High Sierra Topix

Catching fish is not actually a very good way to re-supply. They have very few calories, and if you are low on provisions, it is actually likely that you will expend more calories catching them and cooking them than they will give you in return.

This kind of thinking makes me fear that you may be tackling more than you can handle on this trip. And I don't know if you've ever hiked a trail that dropped 6,000 feet in a day...but with a pack on, that's a very strenuous day.

Seriously.. Is someone going with you with a rope, or are you at least bringing a SPOT device?

One can't read this with a straight face at this point..

Catching fish is not actually a very good way to re-supply. They have very few calories, and if you are low on provisions, it is actually likely that you will expend more calories catching them and cooking them than they will give you in return.

I agree they don't give much calories but how hard it is to catch them depends on your location. Last year I made an error in planning and found myself a day short on food. I simply rationed my food supplies and then ate fish one night for dinner and it all worked out well. After all unless I was in a serious situation it is unlikely to find myself behind schedule for more then a day or two. Sometimes when this happens I will use layover days to make up the time.

And I don't know if you've ever hiked a trail that dropped 6,000 in a day...but with a pack on, that's a very strenuous day.

I did once on the last day of my 2009 trip. I had spent the night on Clouds Rest and then hiked down and climbed Half Dome keeping my pack on until the cables and then went all the way down to Yosemite Valley. it was about 15 miles and 8000 foot altitude loss with a full pack. I also had my Canon 5D2 on me so 8 extra pounds. The effects were better felt the next day.

Seriously.. Is someone going with you with a rope, or are you at least bringing a SPOT device?

I don't know at this point who will be with me where. There are a few people that are considering coming along for a section or two but I am yet to work that out but most of it I will be alone.

Nope no SPOT, no beacons.

If it makes you feel any better I am ok with dying out there so if it happens it just does. Like John Muir said "what a glorious grave site we would have".

You may not care if you die out there, but some poor SAR people are going to have to go out and spend we taxpayers resources to carry your sore butt back to civilization. I think that kind of thinking is really irresponsible. And you really do not want to die anyway. Saying you are willing to die gets you half way to doing stupid enough stuff to actually die. People who have survived epic situations never said die.

Since you have the PCT emblem on your avatar, am I to conclude that you successfully completed the PCT. If so, what year?

How many class 2, class 3, class 4 or class 5 passes have you actually done in the Sierra? Have you really had enough technical climbing experience to know what class 5 is?

This is not a good year for your project. Pretty sure to fail with snow conditions and high water crossings, and your lack of experience. (This is also not a very good year for those poor PCT hikers either). If I were you I would play around the Sierra off-trail to gain a feel for it, including bushwhaking, check out some of the uncertain sections of your routes and then do Roper's High Route in August. There is lots of detailed information on Roper's High Route. All this would go a long way at assuring a higher chance of success to actually complete your project.

RP, Just to be clear on the "classes" again, when you say class 5 with a full pack, do you mean this?

The system consists of five classes indicating the technical difficulty of the hardest section:
Class 1 is walking on an even, often planar, surface with a low chance of injury, and a fall is unlikely to be fatal.
Classes 2 and 3 are steeper scrambling with increased exposure and a greater chance of severe injury, but falls are not always fatal.
Class 4 can involve short steep sections where the use of a rope is recommended, and un-roped falls could be fatal.
Class 5 is considered true rock climbing, predominantly on vertical or near vertical rock, and requires skill and a rope to proceed safely. Un-roped falls would result in severe injury or death.

You may not care if you die out there, but some poor SAR people are going to have to go out and spend we taxpayers resources to carry your sore butt back to civilization

Well if that happened at the very least it's more experience for them which is better in the long run. I don't think anyone thinks they shouldn't drive a car because some poor emergency service personnel may have to clean your blood off the highway. It's not like we plan for things to happen.

And you really do not want to die anyway.

Although me wanting to die or not is irrelevant in general your wrong. But this is no place to get into some sort of soap opera discussion.

Since you have the PCT emblem on your avatar, am I to conclude that you successfully completed the PCT. If so, what year?

Actually I have only hiked a couple hundred miles of the PCT. I use the logo because I am a frequent volunteer with the Pacific Crest Trail Association doing trail maintenance. Logged 451 hours in 2010.

I do hope to do the thru hike some day. I wanted to do it this year but money kept me from doing so. And this is a case that I would have not gone because of snow.

Judging classes and passes and and how many is not easy. It seems like most passes that have trails are class 2. If that were the case I have done perhaps 30. As for Class 3 passes I am not sure that I have done any actually. But I have climbed a few mountains with typical slogs up class 3 talus or scree which more or less is the same concept. I did go from Grinnell Lake over the east ridge and down to Lower Hopkins Lake last year which is like crossing a pass and for all I know actually is a named pass that is not on the map. That climb was certainly class 3 at times and at least class 4 on some bits.

When it comes to knowing what class 5 is I really could use more experience. I tend to more often judge classes based on how technical the route is and if there is the lack of good hand holds but classes can be judged allot by exposure also which I do not factor in because I love heights so it doesn't make allot of difference to me if I am 10 feet off the ground or 2000.

There is no way I am not going to attempt this hike this year regardless of what awaits me. But it's certainly possible that many sections I could fail or who knows what may happen in general. If I have to reroute on the go then I will do so. If I do some cross country sections and decide it's not going well I may reroute those bits. I'll take it as it comes and hope for the best. I may not seem like it from my apparent do or die attitude but I am a very focused and level headed person and I know when to quit. But I would rather try and fail then not try at all.

I also believe this will be my last chance to do a hike like this in my life. I plan to do everything I can to become a full time trail worker hopefully with the National Parks Service and if I begin that line of work I don't think I will have the chance for so much free time in my life. Right now I work for my uncle in construction doing acoustical ceilings so I can get off all the time I want and have a job when I get back. It has allowed me to do these hikes the last two years.

RP, Just to be clear on the "classes" again, when you say class 5 with a full pack, do you mean this?

Yes and as I said I wouldn't attempt it with a full pack on. Who would lol. There is a big difference in a full climbers pack and a full hikers pack.

Rogue

Post deleted by author. I apologize to regular participants in High Sierra Topix. The original post was not appropriate for a forum of this caliber and I don't want it to be a model for future posts.

Mike

Let's keep things respectful, please.

You have a lot to learn if you think Class 2 means trails. That statement alone shows your inexperience at off-trail travel. If you plan on using the class ratings on passes to judge their feasibility, you need to read up on what the class ratings actually mean. Otherwise be prepared to be in for a BIG surprise. And this is not the last time in your life you could do your planned trip. Some of us here on this forum are over 60 years old and are just getting started doing long and challenging off-trail trips. You have a good long backpacking life ahead of you. Go out and give it a try, but be safe because honestly, this is NOT your last chance to do this kind of trip.