Summer trip #3: Backpacking, Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA
In less than four hours I will board a bus that will take me from my house to downtown, where I'll catch an Amtrak Coast Starlight train to San Jose, CA. Upon reaching San Jose Friday morning, I'll be picked up by cyberjack; I'm meeting up with R and Y and we'll drive together with Y (who will then drive back alone) to Mammoth Lakes, CA (300 miles away), there hopefully to get a backpacking permit and start on a 7-day backpacking trip northwards towards Yosemite. We'll then Greyhound to SF, where I'll be spending the 4th of August with cyberjack again; let me know if you want to get together (phone is best) during the very short period when I'm in town.
Our trip will take us past multiple beautiful landmarks, from Devil's Postpile National Monument (omg amazing hexagonal basalt, a la Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland and Devil's Tower in Wyoming) through what I term the lakes district of the Ritter Range, hopefully with sunrise views of Banner Peak and Garnet or Thousand Island lakes. After that we cross Donohue Pass (our highest point, slightly over 11,000'), descending into Tuolumne Meadows, after which we climb to Cathedral Lakes, cross Long Meadow, and descend into Yosemite Valley, for a total distance around 60 miles.
I've packed the food into R's big duffel, since it doesn't fit in mine; food for 3 for 8 days (always best to carry a little extra) isn't a small quantity, and boy does it weigh! I'm taking the duffel, my backpack (duh), and a small canvas bag with meals (5 ham and cheese sandwiches, cranberry juice, Sour Patch Kids) for the road. Thankfully on this trip (unlike the last) I am going back to where I started, so I can leave a bigger duffel bag (my small one rolls into a ball the size of a softball), shampoo and conditioner, and my books (except for The Natural History of the Sierras, which comes with us). Very nice, that.
I'm really looking forward to the trip, and now that I've snacked (damned drugs that require food to avoid stomach issues) I'm going to take a very quick shower and then sleep for two hours. Thankfully the train's gentle rocking motion is comforting and causes sleep.
See you all in two weeks.
Our trip will take us past multiple beautiful landmarks, from Devil's Postpile National Monument (omg amazing hexagonal basalt, a la Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland and Devil's Tower in Wyoming) through what I term the lakes district of the Ritter Range, hopefully with sunrise views of Banner Peak and Garnet or Thousand Island lakes. After that we cross Donohue Pass (our highest point, slightly over 11,000'), descending into Tuolumne Meadows, after which we climb to Cathedral Lakes, cross Long Meadow, and descend into Yosemite Valley, for a total distance around 60 miles.
I've packed the food into R's big duffel, since it doesn't fit in mine; food for 3 for 8 days (always best to carry a little extra) isn't a small quantity, and boy does it weigh! I'm taking the duffel, my backpack (duh), and a small canvas bag with meals (5 ham and cheese sandwiches, cranberry juice, Sour Patch Kids) for the road. Thankfully on this trip (unlike the last) I am going back to where I started, so I can leave a bigger duffel bag (my small one rolls into a ball the size of a softball), shampoo and conditioner, and my books (except for The Natural History of the Sierras, which comes with us). Very nice, that.
I'm really looking forward to the trip, and now that I've snacked (damned drugs that require food to avoid stomach issues) I'm going to take a very quick shower and then sleep for two hours. Thankfully the train's gentle rocking motion is comforting and causes sleep.
See you all in two weeks.