When doing something is normal to you, you’re not likely to question why, until you realize that it isn’t for most people. All of my life, I’ve been able to accomplish physical acts that most can’t aspire to because their bodies simply weren’t up for it, like: -...

Thru-hiking in the rain...seriously? Why? It's more fun to be warm and dry and not worried about lightning, slipping on a rock or in the mud and falling, or getting lost in your hurry to reach some distant destination. I love the weather, but never forget that it can...

Leather Boots - Breathable? You have heard many a story, since Gore-Tex arrived into the hiking footwear market back in the ‘80s, that leather boots do not “breathe.” From a practical standpoint, is this true? Let’s start with creating a baseline awareness of what’s...

Waterproof-Breathable, the old-fashioned way! Leather is waterproof by nature of its smooth surface, but once abrased or cut, water can soak through and, regarding boots, get your feet wet over time. So, after you get your new pair of smooth-out, Limmer hiking boots,...

Patience can accomplish a lot of things. I have said in the past that I've taken two models of these traditionally-made leather hiking boots fresh out of their boxes at the Kennedy Meadows (south) trailhead and never got a blister. Yes, that actually did happen...but...

Ned Walk 3, (8.12.23) “I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” John Muir Whether I’m with you guys or alone, a walk in the wilderness, for me, is full of conversation that bubbles forth...

"Ned Walk-3," this Saturday! The next Ned Walk-3 will be held on Saturday, 8/12/23, and will start at 0900 from the PCT-north trailhead and parking lot on Carson Pass, highway 88. They are always free and everyone is welcome to join me as I explore another fun, short...

Ned Walk-2 (7/29/23), A Walk to Remember: (Part-2) In order to know how to recognize where you’re going without even a map, you’ve got to know the lay of the land in your head. If you’re a visual learner, or have what we used to call a photographic memory, that’s...

Ned Walk-2 (7/29/23), A Walk to Remember: (Part-1) This Saturday’s “Ned Walk” may have started from the same trailhead and, initially, gone the same direction as the last one, but everything changed about halfway-in that brought back memories and fulfilled time lost....

“Ned Walks” = “Ted Talks?” There have been many times when I would have absolutely loved to take a short walk-and-talk with John Muir! Just to hear and feel his love for the Sierra and all things wild would have been nearly overwhelming for me. To be able to join him...

Black Bears You know, there are way too many theories out there amongst the inexperienced, as to how to respond to wild creatures investigating or challenging people. Nevertheless, there are a few principles to keep in mind: You have to know why they are there, what...

Snow-Hiking = Fun? How is snow-hiking through mush and crossing dangerous creeks during the “bumper seasons” or time of the Sierra Thaw ever to be considered “Fun?” After describing, this morning, in a Facebook post about the nasty, frustrating, and often dangerous...

Reflections upon a Sierra Reunion "Ned Walk-1," 7.22.23 Preface: If you’re expecting a “trail report,” this won’t be one! Since I went on this hike largely alone, it became one of observation, a reflection upon the nature of the visitors I saw and talked to along the...

Starting today at elevations at or above 11,000 feet, the overnight temperatures will rise above freezing and stay there, meaning… The Thaw has finally started at PCT/JMT cruise altitudes! Without the ability to re-freeze at night, the snowpack will probably not hold...

This is the gist of the CA/Sierra snow story at the moment based on elevation bands: 13k - 10k: this elevation in the Sierra is still receiving sporadic snowfall under cold and cloudy skies. This will continue for another week, if not longer, as another winter storm...

"Bumbles" don't just "bounce," they can kill you! (I know. Silly reference to the 1964 animated movie, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," but I couldn't help it!) Hypothermia Hypoglycemia Dehydration Altitude Sickness What do they have in common? The patient will...

Trail Life, getting back to the Basics: The Wet & the Cold I spend a lot of time teaching wilderness knowledge and skills to people who want to push the limits, whether their own or that of Nature. We talk about "Thru-Hiking," the finesse of over-snow navigation,...

Wilderness Respect In my early days of backpacking, back in the '60s, we were instructed to be prepared for any and all weather the mountains could throw at us, from rain and hail to snow and blow. We learned on our own forays, thereafter, that the mountains can be a...

Sierra Weather Update, 6/5/23: More Snow? Dropping temperatures and increasing chances of new snow above 10,800-feet (freezing rain below it) with lightning, thunder, and winds out of the SE to 25mph will hover over the central and southern Sierra for most of this...

Suffering from trail-induced PTSD? For former long-distance hikers who are suffering from Post-Trail-Separation-Discouragement, find a mountain town with a ski area nearby and let its zeal for outdoor activities and adventures refill your aching soul! I lived in the...

2023 JMT thru-hikers: Those NoBo PCT thru-hikers with the savvy and skills to continue on north and through the Sierra, past Kearsarge and Bishop Passes, have seen and experienced the incredible beauty of the Range of Light under a blanket of snow, all while the...

"Flip-time for '23," expanded: There are additional on-trail safety concerns this year that make the case for a solid "Flip-and-Return," 1) broken bridges and 2) the location of the herd with respect to the onset of the Thaw in the Sierra. If hikers don't (or aren't...

It's "Flip-time," NoBo PCT thru-hikers! 🥾 From the on-trail, on-snow photos I've seen by Melissa Glass, the NorCal snowpack is quite nice and supportive for snow-hiking right now. (See my comments on her pictures). Not only are the slopes less steep and precarious...

Southern & Central Sierra PCT Weather Update, 5/30/23: What’s Going on with the Sierra Thaw? …it’s still in Transition! Historically, the Sierra Thaw starts around the end of May, or the first of June, depending on the type of winter preceding and other major...

Southern Sierra PCT Weather Update, 5/14/23: Yellow Flag = 11,500-feet and above Red Flag = 10,000-feet and below 2 critical changes have developed, weather-wise, for the High Sierra and its huge snowpack, Monsoonal moisture is blowing in from the Gulf of Mexico...