The info in this trip report was originally post on a forum thread entitled Tips for First timers, by First Timers. You can read related posts, by myself and others here: WPSMB If you’re interested in checking out what I recommend to others in terms of training, you can read my recommendations here: Training and Preparing for Mt. Whitney If you … Read More
As hikers and friends, we need to take care of each other. When I planned to hike Mt. Whitney every year, Memorial Day Weekend tended to mark the beginning of our training and planning. We usually planned on Whitney for mid- to late -August, since getting started around Memorial day would give us 12+ weeks to train. The first … Read More
Why Buy? Sometimes, I need a good way to attach gear to the outside of my pack: Ever since I started snowshoeing, figuring out how to carry snowshoes has been an issue. In California, if I went out for a 10 mile snowshoe hike, it would not be a surprising to end up carry snowshoes for 4 miles or more. … Read More
Why? As with any sport or activity, hiking has it’s adages that you’ll hear over and over once you’re spending time with participants of that activity. As a hiker, two things that you’re likely to hear are “cotton kills” and “1 pound on your feet equals 5 pounds on your back.” While “cotton kills” immediately made sense to me, I didn’t … 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. The last year has been amazing. I spent more days on the trail than I ever have, took my first extended backpacking trip (High Sierra Trail) and I … Read More
I’ll add more details as time allows and as I find more information about this area. Planned Itinerary Day 1 (Fri) 11 AM Start drive to Mammoth Afternoon Optional Hike? Sunset photos from the Alabama Hills Other ideas? Day 2 (Sat) 6 AM Snowshoe Minaret Summit and Beyond (photos here: https://goo.gl/6e2JX9) Mammoth Mountain Inn > Minaret Summit (9,215′) || 1.75 miles || +425, -75 Minaret Summit > … Read More
“We never defeat a mountain; we only defeat the things inside ourselves that would keep us from climbing the mountain.” – John Harlin Jr For the first time ever on a hike, I had truly given up. On a day where I thought I would be helping my friends accomplish their goal of completing the 5th hardest dayhike in America, I was … Read More
Earlier this year, I made a mental list of the alpine lakes, mountain passes and peaks that I wanted to visit before leaving California. With a busy schedule, I’ve had to do some crazy things to see all that I have over the last few weeks. This trip to the North Fork of Big Pine Creek was no exception. If planning … Read More
I’ll add more details as time allows and as I find more information about this area. Planned Itinerary Day 0 (Fri) 7 PM Drive to Big Pine area 11 PM Setup camp, go to bed Day 1 (Sat) Early AM, Hike: Big Pine Lakes 1-5 Loop with Summit Black Lake (orange, see below) Mileage: 13 miles total || Duration: 6-8 hours total || Elevation … Read More
Why Buy? I bought my first hiking backpack on a whim. I had been using my wife’s old Camelback and had intended to carry it on Mt. Whitney hike I was preparing for. Through an online sale, I was able to buy a backpack with a suspended back panel for $60 (REI Venturi 30). After three years of abuse, it was time … Read More