Stuff lost on a trip

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rlown
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Re: Stuff lost on a trip

Post by rlown »

Shawn wrote:And if that bear wearing Mavs Patagonia shirt happens to be wearing the hat shown below, I'd be grateful for the coordinates too. Seems the thing was swept off my noggin while doing a bushwhack descent on the steeper side of Sphinx Creek at night. Didn't know it was gone until much later, not exactly a LNT example.
That's going to be one stylin' bear with his accouterment of gloves, hats, shirts, etc. :lol: I did lose my hemo's once at middle chain, but I feel naked with out them, knew right where I set them down after fish, and recovered them.
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Re: Stuff lost on a trip

Post by wildhiker »

I've lost two sun hats on backpacking trips - and found two others - that fit! On a Grand Canyon trip, I lost mine, and then found another soon after. I lost a treasured Swiss mechanical self-winding watch (circa 1970) in the Middle Eel River. I was worried it would get too wet while wading the river, so I took it off and put in inside the pack. After finishing the wade, with the pack on the other side, I opened it and the watch flew out into the river, never to be seen again. Just last year, I left a hiking pole leaning against a tree next to the car at the trailhead at the end of a trip - loaded the pack, but forgot the pole. Years earlier, I found a pair of hiking poles on top of 12,000 Koip Peak Pass. They got me started using poles.

My most significant equipment loss was when I lost my tent poles on a winter trip. We were hiking in the Siskiyou Wilderness and carrying skis up to the snow line on a Jan 1 trip to attempt Preston Peak in about 1976. I had a Ski Hut four season tent with five rigid poles - two to make the A frame on either end, and a center cross pole. On the fourth day, they somehow fell out of my pack into fresh snow. Didn't notice until it was time to set up camp. Managed to jury-rig the tent with some extra cord tying up one end to trees, and my skis lashed together in an A frame hanging the other end.

I've found that a little OCD goes a long way to avoid losing things - I always keep the same things in the same pockets of the pack and use stuff sacks to organize smaller items.

-Phil
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mrphil
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Re: Stuff lost on a trip

Post by mrphil »

wildhiker wrote: I've found that a little OCD goes a long way to avoid losing things - I always keep the same things in the same pockets of the pack and use stuff sacks to organize smaller items.
Oh yes, heavier pack with more pockets, everything in its place when I'm done using it, carefully scanning the ground, rocks, base of trees before I walk away.

I find that I have lots of brightly colored gear: things like an orange knife and headlamp, and lots of pink and lime green stuff sacks...
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Jimr
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Re: Stuff lost on a trip

Post by Jimr »

I'm pretty OCD about this stuff as well. Years of diving from cattle boats taught me to work out of my bag at all times. There's no easier way to lose gear than to be on a boat with 25 other divers with their gear strung all over the deck.

I used to have a place for everything and everything in its place, but with mostly new gear, I've yet to figure that one out. Still, I've had the long habit of not setting things down on logs and rocks, putting stuff back into the pack or tent when I'm done with them, keeping zippers zipped up and the all important "A Quick Check" before leaving anywhere.....Crap, I just remembered. On the way to the 2014 meetup, Schmalz and I met up with Mav and hiked together. We stopped for a rest and a snack, then headed on. We hit a stream crossing and I wanted to fill my Nalgene bottle. Guess where it was! Mav decided it was a good time for a small trail run, so he took off back up the trail to recover it. Dang....I did that same thing again a few days later heading down Shephard pass. Exact same scenario. This time, I went back for it. I couldn't believe I'd left such an important item and walked away. Twice!
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rlown
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Re: Stuff lost on a trip

Post by rlown »

I've seen a few water bottles in my day just sitting there on a tree or next to a rock. I don't touch them for your exact reason. They may come back to retrieve it. I like the working out of the pack concept and I practice it "religiously."

The beanie issue weighs heavily on me; I know I'm going to have to break open all the kits, drawers and pack again until I'm satisfied. Got my tent back from my friend, so I'll start there and see if it was packed inside the tent. Felt no lump but seeing is believing.

I think when we die, we're supposed to get all the lost stuff back?!? Guess we'll eventually find out. :)

EDIT: Beanie found! In the underwear drawer.. :rolleyes: Not where it belongs.. sigh..
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Re: Stuff lost on a trip

Post by Shawn »

EDIT: Beanie found! In the underwear drawer.

Yay ! ..............
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Re: Stuff lost on a trip

Post by dave54 »

Cold day. Took off my gloves to re-tie my shoes. Laid them on a rock. Starting hiking again. about a mile or so down the trail I noticed my hands were cold, and realized I left my gloves back where I tied my shoes. Hiked back, and they were gone! Bummer! Animal took them? I did not see anyone else on the trail.
Stopped at the Ranger Station when I finished, and casually mentioned I lost my gloves on the trail. He said "Like these?" and pulled my gloves from behind the counter. Someone found them and turned them in. As mentioned, I saw no one else. And whoever found them got back to station before I did.

I found a really nice folding sheath knife, 4" blade, and a swiss army knife (cheap knock off, not a real one), a denim shirt embroidered with flower and butterfly designs draped on a bush. Fit my wife perfectly and she still wears it (looks stunning in it). But the best thing I ever found was in SEKI many years ago. It was a really hot day and poor planning -- we ran out of water mid afternoon. We arrived at our intended campsite next to a stream, and like manna from heaven was a six pack of very cold beer in the stream. We guessed a horse group left it there, as fresh horse sign was all over.

I have trained myself better now. After packing up and ready to move out, I do a walk around the campsite looking for anything left behind, either gear or trash.
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Re: Stuff lost on a trip

Post by Rockyroad »

I lost my right Croc while crossing the outlet of the last lake in the Picket Basin Creek basin. In the excitement of reaching this lake, I had forgotten to pull the heel strap up so after taking a few steps, the rushing creek took it off, carrying it down towards the Kern-Kaweah River below. Not only did I feel bad for leaving garbage in this pristine area, I had to carry a useless left Croc for the duration of my trip.

I’ve also left behind a small towel along Illilouette Creek after leaving it to dry on some rocks and forgetting about it. I looked for it a few days later but could not find it.

More recently in the Wonder Lakes basin, I discovered that the mosquito net I had over my hat was missing. I had flipped the front up and it was either blown away or got caught on a branch. It's my gift for someone traveling through this area during mosquito season.
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cgundersen
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Re: Stuff lost on a trip

Post by cgundersen »

Hey Y'all,
I think ages ago there was the flip side of this thread (found items), and for me, this year was a banner experience (well, slightly better than the trash bag Jim "rescued"). Crocs in Dusy basin (left 'em on a rock: now it's a croc-rock). A cap by Barrett Lakes (probably not Shawn's). A bandana below Potluck pass and some ancient, weather-beaten Raybans in upper Amphitheater basin. But, not a single balloon! I usually collect the balloon bits, but everything else is remaining for the elusive owner. Was there ever any feedback from the guy (Velostein) who left his camera in Dusy basin? I kinda had my eyes peeled, but we were not quite in the right area. And, yes, Daisy, what happened to the stove; it sounds scary! Cameron
Last edited by cgundersen on Wed Oct 11, 2017 3:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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longri
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Re: Stuff lost on a trip

Post by longri »

cgundersen wrote:I think ages ago there was the flip side of this thread (found items)...
I don't think that lost items and found items are necessarily opposites. A lot of stuff I've run across was pretty obviously abandoned. One day in the Whitney Zone I came across an entire ensemble along the trail. Not all at once, but within a few hours: boots, socks, shirts, pants, gloves, hiking poles, hats. There were duplicates and the stuff was probably from multiple sources (I didn't see anyone naked at the trailhead).

Recently I saw a pair of perfectly good shoes in the middle of the trail. They were arranged exactly as if someone were standing in the trail, like I'd run across an invisible man. I've also seen boots at trailheads multiple times where it looked like someone took them off while sitting in their car and then drove off without loading them into the car.

I've found some cash over the years. And also a very nice metal fork that I use (at home) -- it's my favorite!

But I haven't lost anything too serious. A couple of times I've driven home and forgotten I'd left some extra food in a trailhead bear box.
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