Crystal Crag looms above beautiful Crystal Lake, surrounded by steep granite peaks and dotted with pines. And this short hike to Crystal Lake in the town of Mammoth Lakes gives you a taste of the Sierra Mountains without the long miles or an overnight backpack, making this a perfect morning day hike. This is a fairly […]
Thru-Hiking the JMT: Thousand Island Lake to Reds Meadow
Day 6 on the John Muir Trail… I woke up before sunrise to take  photos. Thousand Island Lake was still, reflecting Banner Peak like a mirror. The sun cast a brilliant yellow glow as it struck the mountains, and we welcomed the warm rays. At 9,850 feet, Thousand Island Lake is just below the tree […]
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 […]
