We finally got into the backcountry for a long weekend with a trip to East Lake in the Hoover Wilderness. As far as Eastern Sierra backpacks go, this one was pretty easy -- just 4.5 miles or so and about 1,500 feet of gain. The lake is very pretty (and sort of popular), but we nabbed a great campsite overlooking the water for the last couple nights. Hiking in the area is good, with a very scenic stroll up to Summit Lake on the Hoover-Yosemite border.
More about the backpack and the area on my partner's blog, West-Centric. Check it out please.
I didn't bother bringing my DSLR, trying to keep my pack somewhat light. The above pics were taken by my partner and I on her Olympus OMD-EM5 mirror-less camera with either the 17mm 2.8 lens (very small and light!) and the light but kind of bulky 12-50mm kit lens. As far as I can tell, it's a great little camera that takes sharp pics -- and these are just basic consumer lenses, not the more expensive lenses that are also available. The camera fits on a tiny pocket-sized tripod, making it a good choice for backpackers looking for a non-DSLR option. All the above pics are just handheld snaps.
As for the last photo, that's our dog Blue checking out the hotel bed after we hiked out. She had a comfy dog bed, but went for the king size bed instead.
Hey -- don't forget to check out more of my work on my main photo site, where prints and licensing info is available.
--S.H.
The above pics are ©Steve Hymon and Julie Sheer and may not be reproduced or used elsewhere without our advance written permission. All rights reserved.