#Mount Whitney elevation

[wanderguidehub]

Hiking Mount Whitney: Your Comprehensive Guide to Conquering California's Highest Peak

Encounter the thrilling challenge of hiking Mount Whitney, the highest summit in California, with our comprehensive guide. This resource provides you with step-by-step instructions, practical advice, and insider tips to ensure a safe and unforgettable adventure. Whether you’re an experienced mountaineer or a novice hiker, you’ll find everything you need for this exhilarating journey right here.…

[rabbitcruiser]

Mount Shasta, CA

Mount Shasta is a potentially active volcano at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California. At an elevation of 14,179 ft (4,322 m), it is the second-highest peak in the Cascades and the fifth-highest in the state. Mount Shasta has an estimated volume of 85 cubic miles (350 cubic kilometers), which makes it the most voluminous stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. The mountain and surrounding area are part of the Shasta–Trinity National Forest.

The origin of the name "Shasta" is vague, either derived from a people of a name like it or otherwise garbled by early Westerners. Mount Shasta is connected to its satellite cone of Shastina, and together they dominate the landscape. Shasta rises abruptly to tower nearly 10,000 feet (3,000 m) above its surroundings. On a clear winter day, the mountain can be seen from the floor of the Central Valley 140 miles (230 km) to the south. The mountain has attracted the attention of poets, authors, and presidents.

The mountain consists of four overlapping dormant volcanic cones that have built a complex shape, including the main summit and the prominent and visibly conical satellite cone of 12,330 ft (3,760 m) Shastina. If Shastina were a separate mountain, it would rank as the fourth-highest peak of the Cascade Range (after Mount Rainier, Rainier's Liberty Cap, and Mount Shasta itself).

Mount Shasta's surface is relatively free of deep glacial erosion except, paradoxically, for its south side where Sargents Ridge runs parallel to the U-shaped Avalanche Gulch. This is the largest glacial valley on the volcano, although it does not now have a glacier in it. There are seven named glaciers on Mount Shasta, with the four largest (Whitney, Bolam, Hotlum, and Wintun) radiating down from high on the main summit cone to below 10,000 ft (3,000 m) primarily on the north and east sides. The Whitney Glacier is the longest, and the Hotlum is the most voluminous glacier in the state of California. Three of the smaller named glaciers occupy cirques near and above 11,000 ft (3,400 m) on the south and southeast sides, including the Watkins, Konwakiton, and Mud Creek glaciers.

Source: Wikipedia

[pin-striped-soup]

Continental USA Elevation Map.

The tallest summit in the contiguous lower 48 states, Mount Whitney stands at 14,494 feet and is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The lowest point on land in the United States can be found in Death Valley in California. Badwater Basin is an endorheic basin with a depth of 282 ft (86 m) below sea level.

[bluecatwriter]

I was feeling nostalgic today so I went through some old photos of me and my spouse... omg we are so cute I can't even stand it. ;D

Here we are in 2014 smooching on top of Mount Whitney (elevation 14,505 feet/4,421 meters, the tallest mountain in the lower 49 states). We hiked like eight hundred miles from Mexico to get there and then we hiked another almost two thousand miles to get to Canada from there. We didn't even kill each other along the way. That's true love.

[pcttrailsidereader]

Worth a Repeat

Identifying one of the 'gems' of the PCT in the opinion of many associated with the trail is the 213.7 mile John Muir Trail through the Sierra. The John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail are co-mingled for about 160 of those total miles. If you walk the John Muir Trail (JMT) you are also walking a big part the PCT. The JMT makes its way through Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequioa National Parks before reaching Mount Whitney.

The JMT's length has a total elevation gain of approximately 47,000 feet. The vast majority of the trail is within the Ansel Adams and John Muir Wildernesses and also includes the Devils Postpile National Monument. The trail passes through large swaths of alpine and high mountain scenery. The route lies almost entirely at or above 8,000 feet in elevation.

We hiked the JMT back in 2012. It remains in my memory as one of the more challenging hikes I have ever done. It also holds a place as one of my proudest backcountry accomplishments. I recall the numerous high passes and steep canyons as all contributing toward pushing me beyond my perceived limits. Sharing this experience with my longtime hiking partners Jim Peacock and Rees Hughes greatly influences how I remember the time we spent on the JMT/PCT.

Looking back on this experience I feel a draw to return. Granted, we hiked the JMT in a low snow year. This made the passes and water crossings friendlier. Whether or not that has an influence on my thinking is hard to say. Even in a low snow year the challenges faced by hikers in high snow years with deep snow and fast and deep water was not lost on me or my partners.

Whether or not it is a high or low snow year the frequency of late afternoon thunderstorms remain. These events significantly added to our memory of the JMT. Particularly two fateful afternoons at Helen Lake and Guitar Lake where we were pummeled by heavy rain and hail and far too many close lightning strikes that have become a 'famous' feature of our JMT story.

The string of challenging passes encountered on the JMT is another reason I am feeling a renewed draw to this trail. Did I struggle getting myself over some of those high points? I did but I also remember the exhilaration of reaching each of the passes. Timing our approaches to the different passes and getting to the next place was integral to our overall success and not to mention our safety. I still get excited talking to people about crossing over Forester Pass. Getting to and going over the highest point on the PCT was more than a milestone.

Whether or not I respond to the call of the JMT remains to be seen. Like so many books and so little time, trails can be much the same. There are so many places I imagine visiting or like the JMT revisiting, knowing that I only have so much time to devote to these endeavors. Nevertheless the feelings of exuberance and accomplishment I felt in 2012 have stayed with me. At the time my partners and I described our experience on the JMT as a pilgrimage. Like so many meaningful pilgrimages they bear repeating.

[hikeforfunandfitness]

Exploring the Trails of Sequoia National Park: A Hiker's Guide

Sequoia National Park, located in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, is a hiker's paradise. With over 800 miles of trails to explore, there's no shortage of opportunities to get out into nature and experience the stunning beauty of this iconic park. From easy strolls to challenging multi-day treks, Sequoia National Park California has something for hikers of all skill levels. In this article, we'll take a closer look at some of the top hiking trails in Sequoia National Park and offer tips for planning your own adventure.

The Congress Trail is a popular choice for hikers looking to experience the park's iconic giant sequoia trees. This 2.5-mile loop takes hikers through a grove of some of the largest and oldest trees in the world, including the General Sherman Tree, which is the largest tree on earth by volume. The trail is relatively flat, making it a great option for families or those looking for an easy walk. Be sure to bring your camera - the sheer size and majesty of these trees is a sight to behold.

For more challenging hiking options, the Lakes Trail offers stunning views of alpine lakes and rugged mountain scenery. This 8-mile out-and-back trail starts at the Wolverton trailhead and climbs steadily through forested slopes before reaching the first lake, Heather Lake. From there, hikers can continue on to Emerald Lake and Pear Lake, both of which offer breathtaking vistas of the surrounding peaks. The Lakes Trail is a popular destination for backpackers, with campsites available along the way.

For those looking for a true wilderness adventure, the High Sierra Trail is a must-do. This 72-mile trail traverses the Sierra Nevada mountains from east to west, starting in Sequoia National Park California and ending at the summit of Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States. The trail passes through a diverse range of landscapes, from giant sequoia groves to high alpine meadows, and offers unparalleled views of some of the most stunning scenery in the region. The High Sierra Trail is a strenuous trek that typically takes 5-10 days to complete, so be sure to plan accordingly and obtain the necessary permits before setting out.

No matter which trail you choose, it's important to come prepared for hiking in Sequoia National Park. The park's high altitude and rugged terrain can pose challenges for even experienced hikers. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your adventure:

Check the weather: The weather in the Sierra Nevada mountains can be unpredictable, so be sure to check the forecast before you head out. Thunderstorms are common in the summer months, and snow can fall at higher elevations even in the spring and fall. Bring appropriate clothing and gear to stay warm and dry, and be prepared to adjust your plans if the weather takes a turn.

Pack plenty of water and snacks: Hiking in the mountains can be strenuous, and it's important to stay hydrated and nourished. Bring plenty of water and snacks to keep your energy levels up. If you're planning a longer hike, consider bringing a water filter or purification tablets to treat water from streams or lakes along the way.

Take it slow: The altitude in Sequoia National Park California can be challenging for some visitors, especially if you're coming from lower elevations. Take your time and acclimate to the altitude before embarking on more strenuous hikes. It's also important to listen to your body - if you start to feel dizzy or short of breath, take a break and rest.

Leave no trace: As with any wilderness area, it's important to follow the principles of Leave No Trace when hiking in Sequoia National Park. Pack out all trash and waste, and avoid

[shamandrummer]

Vagabonding as a Spiritual Path

The natural world is my muse and sanctuary -- a place for refuge and discovery. My most memorable moments have been in the outdoors. I have hiked thousands of miles of trails through forests, deserts and mountains. Having spent much of my life traveling and trekking, I still crave adventure and new experiences. Vagabonding or nomadic wandering is a unique way of living, a spiritual path to authenticity, self-awareness and solitude. Solitude allows time for self-examination, relaxation away from urban stress, and a chance to meditate, contemplate, or just zone out for hours at a time. Many of my most memorable experiences took place during solo journeys into Nature. The longer the solo immersion, the more transformational the experience.

In October 2011, I felt Spirit calling me. I felt compelled to travel to the sacred sites and power places that beckoned me. I followed my intuition and deepest instincts. I traveled with my drum and medicine bundle to shamanize the meridian system of Mother Earth's numinous web, which is the planetary counterpart to the acupuncture meridian system of the human body. At the intersection points of the planet's energy web exist holy places, power spots, or acupuncture points. Like acupuncture needles, humans are capable of maintaining the harmonious flow of the planetary energy meridians by making an Earth connection at power places.

Many magical things happened during my two month pilgrimage. I camped at Panther Meadows on Mount Shasta. I hiked among the oldest living things on the Earth in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. I soaked in the healing waters of Umpqua, Buckeye, Travertine, Whitmore, and Keough Hot Springs. Indigenous people worldwide believe that where fire and water mix at a hot spring is a sacred place. A water deity, usually a goddess, resides in each spring. People make pilgrimages to thermal springs to connect with the goddess and to supplicate the benefits of her healing graces. The sacred ambience of the place, its geothermal energy and the pilgrim's relationship to it, is sufficient to fulfill the pilgrim's aspirations.

I ventured south through California and explored the Owens Valley area on the east side of the Sierra Nevada crest. Before returning home in early December, I planned a four day desert exploration. On day one, I visited the Sleeping Lizard, which is an ancient vision quest site located in the Volcanic Tablelands north of Bishop. This site is sacred to the Owens Valley Paiute people, who use alcoves in the rock for vision quests. I took a journey back in time to visit the ancient ones who etched petroglyphs in the volcanic rock.

Next, I drove up the Whitney Portal Road towards the trailhead that hikers climb up to Mount Whitney. Unfortunately the road to the trailhead was closed for the winter. I backtracked down the road and camped in the Alabama Hills, located in the shadow of Mount Whitney just west of Lone Pine. The rounded weathered contours of the reddish-orange foothills contrast with the sharp ridges of the Sierra Nevada to the west. Throughout the last century, the Alabama Hills have appeared in hundreds of films and commercials. During my visit, a Quintin Tarantino project (Django Unchained) was being shot there.

In one day I drove from Mount Whitney (the sacred masculine), the tallest mountain in the continuous 48 states, into Death Valley (the sacred feminine), the lowest elevation in North America. Shortly after entering Death Valley National Park, I took an eight-mile detour north along the Saline Valley Road to visit a Joshua Tree forest at Lee Flat. The Saline Valley Road is very rough and progress was slow, but I eventually reached the magical forest. A cold wind buffeted me each time I left the confines of my truck to hike and photograph the forest. I would have camped here for the night if not for the high elevation and bitter cold wind. I camped instead at Panamint Springs Resort, 22 miles inside the western border of Death Valley National Park.

The following day, I explored Darwin Falls and the remote Panamint Valley adjacent to Death Valley. I camped for the next few days at the far northeast end of the South Panamint Dry Lake, a small wetland, grassland, dune system and mesquite bosque. The warm sulfur springs of this desert oasis provide habitat for frogs, shore birds, marsh hawks, and wild burros. A short-eared owl visited my campsite each evening at dusk. The stars bathed the cold desert in a warm glow. Few things are more serene than the deep stillness of the desert on a starry night. In that stillness, I am reborn, forever changed.

Oh, how I love vagabonding. Shamanism is deeply rooted in Nature and a nomadic lifestyle. The emphasis is on the individual, of breaking free and discovering one's own uniqueness in order to bring something new back to the group. Like drumming, nomadic wandering alters your ordinary everyday awareness. It is another means of habitual pattern disruption for reimprinting on alternate realties. When you leave home, meet new people, experience new stimuli, and process new information, you're soon intoxicated on a natural high. As Ed Buryn, the godfather of modern vagabonding puts it, "Vagabonding is nothing less than reality transformation, and its power is not to be underestimated."

[bouldiaries]

I’ve finally consolidated my work schedule which has allowed me the time to do more of the things I want to do. It’s been hard to gather up the motivation to do the things that I love after working 60ish hours a week for the past two years. The burnout has made it hard to do anything other than casual workouts and a whole lot of TV watching. Yesterday I checked off the second tallest mountain in the contiguous 48 states (after Mt. Whitney), which makes it the tallest mountain in Colorado. While technically easy, it was still 10 miles and just under 4,500 feet of elevation gain at high altitude. For this couch potato it was a slow and grueling day. It was also extremely motivating. Even during the exhausting knee pounding decent, I was thinking about which peaks I would summit next. Here’s to the next one(s). #colorado #14er #rockymountains #highpoint #hiking #climbing #adventure #explore #nature #mountain #summer #sawatch #mtelbert (at Mount Elbert) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce7gRrNMjOW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[travelistme]

12 Things to know before hiking Mount Whitney

12 Things to know before hiking Mount Whitney

Existing as the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney is located in California and stands at a whopping 14,505 feet (4421 meters) tall. Featuring a 22.5 mile out-and-back trail involving a 6,656 foot elevation gain, hiking Mount Whitney is on virtually every hiker’s bucket list. Although gruelling, the experience is highly rewarding and the summit views are nothing short…

[weirdlandtv]

Like the 1960s generation had The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan, the Big Three of the 1980s were Prince, Michael Jackson, and Madonna. Their new albums weren’t just song collections, they were messages uttered by the Oracle up on the mountain, echoing across the valley. They were events, statements, re-incarnations. Each new album presented a new persona for fans to imitate and for critics to evaluate, or, in the case of Prince, decipher. (Artists, back then, had to change with each new release or else be considered irrelevant. David Bowie entered the 1980s a smart yuppie, George Michael in the span of 7 years went from sparkling teen idol to sensitive, searching biker cowboy.)

Michael Jackson and Prince were regarded as rival gods, with the former more commercially successful but the latter preferred by most serious music critics (though in reality, fans, like me, liked both). Michael Jackson played games with tabloid journalists, who in turn responded with growing hostility; Prince played pranks on music critics, who wilfully allowed themselves to be deceived and wowed by this inscrutable prodigy.

Michael Jackson’s Avalon was Neverland, a fantasy dream that always invited ridicule (though not from me); Prince’s Mount Olympus was Paisley Park, a place deemed so mythical that fans constructed their own maps from the few photos and bits of footage that existed of it, and then endlessly speculated on what life was like inside of it: the parties, the concerts, sacred rituals, whisperings, the spontaneous nightly sessions. “Did you know,” they’d say, wide-eyed, “Prince has this huge vault of original masters and unreleased music right under Paisley Park? Only he knows the key code.” Whole albums (all masterpieces of course) had disappeared into that vault, never to be heard by ordinary mortals. And he never slept: nobody had ever caught him sleeping. He just went on and on, creating music. That was Prince, the enigmatic wonder, the living love symbol, and flamboyant question mark.

I still find it strange to realize so many of the artists I just mentioned, who so energetically populated my childhood and early teens, are dead. Michael Jackson, Prince, David Bowie, and George Michael all died within 7 years of each other; but there’s also Whitney Houston, Freddie Mercury, Kurt Cobain, and so many more. (Compare 1960s giants Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan, who are still touring and releasing records.)

When Prince died, a little more than three years ago today, I was on Texel, an island to the north of Holland, where I live. I checked my phone, checked the news, like you so stupidly do every now and then, and then saw the incredible headline. A sunny day, clouds seemed to appear that moment. Some people love celebrity deaths and follow juicy rumor sites about who punched who and who stepped out of the limo without their knickers on; me, I get depressed. It’s like having swallowed a stone. The sensationalist cries around every celeb death to me are like a beehive of bad vibes, a pest, and I have to stay away from it as far as possible if I want to protect my mental health, or what’s left of it. Prince’s death made me take things slow for a week or so. I have to mentally chew on such things, change my settings, ease into the new reality, let my heart adjust to its new weight. I’ve often had to deal with death in my life, sometimes it’s as if every high-profile death shocks me back into that familiar feeling of dread and despair.

Though Michael Jackson’s Neverland has turned into a derelict theme park that carries the curse of being unsellable, Prince’s Paisley Park has become a museum. Occasionally, browsing the internet, I see photos of it, and I’m always struck, kind of uneasily, about how soulless it seems. What does the lair of an extravagant hermit look like? What did I expect? Not something that looks like the atrium of a New Age company maybe. Looking at the interior, those sad police photos that were released last year, I can’t help but see the stupendous mundanity of it all. The building itself, somewhere in a suburb outside of Minneapolis, resembles a bunker, and though the pyramid skylights, that vaguely resemble guard towers, provide some natural light, the rest of the building is artificially lit, but dark. The recording studio is just that. Some of the walls have sayings like “Everything You Think Is True”. Stained glass with stars, clouds, and guitars. There’s a potted plant here, and an ugly tangle of phone cords in the corner there. Prince’s bedroom was sparse with empty green walls, and a plastic trash can you can buy at your local Walmart (but he never slept of course). The legendary vault reminds me of the storage room of my dad’s old electronics company, with its disorderly shelves and half-opened cardboard boxes. And everywhere, in every corridor and every space, there’s Prince iconography, but it’s rather bland, like the cover of a cheap unofficial biography.

For Prince, it must have been strange living in your own mausoleum.

The music that came from that place though. I believe PARADE (1986) was the first full album he recorded there, and then everything that came afterwards. My uncle was a real Prince fanatic, taking a slew of albums with him whenever he stayed with us, bootlegs too, so from an early age I became quite well-versed in all things Prince. Bits of his lyrics are as familiar to me as old family sayings. Personal favorites are the albums 1999 (1982), BATMAN (1989), and the LOVE SYMBOL ALBUM (1992). I like the street-smart humor of his early stuff, the raw passion, the in-your-face sex metaphors, with symbols as loud as cymbals, just the wild mercury sound of it; later on, his work became more spiritual, and harder for me to follow. His whole being though was music, every movement was a melody, every step a beat; he created music the way other people breathe. He had more songs in him than a duck has quacks. If you listen to the posthumous release, PIANO AND A MICROPHONE 1983, it’s as if the piano, microphone and artist aren’t three separate things, but one organism, bleeding and generating music; it features some wonderful, loose playing. It seems to me that towards the end of his life, in physical pain and unable to play a piano or guitar unless stuffed with elephant tranquilizers, he started to drift, and drift further, until he fell over the edge.

Like Bob Dylan, whose mystique and inaccessibility he shared, Prince had a habit of frustrating his fans, by deliberately excluding a great song from an otherwise so-so album and storing it in his vault, or by making his music hard to buy or even find (online, before he died, there was almost nothing). That’s one reason I kind of stopped following him; the other is the depressing decline of his songwriting since the 1990s. Looking at his later albums, which I first dutifully bought until I didn’t anymore, there’s hardly anything I really like. None of the best-of compilations collect anything from after the 90s. What happened? Age is part of it of course. A decline in quality is inevitable, most musical artists do their best work in their 20s and 30s. It’s also possible Prince’s brand of singing about his women like they are divine vaginas simply went out of style. Once cheeky and outrageous (his work was why Parental Advisory stickers were invented), his songs no longer shock us 21st centurians. We’ve seen so much already. Dirty sex wasn’t the only topic he sang about of course (far from it), but it’s the one he pushed forward the most as part of his image; his “royal badness” was part of his appeal. (The BATMAN soundtrack originally was going to feature Michael Jackson as Batman, the force of good, and Prince as the Joker, representing decadence, sin, evil.)

But his supposed “badness” was an act of course. The cocky poses, flashy gestures and mean diva looks were an obvious shield against the outside world, a theatrical defense mechanism. An attempt to dazzle people before they can get to you. When you’re shy—and he of course was the shyest—you feel like everyone is constantly watching you, and you become overly aware of how you look, how you walk, how you come across; you are constantly aware of your physical being taking up space. So what do you do when you’re an artist? You perform. Everything you do becomes a kind of performance, a conscious act. It gives you a feeling of control: you know why people are watching, because you’re making them watch you. But the essence of it is always shyness and nerves.

There’s something endearing about that 1983 footage of him being invited on stage for an impromptu jam by James Brown, who a few minutes earlier had invited Michael Jackson up. Ready to upstage his rival, who had just performed some killer moves, Prince takes the stage, struts, plays some random riffs, struts some more, suddenly takes off his jacket and does some tricks with the microphone stand, claps to whip up the audience—and then as he wants to make a fast and sudden exit, he clumsily goes down knocking over a prop, stage hands hastily arriving from all sides to help him up.

He died in an elevator near the lobby, but the spot itself has been covered up by a new wall (it’s near the watchful eyes in the third image). I keep wondering what happened. Was he making his way down to the ground floor from his production offices, or was he going up from the recording studio to his bedroom to maybe sleep? One associate, questioned by police, stated that Prince had told her he “was depressed, enjoyed sleeping more than usual and was incredibly bored”, and that at his last concert, he felt like he was going to fall asleep on stage. Those were rare remarks. An intensely private person, he mostly hid his problems, not just from others, but even from himself. The end, then, was inevitable. As with Michael Jackson six years before, the drugs relieved him of his pain, and then of his life.

He never slept, and when he did, it was 4ever.

[airmanisr]

Vought XF4U by Willard Womack Via Flickr: The Corsair first flew in 1940 and was the first fighter built with the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine. It became the first single engine airplane to exceed four hundred miles per hour, proving that an airplane with a redial engine could fly fast. By the time production ended in 1953, over twelve thousand had been built in sixteen different models, making it the longest produced plane in American history. The XF4U (X-experiential, F- Fighter, 4-fourth one built by, U-Vought), owed its unorthodox looks to the large propeller needed to absorb the power from the two thousand horse power engine. For carrier landings, it required a very strong landing gear. By building the wings in the inverted gull shape, and fitting the gear to the lowest point, it now had a short, strong gear. Along with the added benefit of attaching the wing to the fuselage at the optimum angle to minimizing drag (90 degrees). Armament was one thirty caliber and one fifty caliber machine gun in the nose, and one fifty caliber gun in each wing. It was also fitted with bomb bays in each wing, carrying small bombs, to be dropped on bomber formations. These were deleted from the production model. Combat in Europe had shown that this was not sufficient armament, leading to removing the nose guns from the production model (the F4U-1), and mounting three fifty caliber machine guns in each wing. These took up the fuel tank space, so all the fuel was placed in one 237 gallon tank in front of the cockpit. This necessitated moving the cockpit back almost three feet. That, along with moving the engine forward twelve inches, gave the Corsair it’s famous long nose. The landing gear rotated 90degrees as it retracted flat into the wing, and was the first Navy plane to be completed enclosed. Due to a tendency to bounce badly, causing it to not catch the arresting cable, along with not being able to see the landing signal officer, the Navy gave it to the Marines. A later modification solved the bouncing problem and the British developed flying a curved approach, which kept the landing signal officer in sight, making carrier landing possible. Spot welding was used throughout the fuselage and other components, along with flush riveting, to help reduce drag. (This may have made it harder to repair in the field). The ailerons were made of wood, while the rudder and elevator were fabric covered. The wing aft of the spar, and outboard of the guns, was also fabric covered. It was not until the F4U-5 that the wings were all metal. The cowl flaps encircled the entire engine. This led to oil and hydraulic fluid splattering on the windshield, cutting into ones visibility. This was solved by fixing the top two or three cowl flaps in the down position. Later models were built with that area covered with the fuselage skin. It had a wicked stall where, with no warning, the left wing would drop. This was especially dangerous when landing, and was solved by adding a six inch long stall strip on the right wing, Now both wings would stall at the same time. The later production F4U-1s (now called the F4U-1A) were modified with a taller tail wheel strut. The canopy was a clear blown bubble type with two metal stiffeners, and the seat was raised by seven inches. These modifications, along with the modified landing gear, and flying the curved approach, help the Corsair finally be approved for carrier operations. By February of 1943 the Marines were replacing their F4F Wildcats with the Corsair on Guadalcanal, and within six months, all Marines fighter squadrons were equipped with it. It could outfight the Japanese Zero, and proved to be an excellent ground attack platform, carrying bombs, napalm, and rockets. During the battle of Okinawa, it was used both in the ground attack roll, and against the Kamikaze, picking up the name “The Angel of Okinawa”. It fought in Korea, both by the Navy and Marines, again in the ground attack roll. The French used it in their Indo China War in Vietnam, and in 1969 in South America, it fought against other Corsairs and the Mustang. The Corsair and the P-51 Mustang, are both considered the two best fighters produced by the Unites States during WW II, and they are the two most preferred model airplanes.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

The highest point in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet, Mount Whitney is in heavy shadow because of the storm clouds, while the lower elevations are bathed in swaths of golden light from the sun peeking through from the east(ish).

She's a landmark and hard to miss as I pass by her all the time while on my way to and from locations in the Eastern Sierra. One of these days I'll do some hiking in this area.

One of these days.

[earthstory]

Alabama Hills: Endgame

This image comes from the state of California, just outside of the town of Lone Pine, a place known as the Alabama Hills. In the background, you can see the Sierra Nevada mountain range, with Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental United States, in the distance almost at the center of the frame.

In California, the main mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, runs north-south through the state. On the west side, the Sierras gradually lose elevation and merge into sedimentary basins in the Central Valley, but on the east side, they stop abruptly.

The Sierras are cut on their eastern side by a series of normal faults that have dropped the rocks down and created a deep, sediment-filled basin known as Owens valley. You can see the trace of one of those faults in this image; it basically marks the place where the mountains go from incredibly steep to very flat.

The Alabama Hills sit right in the middle of Owens Valley. They’re made of granite that is very similar to the rocks of the Sierra Nevada, but there are about 3 kilometers of valley floor between them and the Sierras. The Alabama Hills are a block of the Sierras basically trapped in the middle of Owens valley.

These hills are pieces of Sierran granite, but because they are bounded by faults, they didn’t drop down as far as the rest of the valley. The faults around the hills still move, and in fact there was a magnitude 7.4 earthquake along the east side of the Alabama Hills in 1872.

They sit in an incredibly picturesque area. There isn’t a lot of rain, so the hills don’t erode rapidly, but since they’re not big they’re easy to climb on or drive around, and they have the gorgeous Sierra Nevada as a backdrop. The Alabama Hills also sit in the rain shadow of the Sierras; they don’t receive much precipitation, making the area great for filming desert scenes. The weathering granite helps as well, it weathers to grus; broken up fragments of the grains in the granite that don’t host much vegetation and give a good impression of a desert when they’re on camera.

These hills are such a great location that they show up throughout Hollywood history. The other name for the portion of land right around the Alabama Hills sums this up pretty well; Movie Flat. If you look in the background of any number of “western” movies, there’s this remarkable habit of Mount Whitney showing up. Django Unchained, Gladiator, Tremors, How the West was Won; the list of films shot here seems endless. Captain Kirk was even buried here.

That brings us to the Endgame of this post. In the 2008 film Iron Man, the film that launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Alabama Hills played a key role, standing in for Afghanistan. This spot is where Tony Stark demonstrates the Jericho Missile. This is the spot where Tony Stark’s convoy is attacked and Stark is taken prisoner - leading to his development of the Iron Man Mark 1. In fact, they test the missile on the Sierras; literally on the slopes just south of Mount Whitney. With all due respect to Captain America (as his movie was filmed later but occurs earlier in earth History), the story of the Avengers began right here, in the shadows of Mount Whitney. 

So, to paraphrase a line...We’re in the Alabama Hills now.

-JBB

Photo credit: Me! No rights reserved.

1872 Lone Pine Earthquake: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1872_Lone_Pine_earthquake

Alabama Hills on Tripadvisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g32646-d117177-Reviews-Alabama_Hills-Lone_Pine_California.html

Alabama Hills from the BLM: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/scenic_byways/alabamas.html

Lone Pine Film Database (39 pages!): http://www.lonepinefilmhistorymuseum.org/index.php?option=com_joodb&view=catalog&Itemid=31

And why not, the video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBC1Qob27sM

[halfwayanywhere]

Lowest to Highest Route Day (Night) 1: I've been interested in the Lowest to Highest Route for a while now. It's a route that combines established trails, jeep roads, and off-trail navigation to link Badwater Basin (-278.9 ft / -85 m below sea level) to Mount Whitney (14,505 ft / 4,4𝟐𝟏 m above sea level) - the lowest place in the United States to the highest place in the (Continental) United States. Get it? Lowest to highest.⁣ ⁣ After caching water for myself along the trail (because it turns out that Death Valley doesn't have many natural water sources), @paulinadao drops me off at Badwater Basin - well after dark. I would have preferred to begin hiking during the day, but I am grateful to have gotten a ride all the way out here into what's essentially the middle of nowhere.⁣ ⁣ My hike this first night is short - just 6.91mi / 11.12 km - and takes me across the salt flats and to my first water cache. The days are short, so it will be an early morning tomorrow to head up what I have heard is a long and challenging climb up to the ridge below Telescope Peak. Hopefully, the water source at the end of this canyon is flowing tomorrow (the internets tell me it should be).⁣ ⁣ Day: Badwater Basin to West Side Road⁣ Distance: 6.91mi / 11.12 km⁣ Elevation gain: 280 ft / 85 m⁣ ⁣ #EXTREMEWALKING #badwater #badwaterbasin #l2h #deathvalley #deathvalleynationalpark #badwaterbasindeathvalley #deathvalleynp #belowsealevel #backpacking #hiking #hikertrash #trekking #deserthiking #california #nighthiking #deathvalleyhiking #ltohroute #outdoorlife #hikes #hiker #lowest2highest #adventuring #lowesttohighest #l2hroute #lowesttohighestroute #packitout #leavenotrace #halfwayanywhere #macincalifornia

[pcttrailsidereader]

The Next Essentials Part 1

By Howard Shapiro with a lot of help from Rees Hughes

I have been thinking about what we bring and where we go when we embark on a section or the entire length of the Pacific Crest Trail. We recently shared a post about how technology has crept into this semi-sacred list of the ‘Ten Essentials’. I found that the first place my head went was to the classic ‘Ten Essentials’ and then I wondered what are those things that go beyond the extra food, shelter, knife, etc. in the present time? What are the elements worth considering in this third decade of the 21st century? Some have always been there. None are all that new.

Where this thinking took me was to places not things. In no distinct order, here’s what I, along with Rees, came up with. See if you agree. 

The mid point of the PCT. This is a location that drifts a bit north, south, east, and west depending on how the trail gets re-routed, land gets acquired, or fires change everything we took for granted. Getting to the mid-point is a seminal moment whether you are section hiking or thru hiking. Once you get to that spot, a feeling that is hard to describe may course through your mind and heart. For me it was a ‘Wow’ moment. A reminder of all the miles behind me and all those still to come.

The 100 mile mark. Long before the mid point there are stones laid out in the middle of the trail that represent mile numbers often in one hundred mile increments thereafter. Getting to the 100 mile mark took me back to the significance that number has. !00 is the number we strive to reach as we verbally count to in our early years of school. After leaving the southern terminus getting to mile 100 is a breakthrough. Getting to 100 miles is a hint of our accomplishment as we journey carried by our legs and feet. 

The California- Oregon border. when you reach this point it is one huge terrific sigh. If you thru hiked to here you have finally finished with California. If you sectioned, getting here is no less an accomplishment and an equally profound experience. California is obviously the largest of the three states that the PCT passes through. At times, it seems like California just goes on and on and...on. Getting to the border the trail makes its way through the ‘Green Tunnel’ but it is really more than that. What awaits is exquisite scenery and not just tree after tree. 

Forester Pass. The highest point on the PCT. The northbound approach does not fully prepare you for the descent on the other side. In a big snow year or early in the season it can really grab your attention. The view is the motivator here. From on top of the pass you can see clearly as to what is ahead and what you have already accomplished.

Mount Whitney. Well if Forester wasn’t enough elevation for you, taking a side trip to the highest point in the lower 48 is equally memorable. At  14,494 feet, the views will take your breath away if the altitude doesn’t. The Smithsonian hut at the top is a welcome reprieve if the weather creates any challenges. Just getting to this place can be so satisfying, knowing you have stood on the highest point in 49 states.

This is the first half of my ‘next’ essentials list. They won’t help you survive a life or death situation but they will remind you of the power and grace of nature and the fortitude of people across many decades. These essentials may inspire. They might also serve as markers for your own goals and accomplishments. All are essential in their own distinct ways. Maybe you have some to add to the list. Please share them with us. 

[betterdesertlivingmojave]

A Winter in the Desert

Alright so I’ve decided to write a blog every few days. I’ll shoot for once a week but if someone has a question that would need a long explanation I will answer it with them and on here. I’ve opened up my ask box at: https://betterdesertlivingmojave.tumblr.com/ask

Alright, so for the meat of the matter. Much like everywhere else, winter does exist, even in the desert. Well you might think since it’s the desert, it doesn’t get cold right? Well, sort of.  Where I lived, it was around 2300 feet above sea level, so it did get a bit cold, and very windy.  It’s not unusual at that elevation to hear the wind all night long, but the temperature outside would be around the fifties or sixties, mild in comparison to other parts of the country, or even other areas of the state of California itself. It’s still very dry, and the wind can be cutting at times, and drivers must be careful not to get knocked off the road when the wind decides to pick up. If it does snow (it does, just extremely rarely) the snow will be melted before the end of the day.  On the other hand, the path to nearby Mount Whitney is actually closed (called Whitney Portals) because of the snow and inclimate weather coming along with it.  Everything is very brown and drab looking until it hits spring when everything blooms. Doni aka Gee