Any other hikers, backpackers, campers out there?

[dmac4g]

Hope they figure out what is up with your ankle. Love the pictures!

[scratchswinger]

Wow those aspens

[One_Putt_Blunder]

> @scratchswinger said:

> Wow those aspens

 

I've been wanting to do that hike for a couple years. It didn't disappoint. You can reach the AZ highpoint from this side. It's longer by about 10 more miles but it's way prettier. Think I'll backpack it in the future set up camp near end of tree line to have a short summit push in the morning.

[scratchswinger]

Any elk?

[One_Putt_Blunder]

> @scratchswinger said:

> Any elk?

 

No but my track record with actually seeing wildlife sucks

[gambit]

Has anyone ever got a backpacking permit for a specific trail at Yosemite and camped out there for a few days like that? Just wondering how difficult it is to get that permit.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Been decades since I've backpacked in Yosemite. From what I've gathered getting permits from the further out ranger stations is easier than in the valley likewise

[gambit]

> @One_Putt_Blunder said:

> Been decades since I've backpacked in Yosemite. From what I've gathered getting permits from the further out ranger stations is easier than in the valley likewise

Think I’m gonna try and get out there for it next year. Maybe in the fall if I have time.

 

 

[One_Putt_Blunder]

> @gambit said:

> > @One_Putt_Blunder said:

> > Been decades since I've backpacked in Yosemite. From what I've gathered getting permits from the further out ranger stations is easier than in the valley likewise

> Think I’m gonna try and get out there for it next year. Maybe in the fall if I have time.

>

>

 

If you get the chance do it some amazing country up there and if you avoid jmt and half dome permits it shouldn't be too crazy to get one. If you can't look at some of the pct there's a trailhead on the 108 just east of Sonora pass that you can do a number of loops into some cool alpine lakes etc.

[gambit]

> @One_Putt_Blunder said:

> > @gambit said:

> > > @One_Putt_Blunder said:

> > > Been decades since I've backpacked in Yosemite. From what I've gathered getting permits from the further out ranger stations is easier than in the valley likewise

> > Think I’m gonna try and get out there for it next year. Maybe in the fall if I have time.

> >

> >

>

> If you get the chance do it some amazing country up there and if you avoid jmt and half dome permits it shouldn't be too crazy to get one. If you can't look at some of the pct there's a trailhead on the 108 just east of Sonora pass that you can do a number of loops into some cool alpine lakes etc.

 

That sounds like a good option too. I heard getting it the same day isn’t too bad because they only give out a few before as reservations or something like that.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Heading up that way next weekend @gambit unforunately only going to have 1 full day on the western slope a bit north of Yosemite but gonna get a short hike in around pinecrest and up to this spot.


 

[gambit]

> @One_Putt_Blunder said:

> Heading up that way next weekend @gambit unforunately only going to have 1 full day on the western slope a bit north of Yosemite but gonna get a short hike in around pinecrest and up to this spot.

> 

>

 

That’s gorgeous. Have a great time and take lots of pics!

[scotee]

Dry Saddle Trail head last week. Looking South towards the Salmon River in the Frank Church Wilderness Idaho.

 

Burnt Knob Lookout perched on the rock.

 

 

 

[scotee]

There was a lot of burned timber since the last time I was in there backpacking with friends with Llamas 20 years ago. It is coming back slowly with lots of Bear Grass, Huckleberries and some new trees in the older burns. We camped at Red River Hot Springs and rode an ATV about 30 miles of the Magruder Corridor Road that goes over 100 miles to Darby Montana.

 

 

 

 

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Finally got scheduled for my EMG nerve test this Friday, hopefully this is the beginning of finding some answers as to why my ankle muscles don't want to fire properly. Still waiting on MRI approval for my back MRI. Really hope another surgery is not needed and we can sort this through PT but as time passes and my back feels worse and worse. Not sure it is just the lack of movement from no golf/hiking or something bigger.

[gambit]

> @One_Putt_Blunder said:

> Finally got scheduled for my EMG nerve test this Friday, hopefully this is the beginning of finding some answers as to why my ankle muscles don't want to fire properly. Still waiting on MRI approval for my back MRI. Really hope another surgery is not needed and we can sort this through PT but as time passes and my back feels worse and worse. Not sure it is just the lack of movement from no golf/hiking or something bigger.

 

Best of luck, bud!

[dmac4g]

Hope they get this figured out! You have mountains to climb @One_Putt_Blunder

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Cleo's Bath, Pinecrest lake. Brutal day that hurt way more than it should for a 7 mile hike with a little class 2 scramble. Got a later start than I would prefer. Ended up being a little over 90 degrees and the heat took it's toll on us. Ankle swelled up bad and back was killing me, pretty clear that I should not be hiking until I can get all this sorted out. Was absolutely beautiful though.






 

 

[huckitchuckit]

Great view from South Fork Colorado

 

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Spent a long weekend in Utah, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, a quick drive through of Bryce Canyon NP and a more thorough exploration of Capitol Reef NP. Grand Staircase is pretty frigging epic I can't wait to get back up there and explore more around hole in the rock road etc. I was able to knock out 3 hikes totaling 13 miles pretty much flat walking over easy terrain although walking in super soft dry beach like sand is hard work. I'm back in PT we're working on lower back/core/chest to tighten everything up in hopes that it brings the ankle muscle functionality back, but things held up a bit better this weekend than they did in the Sierra's. Hopefully I can get back on the AZ Trail this winter and at least knock out some of the flatter low desert passages while i build back strength.

 

Day 1 Toadstool Hodoos Southern UT and lowest plateau of the Grand Stair case Aprox 4500 feet above sea level.



 

Cottonwood Canyon RD to Grosvenor Arch/Cannonville about 50 miles or so on dirt through a level of the Staircase Elevation 6200


Stopped to hike a small canyon called Hackberry Canyon




 

Grosvenor Arch-Lunch break


 

Bryce Canyon NP the top step of the Grand Staircase. Elevation aprox 9000 First pic gives a sense of the staircase and how it is just layers of canyons and plateaus stacked on top of canyons and plateaus. Very cool to go through the different levels and see the changes in geology.




 

Day 2 Cathedral Valley OHV loop This runs about 60% through Capitol Reef NP and 40% through BLM land

First we stopped by Capitol Reef to check out some Petroglyphs



 








 

Day 3 Lower Calf Creek Falls an amazing spectacle and our longest hike of the weekend. 7 miles round trip and worth every step. From there we drove down the grand staircase vit burr trail and back through southern Capitol Reef NP via Notom after stopping for a snack on the Strike Valley overlook

The view from above into the canyons containing the falls







 


Lunch Spot from the Strike Valley Overlook overlooking the water pocket fold


Dropping down a level of the staircase


 

Day 4 return to Phoenix via Glen Canyon NRA and Monument Valley

Got a nice sunrise leaving Capitol Reef



Bears Ears NM




Did not upload too many of Monument valley mostly cause there are a million pictures of the place already and a million people there doing it for the gram at forest gump point. I mean in what mind is laying in the middle of a highway a great idea?


 

 

Plan on going back solo or with some hiking/4wd buddies to explore more of the backcountry in Grand Staircase BLM has a great network of backcountry camp sites and back country 4wd roads to check out. Wife gets car sick so had to keep it kinda tame this trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GHIN n Juice]

Brings back some memories there. I grew up in northern Utah but my family and friends always headed down south for golf and outdoors adventure. Some of the most beautiful spots in the country down there. Some great golf too.

[scotee]

Great pics! Sorry we missed that falls in our trip last Oct. We did the Grand Circle in a mini RV. Started at Zion and then to Bryce, Escalante, Capitol Reef, Moab, Arches/Canyon lands, down to Monument Valley and Page and Grand Canyon. Stopped by the Meteor Crater and down to Sun City to see our parents. Amazing views and a great road trip. No real long hikes but lots of short ones and lots of pics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GHIN n Juice]

Moab is quite possibly the best place on earth.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Moab, arches and canyonlands is an entirely separate trip for me. That area needs at least a week just on its own with all the 4 wheeling and hiking available.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

South Rim GC a couple weekends ago. Dispersed camped right outside park boundaries.







 

 

 

Oh and some of my hiking friends ran into this guy on a seldom used trail kinda near Prescott AZ. Big healthy black bear


 

[dmac4g]

Probably would have needed new shorts after running into the bear!

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Haven't posted in a while but things finally starting to turn for the better. Still dealing with a ton of lower body stiffness and lack of range of motion. Been stretching daily it's getting good enough to start ramping up into my gym program again.

Knocked off a few short sections of the AZT. Trying to gear back up to knocking out a few flattish sections in the low desert this winter. Planning on doing a 120 mile backpack from the mogollon rim to Flagstaff late spring over a week.

 

Over the next few months I'll be helping a friend of mine build out a hiker hostel type setup on a piece of land his friend purchased near the azt in kearny. We'll be building a series of lean to's picnic tables campfire rings etc. That's the one huge positive about this injury is getting more connected in the tail community and finding ways to give back to the hiker community

 

[gambit]

Going to Vegas a Thursday thru Sunday and plan to go to the Grand Canyon on Saturday. Any advice and boots or sneakers?

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Right now crampons. I would say trail runners over boots but I'm not a big boot guy for hiking. Regular sneakers prob not a great idea if planning on going below the rim

[Broke100]

Hike & bike often. Just finished a quick 3.5 mile hike in Hit Springs, VA. Homestead Resort.