G. Dan Mitchell inspired me to trek up to Monitor Pass to shoot aspens; Here is one of my endeavors;

I’ll admit to a bit of New England elitism when it comes to autumn color. While the color of the aspens in the Sierra Nevada ain’t a patch on Sugar Maples in Vermont, it’ll do in a pinch. But the Sierra Nevada has the While Mountains over a barrel when it comes to stunning peaks.

Finally, Paige Falk has inspired me to traipse into the upper reaches of the Sierra Nevada to shoot Precipice Lake on the High Sierra Trail.

You’ll note that I haven’t included a shot of my own of this incredible lake; I haven’t gone yet. I’m currently researching the High Sierra Trail, and trying to make plans for next summer.

So, for all you folks out there that backpack into wilderness to take photos, how do you choose where to go? Do you simply choose a trail and take photographic pot luck? Tell your secrets to finding great pictures in the comments!

Technorati Tags: backcountry, Backpacking, Flickr.com, Photography, Inspiration, SierraNevada

Yosemite National Park does not hold a monopoly on beauty in the Sierra Nevada range. This glacier-fed lake is a relatively short hike from the trailhead near Big Pine, CA. This is in the John Muir Wilderness.

Photo by Edie Howe-Byrne via Flickr.

Technorati Tags: SierraNevada

Rick Deutsch, author of One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome, sent me an email to let me know he’s going to be teaching an introductory class at DeAnza College in Cupertino, CA on Oct 20th 2007.

The class is 3 hours long and geared to help both novice and experienced hikers get develop the technique as well as build their skills for longer hikes like the one to the top of Half Dome.

The course is divided into two sections. Section one of the class will center on the basics of hiking: preparation, equipment, water treatment, etc.. Section two focuses on the hike with tips on conditioning both mentally and physically, how to mitigate problems on the trail and confidence building.

For more information on the course check out the Foothill-DeAnza Community College IMPACT Short Course catalog website at:

http://www.communityeducation.fhda.edu/shortcourses.html

Look for TRIP 601.S1: A Hiker’s Guide: From Your First Steps to Half Dome. Sign-up is only $39 plus a $15 materials fee.

Even if you’re not planning on taking the course I do recommend at least grabbing Rick’s book (One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome). If you’re semi-seriously thinking about hiking to the top of Half Dome this is the book you’ll want in your pack with you. It’s full of great information and tips that will not only get you to the top but make it an enjoyable trip as well.

Here’s a really nice article from the Travel section of the New York Daily News on the authors trip to the Yosemite back-country and Ansel Adams Wilderness.

NY Daily News: “In honor of Muir, I’m also looking for the universe in a forest wilderness. The centerpiece of my visit to Yosemite this year is a three-day backpacking trip in the southeastern section of the park and the adjacent Ansel Adams Wilderness Area.

I’ve got an ambitious plan: A 35-mile loop starting on the John Muir Trail, which runs for more than 200 miles through the mountains of the Sierra Nevada range.

Two days before my backpacking begins, I stay at Evergreen Lodge, a vibrant cabin complex in the forest near Hetch Hetchy Reservoir that’s a great base camp for families and couples alike.

The next day, I take off into the park, spending much of the afternoon in splendid (albeit bustling) Yosemite Valley. Later in the day, I check into my canvas tent cabin at the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge.

By 8:30 a.m. the next morning, I am hiking up Lyell Canyon, a long, green finger cut by the Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River that leads the way to the 11,056-foot Donohue Pass.

It gets cooler as the trail starts to climb Donohue Pass, and on the final steps up and over the pass, the views crystallize into an ornate fantasy of granite, snow, meadow and water.

Leaving Yosemite for the Ansel Adams Wilderness Area, I descend into the valley below, stopping at a campsite near a babbling brook and under a spectacular collection of peaks. The sky is perfectly blue, the sunlight perfectly golden.

Tucked in my sleeping bag later that night, I read myself to sleep. But the night is cold and windy, and my rest fitful.

As I eat breakfast the next morning, a steady stream of hikers heads in the opposite direction on the trail. It’s time to get going. Soon I’m on the shores of Waugh Lake, a mirror of water reflecting the snow-crowned peaks above, a picture that is perfect in every way.”

Photo by Len Hardy via Flickr.

Due back Monday, August 4th hikers reported seeing him last at Crown Lake on the afternoon of Friday August 1st. He has not been heard from since.

Though it’s been 4 years you can help solve the mystery of what happened to Fred Claassen. If you happen to be heading up to Robinson Creek drainage (Barney, Peeler, Robinson, Crown, and Snow Lakes area), the Horse Creek Drainage, and the northern part of Yosemite National Park between Mule Pass, Burro Pass, and the Matterhorn keep your eyes open for any items you might find discarded along the trail including bits of fabric, shoes or even broken glass or plastic. If you do find something note the location and contact the nearest ranger facility upon exiting the wilderness or call Mono County Sheriffs at (760) 932-7549 or Yosemite National Park at (209) 379-1992. Even the smallest clue can help.

Fred was an experienced outdoorsman and backpacker in good condition. He often backpacked and hiked with his wife Martha. He was last seen carrying:

• Black, Dana Designs Astroplane pack w/Sierra Club Centennial Patch on lid
• Blue nylon GoLite daypack containing photo equipment; a tripod
• Portable Sony tape recorder in plastic bag, microphones and tapes in plastic box
• CD player, CD wallet, gold walking stick w/wood handle
• Sage green GoLite tent, teal-green down sleeping bag, blue Luxury Thermarest
• Black Garcia Bear-Resistant food container, MSR stove, red fuel bottle,
• Red down jacket; navy Marmot Precip rain jacket and pants; Teva leather sandals

Please, if you find anything no matter how small or seemingly insignificant note the location and contact the nearest ranger facility or call the Mono County Sheriffs Department at (760) 932-7549 or Yosemite National Park at (209) 379-1992.

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Today’s Photo of the Day comes from reader Steven who sent me an email and photos from his trip into Sunrise High Sierra Camp with his son Frank.

Beautiful shot, Steven. Thanks!

“I’ve been reading your blog off and on in preparation for my hiking trip with my son last week. Great job, with lots of insight into the “real Yosemite”.

Frank and I hiked into Sunrise HSC to open it. We were the first registered guests to sign in for the 2007 season (no prizes, though). We had a great time and hiked down the John Muir Trail from Catherdral Lakes into Sunrise, contemplated hiking to Cloud’s Rest (but it was beyond our capabilities), and then hiked out through Tenaya Lake. The shuttle is running every 30 minutes in both directions from Tuolumne Meadows down to Olmstead Point. I can not imagine hiking it in reverse, and having the shuttle take us to the JMT trailhead was easy and convenient. The hike through Cathedral Pass was awesome, and Long Meadow is stunning.

I’ve attached some pictures-feel free to post them to let people know that these is more to Yosemite than the valley floor. I’ve attached a few pictures of our hike in the high country, and some of the smoke in the valley from the prescribed burn by Bridalveil.

Steven

P.S. I read your entry on surrounding towns in the Sierras and I’d like to add my comments on Jamestown. It’s about an hour(ish) north on 120 and is in the heart of the Sonora Gold Rush. The town is three blocks long, with a haunted hotel, an olive oil store, and gold. The man in the picture is Joshua Vick, who let’s folks dig on his land and find gold. What you see in the pan is the result of 2 of us digging, and sluicing for about 4 hours. In total, we split about $350 in nuggets and flakes with one other family.”

Wow! Sounds like you guys had a great trip! Thanks for the email and photos, Steven.

If you’ve had an exciting trip, done something fun in or around the park or saw something newsworthy, please send it to me. I’m always looking for new stories. Pictures are welcome. You can email me what you have to: loyd@yosemiteblog.com