Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

[maverick]

Hi Benzom,

Welcome to HST!

[jawcar]

Hi All! Recently joined and reading up in anticipation of a trip around the Evolution Loop in early August.

I've really benefited from people's trip reports and wisdom and I'm hoping to see the snow reports over the next five or six weeks.

If anyone can point me in the direction of crucial info or wants to share his or her experience, please do!

My primary anxiety at the moment is finding the trail and making it over Lamarck Col (from North Lake), and also doing the loop in only 4 days with my SO who is game but slightly less experienced than me.

Thanks for reading and glad to have this forum as a resource!

[maverick]

Hi Jawcar,

Welcome to HST! Use the "search" feature at the top of the "Backpacking/Hiking/Camping" section, there are numerous TR's with photo's available on Lamarck Col. If after doing some research you have some specific questions, please start a thread and ask away. One thing, if your SO is not backpacking fit and has never done anything like this before, then don't do it, it will turn her off from backpacking. Introduce her with some easy trips like Little Lakes Valley or 20 Lakes Basin, minimal effort, big return trips, then she will be hooked, gain confidence, and be willing to do more strenuous trips.

[seamus124]

Hi all,

I grew up backpacking and after too long on the East Coast, finally moved back west to take advantage of the Sierras a few years ago. Well, maybe not entirely the Sierras, but still, they were a significant part of the decision. I'm a pretty comfortable level 3 backpacker though usually am traveling with my wife who is more level 2.

I have two trips planned this summer - one with my wife out of Isberg trailhead to Rockbound Lake to Bench Canyon, then to Twin Island Lakes and back out via Hemlock Crossing and one with some friends going up and over Taboose Pass to the Lake Basin and back.

I'm really only anxious about the North Twin Island Lake crossing as Roper's description of "20 foot wide wade that's only 3 feet deep" seems a little extreme. Obviously any insight or early condition reports that folks have in that area are more than welcome.

I've really enjoyed reading the community forums and hope to someday be able to contribute the huge amounts of knowledge some of you seem to have!

Thanks all and looking forward to providing some trip reports later this summer.

Seamus

[maverick]

Hi Seamus,

Welcome to HST! Please start a seperate thread to inquire about specific's about routes. Thanks

[Follysgambit]

Hi...Okay okay, I'm a lurker supreme! I first want to thank everyone for all the great knowledge and info on this board that helps so much. My name is Alex, Im a 44 year old occupational therapist from long beach...I first hiked the Sierra's 20+ years ago with a scouting troop, we started on the HST but went up over pants pass and over to picket creek before coming down to junction meadows and then up Whitney...looking back, pretty aggressive considering we had first timers at the tender age of 13 and 14 y/o (I was 17 at the time)...I have done a bunch of hiking since in Utah and local hikes in L.A. and big sur, but my mind has always wandered back to that magical hike 20 years ago...SO, I'm headed out solo this August to retrace my steps and this board has been a wealth of info in preparation. Thought it was about time I poked my head out and said thanks!

PS. found high sierra topix by googling HST for my HST hike, duh. What good fortune!!!

[maverick]

Hi Alex,

Welcome to HST!

[ERIC]

Welcome to the community michael, Alex, seamus. jawcar, bstone and benzom!

[Aeropilot]

Hi there,

I'm Ron ... been lurking here on-and-off for about a year ... been going to the Sierra ever since the early '60s, first fishing in the Summer at Mammoth Lakes with my Dad, then backpacking and climbing with friends from college. I currently live in Seattle (ten years now), but plan on visiting CA every Summer I can get the time off to do so. There's lots to see up here, of course, but there's something special about the Sierra ... the most popular area in the Cascades is a place in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness called the Enchantments, and it looks a lot like Sierra timberline country. Hiked up to Horton Lakes a couple of years ago and it brought back a lot of memories. I used to XC ski up the South Lake Road during the Winters of 1993 - 2001 as well, and those are great memories too. Visiting the Minaret backcountry in about six weeks for a short jaunt via Roper's SHR. Devils Postpone > SHR to Thousand Island Lake > PCT to Agnew Meadows ... can't wait. Still training, albeit at sea level. Hope to get a few mountain day hikes in before my trip South. Cheers!

[maverick]

Hi Ron,

Welcome to HST! Looking forward to reading a TR of your upcoming trip.