August 2011 Hiking Report
August got off to a slow start. I got home from Glacier Nat. Park and was ever so lazy! Unpacking, doing laundry, catching up with snail mail, bills, and then work kept me off the trails, but I got back in the groove. The countdown to Clouds Rest began!
The month was fantastic. With not just one hike up to Clouds Rest but TWO, and I finished the month with a Backpacking class which was fun, and it’s something I’d like to do again in the future.
The photo above was taken on the morning of my second night hike up to Clouds Rest in Yosemite Nat. Park. I made it up to the top, and across the scary narrow span. Below I am looking back at the Narrow Span. I walked across this in the dark with only the aid of my head lamp and what ambient light there was at 4:30 a.m. Unfortunately, on this hike too I suffered from altitude issues beginning around 9,000ft, but they weren’t as severe as my previous hike up the week before.
Having safely crossed the Narrow Span and making it onto the somewhat wider slab I set up my camera to take a series of shots of the sky, and took a nap. I woke up right before the sun was about to crest the mountains and I was hoping for Alpine Glow. I moved my tripod and camera over to a place I would be able to shoot Half Dome lit by the morning sun and waited. In the very top photograph the sun had just lit up the tops of El Capitan, Sentinel Dome, and Half Dome. It was a gorgeous morning. It’s an amazing view, and as for me… I’ve never trained or worked so physically hard to achieve a goal like this before. It’s been an amazing journey. I cross this goal off my 2011 list with a heart full of thanks for those friends who hiked with me, supported me, and encouraged me all along the way. Especially Heman, who put up with me interrupting his sleep at ungodly hours as I got up to train or came in late from a night shoot, and being gone a lot. I couldn’t have done it without you! ♥
8/4-7.98mi, 1,962 ft, 3h3m, PG&E trail to Vista Point
8/8 -6.32 miles, 2,197ft 3h22m, Peak Trail- The Steep Route- o&b
8/8- 2mi, 20ft– W. Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz stroll b4 dinner
8/10- 10.85mi, 2,252ft, 4h58m, Mount Madonna Several trails to make a loop
8/12- 4.30mi, 920ft, 1h36m, PG&E Trail to Wildcat Loop Trailhead & Back
8/13&14- 14mi, 3,099ft, 9h25m, Trail to Cloud’s Rest Yosemite Nat. Pk
8/17- 6.50mi, 2,169ft, 3h12m, Mission Peak-The Steep Route w/Seth
8/23&24- 14.2mi, 3,687ft, 12h30, Trail to Clouds Rest Yosemite Nat. Park
8/27&28- 10.83mi, 476ft, -REI Backpacking class Point Reyes Nat. Seashore Coast Camp
Total Miles Hiked- 76.98
Total Elevation Gain- 16,782ft
YTD elevation gain- 64,540! Can I make 100,000ft in 2011? Don’t bet on it! 😀
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