Garmin Basecamp and the curse of the corrupted (-ish) .NET install

This is annoying.

Palen Mountain High Point DPS Peak Near Blythe

What:
  Palen Mountains High Point (3,848')
When: November 2nd, 2013
Where: Near Blythe, CA
Who: Matthew Hengst, Kristen Lindbergh
Pictures: [Matt]
GPS Track: [Map]

After yesterdays slightly overlong stroll up Granite #2 the plan was for the slightly easier Palen Mountains High Point followed by a leisurely drive home.

However the fact we again woke up a bit on the late side and our decision to camp near Granite #2 meant we had a good hour and a half drive to get to the Palen trailhead before we could actually start walking.

Good thing I like headlamps...

Granite Mountain #2 Out Near Blythe

What:
   Granite Mountain (4,331')
When: November 2nd, 2013
Where: Near Blythe, CA
Who:  Matthew Hengst, Kristen Lindbergh
Pictures: [Matt]
GPS Track: [Map]

Last weekend was a bit on the rough side as a quick two day to grab some interesting looking peaks out near Lake Mead ran a little late.  The cherry on top was a 5.5 *hour* delay to get through a 13 mile section south of Baker after a bad accident all but shut down the 15 until 3 or 4 in the morning.

So this weekend I decided to stick a little closer to my nebulously defined home and grab something off the dwindling list of Sierra Club Desert Peaks Section peaks I still "needed" (for list finish #1).

Jumbo and Mica South of Lake Mead

What:
  Jumbo Peak (5,761')
  Mica Peak (5,758')
When: October 27nd, 2013
Where: Near Lake Mead, NV
Who: Matthew Hengst, Jeff Atijera
Pictures: [Matt]
GPS Track: [Map]

After the previous days successful climb of Mormon Peak ended a bit early when we couldn't find a way to traverse to a nearby bonus peak set off further east along the 15.  A quick refueling stop in Mesquite later we started down the long bumpy road to Whitney Pockets and beyond.

The main draw for the entire weekend was Jumbo Peak, a short low 5th class peak near Lake Mead I'd heard about from Harlan Stockman and others.  And as long as we were out there we planned to grab the nearby bonus peak named Mica.

Mormon Peak In Nevada

What:
   Mormon Peak (7,414')
When: October 26th, 2013
Where: Nevada
Who:  Matthew Hengst, Jeff Atijera
Pictures: [Matt]
GPS Track: [Hike] [Hike+Drive] [Whole Drive]

Mormon Peak is one of those oddly prominent bumps out there that makes you question why the club would leave it off the Desert Peak Section list while a number of significantly less memorable peaks are included.

Granted it is near the far more memorable Moapa Peak which tends to grab ones attention a bit more from the free but still.

And then I climbed it.  Suddenly I'm not such a big fan of adding it to the list...

North & Conness 3rd Class Routes From Lundy Canyon

What:
  North Peak (12,242')
  Mount Conness (12,590')
When: September 6th to 8th, 2013
Where: Lundy Canyon, Sierra Nevada
Who: Matthew Hengst, Neal Robbins, Jeff Atijera, Steve Kotzbaur, Sara Burns, Tobias Flach, Heather Sabin, Joe Linder, Jia-Meng So, Fred Stehle
Pictures: [Matt]
GPS Track: [Map]

With summer largely over and with my compressed JMT trip looming I wanted to fit in  trip or two with a little more relaxed party bent to them.

But of course I still wanted peaks!  To that end Neal Robbins and I planned a max permit size outing to the Saddlebag Lake area to grab the 3rd-class-if-you-really-want-them-to-be peaks North & Conness aimed at WTC students for the weekend before I was set to start the JMT.

Why I Love The Desert

Reasons why I look forward to desert season again

Seven Gables & Gemini From Lake Thomas Edison

What:
  Seven Gables (13,080')
  Gemini (12,880')
When: August 31st to September 3rd, 2013
Where: Lake Thomas Edison, Sierra Nevada
Who: Matthew Hengst, Jeff Atijera, Jen Blackie, Gracia Delavida, Kristen Lindbergh
Pictures: [Matt]
GPS Track: [Map]

Seven Gables was one of the trips I'd planned last summer only to have it derailed by the mystery illness that took me out for a good chunk of the season.

The trailhead at Lake Thomas Edison is a bit of a drive from OC but after hearing repeatedly how spectacular it was camping back there I was determined that the trip was going to happen this summer.

This time I decided as long as we were doing the long haul (the drive + 13 miles hiking in) I might as well add nearby Gemini and push it out from 3 days to 4 making it a relatively laid back affair as they go.

Alta Peak Via Alta Meadow WTC Experience Trip Meadow-Tacular!

What:
  Alta Peak (11,204')
Where: Wolverton Trailhead, Sequoia National Park, CA
When: August 24th & 25th, 2013
Who: Matthew Hengst, Paul Warren, Beth Renz, Pei-San Tsai, Kamyar Miremadi, Gracia Plascencia, Jen Blackie

Pictures:  Matt's

GPS Track:  Matt's Track

After the last few hard haul trips I was looking forward to taking it a bit easier and and a WTC experience trip camping in a scenic meadow on the west side was sounding rather nice.

Iron Mountain From Devil's Postpile For Laurent's Sierra Club I Provisional

What:
  Iron Mountain (11,148')
When: July 20th to 21st, 2013
Where: Devil's Postpile, Sierra Nevada
Who: Matthew Hengst, Laurent Hoffman, Jeff Atijera, Bill Payne, Steve Kotzbauer, Jarrett Nady, Sam Oh, Jane Mrotek
Pictures: [Matt]
GPS Track: [Map]

After last weekends somewhat more relaxed three day weekend it was time for another Sierra Club provisional outing.  This time we were headed to the east side for the I provisional of the one the only the mightily bearded Laurent Hoffman.  Two days, a long drive out to Devil's Postpile aiming to grab Iron Mountain, and as an added bonus we were in the middle of mosquito season and in an area I've come to associate with relentless blood sucking hoards.  Fun fun!