Thursday, September 4, 2014

East Side Sierra Weekend

East Side Sierra Labor Day Weekend

Our planned backpacking trip of Cloud Canyon fell through, but we still wanted to get into the Sierra for a bit. We planned 3 day hikes in areas that we can never seem to get permits for.
Day 1: Bishop Pass > Upper Dusy Basin
 photo IMG_1509_zpsf9a3c7e3.jpg
On the way up to Bishop Pass
 photo IMG_2836_zpsb95704ee.jpg
Looking North from Bishop Pass
 photo IMG_1509_zpsf9a3c7e3.jpg
Upper Dusy Basin
 photo IMG_2836_zpsb95704ee.jpg
Clouds Above Bishop Pass
Day 2: Rush Creek > Thousand Island Lake
We had blasted by Thousand Island Lake last summer and really wanted to revisit it, but not have to hike up by Agnew Meadows or start from Red's Meadow. A Rush Creek start made it a long, but beautiful day hike.
 photo IMG_1509_zpsf9a3c7e3.jpg
Approaching Agnew Lake
 photo IMG_2836_zpsb95704ee.jpg
SCE Tram Tracks - Super Steep!
 photo IMG_1509_zpsf9a3c7e3.jpg
Looking back at our trail in route to Spooky Meadow
 photo IMG_2836_zpsb95704ee.jpg
First view of Banner
 photo IMG_1509_zpsf9a3c7e3.jpg
Banner Again
 photo IMG_2836_zpsb95704ee.jpg
And Again
Day 3: Little Lakes Valley > Morgan Pass
Ended with a mellow hike through Little Lake Valley.
 photo IMG_1509_zpsf9a3c7e3.jpg
Little Lakes Valley
 photo IMG_1509_zpsf9a3c7e3.jpg
View from Long Lake
 photo IMG_2836_zpsb95704ee.jpg
View of Mt. Dade
 photo IMG_1509_zpsf9a3c7e3.jpg
From Morgan Pass - Bear Creek Spire, Mt. Dade, Mt. Abbot
 photo IMG_2836_zpsb95704ee.jpg
Gem Lakes

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Duck Pass Semi-Loop


Duck Pass July 4th Weekend

We got a really late start the day of our permit entry (11 PM) and hiked in just a bit before crashing. The next day we hiked over Duck Pass to Purple Lake and then to Ram Lakes Basin. Got to Ram Lakes in the early afternoon, so we had a lot of time to relax. That night we could hear the fireworks, but couldn't see them.
Looking North from Duck Pass
Adam at the Pika Lake Junction
Duck lake is huge
Very pretty water near the outlet

Practicing for our Yoga Challenge
Sunset over Ram Lake
Day 2: Cross country travel to Victoria Lake, back over Duck Pass, to the car. Mosquitoes were terrible in the morning, and even though we had one more day off we decided to finish the trip in one day.

View as we hiked above our camping spot
In Ram Lakes Basin
Virginia Lake
Near Duck Lake outlet
Duck Lake
Adam contemplates life
And that is it for now, unit August!


Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Kauai Trip! 2014 
Adam says Whaaaat?!
Yes, Adam, we went to Kauai this year, and it was amazing! We were fortunate enough to go to Hawaii with some wonderful people, Jasper, his boyfriend Logan, and Donna & Gary Showers (who turned 60 this year!)

Some highlights: The Napali coast - approached by air, land and sea. Just like Navy Seals. Also, snorkling, sea turtles, shave ice, Settlers of Catan, hiking, kayaking, waterfalls, rainbows, level of salt in Hawaiian food (they don't hold back on the sodium), stand up paddle boardings, mai tais, and The Surf 96.9.
The aforementioned wonderful peeps
View From our Condo Balcony
Mom and Jasmine got fancy pedicures at the v.nice spa
Jasper and the Wolverine (and Adam) at a Luau

We saw a lot of waterfalls

Wailua Falls from the air
Little guy on the way to the Secret Falls

Adam Bossing kayak transport
On way to Secret Falls
Wailua Falls
At the Secret Waterfall

Na Pali Coast

View from air
View from sea
Starting the Kalalua hike early in the morning
Nearing Hanakapi'ai Beach 

Morning view from our Kalalau trail hike
It looked like Velociraptors were waiting for us here
Na Pail view from Kalalau Trail

Typical view from the Kalalau trail
Kalalau Trail view
Baby whale breeching, a few seconds later the mom jumped as well

Top of Waimea Canyon
From a Waimea Canyon Overlook
The Fog rolled in and out during our hike at the top of Waimea canyon
One of the last sunsets of the trip