After a quick paddle, we hopped out of our kayaks and banked the SUPs, so we could jump off the granite boulders around Bonzi Rock along the east shore of Lake Tahoe.
“Yahooo!” We shouted just before splashing into the brisk 52-degree water.
Lake Tahoe is one of the premier lakes in the world boasting stats like the "cleanest motorized lake in America" and "largest natural lake in California" but not many talk about how to enjoy this water. Why is that? Well, the water temperature of Lake Tahoe ranges from 43 degrees in the winter to 64 degrees in the summer. That is cold! So, how do you enjoy this blue wonder without freezing? Boating.
Sitting at 7,800 feet, Mammoth Lakes is a grouping of five high altitude lakes fed by snow melt in the Eastern Sierra Mountains. Close to Yosemite National Park, Mammoth is known for year round outdoor activities such as hiking, backpacking, skiing, rock climbing, and, of course, kayaking. These large alpine lakes are a stellar summer destination for flat water kayakers and fisherman who are looking to immerse themselves in a landscape that Bob Ross would paint.
Taking photographs from the mountains, deep in the woods, dangling from ropes, under the ocean… the limitation to adventure photography is your mind and ability to access places. While adventure photography traditionally focused on authentic photojournalist ethics, the commercialization of the industry has changed the landscape of adventure photography. This broadening of the genre has helped build many sustainable photography careers for those who have adapted to the changing times and stories. But, what is adventure photography?
Stepping off the boat onto solid ground, the Grewingk Glacier Lake hike begins. Up a wooden ladder to a vertical trail, the start to this hike can be brutal. However, once you are over the hump it’s all downhill to Grewingk lake. Arriving at Grewingk Lake is a special event as the beach often has ice chunks and iceburgs floating close to shore.
Breaking our backs as we sling our packs over our shoulder, we locked the car and headed for one of the coolest camping spots I had ever seen. From photographs, we saw a chain of turquoise lakes surrounded by mountains. From the rumor mill, we heard the third lake was the best lake to sleep at, if you could secure your spot. We were ready for our three-day backpacking adventure into the North Fork of Big Pine.
Stretching over 5,270 square miles, Death Valley National Park is massive! To my surprise, this desert landscape was more diverse than I could have ever expected when I visited on a recent road trip. I thought I was headed to the desert, you know, flat and kinda boring. I was wrong! Especially when it came to the hiking. The trails were diverse! Everything from sand dunes to mountain tops to Death Valley has a ton of hikes, but which ones should you chose?
The excitement was at an all time high as we loaded the van for our road trip, but I had that feeling inside of me that I was forgetting something. Yet, I couldn’t put my finger on it. What could it be?
I checked my clothing list, everything was there. I checked my food list, yup, all here. I checked all my other lists, I had everything. Yet, I still had that gut feeling I was forgetting something. Without knowing what it was, I continued to load the van and we hit road. Putting miles between me and our home, I worried I would forget something.
While on our road trip through, Baja creating content for the release of the Ford Bronco, we messed up. In San Juanico (aka Scorpion Bay) we took the Bronco onto the beach in hopes of snapping a shot of spraying water at sunset, we swamped it, but it was an adventure. The video and story below is the result.
Well, it is day three of this journey to climb-bike-climb from Freel Peak in Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney. To be honest, I woke up feeling pretty good! My butt was a little bit sore from yesterday’s, but that is to be expected. Thankfully, I was able to soak in a hot spring last night at Travertine Hot Spring in Bridgeport, CA and get a good rest in the van.
I’ve driven past this bay hundreds of times in my life. I’ve stopped a handful of those. Recently, I made it a priority to stay roadside and explore Emerald Bay so I could understand what makes this place so memorable to others. Well, I must say, I now understand! Emerald Bay, regardless of the time of year, holds an energy that sucks you into its grasp. When you are here, you realize that you can do just about every outdoor activity in one of the most outstanding locations in the world.
During the spring time in Yosemite National Park, the water-levels are at their highest, as the sun warms the granite and melts the winter snow. As this magical landscape sheds its winter coat, the rushing water flows down waterfalls and cascades. One of those is the Royal Arch Cascade located near the iconic granite arches of Royal Arches. This cascade can only be seen during the springtime as the snow is melting because there is little soil to retain the groundwater. So, what does this mean? Well, imagine the warming sun comes out and the water has no place to go but down! Yup, that is right, Royal Arch Cascade becomes an epic waterslide!
We headed to places like Baja and Joshua Tree to surf, rock climb, high-line, and engage with the natural world instead of feeding into the addition of consumerism. We traded new clothes for dirty ones that smelled of sweat from a fun day out in the sun. There wasn’t a whole lot of computer time, but, boy oh boy, was it stressful as we learned to place our lives in cams and nuts while climbing cracks.
We turned the corner and pointed our headlights for Cooper’s Landing. We didn’t totally have a destination, but knew we wanted to explore the Kenai Peninsula. We got lucky. As we passed Cooper’s Landing, Kristin suggested we take a left down a dirt road to quickly check out this massive lake we just saw. Bumping down the road, we found beaches, free camping, great hiking, and a magical place called Kenai Lake.
Have you ever stumbled upon a place without knowing what it is supposed to look like and are left completely dumbfounded by its beauty? Well, when I decided to make the hike out to Crocker Point for the first time, that was exactly what happened to me. I didn’t even know this vista point had a name, but I was taken back by its beauty, its grandeur, and the alignment of El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall. All together, my first experience seeing Crocker Point made me realize this underrated vista point might actually be the most incredible view in all of Yosemite Valley.
Just a few miles up from Tunnel View is a similar view called Inspiration Point. Some people swear it is better, while others say the hike is not worth the trek. They are both correct. Yosemite Valley has tons of view points that are all similar with just a little bit of difference. Some views are slightly more aligned and some are a bit higher than others, but provide the “same” view. But, that is only if you care about the view at the destination. If you are in Yosemite Valley to hike and explore different spots, taking in the changing views as they come, then does it really matter what the end view is?
Bumping down the dirt road to the Freel Peak Trailhead, we had a crazy idea in mind. My climbing partner and I, for our rest day, decided it was time to give peak bagging, aka hiking to the top of a peak, a try. Not really sure what we were getting ourselves into we were giddy with excitement. Sleeping the van, I am not sure if either of slept. Maybe it was the lentil soup that bloated our bellies, or maybe, it was the excitement. Regardless, we knew attempting to tackle the Tahoe Triple would be an adventure.
If you are an avid rock climber and are itching to climb on rock outside, Sunshine Ridge is your answer. Located close to Anchorage, Alaska along the Seward Highway is a wonderful rock climb to gain confidence and learn how to place trad gear. This route is rated 5.7, however most would claim it is something more like 5.5. Without getting into the weeds about grades, the route is fun and has quality rock, which is a surprise for the area.
Halfway between Lake Tahoe and Mount Whitney there are two lakes tucked away in the Eastern Sierra mountains filled with fish, readily available fishing, and a glassy waters that are asking to be paddled upon. Located in Bridgeport, California, Twin Lakes are a hidden gem perfect for a weekend get away, or a week long family camping trip. Not only does Twin Lakes have some of the best flatwater kayaking, accessible to all levels of kayakers, but there is stellar hiking, hot springs to soak in, and trees to hang a hammock.
