High Sierra Topix

dave54 wrote:I never get lost. I just have unplanned adventures.

That is exactly how I look at it! I've had a few.

I never get lost. I just have unplanned adventures.

Exactly, that is what makes things exciting/thrilling, those mishaps along the way, it is what allows us to gain more experience, we should embrace this, build on it, and not allow it to intimidate us or shy away from future trips.

Helicopter rides are especially exciting. Regardless of what people say, I wasn't lost.

Depends upon whether it's just me with highly experienced friends or if I'm leading a trip of inexperienced newbies and I'm responsible for their lives. Just friends and I, and I am all for the adventure. If newbies lives are in my hands and I'm being paid to teach them how to backpack, I'm going to know every last fact that I can, including exploratory hiking of the route ahead of time before I take others on it.

I'll add a couple of other things that make me a little nervous about people and the way they plan their trips:

1. The ones who want to know "how the mosquitoes are" in the path of their hike. Not sure why. Mosquitoes are part of the show. They will be there, and you will have to deal with them. If you want a hike where there are no mosquitoes, no rain, no chance of falling down, no chance of meeting a bear, and no chance of getting lost----go to Central Park. And get mugged! And the mosquito situation can change almost day to day...

2. The same goes for asking about the weather weeks ahead of schedule...

3. So how many of you make a trip plan and stick to it without fail? We regularly change our route or change our plans for a day, or even the whole trip. Sometimes it for weather or other reasons, sometimes it's because someplace else looks more interesting. Sometimes it's because we meet too many people on our proposed route and want to be more isolated. Sometimes it's because someone in our group is slower, or faster, or not feeling well...Do you feel that you always have to complete the trip the way you planned it? What's the adventure in that?

Yes, the spirit of adventure? Still live and well here. Need to change your plans for unforeseen weather or physical challenge? No problem here. Besides, it changes the direction of the trip to make it an adventure. The chance to better use my intuition and skills.
Last yr I day hiked solo to Upper McCabe from 20 Lakes Basin. Dropped straight down rather than following the planned ridge/contour route. I would not able to re-scale the 8ft vertical drop I took on the route down, so I took many of the use (useless) trails back up to the ridge only to cliff out many times. I SAW where I needed to be; but just couldn't get there. Followed my intuition and took the leap of faith and followed the wall all the way not knowing around the bend if it would cliff out I finally made it to the pass just as the sun was setting. I made a beeline to my camp to find my free-standing tent in a wheelie position from the winds pulling up the front stakes from under the rocks and the tent and my bagfull of fine dust and grit. I had a loooong drink and dinner then off to bed. Took so long I had to toss the one fish I brought back to cook as not to risk being sick. I had enough of everything to bivy for the night, except water was running low and no source other than back tracking down to the lake. I didn't need to contact my wife until the following afternoon, so I would have been good.
Lesson learned? Better route finding skills. Persistence pays off.
Another one, Coyote Ridge in '08 deciding to drive back to Bishop in an unexpected blizzard 20 miles, a day after high-siding on a refrigerator size rock. Took 3 hrs to get off of it using a bottle jack, available rocks and wood. Would have been fine; but w/b 3 days late in exit and there w/b a SAR episode by my wife. So we decided to bail. A good decision.
Lesson learned? Affirmed ability of mechanical and physics related skills, route instincts driving dirt roads with about 50' visibility covered in 8-12" of drifting snow. Most of all, utmost affirmed trust in a true lifelong friend.
Last one. In Stanley ID., the only cell service on our route in the Sawtooths. My brother-in-law's miscommunication on the phone to his wife about exit date. I fulfilled my contact my wife when I have cell service.
The spirit of adventure sparked by my suggestion we drive 2 hrs in the opposite direction back to Boise through Bayhorse; a ghost town up an unknown road to a lake for fishing. We were reported to the sheriff missing. Two men in a vehicle, car camping; less than 12 hrs late? Lot's of explaining and ill feelings. And, a call when I could to a Sheriff's Dept of a county I didn't even know...
Lesson learned from it? I now carry an InReach and will use it again in a few weeks in the Sierra and in Sept. again in the Sawtooths.
BTW This took me an hour to write, so that's why I don't contribute regularly... Sorry.

balzaccom wrote:I'll add a couple of other things that make me a little nervous about people and the way they plan their trips:

1. The ones who want to know "how the mosquitoes are" in the path of their hike. Not sure why. Mosquitoes are part of the show. They will be there, and you will have to deal with them. If you want a hike where there are no mosquitoes, no rain, no chance of falling down, no chance of meeting a bear, and no chance of getting lost----go to Central Park. And get mugged! And the mosquito situation can change almost day to day...

2. The same goes for asking about the weather weeks ahead of schedule...

3. So how many of you make a trip plan and stick to it without fail? We regularly change our route or change our plans for a day, or even the whole trip. Sometimes it for weather or other reasons, sometimes it's because someplace else looks more interesting. Sometimes it's because we meet too many people on our proposed route and want to be more isolated. Sometimes it's because someone in our group is slower, or faster, or not feeling well...Do you feel that you always have to complete the trip the way you planned it? What's the adventure in that?

The one that gets me -- "where do you camp at {backcountry area}?" I suppose some are from areas of the country where it's not dispersal wilderness camping, therefore have different expectations, but, still?

People who expect exactly what was planned and state that they would leave another hiker behind if they were suddenly ill or otherwise unable/unwilling to do as planned. I threw a guy out of my meetup group for that statement. Even though I am sick of people who swear they can do something and prove to be otherwise, I still don't abandon them in the wilderness -- too much SAR in my past to do that to another human being, no matter how annoying it is to not get to the destination planned.

AlmostThere wrote:
The one that gets me -- "where do you camp at {backcountry area}?" I suppose some are from areas of the country where it's not dispersal wilderness camping, therefore have different expectations, but, still?

People who expect exactly what was planned and state that they would leave another hiker behind if they were suddenly ill or otherwise unable/unwilling to do as planned. I threw a guy out of my meetup group for that statement. Even though I am sick of people who swear they can do something and prove to be otherwise, I still don't abandon them in the wilderness -- too much SAR in my past to do that to another human being, no matter how annoying it is to not get to the destination planned.

Amen, brother! Where is the best campsite? (Trust me, there is already someone in that campsite.) Are there any campsites in the four miles between....huh? How much space do you need? Or are you looking for a Flintstones arrangement, with rock chairs, sofas, and a refrigerator?

And nobody gets left behind. Sorry. Not an option--particularly if they are less skilled or less able than I.

AlmostThere wrote:
The one that gets me -- "where do you camp at {backcountry area}?" I suppose some are from areas of the country where it's not dispersal wilderness camping, therefore have different expectations, but, still?

Gets me too. And yet, quoting a post from the OP in another thread dated July 7:

Fellow Members,

A new category "Camp Spots" has been added to the list of helpful categories at the top of the HST Map.

We would ask members to please help in building up this new feature, by indicate the exact locations of where you have camped in the Sierra, add GPS co-ordinates when possible, add a description of your route to the site if it is difficult to find, and indicate whether a tent (include make), tarp, hammock, or cowboy style camping methods were used.

Many times we have members requesting information about ideal spots to set-up camp, especially in remote locations, this new feature would be helpful to many in the planning phases of their trips.

Just because people want information doesn't mean it is wise or desirable to provide it. There is such a thing as too much information and I think it is directly tied to the loss of a sense of adventure in the Sierra.

I always camp over there, under the tree, next to the big rock, near the lake, where the big fish are. That's exactly the right amount of info I give out or need.

It'll be interesting to watch if this thread changes our advice pattern for those joining us here.