Day 7 on the John Muir Trail… We were tired from our 13 mile hike yesterday, and this would be an easy day. We would feast at the Mulehouse Cafe at Red’s Meadow, pick up our second resupply package, have a surprise visit from some old friends, and hike only half our normal average — […]
Thru-Hiking the JMT: Lyell Canyon to Thousand Island Lake
Day Five on the John Muir Trail… Yesterday’s hike up Lyell Canyon was relatively easy. Today, we would hit several big milestones. First, we would hike over our first serious pass. At 11,056 ft, Donohue Pass was still covered with snow, and the altitude was as high as we had been on the JMT so […]
Thru-Hiking the JMT: Tuolumne to Upper Lyell Canyon
Day Four on the John Muir Trail I was looking forward to this day. The mileage was a little easier, and the first nine miles were up the almost imperceptible incline of Lyell Canyon. Getting in later than expected on Day Three meant hanging around until the Tuolumne Meadows Post Office opened so we could […]
San Gabriel Peak, Mt Disappointment, Mt Deception, Mt Markham and Mt Lowe
A little over two years ago, Derek (@100Peaks), Peter (@ADKinLA) and I journeyed out into the Anza Borrego desert and hiked up Whale Peak. Thus was born the first Hiking Blogger Summit. Last year we had an expanded gathering with a hike in the local Schabarum Regional Park. And this weekend, Derek, Peter and I were […]
Whale Peak in Anza Borrego
There are hikes, and then there are adventures. This hike up Whale Peak in the Anza Borrego State Park was a bit of both. This trail guide is one part throw-back (the hike was over two years ago), and one part a cautionary tale of what happens when three experienced hikers venture out into the Anza […]
Chiquito Falls Trail
When you think of hiking in Orange County, you don’t usually envision dramatic waterfalls. But during the spring, there are a number of wonderful seasonal waterfalls that are just a hike away. One of my personal favorites is Chiquito Falls. This hike is a 9 mile out-and-back route with 1,409′ of vertical elevation gain. And […]
Crystal Cove Blue Route
Crystal Cove State Park is nestled in the coastal hills between Newport and Laguna Beach. The Blue Route is a hiking trail that traces the boundaries of the inland section of the park, climbing up and down ridge and valley through coastal scrub. I love this park, not only because it’s so well located for […]
Hiking Boat Canyon by the Full Moon
If there’s a full moon tonight (and there is) it must be time for a Boat Canyon night hike. Boat Canyon is a terrific 8.2 mile hike in the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, climbing up above Boat Canyon, dropping down to Laguna Canyon Road and climbing back up again before returning to the trailhead — […]
