Photos here. The Minarets are a spectacular collection of jagged spires in the Ritter Range of the Ansel Adams Wilderness. Usually I like to spread my adventures throughout the High Sierra since there are so many hidden gems to explore and mix up the character of scenery, but I have a particular affinity for the Minarets…
Tag: trail running
Brewer and the Guards Loop
Photo album here. My last time on Mount Brewer was nearly five years ago and I’ve been thinking about a return to this prominent summit. Set apart from the main crest of the Sierra Nevada along the northern end of the Great Western Divide, Mount Brewer’s lofty perch at 13,570 ft offers an astounding view…
Ansel Adams Loop
Photo album here. With awesome scenery and close proximity to the year around resort town at Mammoth Lakes, the Ansel Adams Wilderness is one of the most popular wilderness areas in the Sierra Nevada. On any given summer day Thousand Island Lake is more aptly described as Thousand Person Lake. The reality is that Thousand…
Mount Julius Caesar
Photo album here. A week prior to the trek through Bear Basin to Seven Gables and Gemini I got the opportunity to climb Mount Julius Caesar. The easiest route to the summit is via the Pine Creek trailhead and entails passage through aptly-named Granite Park, with its lovely alpine tarns and lakes set amid clumps of…
Seven Gables & Gemini via Bear Basin
I have looked over Bear Basin from several high peaks near the Sierra Crest and it always seemed like an inviting region I wanted to check out someday but it took until a few weeks ago to finally make my way into the basin. Seven Gables is the centerpiece feature of the region with its instantly…
Red, Merced, Ottoway
Photos here. The Clark Range is a sub-range west of the Sierra Nevada crest in one of the more remote regions in Yosemite National Park. The range divides Illilouette Creek from the main stem of the Merced River and forms the western side of the Merced River headwaters. As the range is set apart from the other…
Silver Peak, Soda Peak and Cinnamon Falls
Recently I have been trying the new Clif Organic Energy Food on adventures and I really like the stuff for quick but quality calories on the go and they will definitely be a part of my nutrition plan on adventures this summer where REAL food is a necessity. Pizza Margarita and Sweet Potato Sea Salt…
Ventana Mesa Creek Loop
Ventana Mesa Creek and South Fork Devils Canyon vie for the most rugged streams in the Ventana. Both canyons contain stunning waterfalls, large pools, rock scrambling complexities, micro-navigation and a true feeling of unspoiled wilderness where few humans have set foot. In fact, it may have been 20 years since Ventana Mesa Creek’s last visitor….
Church Creek & Pine Valley
I have always been intrigued by the Church Creek and its massive sandstone formations. This canyon is rich in history and significance dating back to the Essalen Native Americans. I finally got around to visiting this awesome corner of the Ventana Wilderness on a beautiful spring day with patches of thick lupine on the ridges, a diverse…
Salmon Creek & Mount Mars
Mount Mars is one of my favorite spots in coastal Big Sur. Despite being the furthest destination along the coast when approaching from the Bay Area, I find myself returnign to this region time and time again. The incredibly steep west ridge of the Mars rises over 2,600 ft in a little over 1.25 miles as the…
Leor Pantilat's Adventures