BACK PACKING

My First backpacking trip was to Little Yosemite with a couple Guys that I became friends with next door to my work in San Carlos. We basically hiked from Yosemite Valley to little Yosemite did a little fishing swimming and hiking. I had not been doing much in the way of exersize and paid the price. The lessons I learned on this trip were that I enjoyed backpacking and the next time I went it would be where there were less people and I would sleep in a tent and not on the ground !

Here is a list of some of the backpacking trips I have done and some information about each of them

At the writing of this I have not been backpacking in several years and am very interested in going again although my wife Julie doesn't like the idea of bears and no warm showers although she said she is willing to try Kawaii and we won't need a bear canister ! One of the things that has been holding me back is the bear canister law. The bear canister law requires a approve canister to store your food in and the problem is that they are very heavy for backpacking,I have been looking into manufacturing one that is lighter than the current offerings.

First backpacking trip to Lake Kibbie for Julie

Julie got a new backpack and with some weight in it to try things out we hiked 3 miles up from hwy1 towards big basin cooked up some freeze dried food and headed back. We started planning our trip to Kibbie lake for the following weekend. We decided to go the long way in from the lake Eleanor Trail head because of the veiws of lake Eleanor on the way in.The hike in was about 6 miles long with about 1800 feet in elevation gain and my 26-year-old north Face external frame pack became very uncomfortable and I realized I would need to get one of the more modern internal frame packs. Julie took short videos all the way up and was a trooper. Julie exercises regularly and did very well on the hike in although she drank her 50 ounces of water and was very thirsty and tired as was I.

Lake Kibbie Yoseimite

Kauai , Hawaii - Nā Pali Coast
The Kalalau trail

The backpacking trip along the Nā Pali Coast was one of the most memorable things I have done in my life! This trip is not for a beginner hiker or backpacker I encountered slippery washed out trails along the cliff side dropping 50 feet onto rocks at the waters edge and a water crossing with a safety cable going across that wasn't very easy with was 40lb pack on. The Nā Pali Coast hike is about 11 miles of partly rugged and easy trail that ends at a beutifull beach with cliff walls behind it. On the first mile of the hike there are a couple of day hikes to some water falls that would be smart to pass on as your time will be better spent hiking around the lost city behind the stacked stone walls with coffee trees scattered about. There you will see stone walls from a long time ago with a few types of trees I only saw there and you do not want to do the end of the hike at dusk or dark. This side of the island has different vegetation around every turn including cactus. There is a small stream that flows into the ocean right before the beach

Grand Canyon , Arizona - Havasupai