#TBT

[@BS2Dos]

He’s back!!! 👍👍👍👍

[@jackschwind4194]

Finally finally finally you have returned. You are like waiting for the fruit tree to grow it’s fruit. Every day we look and anticipate the fruit, but when it comes, it is so delightful and good. Love your stuff man! Keep those nuggets coming

[@davidgrayin]

Ha! That's great - thank you. I'm going to have to use that line sometime. I'm hoping for a new hike in mid-May, perhaps Great Smoky Mountains NP. In the meantime I'm working on getting some more videos out on projects that had been on hold. I had been planning to do a hike with my dog, Jaden, in April but his health slid pretty fast the last couple weeks. I'm hoping it might be an infection of some sort that I'm now giving him antibiotics for - maybe he'll bounce back enough to do a hike. But he's a 17 year old Lab so I'm just going to have to see how he does. It really threw me for a loop this spring not being able to think about local hikes with the dogs, but I'm hoping to get some great hikes in this year.

[@RuralMontanaLiving]

Great to see another video. Sorry to hear Jaden is slowing down, but man, at 17 he is an inspiration. Looking forward to your upcoming adventures. If you need assistance with your Glacier plans, my offer from a few years ago still stands if timing works. I now live even closer and may be able to help with logistics.

[@jobreachard6246]

Always look forward to seeing your next video I love your a family man and see your heart toward your familiy and dogs and your friends

[@tommybewick]

I'm so happy to see you back David!! One of the most inspirational backpackers that I follow. I love your dogs but keep them home and keep them safe! They're definitely getting up there in years.

[@mikewanders]

Great to see you again David!!

[@kayak736]

Hey hey! This is almost nostalgic!

[@cynthiaschwartz559]

It was nice to see you put out a video. Congratulations on all the permits you got this year. I'm glad Jaden is ok. Have a great week !!!

[@jodymills2199]

Hey David, glad to hear from you again! I'll be in Yosemite the first week of September myself. I'm doing a 5-nighter out of Mono Village/Twin Lakes. It's the Kerrick canyon/Matterhorn canyon semi-loop (aka a "lollipop loop).

[@dnmccurry]

Glad you’re back. Love your videos. Live in Helena MT. Love your hikes into Glacier Park. Originally from your neck of the woods.

[@agilegold]

It is good to see you posting videos again! I section hiked the KT during winter covid lockdown with a friend. We had a blast. Sorry to hear about Jaden. Looking forward to more videos, and wishing you luck with your planned trips for the season.

[@mikecarrington4297]

Glad you're back!

[@lumberhack2002]

My 4th great grandmother is buried at the Oxbow Primitive Baptist Church cemetery in Leota.

[@josephbrecheisen6339]

Glad to see another great backpacking friend l! Glad to see ya again David, lost my dad a month ago so this makes my day to see you back! Happy Hiking and let the good times roll!

[@710denverterp4]

I love each and every one of you!!!

[@adventurebythemile]

I’m going to be in Glacier in September also! It’s somewhat at night but warmer days.

[@lucano57]

Nice work, good luck with future trips.

[@shawnsadventures2852]

I live next to Morgan Monroe and hike around the park. Your a Beast

[@AlanDunkin]

Early September for JMT might work, I wouldn't want to do it any later than that, and frankly you can just do part of it if you're not feeling it (depending). Back around the time this video was made was when the Sierra had massive snowfall along the same lines, and I remember there was 4th of July skiiing in Tahoe. By the time the August heat passes, most of the trail could be good--I guess this also depends on which direction you have your permit through--southbound might be more accessible from the start. Wonderland in July could be good. Late Sep for Glacier is.. yeah border season. You never know!

[@davidgrayin]

I agree. I probably won't be able to do the while thing but my permit actually starts in Yosemite Valley, which I've been trying to get every year for a while. It's possible I'll just do from Yosemite through the area that I hiked in 2015, which would still be an awesome, scenic hike.

[@AlanDunkin]

@@davidgrayin I think it's a good plan. If you start in Happy Isles and get to Tuolumne, that's a good lengthy hike all in of itself (and a lot of uphill). I'm guessing you can probably make it Lyell Pass around the border of the park, but I dunno if you'd want to go further (it's not a huge leap from that point to where you ended up in 2015).

[@santiagohills3997]

@@davidgrayin even if you bailed at the River Trail and called it a trip, that would still be a killer trip. One bummer is that there’s no way the High Sierra camps will open this year, as getting meals at Sunrise camp would be a bonus.

[@craigsmith6446]

I've got a SOBO JMT permit for end of August. Still planning to go, will watch the snowpack. One thing to remember is how hot California can get with its latitude and endless sunny days. The passes may still hold snow but they will be well carved out by other hikers by then. They valleys will be melted out. Do you have a NOBO or SOBO permit?

[@davidgrayin]

I have a SOBO permit starting from Happy Isles. Exactly what I've been trying to get for many years. I'm not as concerned about the JMT conditions in early September as I am about trying to do something on the Wonderland Trail in early July! But it's been a crazy snow year in the Sierra so who knows. I'm just going to keep an eye on it. We also have plans for a Yellowstone hike in the works so I'm hoping to get at least one 'big' western trip in this year.

[@jamesbarclay4433]

David, so good to see you back! You have quite the lineup planned for 2023….hope the snow melts enough so you can get either the wonderland or some of the JMT in….both are bucket list types for sure! Have you ever considered the Canadian Rockies? My group struck out on the Teton Crest/Paintbrush Divide. Wound up getting a Tonquin Valley permit in Jasper and very excited for it. Are you still trying to hit The Enchantments lottery? A great, mostly undiscovered nearby alternative is Tuck and Robin Lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. No permit required. Another option is the Sahale Glacier/Cascade Arm up in North Cascades NP. You do have to get a permit for that. Happy trails!

[@AlanDunkin]

David whoooooooooooooooo?

[@Halfpace52]

3 permits all in September !

[@davidgrayin]

No, JMT and Glacier are both in September (JMT beginning, Glacier at the end), but the Wonderland Trail is for 4th of July. Given how much snow there is in the mountains on the west coast this year (a lot!) I don't think a July Wonderland hike is going to be feasible at all, but I'll hold onto the permit and see how things progress. The September hikes could happen - probably partial JMT - but I have to wait and see how the weather and fire season progress as we get closer. I'm also planning a Yellowstone hike with Carl and Travis in late June or early July.

[@Halfpace52]

@@davidgrayin 2023 is a record high snow year in Sierra and the bridge after the Muir ranch is out and early Sept probably a good time. Hope they repair the bridge otherwise you have to detour through the Bishop areas.

[@santiagohills3997]

@@Halfpace52 wow I hadn’t seen that bridge was out! I suppose you could go over Lamarck Col, but yeah that could be a very big go-around if you avoid the mountaineering, plus you’d miss Evolution Valley, which was a highlight for me on the North Lake- South Lake loop. Half a JMT is still worth doing! exiting over Paiute Pass is still awesome.

[@pigfender]

@@davidgrayin how is Bob these days? Haven’t seen him in a while?

[@Halfpace52]

@@santiagohills3997 I looked up the JMT miles going south and it’s 109.6+/-. Paiute Trail to left just before the bridge. I have a picture of me on the bridge.

[@Lemi-killmister]

Glad to see you

[@santiagohills3997]

JMT early September will be perfect. The snow should finally be low enough, but you won’t be worried for water. We did Agnew Meadows to Happy Isles in a big snow year (2017) with zero issues, snow near but not on trail. Weather wise, while nothing is guaranteed, I’d take early September Sierra over late September Glacier…

[@KatWoman_]

Nice re-do. That’s a mismanaged forest- Tall, weak, skinny, densely-packed trees and no understory.

[@MichaelRichards983]

Hahaha the camera is basically in your mouth! Lol

[@davidgrayin]

Yeah, I know, in parts of it for sure. Sorry! The 'wide angle' on that old camera wasn't very wide plus the image stabilization zooms it in even more.

[@MichaelRichards983]

@@davidgrayin How are the new National Park filming laws going to impact your trips? Are you getting permits so you can film?

[@garyday5299]

Always watch and enjoy your videos (except the overland stuff), but wonder why you even bothered to put this up from so long ago. Wasn't good filmography; wasn't enjoyable at all. Did you just need something to do??

[@davidgrayin]

Yeah, partly. Also wanted to get the 'update' intro out. A number of people had been asking about what was going on. I'd been trying to clean up some of the 'important' early videos because the originals, which are still out there, were REALLY bad. This one was important to me because it was the first 'real' multi-day solo hike that I did, plus my dog Jaden is probably very close to departing this earth and I wanted to remember the days when he could walk circles around me on a hike in brutal terrain where we averaged over 15 miles per day. I guess you can only clean them up so much.

[@pigfender]

Well, I thoroughly enjoyed it and am very grateful for the upload.

[@santiagohills3997]

Sometimes it’s OK to not share our opinion.

[@calebneilson8249]

Great video David. As I depart on my first "thru-hike" actually in next few hours, it was great inspiration. Hope you are enjoying the last few days of winter of '24.