The Route

This is an overview of what I’m planning to do…

Starting in early August, I’ll be on my feet carrying all my stuff in a backpack for two months. I chose Phoenix, AZ as a starting point as it was a cheap flight and relatively close to some awesome slot canyons I’d like to explore. I alloted a week for exploring the region around Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, flying in and out of the small town Page, AZ. It’s a bit of a detour before I actually start my long distance hike, but I think it’s worth it as I don’t know when I get another chance to visit this corner of the world! Figuring out a cheap way to get from Page to Visalia wasn’t that easy. In the end I chose a flight to Vegas and from there, it’s a roadtrip with a rental car to Visalia.

From there, I’ll head into Sequoia National Forest, where my first third of the hike starts, the High Sierra Trail. It will be my first multiple days solo hike – I’m so excited!!! After resupplying and resting two days at the Lone Pine campground, I’m hiking northbound towards Yosemite! I’ll do sections of the John Muir Trail with one resupply break to visit Bishop, CA. My goal is to get to Yosemite Valley and stay two to three weeks to climb, hike and explore. I’ll probably faint when I first get there. It has been on my mind since forever and it’s a dream destination of many climbers.

My last stop before going back home is a brief visit of San Francisco and Oakland. I’m curious and frightened at the same time, I’ve only ever been to one big American city (NYC) and I wonder how it feels after spending several weeks in the wilderness.