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The melt has begun... hold on to your hat!
Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 10:39 pm
by Bearlover
Going up myself in two weeks.. just in time for snowcones and a nice 32 degree bathtub. Myself I love this time of year.. even when it seems like it is trying to kill me. I mention this cause I want to express how very dangerous those river crossings are. Please use care everyone.. a rope will only pull you under.. find a magic log to cross or at least unhitch the pack beforehand my friends. Just got me a pair of Stansport trekking poles from ebay(I am a cheap--- froogle bastard.) Don't step on anything you can step over or step over anything you could step around. At this time of year a stitch intime can save nine.. truly. Be careful of the water y'all.. she a might bit more powerfull than we all think. Deep swift green water just waiting to take you away! This is a killer(pun not intended) year everyone.. be careful! Take it from a flood survivor.. the power of that water is absolutley deadly. Having said that I intend to go straight into the breach.. right into the very canyon that tried to kill me in '04. Hope to see you on the flip side if not I died doin' what I loved... cheers!
Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 2:28 am
by Snow Nymph
Be careful!
I got pulled under crossing 2nd recess ~97 or '98. My camera was inthe top pocket of my pack so it didn't get wet. Boots were hanging over my shoulders, and pack was unbuckled. Only the bottom of the pack went in before I got my head out of the water. It was raining, but the sun came out for 2 hrs so we were able to dry most of our stuff. SnowDude crossed after me, and he got pulled under too. I got pics.
Be careful out there
Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 9:33 pm
by gdurkee
Bearlover has it absolutely right. I would go a step further: Why make a dangerous crossing? It really and truly is not worth it unless you are a zillion percent sure you can make it. Find a solid log or go way upstream (if possible) to lower water or a good snow bridge (and those can be dangerous too in the spring).
It might be worth seriously considering a mid-July trip this year &/or a route that doesn't have bad river crossings on it.
(Sorry about the paranoia. We get a few bodies in the rivers every year, but especially high water years... .)
George
Posted: Thu May 11, 2006 7:58 am
by ndwoods
Yea, my scariest moments in the Sierra have hands down been water crossings. No snowfield, exposed off trail pass or cliff can compare!!!