Backpacking White Rock Lake to Donner Summit on the PCT-Part 2

Backpacking White Rock Lake to Donner Summit on the PCT-Part 2

  • September 28, 2013
  • by Inga

In Part 1, BACKPACKING WEBBER LAKE TO DONNER SUMMIT ON THE PCT, we trekked from near Webber Lake to White Rock Lake on a pleasant six mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail near Lake Tahoe. In Part 2 we set off toward Paradise Lake, where we hope that it will be warm enough to swim …

Backpacking Webber Lake to Donner Summit on the PCT-Part 1

  • September 20, 2013
  • by Inga

The backpacking trip I look forward to each year is not the longest, hardest or most exotic, it’s the one we take in Tahoe with our godson, Chase, and his mom, Laura. We used to be a group of six, but goddaughter Taira, at 16, is focused on water polo, and her dad, Ken, is …

High Sierra Trail, Part 3: Day Five to End

  • January 19, 2013
  • by Inga

We ended Part 2 of the High Sierra Trial soaking in the wonderful Kern Hot Springs and Part 3 takes us up over Mt. Whitney to the end of the trail in Lone Pine. Day 5-Kern Hot Springs to Wallace Creek (12  miles, 10,409  feet) We didn’t mean to walk 12 miles but we did. We had …

High Sierra Trail, Part 2: Start to Day Four

  • December 02, 2012
  • by Inga

The High Sierra Trail (HST), a 72   mile trail in Sequoia National Park, is a major undertaking. There are a few roads on the eastern side of the park that lead to the popular Lodgepole Visitor Center and the Giant Sequoias, but there are no roads that go through the park so there is …

High Sierra Trail, Part 1: Overview

  • October 14, 2012
  • by Inga

The High Sierra Trail (HST), a 72    mile trail in Sequoia National Park (NP), is a classic hike in the Sierra Nevada. It evokes the very ghost of John Muir with its soaring peaks, highly varied terrain, grand vistas and spectacular ending at the top of Mt. Whitney. Cutting through a cross-section of some …

Reaching new highs on Alta Peak

  • July 22, 2012
  • by Inga

We rounded the corner, and after a stretch of densely forested trail, broke out into Alta Meadow. Though my feet were aching after trekking 5.6 uphill miles with a heavy pack, I practically ran toward the meadow, arms outstretched in my Julie Andrews Sound of Music moment. The vista before me made me gasp, and …

Planning your Chilkoot Trail backpacking trip

  • January 03, 2011
  • by Inga

The Chilkoot Trail, the original Klondike gold rush trail, is a classic hike that attracts history buffs and appeals to experienced wilderness backpackers. It spans two countries (U.S. and Canada) with distinctly different terrain in each country. The U.S. side is characterized as a coastal rain forest, heavily wooded with a thick understory of berry …

Stanford Rock Hike

  • August 18, 2010
  • by Inga

The heavily forested Stanford Rock hike, located in Ward Canyon, is a rigorous 11 mile loop that rewards the hiker with stunning views of Lake Tahoe, Twin Peaks, Alpine Meadows and many other surrounding peaks. Trailhead The trailhead is located on Ward Creek Blvd. The trailhead has an obvious parking area in front of a …

The call of the Pacific Crest Trail

  • July 20, 2010
  • by Inga

“Those two are thru-hikers,” said Billie, as she was giving us an overview of Drakesbad Guest Ranch at check-in. I listened with half an ear as I gazed at the lean and sinewy young couple scarfing down a big lunch of sandwiches, soup and salad, my mind whirring. After Billie finished our orientation, pointing out …

Peter Grubb Hut offers respite–High Sierra backpacking no paradise

  • July 05, 2010
  • by Inga

We set out on Saturday for a moderate, early season overnight backpacking trip to Paradise Lake, six miles from the trailhead on Highway 80. Despite the calendar noting that it’s supposed to be summer in early July, this is the spring that won’t arrive in the high Sierra, El Nino refusing to loosen its grip …

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