A recap of events (Nov 2017): Red Rocks, Alabama Hills

So I gave my notice at work and had my last day on September 5, 2017.

I had decided to spend some unknown amount of time touring the country in a car to camp, ski, climb, visit old (and new) friends, and begin to understand how a break from routine would affect me. I spent about two months in Sacramento to get a car for my travels, get rid of most everything I didn't need with me, and had finalized a few plans set in the near future. These anchors included a bachelorette party in early December, Christmas and New Years in NJ with family, a bachelor party in January, a ski wedding (for the very same parties mentioned prior) in February, and finally, taking the AIARE 1 (avalanche safety) class in early March. So I figured I would be road tripping around until at least early March.

I excitedly found a car that fulfilled my need for space to carry a bunch of ski/climbing/camping gear and could get through snowy conditions without too much trouble. Here's the CR-V at the Tuttle Creek campground in the gorgeous Alabama Hills range with some fourteeners in the background (yep, Whitney's back there).

The CR-V, also known as Claire 

First stop was a three day climbing trip at the phenomenal Red Rocks near Las Vegas. I had never been before but had heard amazing things. I would be joining a group I had never met before. She had taken photos of me at the Sacramento Pipeworks bouldering competition (someone told me a picture of me was on instagram). I couldn't help but reach out to the person who snapped this!

Bouldering in my Ghostbuster flight suit

Turns out the photographer was more than happy to let me join their trip to Red Rocks! The sport climbing was incredible and had no idea that it's literally 10 minutes away from the edge of Vegas. A photo of Saki (the photographer) on the rock at least 50ft up:



After Red Rocks, I camped a few nights at the campground mentioned earlier in the Alabama Hills. The first night I made an excited call to a friend who I knew was planning a climbing trip to the Bishop area. It didn't take much to set up a return trip the following week :D

After gathering some wood, I decided to enjoy what would be my favorite cigar I have smoked to date: Arturo Fuente Hemingway Work of Art (courtesy of Andre from work). I did a few day trips, most enjoyably hiking to Kearsarge Pass from the Onion Valley Campground which can be accessed from highway 395. The view at the pass was astounding:




Luckily I decided to start that hike early, hitting the pass before noon, because it immediately started to snow and hail when I made my way back. Seeing the pass put the Rae Lakes loop as a must do for me.

After thoroughly enjoying the Owen's River valley yet again, it was time to join my brother in LA for a trip to Death Valley with the intent of braving the nearly 30 mile harsh dirt road to reach the extraordinary Racetrack...

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