High Sierra Topix

Wow, just ......wow! You're assuming it's a guy, but that's likely a very good assumption. Some men need to be strung up by their manhood and left to dangle. I'm trying to be nice with my comments, but it's hard. I have a huge problem with cancers to society. There is only one golden rule,,, don't be a D!que.

Unreal!

During evening, after I had set up camp and before husband got there, I was down at the water. Someone came into camp and took everything in my pack: all stuff sacks, Mountain Laurel Design Cuben fiber bivy, Cuben fiber pack cover, Z Packs rain suit, and my new Wiley X sunglasses.

That person/persons is a sorry excuse for a human being.

Shhsgirl, sorry to hear about your news. While I was waiting for my permit on Sunday morning, someone came up and said their stuff was stolen.

In any case, I know none of the participants are able to read this but I had a mishap coming down the slope from Lake Catherine so if any of you saw a helicopter, that was me. Holed up in a hospital in Fresno now. Will try again next year I suppose.

Rockyroad,
Whatever happened, I hope you recover quickly and completely. I hope this doesn't become a new wave of thievery. Go in to a popular TH with an empty pack and leave with a full pack.

Rockyroad, hope you are not in to much pain and wish you a speedy recovery. Like your Trailmixx!

Rockyroad, I've been thinking about you all week, and wondering how you were doing. I'm going to try that route again September 3 - 17, if you're interested. How did you reach emergency help, and how did you injure yourself? PM me if you have time. Sure hope you feel better. BTW, we really suffered on the hike up the trail on Sunday, since we didn't start until 1:00 p.m. It was hot.

Shhsgirl, thanks for the offer but I will not be in any shape for hiking in Sept. I was thinking if we had started out together, both our mishaps might not have happened. Anyways, can't predict these things. My trip actually started out on a negative note already. There was an accident on Tioga Road that closed it off for an hour. So I got to the Mono Station at 5:05pm and couldn't get my permit. This resulted in me not being able to drive to the trailhead before 7:00am since I had to wait for my permit at Mammoth Lakes Sun morning. That's where I heard some campers had their tent stolen. But after I started on the trail, I was happy again. I camped at the west end of 1000 island lake. When I didn't see you, I assumed you had permit issues and were coming in from another route.
Anyways, I had a pleasant Monday hiking up to Lake Catherine. My original plan was to continue south from Lake Catherine and then cross west between the 2 knolls to avoid steeper slopes. But I had already started west down towards the tarn below the lake and from what I could see, it looked doable so didn't double back. I also knew this was Roper's original route. When I reached the big falls at the bottom, every path looked steep and undoable. There was only one path that I knew I could do. The only problem is it went down and then turned left and I could not see that section from above. This is where I should have just backtracked. I ascended because I knew Roper's route was somewhere here and the section I couldn't see was maybe 6-8 feet from the ground. Anyways, I got down to that section and saw it was difficult to continue further. Before I went through my options, I must have slipped (probably would have been ok without the weight of my backpack behind me).
I don't remember the actual fall but ended up somewhere maybe 10 feet from the bottom of that chute I was climbing down. I couldn't move my left leg and my right wrist was broken so I pulled out my Spot and activated it. This was about 1:00. The helicopter came and took me to a hospital in Fresno. I have fractures in my left tibial plateau and severed tendons and ligaments. Also fractures in my right wrist so my recovery time will be a while. My titanium pot that was in the upper portion of my backpack was severely dented so I think I lucked out that I fell on my backpack instead of my head. Anyways, there is a lot for me to learn from this experience.

A trip you'll never forget.. Glad the Spot worked and the rescue was swift..

Hope you get well soon.

Ok, Rockyroad, then maybe next year. And maybe I'll know the route by then. I definitely will not go down the canyon! I also wonder if we had been together if both our problems might have been averted. Probably so. I wish you a speedy recovery, and yes, you were lucky that your pot got it and not your head. Man, that's scary, and something that could just as easily have happened to me.