Bagging Peaks and Taking Names: Hiking Mount Dana
There are some trips that Curtis and I have been meaning to do for years now, Lyle Glacier, Mount Lyle, Mount Whitney, anywhere in Sequoia, and Mount Dana. Guess which one we finally crossed off the list!?! (SPOILER: it’s should be pretty obvious by the blog title) Yep, we hiked Mount Dana last month – which is now officialy the tallest summit I been to. I don’t think of myself as a…
Mount Hoffman: The Ultimate Yosemite Panorama
I hiked up Mount Hoffman with a group group of friends in early July this summer, it was my second trip up Hoffman. The first trip was in the fall of 2011 – which I can from experience say it is an amazing hike both summer & fall. On that first trip there was a light dusting of snow across the peaks, although we had to hike up the seasonally close May lake…
Gambling on Walk-In Campsites – Rock Creek Lake Campground
Whenever I plan a last minute adventure I feel a little like a someone at a horse race – stacking the odds versus the payoffs, and ultimately taking a slightly informed leap of faith. Walk-in campgrounds and first come first serve permits are saviors for last minute planners, and an agony. Why is the “Earliest arrival date for on-line reservation is three days from now”? And do you really expect me to “Please…
Watching a Fire: Yosemite Meadow Fire
On Sunday I was hiking up Mt. Dana with Curtis, having drove across Tioga Pass in the morning hours to get a reasonably early start. Driving past we might have chatted about the Dark Hole fire – a small lighting fire that has been smoldering for a while near Porcupine Flat. I love that the fire is named after an odd place listed on the topographic map (an old stagecoach…
A MicroAdventure Hiking Mono Pass, John Muir Wilderness
This morning I was reading an article about #MicroAdventures – which simply put are mini adventures that allow one to escape the 9-5. The video, the hashtag, and the blog of the man who wrote the book on #MicroAdventures make it seem very exciting, fun, and well… sexy. It is like a one night stand with a beautiful place & who knows if you will ever see it again. I immediately…
Hiking Tenaya Lake: Why not stop for awhile?
Recently it has been getting hot down in Groveland, which can mean it will be even hotter down in Yosemite Valley. I love the valley, and it is always a must do if you are only going to the park for a short period of time (I might suggest biking, a dip in the Merced, and maybe a hike up the mist trail in the cooler early morning hours) –…
South Camp Peak, Tahoe Rim Trail – Day 11
Last full day on the Tahoe Rim Trail – Crazy, right?! It seemed like just a few days and couple baby toe blisters ago that I had just started. Time flies when you are having fun… or slowly convincing your body that it CAN make 165+ miles.
The number one thing I “learned” (re-learned?) on this trip is how much a hiking routine helps to get the miles done whilst remaining sane…
Marlette Peak Campground, Tahoe Rim Trail – Day 10
It has become a tradition in the last couple of years to take a backpacking trip over the 4th of July weekend. Unfortunately this has meant we missed out on the yearly firework shows, instead “settling” for sunsets and the calmer sierra canyons.
This year though, as Trails and I headed into our 10th day on the trail, we were picking up “The Boys” who were joining us with their mountain bike just in time to bring 4th of July essentials: Whiskey, wine, flags, and enthusiasm…
Mount Rose Campground, Tahoe Rim Trail – Day 9
Beginning June 25, 2014 I thru-hiked the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT), circling Lake Tahoe in 12 days. Accompanied by my friend and fellow blogger, Trails, we bravely took on this 165+ mile loop. I will be blogging a day-by-day rundown of each day’s hike, night’s campsite, and my contemplations while beating down miles. Check out my complete trip report for the TRT here – This is day 9. One of the peculiar…
Hello! I am a 30-something outdoors-lady, backpacker, and resident of Groveland, California - 
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