Slow Down the Pace... Take Out the Adventure?

Having injured my knees constantly since exploring the Sierra's, makes me realize that some people can recreate outdoors solely, but I need to and should have always supplemented with the gym. Needless to say, what's done is done.

I've been venting to friends here as I had some tough "career" front type decisions (as I do every year multiple times) and we have concluded that it is hard to live here without feeling like every adventure needs to be challenging. Sure there are days where you may do a short hike to a lake to swim in the frigid water, or the casual trail run on 3S__(insert 08, 02, or whichever Forest Service Road is to our liking), or a day of (gasp) reading by the creek.

Kneading Dough to Pass the Time

A recent spacebook update from my USFS friend in Mammoth reminded me I haven't quite finished this post.  I have led the life of a hermit... or a hermitress this winter and I want to explain why.

Traditionally in college, when I wanted to get away (from my thoughts) I'd borrow someone's dog or dogs, or start baking,  ride my bike, or I'd just do things by myself or with one or two of the same people. Having a conversation over a cup of coffee and horrible "cider" today with someone I haven't seen in ages reminded me of how time flies and it's so great to catch up with old friends.  I haven't been purposefully trying to be anti-social, but merely, that after a summer of wandering the wilderness in a job I was so lucky to have, I needed time to further reflect on where I am going.

Hiking North toward Ebbetts Pass.
Love this trail shot. Where am I going? Where does it go?

Glass Mountain Trek

Glass Mountain Summit

11,160', 3,402m

12.07.11

 We don't need to be on the Humboldt-Toiyabe to get things done.

What two Backcountry HT Ladies decided to do instead of ski the groomers. 

There was some snow on the "official" cross country route, so we planned our own route which eventually met up with the cross country route.  We found it once we were almost to the summit.

All in all, it is one of the distinct peaks in the Glass Mountain Range that can be seen when in the Long Valley Caldera, and if looking Southeast from Mammoth.   The route we took was mainly soft pumice, and soft-silty soil mixed with pine needles.  As we got higher, the pumice got a bit bigger in size.  It was a great calf-building exercise.  I recommend trekking poles and microspikes.  It got to be snowy and frozen granular at the summit.   What a fun day!

Summit Post's Write-up

Heidi taking photos

From Tahoe to Mammoth to the Mobil Mart!

The river crossings have been really high, and I can't get a lot of my work done.  We have done car camping last weekend, and did day hikes in the Reno/Carson City area in the Mount Rose Wilderness this past weekend.  It is hot. Whew.

Sarah and I took down some bridges that we for sure know someone will be mad about. But no makeshift bridges, other than logs, in wilderness.  We got misted on by a waterfall on Hunter Creek Trail.  This trailhead is really close to the PattyG Outlet.  We were too dirty after taking out bridges to go in.  It's okay.  I know how much all that costs anyway.

Mount Rose from Jones Creek Loop Trail, Mount Rose Wilderness

Almost Out of Mammoth

Here are some low quality photos of my last week in Mammoth, before starting my Backcountry Ranger job in the Carson Ranger District, 2 hours North. Job starts Monday!  Lots of ACL strain, but it'll be worth it.

Had Mint Juleps and drinks with Lauren (my NEK gal) thanks to Matt, my friend from MAUHS, at the Double Eagle Resort in June Lake.  

Walking with the dogs I was dogsitting

fresh snow a few days ago (it was almost June then) and the dogs like to play

Nordic trail we explored. Still PLENTY of the white stuff here. 

Yes, there is a phone booth, and yes, I had pie.  Steven and I went hiking toward Hilton Lakes, out of Rock Creek Road, and the trail was all snow. ALL SNOW!

Biking in the Caldera

Last Friday, Greg, Julia and I decided to do some biking. I was hesitant to do a trail because I didn't want to tweek my knee, and Julia was using a bike she'd never used before so... Long Valley Caldera exploring was the answer.

Long Valley Caldera is about 20 miles long and 10 miles wide, and is one of the largest caldera's on Earth. And I live 15 minutes away.

We were questing for Little Hot Creek, and clearly went by the side road. But we parked at the Hot Creek site and biked down into the Caldera more and hung a left on 2S07 which ends up going all the way back to 395 if you want it to. We would have been far from our car, and didn't care to make a loop out of it.   Normally it'd be really hot along this road, but the partial cloud cover and later storm, made for a beautiful ride as usual.

2S07 in all it's wide gravel glory

Whoops, what was I thinking?

There will be no grilling going on for a few days...

 But there will be more skinning... Where'd Barrett go?

The Past 3 Days (not counting the Biathlon)

Great Thing About Living Here: Is there is always more ice cream in there (Jen, like my desktop?)

Our Ink is out at Work, so I can get artistic (right...hmm...) and draw in the danger rose

Lunchtime Nordork Sessions

The beauty of living close to a trail.  The beauty of new fluffy snow.  The beauty of skiing back to work.
1 hour lunches are pretty great.  It's hard to go back to work...

 I definitely need some wider waxless skis someday. Took out the Fischer S-Bounds 112.  Couldn't really turn on the downhills. Got 4 solid tele turns down and sank, BUT it was super.

YaR! Wooden Planks and Saddles!

My co-worker is very handy in metal arts, and wood carving... and free climbing and coffee roasting.... and I'm sure there's more.  So I couldn't help but notice the uncomfortable looking, yet amazing work of art his commuter bike has on it. 

It even has a "comfort channel" but he says it's still pretty uncomfortable. It is wood afterall.

Eastside Blogs

Here's some great new posts from some of the Eastside's best:

• Christian Pondella's Spray On Ice
• Dave McCoy himself Travels Along The Eastern Sierras and Tahoe

And oh man, Simon Rex was/is in Mammoth and guess who else? Gwen and Gavin.  Although I don't know who Lady GaGa is, I at least want to have someone famous (and nice) come into my work this week just for S & Giggles.  Why not, right?




Photos Property of Christian Pondella

Oh Weekends

We had a great Sugar on Snow party for Jill's Birthday the other night. Those new to maple syrup on snow and it's deliciousness were all enthralled.... and we all had a sugar coma after! Happy Birthday Jill!

Today I skied with my Disabled Sports dude at Tamarack. He kept trucking along.

DSES ski time with my buddy

Grill time?

As you may recall, the Snowpowcolypse brought Mammoth Lakes 15+ feet of snow.  Well, it hasn't snowed much since and the temps are high. In December I couldn't see my grill. Then snow has been melting in town, and someone shoveled the grill out.

Where's the freshies? In the meantime... maybe I'll actually eat some nice grass-fed beef. I've also realized I'm a health food store snob. I want my Hunger Mt. Coop back! But we have a health food store in Mammoth. Yay. 

Also, sometimes I miss the sock room's organization at ORS.  Scary? Maybe not.  

Cheers!

Let's put another shrimp on the barbi

Vermonty Times Had on the Eastside

At least I still am on the Eastside of something. The Eastside of the Sierras is a great place. There's at least 3 publications about it... Eastside Magazine, Eastern Sierra something... there's more, but I'm typing this in my car and my feet are cold. Wi-fi at home soon? A luxury or a necessity? Necessity when applying to grad school.  That aside. Let me ramble.

My roomate, Don, is gone to Peru (hope you're having fun!!!) and I decided why not finally host a couchsurfer.  Couchsurfing.com is a great resource. You just have to have a sense of adventure and trust. Both of which I seem to have a majority of the time.

Well, let me tell you as fate would have it, I was contacted by someone who grew up about 60 miles north of me in Vermont.  Right now he's stone's throw away in summer on the other side of Yosemite in El Portal doing outdoor education.  A career I dabble in from time to time.  In winter Tioga Pass is closed, so he's 8 hours away.

We haven't had the best snow after the Snowpowcolypse of 15+ feet of snow- but it doesn't mean there isn't any skiing. It just means you have to wait for the snow to corn up. There's not much avalanche danger at the moment either.

Let's just say I couldn't have had a better time skiing and talking about CA and VT.  It made me a little homesick, but it also made me realize HOW MUCH stuff is out there that I still have to do and see.

New Year's Eve-ski

Us hearty New Englanders (and those not- sorry NY doesn't count, and neither does CA)  skied from Main Lodge to the Mineret Vista. Here are the photos.

Where is the Vista Booth? 

01.01.2011: That's a lot of 1's

In reflection, I had a wonderfully blessed December 2010.  I got to go home and see most, but not all, of my favorite people ever.  I got to see Family  and friends and I am making this list mainly for my memory, but also to thank you so much for being a part of my life. Without you all I would not be who I am today.  To those I didn’t see, I miss you terribly. 

Of course no visit home is complete without seeing my family: the parental units Poppa and Momma Cassano, Grandma, Sonny, Martha, Beverly, Mike (you and Chris are the brothers I never had), Pamela and Everett, Great Aunt Palma, Aunt Tina and Uncle Meatball, my favorite uncle ever, Curt, and his kids McKenna and Canaan, and Kait’s parents (basically my 2^nd parents aside).

Bestest Friends I got to see: Ms. Meaney (duh), Katherine M, Michelle J, Kathryn W., Phil, Tristan, Sarah, Kip, Jen, lil’ Indie, Paul, Kate, Andrew and his wife that hold the whole ORS crew together and I didn’t name all of you cause there are WAY too many- but who else was naughty on the ORS Santa List? haha). Amanda and Ava, Amanda and Miles and James, almost saw Mike Lincoln (way to ski at Killingtron Mike!), Heather M. and Chris. 

But Last Sunday was a good day

Must listen it this song while viewing photos. Thanks Sarah for enjoying Ice Cube and our adventures this summer! 

Mammoth bluebird day. November 28th, 2010. 

 

off of Chair 14. Santiago Bowl.

It's Fall! It's Snowing-Oct.7th

So it snowed on October 7th or so. Last night I had some pumpkin ale and it was delicious. The only thing is that the leaves here are, well, not in town really. It'd rained and flurried all day in Mammoth today. Tioga Pass closed (it is now open until next time it closes). That causes problems with foreign tourists, retired peoples, and those LA people traveling now. Only the LA people melt in the rain.

Kyle and I went to Bishop in hopes of scoring some perfect cider and pumpkins. We found NO pumpkins anywhere. We went apple picking south of Bishop. Strangest place to pick apples. Desert, pond, and mountains?

Hiking Mono Pass - 09/30/10

Steven, Paula and I hiked Mono Pass out of Little Lakes Valley a few weeks ago. It is also known as Rock Creek, Toms Place, etc. You start at the trailhead "Mosquito Flats", which is also the end of the road and the backpackers camp.

We had the goal of doing over 2000' total of elevation to get to 4th Recess Lake. This is what we wanted to see, but did not:

Bear Sighting/Skiing with Jane/Hiking McGee

well I still don't have the patience to format this. So the photos are in reverse order.
McGee Creek Hike.
Skiing in Yosemite.
Then the photo with the skis in it is Rock Creek and the trailhead we tried to ski, but ended up turning back, and after the photos is a narrative.