One Rattlesnake, Two Black Bears, Three Days, Four Hikers, 74 km around Rae Lakes in Kings Canyon, California

Experienced and conditioned hikers shall do this hike in five days, dumb and ignorant ones do it in three days. The later is me and now I am ready for Kilimanjaro.

The Black Bear

 Mile for mile – and perhaps inch for inch – the Rae Lakes Loop in Kings Canyon National Park contains some of the most stunning and celebrated scenery in a mountain range world-famous for stunning and celebrated scenery. The route consists of three separate but connecting trails that travel through glacially-carved canyons, a high country basin containing a chain of sapphire blue lakes set against towering granitic crags, and an alpine pass that just scrapes 12,000 feet. Throughout the route, you will observe nearly every major biotic zone (life zones characterized by specific species) in the Sierra, prime examples of glacial erosion, waterfalls, idyllic valleys, tranquil meadows, and myriad sublime scenes ranging from the intimate to the jaw-droppingly grand.

From our personal experience in completing this route, we recommend that conditioned hikers take the route in 5 days, with one zero day in the Rae Lakes area. However, it is possible to complete this route in anywhere from 3 ambitious days to 7 leisurely days. We also recommend that hikers take this route clockwise, as the counter-clockwise route features some intense climbing in the initial stretch while pack weight is at its highest. The text below describes the route as if hiked clockwise in four days, although distances for specific destinations are indicated should hikers wish to use the information to fashion their own itinerary.

Basic safety considerations for high-altitude wilderness travel apply on this route. You will reach a maximum altitude of 11,998′ on Glen Pass at nearly the center of the route, and a considerable portion of this route occurs above 10,000′. Altitude sickness, overexposure to ultraviolet light, dehydration, fatigue, and heatstroke are all potential ailments you may encounter while hiking. In addition, the necessity of carrying up to 45 pounds of gear for 38 miles while gaining and losing over 7,000′ of elevation necessitates a certain level of physical fitness. Hikers attempting this route should be in good condition, preferably with at least some backcountry navigation skill and some experience backpacking.

Michael and Us

We climbed Indian Rock in Berkeley 

and went to see a show at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco.

 Wow, Michael is tough as nails. Thank you to ALL of you.

Sweet Moments

Dear Friends and Family,

Michael did not bleed when they took out the breathing tube.

Dr. Wang finally found an ulcer that is a crater shape. 

He has layers of burnt skin in his throat. All his organs are strong.

One area is raw to the bone. 

In order to work on that issue we would like for him to heal from this trauma. 

We will ask Michael how he would like to proceed. 

Extensive throat reconstruction surgery is on the menu.

He had a sweet exchange with DylanGrace, who proudly wore her brand-new glasses on her nose. 

He formed the words “boo boo”, which is his nickname for her. 

Later he shaped the word “water”. He could not get water. I was extremely anxious for DylanGrace to come out of the room so he could rest. She stayed for 30 minutes so I had no chance to say “hi” because I thought it was too much.

To his brother Larry, who flew in from Dallas upon seeing him, Michael held up the middle finger, which is their brotherly hello.

Through this procedure Dylan and I both agreed that even him being half sedated and in discomfort and pain has not yet taken away any of his humor or loving personality so we haven't even come close to losing this fight.

More shifts are needed in the next few days. Please text me at 510 652-3136 for the early bird special and to reserve your spot in line.

Thanks for all your help.

Warmly, Martina and DylanGrace 

HAPPY

Our daughter witnessed her Dad loosing about a liter of blood. I was meditating for strength. She called 911.The bathroom sink needed to be cleaned by the Emeryville Fire Department. It is rattling my bones.

Happy I have to not deal with a dog of that size.