39 years ago, friends that I grew up with suggested we get together over the summer after our freshman year for a backpacking trip – a way to reconnect and swap stories about our young lives. Well, that tradition has continued to this day and I just returned from an amazing 3 day trek in the High Sierras with some of these amazing friends. Here’s how it went down…

One thing we all have in common is that we grew up in La Canada. Another thing is that we love adventure. The Annual has taken us throughout the eastern and western reaches of the Sierras, to Alaska, the San Juans, Mission Beach, Bass Lake, The Channel Islands, and throughout a number of weddings stretching from San Diego to Montana. Our numbers have swelled to as many as dozen and as few as three depending on life’s committments, but the tradition continues.

This year’s trip whittled down to just us three: Me, Tom, and Kevin. Our destination was the Robinson Creek watershed outside of Bridgeport. It was an ambitious outing with over 25 miles and 5,000 feet of elevation over three days.

As a photographer, many of my trips are focused on creating stunning images for homes and offices. The Annual, however, is more focused on hanging out and catching up with life-long friends. And that is just what we did. While we all came from similar beginnings and our friendship was forged by shared experiences of our youth, our individual paths have been radically different. Getting together once a year to share what we have been up to, what our kids are doing, how our musical preferences may have changed, and how politics are….well, just are, is always a transformative experience. Sharing it while gazing at the Alpine Glow at 10,000′ just makes it all that much better!

Of course, not every backpacking trip is without its, uh, discomforts. This year it was the ‘skeeters. We were absolutely destroyed in the evening and mornings, requiring the donning of very fashionable headgear:

The sights were amzaing, trails were perfect, the swimming and rock jumping was refreshing, and the convo was deep and meaningful. As I wavied goodby to my friends as they headed back to the Bay Area and I turned south towards San Diego, I had a wonderful glow of connection, happiness, and satisfaction that we could add yet another adventure to our lengthy list. Next year will be the 40th. Unbelievable! Where will it be? Somewhere special I can guarantee!