Hi, my name is Paulina and I don’t know how to set anchors. After many climbing trips of sheepishly admitting to my friends that I don’t know how to, I decided to change that. Over the weekend, I took an anchors and self-rescue class with SAANO Adventures. Woke up bright and early on Saturday morning to head to Cragmont Park in Berkeley, CA.
If you’re looking for a pair of hiking boots that blend both form and function, then look to Hanwag. I received a pair of the Hanwag Grunten Lady as a gift, and they’ve been a trusty pair of boots in my closet since.
Hike: Freel Peak
Where: Lake Tahoe Basin
Trailhead: Trout Creek, at the end of Oneidas St.
Level: Strenuous
Duration: 7 hours
Length: 7 miles?
Gear: Outdoor Research Cathode Vest, Outdoor Research Mainstay Beanie, Icebreaker BodyFit 200 Oasis Crew Long-Sleeve, NW Alpine Gear Black Spyder Hoody, REI Sahara pants, Arc’teryx Alpha SL Hybrid jacket, Boreas Topaz 25 pack, Black Diamond Ultra Distance trekking poles, and Salewa Alp Trainer Mid GTX boots
Cost of Parking: Free
On my quest to get OGUL recognition, I decided to tackle Freel Peak, the tallest peak in El Dorado County and in the Lake Tahoe Basin. I opted not to begin at Horse Meadow; I wasn’t sure that my car could handle the gnarly Forest Service roads. Instead, I began at Trout Creek, at the end of Oneidas St. and fully paved up to the trailhead.
If you’re looking for a lightweight snack on-the-go and you’re not allergic to nuts, the Pistachio Chewy Bites are for you.
If you missed #HellHikeAndRaft Day One, click here! If you missed Day Two, click here! If you missed Day Three: Descending into Hell, click here! For all things #HellHikeAndRaft related on Little Grunts, click here!
We spent night three being lulled to sleep by the flow of the Snake River. We slept on these incredibly comfortable, self-inflating paco pads. The dark was much warmer down in Hells Canyon than up in the Seven Devils. Morning came and we were greeted by the smell of pancakes and sausage. We didn’t know it, but vacation and relaxation were about to really begin.
Day four and our first day on the Snake River was going to be our toughest yet, filled with Class IV and III rapids. Not going to lie, I was a little nervous; this was going to be my first time rafting!