Photo Essay: Hiking the Andes with Mountain Lodges of Peru

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June 15, 2000—Day 39—Kennedy Meadows Campground: "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees."-John Muir

Well, we have made it out of the desert. Desert? It was actually sort of a disappointment. I was mentally prepared for mind-broiling heat, frequent alpine lake mirages, and numerous rattlesnake showdowns. And got none of them. Sure, it was hot, some of the time, but mostly it was comfortable, or downright chilly, as we made our way through the so-called High Desert and into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. From Tehachapi we cruised 145 miles in 5 1/2 days over sagebrush-dominated landscape, shaded in sections by groves of pinyon pine. The trail took us on its customary up-and-down roller coaster, but we pounded out five consecutive twenty-plus-mile days; our legs are getting used to it.[MORE. . .]

Duffy and Angela are losing weight! Check out what gear they've dropped. Also see their original gear lists.