Ohlone Bluffs at Wilder Ranch

The Ohlone Bluffs trail in Wilder Ranch State Park provides access to a gorgeous stretch of coastline just outside of Santa Cruz along Highway 1. The bluffs feature unique sandstone terraces sculpted by powerful ocean forces and sandy beaches. From the park headquarters, the trail stretches around 6.5 miles to the other end of the park, although a mile can be cut at lower tides with a direct crossing of Sand Plant Beach. The trail begins wide and well-trodden but progressively narrows and becomes grassy as you progress away from the park headquarters toward four mile beach. The sections toward Four Mile Beach can become muddy after rains.

Numerous beaches are visible along the way including Wilder Ranch Beach, Strawberry Beach, Sand Plant Beach, Three Mile Beach, and Four Mile Beach.  Great vistas abound at virtually every corner and there are many opportunities for exploration of the terraces and rock formations on the beaches.  Moreover, as an essentially flat trail, you don’t have to work very hard for the views! The Ohlone Bluffs trail is far from a wilderness experience with Hwy 1 nearby and agriculture coming right up to the bluffs, but the intricate coastline and rugged coastal scenery make this a great destination. Here are some photos from a recent run of the Ohlone Bluffs Trail.

Jedediah Smith Redwoods

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is the northernmost of the primary redwood parks. Located just outside Crescent City, it is relatively undeveloped and contains a fraction of the trail mileage of Prairie Creek or Humboldt. However, what it lacks in trail infrastructure is outweighed by arguably the most scenic display of old growth redwoods in existence making it well worth a visit. Considered by many to be among the best old growth hikes, the Boy Scout Tree Trail was our destination for a run. As an out-and-back ending at a fern waterfall that is nice but not extraordinary, the value in this run was not the destination, but the process of getting there.

The trailhead for the Boy Scout Tree Trail head is midway along Howland Hill Road, which is a spectacular drive along a narrow dirt road lined with giant redwoods the entire way. Once on the trail, the impressive redwoods keep coming. The understory is almost exclusively low lying ferns providing unusually good visibility through the forest and the layers of giant trees are reminiscent of pillars in a cathedral. I tried to capture the setting as best as I could with a camera, but the sheer size and grandeur of these trees is impossible to truly comprehend without visiting in person. All told, the round trip for the Boy Scout Tree Trail is only about 5.3 miles, but several miles of extensions can be peiced together along the Mill Creek Trail, Hiouchi Trail, and Hatton Trail, most of which is under old growth redwood forest. I look forward to running these trails next time!

After enjoying the Boy Scout Tree Trail, we continued down Howland Hill Road to the beautiful Stout Grove, where we toured more awesome redwoods. Back at Crescent City, we made a few side trips to the coast, including the photogenic Battery Point Lighthouse and the scenic beach at False Klamath Cove. On the way back south, we merely passed through Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park. So much to see, so little time. I’ll definitely be returning to Del Norte to explore the Damnation Creek Trail and other sections of the rugged Coastal Trail that I did not have time to visit on this occasion.

Prairie Creek Redwoods

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is simply amazing. Miles of ancient old growth redwoods, Roosevelt elk grazing in meadows, and unfettered sandy beaches create a primeval setting. Nowhere else can one find such an extensive and continuous stand of old growth redwoods in pristine condition. This park offers a glimpse of what the entire north coast of California once looked like before logging. I’m glad conservationists existed in an era of extraction and destruction with the foresight and wherewithal to set aside such a glorious forest from ax and saw. Perhaps the most unique aspect of this park is a fern canyon with seven types of ferns draped over 50 foot walls creating a lush hanging garden. With 75 miles of trails to explore, Prairie Creek is a paradise for trail runners. The trails range from well groomed paths such as the Prairie Creek Trail and James Irvine Trail, to very technical and arduous single track including the Rhododendron Trail and West Ridge Trail. What all of the trails share is spectacular scenery, most of which is under towering old growth redwoods with a remarkably lush understory. I found it interesting that the Sequoia sempervirens along the far north coast appear to have a grayish bark versus the reddish brown bark common among the subspecies further south. 

During our visit to the north coast, I was able to do three runs through the park and in the process I covered a good chunk of the trail network, which is split fairly evenly by the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway that runs the length of the park from south to north along Prairie Creek. Perhaps the best loop in the park, and arguably the best redwood hike in the world, is the Miner’s Ridge and James Irvine Loop, which passes through all facets of the park – prairies, old growth redwoods, beach, and the fern canyon. The loop is about 12 miles long and it’s a very runnable and enjoyable trail run (route on Strava) with under 1,700 ft of elevation gain, no steep climbs, and relatively non-technical compared to many of the other narrow and root-strewn trails in the park. Just before leaving the coastal area to enter fern canyon, we spotted a group of elk grazing on the prairie with ideal afternoon lighting. Fern Canyon is simply awesome and we were lucky to have the canyon all to ourselves. I look forward to returning in late spring when the ferns in the canyon are at their peak of green vibrancy.

The second run I did was around a 20 mile loop and included some of the trails on the eastern side of the parkway (route on Strava). Foothill Trail and Brown Creek Trail were both moderate while Rhodedendron Trail was challenging with narrow, technical single track and steep climbs. Next time I would like to run the entire length of the Rhododendron Trail, hopefully coinciding with peak Rhody blossoms. Crossing over the parkway to the westside, I ascended up to the West Ridge Trail and then down to the coast for a nice run along the coastal prairie with more elk sightings and two surprise waterfalls tumbling off the coastal bluffs in a very lush setting of moss and ferns. I finished the loop with another walk through fern canyon (this time with different lighting) and then the awesome James Irvine Trail back to the campground area in Elk Meadow.  The third and final run in Prairie Creek included a run up and along West Ridge with a return via Prairie Creek (route on Strava). The West Ridge trail is technical and will keep your focus down on the trail instead of up at the redwoods, but nonetheless an amazing tour along the ridge and super fun for technical single track aficionados.  The upper part of the Prairie Creek trail is more singletrack before opening up onto an improved gravel trail for the final couple miles back to the park headquarters. As a big fan of redwoods, it was a real treat to spend a couple days in Prairie Creek and I look forward to returning here for further explorations!

Mendocino’s Attractions

The Mendocino area, located on the coast about three hours north of San Francisco, is a fantastic destination with many varied attractions and sights. In fact, there is so much to see and do in this region it would probably take a half dozen trips to become fully acquainted with all the great trails, coastal hideaways, and wineries en route. Below are descriptions of the attractions I most enjoy in the region.

Trails Galore: The Mendocino area is like an amusement park for trails runners with Russian Gulch State Park, Mendocino Woodlands State Park, Big River State Park, and Jackson State Forest all linked together providing hundreds of miles of trails in the aggregate. The highlight of Russian Gulch is a delicate waterfall in a lush environment of redwoods and ferns. For tempos, Van Damme State Park features a wide trail that travels along lush Little River with a carpet of ferns along the canyon. The Big River Haul Road is another great option for tempos with a relatively flat elevation profile for 10+ miles as travels along the meandering Big River. Jug Handle State Natural Reserve includes an ecological staircase culminating in a pygmy forest unique to this region of California’s coast. Jackson State Forest, Big River and Mendocino Woodlands are former logging areas (Jackson State Forest is an active demonstration forest) and evidence of the logging era abounds although it’s remarkable how fast redwoods grow back!

Coastal Scenery: Aside from the Mendocino Headlands described in the prior post, Russian Gulch and Jug Handle each contain their own rugged headlands, complete with rock formations and hidden beaches. Point Cabrillo Historic Light Station is a beautiful lighthouse with rugged coastal scenery in all directions. Unique Glass Beach in Fort Bragg is an amazing testament to the power of ocean waves with a beach literally covered in smooth rounded glass pieces (the glass was initially deposited in the early 20th century when residents of Fort Bragg through their trash over the cliff). MacKerricher State Park north of Fort Bragg features sand dunes and miles of sandy beach that are on my list to explore next time. Finally, one can rent canoes or kayaks and explore the sizable estuary of the Big River. While splashing water in the winter cold seemed unsavory, this looks like a great way to explore in the warmer months of the year.

Anderson Valley – Wine and Redwoods: What more could you ask for? The attractions on the way to Mendocino are so good that it might take much longer than expected to reach the coast. Anderson Valley is renowned for its wines, especially Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and sparkling wines. On this trip we stopped at Navarro Vineyards with its beautiful property complete with sheep and llamas. The rolling vineyards and surrounding hills dotted with cattle are picturesque.  Navarro’s late harvest Riesling and late harvest Gewurztraminer were particularly enjoyable for this lover of dessert wines. Beer aficionados may enjoy a stop at Anderson Valley brewery in Boonville, famous for its legendary ales. Also in the valley is a majestic stand of old growth redwoods at Hendy Woods State Park. This park was threatened with closure in the State Parks funding crisis, but fortunately closure was averted and the park remains open for enjoyment. Further afield are the old growth redwoods at Montgomery Woods, easily the most impressive stand of old growth south of Humboldt. Beware, however, that Montgomery Woods is only suitable for those with an appetite for prolonged curvy mountain roads.

Just three hours north of San Francisco, Mendocino feels much further away than it actually is making for an amazing getaway. I definitely look forward to returning to Mendocino as there is remaining to explore! I’ve included a few more photos below with the complete photo album here.

Point Reyes Pilgrimage

I have visited Point Reyes National Seashore many times over the years, but each time I leave inspired by the amazing scenery and look forward to the next exploration. This time I did a loop out of Bear Valley that I have done in the past, but in the reverse direction to best accommodate the day’s tides. This loop hits virtually all the coastal highlights of the south district of the park, including Alamere Falls, Wildcat Beach, Arch Rock, Kelham Beach, Sculptured Beach and Secret Beach. In addition, the inland trails traverse through lush Douglas fir forest with sweeping panoramic views achieved on the slopes of Mount Wittenberg. Access to Secret Beach via Sculptured Beach and Kelham Beach via Arch Rock both require low tides so the route must be designed accordingly. As to be expected, we encountered excellent tidepooling at Sculptured Beach with bountiful anemones, sea stars and mussels. Secret Beach features an immense natural amphitheater and a pristine stretch of coastline. Some of my favorite photos from this outing are below. A GPS map of the route is here. Complete photo album here (photos of me by Joel Lanz).

Complete photo album here.

2012 Adventure Run Recap

2012 was a fantastic year of adventure running with a diverse set of outings, each with amazing scenery. The following is a recap of the year’s adventures with some of my favorite photographs.

Clouds Rest via Yosemite Valley (May 20, 2012): Clouds Rest is a colossal granite formation with striking prominence. At 9,926 ft, it is not nearly the tallest mountain in Yosemite, but it’s close proximity and unobstructed perch above Yosemite Valley provides spectacular views and a unique vantage of both the high country and the valley. In a 360 degree panorama, one can gaze over to Half Dome, the Clark Range, Tuolumne Meadows. The most impressive feature of Clouds Rest is its northwest face, an immense granite slab polished by glaciers and descending 5,000 ft below to the base of Tenaya Canyon. I have hiked up Clouds Rest previously via Tioga Rd, but this was my first time via Yosemite Valley and it’s a great route and worth the extra efforts. Photos here and here.

Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne (May 28, 2012): The Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne is a rugged, wild and remote corner of Yosemite National Park. I completed this point-to-point adventure in 2010 and couldn’t wait to return this year. In 2010, we did the trip in July, but due to the unusually dry winter season resulting in meager snowpack, the trail was snow-free and we found similar water volume this year in late May as we did in mid-July 2010. Due to the fact that White Wolf campground and lodge were not opened yet, we decided to leave the car at Lukens Lake which added a few extra miles to the trip, bonus over the standard 50k distance (~33 miles total). Complete photo album here.

Emigrant Wilderness 30 Mile Loop (June 3, 2012): The Emigrant Wilderness is located north of Yosemite National Park and accessed via the Sonora Pass Highway. There are several trailheads that access this vast wilderness of glacier polished granite, lakes and meadows. For my first exploration into this region I decided to do a 30 mile loop out of the Crabtree Trailhead above Dodge Ridge/Pinecrest to visit a series of lakes. It’s nice that this trailhead is under three hours from the Bay Area, probably the closest area of the Sierra mountains from the Bay. Each of the lakes on the route deeper into the wilderness became progressively more scenic starting with Camp Lake, Piute Lake, Gem Lake, Jewelry Lake and the highlight of the loop was Upper and Lower Buck Lakes, which featured a great backdrop of granite walls. I also enjoyed Wood Lake as I began my return via Pine Valley. Photos here.

Forsyth Peak & Sister Lakes (June 9, 2012): The Sister Lakes region describes a chain of lakes that straddle the northern border of Yosemite National Park and Hoover Wilderness. The name “Sister” aptly describes the names of these lakes, which include Stella, Harriett, Helen, Ruth, Bonnie, Cora and Dorothy. Forsyth Peak serves as a rugged backdrop for all of these lakes with its permanent snowfields and impressive north face. Dorothy Lake Pass (on the Sierra crest) marks the actual boundary line between Yosemite and Hoover and Dorothy Lake is the only lake that actually lies in the national park (south of the pass) and flows into the Hetch Hetchy drainage and ultimately the Pacific Ocean. The other lakes (north of the pass) drain into the Walker River and the Great Basin. Photos here.

Granite Dome & its lakes (June 10, 2012): Aptly named Granite Dome is an immense granite massif with numerous basins occupied by stunning alpine lakes. All of the lakes are located on the northern side of the massive ridge that culminates in the summit while the south side features much less rock and more meadows. The region is accessed via Kennedy Meadows and features a moderately steep trail to reach Relief Reservoir and beyond, and then off-trail travel along granite slabs to reach a series of lakes including Lewis Lakes (lower, middle, upper), Sardella Lake, Ridge Lake and Iceland Lake. In my opinion Ridge Lake is the centerpiece nestled beneath the towering cliffs of the Granite dome summit. Photos here.

Big Bird & Deadman Canyon (June 17, 2012): The Great Western Divide region of the Southern High Sierra is one of my favorite spots in the entire range. On this day I scoped out a spectacular figure-8 loop out of Wolverton in Sequoia National Park that is mostly off-trail and stays high above the tree line nearly the entire way. The eastern loop of the figure-8 is the more challenging portion with big elevation changes and slab scrambling while the western loop is easy, open cross-country terrain. There was amazing clarity for mid-June with the Central Valley clearly visible over 10,000 feet below.Total time for the ~40 mile route was 13:36 roundtrip. Photos here.

Hyatt Lake Loop (June 24, 2012): Another adventure run into the Emigrant Wilderness, this time a spectacular off-trail loop departing the Pine Valley trail at Louse Canyon and including Hyatt Lake, Big Lake and Pingree Lake (complete photo album here). The stretch between Big Lake and Hyatt Lake was my favorite section with a continuous slab of granite arcing across the entire basin, a stretch that I called the “Granite Highway.”

Lost Coast – King Range (July 7, 2012): The Lost Coast is a spectacular meeting of land and ocean along the most undeveloped, remote and rugged stretch of coastline along the U.S. West Coast. I was eager to return here after an amazing experience in 2010 (see 2010 TRs: King Range, Sinkyone). The northern portion of the Lost Coast is protected by the King Range National Conservation Area and 42,585 acres received Federal Wilderness designation on October 17, 2006. The southern portion is protected in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, named after the Sinkyone Indians that lived on this part of the coast. The two sections are split by Shelter Cove, a small community of mainly vacation homes, but the parts are completely different in terms of the overall feel and experience. The northern 26 mile section in the King Range NCA from the Mattole River to Black Sands Beach at Shelter Cove is primarily a beach walk with two-thirds of the distance spent on sand, gravel, and rock-hopping and the remaining third on trails just above the beach on the bluffs. The southern 27 mile section from Hidden Valley to Usal Beach in the Sinkyone is entirely on the bluffs above the ocean with arduous climbs and narrow, brushy trails in the forest – a true adventure run with over 7,000 feet of elevation gain. The northern part features sweeping oceanside views at every step while the southern part has inspiring vistas from atop rugged cliffs. Complete album here.

Lost Coast – Sinkyone (July 8, 2012):  Part II of the Lost Coast adventure run is from Chamise Mountain to Usal Beach. Due to the remarkably persistent fog, the coastal vistas that I knew existed from the 2010 trip were not visible. Complete album here.

Desolation Six Summits (July 15, 2012): The Desolation Wilderness is the most rugged region near Lake Tahoe with the star attraction being Lake Aloha set amidst the granite slopes of the Crystal Range. Since it’s relatively accessible to Lake Tahoe, it is the most visited wilderness area in the United States per square foot. While there is no shortage of people on the trails on a busy summer weekend, I still found plenty of solitude in this granite playground. This adventure entailed an aesthetic ridge route climbing the six highest summits in the Desolation Wilderness over 11h42m roundtrip out of the Mount Ralston Trailhead.  Complete photo album of the six summits loop here.

Ritter-Banner Loop (July 29, 2012): Mount Ritter, Banner Peak and the Minarets are collectively the centerpieces of the Ansel Adams Wilderness. With numerous lovely alpine lakes surrounding these mountains and their close proximity to Mammoth Lakes it is no wonder this region is so popular with hikers and backpackers. It had been since 2007 since I last climbed Ritter and Banner and three years since I was in the Ansel Adams Wilderness (I did a climb of Clyde Minaret in 2009) so it was time to return this past July 29th. I aimed to do an aesthetic loop of the region and tour as many of the spectacular alpine lakes as possible (and take a ton of photos), particularly timing Garnet and Thousand Island Lake in the early morning when I figured (correctly) that lighting would be ideal. Many photos here.

Ptarmigan Traverse FKT (August 16, 2012): Uli Steidl and I completed the Ptarmigan Traverse in 12h17m a new FKT. It has been three years since I last enjoyed the Ptarmigan Traverse so it was time to come back to see some of the most beautiful scenery in the Cascades and refresh the prior FKT. Complete photo album here.

Suiattle Crest 50 Mile (August 20, 2012): I returned to repeat the Suiattle Crest 50 mile adventure run on August 20th. The original run was done on August 4, 2009 in 13h37m. Last week I completed it in 11h44m (1h53m faster). This complete loop, entailing six passes, covers most of the highlights in this region of the Glacier Peak Wilderness including a breathtaking view from Little Giant Pass, a tour through wild Napeequa Valley, 360 vistas from the High Pass area, verdant wildflower meadows, stunning Lyman Lakes, and Spider Gap. It’s quintessential North Cascades scenery – well worth a revisit after three years. Compete photo album here.

Desolation Marathon (August 25, 2012): My second visit to the Desolation Wilderness was in late August for an extremely pleasant loop entirely on trails that hits most of the highlights in the region including great views of Emerald Bay, vistas from Dicks Pass, and gorgeous Lake Aloha. Total mileage according to GPS was just under 26 miles, hence the “Desolation Marathon Loop” name. Complete photo album here.

Cottonwood Lakes (September 1, 2012): An acclimation hike the day before the High Sierra Trail with visit to these lovely lakes beneath Mount Langley.

High Sierra Trail FKT (September 2, 2012): I ran the 72 mile High Sierra Trail from Whitney Portal to Crescent Meadow in 15h46m starting at 3:19 am and finishing at 7:05 pm, a new FKT (previous mark was 18h39m). The High Sierra Trail is a masterpiece of Sequoia National Park traveling from the iconic giant sequoias to the highest point in the lower 48, and passing through some of the most stunning scenery in the Sierra Nevada Mountains en route. It was a great experience in an immensely scenic region of the High Sierra. Complete photo album here.

Parsons Loop (September 8, 2012): I remembered looking at Ireland Lake on the map and thinking it would be a neat spot to visit. I had also viewed the Lewis Creek Basin from Vogelsang Peak and wanted to explore the many alpine lakes I saw in the basin. A high pass separates Ireland Lake from Lewis Creek Basin including some cross country travel and scrambling on the west side of the pass making for a logical loop. We could also ascend to the summit of Parsons Peak about 700 vertical feet above the pass for sweeping views of the Yosemite high country.

Mount Dana (September 22, 2012): An acclimation hike the day before the  Evolution Loop with great views of the Yosemite high country.

Evolution Loop (September 23, 2012): The Evolution Loop is a magnificent route through some of the most inspiring terrain in the High Sierra. Technically the route is not a loop as the start and finish are at different locations (more accurately, it’s a horseshoe) utilizing the North Lake and South Lake trailheads (note: the trail and/or road segment that links these two trailheads would not be fun).  On ran the “loop” in 12h15m from North Lake to South Lake, which set a standard for speed on the route, starting at 5:01 am and finishing at 5:15 pm. The adventure entails ~55-56 miles and 10,000+ ft elevation gain including three high passes – Piute Pass (11,400 ft), Muir Pass (12,000 ft), and Bishop Pass (11,960 ft). About 25 miles of the route are on the John Muir Trail passing by the famous Muir Hut at Muir Pass. The scenery was stunning as expected, and even enhanced by afternoon cumulus clouds that created shade contrast on the granite. I couldn’t resist spending a fair amount of time on photography on both sides of Muir Pass from Evolution Lake to Helen Lake.The loop was later done in 10.5 hrs so I guess I’m leaving the camera at home next time instead of taking 300 photos. Complete photo album here.

Rae Lakes Loop & Mount Cotter via Sixty Lakes Basin (September 30, 2012): It has been a couple years since I visited the marvelous Rae Lakes region so it was time to return. However, having run the loop straight through twice in the past (deep snow in 2009 and FKT of 7:29:50 in 2010) I thought it was time for something new and Sixty Lakes Basin was intriguing place I’ve been wanting to explore. It also made sense to climb Mount Cotter as part of my explorations in Sixty Lakes Basin. After completing a photography extravaganza in the Sixty Lakes Basin, I decided to finish out the loop and descended towards Woods Creek and Paradise Valley. Complete photo album here.

Sabrina Basin (October 20, 2012): I was last in Sabrina Basin in May 2007 for an overnight peakbagging outing with amazing memories of this strikingly beautiful region. My photo session at Sailor Lake on that trip produced one of my all time favorite mountain scenery photos. It was time to return. I had just enough time to squeeze in a morning run to Hungry Packer Lake and make it back in time for a run to Dusy Basin later that afternoon. On this morning there was some breeze that precluded the type of mirror-like reflection in Sailor Lake that I had witnessed in 2007, but further explorations to Hungry Packer Lake’s outlet yielded some nice shots. I climbed up the ridgelines on both sides of Hungry Packer Lake to gain 360 degree views of the Sabrina Basin. The crisp and clear autumn air produced superlative clarity. A dusting of snow on the north and east facing slopes made it magical. Among my favorite scenes from this outing was a patch of pine snags above the Hungry Packer Lake. The contrast of the reddish orange snags with the deep blue lake and granite was mesmerizing. Complete photo album here.

Dusy Basin (October 20, 2012): While I have made the trek from South Lake to Bishop Pass and into Dusy Basin several times, the magnificent views of the Palisades never cease to inspire. Mount Agassiz, Mount Winchell, and North Palisade collectively form a wall of granite that towers above the basin filled with numerous alpine lakes. Aptly named Isosceles Peak is especially striking from the southern part of the basin and perfectly frames the Palisades “wall.” Columbine Peak and Giraud Peak complete the 360 panorama of rock and ruggedness. On this day, the concept was to do a loop through the upper part of the basin, a “tour de Dusy” and hit some of my favorite photography spots in the process. Complete photo album here.

Finger Lake (October 21, 2012): Finger Lake is a Sierra gem beneath the towering walls of Middle Palisade and Norman Clyde Peak. The aptly named lake is flanked by granite cliffs and features a glacial turquoise color emanating glacial remnants above. Complete photo album here.

Kuna & Koip (October 28, 2012): At just over 13,000 feet, Kuna Peak is the third highest point in Yosemite National Park behind Mount Lyell and Mount Dana. The summit provides a spectacular view of the Yosemite high country and Ansel Adams Wilderness including the entire Cathedral Range and Ritter Range. To the south lies Mammoth Mountain and the southern High Sierra while the north features Tuolumne Meadows, the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne and peaks of Northern Yosemite. The centerpiece of the view is from the rugged peaks of Banner Peak, Mount Ritter and Rodgers Peak to the “Roof of Yosemite” including Mount Lyell and Mount Maclure.  The view is not dissimilar from that achieved on Mount Dana, but Kuna is perched much closer to the Cathedral Range and Ritter Range with a direct and unobstructed view into Lyell Canyon. Complete photo album here.

Dinkey Lakes Wilderness & Three Sisters (November 3, 2012): I made a small tour of this Wilderness Area west of the Sierra crest including Cliff Lake, Rock Lake, Second Dinkey Lake and Island Lake. The trails in this region are moderate and very runnable. I also climbed the highest point in the wilderness, Three Sisters, at 10,619 feet.

Hell for Sure & Red Mountain (November 4, 2012): Fall is a beautiful time in the High Sierra and some of my most memorable experiences have come during this season. This year was no exception with many great outings. On my last adventure run in the High Sierra before the peaks became buried in snow, I explored a region of the range I have yet to see (as hard as that might be to believe) – the LeConte Divide. This often overlooked area west of the Sierra Crest features spectacular scenery and numerous opportunities for off-trail exploration. The LeConte Divide is quite rugged belying its lower elevation compared to it’s neighbors to the east. It’s also one of the more remote sections of the range and therefore solitude can easily be achieved. For my first trip to this region, I started out at Courtright Reservoir (which features numerous domes for quality rock climbing) and headed to Red Mountain Basin where I ascended to Hell for Sure Lake, over 15 miles from the trailhead and much of that mileage in the forest. I’m curious what is the origin and etymology of the name “Hell for Sure” since this region is simply stunning – beautiful for sure! I ascended Red Mountain where I marveled at the 360 degree views including the Sierra Crest, Goddard Canyon, the LeConte Divide, and the Sierra foothills. The best view of all, however, was Red Mountain Basin immediately below, with at least seven shimmering lakes tucked beneath Mount Hutton and Hell for Sure Lake being the large centerpiece. Perhaps the prettiest lake in the basin is Horseshoe Lake, situated among polished granite cliffs, clumps of trees and the north face of Mount Hutton towering directly above.

2012 Adventure Runs Video Recap

2012 was an awesome year for me in terms of adventure runs. While I didn’t take video clips on every adventure, below are all the videos I did create this year in chronological order. It’s nice to see them all in one place as there is over an hour in aggregate total footage. For best viewing, make sure to adjust the quality setting as high as your internet connection will allow (HD is best). I’m also in the process of completing a coffee table book of the mountain photography highlights and it will be great to actually see physical copies of some of my photos.  Check back for a post recapping the year’s adventures with my favorite images and a few words before the end of the year.

Secret Beach: 

Big Bird & Deadman Canyon (June 17, 2012): 

Hyatt Lake Loop (June 24, 2012): 

Lost Coast – King Range (July 7 &8 , 2012): 

Desolation Six Summits (July 15, 2012): 

Ritter-Banner Loop (July 29, 2012): 

Ptarmigan Traverse FKT (August 16, 2012): 

Suiattle Crest 50 Mile (August 20, 2012): 

Desolation Marathon (August 25, 2012): 

Parsons Loop (September 8, 2012): 

Rae Lakes Loop & Mount Cotter via Sixty Lakes Basin (September 30, 2012): 

Sabrina Basin (October 20, 2012): 

Dusy Basin (October 20, 2012): 

Finger Lake (October 21, 2012): 

Kuna & Koip (October 28, 2012): 

Dinkey Lakes Wilderness & Three Sisters (November 3, 2012): 

Hell for Sure & Red Mountain (November 4, 2012):

Dinkey Lakes Wilderness & Three Sisters

The afternoon prior to the Hell for Sure Lake & Red Mountain adventure run, I decided to make a quick exploration to the Dinkey Lakes Wilderness area to the west of Courtright Reservoir. This 30,000 acre wilderness area was added to the National Wilderness Preservation system in 1984 and features numerous alpine and subalpine lakes and a granitic crest with several peaks over 10,000 feet. I decided to make a small tour of the region including Cliff Lake, Rock Lake, Second Dinkey Lake and Island Lake. The trails in this region are moderate and very runnable. I also climbed the highest point in the wilderness, Three Sisters, at 10,619 feet. This climb was not without complexity for me as deep and slippery snow on the north slopes caused me to misjudge my route and ultimately retreat off a precarious position on icy granite cliffs. After adjustment, I made my way to the summit of Three Sisters via a more circuitous but safer route. The panoramic views of the entire High Sierra to the east are breathtaking. However, since the Dinkey crest is so far removed from the High Sierra, the distant view of the mountains is diminutive compared to the close encounters I am accustomed to on my adventures immediately beneath the peaks. The whole outing was only a bit over 4 hours, but it became cold and dark for the last 4 miles of running back to the reservoir. The snow definitely enhanced the scenery and my favorites are below with more here.

Hell for Sure Lake & Red Mountain

Fall is a beautiful time in the High Sierra and some of my most memorable experiences have come during this season. This year was no exception with many great outings. On my last adventure run in the High Sierra before the peaks became buried in snow, I explored a region of the range I have yet to see (as hard as that might be to believe) – the LeConte Divide. This often overlooked area west of the Sierra Crest features spectacular scenery and numerous opportunities for off-trail exploration. The LeConte Divide is quite rugged belying its lower elevation compared to it’s neighbors to the east. It’s also one of the more remote sections of the range and therefore solitude can easily be achieved. All of the peaks along the Leconte Divide are guarded by long approaches as some are well over 20 miles away from the nearest trailhead, and that’s just to reach the base of the peaks. These approaches are ideal for adventure running as they are fairly moderate (runnable) and are within the montane forest zone for a large portion (not much scenery to distract). Since the LeConte Divide is so remote, only a handful of peaks have names and the remainder are simply identified by their altitude. The peaks along the divide harbor dozens of gorgeous alpine lakes, tarns and meadows; quintessential Sierra scenery.

For my first trip to this region, I started out at Courtright Reservoir (which features numerous domes for quality rock climbing) and headed to Red Mountain Basin where I ascended to Hell for Sure Lake, over 15 miles from the trailhead and much of that mileage in the forest. I’m curious what is the origin and etymology of the name “Hell for Sure” since this region is simply stunning – beautiful for sure! This late in the season, I encountered substantial snow on the last few miles above 9,000 feet, but it was well worth the effort to reach the lake, which features a backdrop of the sheer north face of Mount Hutton. I continued from the lake up a steep path to Hell for Sure Pass with a perfectly framed view of Hell for Sure Lake below. After a few photos at the pas, I headed up snow slopes to the summit of Red Mountain where I encountered much post-holing along the way. Finally at the summit, I marveled at the 360 degree views including the Sierra Crest, Goddard Canyon, the LeConte Divide, and the Sierra foothills. I could see all the way to the peaks of Yosemite high country to the north and the Great Western Divide to the south. The position of the LeConte Divide to the west of the crest affords great views up and down the High Sierra. The best view of all, however, was Red Mountain Basin immediately below, with at least seven shimmering lakes tucked beneath Mount Hutton and Hell for Sure Lake being the large centerpiece. Back at Hell for Sure Lake after the descent from Red Mountain, I made a diversion to Horseshoe Lake at the foot of Mount Hutton. The route was mainly  along the shores of Hell for Sure Lake over granite slabs and patches of unconsolidated snow. Unlike Hell for Sure Lake, Horseshoe Lake is aptly named with an obvious horseshoe shape. This lake is perhaps the most stunning in a basin filled with spectacular lakes. Horseshoe Lake is situated among polished granite cliffs, clumps of trees and the north face of Mount Hutton towering directly above. I enjoyed this trip so much that it produced at least three new ideas to visit other parts of the LeConte Divide in the future, including Bench Valley and it’s numerous lakes, Mount Reinstein & Ambition Lake, and Finger Peak & Cathedral Lake. Beyond the LeConte Divide, I’m particularly interested in the upper Goddard Creek valley area and lake 10,232, one of the most remote spots in all of the Sierra with no trail accessibility for miles around.  I would also like to revisit Red Mountain basin for further exploration including an ascent of Mount Hutton and stops at Devils Punchbowl, Little Shot Lake and Big Shot Lake. Complete photo gallery here.