ARCHIVES

Category: Hiking

  • South Lake to North Lake: Day 3

    South Lake to North Lake: Day 3

    September 2

    This day would be the longest. I wake up to a beautiful morning. The air is crisp, the mosquitoes are gone, and my tent held up to the wind. I had guyed out Brad’s side of the tent to give more lateral headroom to the A-frame profile, and he says that it’s better. Hot coffee, although the instant variety, is surprisingly good on this cold morning at nearly 11,000 feet. Hot oatmeal is good too.

    Morning routine after breakfast takes me scouting out a spot with toilet paper in hand. I walk south to an area behind some trees and pick out level ground. From this vantage point, I can see the entire valley. Suddenly, I see trail, and I realize that it is the trail that we traversed the previous day. I have a clear view, and I am sure that anyone coming up the trail would have a clear view as well. Thankfully, it is too early.

    There isn’t much condensation on the tent, so packing up is easy. We follow the trail and end up scrambling up a large boulder pile before realizing that the trail had actually crossed the creek. We backtrack, and soon, we head up the trail toward Muir Pass. A high alpine meadow rests on the plateau overlooking Lake 10880. Then, we climb above treeline. Helen Lake is a beautiful, deep blue body of water rimmed with bright snow. We have a little snack here.

    The last little push to the pass takes place over mostly snowfields with well-established tracks. Muir Hut comes into view. From here, the desolate northern expanse looks like moonscape dotted with blue gems, deep lakes made up of snowmelt. We spend a lot of time checking out the Hut, taking pictures, and having lunch. After we finish, several groups of hikers arrive from north and south. It becomes a crowd, and we figure that it must be time to leave.

    We pass by large Wanda Lake, then Sapphire Lake, and finally stop at Evolution Lake inlet for another lunch break. The noontime sun beats pretty hard in this high environment, and we almost overheat. Brad washes his face and bandana, and I dunk my head in the cool stream. We also refill our water containers for the trip down from here.

    Evolution Lake twists, turns, and tucks among boulders, rock piles, and peninsulas. It takes us a long time to reach its outlet. From here, we start our descent to Evolution Valley. We rest on a large slab of granite with an open view of the valley. Brad takes a nap in a gently-contoured spot with a rock pillow. Staring down from here, it’s like flying, lifting off from the mountainside.

    The trail flattens out at Colby Meadow, and we soon arrive at a large campsite in McClure Meadow. It’s a nice site, but we figure that we can find better. We walk further down the trail, pass a site that is closed to restoration, and come across another place. There is already an orange MSR tent pitched there, so we walk around and beyond it to a large flat spot. A large clean granite slab forms a low ridge between the site and the river. This proves to be a perfect spot. A few steps away from our campsite, one gets the best view of McClure Meadow and the rugged ridgeline of the Sierras in the background. I am happy we ended up here. Brad is happy that we finally found a spot and can now settle.

    Tonight’s dinner is Tom Yum Soup and Thai Peanut Noodle. The fresh lime makes such a difference. We both agree that Asian meals tend to work better. While we have dinner, the mosquitoes have theirs. Brad puts on his bug protection, complete with a netting hood. I’m nearly immune. Because we are now lower than 10,000 feet, we are allowed to have a fire. Brad builds a small one right on the granite slab. The ambiance is nice. We have dark chocolate cheesecake for dessert along with hot chocolate spiked with cayenne pepper. My camera takes star trail pictures while we sit and talk around the fire.

    « Day 2
    Day 4 »
     
  • South Lake to North Lake: Day 2

    South Lake to North Lake: Day 2

    September 1

    A dusting of frost covers nearly everything. I first notice this on the backpacks just outside the tent. My towel is frozen stiff. There is bad condensation inside the tent because it’s so cold outside. The cure, of course, is a nice helping of hot coffee. Starbucks Via. Being in charge of the rest of breakfast, Brad measures out servings of oatmeal and dried mix of almonds, coconut, and an assortment of berries. Yes, the caloric allowance has been accounted for.

    After loading up the packs, we head down into LeConte Canyon. The Black Range forms a wall directly in front of us across the canyon. Dusy Branch cascades alongside our descent, and the large waterfall right after the footbridge presents us with many photo opportunities.

    Soon, we reach the junction with the John Muir Trail. We register ourselves. We hike through scenic Little Pete Meadow and then through the forest cover at the edge of Big Pete Meadow. Switchbacks take us up toward Muir Pass. We meet hikers coming from the other direction, and I ask some of them about conditions. Helen Lake is too frozen to stay at, and I know that there are campsites at an unnamed lake just below that.

    We arrive at Lake 10880. While there is a very nice peninsula at the lake’s outlet with great campsites, the biologists have deemed this area to be a frog protection zone. We find our site on a high ridge overlooking the outlet stream. Behind a big rock pile, a small trail leads to the edge of a bluff facing the canyon.

    This night’s dinner would turn out to be the worst of them all. The black bean soup is tasty, but I will soon conclude that watery soups are much better in the wilderness. The post-dinner routine is pretty much the same—cleaning, hot drinks, dessert, putting away food.

    Brad and I decide to take a stroll along the lake. We sit at the peninsula’s edge watching the sky turn from blue to purple to black. Brad plays music from his iPhone, something you normally try to get away from while seeking wilderness. I tell myself that technology is OK; after all, I did bring a heavy digital camera.

    Setting up the camera, I find a very nice spot just south of our tent, between camp and the high bluff overlooking the approach trail. From here, the view of the tent and the granite ridgeline across the lake are clear. The Big Dipper, with the ladle handle pointing westward, and Polaris come into plain view. I take a few test shots while asking Brad to flit the headlamp around inside the tent to bring even illumination. After getting everything set, I turn on the intervalometer and let my camera click away on multiple 30-second exposures. The plan is for a total of one hour—pictures to stack together as star trails.

    The wind whips around our tent, and this wakes me up. Not being able to sleep, and thinking that the camera is finished, I venture outside to check. It has only been about 45 minutes, but now, I’ve ruined that exposure because of my headlamp light. I figured it would be fine to stop it here, and I bring the camera inside the tent.

    « Day 1
    Day 3 »
     
  • South Lake to North Lake: Day 1

    South Lake to North Lake: Day 1

    August 31

    The noontime sun beats down by the time we arrive at the trailhead. The first part of the trip takes us along the South Fork of Bishop Creek. Before reaching Long Lake, we pass a newlywed couple on their honeymoon, who are planning to spend their first night at Saddlerock Lake. We decide to have lunch at one of the small lakes just before the steep switchbacks.

    The trail zigzags up the slope toward Bishop Pass, alongside the Inconsolable Range. We meet trail crews making adjustments to the steps so that the switchbacks would be more gradual to allow for stock to not stumble. At this point, I am glad to have done some training—running five to six miles every weekend for the past month and hiking up San Gorgonio the previous week.

    Snow blankets the approach to Bishop Pass. Even though the regulations prohibit shortcutting switchbacks, the tracks in the snow go straight up the mountain for the last little bit. Brad leads the summit bid.

    Here, we enter Kings Canyon National Park. The panorama of Dusy Basin unfolds as we descend and pass picturesque lakes and verdant meadows. We have the second serving of Johnnycakes here. Brad had made these the day before, using his amazing recipe that needs to become famous.

    Three miles past the peak of this day’s trip, we reach lower Dusy Basin and settled on a campsite nestled behind some boulders on a small bluff above Lake 10742. Actually, this lake is unnamed, but we will just designate it by its elevation. The first task is to pitch the homemade tent that I put together several months ago. Before the trip, for several reasons, I was nervous about bringing it—uncertain about it holding up for a weeklong trip, and not knowing if Brad would like it. It turns out to be fine.

    After the routine cleanup and laundry, we make red curry to go over rice. It turned out fine, but I could have brought more curry paste. The next steps are part of the usual routine: wash the dishes, have a hot drink and some dessert, brush our teeth, and stow everything away. There being no campfires allowed above 10,000 feet, there isn’t much to do after dark but sleep.

    « Pretrip
    Day 2 »
  • South Lake to North Lake: Pretrip

    South Lake to North Lake: Pretrip

    On and before August 31

    The sliding glass door at Clark’s once again opens and closes. I feel as if the checkers are looking at me, wondering why I am back. I had gotten the wrong package; there is no reason that Pad Thai should have fish sauce in it. I walk back in the same Asian food aisle and settle for a different entrée—Thai Peanut Noodles.

    It’s Monday evening before the trip, and I’m putting the final touches on the food plans. For the upcoming backpacking trip through the Sierras, no one wants to carry too much food or end up with too little over six days of hiking, so the best way judge quantity by calories. This has been affectionately called “The Grid.” It works, but that means weighing out peanuts, crackers, and repackaging everything into rationed portions. And the weighing isn’t just for food; it’s for every piece of gear and supplies, including toilet paper. My longtime friend Brad Wilson inspired me to shave ounces, and the result is shed pounds.

    My text pager goes off. From Phoenix, Brad texts me Tuesday afternoon, “At the airport. No turning back now.” In less than two hours, I pick him up at Ontario International Airport and make our first stop at REI to buy two small fuel canisters and a battery for my camera remote. Except for a minor hiccup, the trip to Bishop is uneventful.

    Brad and I organize the food, putting each meal except breakfast into separate bags and lining them up according to The Grid. All the bags go into bear canisters that we will be getting from the ranger station when they open at 8.

    After packing, we drive up toward South Lake and turn in at Rainbow Pack Outfitters. Mr. Allen and his assistant make us breakfast: coffee, bagels, eggs, and potatoes. Then, I follow him to park the car at North Lake’s overflow lot. He shuttles Brad and me back to the South Lake trailhead.

    Day 1 »
  • San Gorgonio Peak

    San Gorgonio Peak

    This trip took me and our group of residents and medical students from the Vivian Creek trailhead to San Gorgonio Peak.

  • Mount Rubidoux

    Mount Rubidoux

    We had a great time hiking up Mount Rubidoux. I got to bring our new puppy Durian out for an excursion.

  • Joshua Tree

    Joshua Tree

    This was a nice day trip, mainly to have a good time with friends while enjoying nature. While it was really hot during the day, it cooled off relatively quickly once the sun went down. Then, we had beautiful lighting from a full moon.

  • San Bernardino Peak

    San Bernardino Peak

    A group of us climbed San Bernardino Peak from the trailhead near Angelus Oaks. The weather, of course, was beautiful. Views from the top were breathtaking, especially at the turn just below the survey monument. These pictures are courtesy of Rob Quigley and Adam Lorenzetti.

  • Northern California

    Northern California

    I just got home from a trip to Northern California.

    The first day was spent driving to Angwin, arriving quite late at night. The next day, we went with Auntie Plerm and Uncle Michael on different tours—The Castle, Sepay olive oil company, Budweiser factory, and Jelly Belly. After some shopping and dinner, we went to the Chun’s place.

    Bryce, Kara, Alice, and I headed into the backcountry at Point Reyes National Seashore. The first day, we hiked from Bear Valley Ranger Station to Sky Camp. The next day took us down to the beach, where we arrived at Coast Camp shortly after noon. We napped away most of the afternoon. Saturday’s hike was along the bluffs above the coast. This was the longest day with about eight miles. Birds filled the meadow above Wildcat Camp. Being not so windy, this was the warmest of the nights. For the last day, we hiked out to our car back at the Bear Valley Ranger Station and drove back to Santa Rosa.

    We had a good stay with the Chuns in Santa Rosa, recovering, cleaning, organizing, eating, sharing stories. The drive home was smooth except for the portion between the Grapevine and the 210 Interchange, where I-5 became like a parking lot. Anyways, it’s good to be home after an amazing week.

  • South Fork Trail

    South Fork Trail

    Starting from the South Fork trailhead in the San Bernardino National Forest, a group of us hiked up passed the meadow and up to the avalanche area. After that, we turned around and headed back down the mountain.

  • Mount Woodson

    Mount Woodson

    A group of us drove down to Poway and hiked up to Mount Woodson. Near the summit, there’s an outcropping called Potato Chip Rock, which is completely fitting for its name. We had a nice picnic lunch at the top. Then, we hiked back down, and a few of us decided to ignore the signs and cross the dam at the edge of Lake Poway. They made us turn back and go around. Afterwards, we took a trip down to La Jolla and enjoyed the ocean.

  • San Bernardino Peak

    San Bernardino Peak

    We climbed San Bernardino Peak today.

    The hike started from Angelus Oaks. We left Loma Linda around 6:00 am, arriving at the 1W07 trailhead forty minutes later. It was cold, but I started out in shorts, a quick-dry t-shirt, and a beanie to prevent heat loss through the head. It turned out to be fine, because once we got started, I warmed up quickly.

    Originally, I had planned this trip for mid to late November, and there were around 7 to 8 people on the “interested” list. It was supposed to be an overnight trip, staying at High Meadow while enroute to San Gorgonio on a through hike to Vivian Creek. Wanting to take advantage of a little more daylight, I moved the trip to early November. Then, because I couldn’t confirm that there would be running water for backcountry camping, I decided to make it a dayhike. In the end, it was only Corey, Juliana, and me.

    Enroute, we passed Limber Pine Springs, which was nearly completely frozen. One could still hear a faint trickle below the thick ice cover. Having passed our only potential water source, we conserved for the rest of the trip.

    The view from near Colonel Washington’s monument was spectacular. Baseline Avenue was visible, extending straight due west from where we were standing. Big Bear Lake shimmered to the north, looking as if it would just spill right over the low ridge right in front if it. The actual summit stood just a little ahead. The almost 7.5-mile hike up about 4500 vertical feet took us 4.5 hours, including breaks. At the top, we had lunch, napped, and read from Psalm 104.

    The hike down took 3 hours. It was downhill all the way. Corey ran out of water halfway down, and I finished off my water a little before reaching our car. Back at the car, we tanked off.

    The way home was uneventful. From Nevada Street, we glimpsed San Bernardino Peak behind the haze and tinted pink by the setting sun. Another beautiful Sabbath just drew to a close.

  • Rainier’s Northern Loop Trail

    Rainier’s Northern Loop Trail

    I arrived in Seattle. The first part of the trip will be a backpacking excursion along the Northern Loop Trail of Mount Rainier National Park before joining the Western Orthopaedic Association.

    Sunday morning, Brad and I drove to White River Ranger Station to pick up our permits after having breakfast at IHOP. We then parked in the backpackers’ lot in Sunrise. The hike up to Frozen Lake seemed more strenuous than usual, but the views of the surrounding valleys were spectacular. As part of the plan, we took a spur trail to the Fremont Lookout to visualize the terrain. Having hiked through fields of wildflowers, we camped at Berkeley Park Camp the first night.

    The next day, we hiked through the expanse of Grand Park before descending to the West Fork. The crossing was easier than expected. Mosquitoes greeted us as we climbed the next section to James Camp. There, we decided that we had to move on to Yellowstone Cliffs Camp, which was a good decision. Yellowstone Cliffs Camp was situated at the foot of sheer rock faces, next to a stream, and covered with some snow patches. We were the only campers there that night. Brad brought dark chocolate cheesecake to mark this middle night of the trip.

    On Tuesday, we hiked down to the Carbon River, then up along an exposed trail along the Carbon Glacier. After a scenic meadow, we climbed a small ridge and descended to Mystic Lake and the camp just beyond.

    The hike out on the following day gave us the opportunity to climb up to the saddle next to Skyscraper Mountain. From there, we had an amazing vantage point, seeing the Fremont Lookout, Yellowstone Cliffs, and Mystic Lake. We hiked out under refreshing light and, at times, heavy rain, which helped wash away sweat and trail dirt. Soon, we reached the car and drove into a Seattle drowned in record heat.

    I unwound at Kerry Park, taking in the panorama of the city getting ready for another evening.

  • Forest Falls

    Forest Falls

    It’s springtime, and a small group of us went to Forest Falls to enjoy the scenery. Also with us was Jun Jun Zhang from the Second Hospital of Tangshan. He will be visiting for a few months.

  • Grand Canyon

    Grand Canyon

    We’ve all been looking forward to the Grand Canyon hike.

    Very early Saturday morning, as the mercury plummets to below 20 degrees F, Todd and I pull into Mather Campground after a very long drive from Las Vegas, post AAOS. The frozen ground crackles under our feet as we step out of the car. Brad had arrived several hours ago, and Corey, Rob, and Seth just turned in a little before we did. Under the glow of headlamps, we pitch our two-man tent and quickly fall asleep.

    Before sunrise that same morning, I get up first. The rest of the crew comes out of the tent, one by one. After sharing some bagels and cream cheese, most of us wash it down with soymilk. Rushing to the Backcountry Office, we arrive just a little ahead of the non-stop bus that is to take us to our trailhead. At the South Kaibab trailhead, under blue skies, the winds bite through the layers of clothing. We quickly descend below the Grand Canyon rim to escape. Mule droppings blanket the ice and snow layers during the first part of the hike, and it gives us some traction as well. During the hike down the numerous switchbacks, we sometimes catch glimpses of the opaque green Colorado River. At the river’s edge, we cross over to the north side on a suspension bridge. We set up camp right next to the Bright Angel Creek in a site that is more developed than I had thought it would be.

    The temperature is pleasant at the river. Going to bed early, I wake up before dawn and hike to the river for solitude and photography. The river, which was greenish the day before, churns like light chocolate milk. Returning to the campsite, I join the rest in a breakfast of scrambled eggs with tortillas. We hike out through a level area along the shore before starting the grueling ascent to Indian Garden. With persistence, we climb out of the canyon by mid-afternoon. Corey, Rob, and Seth drive home that evening. Brad, Todd, and I go back to Mather Campground and set up the tent. After the pay-showers, we take in the sunset and spectacular views from Yavapai Point. We then drive to El Tovar to treat ourselves to a well-deserved dinner.

    Sunrise this morning is rather bland, with very little clouds to add interest to the monotonous sky. Nevertheless, we get some good pictures of the canyon. Our Phantom Ranch Bright Angel campground is easily seen from the Yavapai vantage point. After packing up, we drive to Williams and again treat ourselves to a nice meal at Denny’s. Here, Brad parts ways with Todd and me. The rest of the drive home is uneventful, except for the incessant nagging of sore thighs and calves.

  • Angelus Oaks Snowshoe

    Angelus Oaks Snowshoe

    This snowshoe trip was more strenuous than I had expected. Uncle Ben Vassantachart and I went up to Angelus Oaks and parked by the restaurant. We followed the trail up to the helipad and spent some time exploring. After getting to that plateau, we decided to come straight down the mountain, cross country style. Some parts were steep, but in the fresh soft snow, we managed to make it down without any problems.

  • San Gorgonio Hike

    San Gorgonio Hike

    Last Sunday, a group of us took an ambitious trip up San Gorgonio. The group I took consisted of Hasan (4th year orthopaedic surgery resident), Ken (senior medical student), DJ and Rob (juniors), Mark and Seth (sophomores), and Brandon (whom I ran into at the Drayson Center several days before). We left Loma Linda at 4:50 am and arrived in Forest Falls at 5:30. Then, we started our hike. It was Hasan’s first major hiking trip, and by the time we reached halfway up the first set of switchbacks from the Vivian Creek trailhead, we were exhausted.

    After reaching the wilderness marker, we were delighted to meet a more level trail which took us to Halfway campground junction, where we had the first part of breakfast. After another long stretch of switchbacks, we arrived at High Creek campground. We froze as we filtered water in preparation for the summit bid. Some puddles were covered with ice, and we quickly realized how cold it was.

    Not long after heading up along the trail, we reach a beautiful ridge, where a short spur trail takes the hiker out to a ledge for a panoramic view of San Jacinto and its surroundings. There, we had the rest of breakfast and made mental preparations for the last push to the summit.

    This last stretch was strenuous; the hike was made more difficult by the fact that some of us were gasping for oxygen in this thin air. The most mentally exhausting part was the long stretch just below the junctions to Dollar and Dry Lakes. The final part wasn’t too bad, as the trail had leveled off somewhat. On the summit, we stood by the geologic survey marker, snapped pictures, had lunch, and took in the scenery.

    The hike back down was long and hard on the knees and ankles. We stopped by the ledge again and sang some hymns. Getting all four parts wasn’t always successful. From there, we descended to the switchbacks between High Creek and Halfway, where we paused to take in the sunset view framed by lacy clouds behind faraway silhouetted trees jutting above Little San Gorgonio range.

    Headlamps and flashlights illuminated the rock-strewn trail for the rest of our downhill trek. We did stop briefly to view the clear star-filled night sky. By the time we got to our cars, it was almost 7:00 pm.

    The next set of tasks was to shower, eat dinner, and crash.

  • South Fork Trailhead

    South Fork Trailhead

    At church two days ago, we were casually discussing hiking San Gorgonio. That random conversation materialized into an actual trip today. We met up at 5:30 and drove together to the South Fork Trailhead. We decided to try a different route, since many of us had already done the Vivian Creek starting point. Just past South Fork Meadow, a ranger stopped us. Apparently, we needed permits even to dayhike. He was nice enough to allow us to go to Dry Lake. There, we had lunch, took a nap, and soaked in the scenery—meadow and lake in the foreground and San Gorgonio in the background. We made it back much earlier than originally expected.

  • Phoenix and the Superstition Mountains

    Phoenix and the Superstition Mountains

    On Thursday, April 3, I fly to Phoenix for a wonderful stay with the Wilsons. It’s my birthday, and Sarah makes a wonderful melt-in-your-mouth dark chocolate soufflé.

    We leave for the trailhead on Friday morning and start hiking around 10:40. The main part of the trip takes us through the Tonto National Forest, Supersition Wilderness area. The trail climbs to about 5,000 feet and plateaues below Windy Pass. After a short descent to Plow Saddle, the trail levels off until Reavis Ranch, which is situated in a broad sweeping valley complete with a running spring dotted with oaks, pines, and sycamores.

    The next day’s itinerary brings us down past Reavis’s grave and into a dense canyon. High altitude scrub and manzanita gives way to a lush riparian zone, where boulders and talus fields threaten ones ankles with every step. Several pools invites us for lunch breaks. I soak my sore feet. Near Angels Basin, we visit cliff dwelling ruins. Our day ends with a stay along the banks of Fish Creek junction trail.

    Hot hearty oatmeal warms us the next morning before we set out. Prickly pear and cholla overhang into our trail at ankle level, and mesquite (or maybe mescal) thorns scratch our sun-scorched arms and shoulders. After a short rest at Plow Saddle Spring, we continue to Windy Pass—the highest point of this day’s hike. We death-march the last part down to our cars. Finally, we come home to a fabulous feast that Sarah put together, which ended with vanilla ice cream drizzled with rich melted chocolate, topped with a fresh strawberry half smothered in whipped cream. Hence, Lactaid.

    Today, I arrive home, all ready for a full clinic in the afternoon.

  • San Gorgonio Dayhike

    San Gorgonio Dayhike

    This hike up San Gorgonio started early in the morning. Along were Rob, Seth, Corey, Juliana, as well as a desert bighorn sheep seen near the summit.

  • Ediza and Minaret Lakes

    Ediza and Minaret Lakes

    On Thursday, we pack up and head to New Shady Rest Campground just outside the town of Mammoth. For dinner, we have cold soba noodles.

    The next morning, we shuttle to the Agnew Meadow trailhead and begin our hike. Our semi-loop trip takes us around Shadow Lake to Ediza Lake, where we spend our first backcountry night. The next day, we hike up to Cecile Lake and take the cross-country route to Minaret Lake. From there, we trek to Reds Meadow for the return shuttle.

    Along the way back, we stop by Manzanar and tour the Japanese internment site.

  • Zion Narrows

    Zion Narrows

    Chad, Kevin, and Armando meet me bright and early on Thursday morning. We load up Armando’s car and head out to Zion National Park and find our site at the Watchman Campground. We inch along the trail’s knife edge through dizzying switchbacks to Angel’s Landing for a panoramic view of the park.

    This trip had been planned for months. I had logged on the morning that permitting opened in April and secured Campsite 4 in the Narrows.

    It turns out to be perfect conditions. We shuttle up to Chamberlain Ranch, where we walk through cow pastures to enter the gorge. It is cool in the shaded canyon, and we weave in and out of the river’s flow. Hiking sticks prove to be useful. Chad had just gotten his new digital camera, and there is plenty of shooting on this trip.

    On the second day in the Narrows, one highlight is the watercress growing along a side tributary, adding fresh vegetables with a peppery taste to the backpacking meals. Near the end, the walls close in, forming a serpentine sliver of sky high above the canyon walls.

    The trip back takes us through Las Vegas for a buffet at Rio Casino.

  • New Zealand with Shane

    New Zealand with Shane

    This afternoon, we got back from New Zealand. It was absolutely amazing. Last Monday, March 5, I went to work in the morning and saw some patients in clinic. After that, I quickly ate lunch and went out to REI to get a pair of trail runners and a day pack. The traffic was very bad. Anyways, I got the two items plus a pair of water shoes. It was only $2.00 over my dividend amount. After packing, Shane came over, and we left for the airport around 4:00 pm. We checked in and got some Chinese food. We thought we were early, but when we got to the terminal, we saw that it was packed full. The flight wasn’t too bad. We had a space between us because of a no-show.

    We arrived in Auckland on Wednesday morning. I had slept well on the flight. At the airport, we kept hearing announcements about flight cancellations to Queenstown. Our flight still wasn’t canceled. In the meantime, Shane worked on his talks for the Pan Pacific Upper Limb Trauma Symposium. I had some sushi for lunch. We then boarded our flight, and it took off on time. Halfway through, the captain announced that we would be rerouted to Invercargill because of dangerous landing conditions in Queenstown. We got to a rainy Invercargill and picked up our bags. We then boarded a shuttle to Queenstown. The road was scenic, but I had a headache from the windy roads. After arrival, we checked in and enjoyed the social hour and buffet dinner. I did some final things to my T-condylar humerus fracture presentation. It was a long day.

    The next day, on Thursday, I gave my talk in the first session. After all the talks, we went out and drove around Queenstown and explored some ski areas, the Remarkables, the Shotover River, and other places. We made it back in time to get dressed for dinner. The restaurant was accessible by gondola, and we saw people bungee jumping. The view was incredible. I sat next to Randy Bindra and his wife. During dinner, I stepped outside to photograph the night lights. I met this couple, and after talking to them, they said that they were from Tennessee and are now living in Modesto. They turned out to be Adventists. Carl will be going to photography school, and Rebecca is a CRNA. They’ve been spending weeks touring New Zealand.

    Friday morning’s program went well. A few people didn’t show up because they decided to go tour the country. Peter Amadio reached over to tell Shane that he did a good job. Joe Slade and Nick Goddard enjoyed his presentation as well. I also enjoyed meeting JinBo Tang in person. After the meeting on Friday, we took off for Glenorchy to have a phenomenal weekend.

    The north shore road along Lake Wakatipu was beautiful. We arrived in Glenorchy, and I stopped in to get a map for the Routeburn Track. We then went to Kinloch, where we checked into the lodge. I stepped in, and the lady said, “Welcome! You must be Montri.” At the suggestion of the receptionist, we went to the Greenstone-Caples Track and did the Lake Rere Loop. The waterfalls and lake were amazing. We left at 16:30, and it took us about four hours. At the road, during our return, we encountered sheep being herded in for the night. That was comical. That night at the Kinloch Lodge, we shared the dorm room with two British mountaineers.

    The next morning, we packed and arrived at the Routeburn Track trailhead after having munched on dry granola mix. The night before, we ate instant noodles.

    The trail up to the Routeburn Flats wasn’t too bad. Everything was covered in moss and ferns. There were some spectacular waterfalls. At the hut, we dropped off some of our gear. We forgot to print our tickets, but the warden took our names and radioed the information for confirmation. We then proceeded up to the Routeburn Falls Hut. This section was more strenuous than the first. The flora turned into beech forest. The terrain was steeper. The hut had a very nice balcony with great views of the Flats. We had lunch there. Above the Falls Hut, the vegetation changed into grasses and brush. We passed the lake and a series of waterfalls to reach Harris Saddle Shelter. A group of young people congregated there, soaking in the sun. We proceed to climb Conical Hill, which was very steep and rocky. Some parts required handholds. On the way up this mountain, my right contact lens dislodged. I met an Infectious Disease specialist from Baylor, now practicing in Dunedin, who helped me push the contact back in place. We reached the top and had afternoon snack consisting of bread and cheese. We could see Martin Bay and the Tasman Sea from the top. After taking some pictures and going to the bathroom, we descended back to the shelter and made our way back to the Falls Hut to shower in the stream.

    At the Falls Hut, I went to bed early after having some dry food for dinner. I fell fast asleep.

    The next morning, after breakfast, I met some people—Pat and Anne Marie—from Tennessee. I told them that I was planning to go see the Great Smoky Mountains. They were excited, since they were involved with park activities. We exchanged information.

    Leaving the Flats Hut, we headed down toward our car. Halfway to the trailhead, we met Carl and Rebecca again. There, we took pictures of each other. From there, we got to our car and head towards Queenstown for a break before going to Milford Sound. The pizza lunch was decent. Starbucks was a treat. We headed to Te Anau, where we stopped for groceries.

    The road from Te Anau to Milford Sound was beautiful. Although most of the grassy areas had turned brown, the streams and waterfalls were abundant. It started to rain as we neared Lower Hollyford Road. We both got out to take some pictures. After Homer Tunnel, we approached Milford Sound. The car was nearly out of gas. After some difficult time trying to find someone with a New Zealand credit card, since the machine wouldn’t accept foreign cards, we left and went to check in at the Milford Sound Lodge. We had dinner of penne pasta and then cheese omelets. Later, we went back to the beach area again. This time, we were lucky and found some bikers from New Zealand who were very friendly. I got several pictures of the Sound and Mitre Peak at dusk. We went back to the lodge, got cleaned up, and went to bed. Shortly thereafter, in barges two kids from Invercargill who motorcycled to Milford. They were drunk and got bounced from the bar, but they were sent away with some tequila. It was awful, but I had fun messing with them, asking them questions. The one sleeping on the top bunk above Shane got up to go vomit.

    I got up early the next morning to pack and get out of there. While taking pictures, I got bitten by a lot of sandflies. We then boarded the Mlford Monarch for a cruise. Their coffee and croissant-cheese breakfast was quite good. We enjoyed the pleasant surprise. The cruise was scenic. We saw seals. The most notable place was Sterling Falls. We got up close.

    After the cruise, we made our way through Te Anau to Lake Manapouri. Checking in at the Possum Lodge was a little bit of a disappointment, since it was an outdated place. We took off toward Tuatapere on the southern coast, west of Invercargill.

    Blue Cliffs Beach was a nice surprise. We spent some quiet time unwinding on the deserted beach and on the surrounding sheep pastures. It was a good ending for such an epic trip.

    We returned to Lake Manapouri, got a converter, and charged all of our electronics. We made the rest of the pasta and had bread and soup with it. I held the bread over the heating element of the stove to toast it, since the oven didn’t work.

    Also, there was an older couple. The husband is a retired magistrate from the U.K. There was a younger couple as well. Steve is from South Africa, and Emma is from the U.K. We had fun chatting. They will be visiting the United States in May and will spend one month on the west coast. We exchanged contact information, and I gave them some suggestions.

    On Tuesday morning, I got up early and had an omelet and some granola with yogurt. After packing, we head to Queenstown. We checked in early, and then we went into the city for internet access and lunch at a Thai restaurant. They were lame that they didn’t have any tofu for the vegetarian option.

    The flights back weren’t too bad. On all four legs of this trip, we were able to get window and aisle seats with one empty seat in between, which was really nice. Our bags made it, and it was really good to make it home safely.

  • First Time Hiking San Gorgonio

    First Time Hiking San Gorgonio

    The hike today was spectacular—above the clouds! It was harder than I thought. I’m exhausted. Even though I’ve done so much hiking in California, this was my first time up this local landmark.

  • June Lake and Yosemite

    June Lake and Yosemite

    This evening, I returned from a long trip away from home. It’s nice to be back.

    On Tuesday, I hiked up the trail above June Lake and Gull Lake. Yost Meadow was beautiful. That afternoon, the rest of the group joined me. There was Uncle Ben, Andrew, Lynette, Wing, and Gabriel. I gave devotion on Romans 1.

    The next day, we set off for Yosemite via Rafferty Creek. The hike to Emeric Lake was beautiful. We paced it well and had no problems, since the climb up to Tuolumne Pass was very gradual. Emeric Lake was very nice. We had a meaningful devotion, where Uncle Ben shared a message with us—about metaphors drawn from the trip itself.

    The next day took us to Florence Creek Junction. The boys caught five fish but did not end up eating them.

    On Friday, we worked our way up to Vogelsang Pass. This stretch was quite strenuous, but we made good time. Our campsite was on a ledge just past Vogelsang Lake. Our amphitheater-like view of the entire canyon was spectacular, both for sunset and sunrise.

    We spent the next day traversing high country to get across the Evelyn Lake basin and down into Lyell Canyon. Dew settled on everything, and I ended up packing up most things while they were still wet.

    The hike out was nearly six miles, but it was almost completely flat along Lyell Canyon. We saw a coyote this morning.

    I’m glad to have made it home safely with only one small blister above my right heel, at the Achilles insertion.