My first big trip will include trekking at high altitude in the Andes. This is going to be a challenge, especially coming from sea level. To give our bodies a jump-start on acclimatization, one of my fellow travelers, Karen, and I spent three nights up in the Sierras. Another friend, Cyndi, joined us. At 7800’, Kirkwood was one of the highest places we could find to stay at this time of year. We virtually had the resort to ourselves as the ski lifts were shut down and the summer tourists haven’t yet arrive. Our hikes were limited due to snow on the trails, so we mostly lounged around our spacious condo and fixed delicious meals. To our surprise, it was snowing when we left. I’m glad we went – I got over a slight altitude headache and was reminded how much colder and drier it is up in the mountains.