High Sierra Topix

Balzaccom wrote:
There is no point to carrying extra weight, and car keys certainly fall into that
category. I leave all of my keys in the car EXCEPT the car key itself. That goes
in my pack.

Sure hope you do not have your registration or insurance card that has you address on
it in your car, you may go home after a trip to find that your house was cleaned out.

balzaccom wrote:
And on a related note---we have never seen a car that's been damaged at a trailhead....just wondering how many people on this board have had that problem, or seen that happen.

The only car trouble I've had was back in 1977 at the Eagle Lake TH (Desolation Wilderness) where someone stole the battery out of our car.

maverick wrote:

Balzaccom wrote:
There is no point to carrying extra weight, and car keys certainly fall into that
category. I leave all of my keys in the car EXCEPT the car key itself. That goes
in my pack.

Sure hope you do not have your registration or insurance card that has you address on
it in your car, you may go home after a trip to find that your house was cleaned out.

My car registration is in my wallet, and has my PO Box on it to boot.

Wandering Daisy wrote:"that heavy car key" weighs 0.6 oz. I carry my car key and make up for its horribly heavy weight by deleting four peanuts or carrying one sip less water.

Some of the electronic keys weigh twice that. They really are kind of clunky.

I usually carry my key but I have also left it behind when I was trying to trim everything I could. I walked the JMT a couple of years ago without any resupply. I went over everything with a fine tooth comb. I wouldn't have wanted to give up those "four peanuts" because I also trimmed my food to what I thought was a minimum. Yes, on one level worrying about 15g is ridiculous but if you have that attitude about everything in your pack it has a funny way of adding up.

I weighed the several $20 bills, my driver's license and the credit card I took (total 15g). I neglected to bring the park pass and the guy who gave me a ride didn't have one. That tiny savings in weight cost me one of those twenties!

Normally though, I've got the key. And often a few cans of beer too.

Lol car keys and some cans of beer!

Good mix!



just messing....I am feeling sparky today

Had my gas cap stolen, but no gas, at Hetch Hetchy in Sept. 1980.

Mike

I keep car and cabin key in zippered pocket inside of shorts pocket. That pocket never gets opened during a trip. The gang all knows where they are, just in case. I never thought of hiding the key. I'd be wondering the whole trip if the hiding place was good enough.

oldhikerQ wrote:I keep car and cabin key in zippered pocket inside of shorts pocket

The key is inside your shorts. Hopefully not those you are wearing.

Better to be in your pack like others have mentioned. In a widely disclosed place and maybe even on a clip.

Edit: if you are solo, doesn't matter. If you are the driver in a group, it kind of does. If they have to find you and you are "down" for whatever reason, they can't get your keys. Your pack is back at camp. They all know that location.

It must be my surfing background but I always stash my keys in my "secret spot". I figure that if I have done it thousands of times in a busy beach parking lot..... an isolated trailhead far from the big city should be at least that safe. My biggest worry with carrying them would be LOSING THE KEY somewhere along the trip!!

Locked up.......