There are so many Sierra experiences + memories and they continue daily. My first one was in the summer of 1977. I had just started my first 'big pay' job with PG+E and took a summer break before the job started, and backpacked deep into Sequoia National Park, you know - home of the giant trees. My goal was to cross over 100 miles of wilderness to the John Muir Trail and get some Golden Trouts.
A bit of background may help here: I had spent the previous 5 years in Laramie Wyoming (U of Wyo Cowboys) and every weekend I went backpacking, climbing and fishing into the Snowy Range close to town and did extensive mountaineering in the Tetons, Wind River Range, Yellowstone, etc. So long backpacking trips was my forte. Looking at the national park map and seeing the vast unspoiled wilderness made me more comfortable after experiencing the congestion (relative to Wyoming) of the Bay Area.
I remember how amazing it was seeing my first giant Sequioa. Nowadays, they almost look 'normal'.
What made this trip so memorable is my getting cited on the second day by a Forest Ranger for not having a permit. I was dumbstruck and naive. I said to the ranger ' i need the state's permission to walk on god's earth?' He laughed and we started talking and I got a quick introduction and learnings about 'wilderness' in California. What a difference compared to Wyoming 'wilderness'!
Since then I've pulled a few permits - mostly for peak bagging - and stay away from overused trails that require day permits.
I never did make it across to the Golden Trout Area and the John Muir Trail (i finally did get there in 1998), but I fell in love with the Sierras. They were WAY more friendly (weatherwise) than the Wyoming Rockies, and in California I eventually needed more time away from people congestion and the Sierras were the perfect antidote.
Eventually I settled on the Carson Range and that's right next to where WinSol3 is - outside my backdoor... pinch me!
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