Photo albums of my trips
Ama Ghar, Annapurna circuit
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Taft Point SunsetI finally got out for my first hike of the season and it was a great one! I ran out to Taft Point, off of Glacier Point Rd. A short hike thru the forrest with great views of the Yosemite Valley, this is my favorite spot to watch the sunset in the Park. From the Sentinel Dome/Taft Point Trailhead, it's 1.1 miles to Taft Point Lookout. 2 miles
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LYELL CANYON
The unofficial start of the John Muir Trail, Lyell canyon is one of Yosemite's most popular, and for good reason. A gentle incline up the canyon along the Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River offers great views of snow-capped Mt. Lyell, one of three "glaciers" in the park. We met up with USGS scientists and fellow NPS hydrologists, botanists, & cowboys for a research trip on stock (horse) behavior. 8 miles South along the JMT from Dog Lake Trailhead. 18 miles
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Hetch HetchySix days backpacking above Hetch Hetchy, surveying meadow vegetation, delineating fen wetlands, three bear sightings, & attempting to catch fish using an unconventional method. From the Hetch Hetchy dam, we took the Rancheria Falls Trail towards Tiltill Valley, to Lake Vernon, off-trail to Paradise Meadows, down to Beehive Spring, looping back to Hetch Hetchy dam. 38 miles
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Jack Main to Kerrick Canyon on the PCT
8 days & 65 miles, my biggest trip so far, on a BIG loop in the northern part of the park. We spent the week climbing ridges, sheltering from thunder storms, & hiking a section of the Pacific Crest Trail, while collecting meadow research data. 65 miles
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Koip Peak Pass
A strong, 20-mile day-hike over 2 passes: Parker Pass &
Koip Peak Pass. Leaving from the Dana
Meadows Trailhead in Tuolumne, it’s a long climb to great views of the East
side atop 12,000’ Koip Peak Pass.
Originally planning on a 3-day, 65 mile hike, I was side-lined by ankle
injury, and limped down Koip Peak Pass.
Coming out 2 days early on the East side, I hitch-hiked back to my car
in Tuolumne. 19 miles
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Tuolumne Meadows to Merced Lake
A week in the back country with an interdisciplinary team of scientists, rangers, & wildlife experts, conducting stock research & grazing meadow effects. Going over beautiful Tuolumne Pass, we left from Rafferty Creek Trailhead on an out-and-back to Merced Lake for 33 miles. In addition to the scenery, we also enjoyed wild mushroom foraging and numerous, delicious, King Boletes (Porcinis). 33 miles
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Mt. Hoffman Science Expedition
Great day-hiking with a wetland team from Sequoia/Kings National Park as we searched for fens & wetlands. Our search led us through bear-filled meadows & ultimately to the base of 10,800' Mt. Hoffman. From the May Lake trailhead off of Tioga Road, Hoffman can be summitted in just a few hours, & offers great views of the park. It's a great day-trip, and offers great rewards & bang-for-your-buck. 6 miles
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Mountains & Valleys: Kerrick & Matterhorn cnyns
Ridge-hopping among high passes & down into canyons on a long & excellent route in the north part of the park. Starting off with an off-trail route out of Saddlebag Lake, we dropped into Kerrick Canyon & down Benson Lake & beautiful & little-visited Smedberg Lake before climbing Yosemite's Matterhorn Canyon & over 2 passes before exiting into Hoover Wilderness. 50 miles
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Mt. Dana Summit
Peak-bagging with friends. The second highest peak in the Park has been on my Summit List for 3 years & is relatively accessible as a day hike; only 3 miles from Tioga Pass entrance gate. Although only 6 miles round trip, you gain 3,000', enough to warrant a beer on the East Side afterwards. 6 miles
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wetland science castle camp & hook lake!
A four day trip entering from Saddlebag Lake in the Hoover Wilderness via an off-trail route to Virginia Canyon & the PCT. This trip was heavy on wetland science & fen delineation. We also found time to go swimming & hang out on the beach at Hook Lake, a beautiful backcountry lake that is highly recommended. 40 miles
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a return to lyell canyon
Our return to Lyell Canyon brought us a week long trip at the beginning of the John Muir Trail. Very accessible 9 mile hike to the end of the canyon with views of Lyell Glacier. 18 miles
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Horsin' Around-Stock Behavior Study in Kerrick CanyonInterdisciplinary team of wildlife handlers, plant biologists, hydrologists, aquatic ecologists, geologists, resource managers, and ... horses, of course! 4 days in Northern Yosemite, hiking into Kerrick Canyon from Twin Lakes Trailhead (and of course, climbing an optional pass or two, just for fun). 28 miles
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year end summary & mileage documentation323 trail miles throughout Yosemite's backcountry, walking amongst the sounds of streams & shapes of mountains. Nearly $7,000 were raised to support the Nepalese children's home of the Ama Foundation.
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