On day thirteen Molly and I had the pleasure of hiking over Muir Pass and past the splendid lakes that lie in it’s shadow to the north.  Wanda Lake, named for John Muir’s eldest daughter is home to a rare treat, frogs living at 11,500′.  As we walked past Wanda lake we were startled by the plop, plop, plop of frogs jumping into the lake as we passed by.  We stopped to admire the frogs living in this relatively inhospitable environment.  Check this post for more on the Mountain Yellow Legged Frog.

Muir Pass was in my opinion one of the easiest 12,000′ passes along the trail, the final ascent from Evolution Lake is just 1200′ and it is a very gradual slope all the way up.  While I was reminiscing about the Muir Pass summit experience I began to realize that more often than not I felt that reaching the summit of each of the eleven passes was relatively easy.  Why were they “easy”?  I think it has a lot to do with the strategy we used while hiking the trail.

Like most others who hike the JMT we had an itinerary planned long before we even set foot on the trail.  That itinerary remained unchanged for exactly one day before we modified it for our hiking strengths and weaknesses.  Pretty early on we decided to attack the big climbs in sections.  The basic strategy is to look at the passes and plan to hike up approximately half of the required elevation on one day, then camp and hike up the rest the next day when you are fresh and relatively full of energy.  But like the saying goes hike your own hike and follow a strategy that works for you!

8-8-2009
Once again I woke up with a sore throat and felt weak much of the day.  I tried sleeping without socks last night and that did not work very well, my feet froze.  We had only a 1200 foot ascent to Muir Pass but every foot was amazing.  The lakes were a gorgeous teal blue that Molly said looked unnatural.  The Climb to the pass was easy and the descent was long but not too difficult.  In my mind Silver Pass still holds the record for worst descent.  We are camped near Big Pete meadow and are taking advantage of the altitude with a warm campfire.

Today I am happy to be announcing the availability of a new collection of limited edition prints.

The images in this collection were taken during a restorative 20-day hike of the John Muir Trail in California’s Sierra Nevada during July and August, 2009. When I set out to hike, I expected to find jagged peaks, winding streams, and blooming flowers.  I found those things and more: stunning beauty, peace, wildness and the renewal of a soul sapped by human conflict.

Each of the 13 images in this collection is limited to editions of 25 prints and is available exclusively from Gallery La Mesa.

I invite you to come and view the prints with me during the opening reception.  I’m happy to discuss style, technique, equipment or anything else photographically related.

If you cannot join me for the reception you are welcome to visit the exhibit anytime until April 3.  I would be more than happy to view the prints with you at another time, just give me a call.

What: Fountains of Life Opening
When: February 19, 6-8PM (Opening Reception)
Where: Gallery La Mesa 8808 La Mesa Blvd, La Mesa, CA 91942 619.462.5760

Finding images that compel me to capture them can sometimes be challenging.  Sometimes I try to force an image or take a picture that does not feel right, those images very rarely turn out to be something that I am proud of.  Other times images come at me in a flood and it takes all of my concentration to make sure all of the technical aspects of image capture come together.  One of the good days was August 7 when we were hiking through the Evolution Range.
I felt ill the whole day but really wanted to make it to Evolution Lake before we stopped for the day, and I am really glad we made it there.  As the golden hour came the mountains were wrapped in clouds and set aglow by the setting sun.  The scene felt natural and I was able to find several compelling compositions in the span of an  hour.  As a photographer, these are the days I live for!

8-7-2009
I don’t know what is going on but I still feel sick!  I still have a sore throat and still feel low on energy.  Sick or not we still gained 2800 feet and walked 12+ miles for the day.   We passed 130 miles in total today and I am determined to finish this hike!  I did not take many pictures today, mostly because I was focusing all of my energy on hiking.  When we arrived at Evolution Lake a spectacular sunset unfolded and I quickly rattled off a hundred frames or so.  We found a neat wind sheltered spot for our tent but in the process of pitching the tent I broke one of the guy lines.  I fixed it with a square knot and then found someone’s discarded shoe string.  That shoe string may come in handy.  Just before we came over the crest to Evolution Lake we heard the “Cheeseburger Bird” for the first time.  I was really starting to doubt the existence of this bird until I heard the unmistakable song.

When We were relaxing at VVR a weather report came in that was somewhat alarming.  The Dweeb Report (yes that is what it is called) was predicting a weather freak-show starting on the sixth.  Predictions were for three to six inches of snow down to seven thousand feet with substantially more on the passes.  A report like this presents a difficult decision for backpackers and an especially important decision for backpackers who pack as light as Molly and I do.

We are not equipped for snow travel so in the event of snow we would likely be holed up in our tent for a couple of days until it warmed up again.  Several backpackers decided to extend their stay at VVR to see how the weather played out.  I spoke with a couple attempting to hike the JMT with their two young children, they had decided to end their trip at VVR.  They had already been trapped in a hailstorm on Donahue Pass and were concerned about hypothermia in the event of a snowstorm.  Us?  Well, ever the skeptic i decided to ignore the weather report and continue Hiking.  I had bailout points marked on the map and was ready to live with the decision.

As it turned out there was no snow, no rain, just some clouds and a ten degree drop in temperature for a day.  Seldon Pass was EASY Molly and I both felt like we just flew up the pass and cruised down the other side.  In retrospect I think Seldon Pass is the easiest pass of the entire trip.

8-6-2009
Last night I had dreams about being sick and that led to me feeling ill again this morning.  We slept in so that I could recover and finally got up around 8:00.  I felt 90% but still have a scratchy throat.  Most of the day was cold and cloudy, especially the hike up to Seldon Pass.  Once late afternoon came the clouds had mostly disappeared but it was about ten degrees colder than normal.  The day’s hiking was easy and I kept thinking that Seldon Pass was the Yin to the Silver Pass Yang.  Tonight might be our last campfire as we are mostly going to be above 10,000 feet from here on.

This Monday November 2, 2009 at 6pm Molly and I will be speaking about our experience on the John Muir Trail.  The talk will be preceded by a potluck dinner.  All are welcome to join us for an evening of reflection and discussion.

I will have a couple of prints on display at this event.

Who:  Matthew Parker and Molly Vetter
What: A Discussion of their 20 days on the John Muir Trail
When: November 2, 2009 @ 6pm
Where: First United Methodist Church San Diego

In trail speak a zero day is a day in which you don’t travel towards your destination.  In other words it is a relaxation day, a day of rest.  Molly and I did not take any zero days but had plenty of relaxing days.  I never felt like I needed a zero day and I attribute that to our relatively easy pace.  We walked approximately twelve miles each day and normally would take the full day to hike that distance.  The leisurely pace allowed us to stop frequently for pictures, watercolors or to just enjoy the scenery.  The one luxury we did partake in was a stay at the Vermillion Valley Resort.  VVR is a back-country resort, one of several located along the trail.  If we had more time on the trail I would have liked to check out these other back-country luxuries.  The real bed options that I am aware of are the following.

Sunrise High Sierra Camp
If you are traveling from north to south the Sunrise High Sierra Camp is the first opportunity for a prepared meal and a roof over your head.  Located one to two days from Yosemite Valley the Sunrise camp is ideally located to facilitate a very light trek up from the valley.  If you hiked from Happy Isles to the sunrise camp in one day and then on to Tuolumne Meadows the next day you would have to carry only lunch for the first day as all of your other meals would be provided by the camp.  You have to enter a lottery very early in the year to win a stay at the camp but if you can manage to get a spot it is well worth it.

Tuolumne Meadows Lodge
When you arrive at Tuolumne Meadows you will have nearly all of the comforts of home available to you. Located just off the trail there is; a post office, a restaurant, an outfitter, and general store.  The lodge is located approximately 5 minutes east (by shuttle) on highway 120.

Reds Meadow Resort
Located 3-4 days south from Tuolumne Meadows,  Reds meadow is ideally placed for resupply and a little bit of R&R.  The Reds Meadow store carries basic supplies but nothing too fancy.  If you need something they don’t have you can catch the shuttle to Mammoth lakes where you can find a multitude of outfitters eager to solve your problem.  The restaurant is good but don’t sit down unless you have some time to spend, they work at a back-country pace.

Vermillion Valley Resort
VVR was a pleasant surprise.  At our twelve mile a day pace we arrived at VVR at the end of day nine.  If you decide to stop at VVR make sure you arrive at the ferry landing no later than 4:45 so that you ca avoid the four mile trek around the lake.  Once you arrive at VVR you are immediately struck by the unique character of the place.  There are a mixture of trailers and hard sided buildings placed in a seemingly random fashion about the property.  There is a store at VVR but its selection leaves a lot to be desired.  The owner however will sell anything for the right price and his put it on your tab policy makes it oh so easy to rack up quite a bill. Be prepared to spend some money if you stop at VVR.  The restaurant serves excellent food and they have a wide variety of beer available.  If you are interested in a room at VVR your best bet would be to try and reserve one in advance of your hike.  If you are unable reserve a room they are available on a first come first served basis. Molly and I stayed in a trailer and were extremely happy with the accommodations.  The good meals and warm bed were enough to propel us with renewed energy to the finish.

Muir Trail Ranch
Located two days beyond VVR, Muir Trail Ranch is the last opportunity for on trail resupply and R&R.  The MTR website makes it sound difficult to stay for just one night, but Molly and I met a couple who decided to stay at MTR only after arriving and asking about an available cabin.  They have a small store with internet available to those who resupply with them.  There is no restaurant at MTR but they will let you scavenge as much as you want from the hiker barrels.

8-4-09
We woke to a swarm of mosquitoes hungry for my blood, so we broke camp quickly without eating breakfast.  We walked about a mile away from the mosquitoes before stopping for breakfast.  After eating our freeze dried eggs we set out to climb silver pass.  It turned out to be an easy climb and we were on top by 11:15.  While on top we met two guys; John and Drew who were hiking the trail in 14 days.  Drew told us that they were going to Vermillion Valley Resort that night.  According to him VVR was a pretty cool hiker hangout.  We quickly decided that it sounded fun, and the idea of a warm shower was nice.  We were off to catch the 4:45 ferry.  The descent from the pass was beautiful but punishing for the feet.  This area was essentially a solid piece of granite all the way down.  When we arrived at the ferry landing we were both exhausted, and I had gained my first blister of the trip.  The ferry was just a small pontoon boat.  The wind was howling  making our trip across Lake Edison pretty slow.
VVR is an odd resort made up of a few old buildings and ten or twelve fifth wheel type trailers.  We got the last room available which turned out to be a trailer called “Big Red.”  Big Red had a shower and a queen sized bed, both of which were GREAT!
I had a pork chop dinner which was surprisingly good.  I’m not sure if it was at home good but it was definitely back-country good.
After Dinner we met a guy named Gary who we have been leapfrogging with for the past few days.  Gary is from Denver and seems like a really nice guy.

8-3-09
Great Day!
I see a pattern forming.  When we get on the trail early we tend to have excellent days.  Last night was cold (-2 C according to our British friends) and it was difficult to get going but we did and were on the trail by 7:00.  Throughout the day we leapfrogged with the British guys and an extended family on a week long trip.  We saw the kids that were doing the yo-yo while we were stopped at Duck Creek.  We stopped at Purple Lake for a rest.  I took some pictures and  “washed” my shirt.  At Victoria lake we stopped for dinner and a shower.  The shower was cold but it felt great to be clean.  We camped (Note:  I just asked Molly to get me my headlamp and she told me to bugger off!) near Fish Creek, had a dessert of pudding and saw an awesome sunset!

I have been hiking for as long as I can remember, for most of those years I have been carrying what I would consider to be a heavy backpack.  Two Years ago when I hiked from Agnew Meadows to Toulumne Meadows was the last time I will ever hike with a heavy pack.  I have made the transition to Ultra Light Packing and have no regrets.  Packing light makes hiking fun, rewarding and sometimes easy.  Well maybe not easy but certainly much easier than it would be with a heavy pack.

While on the trail we frequently passed people who would look at our packs and ask us how we were able to carry such a small load.  I would generally answer by saying,”by only carrying what we absolutely needed.”  It took a long time to decide what I could go without, but the idea that the hike would be easier without superfluous items made the weight cutting easy.  Some days I would miss one luxury item or another but then there were days like 8-1-09 when I was glad to be carrying as little as possible.

On 8-1-09 Molly and I were feeling more tired than the days effort warranted and we ended up hiking about 2.5 miles further than we were planning.  I was so exhausted this day that besides a few snaps here and there I did not take any pictures.  Overall it was a pretty difficult day.  Had we been carrying heavy packs we either would not have gone nearly as far or we would have been utterly exhausted by the end of the day.   Going light made this day a lot easier than it would have otherwise been.

If you are backpacking with more than 35lbs I urge you to check out Backpacking Light.  It is a subscription site but well worth the price.  They have a wealth of knowledge contained on their pages, knowledge that was instrumental in helping me have a successful first ultra light trip.

Our Packing list can be downloaded Here.  You will need Excel to read it.

8-1-09
Exhausted once more!
Today our goal was to make it to lower trinity lake…
We awoke to an amazing sunrise with a glass like Thousand Island Lake reflecting Banner Peak..  After enjoying the sunrise and capturing a few images I started preparing breakfast while Molly packed our gear.  We didn’t get started hiking until 8:30 because we were cooking for four and playing host to Mom & Dad.  Dad lost his wallet (yes Dad brought his WALLET on the trail) and that slowed us down too.  After summiting the ridge  above Garnet Lake there was an amazing view of the Sierra to the south.  Farther on down the hill we talked to a father and son who were very interested in our small and light packs.  The most unexpected part of the day was the super steep climb out of the Shadow Lake area.  We finally made it up to Rosalie Lake where I took a quick plunge to clean up a bit.  We rested for a bit  and then set out for Trinity Lake.  We made it to Trinity Lake without event but there was no clean water there.  We had to continue on another 2.5 miles to Johnston Meadow before we could make camp.  We were both exhausted and I feel like I am more tired than I should be.

Day one on the John Muir Trail was easy.  Well maybe it was easy because we weren’t hiking on the John Muir Trail.  Due to permitting issues Molly and I had to start our hike from Glacier point and spend our first night in the Illilouette Valley.  It was a pleasant five mile loop that led me to my first image of the trip, the image you see to the left.   The image is of a Ponderosa Pine and Wolf lichen growing together.  Wolf Lichen was frequently used as a dye by Native Americans and and it apparently got its name because it was used as a poison to kill wolves in Europe.  We saw a lot of wolf lichen along the trail.  The following is my Journal entry from day one on the Trail.

7-27-09
After three relaxing days, two in Tiburon and one in the Yosemite Lodge (we were upgraded from our hut in Curry Village), we finally started our hike.  We did not plan on starting until tomorrow so I guess we actually started early.  We started from Glacier Point and hiked towards Illilouette.  We observed several deer–2 bucks and 4 does–as well as a few quail. The only difficult section was a stream crossing.  We removed our shoes and waded across barefoot [in retrospect this was a bad idea, the rocky bottom made it almost painful to cross barefoot] halfway across we threw our shoes to the other side and were grateful for the improved balance.  We are camped on the ridge to the east of Glacier Point and have not seen anyone since before the stream crossing.

In the last two months I have been “forced” to do something that is a little bit abnormal for me.  What is this strange thing you say?  Writing.  Yes it has been some time since I had to write anything substantive, but my recent John Muir Trail trip and the writing course that I am taking at school both led me to leave writing exile and re-enter the world of written word.  So in an effort to continue writing and publishing new photos for you all to see I have decided to publish one photo and accompanying words each day.   So Here is day one.

What you see to the left is an endangered frog, a Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog to be exact.  This Frog lives in Wanda Lake high in the Sierra Nevada mountains where by some stroke of luck trout were never introduced.  You see it is endangered because it’s tadpoles can take up to four years to mature into a full grown frog and during those four years the tadpoles make a yummy snack for trout.  In the high sierra you can have trout or you can have frogs not both.  To ensure the survival of the frogs the National Park Service is eliminating trout from certain high altitude lakes and reintroducing the frogs as you can imagine this is controversial with back-country trout fisherman.  I for one am glad that these little critters are being given a shot at survival.