You want to go on an adventure, but don't know where to start?
This adventurer (left) is standing at the summit of Clouds Rest in Yosemite. He has complete kidney failure. He had to dialysis himself for ninety minutes halfway to the summit from the trailhead near Tenaya Lake. Then for eight hours overnight in the tent. The helper guide standing next to him had hypothermia after carrying over eighty pounds of gear to complete the trip. I slept with the dialysis solution against my chest to warm it to body temperature before each dialysis treatment. The client planned this trip for over six months preparing his vehicle and himself. He said, “this photo is a great reminder for all of us to appreciate everything in this world that can pamper our soul.”
Safety
I completed my 141st backpacking trip on 4/8/25. I led a twenty-four year old into the BD9 section of the south rim of the grand canyon. We attempted to reach the Colorado river. A section of the canyon had collapsed, and I determined we did not have enough water for a safe return trip. A safe journey is always my main concern.
Preparation
On my 139th backpacking trip on 10/20/2024, I took a twenty-eight year old into an eastern section of the Sierra Nevada mountains to swim in a high altitude alpine lake. It was his first time in the wilderness. I had him train to build his aerobic capacity to carry a 52 pound backpack at altitude. I tested him two weeks before the trip, between 11PM to 2AM, after one of his work shifts.
Experience
I have completed over a hundred and forty adventures and spent over 1500 days in the wilderness.