Few things are more important than choosing the right footwear for the adventure, whether it be the Himalaya or London. While it would be great to save money and find multipurpose shoes, choosing appropriately will make things much more fun. Make a poor choice in footwear and see how quickly an adventure becomes painful, limited […]

We ran the 5K option of the 1st Annual Mutt Strut today at a park near downtown Los Angeles. Rarely do we have the opportunity to raise money for a good cause while also getting a great workout but this was both. The California Council of the Blind organized the event with our friend Melissa […]

Mt Shuksan is often referred to as the classic Cascade Range Peak. At 2783 m (9,131 ft), it is lower than the iconic Mt Baker, but has a photogenic peak known as Summit Pyramid and is draped with the Sulphide, Price, White Salmon, Crystal, Nooksack, Curtis and Hanging Glaciers that make it a  tempting target […]

In a recent post, Why would a blind person climb a 10,000 ft. Mountain?, we wrote about a group of blind Braille Institute students who climbed Mt Baldy in Los Angeles. It was a maximum adventure for those involved, both the students and the sighted guides. Just before they climbed the upper section of the mountain, […]

We had a great plan for our trip to Kaua’i at the end of August 2009, knowing that our true target, the Kalalau Trail, was closed for a goat hunt. We planned to drive to Kekaha, on the western (leeward and dry) side of the island to pick up a kayak from friends and paddle […]

On July 19, 2010, the message was posted on the Baldy for the Blind website, “Mt. Baldy was a success!!” The dream of reaching the summit of Mt Baldy, the 3248 m (10,068 ft) peak that dominates the the horizon to the southeast of the City of Los Angeles had been realized for a group […]

I’ve heard it said that no Californian can call themselves a climber without reaching the summit of the highest peak in the Lower forty-eight. Mt Whitney, at 4421 m (14,505 ft), is not the most difficult peak to reach, but it is a long, challenging trail to reach the summit. We joined a group that […]

More than anything else, we drink water. I’m sure you’ve heard about humans surviving 28 days without food but only 3 days without water. Fortunately, I haven’t had a chance to test either one. We live in Southern California (dry) and hike in places like the Eastern Sierras (very dry) and staying hydrated needs to […]

Undoubtedly one of the best peak climbs in Southern California. Mt Baden Powell is a very prominent, pyramid-shaped peak that can be approached from several points. We chose to hike from the Vincent Gap trailhead, which is found a few miles north of the Grassy Hollow Visitors Center on the Angeles Crest Highway (Route 2). […]

Not the steepest trail, but a great distance hike that starts on the eastern side of the Arroyo Seco, overlooking Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For the first 2.5 km (1.5 miles), you’ll wonder if you’re actually on a nature hike as the trail starts off on pavement and stays within sight of houses. Once you […]