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.
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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. |
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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! |
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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. |
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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! |
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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! |
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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! |
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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! |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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! |
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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. |
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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 :( |
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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 |
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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. |
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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. |
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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! |
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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! |
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Precipice, Jordan Cliffs, & other trails
Oct. 2018 Acadia National Park, ME My first trip to Acadia coincided perfectly with the turning leaves! |
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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. |
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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. |
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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 |
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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. |
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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. |
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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!) |
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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. |
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Franconia Ridge Trail
October 2017 Franconia Notch State Park, NH Elev. 5,260' 8.9 miles - 3,937' gain Back to the White Mountains for one of the most popular hikes in New England! The weather held out (despite some strong winds and the top) and provided stunning views of slightly browning foliage from the tops of Mts. Lincoln and Lafayette. |
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Hi-Cannon and Lonesome Lake Loop
September 2017 Franconia Notch State Park, NH Elev. 4,080' 5.1 miles - 2,427' gain My first hike in the White Mountains, and since moving to the East Coast, did not disappoint - the weather was excellent, the views spectacular, and the foliage just starting to turn on Cannon Mountain. |
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Andrews Bald and Charlies Bunion
August 2017 Great Smoky Mountains Nat'l Park, TN & NC Elev. ~6,000' 7.6 miles - 2,200' gain After catching the total solar eclipse in KY, I made for the Smokies and did two short hikes at the top of the ridgeline. It was clouds, not smog, that gave the mountains their smoky appearance during my visit. |
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High Dune & the Dunes Overlook Trail
August 2017 Great Sand Dunes Nat'l Park, CO Elev. 8,175' ~4 miles - ~1,200' gain total After climbing to an overlook in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, I backpacked over the High Dune for an unforgettable sunset and a night out in sand. |
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Sipapu, Kachina, and Owachomo Bridges
August 2017 Natural Bridges Nat'l Mon., UT Elev. 6,300' 3 miles - 1,000' gain One of many stops on the long road east to Harvard; this secluded park offered a series of short hikes to impressive natural bridges, along with a colorful landscape of canyons and impressive rock formations. |
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San Bernardino Peak
July 2017 San Bernardino Nat'l Forest, CA Elev. 10,649' 16.5 miles - 4,700' gain It hit 100 ˚F in the valley below, but we had a cool breeze and pleasant drizzle for our climb up San Bernardino - among the tallest of the peaks that encircle the Los Angeles Basin. |
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Scenic Point & other trails
June 2017 Glacier National Park, MT Elev. 7,522' 8.0 miles - 2300' gain Though some of the higher elevations in the park are still inaccessible, June is a great time of year to see torrential waterfalls and snow-speckled peaks throughout Glacier National Park. |
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Mount Baldy (a.k.a. Mt. San Antonio)
May 2017 San Gabriel Mountains Nat’l Mon., CA Elev. 10,064’ 11.3 miles - 3900’ gain The same hike I did last October, only in reverse - and with significantly more snow. |
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Soldiers Pass, Brins Mesa, & other trails
Mar. 2017 Sedona, AZ ~19 miles total - 1,500' gain Two exhausting days of hiking wasn't enough to take in all the gorgeous scenery that the Sedona area has to offer. |
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Inspiration Point
Feb. 2017 San Gabriel Mountains Nat’l Mon., CA 11.8 miles - 2,740’ gain Another hazy morning in Los Angeles, and a wonderfully cold day for my first >10 mile trail run. |
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Mountain View & other trails
Jan. 2017 Mammoth Lakes, Mono Co., CA Elev. 9,200’ ~2.5 miles - 700’ gain My first time on snowshoes in nearly a decade - I forgot how much more exhausting it is than hiking. |
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Mount San Jacinto
Nov. 2016 Riverside Co., CA Elev. 10,834’ 11.4 miles - 4,690’ gain "The view from San Jacinto is the most sublime spectacle to be found anywhere on this earth" - John Muir |
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Mount Baldy (a.k.a. Mt. San Antonio)
Oct. 2016 San Gabriel Mountains Nat’l Mon., CA Elev. 10,064’ 11.3 miles - 3900’ gain A grueling trip up, but some of the best views you can get of LA and the high desert, and an especially exciting traverse along the Devil’s Backbone. |
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Mt. Lowe & San Gabriel Peak
Sept. 2016 San Gabriel Mountains Nat’l Mon., CA Elev. 5,604’ and 6,161’ ~6 miles - ~2,000’ gain Only about 10 miles as the crow flies from Caltech, but it feels like a wilderness! |
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Ryan Mountain & other trails
Aug. 2016 Joshua Tree Nat’l Park, CA Elev. 5,457’ 3 miles - 1,050’ gain For otherworldly landscapes and flora, and a quick escape from the sprawl of LA, it’s hard to beat Joshua Tree. |
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Fort Ord & Pacific Grove
Jul. 2016 Monterey Co., CA Some urban hiking & quick walks through beautiful coastal California landscapes during breaks from our fieldwork in Marina, CA. |
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Cucamonga Peak
Jun. 2016 San Gabriel Mountains Nat’l Mon., CA Elev. 8,859’ 11.6 miles - 4,300’ gain A strenuous climb up one of the tallest mountains in the San Gabriel front range. |
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Sheep Crossing & other trails
May 2016 Greer, Apache Co., AZ Elev. 8,356’ Who knew Arizona could be so pleasant in the summer? |
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.Tongariro Alpine Crossing
April 2016 Tongariro Nat’l Park, Waikato, NZ ~14 miles This epic hike on New Zealand's North Island took us past active volcanic vents, absurdly colored pools, and Mt. Doom from Lord of the Rings |
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Abel Tasman Coast Track
April 2016 Tasman, New Zealand 14.2 miles We only got to spend a day on the Tasman Track as we traversed NZ, but the gorgeous beaches and lush rainforest were definitely worth it. |
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Hooker Valley & other trails
April 2016 Aoraki/Mount Cook Nat’l Park Canterbury, New Zealand 3.1 miles Some short walks around the glaciers, lakes, and streams at the base of New Zealand's tallest mountain. |
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Routeburn & Caples Tracks
March 2016 Mount Aspiring & Fjordland Nat’l Parks Southland & Otago, New Zealand 45 miles An incredible three-night trek that took us through a wealth of different landscapes across the southern end of New Zealand. |
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Echo Mountain & Inspiration Point
Feb. 2016 San Gabriel Mountains Nat’l Mon., CA 11.2 miles - 2,709’ gain Tucked right up against Pasadena, Echo Mountain provides impressive views over LA and an excellent sunset hike. |
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Heart of Rocks & other trails
Oct. 2015 Chiricahua Nat’l Mon., Cochise Co., AZ 10.8 miles Breathtaking rock formations tucked away in an isolated corner of Arizona. |
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Mount Baden-Powell
Sept. 2015 San Bernardino County, CA Elev. 9,406’ 8.7 miles - 2,900’ gain Short and steep, this climb provides excellent high desert views and a unique look at some ancient limber pines. |
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Mist Falls & other trails
Aug. 2015 Kings Canyon Nat’l Park, Fresno Co., CA 8.1 miles - 1,028’ gain We got caught in a rainstorm in Paradise Valley, but it certainly made for some dramatic views. |
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Lassen Peak & other hikes
Aug. 2015 Lassen Volcanic Nat’l Park, Shasta Co., CA Elev. 10,457’ 5 miles - 2,000’ gain A windy climb through some spectacular volcanic landscapes. |
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Bear Gulch / High Peaks & other trails
Jul. 2015 Pinnacles Nat’l Park, San Benito Co., CA Elev. 2,700’ 6.7 miles - 1,425’ gain To escape the heat, we hiked in the evenings and spent our days spelunking in California's youngest National Park. |
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North Shore & other trails
Jul. 2015 Point Lobos State Reserve, Monterey Co., CA ~7 miles Another quick escape to the rugged Central California coast during our summer fieldwork. |
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Rocky Ridge & other trails
Jul. 2015 Garrapata State Park, Monterey Co., CA Elev. 1,850’ 5 miles - 1,750’ gain Great views abound in the Big Sur area of Monterey County - especially when the sun is setting. |
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Mount Wrightson
June 2015 Santa Cruz County, AZ Elev. 9,453’ 13.2 miles - 4,040’ gain After an early start to escape the heat, this trek rewarded with fantastic views over the Sonoran Desert. |
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Marshall Gulch & other Trails
June 2015 Mt. Lemmon, Pima Co., AZ Elev. 8,215' 3.5 miles - 1,015' gain Towering above Tucson, Mt. Lemmon provides plenty of hiking opportunities. |
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Ice Box Canyon & other trails
May 2015 Red Rock Canyon Nat'l Conservation Area, Clark Co., NV 3 miles Natural beauty a stone's throw from Vegas. |
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Little Colorado River & other trails
Jan. 2015 Greer, Apache Co., AZ Elev. 8,356’ Long before it carves through the Grand Canyon, the Little Colorado starts as a trickle through Arizona's White Mountains. |
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Smith Mountain
Jan. 2015 San Gabriel Nat’l Monument, LA County, CA Elev. 5,111’ 7 miles - 1,820’ gain A New Years' hike with lovely views of the San Gabriels. |
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Mount Washburn & other trails
Aug. 2014 Yellowstone Nat’l Park, Teton Co., WY Elev. 10,243’ 6.4 miles - 1,400’ gain Snow in August, wolves, bears, and all sorts of other exciting encounters in the country's first National Park. |
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Monarch Lakes & other trails
Sept. 2013 Sequoia Nat’l Park, Tulare Co., CA Elev. 10,400’ 8.9 miles - 2,893’ gain Turns out alpine lakes are very cold, even at the end of the summer, but we didn't let that stop us. |
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Yosemite Falls & other trails
March 2013 Yosemite Nat’l Park, Mariposa Co., CA Elev. 6,700’ 7.2 miles - 2,700’ gain We weren't prepared for the vagaries of the weather, but the falls were beautiful in rain and sun. |
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Hidden Canyon & other trails
June 2012 Zion & Bryce Canyon Nat’l Parks, UT Driving home to Seattle after graduating from Davidson College (NC), I stopped at two of my favorite national parks for a quick tour of Utah’s most majestic scenery. |
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South Kaibab & other trails
June 2012 Grand Canyon Nat’l Park, AZ Elev. 7,260’ 8.8 miles - 3,250’ gain Though I didn’t get a chance to hike all the way to the river, I loved the views from above. |
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Garfield Peak & other trails
Aug. 2012 Crater Lake Nat’l Park, OR Elev. 8,060’ 3 miles - 970’ gain A surreal example of the Northwest's volcanic (not-so-distant) past |
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Emerald Lake & other trails
July 2011 Rocky Mountain Nat’l Park, CO 3.6 miles - 685' gain We visited RMNP many times during my summer in Boulder - with so many trails and interesting landscapes, there’s always something new to see. |
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Grays & Torreys Peaks
July 2011 Clear Creek & Summit Co’s., CO Elev. 14,278’ & 14,275’ 8.5 miles - 3,600’ gain Two 14’ers in one morning! |
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Arapahoe Pass & Lake Dorothy
July 2011 Nederland, Boulder Co., CO Elev. 12,080’ 7.9 miles - 2,601’ gain This beautiful hike up to the continental divide turned out to be a lot snowier than we expected. |
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Huron Peak
July 2011 Chaffee Co., CO Elev. 14,012’ 8.6 miles - 3,740’ gain My first 14’er! This was a grueling hike, and my first experience with the difficulties of high-altitude hiking, but definitely worth it. |
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Schynige Platte - First & other trails
Fall 2010 Bern, Vaud, & Valais, Switzerland ~8 miles - ~3,000' gain I spent a semester studying economics in Geneva, Switzerland, and frequently used my weekends to explore the Bernese Alps; the Interlaken area was a particular favorite. |
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© Kelvin Bates, 2020