Humphreys Basin Backpacking - Quality Time with Mentors
This trip didn’t feel like any of the others I’ve done. From the very beginning, I knew it was going to be different. I was hiking into the Sierra with a group of people I’ve admired for years.
The group included Tip, a longtime family friend who is a pioneer in nuclear medicine. His stories instantly made me realize how much one person can shape the world. Adam, another longtime family friend and educator, whose curiosity and way of searching for beauty and awe made every conversation feel meaningful.
And then there was the team behind Mile, Mile, and a Half and Noatak: Return to the Arctic, filmmakers whose work I had watched for years, now casually sitting across from me at camp, sharing stories that made the mountains feel even more alive.
On our hikes, I was able to spend one-on-one time with everyone in our large group. It was great to get know people who share a similar love of the outdoors as me.
The meadows stretched on and on, dotted with lakes that mirrored the sky. Mt. Humphreys stood tall in the distance, almost daring us to keep exploring.
At camp, I sometimes found myself quietly listening more than talking, just trying to take in everything. Around the stove and under the stars, I heard stories about scientific breakthroughs and adventures filmed in places far more remote than here. I felt lucky, like I was getting a glimpse into worlds I’d only ever read about or watched on screen.
Each day followed a rhythm that I loved: cold mornings and quick breakfasts, then hours of wandering and exploring. Some days we scrambled up ridges to see what was on the other side, other days we rested near lakes, just watching the light shift across the granite. The basin seemed endless, like there was always another corner to discover.
I felt strong and inspired. Backpacking always challenges me, but this time it also reminded me how important it is to surround yourself with people who push you to see the world differently. Humphreys Basin was unforgettable not just because of its beauty, but because of who I shared it with.
