High Sierra Topix

I live in Orange County so I enjoy keeping in shape by hiking in the local mountains. With the heavy rains lately, looks like I'll be using the treadmill until things get cleaned up.

I am fortunate enough to have the San Rafael and Dick Smith wildernesses In the Los Padres forest in my backyard. I can get to trailheads in 1/2 to 1 1/2 hrs. Winter and especially spring is the best season for backpacking here; about the time it gets too dry and hot, it is time again to head for the Sierra.

In Central Oregon I manage to cross country ski, usually on groomed or ungroomed trail network about 3-5 days a week. At least one day I ski with 3 other retired old farts. If the skiing is not good we hike in the high desert east of Bend. I also do a bootcamp class 2x a week and yoga 2x a week. In April the focus becomes hiking again and in late April early May we may incorporate some fishing on our hikes.

Mike

sirlight wrote:What do the rest of you do?

Mostly, gripe about all this damn rain.

No real backpacking until spring, when I might do a Henry Coe trip (they say people hike in the Sierra in order to train for Coe), but in the meantime I'll do local dayhikes (weather permitting ): Tam, Montara Mtn, or just the wonderfully hilly streets of my fair city.

TehipiteTom wrote:

sirlight wrote:What do the rest of you do?

Mostly, gripe about all this damn rain.

No real backpacking until spring, when I might do a Henry Coe trip (they say people hike in the Sierra in order to train for Coe), but in the meantime I'll do local dayhikes (weather permitting ): Tam, Montara Mtn, or just the wonderfully hilly streets of my fair city.

If you want to join one of my two groups heading out to Coe in March, let me know. I have an easy(er) overnight out Grizzly Gulch and a four day to Mississippi Lake in the works.

Mississippi Lake, Coit Lake, and Rooster Comb Loop (which includes Coit Lake) are
all good warm-up trips for the Sierra, and will give you a good work out.

I am in the same location as Brian F and find the draw of the Los Padres NF almost as strong as the High Sierra. I also try to get a springtime trip into the Channel Islands NP to enjoy the California native flora and coastal marine fauna.

freestone wrote:I am in the same location as Brian F and find the draw of the Los Padres NF almost as strong as the High Sierra.

Oh yeah! No off season in the Los Padres.

Willetts Hot Springs is a new fave of mine... the horse packers leave chairs in the tin shacks at Willetts camp, among other things, and having a freshwater faucet right in camp is kind of posh for a backpacking camp. And the tub! mmm, so nice to watch the bats come out of the rocks and skim bugs off the surface of the hot tub at dusk.

By spring the creek will be full again and there'll be tons of swimming holes to lounge in.

Someday I'll get all the way to Sespe hot springs.... maybe go in over Johnson Ridge instead of being distracted on the way in from the other trailheads.

I ride dirt bikes in the desert during the winter, or hike lower elevation hikes.