Author: wpfeiffer

Joshua Tree Climbing Trip in 2026

| wpfeiffer

I joined Betsy, her friend Erin, Erin’s dad Chris, and friends Stu and Michelle for several days of rock climbing in Joshua Tree National Park. We stayed in a funky Airbnb called Neon Moon just outside the main entrance to the park. Here is what we did each day.

Day 0 (Monday, March 23): I drive from Del Mar to San Pedro where I meet Betsy, who just returned by ferry from Catalina from a weekend wedding. We drive to Joshua Tree, find Neon Moon, and join Erin and Chris, who arrived earlier.
Day 1 (Tuesday, March 24): The four of us go for a warmup hike to the top of the small peak behind Neon Moon. Afterward, we drive to Turtle Rock in the park and climb the first pitch of the 5.5 route called Blistering. Erin and Betsy then climb the first pitch of the 5.4 route called Easy Day, while Chris makes it partway up. Afterward, Chris and I go for a hike on the Hidden Valley Trail, while Betsy and Erin do a more challenging climb.
Day 2 (Wednesday, March 25): Stu comes from Palm Springs, and all five of us go to Intersection Rock. We climb the 5.3 route called Upper Right Ski Track and then do a long rappel down. My harness digs into my back on the rappel and leaves me with a sore back, but I still manage to bike back to Neon Moon with Chris. The other three do a more challenging climb before Stu heads home.
Day 3 (Thursday, March 26): My back is very sore when I wake up, and I am relegated to walking and taking pics the rest of the trip. I do a loop walk in the neighborhood, while Betsy, Erin, and Chris do some ambitious hiking and scrambling in the park.
Day 4 (Friday, March 27): I do another loop walk in the neighborhood. Betsy and Erin spend the day climbing, and Chris does another long hike in the park.
Day 5 (Saturday, March 28): Stu and Michelle come from Palm Springs, and all six of us go to Cyclops Rock. Everyone but me climbs the classic 5.4 route called The Eye, though Chris only gets partway up. We then walk to Gateway Rock, and everyone but me does the rock scramble through the Chasm of Doom! We have dinner at The Tiny Pony in Yucca Valley before Stu and Michelle go home.
Day 6 (Sunday, March 29): Erin and Chris go for a short hike, and we all check out of Neon Moon and head for home.

  • Day 0: Monday, March 23. This is the terminal in San Pedro for the ferry to and from Catalina Island.
  • Huge cranes loom over the terminal like creatures from Star Wars!

  • Day 2: Tuesday, March 24. This is Neon Moon at the base of the nearby peak, our first climbing objective.
  • Betsy, Erin, and Chris are ready to go for a hike!
  • We do a little rock scrambling near the top of the peak.
  • We have a great view looking south into the park.
  • I take some pics of the local flowers. These are Parish’s goldeneyes.
  • And these pretty flowers are of Mojave woodyaster.
  • Brilliant pink flowers of beavertail pricklypear are in bloom.
  • And we see lots of these desert dandelions.
  • This is the northeast side of Turtle Rock, our major climbing objective for the day. The 5.4 Easy Day route is up the left side of the flat wall in the center, while the 5.5 Bristling route is halfway between that and the left skyline.
  • Betsy leads up Bristling to set the belay anchor for the rest of us.
  • Betsy sets the anchor at the top of the first pitch, which is all we will do.
  • Chris works hard to get around the cave just below the top, which is the crux of the climb.
  • Now it’s my turn to climb.
  • After a struggle getting up the crack to the right of the cave, I make it to the top of the pitch! This is my best climb in years! I get cheers from a peanut gallery of park visitors down below 🙂
  • Erin zips up the climb to clean the anchor.
  • Back on the ground, we meet guide Cory and client Kevin, who were climbing on Easy Day next to us and also cheered us on! We tell stories and share snacks 🙂
  • After Erin sets a belay anchor on Easy Day, Betsy positions herself to take cool pics of Chris.
  • Chris works his way higher up the near-vertical face with a belay from Erin.
  • Chris climbs higher still before calling it a not-so-easy day.
  • Betsy goes up to clean the route.
  • Betsy is near the anchor at the top.
  • This is the start of the Hidden Valley Nature Trail.
  • This plaque notes the change in the vegetation since the last Ice Age.
  • We give this silver cholla a wide berth.
  • Narrowleaf goldenbush flowers add some color along the trail
  • This Joshua tree has a big white bloom!
  • A cluster of phacelias is also blooming.
  • And so is this Mojave yucca.
  • These spectacular flowers are of kingcup cactus! Spring is a great time to see color in the desert!

  • Day 3: Wednesday, March 25. This is the north side of Intersection Rock. Our route involves scrambling up the easy rocks on the right to the prominent ledge in the middle and climbing with rope protection up the diagonal crack to the summit. Three tiny climbers on the ledge give a sense of scale. At 150 ft high, this is a big rock!
  • This map shows three routes on Intersection Rock. We do the easiest 5.3 one in the middle called Upper Right Ski Track. I would not want to ski down!
  • Betsy leads the scramble to the starting ledge.
  • We near the top of the scramble.
  • I slowly make my way up the crack with continual encouragement from Stu, who is climbing behind me.
  • I near the top of the climb with barefoot Betsy belaying both me and Stu.
  • Betsy and I share high fives!
  • Here is our team of three: myself, Stu, and Betsy.
  • Stu, Chris, Erin, myself, and Betsy round out the full team of five on top!
  • Stu and Betsy set up the rappel anchor.
  • I am really uneasy about doing this rappel, but Betsy says that it’s the only way down! Somehow I manage a smile as I start the rappel!
  • I am near the top of the rappel down a long, blank face!
  • Thankfully, I near the bottom of the rappel. When I get to the ledge I meet guide Cory and client Kevin who will do the climb too. I tell Kevin that it’s the hardest climb that I ever did! However, Cory tells Kevin he will do just fine 🙂
  • After our successful climb, Chris and I get on our bikes to ride back to Neon Moon.
  • I give a thumbs up on the ride 🙂
  • Day 3: Thursday, March 26. This sleek modern house is much more substantial than most of the houses in the neighborhood. Nearby is the famous Invisible House. It is fully clad in reflective glass and is invisible to me!
  • This is a peaceful house.
  • This small house has a big Joshua tree.
  • Here is another view of Neon Moon.
  • This house is a work in progress. Two guys seem to be doing all the work themselves.
  • Day 4: Friday, March 27. Three coyotes walk by while we are having breakfast! One runs off with a cornhole bag, while this one looks around for something more 🙂
  • Here is a closeup of a desert dandelion
  • This sign warns people to watch out for tortoises, but I don’t see any.
  • This silver cholla has some flowers.
  • Two California quail look for something to eat.
  • This gully is lined by dandelions!
  • Some old-timey wheels are next to the dirt road.
  • While Betsy and Erin are climbing, they see a horned lizard. Can you see it too? (Thanks to Betsy for the cool pic!)
  • Day 5: Saturday, March 28. This is the west side of Cyclops Rock, with its window called The Eye in the upper center.
  • Chris, Erin, Betsy, Stu, and Michelle are ready to climb The Eye.
  • Betsy leads the route.
  • Betsy goes around the upper cave and nears the top.
  • Betsy belays both Erin and Chris, while Erin gives Chris suggestions on possible holds. Chris runs out of steam and gets lowered down.
  • Michelle quickly moves up the climb.
  • She passes the upper cave and is nearly up to Betsy’s belay.
  • Stu is the last climber up, while Michelle and Betsy watch from above.
  • After all the climbers are up, Betsy stands barefoot in the actual eye! (Thanks to Erin for the cool pic!)
  • Erin and Betsy celebrate on the very top of Cyclops Rock! (Thanks to Michelle for the cool pic!) On the scramble down the back of Cyclops Rock they encounter a big rattlesnake!
  • After we hike to Gateway Rock, Chris finds the secret entrance to the Chasm of Doom.
  • Chris, Erin, Stu, and Michelle scramble out the exit from the Chasm! (Thanks to Betsy for the cool pic!)
  • While waiting for the return of the Chasm explorers, I see a white-tailed antelope squirrel cooling off under a car in the afternoon heat.
  • Nearby, a sara orangetop butterfly feeds on blue dicks.
  • Back at Neon Moon we have a great sunset to end our last full day in Joshua Tree!

RED ROCK CANYON CLIMBING TRIP in 2025

| wpfeiffer

I joined Betsy, her cousins Jacob and Josiah, and five friends for three days of climbing in Red Rock Canyon over Thanksgiving. We camped at Red Rock Canyon Campground, and Betsy and I slept in her van. Here is what we did each day.

Day 0 (Tuesday, November 25): Betsy and I drive 550 miles in her van from Oakland to Red Rock Canyon, where Betsy has reserved Campsite 3 for us.
Day 1 (Wednesday, November 26): I rent a car and pick up Jacob, Josiah, and Paige from the Las Vegas airport. We regroup with Betsy, buy groceries, and drive to Red Spring for lunch. After a short hike to Cannibal Crag, everyone but me climbs. I take photos and go for a hike in Calico Basin. Noah and Emma arrive at camp late in the evening.
Day 2 (Thursday, November 27): All seven of us shuttle to the second Calico Hills turnout and hike to the base of The Gallery. Everyone but me climbs, though I scramble to the base of the climbs and take lots of photos. I hike back to the turnout and get an extra workout biking 11 miles on Betsy’s heavy mountain bike. We regroup and shuttle back to camp for Thanksgiving dinner: pasta with veggie meat sauce, chopped veggie salad, and apple pie. It is delicious!
Day 3 (Friday, November 28): Everyone but Betsy and me shuttles to the first Calico Hills turnout and hikes to Panty Wall to start climbing. Betsy and I drive to Red Spring and wait for Cody and Lexi to meet us. The four of us, plus their dogs Anabelle and Bear, hike 2 miles to Panty Wall. Betsy and Cody join the other climbers, while Lexi, the dogs, and I relax. Eventually we all get back to camp, and I say goodbye to take the rental car back to the airport and fly home to San Diego. The others stay to climb another day at Cannibal Crag, which is not documented here.

  • Day 1: Wednesday, November 26. Morning dawns on Betsy’s van at Campsite 3 of Red Rock Canyon Campground.
  • Jacob, Paige, Betsy, and Josiah are ready for the short hike from Red Spring to Cannibal Crag.
  • This imposing rock is Cannibal Crag. Another climber is already on the rock to the right.
  • The lower part of the rock has intricate banding.
  • Betsy checks the routes in her climbing guide while Jacob and Josiah check them for real!
  • By happenstance, Betsy’s Berkeley classmate Scout is also climbing Cannibal Crag!
  • Jacob leads a climb while Paige belays. This is sport climbing, so Jacob follows a route marked by bolts to which he attaches a sling with carabiners for protection.
  • Jacob climbs higher.
  • Jacob reaches the top.
  • Betsy leads a climb.
  • Betsy looks for a way to go higher.
  • Paige starts a climb with Scout to her left.
  • Paige climbs higher
  • Paige is very happy to have solved a puzzle!
  • Josiah climbs.
  • Josiah makes it to the top…
  • and then gets lowered down.
  • Jacob and Betsy climb two more routes side by side!
  • They go higher…
  • and reach the top!
  • Betsy does a bonus climb.
  • She makes it to the top…
  • and gets lowered down.
  • I decide to go for a hike in Calico Basin to the red rocks in the distance.
  • I turn around at the end of the Calico Basin Trail. The tree with bright yellow-green leaves is velvet ash.
  • Day 2: Thursday, November 27. This beautiful panorama beckons us as we drive from camp to Red Rock Canyon.
  • We park at the second Calico Hills turnout and arrive early enough to get two parking spots.
  • This is our team: Noah, Emma, Josiah, Jacob, Paige, Betsy, and me. The climbing walls are behind us.
  • We hike and scramble to The Gallery, which is just above the oblong rock in the center of this photo.
  • Emma and Noah lead the way to the base of the climb, while Josiah and Betsy wait for me.
  • The scramble gets interesting.
  • I climb some natural stair steps.
  • I love chimneys!
  • I do the last part of the scramble.
  • The oblong rock in the center is the end of the scramble at the base of The Gallery, where I relax and take photos. Other climbers are already on the wall.
  • Paige and Jacob arrive soon afterward.
  • Josiah leads a climb with a belay from Betsy.
  • Josiah climbs higher.
  • Josiah reaches the top!
  • Betsy leads the same climb.
  • Betsy climbs higher.
  • Betsy reaches the top too!
  • Betsy, Josiah, Jacob, and Paige prepare for another climb
Jacob makes quick work of the next climb!
  • Paige does the same climb at her graceful pace.
  • Paige climbs higher.
  • Paige climbs higher still.
  • Paige reaches the top!
  • I hike back to the turnout and get on Betsy’s big mountain bike for an extra workout.
  • I have this beautiful view along the Scenic Loop Road.
  • No tortoises are to be seen today at the Highpoint Overlook.
  • This plaque at the overlook describes the Sandstone Story.
  • Back and camp Jacob and Josiah cook Thanksgiving dinner while Noah and Emma eagerly watch!
  • Day 3: Friday, November 28. This is the start of the Calico Overlook Trail at Red Spring.
  • Lexi, Cody, Betsy, Annabelle (white), and Bear (brown) are ready to go.
  • This Joshua Tree is right next to the trail.
  • We do a two-mile hike along the trail to Panty Wall. A touch of snow is on the distant ridge.
  • Cody leads a climb up Panty Wall.
  • Cody climbs higher.
  • Cody nears the top of the climb.
  • Betsy leads the same climb.
  • Betsy climbs higher.
  • Betsy climbs higher still.
  • Betsy reaches the top of the climb!
  • Betsy gets lowered down to wrap up the day’s climbing and another great adventure with me!

Yosemite hiking and climbing trip in 2025

Yosemite climbing and hiking crew
| wpfeiffer

Betsy and I spent three days hiking and climbing in Yosemite Valley at the end of October and beginning of November. We were joined at various times by Betsy’s friends Arielle, Lindsey, Bea, and Suman. We camped at Upper Pines Campground, and Betsy and I slept in her van. Here is what we did each day.

Day 0 (Thursday, October 30): I fly from San Diego to Oakland in the evening, and Betsy and I drive to Yosemite, arriving at 1 am the next day.
Day 1 (Friday, October 31): Betsy and I hike 5 miles from our campsite to the top of Vernal Fall and back. Arielle works remotely on her computer, and the others arrive in the evening.
Day 3 (Saturday, November 1): All six of us shuttle to Yosemite Village and hike to the base of a climb to Sunnyside Bench east of Lower Yosemite Fall. Betsy and Arielle do the three-pitch climb as a team, while Suman and Lindsey are the other team. Bea and I hike a loop below the base of the fall and then back to the start. Suman heads home after the climb.
Day 3 (Sunday, November 2): The five of us hike and rock scramble to a ledge at the base of Glacier Point Apron, from where Betsy and Lindsey climb the first pitch of the Harry Daley route. Arielle heads home, while the rest of us hike to the base of El Cap to cap off another great adventure.

  • Day 1: Friday, October 31. The Raven and Pumpkin Pi are ready to start their Halloween hike at Upper Pines Campground.
  • Betsy makes this cool Pumpkin Pi hat before the start of the hike.
  • Arielle places this sinister warning in camp.
  • The Raven and Pumpkin Pi pose on a bridge over the Merced River.
  • We have this nice view of Glacier Point.
  • Who and what lives in the rock piles by the trail?
  • Pumpkin Pi climbs the steep trail.
  • We have a nice view of Vernal Fall, which is still impressive at its low water level in the fall.
  • These steps on the trail have been newly laid
  • I lean over a railing to take this photo looking down from the top of the fall.
  • A hungry ground squirrel hopes for a handout, but I resist the temptation to oblige.

Photos and commentary follow.

  • Day 2: Saturday, November 1. Bea, Lindsey, Suman, Betsy, and Arielle are all smiles at the start the hike to the base of the climb to Sunnyside Bench.
  • Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls still have water this late in the season. Sunnyside Bench is the prominent bench above and to the right of the lower fall.
  • Suman organizes his rope.
  • Betsy has another rope and lots of cams as she looks up the route.
  • Arielle and Betsy scramble to the start of the roped route. Just then, a fist-sized rock whizzes down from above but misses us!
  • Fall color brightens the trail that Bea and I take to Lower Yosemite Fall.
  • The lower fall is little more than a trickle now.
  • This is one of the deer that we see on our hike.
  • Half Dome towers above the valley floor.
  • Later in the day the sun shines on the face of Half Dome.
  • A raven watches over us when we go for a pizza dinner at Curry Village.
  • Day 3: Sunday, November 2. Betsy cooks breakfast as Lindsey watches and Bea shares a story.
  • Arielle and I warm up with a cooked egg on our leftover pizza.
  • Betsy’s van leads the way to the start of the day’s climb. (Thanks to Bea for the cool pic!)
  • Glacier Point Apron is the lower-angle slope behind the trees.
  • Bea, Lindsey, Betsy, and Arielle are ready to go.
  • Brilliant yellow maple leaves adorn the approach.
  • Half Dome comes into view as we climb above the tree tops.
  • Betsy leads along the base of the apron.
  • The route steepens as Betsy and Lindsey scramble up to the ledge where the serious climbing begins.
  • Arielle, Betsy, and Lindsey organize the rope.
  • Betsy leads the climb up Harry Daley.
  • Betsy (in red) nears the top of the climb, while Lindsey (in green helmet) belays from below. (Thanks to Arielle for the awesome pic!)
  • Betsy makes it to the top!
  • Lindsey starts the climb.
  • Lindsey climbs higher.
  • Betsy rappels down. This is the face where she took a horrific fall rappelling in 2017!
  • Four happy climbers celebrate their morning adventure with Half Dome in the left background.
  • Betsy, Bea, and Lindsey join me on a bridge over the Merced River at the start of our afternoon hike.
  • We have this great view of the impressive face of El Cap!
  • Four climbers are on the face: 3 above and 1 below!
  • This is the start of the trail to the bottom of the face.
  • Betsy and I enjoy a ginger bear cookie at the base of El Cap 🙂
  • Lindsey and Bea enjoy each other 🙂
  • We hike back down the trail.
  • We pass this downed tree trunk full of holes drilled by woodpeckers to store acorns as we wrap up another great adventure in Yosemite!

Joshua Tree Climbing and biking Trip in 2025

| wpfeiffer

Betsy and I spent eight days climbing, hiking, and biking in Joshua Tree National Park at the end of March and beginning of April. For several days we were joined by Gordon and his and Betsy’s friends Meghan, Jacob, and Alex. We stayed in our best Airbnb yet called Fable, which was very close to the center of Joshua Tree town. On the ninth day Betsy and I hiked in the Whitewater Preserve on our way home. Here is what we did each day.

Day 0 (Monday, March 24): Betsy flies to San Diego in the morning, and we drive from Del Mar to our Airbnb later in the day.
Day 1 (Tuesday, March 25): I bike 10 miles out and back to the park entrance in the morning. Betsy and I climb the 5.2 Circus route on Cap Rock in the afternoon.
Day 2 (Wednesday, March 26): I bike 21 miles out and back to the Quail Springs turnout in the morning. Betsy and I climb a 5.2 route on Easy Buttress in the afternoon.
Day 3 (Thursday, March 27): Betsy and I hike 3 miles up and down Ryan Mountain. Alex and Jacob arrive in the evening.
Day 4 (Friday, March 28): Jacob and I bike 10 miles out and back in the morning, while Betsy and Alex climb. Gordon and Meghan arrive in the afternoon and climb up two routes on Turtle Rock after Betsy and Alex place belay ropes. I only make it part way up these 5.4 and 5.5 routes.
Day 5 (Saturday, March 29): Gordon, Meghan, Jacob, and I shuttle to Geology Tour Road. The three of them do a 17-mile mountain bike ride there, and Gordon rides another 11 miles to Keys View. I ride 32 miles on my road bike from Geology Tour Road to Keys View and then back to town. Betsy and Alex climb on their own.
Day 6 (Sunday, March 30): A highlight of the trip is Betsy leading the rest of us on a rock scramble through the awesome Chasm of Doom! Afterward, Betsy and Alex do some serious rock climbing, while the rest of us do a delightful 1-mile hike on the Hidden Valley Nature Trail. Later, Gordon, Meghan, and Alex head for home.
Day 7 (Monday, March 31): Betsy and I shuttle to Intersection Rock and then bike 15 miles out and back to Keys View in a ferocious wind! Jacob rests his sore legs and heads for home in the evening.
Day 8 (Tuesday, April 1): Betsy and I celebrate her 42nd birthday with a 3-mile hike to the Fortynine Palms Oasis and a climb up the 5.1 Brimstone Staircase route on Morbid Mound.
Day 9 (Wednesday, April 2): We check out of our Airbnb and go for a 2-mile hike in the Whitewater Preserve on our way home.

Photos and commentary follow.

  • Day 1: Tuesday, March 25. This is the Tortoise House of Fable, our two-house Airbnb.
  • And this is the Hare House next door.
  • I pass this stagecoach on my morning bike ride.
  • I turn around at the park entrance but will pass it later in the day and many more times in the coming days.
  • This is Cap Rock from the south. Betsy and I hike around on the left to climb from the other side.
  • I am ready to belay Betsy.
  • Betsy is halfway up the crack that defines the 5.2 Circus route. The belay rope goes through a carabiner attached to a sling and cam that she has placed for protection. I will clean the route on my way up.
  • Betsy is higher up the route.
  • Now it it my turn, and I struggle up the middle part of the route.
  • Finally I near the top!
  • Betsy and I savor the success of our Type 2 fun adventure!
  • Orion (on the left) and Jupiter (on the right) shine above Cap Rock as we finish our loop hike in the dark.
  • Day 2: Wednesday, March 26. This is my beautiful view of the park as I bike to the Quail Springs turnout.
  • Snow-capped Mt San Gorgonio comes into view on my ride back.
  • This is an especially picturesque Joshua Tree.
  • I get another glimpse of Mt San Gorgonio as I drop down in elevation.
  • Betsy starts the more than 1-mile hike to Easy Buttress.
  • A round kingcup cactus is in the middle of the trail.
  • The approach pitch is a hassle. Eventually I get to the top of it here with a belay from Betsy.
  • This is Easy Buttress. Our 5.2 route follows the prominent crack. I don’t have any photos of Betsy on the climb because I gave her my iPhone at the start 🙁
  • I near the top of the climb.
  • I am on the top!
  • Betsy and I savor another successful climb.
  • Betsy sets an anchor for me to descend. Our rope is not long enough for her to rappel down the same way, so she finds an alternative route down.
  • Day 3: Thursday, March 27. This is Ryan Mountain, our hiking objective for the day.
  • Betsy is at the start of the trail to the top.
  • I pose with Saddle Rocks in the background. Betsy has climbed the lower ones.
  • Betsy nears the top.
  • I touch the rock pile on the summit.
  • This is the stunning view to the west from the summit.
  • The Wonderland of Rocks is in the distance as we head back down the trail.
  • Day 4: Friday, March 28. Gordon, Meghan, Jacob, and I hike the trail around Turtle Rock while we wait for Betsy and Alex to join us.
  • This kingcup cactus is blooming.
  • Betsy has highlighted our two routes up Turtle Rock: 5.4 Bisk is on the left, and 5.5 Blistering is on the right.
  • Gordon is raring to go.
  • He belays Betsy as she heads up Bisk.
  • Betsy pauses after surmounting the big block at the bottom.
  • Betsy sets an anchor so we can belay from below.
  • Gordon starts up Bisk. Note the belay rope high overhead.
  • Betsy has a comfy belay spot.
  • Gordon is happy to have gotten past the big block.
  • Gordon looks for a good hold.
  • Gordon makes it to the top of Bisk!
  • Meghan starts up Bisk.
  • Meghan makes it to the top too!
  • Daredevil Alex free climbs above a window in the nearby rock wall.
  • Gordon climbs Blistering.
  • Gordon is on top of Blistering.
  • Meghan starts up Blistering.
  • Meghan nears the top of Blistering.
  • I climb halfway up Blistering and call it a day 🙂
  • Day 5: Saturday, March 29. After shuttling to the start of Geology Tour Road, Jacob, Gordon, and Meghan are ready to begin their 17-mile mountain bike ride.
  • I get on my road bike and head back the way we came. I am bundled up because there is a cold wind.
  • I pedal hard to warm up against the cold headwind as I ride to Sheep Pass, shown here. Fortunately the wind dies after I go over the pass.
  • When I get to Cap Rock I turn onto the road to Keys View. The Circus route that Betsy and I climbed four days earlier is just below the cap.
  • The road goes through Lost Horse Valley.
  • The last stretch of road is a grinding climb up to Keys View! San Jacinto Peak is on the left, and Mt San Gorgonio is on the right. From here it is 21 miles back to town, much of it downhill.
  • Day 6: Sunday, March 30. Gateway Rock hides the Chasm of Doom.
  • Meghan is at the entrance to the Chasm.
  • I enter the Chasm enthusiastically!
  • Jacob and Betsy are with me deep in the Chasm!
  • I scooch on my back below a big boulder to get through the Birthing Canal and then climb a chimney on the other side.
  • Meghan rests on a ledge where the route opens up to a window.
  • Jacob and Gordon are at the window, which overlooks Turtle Rock.
  • Jacob and Gordon head back into the Chasm as we go out a different way than we entered.
  • I see the way out!
  • Betsy and Alex give me advice for the final descent.
  • This is our intrepid team of adventurers: Betsy, Jacob, Meghan, myself, Alex, and Gordon!
  • This map marks the start of the Hidden Valley Nature Trail, a 1-mile loop.
  • This plaque has information on climate change over the past 10,000 years.
  • A Joshua Tree is in bloom.
  • Meghan takes this great photo of a chuckwalla! We see two of them on our hike.
  • Gordon scrambles high up some rocks to take this nice photo of a kingcup cactus in bloom.
  • Day 7: Monday, March 31. Betsy and I start our bike ride between Intersection Rock and The Old Woman, seen here.
  • I struggle to stay on my bike in the wind.
  • This stretch of road is less windy.
  • The road steepens as it approaches Keys View.
  • We brace ourselves against our bikes to stand up in the ferocious wind at Keys View!
The wind really is ferocious!
  • Day 8: April 1, 2025. This is the map at the start of the trail to Fortynine Palms Oasis.
  • Betsy and I are ready to start our hike.
  • We see a lot of these California barrel cacti.
  • I hang onto my hat in the wind.
  • The oasis has a lot of palm trees, but no water is apparent.
  • Betsy bounds down the trail on our way back.
  • Our afternoon climb goes up the 5.1 Brimstone Stairway route on Morbid Mound.
  • Betsy zips up the route to set a belay for me.
  • I make good progress on the bottom of the route.
  • But I struggle a long time in the middle of the route until Betsy climbs up next to me to let me stand on one of her shoulders.
  • With a shoulder foothold I get past the difficulty!
  • I am on top of Brimstone Stairway!
  • Betsy scrambles to the very top of Morbid Mound for extra credit!
  • Day 9: Wednesday, April 2. This map shows the area around the Whitewater Preserve.
  • Betsy starts our hike along the rock-lined trail.
  • There is water in the Whitewater River, which Betsy crosses on a small wooden bridge. It must need to be moved often depending upon the river flow.
  • We turn around when we get to the Pacific Crest Trail. It is 2,445 miles from here to Canada!
  • This is the trail back to the start.
  • These brittlebush flowers and pool are in the oasis by the Visitor Center
  • Here is a parting view of the pool as we end another great adventure!

Sierra Climbing Trip in 2024

| wpfeiffer

Betsy and I–Team Alpine Tortoise–had another epic Sierra climbing adventure over six glorious days in June 2024 during which we summited two high peaks: White Bear Peak (12,780 ft) and Mt Julius Caesar (13,213 ft)! The backpacking was exhausting, while the peak summiting was exhilarating. We crossed creeks flush with snow melt and saw some seldom-seen animals, such as a sooty grouse, two pikas, and several Yosemite toads. We did not see anyone else for three days! Those of you who are younger than I am, and are not inclined to take as many photos and videos as Team Alpine Tortoise, could do this trip much faster. Here is what we did each day.

Day 0 (Friday, June 14): Drive from the Oakland airport over Tioga Pass to the Pine Creek Trailhead. Spend the night there in Betsy’s van.
Day 1 (Saturday, June 15): Backpack 7.9 miles up the Pine Creek Trail from the trailhead at 7,400 ft to Honeymoon Lake at 10,500 ft. This takes us 10 h 50 min. We do two challenging crossings of Pine Creek.
Day 2 (Sunday, June 16): Backpack 5.6 miles up the Italy Pass Trail from Honeymoon Lake through Granite Park and over Italy Pass at 12,400 ft to a campsite at 11,900 ft on a bench above Jumble Lake. This takes us 11 h, including more than 30 minutes to find our good campsite.
Day 3 (Monday, June 17): Backpack to Italy Lake on an indistinct trail to try to get closer to Bear Creek Spire, our original climbing objective for the following day. Change our objective to the much closer White Bear Peak after finding that going beyond the lake involves a terrible talus traverse. Return to our previous campsite where we spend two more nights. We end up backpacking only 2.9 miles in an exhausting 7 h 20 min.
Day 4 (Tuesday, June 18): Make the first ascent of the year of White Bear Peak (12,780 ft)! We do 3.4 miles of easy climbing with daypacks in 8 h 20 min, including 50 min on the summit. We start very late at 10:40 am to let the snow soften up, since Betsy forgot to bring her crampons.
Day 5 (Wednesday, June 19): Backpack to the elevation of Italy Pass, where we switch to our daypacks for the climb to the summit of Mt Julius Caesar (13,213 ft). Enjoy 50 min on top before going back to retrieve our backpacks and packing over Italy Pass to our last campsite in Granite Park at 11,600 ft. We go 3.5 mi in 9 h 50 min.
Day 6 (Thursday, June 20): Backpack 9.4 mi back to the trailhead in 8 h 50 min. Drive to the Mono Vista RV Park in Lee Vining where we clean up and spend the night in Betsy’s van.

Photos and commentary follow.

  • Day 0: Friday, June 14. Betsy and I pose for a selfie after dinner at the Whoa Nellie Deli in Lee Vining.
  • Mono Lake is in the distance.
  • We spend the night in Betsy’s van just below the Pine Creek Trailhead.
  • Day 1: Saturday, June 15. Betsy and I are ready to go at 9:30 am! My pack weighs about 30 lb, while Betsy’s is much heavier.
  • The trailhead is at 7,400 ft. We do not pack any firewood 🙂
We are surprised to see a sooty grouse wandering through the forest near the start of the trail.
  • Red columbine blooms in the forest.
  • White thimbleberry blooms nearby and takes on a pale blue hue in the muted light.
  • Red Indian paintbrush and white Nuttall’s lanthanus bloom together as we climb across the drier slopes above the forest.
  • Royal penstemon adds a brilliant blue to the trail.
  • Betsy rests on a giant tree stump at a switchback. This stump seems out of place, since nearby trees are smaller.
  • The north side of the lower canyon is dominated by the giant Pine Creek Mine. Operations stopped in 2001, but for many years before that it was one of the two biggest tungsten producers in the country.
  • I climb higher on the trail and leave the mine behind with Owens Valley and the White Mountains in the distance.
  • Pine Creek tumbles down the canyon in this impressive cascade. We will cross this roaring creek twice later in the day.
  • Betsy refills our water bottles from a side stream after a long dry stretch of trail.
  • We enter the John Muir Wilderness.
  • Pink flowers of Newberry’s penstemon are nestled among the rocks.
  • The time has come to cross Pine Creek. The footbridge is a log that is underwater at its far end, so we opt for the stock crossing.
  • Betsy wades across the creek in her bare feet.
I tackle the raging torrent myself after Betsy crosses two more times to ferry my pack. The rocks are slippery and the water is cold!
  • We pack past beautiful Pine Lake.
A cute little pika forages among the rocks. I had not seen one in over 40 years!
  • Betsy crosses a side creek on logs. I cross on the logs too 🙂
I cross Pine Creek one more time on partially submerged rocks after Betsy has again ferried across my backpack.
  • We set up camp on a bench above Honeymoon Lake. Betsy has packed in a camp chair and 9 Dr Pepper mini cans!
  • A curious marmot checks things out
  • Day 2: Sunday, June 16. Today is Father’s Day, and Betsy and I are ready to start another day of backpacking.
  • We have a nice view of Honeymoon Lake from the trail.
  • Betsy wades across another creek in her bare feet. The water is colder than the day before because we are higher!
  • Betsy lies down to warm her feet.
A Yosemite toad swims in a shallow pool.
  • We can cross this creek with our boots on.
  • I put on my gaiters and cross the snow in Granite Park.
  • Italy Pass and Mt Julius Caesar come into view.
  • I climb the last snowfield before the pass.
  • Betsy takes a break at the pass and is dwarfed by Mt Julius Caesar, which we will climb three days hence.
  • The imposing peak on the left on the other side of the pass is White Bear Peak, which we will climb two days hence. We pack across the snowfield to a campsite above frozen Jumble Lake in the center.
  • We search a long time for a campsite before Betsy finds this nice one on a sandy bench with running water nearby.
  • Day 3: Monday, June 17. Betsy mixes orange Skratch on a cold morning.
  • We pack down past Jumble Lake.
  • Lake Italy comes into view.
  • The snow steepens so I put on crampons.
  • We reach Lake Italy and find much of it still frozen. Mt Hilgard is beyond to the west.
  • Bear Creek Spire is to the northeast on the right skyline. Our intended approach to it is along the shore of the lake, which is blocked by terrible talus.
  • We look behind us and see White Bear Peak beckoning, so we decide to climb it instead the next day.
  • Betsy climbs past Jumble Lake, with White Bear Peak above, and is almost back to camp.
  • Day 4: Tuesday, June 18. We are ready to climb after waiting until 10:40 am for the snow to soften up. White Bear Peak is behind us.
  • Our route goes up the snow above camp and traverses to the right beyond the edge of this photo.
  • The going is easy on the snow.
  • The snow traverse continues on the left to the final climb on rock.
  • I put on crampons and pull ahead of Betsy
  • Betsy reaches the edge the snow traverse.
  • I follow Betsy on the rock.
  • Betsy is on the summit of White Bear Peak (12,780 ft)!
  • Betsy finds the summit register 🙂
  • Betsy enters our climb in the register. We make the first ascent of the year!
  • We celebrate the climb with our traditional Dr Pepper toast 🙂
  • This view to the north looks down to Jumble Lake and our camp above it and then beyond to Bear Creek Spire and Mt Julius Caesar, right next to each other.
  • Going down is easier than going up 🙂
  • We have a dramatic view of Jumble Lake just before we get back to camp.
  • Day 5: Wednesday, June 19. Our wet clothes from climbing on snow the day before have dried overnight.
  • A tiny tree is taking advantage of climate change to grow at a higher elevation.
  • I wash up in the small stream next to our camp. My pants feature a tape patch that Betsy added after I blew out the seat on rocks the day before.
  • Betsy waits for me while we pick our route to the top of Mt Julius Caesar. We decide to climb directly up to the west (left) summit, which is the higher one.
  • I cross the last patch of snow before getting to the rock where I switch from my backpack to my lighter daypack.
I move carefully and slowly on the rock in the thin air just below the summit. Lake Italy is far below.
  • Betsy conquers Mt Julius Caesar (13,213 ft)!
  • I join her on the summit. Mt Dade is on the left, and Bear Creek Spire is on the right.
  • We celebrate with our Dr Pepper toast 🙂 Despite an extensive search, we do not find a summit register.
  • This is the view back to where we started the day above Jumble Lake.
  • Betsy starts down the mountain.
  • Betsy continues down with Italy Pass behind her.
  • I reach Italy Pass wearing warmer clothes as the temperature is dropping.
  • I head down the pass in the fading light.
  • Betsy finds a nice campsite for us in Granite Park.
  • Betsy organizes her gear in the tent after dinner as night falls.
  • Day 6: Thursday, June 20. This is our campsite in Granite Park before we pack up for the last time.
  • The ground before we get to this snowfield is covered with snowballs that were the tops of suncups.
  • The scenery in Granite Park is spectacular! Mt Humphreys towers in the distance.
  • A lonely western wallflower adds some color.
  • I take a photo of some more wildflowers. This is one reason we are so slow 🙂
  • Betsy crosses the outlet of a small lake on big rocks.
  • I slip on a steep snow traverse and do an unintentional sitting glissade.
  • Betsy takes a video of rushing water at a small waterfall. This is another reason we are slow 🙂
  • I traverse the upper crossing of Pine Creek, this time carrying my own, lightened backpack 🙂 The tops of the rocks are exposed now, whereas they were under water when we packed in.
  • Prickly pear flowers appear as we near the trailhead.
  • Betsy and I get back to her van to conclude another epic adventure!

Joshua Tree Climbing Trip in 2024

| wpfeiffer

Betsy and I spent six days in and near Joshua Tree National Park at the end of March and beginning of April in 2024. We were joined by her friends Jacob Edwards and Alex Ligman later in the trip. Betsy and Alex did some impressive climbs, while Jacob and I tagged along as well as biked and hiked. We stayed in a really nice Airbnb called Serenity Sands less than a mile from the center of Joshua Tree town. Here is what we did each day.

Day 0 (Tuesday, March 26): Betsy drives from a previous climbing trip in Nevada, I drive from Del Mar, and we meet at Serenity Sands in late afternoon.
Day 1 (Wednesday, March 27): I bike 10 miles out and back nearly to the park entrance in the morning. Betsy and I climb 2/3 of the way up Easy Day on Turtle Rock in the afternoon. Betsy climbs a big boulder to finish the day.
Day 2 (Thursday, March 28): I bike 28 miles out and back to Intersection Rock but forget my iPhone and can’t take any photos 🙁 Betsy works remotely until we drive to Palm Desert to have dinner with her cousin Elsie and then pick up Jacob at the Palm Springs airport on the way back. Alex arrives by car at Serenity Sands a little before us.
Day 3 (Friday, March 29): Betsy and Alex climb Dappled Mare on Lost Horse Wall, Final Act on Playhouse Rock, and multiple routes on Dairy Queen Wall! Jacob scrambles to the top of the first two climbs by easier routes, and I join him on top of Playhouse Rock after getting only half-way up Final Act. Jacob bikes back to Serenity Sands.
Day 4 (Saturday, March 30): Betsy and Alex do some scrambling in the park on a rainy day, while Jacob and I hang out at Serenity Sands. I walk to the grocery store and then do a loop around town for a total distance of 3 miles.
Day 5 (Sunday, March 31): Betsy and Alex do some repeat climbs in unsettled weather and get caught in rain near the end. Jacob and I do a nice 5-mile loop hike to Garrett’s Arch via Wall Street Mill and avoid the rain. Alex departs to visit a friend in Palm Desert.
Day 6 (Monday, April 1): Betsy and I celebrate her 41st birthday with a climb to the top of The Blob! Jacob provides moral support. Afterward, Betsy and Jacob start their long drive to San Francisco, while I drive back to Del Mar.

Photos and commentary follow.

  • Day 1: Wednesday, March 27. I start biking up the road to the park.
  • This house has an eye-catching front yard and hosts the local pickleball club.
  • Desert dandelions are blooming by the side of the road.
  • So are sand verbena flowers.
  • There are even a few desert bluebells.
  • Cholla cacti are best avoided.
  • Joshua trees frame a mountain on my ride back.
  • For our afternoon climb, Betsy and I tackle Easy Day, which goes directly up the middle of this face of Turtle Rock. We eventually make to the top of the light-colored patch of rock.
  • Betsy poses near the start of the route, which goes to the left.
  • I climb the face.
  • We declare victory 2/3 of the way up the climb after Betsy decides that the rest will be too hard for me.
  • I walk down the face with a belay.
  • On our hike around the base of Turtle Rock, Betsy stops to conquer this big boulder without any protection.
  • Betsy climbs down. I am relieved when she gets safely to the ground.
  • Day 3: Friday, March 29. Jacob, Betsy, and Alex start the hike to Lost Horse Wall.
  • Desert bluebells provide color along the way.
  • Betsy starts the climb up Dappled Mare on Lost Horse Wall.
  • Betsy sets a belay at the top of the first pitch.
  • Betsy belays Alex up the first pitch. After they meet, Betsy does a tricky traverse to the left on a downward sloping crack.
  • Alex watches Betsy finish the traverse.
  • Betsy continues up to the top of the two-pitch climb.
  • On the hike out, Betsy and Alex see a chuckwalla!
  • Here is a closeup of the chuckwalla.
  • We hike to Playhouse Rock, where Betsy starts the climb up Final Act.
  • Betsy climbs higher on Final Act. Later I follow and make it to the ledge just below her.
  • Betsy finishes the climb up Final Act.
  • Alex climbs up Final Act too.
  • Jacob and I celebrate scrambling to the top of Playhouse Rock by an easier route. Behind us is Dairy Queen Wall, where Betsy and Alex go to climb more routes.
  • Day 4: Saturday, March 30. The day begins with a rainbow!
  • On my walk to town I pass The Rainbow House!
  • This grocery store has really good food 🙂
  • On my walk around the edge of town, I have a nice view of the mountains to the southeast.
  • Day 5: Sunday, March 31. Jacob and I pass an old-timey car near the start of our hike to Wall Street Mill and Garrett’s Arch.
  • There is also a windmill that is in sad shape.
  • Worth Bagley and William F Keys had a shootout in 1943 that ended badly for Bagley. Keys went to San Quentin for manslaughter but was pardoned in 1948 and returned to his ranch in Joshua Tree.
  • The mill is in ruins.
  • This plaque describes what the mill was like in better times. It is remarkable that it operated, albeit sporadically, until 1966.
  • An old-timey truck is close to the mill.
  • The use trail between the mill and the arch is a jumble of boulders.
  • Here I have to crawl to get through!
  • Finally we get to Garrett’s Arch!
  • Jacob fends off this man-eating rock on the way back!
  • Day 6: Monday, April 1. Betsy persuades me to climb The Blob with her to celebrate her 41st birthday! Betsy has marked in purple our zigzag route up this 200-ft climb. The crux is the lower vertical pitch up a narrow chimney.
  • Here I slowly scooch up the chimney and still manage a smile. Jacob provides moral support.
  • We are halfway up. I appreciate the standing belay from Betsy, who has placed an anchor under the big rock next to her. The climbing is easier above here, and I do much of it without a belay. (Thanks to Jacob for the cool photo!)
  • We are all smiles as we celebrate getting to the top!
  • We are high above the surrounding terrain as we conclude our climbing adventure!

Baja Surfing and Kayaking Trip in 2023

| wpfeiffer

Betsy, her boyfriend Jacob, and I went on six-day trip to Baja California in November 2023. Most days Betsy and Jacob surfed while I boogie boarded at beautiful Cerritos Beach north of Cabo San Lucas. One day we kayaked and snorkeled nearby at Punta Lobos. We stayed each night at a “Tiny House” Airbnb in Cerritos. Although most of the roads there are dirt, the food was good, the surf was great, and the water was warm! Here is what we did each day.

Day 1 (Thursday, November 23): Drive a short way from our Tiny House to Same Same but Different Café (!) for breakfast and then on to Cerritos Beach for surfing and boogie boarding. Drive to The Green Room north of Todos Santos for Thanksgiving dinner, and stop at grocery stores on the way back to get food for the week.
Day 2 (Friday, November 24): Walk to the beach where we again surf and boogie board. Have lunch at Baja Burritos nearby and dinner at Hierbabuena near El Pescadero.
Day 3 (Saturday, November 25): Drive to Punta Lobos near Todos Santos. Kayak around the point to Puerto Viejo, snorkel in the cove there, and kayak back for four miles total. See lots of pelicans and sea lions along the way and many different types of fish underwater 🙂
Day 4 (Sunday, November 26): Walk to the beach where we find big surf. Jacob gets three awesome rides outside, while Betsy surfs inside. I just walk some more.
Day 5 (Monday, November 27): We hear booming surf overnight. Jacob goes out early but calls it quits after getting pummeled by the huge surf, which is even bigger than the day before! Betsy surfs inside, and I boogie board there again.
Day 6 (Tuesday, November 28): Surf and boogie board in smaller swells. Check out of our Tiny House, and drive to Playa Las Palmas near Todos Santos. Hike to the beautiful beach there and see wild horses. Drive back to the Los Cabos airport where we catch our evening flights home.

Photos and commentary follow.

  • Day 1: Thursday, November 23. On our first day we drive the short distance to the beach and are treated to this stunning view after we arrive! Betsy has booked five days of two-hour lessons from Mario Surf School, whose surf shack is at the left of this photo.
  • A nearby signpost gives directions and distances to farflung places around the world.
  • Betsy meets José, her young surf instructor, and they enter the water next to the rocky point that forms the famous surf break. Betsy and Jacob catch some good waves in the medium surf at the point.
  • I go for a three-mile walk along the beach toward the rugged mountains in the distance. Afterward I rent a boogie board and get three good rides in the small surf at this part of the beach 🙂
  • We drive north through El Pescadero and Todos Santos to The Green Room, where we have Thanksgiving dinner on the beach at sunset. We eat delicious local food instead of turkey. An array of Starlink satellites that are still being deployed passes overhead shortly after sunset!
  • Day 2: Friday, November 24. We walk 3/4 mile to the beach and find that surf’s up today! Some waves are crowded, but the surfers are friendly and don’t mind me boogie boarding with them.
  • José and Betsy go out to catch their first waves of the day next to the rocky point.
  • Betsy has a nice wave all to herself!
  • After fun in the surf, we walk back to our Tiny House and see lots of elephant cacti or cardóns along the way. When full grown, these are the tallest cacti in the world.
  • We pass colorful Don Nacho’s bar, which is next to our Tiny House. In the evening, Jacob drops in to watch Shakira videos 🙂
  • We drive a short distance on bumpy dirt roads to have lunch at Baja Burritos, which is run by an expat surfer from California. The burritos are big and delicious!
  • This is the outside of our Tiny House, which is nicknamed Mighty Cardón. It is part of the Vive Cerritos complex of similar small houses.
  • A pocket door separates the kitchen from the bathroom. We eat at the bar counter. The stairs lead to a loft with a king bed for Betsy and Jacob.
  • An L-shaped couch is in the living room at the other end of the house. The ladder leads to the loft where I sleep on one of two twin beds. I get good at going down and up the ladder in the middle of the night.
  • Day 3: Saturday, November 25. Today we go kayaking at Punta Lobos. Our guide Rafael has our kayaks on his truck, but we have to wait awhile for the fishermen to go out in their red-and-white pangas.
  • Betsy helps Rafael unload the kayaks.
  • Betsy and I are ready to go. We wait for a lull in the surf to go out and paddle around the point.
  • After two miles of paddling, I take a break when we reach the sheltered cove at Puerto Viejo, the old port. (Special thanks to Rafael for the on-the-water photos and video!)
  • Betsy and Jacob rest among the swells too.
Betsy and I snorkel after tying our kayaks to Rafael’s. We see many different types of fish swimming among the rocks below us. The rock structure at the water’s edge is the quay at the end of the road for the old port. Part of the nearby road has eroded over the years.
  • We see this window in the rock as we paddle back around the point.
  • Jacob gets close to some big sea lions relaxing on the rocks.
  • Our seasoned kayaking team poses on the beach after we come ashore.
  • Lots of pelicans are waiting to greet us.
  • I get really close to these two and realize that they are hoping for fish scraps such as they often get from the fishermen 🙂
  • Day 4: Sunday, November 26. Dawn breaks near our Tiny House.
  • We meet Rafael again as he is on surf duty today. He uses the shovel to dig holes in the sand for umbrella poles. Our surfboard rentals include use of an umbrella and two lounge chairs each day 🙂
  • Big surf awaits us today! Jacob gets three awesome rides! I just go for a walk.
  • Betsy rides a small wave all the way to the beach 🙂
  • José and Betsy celebrate another good lesson.
  • Day 5: Monday, November 27. A full moon sets just before dawn.
A super surfer shows off his form, as the surf is even bigger today! Be sure to see the exciting end of his ride 🙂
After doing repeat popups on the inside break, Betsy hikes out on the rocky point and finds lots of little crabs.
  • She takes a nice photo of me ready to catch a wave on my boogie board.
  • Buoyed by a little success, I head out again. However, these waves are too big for me, and I get the washing-machine treatment!
  • After relaxing in the afternoon, we return to the beach for a group photo at sunset.
Day 6: Tuesday, November 28. On our last day at the beach Betsy shows off her skill at dropping into a wave before it breaks 🙂
After she finishes surfing, I borrow her board, get a push from Jacob, and ride it like a boogie board all the way to the beach!
Lest we get too cocky, this is how a really good surfer shreds a big wave!
  • After checking out of our Tiny House, we drive past two vultures sitting on top of elephant cacti.
  • This is the start of the trail to Playa Las Palmas.
  • We get our first look at three wild horses off to the side of the trail.
  • Jacob and Betsy continue hiking down the trail.
  • The beautiful beach comes into view. We hike to the rocky point at the end of the beach.
  • Jacob and Betsy hike back from the point.
The three horses make a rousing reappearance! (Thanks to Betsy for the amazing video!)
  • A desiccated parrotfish lies on the beach.
  • Betsy and Jacob see little fish in the creek that nourishes the palm grove. The creek and the foliage provide sustenance for the horses.
  • We stop at a funky place called Art and Beer on our drive to the airport.
  • We get some drinks in lieu of lunch. Mine is mixture of orange, tangerine, and lime juice 🙂
  • I have this stunning sunset view as I board my flight to San Diego!

Sierra Climbing Trip in 2023

| wpfeiffer

Betsy and I went on an epic week-long climbing trip in the Sierra at the end of June and beginning of July in 2023. We made the first ascents of the year of two remote peaks on the main Sierra crest at the northern border of Yosemite. Much of the time we were backpacking, hiking, or climbing on snow. At lower elevations we had exciting crossings of streams at flood stage from the heavy snowmelt and were astounded by the incredible wildflower superbloom. We did not see anyone else for nearly five days! Here is what we did each day.

Day 0 (Wednesday, June 28): Drive from Del Mar to Bridgeport and on to Buckeye. Spend the night there among tall trees in Betsy’s van.
Day 1 (Thursday, June 29): Drive a short way to Annett’s Mono Village at the west end of Twin Lakes. Backpack from the trailhead there at 7,100 ft up Robinson Creek to a campsite at 9,100 ft, just below Peeler Lake. It takes us 9 h 50 min to cover about 7 miles. We pack through downed trees in two avalanche chutes and have three exciting stream crossings.
Day 2 (Friday, June 30): Pack past Peeler Lake, around Kerrick Meadow, over the south ridge of Center Mountain, and on to a campsite at 9,900 ft at the head of Thompson Canyon. It takes us 10 h 40 min to cover perhaps 5 miles, including finding our way through the snowy landscape and locating a suitable campsite in a snow-covered valley.
Day 3 (Saturday, July 1): Make the first ascent of the year of Hawksbeak Peak at 11,120+ ft in 8 h 5 min round-trip from camp.
Day 4 (Sunday, July 2): Make the first ascent of the year of Center Mountain at 11,273 ft in 5 h 45 min round-trip from camp.
Day 5 (Monday, July 3): Pack back to our first camp below Peeler Lake in 8 h 50 min.
Day 6 (Tuesday, July 4): Backpack out in 6 h 50 min. Drive to Bridgeport to see Fourth of July festivities and then on to Mono Vista RV Park in Lee Vining where we clean up and spend the night in Betsy’s van.

Photos and commentary follow.

  • Day 0: Wednesday, June 28. Betsy finds a secluded spot for us to camp among the tall trees at Buckeye.
  • We go for a short hike and see this plaque commemorating the pioneering Hunewills who settled here in the 1860s. Their descendants still operate a large ranch in Bridgeport Valley.
  • Because of the heavy snowmelt, water is roaring down Buckeye Creek. This has us worried about what we will find in Robinson Creek the next day.
  • The heavy snowmelt has also brought forth lots of wildflowers, such as these mule’s ears, which are in the sunflower family.
  • Antelope bitterbrush is in bloom too. It is a preferred food of antelope and deer.
  • We also see tall western groundsel flowers.
  • Day 1: Thursday, June 29. During our short drive from Buckeye to Twin Lakes, we get a great view of the Sawtooth Ridge. Its high point is Matterhorn Peak, which Betsy and I climbed in 2009. The high mountains are still covered by a lot of snow.
  • We start backpacking at 9:45 am from Betsy’s van in Annett’s Mono Village, thread our way through a maze of campers, and eventually come to this meadow, where Betsy takes our official start photo 🙂
  • We reenter the forest and come to this sign to Barney Lake, which tells us that we are on the right trail 🙂 For some reason, lots of trees have been cut down here.
  • A little further up the trail the felled trees are stacked in teepees! Perhaps someone will collect them later.
  • After leaving the forest, we enter meadows ablaze with a superbloom of wildflowers, such as these western blue flags!
  • The most prevalent wildflowers are those of arrowleaf balsamroot. They are in the sunflower family, like the mule’s ears seen the day before, but have pointed leaves. They provide good forage for deer, and the leaves, stems, roots, and seeds were commonly eaten by Native Americans.
  • We soon come to mounds of snow and downed trees left by an avalanche earlier this year.
  • We spend a long time trying to cross the avalanche chute before we finally reach the meadow on the other side. More yellow flowers of arrowleaf balsamroot welcome us.
  • Tightly packed white and lavender flowers of spreading phlox cover a patch of ground.
  • Before long we come to a second avalanche chute.
  • We again struggle to get across. Along the way we find the stumps of trees toppled by beavers in a previous year. We don’t see any beavers, though.
  • We finally get to beautiful Barney Lake, where we have lunch. Crown Point is the impressive peak towering above the lake. We leave the day hikers here and backpack around the right side of the lake by ourselves.
  • Beyond the marsh at the far end of the lake, we come to our first crossing of Robinson Creek. The water is high but passible. Here Betsy wades across in her bare feet carrying her boots. The water is really cold!
  • Soon we have to cross Robinson Creek again back to the side we started on. Betsy walks across this giant tree trunk above the roaring water below!
  • I scooch across the tree trunk on my butt 🙂 and Betsy graciously retrieves my pack.
  • Our third major stream crossing involves the creek coming from the eastern outlet of Peeler Lake. We cross halfway on rocks and the rest of the way on this upturned tree stump.
  • Betsy finds a beautiful campsite for us at the snow line, a little more than a mile below Peeler Lake. After encountering so much running water earlier, we need to melt snow for drinking water here using Betsy’s stove 🙂
  • Day 2: Friday, June 30. Betsy starts packing up to Peeler Lake on snow at 8:25 am. She uses her trekking poles instead of an ice ax and crampons since the snow is soft due to our late start.
  • Peeler Lake is still frozen over except near its shore. We briefly find the rocky trail around the lake but are on snow most of the day. Peeler Lake and Barney Lake are named for Barney Peeler, who lived in Bridgeport over 100 years ago.
  • The snow covering the ice on Peeler Lake has lots of blue water potholes where the snow is beginning to melt 🙂 Crown Point is the prominent peak above the lake.
  • Beyond the lake we go around snow-covered Kerrick Meadow, through the forest, and over the south ridge of Center Mountain on the right. We are in Yosemite National Park now.
  • On the other side of the ridge, we have this stunning view looking southwest down Thompson Canyon.
  • We pack north to the upper end of Thompson Canyon and hope to find a campsite among the trees below Hawksbeak Peak in the distance.
  • When we get close to the trees, we see lots of deer prints like this one! It is amazing that deer are grazing on the trees amid all the snow.
  • Betsy finds this nice campsite nestled among some pine trees and rocks. A nearly full moon is rising as we set up our campsite for three days.
  • Day 3: Saturday, July 1. Betsy is ready to start our first climb at 6:05 am. The snow is hard, so she carries her ice ax and wears crampons. We soon find that the going is very slow across the big sun cups.
  • When we reach the notch on the left, we realize that Tower Peak, our original objective, is too far away for us to climb in a day. We decide to climb the much closer Hawksbeak Peak, which is just above Betsy’s head.
  • After crossing the snow we have to negotiate thickets of low pine trees, which are eking out an existence at this high elevation.
  • We finish the climb on rock above the last of the low pine trees. Our campsite is in the valley far below among some taller trees right of center.
  • We reach the summit of Hawksbeak Peak at 11,120+ ft where we find a can covering a glass jar with the register notebook.
  • We also find two feathers on the summit, but they may not be from hawks 🙂
  • We celebrate with our traditional Dr Pepper toast!
  • Betsy is all smiles after she makes our entry in the register 🙂
  • We make the first ascent of the year! Moreover, there were only two ascents last year of this remote peak.
  • Tower Peak dominates the view to the west. The standard climbing route goes up the north ridge until it steepens and then traverses to the northwest staircase chute that leads to the summit.
  • This view to the northwest down Tower Canyon shows the easier and more popular approach to Tower Peak from Leavitt Meadows. I opted against this approach because it is less scenic than the one up Robinson Creek.
  • After enjoying over an hour on the summit, we make our way back to camp where we relax the rest of the day. We see many more deer prints in the snow but no deer. There is no running water here, so Betsy melts pans of snow using her stove and the sun.
  • From camp we have this view of Center Mountain, which we decide to climb the next day. Our route will go up the snow and to the right of the summit rocks.
  • Day 4: Sunday, July 2. We again get an early start at 6:15 am for our second climb.
  • We climb through giant sun cups in the pre-dawn shadow of the mountain.
  • We finally see the sun near the top of the snow. We take off our crampons and climb mostly on scree and rock above here.
  • Betsy crosses one last patch of snow just below the summit. Crown Point and Peeler Lake are just above her head.
  • Betsy mounts the summit block of Center Mountain at 11,273 ft!
  • Betsy enthusiastically signs the summit register 🙂
  • We again make the first ascent of the year! Ours is only the third entry in this newly placed register.
  • Tower Peak on the center skyline is far away to the west. Hawksbeak Peak is the closer rocky summit on the right. Ehrnbeck Peak is the snow-topped summit on the left.
  • Betsy and I take photos of each other on the spacious summit 🙂
  • After savoring 50 min on the summit, we head back down to camp.
  • Betsy does a sitting glissade in a sun-cup trough 🙂
  • Day 5: Monday, July 3. After we break camp at 7:40 am, Betsy starts packing out across the big sun cups and around an opening to the creek flowing beneath the snow.
  • We say goodbye to Thompson Canyon as Betsy climbs its eastern ridge. Hawksbeak Peak is on the left, and Center Mountain is on the right.
  • Betsy descends the other side of the ridge. A short way below here I discover that the big outer pocket of my pack has come open, and most of its contents have fallen out! That includes almost all of our remaining food! Betsy doubles back and retrieves everything.
  • We thread our way back through the snowy forest, avoiding tree and rock wells as well as snow bridges over streams.
  • We find the western outlet of Peeler Lake that flows to the Pacific Ocean. This remarkable lake also has an eastern outlet that flows to the Great Basin!
  • The open water near the shore has widened since we were here three days earlier.
  • Betsy negotiates alternating snow and rock on the north side of the lake.
  • Betsy uses her trekking pole to retrieve a piece of trash floating on the lake at its eastern outlet.
  • Betsy packs down soft snow as we near our campsite.
  • We find our first campsite, set up our tent, and dry out our boots and clothes that got wet in the snow.
  • Day 6: Tuesday, July 4. We break camp for the last time at 7:10 am and negotiate several streams that have grown from the increased snowmelt since we packed in five days earlier. Here Betsy climbs down the big tree stump in the middle of the Peeler Creek crossing.
Now it is my turn to climb down the big tree stump. This gets me halfway across the creek.
  • I still have to climb down some slippery rocks to get all the way across the creek.
  • Betsy postholes in the snow between big rocks! She manages to get out by herself.
  • Betsy crosses the giant tree trunk over Robinson Creek after I scooch across on my butt again 🙂
Betsy wades across Robinson Creek as we pack out. The water is higher than before, so we go across with our boots on to have more secure footing.
  • Betsy packs around Barney Lake past snowbrush ceanothus in bloom.
  • The flowers of snowbrush ceanothus are more luxuriant than those of the wart-stem ceanothus near my house.
  • Brilliant blue flowers of royal penstemon add color to the trail.
  • Red-orange flowers of Indian paintbrush are colorful too.
  • Some of the trees in the upper avalanche chute have been cut since we packed in, so it is easier packing out.
  • White mariposa lillies are in bloom in a meadow below.
  • I happily pack through one of the last flower-bedecked meadows as I near the end of the trail.
  • After we load our gear back in Betsy’s van and start driving to Bridgeport, we stop next to the eastern Twin Lake to enjoy some more wildflowers. Here lupine blooms by the lake.
  • Prickly poppies hug the ground. Their fried egg flowers look just like those of the tall tree poppies in my yard.
  • Showy milkweed blooms by the lake too. Hopefully the flowers will attract some monarch butterflies.
  • We have a great view of Mono Lake from the vista point just south of Conway Summit on our drive from Bridgeport to Lee Vining.
  • We end the day at Mono Vista RV Park in Lee Vining. Betsy takes a well-deserved nap on the grass after our epic adventure!

Torrey Pines Extension Trail Runs in Spring 2023

| wpfeiffer

After record-setting rains in early 2023, the Margaret Fleming Trail in Torrey Pines Extension was awash in a wildflower super bloom from April into June. Photos and commentary follow from some of my regular runs down the trail to the beach and back. Caption dates show when the photos were taken so you can see how the bloom progressed. It is 0.75 mile from my house to the bottom of the trail and 0.6 mile further to the beach.

  • My house is next to the Extension of Torrey Pines State Reserve, and this sign is at the top of the Margaret Fleming Trail that leads down to the beach. (May 1)
  • The top of the trail is a sea of sunflowers with an actual sea beyond. (May 1)
  • This prickly pear has flowers of three different colors: yellow, red, and orange! (May 15)
  • Just beyond, buckwheat is a long-lasting bloomer. (June 3)
  • Further down the trail, chamise is in bloom by the famous pines for which the reserve is named. (May 4)
  • The trail drops into a little valley where lavender-colored black sage competes with the bush sunflowers. (May 1)
  • Deerweed blooms with its unusual two-toned yellow and red flowers. (May 13)
  • Yerba santa is in bloom too. (May 13)
  • Here is a closeup of the lavender flowers of black sage. (May 15)
  • A dense cluster of golden yarrow bursts into bloom. (May 15)
  • Purple nightshade blooms in the underbrush. (May 13)
  • Wild cucumbers are on the right as the ocean beckons beyond. (May 1)
  • Popcorn flowers, morning glories, and bush sunflowers border the stairs near the bottom of the trail. (May 1)
  • Down on the beach, I see this by-the-wind sailor, one of many stranded on the beach this spring. This remarkable animal consists of a colony of blue polyps topped by a translucent sail to go wherever the wind might take it! (May 4)
  • Several sailors are stranded together. (May 4)
  • A little crab freezes on the beach and hopes I won’t see it. (June 19)
  • After running along the beach, I return to the bottom entrance to the extension where I continue my run home. (May 1)
  • White sage is a late bloomer. (June 1)
  • Dodder covers buckwheat. (June 1)
  • The two most common lizards in the reserve are the western fence lizard … (May 4)
  • and the side-blotched lizard. When I tried to get closer to this one, it disappeared into the hole by its head! (May 1)
  • Yellow bush sunflowers and lavender-colored black sage are joined by red-orange monkeyflowers by the side of the trail. (May 1)
  • The encroaching wildflowers brush against my legs as I climb up the trail. (May 4)
  • The trail opens up a little as it passes the only pine tree that grows right next to it. (May 1)
  • A late-blooming yellow monkeyflower is all alone. (June 26)
  • Brilliant purple phacelia blooms in a shady spot along the trail. (May 4)
  • Chaparral mallow blooms nearby. (June 26)
  • Chaparral honeysuckle blooms further up the trail. (June 1)
  • California cudweed is another late bloomer. (June 1)
  • Back on the ridge, I encounter a sea of pink canchalagua flowers unlike any that I have ever seen! (June 3)
  • This closeup shows a cluster of canchalagua flowers surrounded by rocks. The small round rocks are iron oxide nodules. On one of my runs, two geologists were collecting them for further study because they said the nodules were similar to those found by the Perseverance rover on Mars! (May 27)
  • A small cluster of larger, white canchalagua flowers blooms later still. (June 19)
  • Blooming chamise, golden yarrow, and monkeyflowers are intermixed nearby. (May 13)
  • A cluster of monkeyflowers puts an exclamation point on the top of the trail! (May 4)