Gable Lakes, Inyo National Forest, California

The Sierras have been calling for years — a trip to the mountainous granite landscape, flower blooms, and beautiful alpine lakes was overdue. We didn't plan far ahead so permits were limited, but we scored a pair to visit Gable Lakes and make an attempt to summit Mount Tom (13,500ft). The day before included a podcast interview with gogetoutside.com talking about diving, caving, and adventures.

After almost 3 hours and 3,700ft gain, we arrived at Gable Lakes — a series of kettle lakes from snowmelt surrounded by peaks and steep granite walls. 10,700ft elevation — views some of the best I've seen in an alpine region. We skipped the Mount Tom summit due to thunderclouds forming rapidly. Lightning streaks on the descent. Back to the car in 8 hours. This region is now a new favorite — looking forward to returning to the Sierras.