Hiking about 30 years ago

1977-ish

At left, my lifelong friend, Dan, born just 3 days after me. At right, me, the Dan of this blog.

We are on the ridge that leads to Telescope Peak in the Panamint Mountains, west of Death Valley. If the photo was clearer, you would see the Sierra Nevada mountains behind in the distance, around 100 miles or so away (barely visible and very light gray, way in the back to the right, but actually 500 miles long). The round trip overnight stay was about 14 miles, and up to over 11,000ft.

I grew up always knowing Dan. I truly have no memory of ever meeting him. We have literally known each other for nearly 50 years.

Telescope Peak...I have been to the summit on three different occasions. Though located right at Death Valley (it forms part of the Valley), it is usually snow covered in winter and then some, with ice and cold weather. It is a very remote location, and allows a view that lets you see both the lowest point in the whole Western Hemisphere (Badwater), and still see Mt. Whitney at the same time. That, my friends, is an elevation change of close to 15,000 vertical feet. That can even be hard to do in the greatest mountain ranges on earth.

Think of that...If I can see over 100 miles behind me, 100 miles ahead, and almost three miles straight up and down JUST LOOKING AT THE GROUND...then I can really know what it is to "See for miles and miles"

--Dan