John Muir Wilderness. California. July 2018

---

This backpacking trip was six months in the making. Sounds dramatic but it kinda was. I recall, clear as the sunrise on that early December morning, waking up in Alabama Hills before dawn. The early rise was in order to make it into Lone Pine to siphon some wifi from the local Carls Jr, and apply for some backcountry permits. 4 people, 4 phones and 1 computer later (all thanks to "Camp Counsellor Brian") permits were secured. Flash forward to the end of June. The plan was to spend 5 days out in the backcountry. To date this would have been the longest backpacking trip I had been on, and I was determined to be prepared. What does prepared mean? Packing way too much trail mix, apparently. I have never tried so hard in my life to get rid of unwanted food. The chosen trail was one I had hike before, but without carrying an extra 25 pounds. It was rough. But the solitude and scenery made it all worth it. I took this photo while exploring some of the surrounding lakes near where we had set up camp. The wildflowers had been hiding from me until this very moment where they decided to show up in full force next to a somewhat terrifying talus field. When writing this, I told myself not to talk about how the mosquitos were so bad that we all decided to bail out a day early. But despite my best efforts, these pesky insects somehow manage to creep their way into every conversation my friends and I have about this trip. But honestly, I'd gladly trade one million mosquito bites and subsequent PTSD to relive these few days out in the wilderness with my friends. 

Convict Lake. California. December 2018

---

Convict Lake holds a lot of memories for me. I've come to sit at its shore many times throughout the years, during good times, and not so good times. This visit was on a evening during a particularly difficult winter for me, feelings of loneliness ran high. Driving south towards Los Angeles, I was drawn to the lake to watch the colors change as the sun set. The clouds whispered to me the possibility of a colorful show, but I sat there until dark and it didn't come to fruition. It was freezing. The lake was as still as glass. I sat there, toes almost touching the water, and photographed the slowly darkening scene in front of me. It made me forget about whatever was troubling me, taking in the quiet stoicism of the granite peaks and crystal clear water. The beautiful scene was mirroring beauty right back. I didn't have a single negative thought for the remainder of the drive. There's some sort of magic in these mountains.

Eastern Sierra. California. September 2016

---

This was my first time camping at Iris Meadows. A beautiful spot along a creek where you sit nestled in between shaking aspens and impossibly large mountains. About a year later I came to find there is some fun climbing as well, but that was not on my radar in 2016. I was out for a fun weekend of Eastern Sierra exploring- visiting all the spots I love in the Bishop-Mammoth area. At the end of the weekend, my friends and I took a late afternoon hike a few miles into the Ansel Adams Wilderness. This spot has become something I have dreamt about ever since- as backpacking trip and goal to summit some of the amazing 13,000 ft peaks in the area. Maybe I'll actually swing it this year.