Flagstaff Aurora
Sierra Descents
by Andy
3w ago
A rare “severe” solar storm on October 10 made for visible aurora borealis much farther south than usual. I was in Flagstaff, Arizona, and raced outside to catch this image just as the aura was peaking. To the naked eye I was able to see a visible reddish-orange haze that seemed to be moving; via ..read more
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The Dragon-Gould Loop
Sierra Descents
by Andy
1M ago
I love traversing Sierra ridges, and I particularly love creating loops, so a Dragon Peak-Mount Gould linkup sounded particularly appealing, with one caveat: some parties rate the pairs’ summit blocks Class 4. Extension and/or outright abuse of the Class 3 (“hands required”) Y.D.S. climbing rating is definitely a thing in the Eastern Sierra, thanks in ..read more
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White Mountain Avec Bike
Sierra Descents
by Andy
2M ago
I occasionally do things because they seem like they ought to be done, and this adventure certainly fits that category: biking to the top of White Mountain Peak, California, elevation 14,252′. Yes, you read that number correctly: White Mountain is California’s third-highest peak, making this (apparently) the highest legal mountain bike ride in the contiguous ..read more
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Around the Peaks
Sierra Descents
by Andy
2M ago
I don’t tend to think of Northern Arizona’s San Francisco Peaks as a large mountain, but I can tell you they seem to get quite a bit bigger when you try to bicycle all the way around them. In its standard form, Around the Peaks is a 50-mile mountain bike epic involving nearly 5000 vertical ..read more
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Kearsarge Revisited
Sierra Descents
by Andy
4M ago
I first climbed 12,598′ Kearsarge Peak via Lily Pass in 2014, and, as is often the case, my famously-bad memory recorded it as one of the easier of the eastern Sierra’s big-peak scrambles. It is direct, at least. From the Onion Valley parking lot, elevation 9175′, it’s a you’ll-barely-notice-it 2.25 miles to the summit. Or perhaps I should say, you won’t notice how short the route is because it will feel like forever… Kearsarge clearly qualifies as a member of the big-pile-of-rubble club, with more than enough steep and loose scree to test your physical and mental limits. If you go, be pre ..read more
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Mount Gleason
Sierra Descents
by Andy
5M ago
I may have inwardly cringed a bit during my San Gabriel traverse last year when I claimed you could spend your whole life exploring the San Gabriel Mountains. Really? I asked myself. Is there really that much country to wander? Perhaps in part to answer that question, this year I’ve been much more willing to explore some of range’s more remote corners—particularly those I’ve never heard of. Mount Gleason, in the northwest San Gabriels, is an excellent example of such a place. 6520′ Gleason towers over Canyon Country and the 14 freeway. You’ve probably seen (but not noticed) it any number o ..read more
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San Jacinto Aerial
Sierra Descents
by Andy
6M ago
Here’s a still-snowy San Gorgonio Mountain photobombing San Jacinto Peak, as seen Wednesday on the way from LAX to Phoenix, Arizona. This shot really gives a good sense of how compact the San Jacintos are. Basically they’re just one mighty column of granite shooting up 11,000 vertical feet over Coachella Valley—a classic “Island in the Sky” mountain landscape ..read more
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Throop Peak – North Gully
Sierra Descents
by Andy
6M ago
Believe it or not this is the first time I’ve skied Throop Peak from its 9142′ summit; I’ve come close previously, but always ascended/descended the big northwest face over Lily Spring. Though Waterman mountain is now bare, there is still a lot of snow in the Throop neighborhood. Yesterday Matt Testa and I biked over Dawson Saddle from Islip Saddle all the way to Throop’s true north gully, which we climbed and skied. Throop’s north face features a lively collection of chutes and ladders which seem more or less continuous, snowpack depending, and which all funnel back to the same point along Hi ..read more
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Sunday at Mount Baldy
Sierra Descents
by Andy
6M ago
I am a spring skier at heart; give me t-shirts and slush over winter’s cold brittle snowpacks anytime. And how about adding in a crew of good friends and family plus some SoCal sunshine? Well I’d say you have just about a perfect formula there. Here’s Sunday at Mount Baldy checking all the boxes. We have the kids, we have Dave Braun and Al Preston, we’ve got blue skies, and we’ve got an abundance of sparkling April snow. Boy Mount Baldy shines on days like these ..read more
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The Baldy Crest
Sierra Descents
by Andy
6M ago
Here’s the Baldy skyline from just off the summit of Throop Peak yesterday. There is still a heck of a lot of good snow on the north and west faces—if you’re willing to work for it ..read more
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