Only place I really did an extended hike was 7 days in the sierras at a trail called mineral king. I think we did something like 35 miles and 12000 feet total elevation change, went up starting at 7000 highest area was 12000, went up and down a lot of hills.
photos courtesy of my friend John Chen, amateur photographer.
Trailhead:
The whole place pretty much looks like this:
Cody and Mara:
John is a swimmer and everyone was trying to goad him into swimming across this lake (the short way parallel to the dam). I told him I would do it if he did, we dove in, water was probably 45-50. John finished when I was about half-way, at which point I thought there was a good point I would die- had to keep my head above water because I needed air and couldn't hold my breath long enough to go under. Very scary.
