EISPIRATEN

Not exactly the San Gabriels, but some enjoyable hikes and great High Sierra scenery. Peruse if you like: http://picasaweb.google.com/jim.barbour ... 6709668066

Thanks for nice TR!

Cool pics......... Mammoth is such a beautiful place!!!!!! I camped for two nights there about a month and a half ago when there was still some snow, but unfourtunatly didn't have the chance to hike too much, just to Rainbow Falls ...........Anyways looks like you had a great trip....

Nice pics Big Jim!
There is one pic in particular that I noticed. Are you trying to look like Tommy Trojan in that one? If you were holding a wood sword and a shield I would have never known it was you!

FIGHT ON wrote:Nice pics Big Jim!
There is one pic in particular that I noticed. Are you trying to look like Tommy Trojan in that one? If you were holding a wood sword and a shield I would have never known it was you!

lol. That's just my natural good looks and charm coming to the fore. Out of curiosity, just which photo makes me look so Tommy Trojan-esque?

Hikin_Jim wrote:

FIGHT ON wrote:Nice pics Big Jim!
There is one pic in particular that I noticed. Are you trying to look like Tommy Trojan in that one? If you were holding a wood sword and a shield I would have never known it was you!

lol. That's just my natural good looks and charm coming to the fore. Out of curiosity, just which photo makes me look so Tommy Trojan-esque?

you tell me! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Trojan_shrine.jpg

You covered some beautiful country. So many people tell me they've been to Mammoth and later it becomes clear that they were never more than five minuted from a paved road. Not that that sounds like you!

AlanK wrote:You covered some beautiful country. So many people tell me they've been to Mammoth and later it becomes clear that they were never more than five minuted from a paved road. Not that that sounds like you!

Well, this was pretty tame stuff by my standards, but still the Mammoth area is so beautiful, you can't go wrong. My wife went with me on a lot of these hikes, so I had to keep them relatively short. I really wanted to do the Shadow Lake - Lake Ediza - Cecille Lake - Minaret Lake loop, but that's on the order of 15 or more miles, with some gain, and an XC section to connect the two trails. With my wife along, that idea was dead on arrival, lol.

FIGHT ON wrote:

Hikin_Jim wrote:

FIGHT ON wrote:Nice pics Big Jim!
There is one pic in particular that I noticed. Are you trying to look like Tommy Trojan in that one? If you were holding a wood sword and a shield I would have never known it was you!

lol. That's just my natural good looks and charm coming to the fore. Out of curiosity, just which photo makes me look so Tommy Trojan-esque?

you tell me! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Trojan_shrine.jpg

Ah! So the one on the log by the lake, yes?

Jim-
You can make a nice loop starting at the Crystal Lake trail. Cross the Mammoth Crest to Deer Lakes. X-country to Duck Lake then over Duck Pass and back. (I know... some folks call it "Duk" Lake and Pass.)
Your wife might not go for it, though.

Hikin_Jim wrote:

AlanK wrote:You covered some beautiful country. So many people tell me they've been to Mammoth and later it becomes clear that they were never more than five minuted from a paved road. Not that that sounds like you!

Well, this was pretty tame stuff by my standards, but still the Mammoth area is so beautiful, you can't go wrong. My wife went with me on a lot of these hikes, so I had to keep them relatively short. I really wanted to do the Shadow Lake - Lake Ediza - Cecille Lake - Minaret Lake loop, but that's on the order of 15 or more miles, with some gain, and an XC section to connect the two trails. With my wife along, that idea was dead on arrival, lol.

FIGHT ON wrote:

Hikin_Jim wrote: lol. That's just my natural good looks and charm coming to the fore. Out of curiosity, just which photo makes me look so Tommy Trojan-esque?

you tell me! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Trojan_shrine.jpg

Ah! So the one on the log by the lake, yes?

yep! A little bronze paint, or some tan in a can would do it!

Mike P wrote:Jim-
You can make a nice loop starting at the Crystal Lake trail. Cross the Mammoth Crest to Deer Lakes. X-country to Duck Lake then over Duck Pass and back. (I know... some folks call it "Duk" Lake and Pass.)
Your wife might not go for it, though.

I've actually done that one, although in reverse order. It's cool stuff. There are the remains of an old trail that is semi-followable from Duck Pass to Deer Lakes. The Deer Lakes lie in beautiful high-altitude, glaciated country with a couple of glaciers still present. A lot of neat alpine country there.

There are a couple of spots where you can go out to the edge of the crest and look over the sheer drop into the Mammoth Lakes Basin. Great view but more marmot poop than you can shake a stick at.

Did you end up taking her to that fancy Hotel? Remember you promised Big Jim!

Actually we stayed in my aunt's condo. It's really nice. I hate hotel rooms; love condos. You've got a place to cook, you've got a place to hang, and you've got a bit more space. Our honeymoon on Kuaui was spent in a condo at Kiahuna Plantation in Poipu. Seriously nice.

Kauai- A nice red convertible rental(Chrysler Lebaron ) sporting my tourist cheapo red clay tshirt...taking in Waimea GC or the Na Pali Coast.....huh? am I supposed to be working?

Nice pics...only thrice to Mammoth area, but its very scenic. I tried the Convict lake to Red Slate Mtn deal and found it was not a dayhike unless you have a turbocharger V8 in your body.

Say, anyone know if that restuarant at the C.lake is still around? So Im returning to LA(this was during the hot hot summer) and there were suspect illegals working brush clearance.....talk about altering the reality of that area.

AW wrote:Kauai- A nice red convertible rental(Chrysler Lebaron ) sporting my tourist cheapo red clay tshirt...taking in Waimea GC or the Na Pali Coast.....huh? am I supposed to be working?

Nice pics...only thrice to Mammoth area, but its very scenic. I tried the Convict lake to Red Slate Mtn deal and found it was not a dayhike unless you have a turbocharger V8 in your body.

Say, anyone know if that restuarant at the C.lake is still around? So Im returning to LA(this was during the hot hot summer) and there were suspect illegals working brush clearance.....talk about altering the reality of that area.

Interesting comment on Red Slate Mtn. I am thinking about heading up that way in a couple of weeks. Which route did you take? Up to McGee pass and then (more or less) up the ridge to the top? How steep is the east face? Looks daunting on the topo.

My aunt lives in Mammoth Lakes. She says the restaurant at Convict Lake is still open, but she recommends lunch over dinner. Apparently the restaurant is pretty pricey. We went to Moguls in Mammoth Lake. Nice inexpensive steakhouse with good chow. I had the Prime Rib. Really nice and yummy. They also have some good beer from the local microbrewery in Mammoth Lakes.