Courtney's Wilderness Page

Last updated 8/01

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Pictures

Colorado Rockies

Since coming to Colorado, I've done countless hikes and peak climbs in the Rocky Mountains. Here's just a few pictures from the past few years (more coming soon):

Me standing on the grassy top of an unnamed peak in summit county.
On top of Mt. Toll in the Indian Peaks near Boulder.
A windy, chilly summer's day on top of Mt. Democrat.
Near the summit of Mt. Shoshoni, with Apache Peak in the background.
Snowshoeing in Rocky Mountain National Park.
On top of snow-covered Torreys Peak in the very early season.
Waterfall beneath the bulk of El Diente, in the San Juans.
Robert and I climbing Kelso Ridge on a CMC trip up Torreys peak.
Mt. Sneffels
Robert and I with some threatening clouds approaching, on our way up South Arapaho peak. (We turned around due to the weather.)

Sierra Nevada

September 1993

This first picture is from the very first time I went to the Sierra Nevada. Ken Manatt, Jason Hollinger, and I went on a 3-day trip from the Mosquito Flat trailhead over Mono Pass to the Third Recess, and I think it only took about 5 minutes of hiking before I fell in love with the Sierra. To me they were (and they still are!) the most beautiful mountains I'd ever seen.

Mountains near the Mosquito Flat trailhead on the eastern side of the Sierra (picture by Ken Manatt)

September 1994

The next long trip I did in the Sierra was with my friends Ken Walsh, Mike Coward, and Topher Hunter. We started in Kings Canyon National Park and headed over Avalanche Pass to Deadman Canyon, then out over Elizabeth Pass and down to Bearpaw meadow and eventually Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park. Ken took the pictures on this trip, and since he's a far better photographer than I am, I recommend that you stop by his backpacking photo gallery to see some great pictures from our trip.

August 1997

This next set of pictures comes from another long trip that I did with my friend Blair Halley. We started at Whitney Portal, climbed up to the top of Whitney and spent our first night there on the summit (terrific sunset/sunrise, awesome stars!), and continued on down the backside to Junction Meadow in Kern Canyon, then over Colby Pass to Cloud Canyon, then to Deadman Canyon via Roaring River, then over Elizabeth Pass to meet up with the High Sierra trail, then over Kaweah Gap and along the Big Arroyo to return to Kern Canyon, and up Kern Canyon to Junction Meadow to complete our big loop - and to finish, we retraced our path back over Trail Crest and back down to Whitney Portal. It was a great trip!

Looking toward trail crest from Trail Camp on the Mt. Whitney trail
An inquisitive marmot at Trail Camp on the Mt. Whitney trail (picture by Blair Halley)
Me standing at Trail Crest on the Mt. Whitney trail (picture by Blair Halley)
Heading along the traverse to Mt. Whitney after Trail Crest (picture by Blair Halley)
Looking north from the summit of Mt. Whitney
Looking west from the summit of Mt. Whitney
Mt. Hitchcock and the Hitchcock lakes
View along the trail coming down from Mt. Whitney toward Crabtree Meadows
The backside of Mt. Whitney and Timberline Lake
Colby Pass
Cloud Canyon
Upper Ranger Meadow in Deadman Canyon (picture by Ken Walsh...this is actually from my previous trip, but it's just what Deadman Canyon looked like this time as well - and it's a much better picture than the one I took, so I had to borrow it. :)
Looking toward the head of Deadman Canyon
View heading down from Elizabeth Pass toward the junction with the High Sierra trail
View from Kaweah Gap
The canyon of the Kern River
Mt. Whitney and nearby peaks, looking from the Mt. Whitney trail just below Trail Crest
We did it! Blair and I at the end of our trip (picture taken by some other hiker at the trailhead)

September 1999

Robert and I did two trips in one; first we went on a 3-day backpack trip to Third Recess (I wanted to show him the area that I had visited on my first trip to the Sierra). Then we went to Mt. Whitney and climbed it via the Mountaineer's Route, spent the night on top (for some awesome stargazing!) and went down the normal trail. Here are a few pictures from the first part of the trip:

Near the start of trail in Little Lakes valley.
As we head up toward Mono Pass, Ruby Lake is visible far below.
We stopped by Fourth Recess to enjoy the view.
We spent a full day here at Third Recess, enjoying the solitude and the scenery.
Robert stands near the lake.
The beautiful blue water of the lake. It was so clear that fish were easily visible from shore.
Robert sits on a rock near our campsite for the last night.
Robert and I at the trailhead after our trip, dirty but happy.

For the Mt. Whitney trip, I actually have a trip report written as well as pictures.

Whitney is just visible as we go up the lower section of the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek.
Me walking up the Ebersbacher ledges.
Jagged ridge visible as we head up toward Iceberg Lake.
The east face of Whitney and its nearby pinnacles.
Looking back down the canyon we've come up, all the way down to the floor of the Owens Valley.
Beautiful morning alpenglow on the needles.
Another alpenglow shot.
Looking back down the Mountaineer's Route couloir to Iceberg Lake.
Me standing at the notch at the top of the couloir.
Robert and I standing on top of Mt. Whitney.
Morning on Mt. Whitney, the next day after we spent the night on top.

Yosemite (August 1995)

Vernal Falls as seen from the Mist Trail
Yosemite Valley and Half Dome

Grand Canyon

April 1997

This set of Grand Canyon pictures was taken on a 5-day backpack I did with the Colorado Mountain Club; we went down the Hermit Trail, along the Tonto trail, down the Bright Angel trail to Phantom Ranch, and then back up the Bright Angel trail to the rim.

Heading down the Hermit trail
Along the Tonto trail between the Hermit trail junction and Monument Creek
The Tonto plateau
Going into the Horn Creek drainage
Inner canyon walls at Phantom Ranch
Looking back toward Indian Gardens and the Bright Angel trail from Plateau Point
Me standing at Plateau Point
Grand Canyon vista, from the Bright Angel trail
Standing near the rim after a fun 5 days in the Canyon

March 1995

Is it the Grand Canyon, or is it Hawaii? These next two were taken after an exceptionally rainy spring.

A very green ridge
The inner canyon

March 1999

Robert and I went down to the Grand Canyon and were able to get a walk-in permit for going down the South Kaibab trail, spending the night at Phantom Ranch, then coming back up the Bright Angel trail.

Me standing beside the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon.
Robert on the Bright Angel trail near Indian Gardens.

Desert pictures

Anza-Borrego state park in the spring
Boulders in Joshua Tree

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courtney@alumni.caltech.edu