Pacific Crest Trail from N. of Yosemite to S. of Lake Tahoe, August 1-9 2019
(mini-travelogue)
Thanks to ...
  • Tim living & working in Switzerland for the time being, with limited vacation days
  • Emily spending two summer months traveling in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan (on her own, as usual), before starting her PhD at UC Berkeley
  • Jennifer travel-teaching in Bosnia & Herzegovina at the start of the summer, and in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan at the end (pure coincidence and not coinciding with Emily's time in Central Asia)
... there was, unfortunately, no major family trip this summer.

Alex, Jennifer, and Emily did find time for a 9-day backpacking trip in the Sierras: a one-way hike from just north of Yosemite to just south of Lake Tahoe, mostly along the Pacific Crest Trail. The first few days were quite challenging, with the densest mosquitoes we've ever seen (enough to drive one nutty; think 20-30 bites in an unfortunate location each time one used the proverbial commode), and swollen rivers and snowfields to cross. All were thanks to a late and unusually wet winter. On the benefit side, the wildflowers were gorgeous!

We also made the mistake of starting the trip with big climbs and long days while our packs were at their heaviest and we weren't yet acclimatized (Emily excluded, who was in terrific high-altitude trekking shape from her time in the 'stans). Due to the various challenges, though primarily the mosquitoes, for the first time ever we seriously considered an early exit. But by day 4 we entered drier country, the problems faded away, we made up the miles we'd lost, and finished the trip as planned.
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