2005 Highlights
Just for fun on this rainy final morning of 2005 I revisited my Outside Log 2005 and reviewed some of my favorite trips of the year.
***January 23
– I discovered one of my favorite unofficial trails at Calero Park. It follows a high ridge between an old corral and the high point on the Javelina loop, and is a great place for spring wildflowers and bird-watching.
***January 30
– The first time I hiked at Santa Theresa Park. (I had ridden through on a mountain bike once or twice in the past.)
***March 6-7
– The first Yosemite trip of many this year included some cross-country skiing and a bit of photography.
***March 27-29
– A long looping drive back from southern California with my youngest son took us through Antelope Valley (California Poppy Preserve), Death Valley, and Owens Valley – and through every condition including wind, rain, snow, dust storms.
***April 16
– Ascended Mission Peak in very foggy conditions and emerged from the fog bank into brilliant sunshine, green spring grass, and fields of flowers just below the summit.
***May 1
– My log tells me it was the first hike on a day that really felt like spring. I can imagine it as I sit here listening to the rain.
***May 21
– My annual “Waterfall Day” in Yosemite, this year done solo. I drove to the Valley early to spend a day visiting my favorite waterfalls. The timing was right as there was lots of water in the valley; sections were flooded and the falls were full.
***May 27-19
– Another “annual trip;” this one the Memorial Day Weekend Skiing and Desert Camping Trip on which I and a group of friends say “goodbye” to winter and “howdy” to summer. We camped in the desert and skied Mammoth. I captured one of my favorite photographs of the year…
Layered Cloud. Eastern Sierra Nevada. May 28, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
(See more of my favorite 2005 photos at my Photoblog site. Specifically, see my Favorite Images: 2005 page.)
***June 26
– School’s out! I celebrated the end of the spring term and my two-year term as Academic Senate President with a hike at Quicksilver.
***July
– Lots of hiking this month, leading to…
***July 31
– Off to the Sierra for the start of the annual Talusdancers trip, a planned 14-day expedition down the middle portion of the John Muir Trail.
***August 1-5
The trip starts out at Agnew Meadow and heads (through somewhat low and unexciting terrain) to Reds Meadow. From there we head south to Purple Lake near the Silver Divide, where the terrain becomes more alpine… and I get sick. I walk out over Duck Pass on August 5.
***August 6
– Feeling just fine now, but unable to rejoin the group, I drive out to the highest grove of Bristlecone Pines in the White Mountains, finally visiting a place I had wished to visit for a long time.
***August 11-14
– I head back to the Sierra and climb over Bishop Pass into upper Dusy Basin to rejoin my group for the final two days of the trip I abandoned a week ago. It is here that I take another two of my favorite photographs of 2005.
Dusy Basin Peak. August 13, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Dawn. Dusy Basin. August 14, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
***August 26-28
– My favorite little Tuolumne area solo trip: Up Lyell Canyon to the Ireland Trail junction, then up this trail to Ireland lake and cross-country to Fletcher Lake before descending Rafferty Creek.
***September 16-18
– An unusual trip for me; three days spend day-hiking in the Tuolumne area. Among other things, I take the climbers trail to the ridge near Cathedral Peak, and I visit both Parker and Mono Passes.
***October 8
– A long one-day driving loop to see Sierra fall colors: Over Carson Pass, south with side trips over Monitor Pass and up to Sonora Pass, an afternoon near Lundy Lake and Conway Summit, moonrise at Mono Lake, and then home via Tioga Pass.
***October 15
– A final Talusdancers pack trip to 20 Lakes Basin aborted due to snow and high winds, I rediscover Point Lobos.
***December 4
– First ski trip of the season; a beautiful day at Squaw Valley on which there was wonderful snow up high and very few skiers.
***December 31
– I sit in my family room and listen to the rain as I think about the wonderful trips I took and things I saw this year.
Now it is time to start my Outside Log 2006.
—–
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Dan's Outside 
2005 Highlights
Just for fun on this rainy final morning of 2005 I revisited my Outside Log 2005 and reviewed some of my favorite trips of the year.
***January 23
– I discovered one of my favorite unofficial trails at Calero Park. It follows a high ridge between an old corral and the high point on the Javelina loop, and is a great place for spring wildflowers and bird-watching.
***January 30
– The first time I hiked at Santa Theresa Park. (I had ridden through on a mountain bike once or twice in the past.)
***March 6-7
– The first Yosemite trip of many this year included some cross-country skiing and a bit of photography.
***March 27-29
– A long looping drive back from southern California with my youngest son took us through Antelope Valley (California Poppy Preserve), Death Valley, and Owens Valley – and through every condition including wind, rain, snow, dust storms.
***April 16
– Ascended Mission Peak in very foggy conditions and emerged from the fog bank into brilliant sunshine, green spring grass, and fields of flowers just below the summit.
***May 1
– My log tells me it was the first hike on a day that really felt like spring. I can imagine it as I sit here listening to the rain.
***May 21
– My annual “Waterfall Day” in Yosemite, this year done solo. I drove to the Valley early to spend a day visiting my favorite waterfalls. The timing was right as there was lots of water in the valley; sections were flooded and the falls were full.
***May 27-19
– Another “annual trip;” this one the Memorial Day Weekend Skiing and Desert Camping Trip on which I and a group of friends say “goodbye” to winter and “howdy” to summer. We camped in the desert and skied Mammoth. I captured one of my favorite photographs of the year…
Layered Cloud. Eastern Sierra Nevada. May 28, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
(See more of my favorite 2005 photos at my Photoblog site. Specifically, see my Favorite Images: 2005 page.)
***June 26
– School’s out! I celebrated the end of the spring term and my two-year term as Academic Senate President with a hike at Quicksilver.
***July
– Lots of hiking this month, leading to…
***July 31
– Off to the Sierra for the start of the annual Talusdancers trip, a planned 14-day expedition down the middle portion of the John Muir Trail.
***August 1-5
The trip starts out at Agnew Meadow and heads (through somewhat low and unexciting terrain) to Reds Meadow. From there we head south to Purple Lake near the Silver Divide, where the terrain becomes more alpine… and I get sick. I walk out over Duck Pass on August 5.
***August 6
– Feeling just fine now, but unable to rejoin the group, I drive out to the highest grove of Bristlecone Pines in the White Mountains, finally visiting a place I had wished to visit for a long time.
***August 11-14
– I head back to the Sierra and climb over Bishop Pass into upper Dusy Basin to rejoin my group for the final two days of the trip I abandoned a week ago. It is here that I take another two of my favorite photographs of 2005.
Dusy Basin Peak. August 13, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Dawn. Dusy Basin. August 14, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
***August 26-28
– My favorite little Tuolumne area solo trip: Up Lyell Canyon to the Ireland Trail junction, then up this trail to Ireland lake and cross-country to Fletcher Lake before descending Rafferty Creek.
***September 16-18
– An unusual trip for me; three days spend day-hiking in the Tuolumne area. Among other things, I take the climbers trail to the ridge near Cathedral Peak, and I visit both Parker and Mono Passes.
***October 8
– A long one-day driving loop to see Sierra fall colors: Over Carson Pass, south with side trips over Monitor Pass and up to Sonora Pass, an afternoon near Lundy Lake and Conway Summit, moonrise at Mono Lake, and then home via Tioga Pass.
***October 15
– A final Talusdancers pack trip to 20 Lakes Basin aborted due to snow and high winds, I rediscover Point Lobos.
***December 4
– First ski trip of the season; a beautiful day at Squaw Valley on which there was wonderful snow up high and very few skiers.
***December 31
– I sit in my family room and listen to the rain as I think about the wonderful trips I took and things I saw this year.
Now it is time to start my Outside Log 2006.
—–
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December 31, 2005 - Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary