training

I did my first planned training hike today. Six miles with a 20 pound pack in two hours. In six months I hope to be up to 13-15 miles with a 30 pound pack, three to four times a week.  I hope this slow build to higher miles will do the necessary strength building I need to be successful with next years hike, whatever I end up doing.

Just a nice image from the JMT hike last summer.

Sometimes, in the middle of the night when I can't sleep, I get out my camera and take pictures. Here is a goofy self portrait. Like that crazy head gear? I made it from a kit I bought online from Ray Jardine.  For those of you who don't know about RJ, he is the godfather of the lightweight gear movement. A bit of an egocentric guy but most people who are driven to innovate are sort of self involved, don't cha think?

Thousand Island Lake

I really can't help myself. This is probably one of the most iconic places to photograph along the whole JMT, and I am quite certain no one has done a better job than Ansel Adams, HOWEVER, I just have to throw in my own image as it is such a pretty place.

Pay attention!

Long time no post here. I simply got bored with my own thoughts...

Just got back from 2.5 weeks in the High Sierras with a hiking buddy. The plan was to thru hike the JMT but, as with most plans, that didn't turn out to be the outcome. It is a long story but in keeping with my not wanting to bore myself or others, I won't recount it here.

I did have one or two interesting things happen. Number one photo is of my tent surrounded by trees in Tully Hole. This photo was taken during a trip in 2009.

Unseen in this image is a tree with the trunk split into two main branches. Later, after I pitched the tent and was going about my business, I started hearing creaking sounds from the joint of that tree, kind of like something was going to crack open and ...? I kept thinking about this and wondering if part of that tree was going to fall on me in the night so I finally moved my tent to a decidedly uncomfortable spot, far, far away. I always wondered if I was being silly that night and if that tree was really dangerous. See the photos from one week ago.

Guess what? The tree fell right about where my tent had been. Now I know it didn't fall the night I was there, or probably the next night either but dang, during the last two years it did fall and right where my tent would have been. So I feel vindicated and will remember to pay attention in life and if something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.

Got the OK on my reservation!

After standing by the fax machine this week, waiting till 5:01pm and hitting the send button, it appears I was one of the lucky (or speedy) ones and got a spot to leave Happy Isles and the OK on my permit. I leave Yosemite Valley on August 1 and hopefully arrive in Whitney Portal on August 19th or 20th.
From their website

Wilderness Permits

John Muir Trail
If you plan to hike the John Muir Trail as a continuous hike, you only need one wilderness permit for the entire trip (you do not need a "Whitney stamp"). Most people begin the hike at Happy Isles (its traditional start in Yosemite Valley), however many people begin at Lyell Canyon (Tuolumne Meadows) because permits for this trailhead are slightly easier to obtain. There is no special JMT permit.