TR: Sabrina Basin 9/25-30

[balance]

Good advice Wandering Daisy. No doubt we've all got turned around like that for at least a little while.

Now here's an interesting consideration. Once you get into, let's say your sixties, there's no way you have that extra energy to power through an "awkward" situation from a temporary navigation miscalculation. I currently don't use GPS in summer. But now I'm considering giving myself the advantage of using GPS as backup to map and compass for those off trail situations where its getting dark, weather closing in, ambiguous trail markers, etc.

Case in point: On my trip this summer to Emigrant Wilderness, the "trail" from Emigrant Lake to High Emigrant Meadow Lake often disappeared, was overgrown, or headed in a completely unexpected direction. To be honest, at times I didn't consult my map and compass as much as I should have. I just kept roughly in the center of this beautiful alpine valley, flying by "the seat of my pants". It turned out fine. But it was the sort of situation where I could easily have gone the wrong way and wound up far off track. I had plenty of time and the weather was ideal, but having a GPS would have removed a lot of "uncertainty" from the journey.

But isn't that the problem with GPS? If you start depending on it to make navigation easier, doesn't that take some of the adventure and discovery out of the trip? Does it set you up for an even bigger mistake, when the batteries run out, etc? That's why I don't use GPS. But if used properly, can it improve your safety factor? For example, what about a five day trip in October, when the clear trail you came up becomes a big, snowy expanse, filled with opportunities for error, on the way back down.

All things considered, what do you think? I'm interested in other opinions or experience on this subject. Thank you.

Peace.

[Wandering Daisy]

I do not see age as a factor. The young have more reserve energy so may be able to stick their necks out farther. Over the years I simply have matched my "adventures" with my energy- regardless of age, I ALWAYS know and plan for the amount of reserve energy I have. I have poor night vision so have never traveled at night. I am the bivouac queen- where most others would push on I simply stop when it gets dark. I aim to end my hiking at about 3-4 PM giving me plenty of time for goof-ups. I do think we old folks may be more inclined to consider taking a PLB, because of our higher risk of medical issues. I do not keep up on the technology- do they make combined GPS/PLB devices?

A GPS used to be quite heavy so I never considered one. Now they are much lighter. If you were not to use it except in emergencies, then you would not need lots of extra batteries. Honestly, I ditched the compass years ago, so am now only using maps. I would probably add back the compass before I added a GPS. If I were to go into an area with less prominent landmarks or heavy forests I would take a GPS. I think it is an individual thing. I have a really good natural sense of direction (my husband says I have an internal built-in compass). He does not so he uses a GPS.

I think the more basic issue is knowing/recognizing when you are off track. The fellow I met had camped at middle Schober Lake, and honestly thought he was at one of the Darwin Canyon lakes, even after getting up in the daylight and starting to travel. He was quite shocked when I said he was in Sabrina Basin. If he had a GPS he likely would not have used it since he was "sure" where he was. Same reason he did not use is compass.

Lots of times I am not 100% sure if where I am. I rarely get into the wrong basin, but can easily be quarter mile or so from where I should be in the same drainage. If I feel uncertain, I really look at my maps a lot while traveling. I keep on my track but in the back of my mind consider several scenarios of being in different places. Usually after some walking some very distinct feature comes into view and I then can determine my location. 95% of the time I am correct, but just lose my confidence. This does not cause a great deal of anxiety for me; if it does for YOU then by all means take a GPS for a backup.

That whole "sense of adventure" thing is bogus. For me, being lost does not add to my sense of adventure; contrarily it can really ruin a good trip.

[windknot]

Great report and pictures! Love those fall colors.

[Wandering Daisy]

According to Secor, there is a class 2 pass from Blue Heaven Lake (above Mindnight Lake) to Darwin Canyon.

[Sittingbull]

I love that area. Now you've got me thinking of heading up there this month.


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[Tom_H]

Thanks (as always) for the comprehensive TR and great pictures. Thanks also for the sage advice; it cannot be said too many times.

[SSSdave]

This thread and Rogue's up in Humphreys the following week pretty much reflect much of what I related about not liking to backpack at this time of year much less later in October.

Your young friend did not read like a topo user and probably learned a lesson about climbing down ridge line slopes without clearly knowing where one is. He was lucky as in many places glaciers have carved up granite bedrock with what starts out as class 2 or 3 but suddenly can become class 4 and 5 with no escape. Visitors with that same map-less mode are no doubt owners of sandy tracks that one sees going straight down the other side of passes where further down a concave slope gets nasty steep. I first went over Lamarck Col in late August of 1980 and have been over several times since. Maybe 3 decades ago looked down at Schober Lakes from that crest ridge. It very much looked doable class 3 for a long ways just as the map shows. Lots of steep large talus boulders to carefully monkey through. Of course Lamarck Col is infamous for sending the inexperienced who climb down into that wrong drainage simply because it is lower than the actual col. There are of course tracks everywhere in the sand across that whole ridge line area because climbers need to head that way to get to Darwin without climbing so far down in a hole.

[bbayley80]

lovely trip report and photos as always Wandering Daisy. i love your thoughtful and detailed writings.

reading of your encounter with the turned around fellow reminded me of an 'adventure' my buddy and his group had down what was probably the same 'pass' while trying to come up and over Lamarck Col from Darwin Basin en route to their North Lake exit.
one of their group slipped, fell in that talus field and my friend rushed ahead-popping back on trail at Dingleberry Lake- made it to the Sabrina Lake TH, hitched it back to North Lake to get the car and pick up the rest of the group at the Sabrina TH..a crazy tail for sure..

ive headed over Lamarck myself from the Lamarck Lakes, and must say i can see how you could do that. the most clear/cairned trail does indeed seem to lead more to the left of the actual Col and i can see how you could start a descent in that direction(however it really just takes a quick visual comparison to terrain below and your map to tell you're going bad..) and plus, that Col is what-5 ft wide!? small target i suppose.

i myself rely on my eyes, my map and the wonderful resources found here. i always print out photo reference for any trouble/tricky spots from the many trip reports here and bring them with me. always nice to have a ground level picture to cross ref with your map. so thanks to all for that!

That whole "sense of adventure" thing is bogus. For me, being lost does not add to my sense of adventure; contrarily it can really ruin a good trip.

so, sorry for the rather long winded reply..but long story short-i firmly agree Wandering Daisy. thanks again for your TR.

[ofuros]

Great report & pics, Wandering Daisy. Totally green with envy......

[seanr]

Starting a hike from Sabrina Basin is on my short list; thanks for helping to keep it there!