High Sierra Topix

Many trailheads have a least a kind of general store where you can buy a few things. They usually have just about one of everything....and it's often expensive.

But it sure beats driving to Fresno!

balzaccom wrote:Many trailheads have a least a kind of general store where you can buy a few things. They usually have just about one of everything....and it's often expensive.

But it sure beats driving to Fresno!

Yes, but if one has to pass through Fresno en route to the trailhead anyway, as I believe is the case here (180), one might as well avail themselves of better prices and better selection. As an exile from the Bay Area, I realize that folks won't go out of their way to stop here (Fresno), but if one has to pass through they may as well take advantage of what is available---there is an REI here, for example.

If Rogue needs to leave the backcountry to buy new trousers, then a valley town is probably his best bet unless he wants to exit on the east side and hitch out to Bishop. There is at least one very well stocked outdoor gear store in Bishop, with a wide variety of choices in backpacking pants. The store is right at the intersection of the road that takes you up to the trailhead (Hwy 168). Bishop would be far more convenient than Fresno if you want to minimize the amount of time off trail. It sounds like Rogue still has one good pair of serviceable pants -- I wonder if he can wait a week or two and improvise a resupply on the east side?

On my hikes, I only carry one pair of long pants and I rarely hike in shorts. I know they are anathema to you younger guys who are attracted to hi-tech materials and a certain look, but I always hike in Levis 501s because they are as tough as nails and will last at least a solid summer of hiking. Ditto for wool socks.

Mike

I won't have contact with him until the day (the 16th) I meet him again, and I don't know how far the east side is based on his itinerary and current location. One of the reasons for detouring to Fresno was to watch the new Harry Potter in IMAX, which would be long gone from theaters by the end of his trip.

I just use a pair of pants from Columbia for hiking. They're sort of light, dry fast, don't restrict movement as much as Jeans. I can't imagine how long jeans would take to dry. A couple weeks ago we went to Hetch Hetchy and just went to Wapama Falls, it was raging. You basically had to get fully soaked to cross all the bridges.

Nice picture, Traumahead! My Levis would have done fine in that . . . and they dry out fairly quickly, just iike your Columbia pants..

Mike

The picture is actually courtesy of Rogue.

Greetings from VVR! Yes I am still alive! am 49 days into the trip and things are going pretty well. The mountains though this year are really testing me! Of course some things have changed from my plan. The major changes are:

Did not take Buck creek up and across the Tablelands. I thought it was too early and I was too out of shape for it.

Took Horn Col down Deadman Canyon instead of Copper Mine because I wanted to make more miles to meet Chris.

My Dad fell into a bog when we started for Gardiner Pass over waist deep and cut up his leg so we went over Glen instead. What was that about being glad my dad could go lol.

Did not do Tehipiti Valley because of the ford. Instead I climbed Goat Mountain and went down to the Kid Lakes and crossed over East of Glacier Lakes and went through Glacier Valley and over Kennedy Pass.

Decided to take a break from the High Route after Cataract Creek Pass because of how extreme it had been with snow.

Did a summit of Black Giant. The mountains tried to kill me a couple times.

Took me 6 and a half hours to do 1.8 miles when I crossed Alpine Col because I took the wrong side of the lake which turned into the worst bolder slog I have ever done so I knew I could not make it based off the time I had planned which sucked since that is such a nice High Route area.

Planning to get back on the cross country when I leave VVR though.

Been a hard trip so far and I think the mountains have been testing me like never before!

I'll be here tomorrow so I can check back in! I think I am going to do a day or two in Mammoth also so I will be able to update again in a week or so.

Hope everyone else if having fun out here!

Thanks for the update. Glad you are still walking and talking.

Hey Rouge!!! Good to hear from you, I just missed ya, as I was at VVR with the family on 8/16. Glad to hear all is well and am looking forward to your pics later on. Good luck and be safe!!

RoguePhotonic wrote:...I am 49 days into the trip ...

I hate you