High Sierra Topix

What prompted that idea was seeing a sleeping bag full of trash and other crap at at the lakes above convict. Just figured i mention it....i figure there are other areas that need attention.

Trash found a week ago on a 4 day loop through Tableland and Elizabeth Pass. There was more, but on the 1st day some day hikers at Pear Lake agreed to pack out what I have collected so far.

I am certain I've actually met people who post here, as well as folks who've just read the posts. I talk to as many people on the trail as will talk to me, generally - just today it took me an hour longer to get back to the car than it would have, simply because I kept running into friendly people who were going in.

About the only way I can think to make the connection would be a HST sticker on my backpack. (I'd need three or four stickers.)

As for a trip specifically for HST posters - heck, I hike with folks I "meet" on the internet all the time. I've not met an axe murderer yet. I did have one stalker, who I never figured out where he came from - I strongly suspect though that he found my hiking group after I posted a link on a different backpacking forum, found the group, joined and immediately started sending me insulting and harassing emails... not sure what I did to upset him, but it took a bit to get rid of him.

However, this is a much better behaved forum, and I fail to be completely deterred by one idiot's behavior, so would be fine with it if say, someone wanted to go to Sphinx Lakes with me this coming weekend. Not sure anyone is down for that kind of elevation (or if the weather will cooperate) tho.

Unfortunate turn of events....im chasing a woman to CO. So next year i might be more inclined to a hike with other forum members as trips will have to be planned in advanced. She would worry less if i was with others....so lets do this!

Speaking of i would like to explore death valley this winter...anyone up for that?

Might work for chance meetings on trails if we put maybe some kind of decal HST members all had on our packs. Of course few of us could ID others by sight. Might create a vague list of zones people might be visiting in two week windows of dates. For example instead of Garnet Lake on July 28 would categorize as maybe Ritter Range last two weeks of July. Otherwise one is talking about planned meet ups.

Obviously we have diverse interests and trip styles that are not likely to be compatible beyond brief short planned meet ups. If so then the first thing to do is to find out who have an interest in meeting up.

In what region do those then live?

Then start making suggestions and comments on a thread like this.

On other boards people have noted for security reasons they would not want to broadcast no one will be at their homes for several days. After an acceptable idea is hatched, people can PM on the details. Obviously simple and easy is most likely to be successful at getting a larger turn out.

Short trip...weekend.
Short drive.
Easy hike.
Interesting destination with activities possible for multiple interests.
Easy to obtain permits or not required permits.
Dates not in peak mid summer that otherwise are likely to conflict with other plans.

Since this summer's backpacking season is over, this is a better subject for next spring.

RE: the original post, it would be fun to know when others are out and where, on the off chance it coincides with other's plans. I am pretty sure that Rlown and I were in French canyon last year at the same time (He at Puppet lake and me at Elba) and it would have been fun to keep a look out to say hi. I think I may have seen you fishing at Puppet lake when I was dayhiking by on my way back from Star Lake

Throwing an idea at the wall for stickiness here, but would an interactive trip calendar help? The link would only be to a user profile. Someone would have to be a serious stalker (not saying we don't have at least one of those amongst us here) to track a user account to a real person and thus their home address, etc.

I didn't think about the stalker/burgler aspect...

Maybe it is more trouble than its worth?

Me personally, I am not trying to be social or make friends as much as just wanting to hike to remote off trail places with a couple other people. And I could probably learn a thing or three from you old timers

I don't live in a good neighborhood so I already worry about getting robbed when I am gone. I go to great lengths to make sure no one sees me putting bags in my truck. I don't want anyone knowing when I leave...and I get out quite often.

Perhaps just sending personal PMs is the safer way....I do like that calendar idea....what if we made it anonymous? That way you just see someone is going on a trip, you PM those you trust, and if you hit it....cool...if not, that's cool to.

Or, say I post a trip on the calendar as anonymous. Only admin and/or moderators can see my name. So and so wants to go, they contact admin/mod, and admin/mod contacts me to see if I want to hike with so and so. That way I have the personal responsibility of whatever happens after. Sounds overly complicated I know but you guys are right...announcing trips on the internet is a bad idea.

I don't know maybe meeting people on the internet to do strenuous/dangerous multi-day hikes is a bad idea on a few different levels. I just go with the flow and am thinking aloud

I am tired of hiking solo though

We just need a HST yearly hike. Set a date and let people say they will be there or not. Something easy so everyone can join.