Front Row Seat to a Sierra Storm

High Sierra -- My destination may be 280 miles from LA, but what the heck--it's only few hour's drive. This was my view as I watched storm clouds gather shortly after dinner near Lower Golden Trout Lake. That night a steady rain fell as I slept like a baby inside my 11-ounce, cuben fiber shelter. Okay, one pound if you count the titanium stakes and polychro ground sheet....

I shot this photo using a Canon Powershot Elph 110.

Happy Valentines Day

 Los Angeles -- High on a trail above Windy Gap, my beautiful wife discovers and presents to me a heart-shaped rock. Happy Valentines Day!

Ultralight Backpacking Dog Tackles LA Trails

Mt. Wilson, CA -- Andy is a 14-pound chiweenie (dachshund and chihuahua mix). This little dog loves to hike. For a small "designer dog," he knows how to put on the miles.

An average backpack for us, like the one above, we will hike up to 20-miles or more a day. He does great and never complains. The secrete is in pacing and obedience; my wife and I taught Andy to walk behind us and not run ahead. By doing this, we estimate he saves more than twice the energy than most off-leash dogs, chasing squirrels, sniffing out holes and sprinting after deer. As for the leash violation: I take my chances with the authorities, but only remove the leash once we are well into the wilderness and away from people. Plus, being an ultralight backpacker, every gram counts. The same goes for the dog, a leash actually weighs a few ounces and pulls on his neck. I even made an ultralight collar my little buddy!

This photo was approximately mile 10 on a 17-mile day with about 3,000 vertical feet of climbing.I estimate he has at least 300 miles logged. Not bad for a wiener dog.

If all goes to plan...

The High Sierra -- Not much more than a three-hour drive from Los Angeles, looms the Southern Sierra. Hopefully, I will be heading up into the high country of the Sierra Nevada to commune with my furry-tailed friends. The plan is to take a group of Scouts on a four-day backpack. This will be one of two trips planned this Summer. The second trek will be with my wife in Yosemite's high country.

Backpacking in Los Angeles

Pasadena -- Without question, one could not ask for a better view to wake up to. Only a one-hour hike takes you up to 2,600 feet, above Los Angeles county, overlooking the city and all it's splendor.

Been A Long Time

Mountains Above LA -- Yes, I've taken a long-needed break from DFLA. My wife, Amber and I, have been trekking the local hills as well as the trails of the High Sierra with our trusty dog, Andy. The photo above is of us after a 25 mile weekend in the San Gabriel Mountains, a one-hour drive from our back door in Pasadena.

Life is busy but good. I hope to get back to my regular posts soon. Stay tuned.

Exploring LA's Backyard

Big Santa Anita Canyon -- Friday after work, my wife and I grabbed our backpacks and drove a short 20-minutes to the trailhead where we began our overnight adventure. We left the high tech, flat lands of Los Angeles for the low tech trail and rushing streams of our nearby mountains. What a great way to start off a weekend.