LeConte Divide

Posted on October 28, 2015 by jimloco

LeConte Divide is a series of peaks located in the John Muir Wilderness. This portion of the Sierra Nevada does not get as much attention as some other more popular areas which makes it ideal back-country to get away from the general backpacking scene and into real quality wilderness. The trip we took started out of Courtright Reservoir where we worked out way through the John Muir Wilderness, summiting the divide at Hell For Sure Pass. We originally slated this trip for 6 days, but due to extremely smoky conditions from a fire south-west of us, we hiked out on the 4th day. Continue reading →

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Märzen Style Ale

Posted on November 12, 2014 by jimloco

This is my recipe to brew a Märzen without having all the refrigeration control needed to brew a proper lager.

  • Original Gravity: 1.048
  • Final Gravity ….: 1.011
  • IBU ………………..: 23
  • SRM ………………: 11
  • ABV ……………….: 5.3
  • Boil Volume ……: 5 Gallons
  • Final Volume ….: 6 Gallons

Continue reading →

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Mount Ritter via Isberg

Posted on September 27, 2014 by jimloco
Mount Ritter from the South West side

Mount Ritter from the South West side

Located in the Sierra Nevada, Mount Ritter is the 16th highest peak in California, and the highest peak in the Ritter range. Most of the wilderness permits to approach Ritter come out of either Yosemite via Tuolumne Meadows or Mammoth via Devils Postpile and reservations are filled up fairly quickly for June, July, and August. Continue reading →

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Dogtooth Peak & Sisters Peaks – Dinkey Lakes, Sierra National Forest

Posted on September 20, 2014 by jimloco

All the neat things to see are pretty close on this trip, so not a lot of mileage to cover. But lots of time can be sent here exploring, rock climbing, swimming, fishing, and hiking. I organized this particular trip for all of that, with the intent of taking my smaller children and avoiding the heavy miles. Continue reading →

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Kölsch

Posted on March 4, 2014 by jimloco

KölschThis is a very simple Kölsch that comes out really clean and smooth. It has been dubbed “sneaker beer” by some as it tends to sneak up and kick your ass when it looks like a very tame ale. The Original Gravity is 1.050, and the Final Gravity is 1.013. The IBU finishes off at about 28 and the ABV is 4.8. Enjoy! Continue reading →

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High Sierra Trail – Explanation and Preparation

Posted on September 5, 2012 by jimloco

My brother and I are both avid backpackers and we routinely hike with our children. This summer, we joined forces and took our two families along with my nephew (of our sister) and we did the High Sierra Trail (Also known as the Trans-Sierra). Starting from Wolverton trail head in Sequoia National Park we hiked 66 miles in 8 days to Whitney Portal. At the Trail Crest in Whitney wilderness, we dropped our gear and bagged Mt Whitney to boot. This is the first article in a series of articles detailing our trip. Continue reading →

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