in the wilderness with todd

Gem Lake via Rush Creek Trailhead Oct 8-10, 2011

2011-10-31T09:24:00.002+07:00

Our Camp near Gem Lake

Gem Lake

Over looking Waugh Lake

Cary coming down

Aspens and Gem Lake

Last month Cary and I went on a fall backpacking trip. To be honest I had a furlough day so it was a perfect time for a mosquitoless backpacking trip. Friday night we drove up to Mammoth where we stayed the night at a Motel 6. Once we arrived at our motel we had to come up with a game plan for our backpacking trip. Our original plan was to hike the 1,000 Island lake area via the River trail. Unfortunately Mammoth got hit with 19 inches of snow during a midweek snow storm and closed the road to the trailhead. After looking at a map we decided to try the Gem lake area out of June lake. The next morning we woke up and went to the ranger station in Mammoth to change our plans. After a few hours for breakfast and driving we arrived and started hiking the Rush creek trail by 11.

Before we set out hiking we didn't know how the snow conditions were going to be. We left the crampons behind and brought the snowshoes just in case. After a few hours of hiking and tramping through snow (not enough to put on snowshoes, just gaitors) we arrived at Gem lake (3.5 miles from the trailhead). The lake was absolutely beautiful with snow covered mountains all around. It was hard to find a place to camp since the flat ground was covered in light snow. We ended up shoveling off a thin layer of snow to set up our tent. The rest of the afternoon we went exploring around the lake. At night we focused on night photography. It was a great night to shoot, a cloudless sky with a bright moon made our 10 minute exposures look like it was the middle of the day minus some faint start trails.

The next morning we woke up late, shot some more and then headed out to Waugh lake. After a mile and a half of trekking through snow we got to a point where we had to break trail in deeper snow. This made hiking slow going. After a mile or so later I began to feel lightheaded and ill. This usually happens because I don't eat enough and my blood sugar drops. We stopped for lunch on top of a hill where we could see both Waugh and Gem lake. Incredible! After lunch I began to feel a lot better but still pretty tired. We decided to head back and meander around Gem lake. When we trekked back to the lake we found a meadow of aspen trees along the shore. We got our cameras out and spent the next hour or so shooting the aspens with the snow capped mountains in the background. We arrived at camp in the late afternoon. After filling up some water and eating an early dinner we got out our cameras and tried our best to capture the night landscape of Gem lake.

The next morning we woke up and ate our smores poptarts and headed back to the parking lot. Hiking back was a lot easier since it was mostly down hill and lots of the snow on the trail had melted. The trail was a little steep. It was about a 2,000 feet elevation gain from the trailhead to Gem lake. The days were about 60 degrees and the nights were cold, around freezing. Overall the trip was great. It was one of the more scenic trips we have taken. The snow covered mountains really was a treat, even though it slowed us down it made for great backdrops in our photographs!

View Gem Lake Backpacking 10/2011 in a larger map

10 Lakes, Yosemite : Backpacking

2011-08-11T21:23:00.002+07:00

Last weekend Cary, Erik (my brother), and I went backpacking in Yosemite. We headed out via White Wolf campground on Friday afternoon (3pm) towards the 10 Lakes area. Since we had a late start and due to the high altitude we set up camp 2 miles shy of 10 Lakes near Half Moon Meadow. Once we found a place to camp we set up tents and ate dinner as fast as we could trying to avoid getting bitten by the infinite amount of mosquitoes. The next morning we got up packed up our camp and headed to 10 Lakes. After 2 hours we reached the top of the ridge just above the lakes. We decided to camp up high since photo ops would be better up top instead of in the deep valley with steep cliffs. Our campsite was awesome; it overlooked the grand canyon of Tuolumne and the 10 Lakes area. After setting up camp we packed up daypacks and hiked down to the lakes to spend the afternoon exploring. Once we were down there we photographed the lakes, waterfalls, streams, and mountains. Erik was also brave enough to jump in the lake, which was very cold. I had a great time using my new neutral density filter, which enabled me to shoot water blur in direct sunlight. After a few hours we headed back up to the top of the ridge to our camp and enjoyed dinner and shooting sunset. The next morning we got up around 5:30 to shoot sunrise and then packed up our camp. Heading back we exited the 10 lakes trail instead of hiking all the way back to the White Wolf campground. We left Erik’s car on Tioga road near the 10 Lakes trailhead so that we could shuttle back to my car at White Wolf. Sunday’s hike back from the 10 Lakes ridge to the car was mellow and mostly all down hill. It only took us about 2.5 hours to get down.

Start: Friday Aug 5^th, 3pm @ White Wolf Campground

End: Sunday Aug 7^th, 11:30 @ 10 Lakes Trailhead

Total Trip Mileage: 15 mi

Mileage to Camp 1: 6.5 mi

Camp 1 to Camp 2: 1.6 mi

Weather: 80’s during the day/ 50’s at night

Ton of mosquitoes!

check out my photos at TEETZELPHOTOGRAPHY

Cary at the top of the ridge, above 10 Lakes

Near one of the 10 Lakes

Erik's sole came completely off!

Camp 2

Cary and Erik rocking the mosquito nets

View 10 lakes yosemite 8-5-11 in a larger map

Surf Video: Morning Sessions!

2011-06-29T22:35:00.000+07:00

Hilton Creek - BC Skiing- April 2nd & 3rd, 2011

2011-04-14T11:55:00.000+07:00

After Deer Mountain (see previous post) we decided to try to climb something that had less trees and a run out all the way to the car (meaning we can ski all the way back down to the car). In Crowley, just south of Mammoth we decided to climb the Hilton Creek Trail. We skinned up and trekked up a slight incline for about .6 of a mile. After that we began a more steady climb. After climbing 1500 feet and 1.5 miles we decided to ski down. The snow conditions were not great. The snow was punchy and warming up creating some unexpected deep spots. We had to ski with caution because we didn't know when the thin crust was going to give. Looking back on it we should have started a lot earlier to avoid mushy snow. Skiing down was still fun. Unsure of whether we could ski all the way back to the car we bombed the last hill to carry momentum. Surprisingly we were able to ski all the way back down. It was long and it destroyed my legs but it's a lot better than skinning back to the car!!!

The next day we got an earlier start and climbed Hilton Creek Trail again. This time the snow was firmer and more enjoyable. I got to say it's a great place to bc ski. I love it and the run out all the way to the road. It offered beautiful views, nice slopes, and not too many trees. And of course we didn't see anybody around us both days. Good times. Next time we are in Mammoth we will definitely do this again and hopefully climb a little higher.

Hilton Creek/Crowley Lake

Rocking the bandana.....forgot my hat

Climbing up

View Deer Mtn/Hitlon Creek 4/2011 in a larger map

Deer Mountain and Inyo Craters - BC Skiing

2011-04-14T10:41:00.000+07:00

Pano of Inyo Crater

Showing some leg!

At the top of Deer Mountain

Last weekend Cary and I went up to the Mammoth area to do some back country skiing. The first day we headed out to the Inyo Craters and to climb Deer Mountain. We parked just off scenic drive and skinned up to the Craters. It was relatively flat for the first 1.5 mile trek. After viewing the craters we climbed Deer Mountian which is right next to the craters. It wasn't a long or steep climb but it was good practice climbing with skins on and it offered incredible views from the top. When we reached the top we realized there was 3 high points which made it hard to dicipher which one was the actual summit so we tagged all three:)

On our decent down it was slow going. The snow wasn't in good condition, soft with a little bit of crust and there were lots of trees to avoid. Nonetheless it was fun and challenging.

Stats:
Total Mileage: 4.2
Start 10:00
End 3:30

Note: The first mile was kind of boring since it was a relatively flat. I prefer to be ascending or descending on skis.

Cary's photos

Surfing at 11th street

2011-04-07T09:19:00.005+07:00

Last week I purchased a Go Pro Camera to use during my outdoor adventures. I couldn't wait to try it out surfing. On Monday and Tuesday I went surfing at 11th street in Del Mar and even though the waves weren't great it was still a ton of fun. Take a look!

I mounted the camera to the front of my single fin 7'4'' funboard.

Sorry about the pixelation.

Mt. High - Skiing

2011-04-04T11:15:00.000+07:00

Last week my buddy Justin and I went skiing at our near by ski resort Mt. High. This season I am learning how to ski because I am getting into backcountry skiing. I am trying to get as much experience on skis as possible this season, on groomed runs and in the backcountry.

Snowcrest/Kratka Ridge 3-26-2011

2011-03-29T01:02:00.002+07:00

OK, I guess we'll start from here

Cary cutting out a block for an avy test.

Slow down Cary it's a 25 mph zone up ahead!

Snow wheels are awesome

The walk back to the truck

Props to Cary for getting a picture of me on my feet!

Cary and I had such a blast 2 weeks ago at Snowcrest we decided to go back and ski some of the different more challenging runs. On our drive there, 3 miles from the Snowcrest area we encountered 3 cones blocking off the road. Hmm, the road looked perfectly fine to us. After little debate we decided to drive around them and check out why the put the cones blocking the road. About a mile down we quickly found out. Snow! The road had not been cleared/plowed. Last week a storm dumped about 5 feet of snow on the area and the snow plow only cleared Hwy 2 up to Waterman ski area, which is 3 miles from Snowcrest.

Cary and I dumped our gear off at the end of the road where it met the snow. We drove back to the cones and parked the truck. We walked down the road and skinned up our skis and toured the last 2 miles to the Snowcrest. It was an unexpected detour but it was good practice skinning of flat surfaces. A little over an hour and a half later we arrived at Snowcrest (a deserted ski area). We had a blast last time we were here and we thought it would be even better due to the recent storm. It was nice to see the place completely blanketed with a good 4 feet of snow. But unfortunately the skiing conditions were not so great. There was a semi hard crust as the top layer and then about 4 feet of very soft snow below it. We found this out when Cary dug a pit to perform an avy test. While skiing our skis sank in just a little to feel like they were stuck in grooves. I took many spills coming down because I felt my skis were stuck in a rut or something. Cary even did a face plant (on much steeper terrain) as well which made me feel a little better. It was frustrating eating crap left and right when just 2 weeks ago I was skiing the same runs much better. Oh well, as Cary says "a bad day in the mountains is always better than a day of work!"

After a few hours at Snowcrest we toured back to the end of the plowed road where we put our gear on our backs and walked the last mile. Even though it was a frustrating day it was still fun. There were beautiful clouds covering the snow capped mountains and other than running into 2 snowshoers on the snow covered road we had the place all to ourselves.

**I purchased a helmet camera with my REI dividend. Unfortunately most of the footage I recorded was me eating it:-) Once I get better at skiing it will be awesome to use! I plan to attach it to my surfboard as well and start posting some of my surf sessions too!

Trip Notes:

Start: 8am at Waterman overflow parking lot

1.5 hours walk/skin to Snowcrest

1.5 hours back

End: 4:00 at the parking lot

Cary's Photos
Todd's Photos

Note: Many edits were made to create this movie:-)

Snowcrest/Kratka Ridge 3-12-2011

2011-03-24T07:53:00.001+07:00

Last Saturday Cary and I skied the old, abandoned ski resort of Snowcrest also known as Kratka Ridge. Snowcrest is just a couple miles down from Mt. Waterman in the San Gabriel Mountain Range. We started climbing up the old ski runs and were quickly intrigued by the rustic feel this old resort had to it. The runs were in decent shape with a few new trees popping up, but the thing that was really interesting was seeing the old run down chairlifts and operating booths. Windows were smashed out, wires were pulled out, a little graffiti, and some of the roofs were caved in. Snowcrest is also home to the single chair lift, which is one of only two in the US.

Cary and I climbed up the ridge about 700 feet and found the summit register. Yay, our first ski climb summit! Yes, I know it's only 700 feet but I'll take it. After taking in the scenic views and exploring the abandoned ski lifts we took off our climbing skins and prepared for some down hill skiing. We skied down a blue diamond run that had some new trees popping up. The snow was still icy and made for fast skiing conditions compared to the fresh powder on San Jacinto. Cary being very patient and helpful helped pick out lines for me to ski down. I am getting more and more comfortable on skis and want to push myself to ski steeper slopes. This run was a little steeper than San Jacinto and I looked forward to the challenge. The first half of the run was steeper than the second. I fell a few times and got frustrated by my slow and inconsistent path down the mountain. After the first section I got a better feel for turning without relying solely on snow plowing. Cary and I climbed the mountain 2 more times and I skied the entire mountain much more comfortably and confidently. I think I only fell one more time and picked up my speed as well.

Skiing Kratka Ridge was an absolute blast! We had the ski area all to our selves except for one other backcountry skier we saw at the end of the day. I can't wait to get back out there and try some of the other runs, hopefully a little more challenging, but not too crazy!

Jump for joy!

Rare: A single chair lift

Old ski lift

No I didn't jump through the window

Upper section of the mountain.

Our first ski mountaineering summit....yes it was only 700 feet but who cares:-)

Captain Morgan

Cary's Photos

View Kratka Ridge/Snow Crest BC Ski 3-12-11 in a larger map

San Jacinto Backcountry Skiing 2-27-11

2011-03-05T09:06:00.001+07:00

Last Sunday Cary and I went to Palm Springs to climb/ski San Jacinto Peak. This season Cary and I are getting into backcountry/ski mountaineering. Traditionally we've been climbing with snowshoes and crampons. After witnessing bc skiing we quickly came to the conclusion that it would be much more enjoyable skiing down a peak then slogging down it in snowshoes. Cary is a great skier, however, I am not. I am learning how to ski/bc ski all at once, this is why I move so slow in the videos. Cary has been very patient with me and has been giving me great advice. Slowly but surely I am feeling more comfortable on skis.

We took the 8am tram up to Round Valley. Around 8:45 we were all skinned up and started climbing. The first mile and 500 feet of elevation gain was a narrow trail that was kind of hard to skin up. We were dodging trees, branches, and leap frogging hikers in snowshoes. Once we reached about 8,900 feet the trail opened up and we could climb straight up (for the most part). This is our second time climbing with skins on and our first major peak/climb. We were pretty slow going trying to get the hang of skinning and managing our gear. At 10,400 feet we reached the top of the ridge (400 feet from the summit). Cary's new boots where beating down on his feet and my blood sugar dropped too low. We decided to take lunch on the ridge and then ski down.

Skiing down was absolutely AMAZING! Fresh powder made for spectacular skiing. Cary said it was some of the best powder he's ever skied, that's pretty good for a life long skier! We skied down about 1,500 feet. I fell 2 times once burying my face in the snow (see the video). Once we got down to 8,900 feet we grudgingly took off our skis, put them on our backs and hiked back to the tram. The last mile was long and a pain in the butt but we didn't have an alternative. When we got back to the ranger station we returned our permit, talked with a split boarder and waited in line for the tram. Our feet killing, we eventually made it back to my car.

We really enjoyed our first real climb. We still have plenty of work ahead of us though. I need to become more efficient climbing up with skins. It would also be nice to find climbs/peaks that we could ski all the way back down to the trail head instead of hiking out with our skis on. Oh well, I guess it's good for us. I must say ski mountaineering is exhausting. I hope it becomes easier the more we do it:-)

Stats:

Start: 8:45 at 8,400 feet

Top of the ridge: 12:45 at 10,400 feet

Return to the Tram: 4pm

4.9 miles round trip

Cary's Photos
Todd's Photos

View San Jacinto BC Skiing 2-27-11 in a larger map

El Porto Beach - Mel Surfing!

2011-02-14T08:34:00.000+07:00

Mel rocking her 7'4'' fun board and her new wetsuit

Yesterday Melis and I went to a surf-shop to buy her a wetsuit. Yup, that's right, Mel is going to start surfing! Yahoo! While we were there we also found a 7'4'' fun-board that was being sold on consignment. Since the price was right, we decided to get it. I'm not going to lie, I'm excited to use the fun-board as well:-)
Today Melis and I went to El Porto in Manhattan Beach to test out her new gear. The waves were pretty small and just right for learning. Melis did a great job on the single fin fun-board. She got up and looked very comfortable wearing her new 4/3 wetsuit. When learning how to surf it's important to get out as much as you can. So I hope to take Mel out a few times next weekend. Before I know it she'll be ripping Sunset and Surfrider on her way back from work at Pepperdine. Good times.

View El Porto Beach in a larger map

AT Skiing - Mammoth

2011-02-10T11:01:00.000+07:00

Cary heading up to Lake Mary

Taking a break near the old mine shafts

Cary taking off his skins and about to ski down

My new K2 Wayback AT Skis

Just above Lake Mary

Last week I flew up to Mammoth to meet up with Cary to try out "at skiing" and my new gear. Both Cary and I have decided to take up backcountry skiing/mountaineering. Yes, we have a LONG way to go before we attempt anything serious. First, I need to learn how to ski. Luckily, Cary is a good skier who is more than willing to give me tips. Regardless I plan to get use to skiing and touring on the skis over the next few months. After this trip I quickly realized I need to purchase a helmet, there are just too many trees around!

On Friday we headed up to the Obsidian Dome area just north, off the 395. Marking our first "at skiing" experience we traveled about 4 miles climbing just a hair over 500 feet. It was slow going at first getting use to hiking in skis. After a while we slowly but surely started to get the hang of it. One person led while the other followed in their tracks. Around 3:30 we arrived back at the truck and we headed back to the Mammoth area. Since we didn't climb any hills to ski down we decided to find a mellow hill off the road to climb and ski down. Off the Scenic Road near Mammoth we found our spot. We climbed up a few hundred feet, took off our skins (which enable us to climb up hill) and skied down. I quickly learned that I really need to spend a few days at a ski resort to practice my skiing, just getting the general technique down. Anyway, it was still a ton of fun.

On Sat we headed out to the Tamarack side of Mammoth. We skied to the old mining shafts near Lake Mary. On our way, we found a great place to practice our down hill skiing. It was also nice to get the practice of taking off and putting on our skins. After the 6 mile trip we headed back to town. We both really enjoyed our first "at skiing" experience. I'm relieved considering I've spent a ton of money on my set up! Over the next few weeks we plan on doing day trips whenever we get an opportunity. Then by April or May we will attempt to climb a somewhat mellow peak.

View Mammoth Feb, 2011 in a larger map

Badger Pass Skiing

2011-01-21T10:51:00.002+07:00

Last weekend my best buds from elementary school and I went skiing at Badger Pass in Yosemite. We drove up Saturday to Tenaya Lodge where we stayed for 2 nights. On Sunday we piled into my jeep and drove about an hour to Badger Pass. Luckily we didn't need any chains. When we got there we picked up our rental gear that we ordered from Tenaya Lodge the night before. This was especially nice since we didn't have to wait in any lines.

Around 10:30 we were on the slopes skiing. Now, just to put some perspective on this trip, we haven't skied in about 15 years except for Gabe who has been shredding on a snowboard for a few years now. Badger Pass is small, they have 3 different levels of skiing; green, blue, and black. No double black diamonds here. Over the next 6 hours we skied all the runs enjoying the nice 60 degree weather. We had an absolute blast, it was super mellow and a good way to transition back into skiing. This trip was so much fun that it cemented an annual ski trip amongst the 4 of us. I wonder where we'll end up next year?!

Tough Guys: Eric, Me, Gabe, and Dave

Bunny slopes gave us confidence!

Don't ask

Eating burritos at Badger Pass

Typical picture of the Tough Guys!

Snow or Die video!

Ice House Canyon - Timber Mountain

2011-01-03T09:57:00.002+07:00

On New Year's Eve, Cary and I started the climbing season with a leisurely climb up Timber Mountain starting from the Ice House Canyon trail head. We hiked up the icy trail about 2 miles before we started our ascent up the ridge of Timber Mountain. We decided to try a new ridge up Timber. We have been to the saddle and also climbed the face of the mountain facing the saddle. This time we decided to climb up the closest ridge the starts just after the 2 mile marker. The snow had a thin layer of crust and a soft bottom so the pace was slow going (see video). We reached about 7820 feet up the ridge before we reached our turn around time of 1pm. We headed back down post holing all the way down the ridge. It was a beautiful day out. We didn't see anyone (on the ridge) or any tracks besides 4 legged critters that inhabit the mountain. The only down side about this was the 2 mile track back along the trail. I would say about 1 mile of the narrow trail was iced over. It was a pain in the butt to walk back on. I slipped 3 times on the hike out. I am now sore all over, not due to the climb but from falling on my butt, shoulder and hands. Cary and I took off our crampons after getting down from the ridge, BAD CALL! Next time we will keep them on until we reach the parking lot! All and all it was a fun time. I am so stoked for climbing season to begin!

Below is a track from my GPS unit. You can click on it and then click "earth" to view it in 3D(google earth). You will need a free plug in to view it in 3D, it only takes a second to download it. You can also click "ter" and it will show you a topo map. Enjoy!
Stats:
Start: 7:50 at 5,000 feet
Turn around 1 at 7,820 feet
Return: 3:00

Starting the ascent. (photo by Cary)

Rocking my new Native sun glasses.

Telegraph or Thunder Peak

I love to see this!

Cary climbing up!

View Ice House Canyon Dec 2010 in a larger map

Barbados - Stand Up Paddleboarding

2010-12-01T09:07:00.001+07:00

Last week Melis and I went paddleboarding off the west coast of Barbados. Melis has taken a liking to paddleboarding ever since trying it out off the coast of Malibu. We made sure we tried it in Barbados.

There were only 2 places we found that rented SUPs. One shop on the south coast and one on the west. Since the water was more mellow on the west coast we decided to try it out near Holetown, at the Colony Club. We had a blast even though jet skis and boats raced around us from time to time.

View Barbados in a larger map

Barbados - Scuba Diving - Carlisle Bay Marine Park

2010-11-29T04:48:00.001+07:00

Wednesday afternoon I went scuba diving off the coast of Carlisle Bay, Barbados. I went with the dive company Dive Barbados Blue located near the Hilton hotel. We took a short boat ride out to the marine park where there is a handful of sunken ships (see map below). I love diving wreck sites, I enjoy learning about the history of the wrecks along with seeing all the marine life that lives on or around them. We dove down about 50 feet and explored the 5 wrecks; Eillion, Bajon Queen, Ce-Treck, Cornwallis, and the Berwyn. The only open slot for diving was at 2pm, that being said the visibility was good but not great. I was under for about 35 minutes exploring the wrecks. I would say the highlight was seeing a bright green moray eel and a sea horse. I also enjoyed swimming through the wrecks themselves.

Green Moray

Air pocket on the Eillion Wreck

Map of the the wrecks.

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Barbados - Surfing the Soup Bowl

2010-11-28T06:45:00.001+07:00

The past week Melis and I went to Barbados for a vacation and to visit our good friends the Tallons, from college. On Friday morning Holly took us to Bathsheba. This is a beach community that is home to the "soup bowl", the best surf spot in Barbados. I used my friends' Patagonia 7'8'' board to enjoy some mid morning surfing. The waves were amazing, a good 2 foot overhead, which is just about all I can handle. I paddled out around the reef and got a quick tip from a local out in the water that the wave breaks right in line with a house on shore. As soon as he told me this and motioned me to come over I caught my first wave. STOKED!!!!!!!!! It was a nice, clean wave that was easy to turn. The waves were awesome and there were only 5 people out. The water was around 76 degrees and I didn't need booties to walk out.

After the session I couldn't wait to get back out again. Unfortunately, a few days later when we returned the waves were well blown out and super choppy. Still, that one session was all I needed, those waves are the best I've surfed. I can't wait to go back!

Choppy Soup Bowl!

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Yosemite Backpacking - Young Lakes/Glen Aulin 8-1-10

2010-08-10T01:01:00.000+07:00

Cary and me at Young Lakes

Falls of the Toulumne River

High Country, Yosemite

Last weekend Cary and I went backpacking in the high country of Yosemite. On Friday night we drove up to Toulumne Meadows where we camped under the stars at the backpackers camp. In the morning we were woken up from various campers yelling "go bear go". I sat up in my sleeping bag to see a black bear with her cub roaming around the camp. Apparently the mother bear tried to take a campers backpack. According to the ranger this bear "green 5 s niner" or something close to that is a regular there.

After the bear sighting we got up and rolled over to the wilderness office and got in line. We got there around 7:20, a good 10 minutes before it was open. There was already a line of 15 people waiting for wilderness permits. About 40 minutes later Cary and I lucked out and got the last 2 permits for the same day! Our plan was to go up to Young Lakes via the Glen Aulin trail. After getting the permits we packed our bags and set out near Lembert Dome. 4 hours later we arrived at Young Lakes (6.5 mi). The hike was mellow and filled with lush vegetation. We quickly cleared out a camp site and set up our tent. We took a dip in the lake and relaxed. That night we took photographs, trying to capture "star trails".

The next morning we took some early morning photographs of the still lake then packed up camp. We decided to do a 3 mile cross country route from Young Lakes to Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp. We followed a ridge and then headed down about 1000 feet using landmarks, a compass and a gps to steer us in the right direction. We did a lot of bush wacking and hopping over dead trees. In the end it took us about 4 hours to get there. We thought we were still a good hour away when we stumbled into camp! That afternoon and night we relaxed near the Toulumne River and took some more photographs.

After a relaxing night we woke up and did a day hike to Water Wheel Falls. The trail from Glen Aulin followed the Toulumne River with a ton of different falls along the way. There were wildflowers all over the place. This hike was simply spectacular. We only saw a handful of people and the falls were huge and spectacular! Water Wheel Falls was great, however, I didn't think it was more extraordinary than the falls leading up to it. If you are ever in the high country I strongly recommend this hike.

The next morning we woke up early and packed up. We hiked up the river to Toulumne Falls where I realized both my batteries for my camera were dead. Ugh! Oh well, it was still great to see it. Hopefully Cary got some nice shots. 2 hours later we returned to my car where we took a dip in the river. This time we dove in all the way and man was it cold! It was great to rinse off 4 days of dirt, however, it was still a bit colder than I expected.

All and all it was a great trip. It was nice to take a leisurely backpacking trip where we focused on taking photographs. You can check out some of my photographs at:

http://teetzelphotography.blogspot.com/

I will be posting them for the next week as I get time to process them.

Click here to see Cary's Photos

View Yosemite - Glen Aulin/ Young Lakes in a larger map

Robinson Lake (University Peak Attempt) May 22/23

2010-05-27T11:20:00.001+07:00

Looking up from Robinson Lake

Looking at University Peak to the right at 11,500 feet

Last weekend Cary and I headed back to the Sierras. We decided to attempt University Peak out of the Onion Valley/Independence area. We started climbing around mid day on Saturday. With snowshoes on we headed up to Robinson Lake. 1 mile and 2 hours later we arrived at Robinson Lake. The weather was very pleasant as we set up camp for the night. As night began to creep up on us so did the clouds. Around 7 it started to lightly snow. After dinner Cary and I went to the lake with an ice axe to break through the frozen layer of ice to filter some water. It must have been in the high teens at night. My water inside our tent started to freeze including my hydration bladder! I slept in down booties, down pants and a down parka.

The next morning we woke up to a few new inches of snow. We packed our bags, put on our gators and crampons and headed out. It started to snow more and more as the morning went on. The clouds totally engulfed us, limiting our view of the peaks. We continued to climb, realizing it wouldn't be a good idea to go for the summit. Around 11,500 feet and 1 mile from camp we reached the base of the peaks. We decided this was a good place to stop. With visibility being limiting I climbed about 300 feet up the right embankment to get a little more climbing in. I quickly lost sight of Cary and decided to come back down. On our way back to camp we glissaded 200 feet down to Robinson Lake. It was the steepest glissade I have done yet. Good times!

We arrived back to our camp with a few more inches of snow. We packed up our gear and headed back to the parking lot. It snowed the whole morning we were out. The scenery was absolutely beautiful! We only saw a handful of people the whole weekend, and that was close to the parking lot.

Stats:

Elevation at parking lot = 9200 feet

1 mile (via snow travel) to Robinson Lake, 10,500 feet

1 mile to the base of University Peak.

Total Miles = 4 round trip

My high point for the trip = 11,800 feet

More Photos - Cary's

More Photos - Todd's

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Rock Creek, Ruby and Dade Lake

2010-05-04T11:50:00.001+07:00

Don't step in the hole!

I should have had my ice axe out.

Heading up to Dade Lake

The views were amazing!

Yahoo for snow camping!

Our kitchen

May 1st and 2nd

Over the weekend Cary and I went camping and climbing in the Eastern Sierras. Friday afternoon Cary and I drove up to Rock Creek Lake, arriving around 10:30pm. The snow level was around 8,000 feet, however, the road was paved all the way to Rock Creek Lake, 9,700 feet. Friday night we spent the night in the bed of Cary's pick-up truck. Saturday morning we got up and packed all our gear. We headed out on snowshoes simply because we did not have any room in or on our packs to store them. A little over 2 miles later we reached Heart Lake where we set up camp. After setting up camp we hiked past treasure lakes to Dade lake. The views were spectacular. Snow was swirling off the mountain tops making for an amazing landscape.

We returned to our camp around 6 and shortly after started dinner. We dug out a little space to sit and a little table (see above pic) to make dinner. The next morning we hoped to climb Mt. Starr. We woke up around 5:15am, grabbed our gear and headed out. Heading up we climbed a short class 3 section to get above the tree line. Once over the tree line ridge we hiked up to Ruby Lake which is almost half way to the summit. We scouted a nice shoot that looked inviting, however, Cary pointed out it was in an avalanche zone. We saw trees were stripped of branches on the mountain side. We decided to call it a day and hike back down to our camp. Next time I climb I will probably go around to Mono Pass and climb up from the other side of Mt. Starr. We returned to our camp around 10am and packed up and hiked back to the parking lot.

All and all it was a great trip, yeah we didn't summit, however, we did get a lot of info for next trip. The views were amazing, the weather was alright (a little windy) and we only saw a handful of people each day. Next time I would like to backcountry ski instead of snow shoe in. Skiing would be much more enjoyable and faster on the descents, everyone we saw the whole weekend were on skis. Great, one more toy I need to save up for:-)

For more pics click here

Notes:

RCL to Heart Lake = 2 hours on snow shoes
Heart Lake to Dade Lake = 2.25 hours on snow shoes
If climbing Mt. Dade, camp at Treasure Lakes
Heart Lake to Ruby Lake = 2.25 hours with crampons
RCL area is a great back country skiing area
Temps: Low 20's at night, 40's during the day

Orange is our climb up. Purple is our descent.
View Rock Creek Snow Camp may 1st 2010.kmz in a larger map

Mt. Baldy 4-24-10

2010-05-03T10:28:00.000+07:00

Last weekend Cary and I climbed Mt. Baldy. There was still plenty of snow above the ski hut (8,000 ft). For details about the route see last week's post.

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Mt. Baldy

2010-04-12T12:02:00.000+07:00

After taking 2 months off from climbing due to my bike accident, I returned to mountains to climb Mt. Baldy (Mt. San Antonio), the highest peak in Los Angeles County. On Saturday my buddy Cary and I met up at Manker Flats around 7am where we started our climb. About 2,000 feet and 2 hours of hiking up the dirt trail we reached the Ski Hut, which was where the snow line started. At the Hut we put on our gators and crampons and started out on the hard packed snow. We decided to take the most direct route up (the right side of the bowl). The conditions were perfect for climbing with crampons, the only problem was there was a good chance of rock fall and we didn't bring our helmets. Cary and I zig zagged back and forth for the next 3 hours taking occasional breaks to catch our breaths and to eat some snacks. By 12 we reached the summit. It was super windy and a bit chilly. We took a half an hour break to take photos and eat our lunch. On our descent we decided to take a different route down. This enabled us to glissade down a few parts of the bowl (see the video). Finally, around 3:30 we returned to the parking lot. I couldn't have asked for a better day to climb. The conditions were great and only a handful of people were out. I just hope the snow will stay around for next weekend when Cary and I plan to climb another peak in the San Gabriels.

Start: 7am

Summit: 12

Return; 3:30

Elevation start: 6,100 ft

Summit: 10,064 ft

*Thanks to Cary for the photos and the video

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Timber Mtn

2010-02-02T09:14:00.000+07:00

On Saturday Cary and I headed out to Ice House Canyon to do some climbing. It had been 7 months since the last time I climbed anything with snow on it. We were not completely sure what we were going to climb but we figured IHC had plenty of options. Around 7am we started hiking up the canyon. It had plenty of snow of the ground right from the very start. This meant there was going to be a ton of snow up top. After 1.5 miles of hiking up the canyon we put on our crampons and decided to climb Timber Mountain (8,300 ft). We climbed this mountain last year, however, from a slightly different part of the mountain. The traditional trail leads up Timber from the saddle but we veered up Timber about half a mile before the saddle. It was great to climb again, we switched back and forth until we reached a ridge. From there we followed it to the top of Timber Mountain.

It was a great day, a few scattered clouds but mostly sunny. When we reached the summit it was covered in snow, no foot prints except from one animal. No one had reach the summit since the storm last weekend. Good times! We ate our traditional pizza lunch (one of us cooks a pizza the night before, usually digiorno) and relaxed for 20 minutes. On our way back down we put on our snow shoes and started to descend via the saddle. We soon realized, thanks to a cross country skier, that going down the slope was a lot easier without our snow shoes. We could simply dig our heals into the soft snow and head straight down. We finally reached the trail head at 3:30.

Future climbs:

In late March I am heading to Denver to do some telemark skiing and also attempt a 14er with Cary and Katie.
I also plan on attempting a California 14er in April or May.

Below is the GPS track of our hike. You can save the track and put it in Google Earth for a 3D view.

Stats:

Start: 7am

Summit: 1:00

Return: 3:30

Elevation Start: 5,000 ft
Summit: 8,300 ft
Round Trip Mileage: 5.35 miles

Click here to see more photos

Sorry for the poor video quality, I forgot to switch my camera settings.

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Tulamben - USAT Liberty wreck - Scuba Diving

2009-11-30T22:44:00.002+07:00

Last week Melis and I went to Tulamben, Bali to do some snorkeling and scuba diving. Tulamben is small, lonely town known for great scuba diving. In particular, there is great wreck dive 30 meters off the coast. The USAT Liberty has an interesting history behind her sinking.

I've snorkeled on and off since I was in high school, but it had been 10 years since last time had a tank strapped to my back breathing through a regulator. Thursday night we arrived in Tulamben and I stopped by Tulamben Wreck Dive Center to get fitted for my gear. The next morning at 8 I arrived at the center for my refresher course. The dive master decided to have a quick refresher course in the open water instead of in the pool. We walked down the trail (5 min) to the shore and went over the hand signals and equipment. It all started coming back to be. We went into the water and for about 10 minutes practiced clearing masks, breathing underwater, balancing with the BC, and purging the regulator. After that we were off to the wreck. It only took about 5 minutes to swim to the wreck, which is only 10 feet deep.

The dive master and I spent about 40 minutes exploring the wreck, and we went down to about 40 feet. I was in awe. The ship was surrounded by beautiful bright fish. I swam through a huge school of jack fish and enjoyed the coral and various other life forms growing on the wreck. Before I knew it our air was running out and we headed back to the shore. It honestly felt like I was only underwater for about 5 minutes.

I took a 3 hour break and met up with the dive master again and went for a second dive. This time we went went down to about 55 feet. I saw a blue octopus, along with more amazing sea life. I really enjoyed swimming through different parts of the ship. The dive master even took a picture of me and the steering wheel that was intact. Once again 40 minutes went by in an instant. As we headed back to the shore I was pleasantly surprised by Mel tapping me on the shouldered. She was snorkeling above and spotted us coming in. The dive master took a few snapshots. After I returned to shore I dropped off my tank, bc, and regulator and snorkeled back out with Mel to show her the wreck. A lot could be seen from the top of the surface.

The next morning we work up and snorkeled around the wreck. Even free diving (snorkeling) I was able to swim in-between, through, and under parts of the ship. Great fun. I can see why I started diving in college. I miss it. Mel is interested in getting certified, so that she can dive in Manado next time we head back to Indo:-)

For the two nights we were in Tulamben, we stayed at the Tulamben Wreck Divers Resort. We were upgraded to a Villa suite, which was awesome. It was right on the coast with a beautiful view and lush vegetation all around. The Villa would be perfect for a family or a group of buddies. There is good snorkeling right outside the Villa as well. Just ask Mel about the indigo starfish she saw!

Rafting along the Elo River

2009-11-17T21:54:00.000+07:00

Last weekend Melis and I along with our friends Melanie, Jimmy, and Jimmy’s father went rafting down the Elo river in Magelang (50 min from Jogja). We used the CitraElo guiding service, which had a base camp set up near the Elo River. We started our 12 km journey down the river around 10am. After a brief lesson about rafting and how to hold the paddles we were off. The Elo River is great for first timers. The river is super mellow, with a few sections of white water rapids of the easiest class. Needless to say this didn’t mean we did not get wet. There were about 14 other rafts on the river that morning and each time we passed one we would splash each other. At times people would pull unsuspecting rafters into the water. Our guide used his paddle to hook one side of the paddle around the life jacket of an unsuspecting person and yank them into the water. It was quite impressive and funny. He must have done this to 8 people on various rafts that crossed our path. I think we were known as the “bully” raft.

Besides water wars, we also enjoyed doing the “rodeo”. When we would approach a rapid section of the river one person would sit at the very front of the raft with their legs dangling over and holding on to a piece of rope in between their legs. This was great fun; I even got tossed from the raft when doing the rodeo without holding on to the rope. There were even sections of the river where we jumped into the water and floated down stream.

Along the river there were beautiful streams pouring into the river. Lush vegetation lined the river and also provided shade for the local people who fished along the side. We crossed several bridges that seemed too small and weak to handle a car. One was a nifty little bridge made out of bamboo and rope.

3 hours and 12 km later we reached our end point. I was thoroughly impressed by how beautiful and lush the Eli River is and its surrounding environment. It was a relaxing way to see another side of Indonesia. If there is a next time I would like to try the moderate grade-rafting trip that is on the Serayu River.