Life Begins Above Treeline: My Doctor’s Unexpected Wisdom

Recently, I needed to see my primary care doctor, but he wasn’t in so I met with a new doctor I hadn’t met before. He just joined the practice about six months ago. He was getting to know me and I quickly professed my love for backpacking and the sierra’s. Although he was a bit standoffish, and seemed disinterested, he put on his stethoscope and while listening to my heart, put his hand on my shoulder and said very quietly, “Personally, I think life begins above tree line.” I looked at him, and in amazement, all I could mutter was, “RIGHT?!” I learned he practiced medicine in northern Nepal for two years and hiked the Himalaya’s. He had been to Everest Base Camp. I told him that’s a bucket list trip for me. I then told him I had been to Nepal and hiked the Annapurna Circuit, for which he replied, that was his bucket list trip! Classic. You just never know.

Backpacking Season is around the corner. And for me, this is the busy season, which means mapping and planning trips, securing permits, and dying of anticipation for the snow to melt and the season to begin. I’ve ramped up my gym time to include 6 days a week of gym time, including 2-3 days of long cardio on the treadmill and stair climber, coupled with 3 days of lifting, crunches, and 30 more minutes of treadmill incline and intervals.

When I’m planning my trips, I first figure out what areas I want to explore.  I’m constantly reading blogs, highsierratopix, videos on Youtube, etc.  I then create routes on Caltopo and save them.  Next I choose dates.  Now that I’m retired, the calendar is an open book for me, so once I secure dates that don’t interfere with any commitments, I list two to three trips per date saved.  As the permit season begins, I put in my calendar when the reservation opens for my planned dates, and when I get that calendar reminder, I’m armed with coffee at 7:58am in front of my computer.  This year I was a perfect seven for seven in securing my first option for each trip.  

So my trips will include my May shakedown trip to test out all my gear, including a lot of new gear, thanks to my part time job at REI, will be an overnighter in Yosemite on the South Rim, via the Pohono Trail. 

I’ll fine tune my gear, make changes, and then I’ll be back to Yosemite in early June for a trip to Ostrander Lake.  I’ll sleep there, and the next day I’ll head over a ridge, all off trail, past a couple lakes, and drop down to Illouette Creek, where I’ll spend night #2.  I’ll then head back up to Mono Meadow and hike the road back to my car.  

Trip #3 will be a couple weeks later, once again in Yosemite.  Because I initially thought someone was going to accompany me on this trip, I secured a trip up Rafferty Creek and then down to Yosemite Valley.  After this permit was secured she had to back out due to work issues, and since I’ve been on a lot of this trail before, I was lucky enough to pull a Sunrise to Yosemite Trip (with a trip up Clouds Rest).  This trip is to begin a couple days later.  I’m holding on to both permits right now, and I’ll decide which trip I want to do when the time gets closer and I’ll release the unused permit.  Regardless of which trip I choose, I’ll end up in Yosemite Valley, which means being at the YARTS bus stop to get back to my car.  

In late July, I scored a bucketlist trip for a friend.  She will finally get to do Kearsarge Pass, Glen Pass, and camp at Rae Lakes.  

I’ll take a few weeks off, but at the middle end of August, I’ll be back to Yosemite for an entirely cross country route that I’m super excited for.  I’m going to go to leave Tuolumne Meadows, climb to Budd Lake, and then go around Cathedral Peak, where I’ll camp at Matthes Lake.  I’ll then go cross country past Nelson Lake, Reyman Lake, and end up at Vogelsong Lake or that vicinity.  I’ll finish the trip down Rafferty Creek Trail back to my car.  

Now the sierra shoulder season begins, which is my favorite time to be there.  This is when I can shoot for popular trails and with mid week dates, know I’ll have a lot of the trail to myself.  So in mid September, I scored a permit to do the South Lake/North Lake Loop.  The only caveat is I may leave trail and go over Lamarc Col back to north lake.  That will be a day of decision.

My mid October hike, barring snow, will be the insanely popular Palisade Glacier Loop.  I’ll camp at 5th lake, which is an Instagram influencer’s dream, and backpacker’s biggest nightmare, but in mid October should have the trail and lake to myself.  I’ll head up to the Palisade Glacier and then return back to my car for one last trip over Tioga Pass.  

It’s going to be an epic backpacking season, and I can’t wait to let it rip!