Re: Favorite Hikes
nyc,
Sequoia is awesome. A must see in California.
As for favorite hikes, for me it's Mt Whitney. For those who don't know, its located in the Eastern Sierra and is the tallest peak in the continental US. There are many technical climbing routes but amazingly enough, there is a hikeable trail, The Main Whitney Trail. It is 11.5 miles one way with an elevation gain of about 6000 feet. Due to the high demand there is a strict permit system in place to limit the impact of people on the trail. Also, due to the well maintained trail, people underestimate the effort required to hike the trail(only 1/3 of all people summit).
Some people hike partway up and camp but I prefer to do it in a day. It usually takes me about 12-13 hours. A fun variation is to do it at night under a full moon or leave at midnight so you get to the summit by sunrise, its quite a sight. If someone is looking for a fun physical challenge with spectacular views, it can't be beat.
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