On July 24th, The Niece and I were reunited at the Onion Valley campground in the mountains above Independence, California. She made really good time and came in two days ahead of schedule. The Onion Valley campground is very beautiful and I can highly recommend it. We found a nice site and we spent the […]
Read more "A JOHN MUIR TRAIL REPORT: JMT: Summer of 2020 (Part 2)"On Tuesday, August 18th, I awoke early and drove to Lake Tenaya above Yosemite Valley for a short visit to the now (partially) open Yosemite National Park. Yo, Semite! As in previous visits, I enjoyed the light traffic and quietness of the valley and the park. My first goal was to paddle board on Lake […]
Read more "TRAIL REPORT: May Lake (August 18th, 2020)"Amazing: causing great surprise or wonder; astonishing. Grace: to honor or credit someone or something by one’s presence. Upon learning that Yosemite National Park would be partially open during the pandemic, I seized the opportunity to visit its backcountry in an “uncrowded” state. I secured wilderness permits for the months of July, August, September and […]
Read more "Trail Report: “Amazing Grace”: Tuolumne Meadows Loop (October 6, 2020)"Greetings Earthlings! I hope this trail report finds you well. I hope that you are safe, sound and healthy. We are all well here. I recently made a pilgrimage to pay homage to my local Monolith atop Pine Mountain (elevation 1296 feet) in Atascadero, California. The Monolith I visited is actually the second Monolith to […]
Read more "And Now A Special Report: Have Yourself a Merry Little Monolith (December 12, 2020)"Greetings friends. I hope this trail report finds you in good health. This one is dedicated to Jesus. The 1964 Wilderness Preservation Act established a means for preserving federal lands as designated wilderness areas. These wilderness areas enjoy the most stringent level of protection of any federal lands. In California there are close to one […]
Read more "Trail Report: Borderlands (April 10, 2021)"Welcome to CNG Colegio Nueva Granada is a bilingual international private school in Bogota, Colombia. Students study for both the U.S. High School Diploma and the Colombian Bachillerato Diploma. The majority of the classes are taught in English. The school’s staff includes foreign as well as Colombian teachers. The CNG student body is quite international with 45 […]
Read more "Trail Report Redux (1980): Santa Marta to Parque Tayrona"Mitch was a boxer, geologist, businessman and philosopher. He was also my Dad’s best friend. When Mitch and Stan (my Dad) were together, Stan was more relaxed and more adventurous. Mitch had three sons, all older than me. They were much like their father. When our families got together, adventure ensued and adult supervision decreased. […]
Read more "Trail Report Redux (1975): Canyoneering with The Champ"Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett and Dr. Katalin Kariko’: important contributors to the development of mRNA vaccines As I hiked up the Salmon Creek trail with my neighbor Chet, he thought out loud about the new antibodies being produced in his body. He imagined them multiplying – making him stronger as he made the long climb to […]
Read more "A Short and Sweet Trail Report: With Thanks to Kizzy and Kati (May 10, 2021)"Directions: Take Interstate 94 to the town of Medora, North Dakota. Follow the signs for Theodore Roosevelt National Park Scenic Loop Drive. When you arrive at a fork in the road, take it. Either choice will deliver you to your destination, as Boicourt Overlook is about halfway around the loop that begins at the fork. […]
Read more "Trail Report Redux (1986): Hiking the Boicourt Trail to Boicourt Overlook"What is the longest word in the dictionary? I want you to think about that while I tell a story. Above we have what appears to be an easy two or three day backcountry hike of 15 miles and 4,000 feet of climbing. The highlight of the Chilnualna Falls Loop is, of course, Chilnualna Falls. […]
Read more "Trail Report: Miles and Smiles (May 29, 2021)"
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