john32f said:

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Apologies for the gratuitous back patting, but here is one of my favorite pictures from Denali last year.



There's just no scope or scale to anything out there but the place is absolutely massive. We're at the 14k' camp right here and behind us is the West Buttress. If you zoom in, you can see a couple dots, that's climbers making their way up the ridge.

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Awesome. Which guiding service did you use?

Nah I used Alpine Ascents. Eric Murphy - dude knows his ***** Anyone who is thinking about a trek, highly recommend him. I don't think he guided Denali this year because he was topping out Everest for the 3rd or 4th time with a group.

We had some locals tell us last week that Denali can be summited in a one-day round trip depending on the weather. All I've ever heard of are multi week expeditions. What's the skinny on this one? I don't know much about it.

Pretty sure the amount of luck to needed for a 1-day summit of Denali is huge.

That said, Kilian Jornet did a full ascent/decent in under 12 hours (used skis going down)

Acclimation is key. Being less than 200 miles from the arctic circle + 20k' = a bad day with no acclimatization.

Killian Jornet did it in one day, some girl named Katie Bono also climbed it in a day. You'd have to be in stellar condition. I mean stellar condition. Typically you bring 20 days gear for weather and rest days. Everything goes perfectly... maybe 14 days if you're using a guide service. Climbing with a private group and you might do it in 8-10 but those would be hard days unless you are serious mountain climbers.

what's the best site for picture sharing? I'll post some Denali pics

My dads brother lives 3 hours west of Yosemite National Park in Mountain View, CA. I've hiked Yosemite more times than I can count over the years and it's my favorite place on earth, easily. We've hiked up Half Dome twice, done the 35 mile North Rim hike, and done a 60 mile hike around the Clark Range in the park (nobody ever goes out that way).

Teddy Roosevelt and Jon Muir knew we had a good thing in Yosemite. Yes, it gets crowded, but hike 5 miles out and you won't see anybody.

Presley OBannons Sword said:

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Awesome. I did the rim trail at Big Bend about a year ago for the first time in ages. I love it out there.

Currently getting ready for a trip to Denali at the end of June, doing five nights in the backcountry. Most ambitious trip of this type I've ever done. Really excited about it.

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I went to Denali last Summer and it was amazing. Of course I did regular hikes and stayed at a really nice cabin. How many people are you doing this with? How much experience do you have camping in the back country? When I was there part of Denali camp grounds was shut down due to bear sightings. I know you are not suppose to take a gun but do you carry one anyway? I am not sure I could something like that without a firearm.

easttexasaggie04 said:

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My dads brother lives 3 hours west of Yosemite National Park in Mountain View, CA. I've hiked Yosemite more times than I can count over the years and it's my favorite place on earth, easily. We've hiked up Half Dome twice, done the 35 mile North Rim hike, and done a 60 mile hike around the Clark Range in the park (nobody ever goes out that way).

Teddy Roosevelt and Jon Muir knew we had a good thing in Yosemite. Yes, it gets crowded, but hike 5 miles out and you won't see anybody.

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That's awesome. I'm heading to Yosemite today for only the 2nd time in my life. The first time was just a quick, one day trip. This will be a nice, long weekend. I'll try to post some photos when we get back.

Just checking in. I lived in AZ and CO for 10 years just so I could hike and back pack on the regs. We did 4 days in the Paria river canyon for my bachelor party. I'm always up for a good hike. Haven't been in a while (back in TX now) and am itching.

Did Zion a couple years ago - We hiked down Fat Man's Misery and then out Parunuweap Canyon. It was an experience of a lifetime for me.

I am hoping to go to New Mexico with the same group later this fall. Not sure where. I missed out on their Colorado Basin trip last year - that was a bummer.

I am also looking at doing the Presidential Traverse or maybe Havasupai Falls in the Grand Canyon

option short side said:

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Presley OBannons Sword said:

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Awesome. I did the rim trail at Big Bend about a year ago for the first time in ages. I love it out there.

Currently getting ready for a trip to Denali at the end of June, doing five nights in the backcountry. Most ambitious trip of this type I've ever done. Really excited about it.

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I went to Denali last Summer and it was amazing. Of course I did regular hikes and stayed at a really nice cabin. How many people are you doing this with? How much experience do you have camping in the back country? When I was there part of Denali camp grounds was shut down due to bear sightings. I know you are not suppose to take a gun but do you carry one anyway? I am not sure I could something like that without a firearm.

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I have a fair amount of backcountry camping experience. I've done backcountry stuff at Big Bend a couple times, Rocky Mountain a couple times, and now Denali a couple times. Plus, I've got ten years in the Marine Corps. Truthfully, success or failure at Denali comes down to 1) your ability to read a topo map and compass, 2) your mindset, and 3) the quality of your gear.

This trip I just got back from started out with a group of four, but two of the guys quit after the first day. So mainly it was me and one other guy, and we covered a pretty fair amount of ground. We did not carry a firearm, but some people do. We just carried bear spray. I would probably have felt better with a firearm of some kind, but I just didn't want to carry the extra weight. I've now spent nine days cumulatively in the Denali backcountry, and to date, I have seen one grizzly in the wild, and he was about a half mile away. Bear encounters happen, but it's rare that even bear spray is actually required.

I think the perfect group size for a Denali backcountry trip is four. But obviously, as with my experience, that number can drop quickly if someone's head isn't in the game. It's a beautiful park, and I have an absolute blast there. I am already excited to go back sometime. But you absolutely have to be prepared.

Let me know if you have any more specific questions.

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I am also looking at doing the Presidential Traverse

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Do it. It's awesome

My brother and I will be in the Estes Park and Fort Collins area hitting the trails and streams of the Arapaho and Roosevelt national grasslands.


Bear activity is hot this year be safe out there.

Not something my girlfriend wants to hear

mtnrunner - We are headed to Estes Park at the end of the month (July 29-Aug 5). Rented a little cabin on Fall River Rd between Estes Park and RMNP entrance. Will have the wife and 8 month old baby, so probably going to do some easy hikes with them. I expect I'll have at least one or two days to myself while the wife chills at the cabin, so any recommendations for nice day hikes (6-8 hrs) in RMNP are welcome. I'm not in the best shape to do Longs, but will see how I feel by the end of the week after acclimating and doing some shorter 2-4 hr hikes with the family. (FYI, I have done five 14ers but haven't been hiking in the mountains in 4+ years)

Just got my Enlightened Equipment, 950DT, 20 deg. Quilt in... its beautiful..

Just got back from a weekend of trail running and hiking in Yosemite. We did Vernal/Nevada Falls and Yosemite Falls continuing up to Eagle Peak. Such an amazing place.

Beautiful! Glad to see all the green at least there. Gives me hope most will be gone in the High Sierras by August.

bayouaggie said:

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mtnrunner - We are headed to Estes Park at the end of the month (July 29-Aug 5). Rented a little cabin on Fall River Rd between Estes Park and RMNP entrance. Will have the wife and 8 month old baby, so probably going to do some easy hikes with them. I expect I'll have at least one or two days to myself while the wife chills at the cabin, so any recommendations for nice day hikes (6-8 hrs) in RMNP are welcome. I'm not in the best shape to do Longs, but will see how I feel by the end of the week after acclimating and doing some shorter 2-4 hr hikes with the family. (FYI, I have done five 14ers but haven't been hiking in the mountains in 4+ years)

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A few of my favorite hikes in that range, especially for those coming from sea level:

• Sky Pond (including The Loch and Mills Lake)
• Black Lake (including Mills Lake)
• Chasm Lake (beautiful lake at the base of Longs Peak)
• Estes Cone (great views of Longs Peak and Mt Meeker)
• Flattop Mountain (and possibly add on Hallett Peak)

They are all or mostly on trail with 2000-3000 feet of gain and 6.5-10 miles. A great resource for RMNP trail recommendations with difficulty ratings is http://www.rockymountainhikingtrails.com/hiking-rocky-mountain-national-park.htm

A couple easy/late afternoon hikes

• Gem Lake
• Lily Mountain
• Alberta Falls
• Bierstadt Lake
• Bear Lake and Nymph/Dream/Emerald (big tourist trap so start early)

Longs Peak is quite the outing with the distance, elevation gain, and technical aspects. Chasm Lake is a good way to get close to Longs without having to do too much technical.

Feel free to PM me and I'll be glad to take you out on a hike if I'm around.

Anybody find any good gear deals on Prime Day?

The Chasm Lake hike is indeed a very nice hike.

Is Long's in the summer considered technical? I didn't think so...

Presley OBannons Sword said:

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The Chasm Lake hike is indeed a very nice hike.

Is Long's in the summer considered technical? I didn't think so...

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While I haven't done it (yet), the standard route is listed as a class 3. So, no.

Presley OBannons Sword said:

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The Chasm Lake hike is indeed a very nice hike.

Is Long's in the summer considered technical? I didn't think so...

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Most people going up Longs do so via the Keyhole route and will split off to the right to go around Mt Lady Washington when you get to Chasm Junction (you go to the left to continue on to Chasm Lake). Those going up Longs from Chasm Lake, are probably going the Loft route or Kieners route, which are highly technical.

Longs is definitely strenuous, with the Keyhole route having over 5000' of elevation gain and almost 15 miles. It also has a lot of exposure, which makes many uncomfortable. Going up the trough, especially during busy times, can be stressful as those above often kick loose rocks down.

It's considered Class 3 and can easily be done without ropes, however, you do have to do some climbing up and around rocks.

Here's a good overview with pictures: https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=long1&peak=Longs+Peak

good link. I did Long's via the keyhole route back in 2006, and the memory has gotten a little fuzzy. I do remember feeling very exposed on the homestretch, other than that, I don't remember it being that bad.

Just finished up 5 days in Rocky Mountain. Heading south to the Front Range for sone 14ers hopefully.

coop-aero-06 said:

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Just got back from a weekend of trail running and hiking in Yosemite. We did Vernal/Nevada Falls and Yosemite Falls continuing up to Eagle Peak. Such an amazing place.

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i love it out there. i have very limited time when I was there. Really hoping to get back out and spend some serious time there.

man I hate living in Houston.

Ditto. It makes you appreciate other places though

Finally getting around to posting a few pictures from our Trans Zion run. No pictures from basically the saddle at Angel's Landing to the end (last 14ish miles). We were pushing hard to finish before dark (failed, finished in the dark with 2 headlamps for 3 people) so we didn't stop for much.

Group before the run. Two on the right bailed at about 22 miles.



The trail followed La Verkin Creek for much of the beginning of the run





This is the trail at one point. Just following slick rock along a ridge line:



Looking back across the canyon. You can see the trail on the other side:



Views from the high plateau (360 degree views). These pictures don't remotely do justice.







We descended this wall. Believe it or not, there are a crapload of switchbacks going down that thing.



Getting closer to the main canyon, you hit paved trail. This was a LONG, STEEP climb




I could likely piece together the next 5 or 6 miles of the run from pictures of previous trips, but I didn't take many pictures on this run after the last one i posted here.

Thanks for the pics 00, that's badass

I'd highly suggest a trans zion trek. Backpacking that would be amazing.

That said, I'd recommend doing the opposite direction we did. The climbing was so back-loaded that we were in really rough shape by the end. Looking at the elevation profile, it looks like one big push at the end, but it was ridiculously steep and after the initial hike up out of the main canyon, switchbacks were basically non-existant. It was just UP.



I think the easier route is flipping the above, even though you have to finish on a long climb.

Knocked off my girlfriends first 14er this morning. We were worried about how the altitude would bother her, but she breezed through it like a champ.

Sat and talked with an older guy who's done the 7 summits and multiple Everest summits