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Tag: Milky Way

  • Backpacking to the Cottonwood Lakes

    Backpacking to the Cottonwood Lakes

    The kids are getting more and more trail time. Two years ago, we did one uphill mile each day, with two miles hiking out. Last year, we did two miles with a lot of elevation gain. Now, we’re going to tackle more than five miles. The last week has been all about getting ready, both physically and mentally. Daphney and Jayden have been gearing up with backpacks loaded down with books, tackling hilly laps to build their endurance.

    Our journey begins with an easy drive up to Horseshoe Meadow, where we fuel up with a simple dinner in the car. The backpacker’s campground is just half full—perfect for a quick overnight before the big hike.

    Early in the morning, we hike up the trail, which starts out flat. It leads us into a verdant meadow near a wilderness school, and here, we try to fly fish. Kevin and Barry hook some golden trout, but I find them to be very picky.

    As we push past the meadow, the trail climbs steadily into the high basin. The first Cottonwood Lake reveals itself—a sparkling sheet of water rimmed by brilliant green. The sun backlights the meadow grass, turning it into a glowing, undulating wave. We take a breather, soaking it all in before trudging through the marsh toward the next lake.

    Daphney and Jayden are exhausted. This is the longest they have hiked in one day. We wait among some boulders as Kevin and Nico and Barry march ahead to scout for a campsite.

    We settle on a broad field of grass and scattered rocks, with Mount Langley towering over Cottonwood Lake #3. Dinner is farro lentil soup, perfect for warming up as the cold sets in.

    After dark, the Milky Way emerges, stretching diagonally across the southern sky like a band of jewels, its center clearly recognizable.

    We hang out around camp in the morning. After breakfast, we do laundry. The kids run around and play in the wide-open field. They discover the joy of wading in the stream, splashing around until lunchtime. Beef-flavored noodle soup fuels us for an afternoon trek to the higher Cottonwood Lakes, where we sightsee and fish. Old Army Pass looks daunting, but we meet a few groups descending that trail from Mt. Langley.

    Overnight, the incessant wind gives way to calm, leaving the lake as still as glass. In the early morning, Mt. Langley stands tall against a cloudless, brilliant blue sky.

    After a leisurely breakfast, the hike out is smooth and easy. All that prep and training—every mile, every climb—has paid off. The kids are already asking for the next adventure.

  • Milky Way Viewing at Joshua Tree

    Milky Way Viewing at Joshua Tree

  • East of the Sierras

    East of the Sierras

    East of the Sierras | Lake Tahoe | Lassen Volcanic National Park | Central Valley | Yosemite National Park | The Lower Kern

  • Windy Joshua Tree Camping

    Windy Joshua Tree Camping

  • Visiting Sequoia National Park

    Visiting Sequoia National Park

    Last time we were up this way, an early winter storm thwarted our visit to the giant sequoia trees. The road was open up just beyond Sequoia National Park’s Foothill Visitor Center. This time, it’s the novel coronavirus that nearly caused this trip to be cancelled. We had originally scheduled it for earlier in the month, but thankfully, we had moved it to this weekend. The opening of the Wuksachi Lodge and other areas would coincide with our arrival.

    The first night, we spend a lazy hot afternoon by the banks of the Kaweah River at the private Sequoia Campground. Other guests float down the river, and Jayden points to them: “鸭子鸭子!” He thinks they are ducks.

    With coronavirus changing the way we do things, instead of traveling to Philadelphia for a meeting, I am able to this from our campsite at Three Rivers. I get up early to join an editorial board Zoom meeting while the family wakes up on a lazy weekend.

    Visiting General Sherman Tree turns out to be more challenging that I had expected. Yan had wanted to bring the stroller, but I insisted that the kids get some exercise by walking. Now, it is us parents that are getting the bulk of the exercise, carrying them most of the way, down and back up the trail.

    After spending the middle night at Wuksachi Lodge, we drive into Kings Canyon and hang out by the South Fork of the Kings River. Here, I catch nothing with my fly rod setup; the fish are too smart.

    Camping at beautiful Princess Campground is a real treat. Daphney loves having a roaring campfire. As the sky darkens, the Milky Way emerges above the low ridge on the other side of the meadow. We finish our trip with oatmeal and strawberries.

    On the way back, Daphney craves for more. “When are we going to Joshua Tree again?”

  • Summer Milky Way Camping

    Summer Milky Way Camping

    We arrive late to Lone Pine Campground. It’s now about midnight. Stepping out of the car, we hear the creek rippling down its drainage on the other side of our campsite. Beyond that stretches a dark ridge, and far beyond that, the summer Milky Way is already vertical. It looks like rising smoke.

    The next morning, we see the sun gradually lighting the eastern Sierra Nevada range. Mt. Whitney glows a pale orange.

    After breakfast, we head down the mountain and take the right fork up to the next alpine creek. Briefly, I get notifications on my phone: the Watkinses had gone through town and are likely waiting for us at Horseshoe Meadow. I circle several times through the parking lots before spotting them. We’re so happy to meet up.

    Barry takes us down the trail, and we stop at an expansive meadow. There’s a meandering creek. Here, golden trout are abundant, and Daphney joins us in the sport.

    In the afternoon, we drive across the Owens Valley to reach the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. We had hoped to stay at Grandview, but all campsites have been taken. We decide to explore the Schulman Grove. Barry and Aimae sets off on the Discovery Trail while we head back down to scout for a campsite. Off the side of the road, we find a large flat primitive area, set up camp, and text Barry. Soon, they join us as well. Over dinner, Aimae tells me of a beautiful tree that they had stumbled upon.

    It was then that Barry and I made the last-minute decision to head up after dark. As we get closer to the tree, we see other photographers. We each take turns setting up and shooting pictures of this tree with the Milky Way in the background. It would turn out to be one of my favorite shots, and we would have missed it had it not been for Aimae sharing this opportunity.

  • Joshua Tree Picnic

    Joshua Tree Picnic

    The main purpose of this trip was to check out the summer Milky Way. I had gotten a wide angle lens, and this is the perfect opportunity to try it out.

    After having tea with friends this afternoon, we timed our arrival to Joshua Tree right at sunset. Surprisingly, even though it was late, the entrance station was still opened, and we opted to get the annual pass.

    The picnic dinner turned out perfectly. As we watched the sky turn purple and then dark, we had a kale salad followed by a Thai pasta salad, together with black plum juice. We used our picnic basket for the first time here.

    Then, the stars emerged. We made our way to Hidden Valley, where we talked along some of the trails at night, watching the Milky Way emerge.

  • Joshua Tree

    Joshua Tree

    It’s been many years since my last climbing trip. I was a college student then. Now, my residents think that I can still do this, and Lucas set me up with gear.

    My main reason to go out to Joshua Tree was to get some Milky Way shots. But at this time of year, I would later discover, the brightest part of the galaxy trails closely behind the sun, setting just after the sun goes down. And besides, our campsite’s view of the Milky Way was blocked by a little hill. Nevertheless, the campfire and stars were beautiful.

    Some of the muscle memory came back in the warm-up climb. At the insistence of my residents, I attempted the 5.9, making it up the last dihedral through all the coaching—or, reverse coaching from my residents. Well, Mark said it was more like a 5.7, so I don’t feel so accomplished anymore.

  • High Sierra Trail: Day 2

    High Sierra Trail: Day 2

    Preparations  |  Day 1  |  Day 2  |  Day 3  |  Day 4  |  Day 5  |  Day 6  |  Day 7  |  Day 8

    Day 2

    This would be our hardest day, stumbling into camp around sunset, completely exhausted.

    But, the start of the day is great. We set off early, climbing through thick forest along the gentle trail covered with soft forest litter. Soon, we arrive at Bearpaw Meadow. The luxury of staying there for $350 per night doesn’t seem worth the price. Mark gets water while Wayne and Mickey check out the restaurant. The chef is willing to make us pancakes.

    From the restaurant porch, we catch a glimpse of Kaweah Gap. We will be hiking over this pass, gaining 5,000 feet over 3 short miles. From here, it looks towering and daunting.

    Beyond Bearpaw Meadow, we descend through mixed forest as the trail skirts areas of exposed granite slabs. At the bottom of the river valley, we cross over a well-maintained footbridge over Lone Pine Creek, just above where it joins the Middle Fork Kaweah River. Now, right at 10:00, we apply sunscreen and rest before the long hike up to Hamilton Lake.

    Our group spreads out on this overwhelming hike. Mickey finds respite at the ford of Hamilton Creek just below Valhalla. Mark and I have peanut butter pretzels, and Mike shares some goji berries covered in dark chocolate. They are amazingly good. Wayne marches on ahead to the lake.

    Upon passing Upper Hamilton Lake’s outlet, Mark and I find Wayne waiting in the shade on the opposite bank. We continue on to find a beautiful covered spot by the lake’s northwestern shore. Here, we have lunch. The one luxury item to complement today’s meal is fresh dill to top the crackers, cream cheese, and wild salmon. Mark thinks this is really good, at least for now, until later in the day, when he will be burping dill flavor during the tough climb to Kaweah Gap.

    The Great Western Divide’s skyline dominates our views. Suddenly, the moon appears, rising above the Gap as if beckoning us higher. I get out my long zoom lens, and by the end of the trip, it would have been only the first of two times that I use it.

    We marvel at the engineering feat that went into trail construction. This entire section, from Hamilton Lake to Precipice Lake, was seemingly blasted out of vertical cliff faces. The thousand-foot drop-offs are better appreciated when viewed on profile. On the way up these relentless switchbacks, Mark tells me that he now dislikes dill, having been burping up lunch this whole way.

    Precipice Lake is a deep beauty, transparent like a blue sapphire tucked comfortably against sheer jagged cliffs. Mark and I refill our water before heading out, and Mickey naps at the shallow ended. At this point, there’s almost no energy to continue across the Gap.

    Knowing that the setting sun will soon disappear behind the Great Western Divide once we reach Nine Lake Basin, Mark and I take off for Kaweah Gap. From there, the view of the Big Arroyo is breathtaking. We cross over, scramble cross-country, and pick a campsite on the east side of the lower lake’s outlet, hoping to savor as much sunlight as possible.

    By last light, bathing is done, and we’re completely bundled up. After doing laundry, we wave down Wayne as he cross the Gap to join us. Next, Mike makes it to camp. Mickey misses the turn-off but later finds us. We’re all dehydrated and exhausted.

    It’s dinner time. Mark makes the kale salad with olive oil, pine nuts, Romano cheese, and lemon. He starts the tortilla soup, and I get the black bean quinoa going. Unfortunately, I do most of the eating, since Mark is feeling too sick to eat. Instead, he drinks some hot chocolate and replenishes with mini Oreo cookies.

    Based on pre-trip planning, this would be the only night that would give us the best shot of the Milky Way. The moon, being in Libra, is just west enough of galaxy center; and over the next few nights, it will be moving into Ophiuchus and Sagittarius, thereby obscuring all possibilities of getting good pictures of the steamed milk rising from the teapot’s spout. I experiment through a few shots with the moon framed outside the view, and I wake up again to take more pictures after the moon had dropped behind the Divide. I think Mark is irritated that I’m giving him too many directions on how to light up the tent for the picture. The tripod, camera, and crazy instructions—they’re worth it.

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