Backpacking

[FN Phat]

Epic

[Jeff Lebowski]

[bluegoose]

Incredible trip, 8br. Those pics are amazing. I especially liked the one of your high camp and the one you labeled looking out over the northern cascades.

I know what you mean about the risks and rewards of alpine versus backpacking. I am much more risk averse now than I once was. On our trip this summer in the trinities I found myself in a precarious spot while scrambling up a mountain side, asking myself over and over what the hell I was thinking taking unnecessary risks like that.

[SteelBlue]

8BR, those are amazing pics. Just beautiful. I too notice the effects of altitude right around the 6500 foot mark. This summer while trying to keep up with bluegoose and another guy as fit as he is, I thought they might be carrying my body out of there in a bag once we got up over 7,000 feet.

[smokymountainrain]

That is great, 8BR. Thanks for sharing.

[SteelBlue]

I've been enjoying all of last summer's pics in this thread at lunch today. I've had some serious mountain fever for a couple of weeks now. Bluegoose and I did an early a.m. hike in the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area on Saturday morning. There is a trail to a Kanaka Peak that gives a great view of the lake, some of the other local peaks, a glimpse of the rugged Trinity Alps and of Lassen National Park to the East. Fun hike.

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[SteelBlue]

Bluegoose and I did a really nice day hike on Saturday. We hit the Pacific Crest Trail outside of Mt. Shasta, grabbing a trailhead above Gumboot Lake. Some really beautiful scenery and vistas. Much like you Utahans, we live among some incredible sights. We hiked into what is called the 7 Lakes Basin. It would make for a nice weekend backpacking trip with the many (more than 7!) lakes and several peaks to summit and explore. One sad note, we should not have been able to do this hike in early May. We were up near 7,000 feet and only had to traverse an occasional patch of snow. California is going to fry this summer.

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Boulder Peak and the Grey Rocks with Echo, Upper and Lower Seven Lakes.



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Boulder Peak



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One of the few peaks with snow.



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Mt Shasta

[Dwight Schr-ute]

Bluegoose and I did a really nice day hike on Saturday. We hit the Pacific Crest Trail outside of Mt. Shasta, grabbing a trailhead above Gumboot Lake. Some really beautiful scenery and vistas. Much like you Utahans, we live among some incredible sights. We hiked into what is called the 7 Lakes Basin. It would make for a nice weekend backpacking trip with the many (more than 7!) lakes and several peaks to summit and explore. One sad note, we should not have been able to do this hike in early May. We were up near 7,000 feet and only had to traverse an occasional patch of snow. California is going to fry burn this summer.

Gorgeous photos. Hopefully some of that survives the summer.

[SteelBlue]

Hopefully some of that survives the summer.

It's not even summer and you're looking like a prophet.

[creekster]

It's not even summer and you're looking like a prophet.

I'm supposed to pack into the Yosemite high country in late July. Hopefully its not on fire.

[SteelBlue]

I'm supposed to pack into the Yosemite high country in late July. Hopefully its not on fire.

Seriously. I hope you get to go, your pics from the last trip were awesome. Goose and I are hitting the Trinity Alps again the first week of June just to avoid fires. Hoping it's soon enough. Sidenote: It's really sad that we can actually do this trip in June.

We are headed here I can't wait to see it.

[bluegoose]

We head out tomorrow on our 3rd annual dude's backpacking trip into the nearby Trinity Alps. We have had pretty incredible trips the last 2 years, so hopefully this one is more of the same.

We were initially planning to go either the first weekend in August or the second weekend in September, but decided to go quite a bit earlier in the season due to the drought conditions. Based on Instagram pictures, it looks like most of the snow is melted around the lakes, but is still on the higher peaks. Weather should be perfect, so i think it was the right call.

We added a couple of guys to the group this year. Both of them are first-timers, so we have worked hard to get them out-fitted with most of the gear that they will need. Fortunately, between the other 3 of us we had plenty of extra gear, so they didn't have to buy a ton of stuff.

Current plan is to hike in about 8 miles to Morris Meadows and set up base camp. It is the largest and prettiest meadow in the alps and sits right around 5,500 feet. From there we will do several day hikes up to some higher elevation lakes and peaks. The big one we will do on Sunday is up the Caribou Scramble. It rises something like 2,600 feet in just over a mile to the top of Sawtooth Ridge where you supposedly have one of the nicest views around. The descent from there is supposed to be a real killer on the knees, as it is rugged and steep.

I can't wait. I'll save from posted any pics of the area until we get back.

[BigPiney]

We head out tomorrow on our 3rd annual dude's backpacking trip into the nearby Trinity Alps. We have had pretty incredible trips the last 2 years, so hopefully this one is more of the same.

We were initially planning to go either the first weekend in August or the second weekend in September, but decided to go quite a bit earlier in the season due to the drought conditions. Based on Instagram pictures, it looks like most of the snow is melted around the lakes, but is still on the higher peaks. Weather should be perfect, so i think it was the right call.

We added a couple of guys to the group this year. Both of them are first-timers, so we have worked hard to get them out-fitted with most of the gear that they will need. Fortunately, between the other 3 of us we had plenty of extra gear, so they didn't have to buy a ton of stuff.

Current plan is to hike in about 8 miles to Morris Meadows and set up base camp. It is the largest and prettiest meadow in the alps and sits right around 5,500 feet. From there we will do several day hikes up to some higher elevation lakes and peaks. The big one we will do on Sunday is up the Caribou Scramble. It rises something like 2,600 feet in just over a mile to the top of Sawtooth Ridge where you supposedly have one of the nicest views around. The descent from there is supposed to be a real killer on the knees, as it is rugged and steep.

I can't wait. I'll save from posted any pics of the area until we get back.

I am jealous. I am planning my trip for the end of July. This thing will be crazy, but not as epic as last year. The plan is to do lots of cross country in the High Sierra, and spend maybe only 5 of the 30 miles on trail. In fact both crossings of the crest will be ridge crossings at around 13,500' or higher, that are miles from trail. Should be interesting. If you are free the 21-27 of july you are welcome to join us.

[creekster]

You guys have some nice trips planned. I'm heading to Yosemite high country in late July and am going to do a couple of 14ers around July 4.

[BigPiney]

You guys have some nice trips planned. I'm heading to Yosemite high country in late July and am going to do a couple of 14ers around July 4.

Whereabouts in the high country and which 14ers? I have only done done 4. Whitney, Split Mtn, Mt Sill, and Mt Williamson. http://www.summitpost.org/california-14ers/170899