite and Cherry Creek Area. We camped out beneath rain, hail, thunder, and beautiful clouds. Never underestimate the power of the weather in the Mountains, even during the…
Hello! I am a 30-something outdoors-lady, backpacker, and resident of Groveland, California - 
Follow Me: