Hitchhiking, Bus Connections and Ride-Sharing

Following are some basic Sierra hitchhiking strategies I and my comrades in Sierran hitching have learned…

The Case for PLBs

I started carrying a PLB several years ago, after the weight and price of these devices finally fit my tolerance level. My hiking style hasn’t changed one iota since I started carrying my PLB. I’ve never used it and I don’t intend to ever use it (just like my First Aid Kit… should I stop carrying THAT, too?) But no one ever intends to have an accident.

Gillnetted / “Lost” Lakes in the Sierra Nevada

Reports continue to filter in about high country lakes that have been gillnetted in order to create habitat for mountain yellow legged frogs. Although these lakes are a small fraction of the total number of lakes with fish in the Sierra, finding out which lakes have been gillnetted is very difficult, and this is a problem for trip planning–one doesn’t want to invest a lot of time hiking to find a fishless target.

Meeting People In The Backcountry

Maybe this has something to do with backpacking solo so much, but one part of my backcountry trips I like so much is meeting people (and I thought I did it to get away from people). This last summer I met another solo hiker in Kern Canyon and we talked for hours. He even gave me my first taste of those high sierra wild raspberries. That was one of the many highlights of that trip. Another time many years ago I met a group of four near First Recess and we chatted it up till late at night around the campfire. Another time I met a skier on my way toward 1000 island lake in early spring, and miraculously encountered him again later that year on another ski tour. And then there was the time I met Rosie from our HST forums along the JMT and she offered that I tag along on her pack train horse ride.