Cottonwood Lakes

Posted on October 2, 2017November 5, 2017 by James

What better way to spend your birthday weekend than squeezing a late season backpacking trip in the Sierras, answer not much. We decided on a quick overnight trip somewhere relatively close to the LA area and came up with this little gem Cottonwood Lakes. These lakes are tantalizingly close to Southern California just outside Lone Pine, CA a mere 3.5hr drive from Los Angeles. We failed to nab an overnight permit so we left late Friday night and spent the night in Lone Pine just down the road from the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center which gives out walk in permits via lottery each morning. Thankfully I nabbed #1 in the lottery and was easily able to grab a permit for Cottonwood Lakes.

Big Pine Lakes Trail

Posted on August 28, 2017November 5, 2017 by James

After a summer trip to Canada we were eager to get back on the trail and backpack again in the Sierras. We’ve been tempted for over a year by beautiful pictures of Big Pine Lakes on Instagram. Big Pine Lakes is a series of lakes in the Eastern Sierra just outside Big Pine, CA. Be […]

Berg Lake Trail

Posted on August 9, 2017November 5, 2017 by James

This is a trail that is not to be missed if you can fit it into your Canadian Rockies itinerary. Reservations are a giant pain and can make trip planning tricky but if you like spectacular scenery, waterfalls, and glaciers this is an amazing hike! We were extremely lucky to find a reservation for Berg […]

Helen Lake – Icefields Parkway

Posted on August 8, 2017November 5, 2017 by James

This was recommended by my guidebook as one of the best day hikes in Banff National Park. It’s a short drive north from Lake Louise village. The parking lot is quite easy to miss so double check your directions before heading out. The 1st section is heavily wooded with a never ending stretches of tree […]

Lake Agnes Teahouse and Big Beehive

Posted on August 5, 2017November 5, 2017 by James

We were thrilled that we were able to snag a coveted campsite at Lake Louise for 2 nights during our summer vacation to the Canadian Rockies. Lake Louise is a picturesque glacial lake with a colossal turn of the century hotel overlooking the lake. It’s a must see scenic spot in the Canadian Rockies. This […]

Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park Day 4 – Mt. Shark Trailhead

Posted on August 4, 2017November 5, 2017 by James

After 4 nights backpacking and a lousy night of sleep at McBride’s Campground (BR14) we were ready for an earlyish start. We ate a quick oatmeal breakfast with an extra helping of tea and hit the trail.

Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park Day 3 – Wonder Pass

Posted on August 3, 2017November 5, 2017 by James

After 3 nights camping at Lake Magog it was time to pack up and hike out back to the car. There are 2 options for hiking south back to the Mt. Shark trailhead (1) Wonder Pass or (2) Assiniboine Pass. We chatted with several hikers who had hiked the area and they unanimously recommended Wonder […]

Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park Day 2 – Windy Ridge

Posted on August 2, 2017November 5, 2017 by James

After a moderate to easy hike the day before we were ready for something bigger, longer, harder. We asked around the night before looking for hike recommendations. A couple of campers recommended Windy Ridge as a full day moderately difficult hike (11+ miles). Thankfully waking up the second day we were rewarded with a major […]

Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park Day 1 – Niblet and Nublet

Posted on August 2, 2017November 5, 2017 by James

We had the pleasure of spending 3 nights at Lake Magog in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park. We cheated and flew the helicopter in from Mt. Shark saving 2 days worth of hiking to Lake Magog. We were limited in time and flying in on the helicopter saved time to enjoy several nights at Lake Magog […]

Lake Sabrina to Blue Lake

Posted on July 7, 2017July 10, 2017 by Sheelah

A July 4th long weekend brought around the perfect opportunity to go backpacking in the eastern Sierra Nevada. After one night of camping, we set out on our backpacking trip, the plan being to do one overnight stay at Blue Lake in Inyo National Forest and continue on to another lake if there wasn’t too […]