Mt. Whitney Climbs
It all begins with an idea.
Mountaineer’s Route
Mountaineer’s Route (Round 2)
This is my buddy Walter. I miss hiking with him.
A look up the Mountaineer’s Route
At the Summit Hut
A view from the Mountaineer’s Route, just before the Slabs
Me and Walter on the Summit
Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the contiguous United States at 14, 495 ft. Mt Whitney was always the goal of a Southern California hiker. I attempted three times and succeeded twice.
The first time, on the Mountaineer’s Route, I turned around at 14, 000 feet because I got spooked. It was windy and exposed and my brain got in the way.
I went back the next year and made it up the Mountaineer’s Route with no problems.
A few years later, I hiked the Whitney Trail in a day. All beautiful - all super challenging.
Esalen Institute - Big Sur, CA
Yoga Nidra Retreat
June - Yoga Nidra Retreat - Esalen Institute - Big Sur, CA
I try to go away every year on or around my birthday. This last year, I decided to take a solo trip up to Big Sur to attend a Yoga Nidra retreat at the famous Esalen Institute.
Established in 1962, Esalen is a holistic retreat and educational institute and considered to be the epicenter of the Human Potential Movement.
I signed up to attend a retreat with Kelly Boys - a Yoga Nidra expert - having created mindfulness programs for UN humanitarians and veterans with PTSD, and directed a teacher training for Google. She has worked with the United Nations Foundation, Search Inside Yourself Institute, and the Integrative Restoration Institute, and is the founding advisor for the Simple Habit meditation app.
Yoga Nidra is the art of non-sleep deep rest. My goal was to learn techniques to help me cope with stress and sleep better.
Mission accomplished. This is a place of deep peace and acceptance. You are okay to be left alone and welcome to join in.
It is a magical place and if you ever have the opportunity to attend a retreat that interests you, I would encourage you to do so.
