Rebecca M. Douglass, Author

Last week I shared photos from days 1 and 2 of my most recent Sierra trip. That took us up and over Paiute Pass, then down into Pauite Canyon. I don't have a lot more ready to go, but I can report out on Day 3, which involved hiking the rest of the way down Paiute Canyon to the John Muir/Pacific Crest trails, then up the San Joaquin River and finally up into the Evolution Valley at the end of a long day. We'd spent the night down in the trees by the creek, but most of the trail was a bit up the slope and in the sun. Periodically the trail dropped to creek level (when the canyon wasn't too steep and narrow), and there were waterfalls.   Up from the stream onto the slopes again, with cool trees. I think the trail junction is down where the slopes all come together. We've dropped a lot of elevation and the size of the trees shows it. By noon we'd dropped to the JMT--and the lowest point of the whole hike, at about 8100'--more than 1000' lower than we started th...

Immediately following the trip into the Desolation Wilderness chronicled in my last 2 photo posts, I met up with friends Gretchen and Mark and we headed up the trail for 7 nights in the Sierra high country, on the North Lake to South Lake loop, an absolute classic of John Muir's Range of Light. Weather forecasts were iffy, to say the least, and our night-before spent at a campground at 9000' seemed to suggest a need to be prepared. High winds made it a restless night, and we responded by packing extra clothes, pretty much all of which did get used, though the weather didn't get as ugly as feared. Day 1  began with my daughter helping us set up our shuttle, since we'd be ending our hike a few miles from where we began it. We hit the trail for Paiute Pass about 9:40, hoping to make it over the pass. At 11,200' it was an ambitious goal for the first day, given that less than 48 hours earlier Gretchen and Mark had been at sea level. The hike started at about 9300', ...

Wow--it's IWSG day and there's a lot going on here today! Also a lot going on with me, so be patient--I will get back to you, but probably not today. Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting.   Let’s rock the neurotic writing world! Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG. The awesome co-hosts for...

This is Part 2 of a 2-part trip report of a backpacking trip into the Desolation Wilderness near Lake Tahoe, CA. I posted Part 1 last week, so if you didn't see it you might want to start there. Second morning--third day. We are camped in a gorgeous spot on the north shore of Aloha Lake and as usual I'm up for the sunrise. There's no array of pink clouds, but a general haze of smoke in the air gives the light an extra golden color. The moon, maybe one night past full, setting over the ridge. Morning camp. I typically heated my water and had breakfast early; K & L like to sleep a little later!  My oatmeal is in the white "cozy" (i.e. insulated bag used to keep food warm while it "cooks" by soaking in hot water). Fun with shadow patterns on the tent. The only on-trail part of our day was a return to Mosquito Pass. We left the trail at the pass, climbing along the ridge above Clyde Lake. Some of the bushes were starting to turn color--hoping that was ju...