High Sierra Topix

Great trip, Mark! Love the story and the shots.

A few weeks earlier than you @ the 'Bag. We parked @ Junction and walked up the closed road. We were hoping the dam was beginning to thaw to perhaps hook into some holdovers. If you look closely, you can see a rock in the lower left corner that we threw in hoping to break a hole. No such luck. Still, it was pretty weird being up there all by ourselves - really quiet, and quite different from prime time.



On the way back out, we ended up hitting one of the 120 lakes that was beginning to thaw at its inlet and caught a few holdovers.

Btw, you're older than me - how have you maintained such a good attitude vis-a-vis crowds? Or perhaps I'm just slowly becoming a hermit?

Btw, you're older than me - how have you maintained such a good attitude vis-a-vis crowds? Or perhaps I'm just slowly becoming a hermit?

Yes, ancient...Maybe also part hermit too but, at this point, not willing to take any BS from anybody helps. Clean living, a sarcastic demeanor, thick skin...and best of all being 100% self-contained are the keys to managing those crowded campsites. You have to be willing and able to just pack-up and leave.

Just as an aside here, as a solo, helps to be proactive. When I get to someplace like Tuolumne BP, always nice to pick a secluded site early, realizing that all will soon enough fill up. Thus you can then just sit back (in my case, while drawing and maybe working a fatty) - and selectively "invite" any of those stragglers coming in late to join you. BTW, Always pick those with name-brand, well-worn gear, some age showing through the trail-dust, and possessing that "look"...seems to work out fine. Met some real characters and some fine friends too.

Man oh man...that sounds like time spent well. Since I'm a newbie...how do all of you folks recognize each other out in the wilderness? I've read on other posts where people run into other high sierra topix folks. Is there a secret handshake??

Sometimes I think I've been around the Sierra quite a bit and I read about your ramblings and I feel feel downright humbled. Not sure that is the word. It motivates me to realize that I can do more that just a weekender from the mayhem of silicon valley. Anyways, I hope to meet you on the trail someday. Thanks for the report!

juscro wrote: Is there a secret handshake??

Yes there is but...a Catch 22 here - as those privileged but regular long-time HST members already know, we cannot tell it to you here, instead someone must show it to you in person.
I believe it was Mike (our own OldRanger) or maybe it was TehipiteTom who informed me of this stipulation. Write to them, as they are the officially authorized "Royal Keepers of the Handshake" and the only ones able to divulge the "secret shake" via a PM.
If at first they feign ignorance, do not believe them...usually takes multiple requests to get them to open up and talk .

Mark, you didn't mention the ceremonial "HST" branding iron that ERIC holds; a simple press to the flesh on the outside of the right hand, and you're in!

The simple way is to post your picture on the "show yourself" thread, or any other thread, or your avatar, and If we see you, we'll know you. If you're wearing HST gear, like a hat, we'll know you. If you talk to a person and say, "why did you come here?", and they answer "I found this place on HST", we're expecting a TR when you get back.

Just a serious aside here, it would be nice if we had a small cloth patch - suitable for sewing on top of a backpack, that was available for purchase - making it easier to recognize other HST members on the trail.
Maybe just a small, colorful, nondescript HST that stands out - this would make our "family" here easily recognizable to others.

markskor

That sounds like a great way to spend the summer.
nice art work as well.

Jon

markskor wrote:Just a serious aside here, it would be nice if we had a small cloth patch - suitable for sewing on top of a backpack, that was available for purchase - making it easier to recognize other HST members on the trail.
Maybe just a small, colorful, nondescript HST that stands out - this would make our "family" here easily recognizable to others.

It *would* be nice, indeed. Many times I've wished I could paste my "Got Mountains?" sticker on my pack, but of course it's too big and it would fall off. And I believe we have at least one artist amongst us who might be able to design such a patch, eh Markskor? Hmmm... How much does it cost to make a batch of custom-designed patches, anyone know?

B² -
Thanks but do not think an "artist" is really needed here, as we already have a recognizable template.
What would be preferred, at least by this crusty woodsman, would be a small oval patch, reminiscent/similar to our "now-existing" HST LOGO...White with 3 black letters and black edging around.
Same colors (black and white), but could be colored too... and small, maybe 2 1/2"/1 1/4" ...nothing too garish. It should be cloth, super clean, and embroidered by a machine. I wish I knew someone who did such items.
Any members out there have any such embroidery connections?
BTW, Talked with Eric last night and he likes the idea too.
Mark