Mount Sunflower (Kansas Highpoint)

If the Nebraska highpoint was remote, Mount Sunflower was even more so....

We lingered at this one a little longer.  Sy even took the time to draw a portrait of the highpoint marker and he also decided we should start checking off highpoints in my book (I think I have him hooked!).

 

While driving the last few miles to this highpoint, I found myself wondering just who lives more than 15 miles away from a paved road and miles and miles away from their closest neighbors?  I am sure they are great people but I was struck by the fact that I don't know anyone like that and am pretty sure the people I know also don't know anyone like that....  definitely isolated but also definitely beautiful in its own way.

Panorama Point (Nebraska Highpoint)

Now that the semester has finished, I needed to get out of the house and have an adventure.  So, Sy and I decided to head out on a road trip to bag a couple more state highpoints.

We started from Provo, UT on Sunday afternoon and arrived in Cheyenne, WY (just west of the highpoint) six hours later.  I had never really stopped in Cheyenne before and liked the little capitol town. We checked out the famous 8ft high boots in the park in town and then ate at Sanford Pub & Grill - a great choice.

The next morning we got up early, took a side trip to see some llamas and goats....

...and then headed to the highpoint.  Even though my instructions were good and we didn't make any wrong turns, it was still easy to get nervous traveling more than 20 miles on dirt roads passing only the occasional farm house.

Eventually we made it.  I guess that means Sy has his first highpoint!  We didn't wait around much though because we wanted to head south and hit the Kansas highpoint later that day.

Mt. Diablo (Walnut Creek, CA)

This morning Mike (brother-in-law) and I took of to hike Mt. Diablo.  We are spending the Thanksgiving holiday with family in Walnut Creek, CA and Mt. Diablo is the biggest peak around.  It was a little on the cool side and the wind was howling but since those are two things I love, I enjoyed myself.  It was also a nice escape from the kids and craziness.

We chose a route that starts fairly high up but circumnavigates the mountain while climbing about 2000ft in elevation.  In all the hike was in the neighborhood of 6 miles long and the views from the top were pretty awesome.  I could easily see the Bay Bridge, San Francisco and into the Pacific to the east and the Sierras to the southwest.

Muir Woods (San Francisco, CA)

This past Saturday my cousin, Karl Reichstetter, and I headed over to Muir Woods for a day hike. Expecting a boardwalk like walk through the redwoods, I wore Adidas Sambas and walked with camera in hand and didn't bring water. *wagging finger*. We opted to do an ~10 mile loop to Stinson Beach (via Hillside, Ben Johson, Stapelveldt, Steep Ravine, and Dipsea trails) and back along the Dipsea trail.


Remember to do your research before heading to the trail! Luckily there were no major consequences for my lack of planning. Instead, we enjoyed a fantastic morning and early afternoon.

Most of the day we were in low lying clouds but the weather would dramatically and inexplicably change as we weaved along the trail climbing and loosing again about 1400ft. Dripping moss, dry dusty trail, humid, breezy, sunny, cloudy, warm, and very cool.... we experienced it all.

If the weather was loaded with wild swings, the fauna was equally varied. The following is a good series of pictures that shows some of the variation.







I really liked Muir Woods and would love to go back.

Half-dome (Yosemite National Park, CA)

A couple of weeks ago Karl Reichstetter (my cousin) invited me to join a group of Tuck MBA students who are interning in the Bay Area on their ascent of half-dome. No need to ask me twice!

We broke camp just after 4:30am and hit the trail just after 5:30. One of the coolest things about this ascent was the series of water falls we hiked by during the first 4 miles of the hike. The beauty really helped to break up what otherwise would have been a rough 2000ft climb to the Little Yosemite Valley.

The famous cables at the top looked intimidating but weren't that scary in the end. It is the type of thing that you might build up in your mind but once you are there and focused, things just move forward.

That being said, my legs started cramping up while on the cables and by the time we summited (just a few dozen feet above the cables) my quads were in full lock-up mode. So after about 4800ft in just over 8 miles, it was time to sit down and enjoy the views.


On the way down we escaped from the heat by dipping in the river flowing through Little Yosemite Valley.


Views like this abounded... seriously.....

Mt. Charleston (Las Vegas, NV)

Before coming to Vegas, I had never heard about Mt. Charleston but I quickly learned it is the biggest mountain around, is in the range boasting the only ski resort anywhere near here, and can be counted on to be at least 20 deg cooler than Vegas at any time. I was sold!

This Saturday made for the perfect opportunity to attack it. After hiking Boundary Peak, I realized I was pretty out of shape and probably wasn't quite ready for the much longer trip up Charleston but I decided to go for it anyway..... and I am glad I did.

This was one of those hikes that has it all.....


... as long as you are willing to tough out a 16 mile day!

I camped at the Kyle Canyon campground the night before. I enjoyed a campfire and a phone conversation with my Mom before field testing my bivy sack tent and getting some rest for the long hike ahead.

The hike starts with a steep 4 mile climb to the saddle just below Griffith Peak. The majority of the climb is a long series of switchbacks that traverse a wide variety of terrain and forest.. starting with an avalanche flattened aspen grove, past the base of a huge cliff, up through a pine forest (where snow still lingered) and eventually into grassy meadows as the trees thinned. From there the majority of the rest of the hike is a flat ridge walk until the last mile when you leave the treeline behind and hit the final ascent.

It took me 6 hours to get up (arrived just before noon) but that needs to include the 1-2 mile detour up a portion of Cathedral Peak. I really should pay more attention to the signage at the trailhead! It took me another 4 hours to get down. It was a full day and afterwards I truly did feel fulfilled.

Frenchman Mountain (Las Vegas, NV)

I am starting to realize how little time I have left in Vegas so I have been trying to cram in some fun stuff! Last month, on my way home from the temple, I noticed the beauty of the city lights and wondered to myself what the view must be like from the top of the mountain just east of the temple. When I got home I learned it is called Frenchman Mountain and I decided I would climb it one evening for a couple of pictures.


It turns out the trailhead for the hike is in a vacant lot popular for illegal dumping. I kept my fingers crossed for a vandalism free adventure and took off. The hike is 2 miles each way with a 160oft gain. What the trail guides don't tell you is that you have to gain at least a third of that twice!!

I started at 7:30 and reached the first crest in time to get a snapshot of the colors in the sky from the setting sun. The trail ahead can be seen in this next picture. A steep climb with a dozen or so steep switchbacks at the top. This "top" is the highpoint of the trail on the North peak. The true summit is on the South peak and the saddle between the two drops at least 500 ft. By the time I was dropping into the saddle, it was dark.


I rarely ever night hike but tonight was fantastic. The dark meant cooler temperatures and a strong desert breeze was blowing. I opted to not use my headlamp and instead was guided by a combination of the ambient city lights and my adjusted vision.

Although the true summit is gated off with communication towers and all other kinds of man made stuff, the view of the valley below was not spoiled in the least. I just wish I had the skill and equipment to take a decent night picture! Here is one of the better photos.....


Vegas may get kind of a bad rap but scenes like this are hard to beat. The astute observer will notice that the brightest section of the photo is the "strip" on Las Vegas Blvd.

Boundary Peak (Nevada Highpoint)

When I heard the forecast for Las Vegas (high of 85 deg and cloudy), I knew I was going to be in for a cold one at Boundary Peak. After finishing the CFA exam, I threw my gear in the car and headed north past Dyer, NV (a town so inconsequential for Nevadans you actually have to go into California to get to it), up a 13 mile dirt road (in the sedan), to the trailhead at 9000 ft. I didn't arrive until almost 11:00pm and the thermometer was reading a balmy 41 deg. I folded the seats down in the Saturn and tried to get some shut-eye.

I woke in the morning to this beautiful site. I also woke-up realizing I had forgot my boots in Vegas? There was no way I was going to make it up in my Adidas Sambas. Luckily, a group of three guys arrived as I was preparing to leave (~7:00am) and one guy offered me his pair of size 11 Montrails. Sweet providence!


This is a picture in the direction of Boundary Peak (not actually the peak) from the trailhead. As you can see, the conditions were going to be snowy.

This hike is only about 3.5 miles each way but the last two are very tough ones. Altogether the gain is around 4000ft. The walk along the valley floor was beautiful. The trail paralleled a creek and thick willows for more than a mile before heading toward the tree line. You can see from this picture that the blue skies didn't last. Most of the day was spent in and out of the clouds.


There was lots of bristlecone pine along the way.



The toughest part by far was getting to the saddle from the start of the treeline. The slope was downright sandy and steep. Steps forward were often lost as your back foot slide down mid-stride. Add that to the elevation gain in that stretch from 10k' to 12k' and I was seriously beat when I reached the saddle. I was also feeling the altitude. I was pretty dizzy and decided to take a break.

This picture was taken from the saddle. The trailhead is at the end of the canyon that stretches from the left to the middle of the picture. If you look really closely, you can see the dirt road in the distance as well. I don't know about you but I had no idea Nevada had places like this. Absolutely beautiful!


This picture was taken after summitting and as I started to head back down. The saddle is visible about 1/4 of the way from the left of the picture. This part of the climb was slow going (a combination of snow and altitude).


I finally summitted just before noon (5 hours for 3.5 miles? that should tell you something!). As you can tell from the picture, the peak was socked in with clouds so I didn't stay long. I had originally wanted to hike over to Montgomery Peak as well but my hands and feet were pretty cold, the weather was looking sketchy and I was feeling pretty tired!


I made it down in half the time and coasted my way into Dyer for a Gatorade and Dr. Pepper. I repented of the ridicule I had cast on this small town as I savored the sweet, sweet beverages and then made my way back to Vegas.

Bagged another highpoint!

Turtlehead Peak (Red Rocks, Las Vegas, NV)

Taking on two internships this summer is going to put a cramp in my hiking style but I am still going to try and be a weekend warrior.

Recently Mike Esselman (fellow BYU MBA 1st year student) and I enjoyed an early morning summit of Turtlehead Peak in the Red Rocks recreation area in Las Vegas. A steep climb and therefore satisfying! Here are a few shots...


A view of the peak during the ascent. The trail went straight up the gulley to the left (the steep part) and then approached the ridge from along the ridge and up the backside of the peak.

A view from the peak with the popular Red Rocks in the foreground. There were a lot of people climbing, rapelling, exploring, etc... on a Saturday morning.

A view from the peak.

Hiking the Y

I had been gone a lot in January and Sy has been hungry to spend some time with his Dad. Last weekend I was finally able to get caught up with school and Sy kept asking me to bring him hiking.... I am not going to say "No" to that!

So, Sy and I suited up and headed out to the trailhead.

Sy remembered that the last time we hiked the Y he tuckered out just after turn 6 and rested there with Mom while Soren and I finished the hike. He announced his intention to finish the hike this time around.


Ironically, during a rest break (just after turn 6) Sy asked where he should go to the bathroom. I told him just off the side of the trail and he gave me a funny look. It was then I realized that he needed to go "#2." Well, we hadn't come prepared for that so we headed back down the trail.


Looks like Sy and I will have to wait for at least a 3rd attempt in order to get him up there! Regardless, I was glad to get on the trail with him. I hope for many more trips together.

Ebright Azimuth (Delaware Highpoint)

This weekend, after my interview at Air Products in Allentown, PA, I visited Josh Probert, a good friend of my mine from my BYU folk dancing days. While there I had this thought, "Delaware isn't that big. The highpoint has to be near by!" As it turned out, it was about 15 min away. Josh entertained my odd hobby and drove me to the highpoint.

Once we were there it took us about 10 min to find the USGS marker, snap a few pictures and drive off. Easily the shortest hike (20 feet) I have had in order to reach a highpoint.

Rock Canyon - Snowshoeing

My folks got me my first pair of snowshoes for Christmas.... unfortunately, they were the wrong size! No problem, while I wait for the new ones to arrive, I rented a pair from the rental shop on campus and headed up Rock Canyon with Rand Blair (MBA classmate).


It was my first time snowshoeing and I showed my amateur behavior by putting the shoes on wrong for more than half of the hike. Basically, I strapped my feet in too far forward and my toes, hitting the front of the shoe, were keeping the binding from swiveling as I took steps. I felt kind of stupid but at least I know how it works now! Besides, with a beautiful day like this it is hard to have it spoiled.