Some of the folks from Adventure 16 - a wonderful SoCal chain of outdoors stores - recently conquered the 8000 Meter Challenge — a back to back to back hike of Mount Baldy, Mount San Gorgonio, and Mount San Jacinto all in 24 hours. In total, it involves 38 miles of hiking and over 11,000 feet of elevation gain.
To put it lightly, it’s an effin’ monster of a hike.
The crew wrote up their experience, as well as details on all the gear they were using and tips for hikers who’d like to eventually test themselves with this challenge as well (like me, for instance).
Read all about it at the A16 blog.
image by V.H.S.
Channel Islands National Park has been on my to-do list for a little while now, but I still haven’t been able to find the time to make the trek out there myself. Luckily, someone else just did.
The GeekHiker — that other geeky hiker-photographer who blogs in Southern California, the one whose excellent site evaded me until recently — just went on a writing and uploading spree from his recent trip to the islands.
He’s posted a short intro to the main island, as well as two trail write-ups chock full of beautiful pictures that’ll make you want to hop on a boat right away.
Not sure if he’s got any more trails on the way, but this is definitely a site worth keeping up with.
Image by Craig1Black
A 20-mile backpack in the Havasupai Reservation. This breathtaking journey takes you from the rim of one of the offshoots of the Grand Canyon down to the village of its only permanent inhabitants, alongside a tropical-turquoise river and two stunning waterfalls — Navajo and Havasu Falls. Havasu Falls has the distinction of being one of the most-photographed waterfalls in the world. A farther day-hike from the campsite deeper into Havasu Canyon gets you to two more postcard-perfect cascades — the 210 foot tall Mooney Falls and the staggered staircase of Beaver Falls. A truly memorable backpacking and hiking experience.
Continue reading ‘Backpacking Havasu Canyon’
I just found out I’ll be joining the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Backpacking Section on a 3-day trip to Havasupai Canyon in mid-March.
With a potential 32 miles of hiking and swimming in 70 degree water in the Grand Canyon, I am very, very excited.
Can’t wait to give a report. Any tips from folks who’ve headed out before?
Photo by TeecNosPos
Two short hikes in some of the best Slot Canyons in Southern California. Lots of squeezing through walls, scrambling in and out of canyons, and generally feeling like you’re in an Indiana Jones movie. The Calcite Mine area is also home to a historic WWII-era mining area, with other man-made features to explore.
Continue reading ‘Anza-Borrego State Park: Calcite Mine and The Slot’
A short, off-trail mountain scramble and climb near the Wind Caves area of the park. We didn’t go all the way in because my Accord was probably not meant to be on the sandy dirt road leading to the caves.
Continue reading ‘Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: Wind Caves (Adjacent)’
A short hike from the hot, dry desert flat into a narrow canyon and to a hidden waterfall oasis, full of mosses, vines, and trees. A surreal arid experience that is not to be missed if you’re in Anza-Borrego.
Continue reading ‘Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: Hellhole Canyon’
The Gambolin’ Man is a blog that’s been criminally off my Google Reader for far too long. Now he’s done gone and posted pictures of his time in the early summer near Moab, along with a great write up about water and its role in the desert ecosystems — and those urban landscape that draw on them.
Definitely worth a read. Man, I still have to get out to Utah sometime soon.
As we continued our unscheduled surprise hike through the wilderness of Kamakura, we came upon many of the same sorts of things we saw while walking through Takao-san: rugged, rocky trails; dense forests; elderly, fit hikers; and shrines hidden and carved just about everywhere you could think of putting one.
Continue reading ‘Hiking in Japan: Kamakura Pt. 2′
Chris and I were supposed to go back to L.A. on Thursday, but decided to stick around for a few extra days on our own dimes. We’d hiked Takao-san on Thursday, and since I was roped into an extra shoot on Friday, Saturday was really my only extra day there. We decided to take a train to the coast south of Tokyo to the town of Kamakura, the capital of Japan from the 12th to the 14th century.
Continue reading ‘Hiking in Japan: Kamakura Pt. 1′
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