SierraDescents.com

Pacific Palisades

The 800 block of Haverford Avenue, Pacific Palisades, California

I want to tell you a secret. I've been keeping it for a long time. I wanted to tell you about it, but until now I couldn't—at least not publicly—for reasons I hope (more)

December

Sea Gulls and Sunset, Will Rogers State Beach

No surprises here: cold and dry appears to be the SoCal fate for the foreseeable future. Wax those bike chains I guess and try to keep the faith—or try some man-made turns (more)

Flagstaff Aurora

Aurora Borealis visible over the San Francisco Peaks and Flagstaff Arizona on October 10, 2024

A rare "severe" solar storm on October 10 made for visible aurora borealis much farther south than usual. I was in Flagstaff, Arizona, and raced outside to catch this image just (more)

The Dragon-Gould Loop

The Dragon-Gould Loop

I love traversing Sierra ridges, and I particularly love creating loops, so a Dragon Peak-Mount Gould linkup sounded particularly appealing, with one caveat: some parties rate (more)

White Mountain Avec Bike

White Mountain Peak, California

I occasionally do things because they seem like they ought to be done, and this adventure certainly fits that category: biking to the top of White Mountain Peak, California, (more)

Around the Peaks

The San Francisco Peaks - West Face

I don't tend to think of Northern Arizona's San Francisco Peaks as a large mountain, but I can tell you they seem to get quite a bit bigger when you try to bicycle all the way (more)

Kearsarge Revisited

Ascending Kearsarge Peak's Summit Ridge

I first climbed 12,598' Kearsarge Peak via Lily Pass in 2014, and, as is often the case, my famously-bad memory recorded it as one of the easier of the eastern Sierra's big-peak (more)

Mount Gleason

Mount Gleason, in the San Gabriel Mountains

I may have inwardly cringed a bit during my San Gabriel traverse last year when I claimed you could spend your whole life exploring the San Gabriel Mountains. Really? I asked (more)

San Jacinto Aerial

San Jacinto Peak - Aerial View

Here's a still-snowy San Gorgonio Mountain photobombing a mostly-dry San Jacinto Peak, as seen Wednesday on the way from LAX to Phoenix, Arizona. This shot really gives a good (more)

Throop Peak – North Gully

Matthew Testa skiing Throop Peak's north gully

Believe it or not this is the first time I've skied Throop Peak from its 9142' summit; I've come close previously, but always ascended/descended the big northwest face over Lily (more)

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About SierraDescents

When there is snow, SierraDescents is Andy Lewicky's California backcountry skiing and mountaineering website. Without snow, sierradescents becomes an ill-tempered hiking and climbing blog.

Pray for snow.