2004 Guest Book Entries

Name: Samantha
Location: Berea, Kentucky
Date/Time: Wednesday, December 29, 2004 7:34:31 PM
Comments: My husband and I are trying to figure out what we want our first major hiking trip to be. I came across your page and have spent most of the evening reading some of your journal entries. Thanks so much for creating and keeping up with this site, it has been very helpful for us. We hope to visit the West Coast this summer...we just need to figure out where we want to trek at! Wish us luck. Take care.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. day hiking-Indian Fort, Berea, Kentucky
2. day hiking-Anglin Falls

Name: Corey
Location: Los Gatos, CA
Date/Time: , November 27, 2004 9:41:55 AM
Comments: Great web site. I look forward to attending some your hikes.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Niciene Marks, E-quake epicenter/5 finger falls
2. Pinnacles, west side? opposite side of main ent
3. Skyline to Sea trail

Name: Jonathan
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 8:25:44 PM
Comments: You are a genius, Kevin!
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Taking the tram to Victoria Peak (Hong Kong)
2. Climbing Mt. Fuji (Japan)
3. Up that incline to Cory from Sproul Gate

Name: McT
Location: sacramento, ca.
Date/Time: , October 30, 2004 8:42:01 AM
Comments: Thank you for the great pic's from fourth of july lake, It has been 30 years or better since i have been there. My folks would take us six kids camping at woods lake every summer and from there we would hike in to forth of july as well as Round, Frog and many other lakes. Thanks again Mc

Name: Dave
Location: Citrus Heights , CA
Date/Time: , October 23, 2004 5:06:00 PM
Comments: Awesome website. Thanks for sharing your experiences and photos. It is an incredible resource.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Halfdome 76,77 ,98,99 w/my dad, and again w/ my son
2. Mt. Whitney , cause I made it w/ my sons help
3. Loch Levin Lakes , favorite local day hike or snoeshoe

Name: Ali
Location: San Franicsco
Date/Time: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 9:16:58 PM
Comments: Impressive website. I just stumbled upon it when researching online. I can't wait to try out some of your recommended hikes! Take care. Cheers!

Name: Ellen
Location: PA
Date/Time: Thursday, October 7, 2004 1:05:43 PM
Comments: HiKevin, I read your story about Mt. Dana and I exprienced one of the scariest and nost thrilling moments in my life on top. Like you, my friends and I hiked to the summit, but we werent to concerned about the weather. When we reached the summit we decided instead of going down the way we came up lets go on the back side of Dana and then try to make our way over to the plateau. Half way to the plateau it began to snow and when we looked up and saw huge thunder clouds. Just before we hit the plateau it began to hail and thunder and lighting all around us. It was 4 of us all in good shape so instead of trying to wait out the storm 12000 feet up we decided to run for it. I couldnt see anything because of the hail and rain, but once when I looked up at my friend his long hair was standing completely on top of his head and everyones hands and feet were tingling. BAsically I thought one of us was not going to make it off the mountain. Thankfully we did though and it wasnt till I reached the road did I feel tired or out of breath or hurt ( I fell on my face 5 times). We ran for about an hour and a half and I have never felt my adrenline so high as that day. I give mountains my full respect now and always try to keep an eye on the weather and do things a little smarter. Anyway I just wanted to share my story because like you I know what if feels like to be on Dana during a storm. Good luck with all the rest of your adventures. Ellen
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Tuolumne Mdws to the Vally
2. Agnew meadows to 1000 Is. Lake
3. Ole Rag in West Virginia

Name: mb
Location: CA
Date/Time: Tuesday, October 5, 2004 5:13:31 PM
Comments: Nice site! Excellent pics!!!
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Canyon Creek (Trinity Alps)
2. Mt. Tallac (Tahoe)
3. Mt Sill (via North Coliour)

Name: Thom Doolittle
Location: Hemet, Ca., USA
Date/Time: Monday, September 27, 2004 2:05:55 PM
Comments: Two friends and I spent 6 nights hiking clockwise on the Rae Lakes Loop from 9/18 thru 9/24. Had a great trip. Your site gave me alot of good info for my first trip. We had snow Sunday & Monday nights (Woods Creek & Rae Lakes)and ran up to Kearsarge Lakes Tuesday. Saw two bears on the way to Paradise Vly, 1 in Paradise Vly. Also 14 or 15 deer. Temps down to upper teens above 10000' at night.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Rae Lakes Loop
2. San Gorgonio Summit via Fish Creek Trail
3. San Jacinto Summit via Fuller Ridge Trail

Name: Karen
Location: Berkeley, CA
Date/Time: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 4:06:20 PM
Comments: Great site! Lovely photos! I was looking at your Tinker Knob hike and hoping to do it this October with a few friends. Your notes on the trip are fun, the photos are awesome and I can't wait to see the view myself. Maybe I'll see your note in the registry.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Tuolomne Meadows: Spillway Lake
2. Half Dome from the Valley Floor
3. Dog Mountain (Oregon)

Name: Kevin K. Gong
Location: Hoffman Estates, Illinoins
Date/Time: Saturday, September 17, 2004 9:12:52 PM
Comments: Hi Kevin, I have found another Kevin Gong. Thanks for the website, I enjoy camping and you gave me some great new ideas.

Name: john cremer
Location: san francisco
Date/Time: Thursday, September 16, 2004 5:11:20 PM
Comments: Kevin -- thank you for sharing your excellent photos! You obviously love photography enough to lug all your gear up and down the trails, and we (even those who encourage you to lighten your pack) benefit from your results. Keep it up: You're doing good. I grew hiking in Mt. Hood / Columbia River area. Love hiking in the Sierra, and make at least one decent (3-day or longer) hike a year. I bring a simple, but good quality point & shoot camera and get good stuff, but I'm seriously considering going digital. Personally, if my pack weigh more than 40 lbs for a 3-day hike I start tossing stuff out! Happy hiking to you.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Eagle Creek to Mt. Hood (1970)
2. Yosemite: T. Meadows to valley via Half Dome
3. Emigrant Wilderness

Name: Nancy & Alex, Casa de la Cuma B&B
Location: Santa Fe
Date/Time: Tuesday, September 7, 2004 2:59:57 PM
Comments: Hi Kevin! My sister turned me on to your site...excellent. We just went to Valles Grande Caldera National Preserve, which just opened to the public, thanks to $$ from the Clinton era allocated to national parks. This lush, green, meadow-rich and wildlife-laden parkland is a must for all levels, in all weather conditions. At the moment they just have about 8 hikes available as they try to better study the impact visitors will have on this fragile environment. Check out the site www.vallescaldera.gov for more info. We live only 1 1/2 hours away, so this will become our regular retreat.

Name: Paul
Location: Sacramento
Date/Time: Sunday, September 5, 2004 3:16:52 PM
Comments: Hello Kevin! Just a short thank you note for your help with preparing for the Rae Lakes loop. We found the info very helpful. Keep up the good work!
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Mt. Langley
2. Rae Lakes Loop
3. Desolation Wilderness

Name: Aaron Clifton
Location: Long Beach California
Date/Time: Sunday, September 5, 2004 3:44:41 AM
Comments: Hiked most of the trials as a teen, was in the Boy Scouts Troop 99 (Camp Oh Ki Hi )growing up. Hiked the Summit via Packer Lake,going thru the Tamarack Lakes. Also hiked Deer Lake, Volcano Lake, also tried to reach an old mine above American Lake with others but was knock out from rock that fell. Did help with the construction of the decks of the Sand pond trials, when the beavers started to dam.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Deer Lake
2. Volcano Lake
3. The Old Mine above American Lake or Upper Sardine Lake

Name: Nicole F
Location: sacramento
Date/Time: , September 4, 2004 5:40:16 PM
Comments: Hi, I was looking for websites on Skyline Wilderness Park and came across your website. I just wanted to tell you that your pictures are beautiful! I love to take pictures too, but it's hard to get them that feeling of actually being there, as yours have. Keep up the nice work!

Name: Michael Barbarelli
Location: San Francisco, CA
Date/Time: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 2:33:17 PM
Comments: Thanks for your write up on Mt. Dana. I "bagged" it last month. And the experience was somewhat religious. Thanks go to you for schooling me on Tuolomne meadows. It may sound like a cliche, but it really is a wonderful place. If I could arrange it, I would be buried there. Heck, I'd even be happy if my corpse were to become food for the coyotes, bears, and marmots there.

Name: kas
Location: NY
Date/Time: Tuesday, August 17, 2004 8:42:03 PM
Comments: I rely like your web site, because it brings me a lot of good memories. Few times I and my wife went to California. It is really beautiful state. We visited Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Park… I hope I’ll go again soon … Thank you For sharing your traveling experience with other people…
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Rae Lakes Loop
2. Big Elk Lake
3. Emigrant Wilderness

Name: Peggy Hayes
Location: Buffalo, NY
Date/Time: Thursday, August 12, 2004 12:27:53 AM
Comments: awesome website - thanks for sharing your life and adventures!!!

Name: Stephen
Location: USA
Date/Time: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 11:05:44 AM
Comments: Fantastic work.

Name: Tia Lush
Location: London, UK
Date/Time: Wednesday, August 4, 2004 8:13:45 AM
Comments: Just wanted to commend you on a great website. My other half and I will be going to SF in August and I was googling for some hiking trails and came across your site. Great job, keep up the good work, we will try to attempt some of the hikes! Tia.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Arthur's Pass - South Island, New Zealand
2. Bodmin Moor, UK
3. Lake District

Name: Eric Jensen
Location: Palo Alto, California USA
Date/Time: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 4:39:30 PM
Comments: Kevin: Great website. I just did the Ellis Peak hike last week. Now I direct my friends to your gallery for the photos of the hike. Keep it up. I'll try some of your other hikes next time I'm in Tahoe.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Evolution Valley in Kings Canyon NP
2. Yolla Bolla Wilderness S fork of the Trinity river
3. Ellis Peak in Lake Tahoe

Name: Callum Hutchins
Location: San Francisco
Date/Time: Sunday, July 25, 2004 6:47:07 PM
Comments: Kevin- thank you for putting the Mt. Tallac page together. I did the hike by myself last year before I saw your web page, but this year I organized a group and your page was helpful.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Half-Dome in one day
2. Mt. Tallac

Name: Anna N. Bolla
Location: Richmond,CA USA
Date/Time: Monday, July 19, 2004 1:05:52 PM
Comments: My great grandparents lived for 40 years in a rustic cabin quite close (as the crow flies) to Letts Lake. The area is remarkable. We'd like to keep it that way... I find myself picking up beer cans & other garbage on the old "One-way Road" each time I travel up that way. Thank you for the beautiful photos of the Lake. It's one of my very favorite places.

Name: Randy Miles
Location: El Centro/CA/USA
Date/Time: Monday, July 12, 2004 12:16:09 AM
Comments: Great website. Your discription on the trails takes me there.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Angel's Landing, best day hike in the USA
2. San Jacinto, near Palm Springs, quick escape

Name: Matt Goldstein
Location: San Francisco/Boston
Date/Time: Sunday, July 11, 2004 10:24:41 PM
Comments: Thanks for the great information about Jennie Lakes--we just got back from a 2.5 day trip (7/11/04) and your site was helpful in planning. Jennie and Weaver Lakes were great temperatures for swimming--surprisingly warm. Anyone contemplating the hike should do the entire loop, rather than the out and back to Jennie. Looking forward to more hiking in KC/S area and while we loved Jennie Lake, are looking forward to some overnight trips with more mountain scenery (in Jennie Lake Wilderness, many of the views of the mountains to the East were obscured by the large trees, which was mildly disappointing). We also had a long argument about whether or not the peak at the southern end of the circuit is Mt. Sillman.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Mt. Sneffels (CO)
2. High Camps/Yosemite
3. Point Reyes--Bear Valley Ranger Station-Mt. Wittenberg-Arch Rock loop

Name: Joe
Location: Carson City
Date/Time: Saturday, July 9, 2004 3:59:21 PM
Comments: Get a free standing tent, no stakes or lines to string out. Taking the time to weigh credit cards and 20$ bills might be a reason why you're always late to the trail. Relax. It's a backpacking trip, not a chemistry final. Learn how to fix your water filter. Don't brush your with with boiling water. Leave the floss at home, it will be OK for 3 days. I'm guessing you are learning what stuff you don't need to bring. A 50lb. + pack is only for 7 day winter trips. Great web site, great pictures! Be careful though, you babes in the woods.

Name: Howard Jones
Location: St Albans, UK
Date/Time: Saturday, July 2, 2004 8:32:09 AM
Comments: Kevin, great site, with even better info! We've just got back from our honeymoon which took in Sequoia-Kings Canyon / Yosemite / San Fransisco and its nice to have memories refreshed. We never had time to do half-dome, but having seen the pictures there WILL be next time! You must come over here and have a dabble in Scotland's wild hills. Can't promise sunshine though...

Name: Lyd
Location: Alameda, CA.
Date/Time: Sunday, June 20, 2004 2:12:21 PM
Comments: What a great website for your fellow backpackers! I'm impressed with the miles you traveled and the awesome pictures! Thanks for your effort in promoting the beauty of the High Sierra.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Evolution Valley, Kings Canyon NP via Confusion Pass
2. Bench Lake via Taboose Pass

Name: John
Location: South Lake Tahoe CA
Date/Time: Sunday, June 20, 2004 1:29:23 PM
Comments: Sounds like you guys have a lot of fun, even for flatlanders. You might want to ditch the heart rate moniter and tripods, but not scattered all over Mt. Dana. It's not a race, it's just being in nature. Get some books by John Muir, and get into his mindset. Just a suggestion. Those rock shelters on the summit of Dana is where we spend the night on climbs by the way. Be careful out there, you guys sound a bit shakey at times on the rock.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Humphries Basin, Emerson and Muriel ascents.
2. Mt Dana overnight trips on summit
3. Sawtooth Peak, Mineral King SNP

Name: Mike B.
Location:
Date/Time: Thursday, June 17, 2004 3:23:43 AM
Comments: Have you ever been to the top of Mt. Hood at Sugarloaf Ridge SP in Sonoma? I noticed that in your journal entry about the park, you only mention an ascent to Bald Mountain. If you haven't done it yet, you've gotta take the Goodspeed trail to the top of Mt. Hood; It's to the west of Bald Mountain. The view from Gunsight Rock near the summit is well worth. A big pay off. Lot's of easy and scenic switchbacks to the top. After reading through a few of your journals, I have a feeling that you will love the view and sense of altitude you get from Gunsight Rock.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Elizabeth Lake, Tuolomne Meadows
2. 4 day pt. reyes excursion -- whole place
3. In the grassy hills behind our country home before the bulldozers came

Name: Chris
Location: Antioch, CA
Date/Time: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 3:11:33 PM
Comments: Kevin, what a great website! I have marked it as one of my personal favorites. Thanks for sharing this with us. You have given my friends and I some ideas of new places to explore. Great photos!
Top 3 Hikes:
1. The Narrows - Zion Natl Park
2. Jennie Lake
3. Aldercreek Falls - Yosemite Natl Park

Name: Gary Hegna
Location: Dublin, CA
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 15, 2004 10:33:06 AM
Comments: This is a butt kicker! I have completed many, many hikes in the Cascades including Mt. Rainier and I would rate the difficulty of this trail among the top 5. It is unrelenting in its punishment! I was most happy to return to the picnic grounds.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Camp Muir (Mt. Rainier)
2. Mt. Si (Cascades)
3. Marmott Pass (Olympics)

Name: Smitzo
Location: Brockport, NY
Date/Time: Monday, June 14, 2004 10:31:23 PM
Comments: Great matter-of-fact insight. Thanks Kevin. We're heading out to Utah (Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon, etc.) soon and your thoughts have given me some new ideas. Thanks again...

Name: Terje Albrektsen or just Mr.T
Location: Oslo Norway
Date/Time: Wednesday, June 9, 2004 3:35:03 PM
Comments: Thank you for sharing your breathtaking pictures. I have been around in a lot of this pretty places, and I cant wait to get back there. Have a great summer with a lot of fun and adwenture.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. The Portland Japanese Gardens
2. They are all good
3. They are all good

Name: Linda Blum
Location: Quincy, CA
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 1, 2004 9:36:26 AM
Comments: Kevin, might you be related to Prof. Walter Gong of San Jose State? My husband was a student of his. I found your Rae Lakes Loop site while searching for photos of Bubbs Creek Canyon. Your trip account is wonderful and has let me experience it vicariously while also giving me incentive and encouragement to try to go see for myself! I thank you very much for sharing both your beautiful photos and also your thoughts. Your relating the backcountry buzz about the World Trade Center is poignant and historically valuable. Thanks very much!
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Parker Pass Creek, in Tuolumne Mdws
2. Jamison Creek above Grass Lake, Plumas-Eureka State Park
3. Wind River Mtns

Name: Judy Newton
Location: sutter creek, ca
Date/Time: Thursday, May 20, 2004 11:15:48 PM
Comments: you have some absolutely beautiful photos and thank you for sharing!

Name: teunis
Location: Nijmegen (The Netherlands)
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 12, 2004 6:09:29 AM
Comments: Hi, Kevin. Great site! We're heading for a trip to the USA within three weeks. We will travel from Phoenix to Seattle and want to do a lots of hikes underway. In the last few days I've been preparing the trip by planning hikes in the parks we will visite. Your site has been most useful for this purpose. Especially the parts about Lassen, Rainier and Olympic. It seems to me your pictures and stories give a pretty good impression of the trips your made. Thank a lot fo all the effort you've put in it!
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Canyonlands NP, Lathrop trail
2. Glacier NP, Two medicine lakes trail
3. Pyrenees (France), port d'Aula

Name: Adrienne
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Date/Time: Monday, May 10, 2004 4:10:20 PM
Comments: Hey--nice to see your page on hiking up to the transmission towers past Sandy Wool lake. I'm Sandy's great granddaughter and recently spent a few days with family up on the old ranch, which used to be just about everything you can see from the crest of those hills. Woke up early one morning in my greatgrandpa's house and climbed to the top, both valleys covered in fog, and wondered who if anyone still came up there to see those views. I'm glad to know the trails are open to hikers! The ranch has been in the family for 5 generations, and we all have such great memories growing up there and visiting--even though its size has shrunk considerably, it's wonderful that most of the original property hasn't been developed, and can still be enjoyed. A nice surprise to find mention of it while cruising google for images of the ranch. Adrienne Schatz
Top 3 Hikes:
1. nameless little hikes in the Rockies & Cascades
2. Canyonlands Natnl. Park
3. Lion's Gulch, Rocky Mtn. Natnl.

Name: dennis lee
Location: buena park, ca
Date/Time: Saturday, May 7, 2004 9:40:15 PM
Comments: hats off you guys. my wife and i were encouraged hike during her pregnancy by looking at you two doing so, and now we're encouraged to take the baby along when the time comes. our first born is due in july, and my wife is itching to go somewhere again. her last hike was in kings canyon at 32 wks, and i don't think we'll go anywhere until we can take the baby with us. our unborn has many serious miles and elevations under his belt already though. i am glad that our doctor is not too restrictive^^. our biggest regret is not having doen john muir ahead of time. who knows when we'll ever be able to do it now... anyhow, thank you for a wonderful site, and i hope to gather more tips from you, especially now, about hiking with kids...
Top 3 Hikes:
1. rae lakes
2. rainier
3. halfdome

Name: Xavier
Location: Modesto, CA
Date/Time: Wednesday, April 28, 2004 10:31:39 AM
Comments: I love your big and bright pictures, they show alot of content in regaurds to the Oak/Grass Savana typical of the California hills. Keep up the good work.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. The Dardanelles/Emigrant Wilderness
2. Lower/Upper Bidwell Park (Starting from Downtown Chico)
3. Sonora Pass/PCT

Name: sandra chen
Location: fremont, CA
Date/Time: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 12:31:03 PM
Comments: I love your site. Since I'm new in hiking the bay area, it gave us a lot of info. Photos are aweson. what kind of camara are you using ? Can you also suggest good family camp sites too ? Thank you.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. point lobos
2. yosemite, vanal falls

Name: Michael Kisko
Location: Sacramento, CA
Date/Time: Thursday, April 15, 2004 5:30:54 PM
Comments: You have a great site here-- an awesome resource for researching hikes that I haven't been on. I also appreciate your enthusiasm for the great outdoors. My wife and I hike every Sunday-- the coast in winter and the Sierra in summer and fall. I hope to see you on the trail!
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Angel's Landing-Zion National Park, U

Name: Matt King
Location: Oakland, CA
Date/Time: Wednesday, April 14, 2004 11:41:00 PM
Comments: Your site is hard core, you are hard core, you sound like a pretty brilliant dude, and i must extend to you my "Awesome Dude of My Life" award. You, Kevin Gong, are my new personal hero. You take a very chronic picture my friend, and you lead a very chronic lifestyle from what i have seen (chronic is good). If i were a woman i would most certainly want to be the mother of your children.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Point Lobos, CA
2. Redwood Park
3. Sibley Volcanic Reserve

Name: Rob Wilkinson
Location: Venice, CA USA
Date/Time: Monday, April 12, 2004 4:17:36 PM
Comments: Love your site. Thank you so much for all of the effort and enthusiasm. My wife and I are planning a trip to Jennie Lakes Wilderness and I found your site througha a Yahoo search. Eureeka! Thanks again and keep up the good work!
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Kalalau Trail, Kauai
2. Kolob Arch, Utah
3. Anything along JMT

Name: Bill Templin
Location: Carmichael, CA, USA
Date/Time: Monday, April 12, 2004 7:58:20 AM
Comments: Hi Kevin, It must be that time of year. I just revisited your site for the first time in years and was reminded of those beautiful Kings Canyon photos that you shared with us so long ago. If you go back and get any more that you can share, please let us know. How about a trip up to Volcanic Lakes? That is a loop that I'm still looking for someone to take with me. Happy Trails, :-) Bill Templin Friends of the South Fork Kings River
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Rae Lakes
2. Emigrant Wilderness
3. Sequoia - Kings Canyon

Name: Monica Wandro
Location: Arroyo Grande, Ca.
Date/Time: Saturday, April 9, 2004 10:27:00 PM
Comments: Hi Kevin! I am still enjoying your site, this time researching your Zion hikes as we're headed there next month. I always enjoy keeping track of what you three are up to, and of course never tire of re-reading your Rae Lakes Loop story and the adventures we shared. Your site improves all the time, keep up the good work!
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Rae Lakes Loop, Kings Canyon
2. Sawtooth Pass/Little &Big 5 Lakes/Black Rock Pass
3. Rincon de La Vieja Parque de Nacional Costa Rica

Name: SteveO
Location: El Dorado Hills, Ca
Date/Time: Saturday, April 9, 2004 12:42:07 PM
Comments: Thank you for taking the time to maintain this site. You do an excellent job, and the photos are first rate. Your Bay Area hikes are right on.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Mount Diablo, CA
2. Santiago Peak, Orange County, CA
3. Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara, CA

Name: Eric
Location: San Carlos, CA
Date/Time: , April 3, 2004 5:46:12 PM
Comments: Congrats on the newborn. I was wondering why the # of hikes had gone down last 2 years... Awesome site...I use your site frequently as a resource to research hikes and trips. We used your NZ information extensively earlier this year...even stayed at the Kaimuru Farm Stay! The Routeburn writeup had me and my wife scared off a little, but we were very fortunate to have better weather. On a separate note, I know one of the friends on your site (Cammy), so I guess there's two degrees of separation between us.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Routeburn Track, New Zealand
2. Lake O'Hara Alpine Circuit, Canada
3. Paria Canyon, Utah

Name: Marni
Location: California
Date/Time: Monday, March 29, 2004 2:48:57 PM
Comments: Kevin, I found you when doing a search on Sunol Wilderness area, did your Maguire Loops trail with some frineds and two dogs. Everyone loved it. I was thrilled to find your info, and when I have time will spend much more time perusing your pages. I also love your photos, and was amazed to read of Galen Rowell's death--how had I missed that? I'd gone to one of his lectures years ago, on Tibet, and always envied him. He had such a wonderful life, a passion for what he did, and respect and adulation for the quality of his images. His death is indeed a huge loss. I am really writing to thank you for taking the time to do this site. Happy hikes to you in the future! I'm so glad that I found you! BTW, it is impossible to limit best hikes to only 3....
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Hikes when river rafting the Grand Canyon
2. Annapurna Circuit (from Dumre to Pokhara) Nepal
3. Pinnacles National Monument, yesterday 3/28/2004

Name: Gary
Location: NE OREGON
Date/Time: Sunday, March 28, 2004 9:58:14 PM
Comments: Found your site via the Poly connection. Before I retired 10 yrs. ago, I was having my students use polys in our math classes. Very simple but challenging. Most of the kids enjoyed the competitions. Your program certainly has expanded the possibilities and variations on a theme. I enjoyed the photo gallery too. Well composed pictures with lots of impact. Yes, I taught photography as well a math. As for the hiking... 30 yrs. ago I discovered horses. My wife and I now raise and train TWH's for backcountry journeys. I ride out of our pastures through our neighbor's holdings and into the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area. We have about 60 more days until we can travel the lower trails... snow depth is currently 65" to over 100" depending on the elevation. Winter storm damage to the trails over the past six years has been especially bad. Equestrian groups working with hiking clubs will be busy this spring sawing (hand saws only) the wind damaged trees and relocating trails away from sensitive areas throughout the PNW . If you are looking for new area to hike in, you might give N.E. Oregon a look/see. Most of the high lake country is snow free by the first week in July. May the eagle of happiness preceed you path. Gary
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Trail #2000 Cascade Crest from Mt. Adams to the Canadian border
2. White River / Indian Creek Loop Wenachee Ranger District
3. Miniam River to Indian Crossing (Imnaha River) Eagle Cap Wilderness

Name: Mark Bradshaw
Location: Pleasant Hill, CA
Date/Time: Saturday, March 26, 2004 3:52:43 PM
Comments: I was looking for info regarding the Sunol through Ohlone Wilderness to Del Valle and ran across your page. Was very insightful, thanks for the info. I'm leading a group of Boy Scouts through there soon for a "shake down" hike prior to our 50 miler this summer. I was wondering if there was a location to get water on the morning of the 3rd day.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. John Muir Trail, 7/1983
2. Skyline to the Sea, Berry Falls Loop, 3/2004
3. Tomales Point, 1/2004

Name: Mufi
Location: Miami, Florida
Date/Time: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 1:19:36 PM
Comments: Great program Chess Browser for the Mac. The only thing that would be better is a bigger chess board (style like Fritz for example). But good job, it's great people do chess programs for the Mac OS X, good for you!

Name: GottaWalk (Ken & Marcia)
Location: Pleasanton, CA
Date/Time: Saturday, March 19, 2004 11:58:23 AM
Comments: What a great site! I have scoured the web looking for hiking related material. A Venture Scout sent your site to me this morning. I had other things to do today but they will have to wait! Search on our names and sign our guest book(s). I really hope we meet out on the trail ...GottaWalk
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Continental Divide Trail Mex-Can 2002
2. Pacific Crest Trail Mex-Can 2000
3. Appalachian Trail Ga-Me 2003

Name: Steve
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Date/Time: Thursday, March 4, 2004 8:16:55 PM
Comments: Me again. Sorry. I only saw your first story on Mount Tallac before I left the previous message. I now see you really have been to Gilmore Lake, although, unfortunately, you met with lightning rather than turkeys. Forced descents to escape lighting storms are never the way to see the world, of course. And that last trudge along the rocky road... yep, that's a killer... that's why I go clockwise, in order to start with it rather than end with it. Hike on! (I also see you got to the Hoh Rain Forest. Pity you didn't make it to Hurricane Ridge. :-).
Top 3 Hikes:
1. See Below

Name: Steve
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Date/Time: Thursday, March 4, 2004 7:38:37 PM
Comments: Your story and pictures of Mt. Tallac brought back some memories! But it sounds like you came down the same way you went up. DUDE! You need to do the whole circuit! I prefer clockwise, which takes you through the TRUE Desolation Wilderness around back before you finally, suddenly (and unexpectedly) "top out" to the glorious views you describe. You'll see wildlife around back, for sure (mosquitoes if nothing else :-)). Actually, we had a couple grouse or turkeys, we're not birders so we didn't know what, exactly, just ADOPT our hiking party and babble away walking with the rest of us for 100 yards or so near Gilmore Lake like it was something they do every day. (No, we were not hallucinating.) You even get to tell people you hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (at least for a while), the Appalachian Trail's lonely step-sister stretching from Mexico to Canada. So if you think the trail is a 10, think again - on your scale, you've still got an 11-1/2 waiting for you. But if you want a 12, you've got to try Hurricane Ridge in Washington State. Hurricane Ridge. You drive up to the trailhead and get a first inkling that this place is something special, as fawns gambol in a meadow of purple clover against a backdrop of stratosphere resolving from delphinium blue, to pale white, to jagged-toothed, snow-capped, top-of-the-planet Cascades (the pictures cannot do it justice). Olympic is a droll understatement here. The carpets of wildflowers. The Rainier cherries fresh from the roadside stand (why have they never tasted quite as juicy and delicious since?). The marmots badgering the bear; the bear getting even; I'm sure she must have; eventually. Hurricane Ridge. Where sea and rock and sky and cloud merge to impart an overwhelming and profound doubtlessness that all is as it should be... Anyway... Thanks for listening. Back to work!
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Hurricane Ridge
2. Rim-to-rim Grand Canyon
3. Mount Tallac

Name: Denis
Location: Albania
Date/Time: Thursday, March 4, 2004 5:56:10 PM
Comments: Very nice site... appreciate the isprime java applet, i use it all the time. Awesome pictures also! Wish i could give feedback on the hiking site, but unfortunately i am not a hiking person. regards, Denis

Name: marie
Location: aberdeen,washington
Date/Time: , February 21, 2004 8:45:07 PM
Comments: thanks for your website! i really enjoyed it!
Top 3 Hikes:
1. blue mountains,australia
2. around banff/lake louise, canada
3. columbian river gorge,oregon

Name: Jim
Location:
Date/Time: Saturday, February 13, 2004 10:41:54 AM
Comments: Your pictures and notes on the Mount Tallac hike were great. I did the same hike in July '98 (see ****worldlynx.net/theplace/d1.htm) Even though I was there in early July, there was snow - the area shown in your third picture (start of the big climb) was all snow-covered due to a late jun snowfall!
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Reed Lakes Trail, Hatcher Pass near Palmer Alaska
2. Tent Rocks, New Mexico
3. Eagle Lake Trail, Desolation Wilderness,Lake Tahoe

Name: Steve Britton
Location: Kingsburg, CA
Date/Time: Saturday, February 6, 2004 11:03:05 AM
Comments: Just found your web site and Rae Lakes Loop story. My wife and I did that loop back in '90 and your pics brought back good memories. In fact some of the sites are almost identical to where I stood to take my same pics. We did the loop in 4 nights, (1)Middle Paradise, (Woods Creek Jct.), (3)Rae Lakes, (4)Junction Meadow. We also bypassed Charlotte Lake. We are planning on doing the loop again this summer with our children, 18 & 13. We had a bear with cub on the trail half way up Woods Creek trail and then a huge male bear at Junction Meadow. Your photography is fantastic. You should try some of the loops out of Mineral King.
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Rae Lakes Loop
2. Sawtooth Pass-Little Five Lakes Loop
3. Half Dome

Name: Paul Grammens
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Date/Time: Saturday, January 30, 2004 11:53:58 AM
Comments: Hi Kevin, I found your page while looking for info on Snow Mt. Thanks a lot for putting this together. I've done many of the hikes you list, but I'm going to try some of the new ones. It's a wonderful thing to get ideas for new explorations. To return the favor, I suggest a return to the Emmigrant Wilderness. Go a little south of your listed trip- from Louse Canyon, climb to Rosasco Lake, then to Pingree Lake. Then to Big Lake. Maybe return via Hiatt Lake. It doesn't get any better than that. Thanks again, -Paul
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Emigrant Wilderness, Big Lake basin.
2. Minaret

Name: KevinW
Location: Kirkwood,CA
Date/Time: Monday, January 26, 2004 4:00:49 PM
Comments: Hey Kev, nice site. Love the pictures. Only thing is, there is a summit register on the top of Round Top. You have to scramble the 30ft boulder on top to get to the actual summit. If on the top facing East in the side of the boulder are a couple old climbing anchors, follow these up and theres a cairn ontop. Sign away. Now you have to go back! :)
Top 3 Hikes:
1. Whitney
2. Round Top
3. Tallac

Name: Mac
Location: United Kingdom
Date/Time: Thursday, January 8, 2004 3:14:05 PM
Comments: Great Site. I subscribe to a FREE weekly E-newsletter from the California BLM called "newsbytes" a great source of information on the Public lands ****ca.blm.gov/caso/getnewsbytes.html To see list of Hiking Trails on Public Lands in California: ****ca.blm.gov/caso/trails_intro.html
Top 3 Hikes:
1. King Range
2. Owens Peak
3. Cache Creek


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