Monday, October 31, 2011

Big Sur Backpacking Trip

Just the photos:

Bottcher's Gap

But if you read all the way through, you'll be treated to a new feature on this blog: videos!


We went backpacking in the Big Sur Ventana Wilderness area, from Bottcher's Gap to Pat Springs over the weekend. We got a bit of a late start on Friday, but it was also kind of cool because we got to hike through a beautiful sunset and into the dusk.

From Bottcher's Gap

It was a pretty grueling hike for Justine and I - pretty much straight up hill for the first 3 or 4 hours. Yikes!

When we finally made camp the first night, it was just on the side of the trail around 7 pm. We stopped near a spur that lead to a small trickle of water, which was enough for the evening and the next morning.

From Bottcher's Gap

Following some amazing mac-n-cheeze+broccoli, we went to sleep intent on getting up early the next morning to finish our walk to Pat Springs. Unfortunately, only one of us managed to get up at sunrise.

From Bottcher's Gap

Oh well... everyone did eventually get up and we at some tofu-scramble-breakfast-burritos. After cleaning up the camp, we headed off (even if some of the crew wanted to pretend we'd already been walking for hours!):



We marched on for a short while through madrone and manzanita forest



and were soon pumping fresh water again at Pat Springs.

From Bottcher's Gap

We took a campsite a few hundred feet uphill from the spring, overlooking Botcher's Gap, the Pacific, Pico Blanco, and Ventana Double Cone... I must say that it was probably one of the best campsites I've ever seen.

From Bottcher's Gap

We had an orienteering lesson:

From Bottcher's Gap

celebrated a birthday with cupcakes:

From Bottcher's Gap

were treated again to a gorgeous sunset:

From Bottcher's Gap

and were so high in the Ventana Wilderness that we could literally jump over the moon!

From Bottcher's Gap

All in all, an excellent weekend.

Can't say enough about how fun this weekend trip was... beautiful weather, great company, and stunning views. Get out there if you've never been.

From Bottcher's Gap

Oh yeah, and did I mention that I'm trying to post video a bit more often on this here blog? Here's one:

Friday, October 07, 2011

Mt. Adams and Trout Lake (Washington)

I just realized we never posted these pictures, so here they finally are (along with a fancy pants new design). Enjoy!