South Lake to North Lake Trail

At 60 miles, this adventure in the Eastern Sierra was the longest we'd ever attempted—so naturally, we dubbed it "The Granddaddy of them all." Our route was set for six nights, starting at South Lake and ending at North Lake, with the added excitement of a mid-trip rendezvous. Eric’s wife and daughter were hiking the same trail in the opposite direction, and we planned to meet for a special lunch in the middle.

The trip had all the elements of a classic Los Boyz adventure—stunning alpine scenery, tough climbs, and the kind of camaraderie that makes the miles fly by. But this time, a bit of drama unfolded. After our lunch meeting, Eric took a hard fall, tearing his patella tendon. Unable to walk, he hit the SOS button on his Garmin InReach. Before we knew it, we were watching as a rescue helicopter flew Eric out of the backcountry from the bottom of the canyon.

Thankfully, this story has a happy ending. Eric made a full recovery, and before long, he was back on the trail, pounding out the miles with the rest of Los Boyz. Despite the setback, this trip will forever be one of our most unforgettable adventures—a reminder of both the beauty and the unpredictability of the wilderness.

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