Redefining "Walking Distance"

stories from my summers of long distance backpacking

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Category Archives: Sierra High Route

A Redemption Story

Featuredby Carolyn Grumm 3 Comments

Last year I shared a story of a horrible choice I made on the trail in the blog post titled One Bad Decision. When simple decisions gone wrong can end in hunger, a […]

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Decisions, Sierra High Route

Handsomely Rewarded

Featuredby Carolyn Grumm 4 Comments

I’ve debated putting a disclaimer at the end of each of my blog posts. Every book or blog that I’ve read includes some sort of warning that this is not […]

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Outdoor Adventure, Sierra High Route

Breaking News: The Sierra High Route

February 18, 2014by Carolyn Grumm 1 Comment

I now interrupt this blog stream of anecdotes from last summer’s escapades for breaking news on plans being developed for the summer of 2014.   Four esteemed members of the outdoor […]

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Sierra High Route

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Carolyn


I'm Carolyn, an elementary school teacher who believes in making the most of my summer vacations. This blog started so that I could tell the story of my 450 mile backpack from Lake Tahoe to Mt. Whitney on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2013. Another summer has passed and with it another adventure, I'd like to share, on the 200 mile Sierra High Route. Wallace Stegner wrote that, "We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in." I hope that in some way this blog will make the wild country that I got to pass through available to you to look in at.

Posts

  • A Redemption Story
  • A Room With A View
  • Unicorns
  • Handsomely Rewarded
  • What do you mean there is no trail?
  • A Trip Takes Us
  • Living between Earth and Sky
  • Frequently Asked Questions Part 2.0: What did you eat?
  • Front Country vs Back Country
  • A Tent Hug
  • Endless stories
  • Breaking News: The Sierra High Route
  • One Bad Decision
  • I Love Maps
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Use it Up – Wear it Out – Make it Do!
  • Happiness at Miller Lake
  • I Got Scared
  • The Most Beautiful Sight
  • My Tribe

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Accomplishment Adventure adversity Animals backpacking Beauty Beginnings Comfort Zone Community dating Decisions Earth and Sky Fear food Friendship Gortex Happiness hiking Hugs Lists Maps Mosquitos Outdoors Pacific Crest Trail PCT Rain rationing Rewarded Rivers SHR Sierra High Route Sierra Nevada Sierras Summiting Tahoe to Whitney Tents thru-hiker trip wilderness Yoga Yosemite

“The Earth Laughs in Flowers” Ralph Waldo Emerson

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A Room With A View

A Room With A View: Talk about a room with a view!
A Room With A View: Talk about a room with a view!
A Room With A View: Twin tents camped our in Lakes Basin.
A Room With A View: Twin tents camped our in Lakes Basin.
A Room With A View: Enjoying a rest day, waiting for our mule resupply.
A Room With A View: Enjoying a rest day, waiting for our mule resupply.
A Room With A View: The rain stopped for a bit so we could enjoy the sunset.
A Room With A View: The rain stopped for a bit so we could enjoy the sunset.
A Room With A View: Can you find the grey tent, on the right, in front of the large trees?
A Room With A View: Can you find the grey tent, on the right, in front of the large trees?
A Room With A View: We had more than our fair share of rainy camps and dinners cooked in vestibules.
A Room With A View: We had more than our fair share of rainy camps and dinners cooked in vestibules.
A Room With A View: A spectacular campsite along the outlet from Lake Italy.
A Room With A View: A spectacular campsite along the outlet from Lake Italy.
A Room With A View: A short day of hiking followed by a spectacular camp at Laurel Lake.
A Room With A View: A short day of hiking followed by a spectacular camp at Laurel Lake.
A Room With A View: One of Karen's best hammock sites, at unicorn infested Pika Lake.
A Room With A View: One of Karen’s best hammock sites, at unicorn infested Pika Lake.
A Room With A View: Karen hanging out under the tarp, hoping the rain will relent so she can hang a hammock under it.
A Room With A View: Karen hanging out under the tarp, hoping the rain will relent so she can hang a hammock under it.
A Room With A View: Bench Valley, gorgeous even through the smoke from a lightning fire and drizzle from the clouds.
A Room With A View: Bench Valley, gorgeous even through the smoke from a lightning fire and drizzle from the clouds.
A Room With A View: A view of the mountains for another beautiful night.
A Room With A View: A view of the mountains for another beautiful night.

Tent Hug

Camped near the outlet of Smedberg Lake with Junction Peak overlooking us.
Camped near the outlet of Smedberg Lake with Junction Peak overlooking us.
I can't thank Tom Rennie enough for this Go Pro shot of our camp near an unnamed lake.
I can’t thank Tom Rennie enough for this Go Pro shot of our camp near an unnamed lake.
Enjoyed two nights here with friends at Kearsarge Lakes
Enjoyed two nights here with friends at Kearsarge Lakes
Doing some evening reading at Pocket Meadow
Doing some evening reading at Pocket Meadow
Summer Solstice at Aloha Lake
Summer Solstice at Aloha Lake
Drying out after two wet nights at Lost Lakes
Drying out after two wet nights at Lost Lakes
Tucked in above Dick's Lake
Tucked in above Dick’s Lake
My blue sleeping bag is laid out with a view of Garnet Lake
My blue sleeping bag is laid out with a view of Garnet Lake
Bedded down at the Frog Ponds
Bedded down at the Frog Ponds
Spent two nights at Guitar Lake waiting for the storm to clear and a chance for a Whitney summit.
Spent two nights at Guitar Lake waiting for the storm to clear and a chance for a Whitney summit.
Set up with a view down LeConte Canyon
Set up with a view down LeConte Canyon
Morning by Garnet Lake. Photo credit to Rich Caviness
Morning by Garnet Lake. Photo credit to Rich Caviness
My cabana at Aloha Lake
My cabana at Aloha Lake
I'm not a morning person. Waking up at our dry camp north of Glen Aulin.
I’m not a morning person. Waking up at our dry camp north of Glen Aulin.
We got in early to Richardson Lake, and I do believe there was a tent nap.
We got in early to Richardson Lake, and I do believe there was a tent nap.

I love maps!

Playing my favorite game on the top of Pinchot Pass; Name That Peak. Photo Credit: Rich Caviness
Playing my favorite game on the top of Pinchot Pass; Name That Peak. Photo Credit: Rich Caviness
Checking out the route for tomorrow at Evolution Lake. Photo Credit: Rich Caviness
Checking out the route for tomorrow at Evolution Lake. Photo Credit: Rich Caviness
Enjoying a boots off lunch break, with a map. Photo Credit Rich Caviness
Enjoying a boots off lunch break, with a map. Photo Credit Rich Caviness
About to make a final push into Tuolumne Meadows, but checking it out on the map first. Photo Credit: Rich Caviness
About to make a final push into Tuolumne Meadows, but checking it out on the map first. Photo Credit: Rich Caviness
Even in the rain, I love a good map. Photo Credit: Rich Caviness
Even in the rain, I love a good map. Photo Credit: Rich Caviness
Even my friends love maps, descending into Mammoth.
Even my friends love maps, descending into Mammoth.
Enjoying the morning light with a map at Smedberg Lake. Photo Credit: Rich Caviness
Enjoying the morning light with a map at Smedberg Lake. Photo Credit: Rich Caviness
On top of Benson pass, map in hand. Photo Credit: Tom Rennie
On top of Benson pass, map in hand. Photo Credit: Tom Rennie
Map on the table, beer in hand, friends by your side. This is how trips get started.
Map on the table, beer in hand, friends by your side. This is how trips get started.

There’s no rest like a well deserved rest

There's no rest like a well deserved rest: Taking a break after climbing the Golden Staircase
There’s no rest like a well deserved rest: Taking a break after climbing the Golden Staircase
There's no rest like a well deserved rest: An amazing lunch nap. Thanks to Rich Caviness for capturing it.
There’s no rest like a well deserved rest: An amazing lunch nap. Thanks to Rich Caviness for capturing it.
There's no rest like a well deserved rest: Diego walked from Mexico to rest up with us in Tuolumne meadows.
There’s no rest like a well deserved rest: Diego walked from Mexico to rest up with us in Tuolumne meadows.
There's no rest like a well deserved rest: Boots off at lunch was one of our few rules
There’s no rest like a well deserved rest: Boots off at lunch was one of our few rules
There's no rest like a well deserved rest: Photo credit to Rich Caviness for capturing our sloth during a layover day at Kearsarge Lakes
There’s no rest like a well deserved rest: Photo credit to Rich Caviness for capturing our sloth during a layover day at Kearsarge Lakes
There's no rest like a well deserved rest: Seriously, how much happier could a person be?
There’s no rest like a well deserved rest: Seriously, how much happier could a person be?
There's no rest like a well deserved rest: A master at being comfortable in the backcountry - photo credit to Rich Caviness
There’s no rest like a well deserved rest: A master at being comfortable in the backcountry – photo credit to Rich Caviness
There's no rest like a well deserved rest: A spectacular camp at Evolution Lake to rest up after a long day. Photo credit: Rich Caviness
There’s no rest like a well deserved rest: A spectacular camp at Evolution Lake to rest up after a long day. Photo credit: Rich Caviness
There's no rest like a well deserved rest: Give us some dirt and rocks and we'll be more comfortable than you ever are in your La-Z-Boy
There’s no rest like a well deserved rest: Give us some dirt and rocks and we’ll be more comfortable than you ever are in your La-Z-Boy
There's no rest like a well deserved rest: Rich, log lounging as we waited to gather up before our last push into camp that day
There’s no rest like a well deserved rest: Rich, log lounging as we waited to gather up before our last push into camp that day
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