5 hikes of the past 4 years

I'm going to try something. Noticing that this blog has been going for almost 4 years (I thought 5 ... I'm a bit of an idiot) made me think about doing something different with it. So I'm going to do 5 favorites of the past 4 years. (Gee this idea was much more fun sounding when it was 5 years!)

The obvious first choice is HIKES. Let's start with the obvious, while we work the kinks outta this thing (like counting years correctly).



5) The snowshoe hikes in Truckee



None of us had snow-shoed before this trip; we enjoyed it tremendously. Soft, quiet, peaceful, untouched, beautiful: this hike was the sort of thing that reminded us how lucky we are to have each other and the substantial warmth in our lives.

4) The volcanic hikes of Lassen





OK, I know I just blogged about these ... and they benefit from recent exposure, but Sam agrees with these picks, so I'll go with them also. I've never seen true natural volcanic environment in person; it changed the way I regard this entire planet. It turned theory into reality for me. Most hikes get me closer to the area, these two (Bumpass Hell and Cinder Cone) went beyond; they connected me to what's inside this rock.

3) Our first Point Reyes hike



Within hours of us moving into the San Francisco area, Mary guided me to Point Reyes (one of the main reason she wanted to move to Marin); I was struck by the fact that I was finally living by the ocean! I couldn't believe I was here. I couldn't believe this beauty was going to be available to me whenever I wanted. I saw the immense diversity in life that NorCal was going to offer me and I was thrilled. Point Reyes will always be a special place for me.

2) Maple Pass Loop in Cascades NP



The Birkenstocks in snow hike; how can I not love my wife? One of my students recently did a great segmentation of couple-travelers; she identified Mary and me as "Wanderers." That is so evident in this hike. We had no idea what we were walking into literally. Our path disappeared into snow for miles and we just kept going, despite seeing no people or path. It was a lovely bonding experience with breathtaking scenery ... and completely unexpected.

1) Nevada Falls in Yosemite



The 8-miler (3.5 being climbing) from the Yosemite valley up two waterfalls, including the Mist Trail stairs. It is one of the most popular hikes in the U.S. and with good reason. Non-stop beauty that changes every 1/2 mile, including soaking wet to straight sun. It was an adventure and a raw American experience. This is when we started learning that National Parks are going to be a common part of our lives.

Cool. That was fun. I miss all the silly lists I do on this site. It is fun to remember things!

Oh and do you want to see the difference between the past 4 years? Take a look at Sam, the "By the Water Kite Flyer!"

October 2005


August 2009