jeffrey ni.

Friday, June 20, 2025

Point Reyes: Coast Camp Backpacking (2022)

I've had this footage from this 2022 backpacking trip just sitting around for a long time; better to just export it as-is before it is lost to time.

My second backpacking trip ever, and my first one solo. A quick and easy trip to get warmed back up into backpacking.

Dates: July 18-19th, 2022

Hetch Hetchy Loop: Yosemite Backpacking (2025)

Dates: May 15-17, 2025

Three days and two nights on this classic Yosemite loop around the Hetch Hetchy Valley. I originally didn't intend to have any plans until later into the summer, but I was invited to go on this trip by a coworker. I was originally hesitant on going due to a foot injury I was still recovering from (post-tibial tendonitis from some overuse over a month before), but it was feeling much better, so I chose to go. We went clockwise starting from the dam, with the first night at Lake Vernon and the second night at Rancheria Falls. The weather forecast was partly cloudy with a chance of rain on the last day, perfect weather for the trip. Mid-May was a great time for the trip: before all the mosquitos spawn, before the heat coming later in the summer (flashback to my trip last year in July where it was cooking), and just after most of the snow had melted.

Day 1: O'Shaughnessy Dam to Lake Vernon (10.5 miles, 3,280 ft elevation gain)

After driving from the Bay Area in the early morning, we started our hike around 10AM after meeting up with the others at the Oak Flat entrance and driving to the O'Shaughnessy Dam. We had a steady climb out of the valley; not too hot and not too exposed. Past the junction for Miguel Meadows we ran into a few small snow patches and muddy bits of trail but otherwise the trail was dry.

We got to Lake Vernon around 4:30PM and found a nice flat area next to the north side of the lake to set up camp.

Sierra newt in Lake Vernon. I saw at least six all nearby.

The water in Lake Vernon was freezing: colder than I think any other alpine lake I had been in before. I could only keep my feet in there for 20 seconds before it got rather painful. It was a nice ice bath for my feet though, keeping them ready for the next day.

Travel Sketching

Over the last few trips I've gone on, I've taken up sketching whenever I can get a chance. More than just an opportunity to practice and take up the mantra of "always keep drawing all the time," I've found that sketching is a great way to really consider the details of what I'm seeing and to better remember the moment. It's also just fun. Below are photos of my sketchbook from my most recent trip, a trip to the northern part of Japan. The first five spreads are from a bigger watercolor sketchbook and the rest are from a pocket-sized sketchbook.

Below are some more excerpts of sketches from previous trips:

Saturday, November 23, 2024

Point Reyes: Wildcat Camp and Alamere Falls Backpacking (2024)

Dates: November 4-5, 2024 (backdating the publish date for this post to be in order)

This was a quick one night backpacking trip to Point Reyes with some friends, a great introductory backpacking trip and relatively close to the Bay Area. I've backpacked here once before in 2022, going to the Coast campsite for a quick loop in and out. I've also done this loop to Wildcat and Alamere Falls before, but as a day hike and not an overnight trip.

I was looking for permits for a quick backpacking trip for my friends to try out their new gear, and found last minute permits for Site 6 at Wildcat Camp. I quickly realized we were quite lucky with this permit as Site 6 has it's own "private" cliff just a stone's throw away from the campsite where we could watch the ocean from.

Day 1: Palomarin Trailhead to Wildcat Camp

We got started after eating a big lunch of fried chicken and sweet pasta at Jollibee in Hayward (the first time I've ever had it!). The hike in was relatively short and easy so we had plenty of time to get to the campsite.

Sunlight passing through the trees.

We had a quick snack of Jollibee peach and mango pies halfway through the trail and then got to our campsite with about an hour before the sun set. We quickly deployed out tents and then watched the sunset over the ocean. Having the cliff viewing point right next to our site was super convenient; several other groups came over to also watching the sunset.

The campsite.

As the sun set, the red light on the clouds became increasingly intense and beautiful. Sunsets over the ocean never get old, and being able to stay out to see sunsets and sunrises are part of what make backpacking so special.

Golden light caught in the ocean spray.

The clouds catching the last bits of sunlight.

We made a quick dinner of dehydrated meals and stayed up a bit longer to watch the stars and do some astrophotography.

Long exposure over the ocean.

Summer Backpacking: Yosemite and Kings Canyon (2024)

This was originally going to be a longer post, with each day of backpacking written out in a more narrative format but many months have passed since I started the draft and I'm not sure I will have the time to really write this out. For now, just to get something out, I'm going to bullet-point out the main things I remember from each trip and call it a day.

Yosemite: Snow Creek to Mt. Watkins, Cloud’s Rest

July 19-21, 2024

Day 1: Mirror Lake up Snow Creek, to Mt. Watkins (9 miles, 4,900 ft elevation gain)

First multi-day backpacking trip I've ever gone on, and last backpacking trip was back in 2022.
Was originally supposed to go with co-workers but they had to back out of the trip a week before; I decided to go anyways since I could get a permit
Drove into Yosemite from the bay the morning of, starting at 5AM
Got permit and started hike around 9:30 AM, I really wanted to get moving as quickly as possible to beat the heat; it was supposed to be 100F in the valley in the afternoon. I hiked about 1.5 miles extra from the parking lot to the Wilderness Center, but caught a bus to the Ahwahnee to start the hike.
Heading up Snow Creek trail in the heat was not easy. I should have drunk more water on the way up and at the stop at the creek bridge; I was definitely dehydrated in the last day. No reason not to drink more water when there are so many sources!
Ate lunch at the Snow Creek bridge and soaked my feet in the creek. Don't let your feet soak for too long if you still have hiking to do!
Camped at the top of Mt. Watkins and had a burst of hail before the sun set. Then all calm and clear through the night.
Could barely sleep for some reason, only really got an hour or two of good sleep near the end. Probably nervousness.

Climbing out of the valley on the Snow Creek trail.

Top of Mt. Watkins

Small hail storm before sunset.

Full moon at night.

The next morning.

Day 2: Mt. Watkins to turnoff past Cloud's Rest (12.2 miles, 3,100 ft elevation gain, 2,600 ft elevation drop)

Surprisingly not tired in the morning
Hiked to Tenaya Lake and got more water and went for a short swim
Pretty much no mosquitoes. I was here a month before to day-hike Cloud's Rest with friends and the mosquitoes were pretty much hell on earth. I had easily more than 30 bites per arm.
Went over Cloud's Rest, had lunch at the top, and then headed down a bit to my next campsite. I could have definitely made it all the way back to the valley the same day, but my trip was supposed to be multiple nights. :)
Again, I had trouble sleeping but didn't feel tired. Saw some people hiking up to Cloud's rest at night, which is honestly a great idea to avoid the heat of the day
Could see the headlamps of people going up Half Dome in the early morning

Lake Tenaya

Sunset and Half Dome.

Hikers summitting Half Dome before sunrise.

Day 3: Turnoff from Cloud's Rest to Happy Isles (8.5 miles, 5,600 ft elevation drop)

Definitely should had drunk more water the previous days, was feeling dehydrated in the morning
Booked it down to the Cloud's Rest/JMT junction to refill on water at Sunrise Creek
Had very normal descent into the valley via the Mist Trail, saw one rattlesnake on the way down from Nevada Falls.
Ate the Curry Village pizza and had an ice cream at the end :)
Quick swim in the Merced river to cool down from the afternoon heat and then drove home

Kings Canyon: Rae Lakes Loop

August 9-11, 2024

Day 1: Road's End to Woods Creek/JMT (15 miles, 4,600 ft elevation gain)

Realized I forgot my hiking poles the night before when I reached Fresno. I was able to buy a set at Walmart the morning I headed out to the trailhead.
Reached Road's End and got my permit after listening to the ranger's bear warnings.
Started my hike around 9:30 AM; wasn't sure if I was going to stop at the South Fork of the Kings River crossing at Upper Paradise Valley, or make it to the JMT Woods Creek bridge
Ate the first quarter of my sandwich about 8 miles in. I just wanted to keep climbing up higher to escape the heat. Saw one rattlesnake during this segment.
Got to the South Fork of the Kings River crossing around 2PM and ate another quarter of my sandwich. Decided to push on to the JMT crossing.
After about 15 miles for the day, and I was ready for a rest. The campsites around the bridge were quite nice. and there was a bear box I could put my bear can into. There were many other campers there, either doing the JMT or the lake loop. I ate the last half of my sandwich and washed off in the river. It was still hard to fall asleep; not sure why.