Dan's Outside

2006April

***April 2-5, 2006
– Photo excursion to Death Valley. Day 1: Drove to Racetrack Playa in time to set up camp in my vehicle, but too late for sunset photos. Day 2: Up before dawn to drive a mile or two back to the playa for several hours of photography and wandering about the playa as the sun came up. Back down to Scotty’s Castle for lunch, then a campsite at Furnace Creek, followed by a bit of afternoon photograhy. Day 3: Again up before dawn to catch sunrise at Zabriskie Point. Further visits to Badwater, Devil’s Golf Course, Golden Canyon (hiked to the Red Cathedral) and other spots before heading back to Zabriskie for sunset. Day 4: Up early again to head home with time for some photography along the way.

***April 8, 2006
– New Almaden Hike from Hacienda up to the Castillero/Mine Hill Junction via Mine Hill and Castillero Trails.

***April 15, 206
– One muddy hike at Almaden. Went up toward Senador Mines but took the left fork to the New Almaden Trail to just past the Webb Canyon trail, where I cut right to catch the main trail to the ridge and then back to the car. What a mess!

***April 16, 2006
– Giving in to the urge to avoid more mud, I took an urban hike on the creek trail.

***April 22, 2006
– What a difference a week makes! While there were still a few muddy spots at Almaden Quicksilver, most of the trail had dried out nicely. I went from the MacAbee entrance up to the junction of the Mine Hill and Castillero trails.

***April 23, 2006
– Hiked up the main trail toward the top of Mission Peak but detoured to the right via Paradise Valley (or whatever it is called) to the low saddle south of the peak. From there I headed a short distance south along the ridge to photograph a rock outcropping. Returned via Mission Peak summit and the main trail.

***April 29, 2006
– After a busy day of state academic senate, I managed to get out for a short hike up the ridge at Calero at sunset.

***April 30, 2006
– I ended the month of April with a moderate hike at Almaden. Out past the mine site from Mockingbird Hill, then via Randol to the New Almaden trail for the steep descent back to the starting point. Quite a few flowers, though it looks like more are on the way.

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December 31, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on 2006April

2006March

***March 4, 2006
– Started March with a drive (and then a hike). Drove to Yosemite Valley on the day after a low-elevation snowfall and did a photo day. Hiked from the stables up about a mile and a half past Mirror Lake on snow, turning around at a bridge over (I assume) Tenaya Creek.

***March 11, 2006
– With overnight snow at very low levels I hiked Mission Peak this morning.

***March 18, 2006
– Hiked up Deep Gulch trail to the grove of trees on the ridge below the Reduction Works, then returned via Mine Hill trail.

***March 19, 2006
– Hiked out past Goat Rock to do some photography. It was cold in the morning and the creeks were running, but there were a few scattered flowers beginning to bloom. Back via the waterfall and Castle Rock.

***March 30, 2006
– Did something I rarely do anymore today… took a hike without my camera. Did the short loop at the up toward Senador Mine then past Guadalupe Reservoir, returning via Almaden Trail.

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December 31, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on 2006March

2006February

***February 2, 2006
– Finished up early at school today. Came home and grabbed the camera gear and got a short hike in at Calero.

***February 4, 2006
– At New Almaden Quicksilver, out Randol, up Prospect #3 and then back via Castillero and Deep Gulch.

***February 5, 2006
– Up Mission Peak via Horse Heaven (chased by cows!). Extremely windy on the climb and even more so on the ridge. Descended the main trail.

***February 11, 2006
– Went to the Bear Valley Telemark Festival where I did two clinics on basic telemark turns and linking turns.

***February 17, 2006
– Hiked my favorite ridge route at Calero in very cold conditions. It was only 41 degrees at noon when I got back to the car.

***February 18, 2006
– Hiked up Mine Hill and English Camp trails to the Reduction Mill and then back down the English Camp trail.

***February 19, 2006
– Mission Peak in cold weather. No snow on the peak, but snow not much higer to the southeast in the Diablo Range.

***February 25, 2006
– Mission Peak… again! This time to near the summit via the Hidden Valley (?) trail then south to Monument Peak. Stopped at another high point along the way back, then ascended Mission before returning via the main trail.

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December 31, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on 2006February

2006January

***January 1, 2006
– On a day of rain and powerful winds I was unable to get to the usual trails, but I managed an urban hike down the river trail.

***January 3, 2006
– The storms died down enough today to permit an actual hike. I climbed the English Camp trail to the ridge on the Castillero trail at Almaden Quicksilver.

***January 8, 2006
– Back from Seattle last night and time for a hike today. I went out on the New Almaden trail, cut to Randol via Buena Vista and finally ended up taking pictures of oak trees near the junction with Prospect #3 trail.

***January 13, 2006
– After work I had just enough time to get an early start on a three-day weekend by climbing to the first ridge at Calero Park as the sun set.

***January 14, 2006
– Driving trip to Santa Cruz and then up the coast to photograph waves and birds.

***January 15 2006
– Almaden Quicksilver: Up Deep Gulch to the Mine Hill/Castillero junction for lunch, then down Mine Hill and English Camp trails.

***January 16, 2006
– Hiked to the top of the first high ridge at Calero to take some photos.

***January 21, 2006
– Late afternoon hike at Rancho Canada del Oro.

***January 22, 2006
– Morning hike to summit of Mission Peak – very windy!

***January 27, 2006
– Quick hike up Deep Gulch to just above English Camp, where Jameson telephoned me for a ride home.

***January 28, 2006
– The “big loop” at Almaden Quicksilver: Out on Randol to the far junction with Mine Hill; back along the ridge to English Camp; descend via Deep Gulch.

***January 29, 2006
– Mission peak again. This time I climbed up the very muddy Horse Heaven route, but took the shortcut just after the switchback single-track. Arrived on the top with fog coming in; soon the peak was completely blanketed. Descended on the main trail.

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December 31, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on 2006January

Outside Log 2006

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December 31, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Outside Log 2006

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 | Comments Off on 2005 Highlights