Kearsarge Pass - Inyo National Forest, California

On August 22nd, I hiked up Kearsarge Pass in the Eastern Sierras. It was my warm up hike for hiking up Mount Whitney on the 25th. Beginning at Onion Valley, the Kearsarge Pass Trail travels through the John Muir Wilderness. The trail climbs through forest and alpine tundra and past several lakes, including Little Pothole, Gilbert, and Flower Lakes. It is 4 miles to the top of 11,760-foot Kearsarge Pass.

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest - White Mountains, California

On August 21st, I visited the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest which is home to the oldest trees in the world, bristlecone pines. Some of these living trees exceed 4000 years of age. I hiked the 4.5 mile Methuselah Trail. The grove is located in the White Mountains above 9,000 feet, in the Inyo National Forest in California.

Humphreys Peak - Coconino National Forest

On August 9th, I made my second hike up Humphrey's Peak this summer (elevation 12,633 feet) in preparation for hiking up Mount Whitney to 14,505 feet on August 25th. Humphrey's peak is exhausting. I started at 5am and reached the summit at noon and returned to my car at 4pm. The hike is 10 miles round trip. Mountain hiking relieves my OCD and depression.

Wupatki National Monument

At Wuptaki National Monumet there are many ruins scattered over a large area of desert northeast of Flagstaff. The pueblos all have a distinctive deep red color and were made from thin, flat blocks of the local Moenkopi sandstone. All the dwellings were built by the Anasazi and Sinagua Indians during the 12th and 13th centuries. These are the Box Canyon Ruins.

Marble Canyon

Marble Canyon is the section of the Colorado River from Lee's Ferry to the confluence of the Little Colorado River, which marks the beginning of the Grand Canyon. Lee's Ferry is a common launching point for river runners. Marble Canyon also marks the western boundary of the Navajo Nation. There are some great hiking trails here, and I plan to return in the fall.

Navajo Bridge