Mine VABM 7129 ft (2173 m) — 418 ft gain 2022.07.10 Motivation is hard to find in the long, repetitive days of summer. The Great Basin Desert seems to curl and fold within itself, even as hazy heatwaves dance across the expanse. The high-pressure domes that keep moisture at bay…
On the edge of wild — Atacama Desert, Chile
With the wilds of Patagonia still fresh in our minds, Bill and I spent a short night in Santiago and then climbed on another Latam flight. We were headed north, working our way up the latitudinal expanse of Chile, exploring the regional extremes from glaciers to desert dry lakes, from…
Nevada High Points #102 – Pinto Peak
Pinto Peak 6711 feet (2046 meters) — 630 feet gain 2022.05.25 Pinto Peak Collection The ancient Cottonwood Caldera, a massive volcano that erupted sometime around 17 million years ago, dominates the landscape west of High Rock Canyon and the Black Rock Desert. With basin-and-range faulting, several small ranges form the…
Nevada High Points #101 – Slumbering Hills
Unnamed 6531 ft — 1991 m (1593 ft gain) 2022.05.18 Slumbering Images Collection There is something in the Slumbering Hills. The unnamed high point is below 7000 feet in elevation and there are few riparian areas, only scattered springs, and absolutely no trees. Cheat grass and desiccated plants of sagebrush…
Nevada High Points #100 – New Pass Range
New Pass Peak 9002 ft (2744 m) — 2901 ft gain 2022.04.08 New Pass Peak Collection Big, round numbers are cool, and here I am at High Point #100. It is simply a step on the journey, but it is also a great measure of motivation and experience in getting…
On the circuit in Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile
In January, I had the good fortune to travel to Chile with my good friend, Bill Bloomer. We planned this after the rise-and-fall of Covid’s delta variant thinking that, just maybe, the window would remain and, with due care, we could wander a few distant places once again. And then…
Nevada High Points #99 – Cocoon Mountains
Alkali VABM 6104 feet (1860 meters) – 2700 feet gain 2022.03.13 The forecast promised wind, and the day delivered. Although we drove into early morning darkness, an eastern glow of dusty skies preceded with the coming sun. Robert, my son-in-law, joined me on this one-day journey to the Cocoon Mountains,…
Nevada High Points #98 – Gold Mountain
Gold Mountain 8152 ft (2485 m) – 2300 ft gain 2022.02.25 Gold Mountain Collection It was finally time to get back to a desert high point – my string of monthly highpoints having been broken by a wonderful trip to Patagonia and Atacama Desert in Chile (stories and images coming…
Nevada High Points #97 – Paradise Range
Sherman Peak 8957 ft (2639 m) – 2464 ft gain 2021.12.19 Sherman Peak – Paradise Range Collection Winter’s coming, and the first snows have arrived. Although it snowed a little at StoneHeart in Carson Valley, I had watched the storms reorganize over the central Great Basin. How much would there…
Winter’s Coming to the Eastern Sierra, CA
We were closing out the 2021 field season in Owens Valley, and I had been on a long circuitous road trip working on projects in San Diego, California, visiting with colleagues in Henderson, Nevada, and traversing Death Valley to return to our team working on the fans of the Owens…