Words about science and hiking
Hiked the 5 miles to Badger Flats yesterday and had my thumb out for a ride to town by 8. Actually I just stood there; no cars came by in a half hour of waiting. But some outfitters hands had been working on the corral behind the parking area and when they finished they pulled Read More …
I started my day with high hopes of sitting on a plastic throne, but it was not to be. The campground privy was locked due to being full to capacity. The sign said the Forest Service is working on a solution. Good to know. The trail followed Courtright Res around its northeastern quadrant, fine views Read More …
A leisurely start this morning but not so late that the mosquitoes had a chance to warm up and get active. I made the short climb to Crown Pass and immediately wished I had spent the night there–the views of Ritter and Banner in Yosemite to the north, and of the Kaweah-Kern Divide to the Read More …
Spent the day yesterday with brother Dave at the Trapper Spring campground near Courtright Reservoir. We hiked a little, hoping to find a good fishing spot, but the fish were not active near the shore of the reservoir nor in the small streams flowing into it. We did see a sight I have not witnessed Read More …
Skipping ahead I rose from my soggy camp in the soggy forest below Avalanche Pass and started the climb. I made the pass in good time and found a gaggle of Outward Bounders there, teenagers groggily beginning to stir. I chatted a bit with the leader and she helpfully pointed out that I was headed Read More …
A thief in the night Awoke to partly cloudy skies, packed up for an early start –and could not find my other hiking pole, the one that wasn’t holding up my tent. I left it laying a few feet away from the tent but it was not there. I immediately suspected the work of marmots, Read More …
Something is definitely wrong with me. I mean not just that I like to disappear for weeks at a time in the mountains and desert. I mean that I am having a hard time doing it. I noticed I was short of breath climbing over Cottonwood Pass, but assumed my lack of conditioning was to Read More …
I thought the TST would be hard. It has a lot of steep climbs, and some stretches of trail are poorly maintained. What I didn’t plan on was the heat, and that all the trails are bad and some are worse. There have been no cruising stretches on this hike, at least not since I Read More …
Well that was a hard hike. And not the last hard hike either. Only 12 miles today, but the last 6 comprised a 4000-foot climb on bad trail. I was surprised at just how hard it was but maybe I shouldn’t be. After all, the reason why I’m doing this hike, this year, is that Read More …
Got done with all the getting ready to hike and finally began hiking. Slept decently until 5am at the hostel despite the presence of a sick roommate who alternated between loud snoring and even louder trips to the bathroom. Earplugs are an essential item in my travel kit. Had cajun omelet, hash browns and biscuit Read More …