It's Backpacking Season

Yeah, I know. Summer is over. That's a good thing, because it means that the best possible hiking season in the Sierra is now here.

Most kids are now in school, so the trails are far from crowded. The mosquitoes have disappeared. I've camped without a tent for the last month, and seen a total of about seven mosquitoes. The colors are starting to turn, adding a delicious gold to the green, white and blue of the forests, the granite, and the sky.

Sure, the creeks are lower. Some may have even dried up. But the lakes are still in beautiful shape. And yes, the days are shorter, and nights are colder. Take along a pair of gloves and a hat, an extra layer of a sweater or puffy, and plan on shorter days on the trail.

What's not to like? Hope to see you out there.