Hard to believe its been nearly two years since I’ve been in the Sierra. My original plans didn’t work out for various reasons but my contingents were just as satisfying. I first day-hiked Kearsarge Peak (12660′) out of Onion Valley, then made a 3-day backpack to Mt. Anna Mills (12066′), a mostly neglected interior peak. Anna Mills was a new area for me and absolutely gorgeous. I might need to return for other neglected summits 🙂

An amazing trip to Central Asia! Turkmenistan is one of the most reclusive countries on the planet and I’ve been wanting to visit for many years. I joined Jacob Kallman as we checked out the unique capital of Ashgabat, several Unesco sites, bagged an obscure ultra-prominent peak, and spent a night at the famous Darvaza gas crater. We then crossed on foot to Uzbekistan to visit the Aral Sea, Khiva, Bukhara, and Samarkand. I’d started my cross-Asia cycling trip from Samarkand in 2018, one of my best adventures ever. It holds a special place in my heart and I was happy to return. Jacob and I parted ways in Samarkand and I continued to Astana, a place I’ve been interested in since I was a kid. Truly one of the world’s most beautiful cities. This trip was full of delicious food, amazing sights, and even a few summit hikes. Great trip!

Full albums -> Turkmenistan  Uzbekistan  Kazakhstan

Since Covid hit in 2020, Mojave National Preserve has become one of my favorite desert areas to explore. While I’ve run out of major peaks to hike in the park, there are endless small ones that receive few visitors and that’s become quite appealing. I started then finished this trip with Silver Peak and Mt. Clark. Mt Clark is a great mountain on the DPS list that I first hiked in 2016, friend Keith Winston had this on his list and I didn’t mind repeating it to join him. Between these peaks I got to ten others, including some unnamed ones that have only been hiked 2-3 times in the last 50 years. I also did a 3-day bikepacking trip to test out a new bike and take things in at a slower pace. I left the park with a list longer than before, a problem I seem to have in my favorite areas. I can’t wait to get back…

Peaks hiked: Silver, Barber, North Tower, South Tower, P5620, P5877, South Twin Butte, P5851, P5935, P5834, P5776, Mt Clark

Eris and I had a week to roam and mixed things up with short hikes, great camp spots, and abundant food. Weeks of perfect weather ended during our trip but we enjoyed the moodier landscape despite strong wind and near-freezing nights. We visited some new spots and old favorites – the lower Santa Rosas, Orocopia Wilderness, Joshua Tree, Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness, and the Salton Sea. In the Orocopia Mountains, we ran across a stone cabin hidden in the bend of a wash, cool unexpected find.

After cycling the Great Divide, my girlfriend picked me in Tucson with six days to explore Arizona. It was her first time in the state, I had fun showing her a few favorites and a few new spots as well. We visited Saguaro National Park, Mt Lemmon, Sedona, Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell, and hiked Cathedral Wash to the Colorado River, a short but fun scrambly hike that was a great finish before heading home.