Hiking 2

Welcome to my hiking gallery! I've been lucky enough to live and travel in some amazing places full of natural beauty, and I try to get out and explore as much as possible. Here's a little sampling; photos are taken by me unless otherwise noted.
2010 - 2017 // 2018 - 2021 // 2022 - 2024

Castle & Basin Peaks
October 2021
Nevada County, CA
Elev. 9,100' - 8.9 miles - 2,330' gain

A repeat from earlier this summer, but this time with no smoke. It turns out the views from this ridgeline hike are quite expansive when the air quality isn't terrible.

Harding Icefield
September 2021
Kenai Fjords Nat'l Park, AK
Elev. 3,600' - 9.2 miles - 3,500' gain

I've never seen anything quite like this icefield - it's like a glacier that never ends. We were just at the tail end of the season, but the weather cooperated on this unique and intense climb!

Flattop Mountain & other trails
September 2021
Anchorage, AK

My first trip to Alaska certainly didn't disappoint - we even ran into a couple moose on a trail right in the city!

The Enchantments & Little Annapurna
August 2021
Leavenworth, WA
Elev. 8,440' - 29 miles - 8,100' gain

The Enchantments are a collection of alpine lakes in the Cascade Range that have achieved a well-earned reputation for their beauty -- and as a result, it's tough to get a permit to hike there. But we managed to score a backpacking permit for two nights, which let us take our time in the wilderness and climb Little Annapurna, one of the surrounding peaks.

Lake Aloha
August 2021
Desolation Wilderness, CA
12.5 miles - 1,900' gain

Right in the heart of the Desolation Wilderness, Lake Aloha is a maze of granite ridges in a seasonal reservoir, and an excellent spot for a swim. We also got to sniff some Jeffrey Pines, which exude a mix of hydrocarbons and ketones from their bark that smell like butterscotch!

Castle & Basin Peaks
August 2021
Nevada County, CA
Elev. 9,100' - 8.9 miles - 2,330' gain

It was a smoky day in Tahoe, and probably not a healthy choice to go ahead with this climb to two peaks perched above Emigrant Gap. But we reached elevations above most of the smoke, and it made for an interesting atmosphere in which to hike.

Round Top
July 2021
Mokelumne Wilderness, CA
Elev. 10,380' - 8.9 miles - 2,300' gain

Round Top is the highest point in the Mokelumne Wilderness and in Alpine County, and the views from its summit are spectacular, from Lake Tahoe to the north to the peaks of Yosemite to the south. The top is a bit of a scramble, but it's worth the effort, and there are crystal-clear alpine lakes on the descent route to cool off.

Five Lakes Basin
July 2021
Nevada County, CA
10.8 miles - 1,700' gain

This remote section of the Tahoe National Forest is an alpine paradise, with an endless little lakes to jump in on a hot day and plenty of meandering trails that can be interconnected. We started at Grouse Ridge and took Sand Ridge to Glacier Lake before looping back.

Fern Canyon & other trails
June 2021
Mendocino, CA

A weekend camping in Mendocino offered many opportunities for short hikes! Our favorites were in Van Damme state park, which encompasses a pygmy forest and a fern- and redwood-filled canyon leading right up to the Pacific Coast.

Blackett's Ridge & Babad Do'ag
March 2021
Tucson, AZ
10.2 miles - 3,030' gain

Blackett's Ridge is a beautiful but brutal hike up the ridge alongside Sabino Canyon, with endless views of Tucson, and Babad Do'ag is a quick way to get up to the wildflowers and saguaro-covered hillsides of Mount Lemmon.

Blue Ridge loop
January 2021
Winters, CA
5.1 miles - 1,460' gain

It was a pleasantly cool foggy day for this low-elevation hike close to the lab at UC Davis, with views of the Central Valley and Lake Berryessa. We also passed through forest that had been burned in last year's wildfires, which made for a spooky and surreal atmosphere.

Mount Diablo loop
December 2020
Contra Costa County, CA
Elev. 3,849 - 14.2 miles - 4,010' gain

Ascending from Mitchell Canyon to the peak via a string of ridges and descending on fire roads made for a long day but an excellent loop! The views were incredible in every direction -- to the east the Sierras peeking out above the Tule fog, and to the west Mt. Tam towering above the Golden Gate.

Pyramid Peak
October 2020
Desolation Wilderness, CA
Elev. 9,980' - 9.0 miles - 4,195' gain

The smoke has finally cleared from Central California, which meant that from the top of this brutal climb I could see all the way to Tahoe and Nevada to the Northeast and all the way to my home in Sacramento to the West!

Mount Tallac
August 2020
Desolation Wilderness, CA
Elev. 9,738' - 9.2 miles - 3,274' gain

This tough climb led to spectacular views over Lake Tahoe and the rest of the Desolation Wilderness, with a lovely pond on the way back down to cool off in.

Wheeler Peak
July 2020
Great Basin Nat'l Park, NV
Elev. 13,064' - 8.6 miles - 2,906' gain

My road trip from Boston to Sacramento was full of beautiful hikes through National Parks and Monuments, but by far the most ambitious and impressive was this climb up Nevada's second-highest peak, right near the Utah border in Great Basin National Park. The altitude was brutal but the views were spectacular!

Horsetail Falls & other trails
June 2020
Desolation Wilderness, CA
4.0 miles - 1,391' gain

I'm settling in to my return to California with a series of hikes through the rugged mountain scenery around Lake Tahoe. One of my favorite spots, full of crisscrossing backpacking & hiking routes, is the Desolation Wilderness. Horsetail falls was a bit of a rock scramble, but a fun one!

Arch Canyon, Bull Pasture, & Estes Canyon
March 2020
Organ Pipe Cactus Nat'l Mon., AZ
6.3 miles - 2,204' gain

Exploring the otherworldly landscape of the desert Southwest with some treks through the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. The Ajo mountains have flora unlike anywhere else on earth!

The Flatiron and Superstition Peak
January 2020
Apache Junction, AZ
Elev. 5,057' - 7.2 miles - 2,977' gain

This hike is quite an ordeal, with lots of precarious rock scrambling; I lost the trail at one point and scrambled up the wrong arroyo. But once I reached the top I was rewarded with spectacular views over the Valley of the Sun and the Superstition Mountains!

Guadalupe Peak
January 2020
Guadalupe Mtns Nat'l Park, TX
Elev. 8,749' - 8.4 miles - 3,000' gain

Celebrated the New Year by hiking to the highest point in Texas! A brutal climb with some biting winds, but we were rewarded along the whole route with stunning views out over the Chihuahuan desert.

Alkali Flat and other trails
December 2019
White Sands Nat'l Park, NM
Elev. 3,980' - 6.6 miles

It was an otherworldly experience trekking around the these gypsum sand dunes for a day in the country's newest national park, with endless dramatic views from every angle.

Pine Tree Trail
December 2019
Organ Mtns / Desert Peaks Nat'l Mon., NM
Elev. 6,704' - 4.2 miles - 1,053' gain

This loop took us through desert and snow, and through many different kinds of forest, all in the shadow of the imposing Organ Mountains.

Rattlesnake Ledge
November 2019
North Bend, WA
Elev. 3,481' - 5.1 miles - 1,469' gain

Had a lovely opportunity to revisit one of my favorite childhood hikes in the foothills of the Cascades, although swimming in the lake at the base of the ledge isn't so enticing in November.

Mount Tecumseh
October 2019
Waterville Valley, NH
Elev. 4,003' - 4.9 miles - 2,283' gain

Checked off the smallest of New England's 4000-footers, took in the fall foliage, and then scrambled down the ski slopes for an extra adventure.

Fløyen
September 2019
Bergen, Norway
Elev. 1,030' - 4.2 miles - 1,030' gain

This mountain rises right out of the city center of Bergen, and affords some incredible views out over the fjords.

Presidential Traverse
August 2019
White Mountains, NH
Elev. 6,288' - 23 miles - 10,000' gain

What a trek! In two days (camping at the RMC's Perch along the way), I summited ten named peaks in the Presidential Range. The top of Washington was shrouded in fog, but aside from that, the weather cooperated perfectly.

Old Speck Mountain
August 2019
Grafton Notch, ME
Elev. 4,170 - 7.6 miles - 2700' gain

Another 4000-footer in the books! This one has a lookout tower at the top that provides an impressive 360˚ view. The trail was in excellent condition and went surprisingly quickly for being so steep.

Ruple Point & other trails
July 2019
Dinosaur National Monument, CO & UT
14 miles - 970' gain

Pretty sure I was the only person on the Ruple Point trail today; I should probably keep it secret, but it offers some of the best canyon views in Dinosaur NM!

Black Ridge & Monument Canyon
July 2019
Colorado National Monument, CO
17 miles - 1,360' gain

Took a quick road trip after the NOAA C&GC Summer Institute to explore more of the incredible geology of the Colorado Plateau.

Les Loupes & Le Confluent
June 2019
Jacques-Cartier National Park, QC, Canada
4 miles - 1,420' gain

Just north of Québec City, Jacques-Cartier protects a series of perfectly U-shaped glacial valleys in the Laurentian Mountains. Sadly, we didn't see any moose :(

Bigelow Mountain & Avery Peak
June 2019
Franklin & Somerset Counties, ME
12 miles - 3,340' gain

My first 4000-footer in Maine, Bigelow did not disappoint! Once we escaped the swarms of bugs at the base, it was a grueling climb, but the views were well worth it

Pemetic Mtn, Jordan Pond, & the Bubbles
June 2019
Acadia National Park, ME
5.4 miles - 1,510' gain

Acadia is just as magical the second time around. Despite the crowds on the park's more popular trails, Pemetic was practically deserted, and we narrowly managed to avoided some rain squalls as well.

Mount Sanitas
March 2019
Boulder, CO
Elev. 6,800' - 3.2 miles - 1,260' gain

Took a Sunday out of the lab while visiting NCAR in Boulder to venture up this mountain just west of town, with gorgeous views back to the front range and out over the expansive plains.

Arapahoe Basin
March 2019
Dillon, CO
Elev. 12,500' - 1.5 miles - 1,650' gain

This was a first: an early-morning hike straight up the slopes of A-Basin with skis on my back, then a fresh descent just as the lifts were opening. Couldn't have asked for better conditions!

Mt. Pemigewasset
Oct 2018
Lincoln, NH
4.2 miles - 1,485' gain

It's prime leaf-viewing season in New Hampshire right now, and the views from the summit of Mt. Pemigewasset in Franconia Notch did not disappoint!

Precipice, Jordan Cliffs, & other trails
Oct. 2018
Acadia National Park, ME

My first trip to Acadia coincided perfectly with the turning leaves!

Crossover, Coffee Pot & Cathedral Trails
Sept. 2018
Greer & Sedona, AZ
3.5, 3.5, and 2.5 miles respectively

Couldn't stay away from the gorgeous scenery along Arizona's Mogollon Rim - first in the highlands of the White Mountains, and then through the brilliantly red rocks of Sedona.

Piestewa Peak & Camelback Mountain
Aug. 2018
Maricopa Co., AZ
Elev. 2,707'
5.3 miles - 2,692' gain

Baking in the heart of Phoenix, these prominent peaks afford impressive views over the Valley of the Sun.

Arethusa Falls & Square Ledge
Aug. 2018
Carroll Co., NH
4.0 miles - 1,400' gain

The White Mountains are like a little piece of the rugged West plopped into New England, and any time I visit I can't wait to go back again. This weekend we explored short but rewarding trails in both Crawford & Pinkham notches, all within sight of the Presidential Range

Lovewell Mountain
Aug. 2018
Sullivan Co., NH
Elev. 2,473'
4.5 miles - 1,325' gain

Off the beaten path in New Hampshire, Lovewell Mountain provided plenty of lush forest scenery, including an incredible array of mushrooms.

Point Lobos & Soberanes Point Loops
July 2018
Monterey Co., CA
8.1 miles - 990' gain

Back in Monterey for fieldwork, we took the time to explore Point Lobos and Garrapata State Parks. The major trails in Garrapata are still closed following their massive forest fire two summers ago, but the coastal trails still provide a wealth of wildflowers and amazing ocean views.

Mount Esja
May 2018
Reykjavík, Iceland
Elev. 2,999'
4.3 miles - 2,441' gain

Just across the bay from Reykjavík, Mount Esja makes for a grueling climb, especially in the windy conditions we experienced - but the views over Southwestern Iceland are well worth the climb, especially at sunset (11:00 pm!)

Leirhnjúkur, Hverfjall, and other trails
May 2018
Myvatn, Iceland
5.5 miles - 630' gain

The geothermally active terrain around Lake Myvatn in Northeastern Iceland provides a new wonder around every turn, from the sulfurous hot springs of the Leirhnjúkur area to the volcanic crater of Hverfjall to the torturous lava formations of Dimmuborgir.