Topix Carcamp 2007 &Snow Crown Summit

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Ranboze
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Topix Carcamp 2007 &Snow Crown Summit

Post by Ranboze »

WHO: Snow Nymph, TrailTrekker, Tomcat, Rosabella, MooseTracks, Ridgeline, Trailbud, Trekker, Ranboze, Lewis, Quentinc, Will_jrobb.. with visits from Sierra Snail and Tina.

WHERE: Lone Pine Campground, Pizza Factory, High Sierra Cafe, Onion Valley, Pancake Peak

BASIC TR: I rolled into PF Friday evening around 6:30 to find MooseTracks, Tina and SierraSnail enjoying some lively conversation. After an engaging in a brief hello, picking up my lasagna-to-go and welcoming Trailbud and Ridgeline to the party, I headed up the Portal Rd to the end where my cooler that I left in a bear box 2 weeks ago was still there. Score! I cruised back down to LPCG where I met Rosabella and set up my 4WD camp-mobile. Will_jrobb made a brief stop, dropping of a buncho wood (thank you very much Will_jrobb) and headed to his sierra room. MooseTracks, Tina and Sierra Snail joined the campfire some time later and Tomcat stopped by for some laughs before heading up to Cori's not-so-secret spot.

After a yummy breakfast at the High Sierra Cafe, Rosabella, MooseTracks, Trailbud, Ridgeline and myself drove up to Onion Valley and met up with the others. After the introductions and a fashion show from Tomcat, we all headed up the Kearsage Pass Trail. Despite the windy valley floor, it was a cloudless morning (and day) and we all shed our layers not long after the start. At Bench Lake, Trailbud and Rosabella opted to babysit the unneeded weighty items we all removed from our packs for the ascent up to Snow Crown. When MooseTracks and Ridgeline finished their Mountaineers Olympics events of the shotput and discuss throw, we all packed up and headed up to the saddle to the east of the summit.

The ascent up the chute from Bench Lake was steep and loose. I launched a good sized rock after a bad foot placement and held the title of official beer-buyer... temporarily ;) After gaining the saddle, Quentinc continued on to grab the summit first and MooseTracks, Ridgeline and Tomcat waited for the rest of us to stroll on up to snack rock. From there, it was just pickin yer way up thru the boulder field. Tom led us over the north ridge and around to the west side of the summit block for the final ascent. Snow was to be found on Snow Crown, but it was not deep. Trekker and Lewis went as far as the north ridge and then waited for the rest of us while we gained the summit. We didn't get to the summit until after 3pm.

During the descent we radioed Trailbud and Rosabella indicating that we would likely miss our dinner reservations at PF unless they heroically descended before us and drove into LP to have at least some of "us" there for the 7pm feast. They graciously also slogged all of our gear that they were babysitting with them. The descent down the chute was like playing dodgeball, with all the loose rock. Lewis grabbed the beer-buying award for launching the largest boulder of the day. Word for the day... ROOOOCCCCKKKKK!

Pizza fest and campfire commraderie were filled with a lot of laughs and good times. Oh... and let's not forget about the bears. Someone spotted a bear over near MooseTracks tent, so we all took off with our cameras to go find the bear. As we neared her tent, we heard someting crashing out of the tree next to her tent, which was probably Boo-Boo, although we didn't see him scamper off in the darkness. A short time later, a camp neighbor alerted us to "two huge bears just down the camp road a bit". Again, several of us took off with our cameras, and me with my 1,000,000 candlepower light. Sierra Snail spotted Yogi mom and Boo-Boo. I got a glimpse of Boo-Boo running towards the stream. Sometime during the evening, Yogi overturned the bear box in Lewis' and my camp spot!
tada

It was great to meet new folks and hike again with old folks... oopsy, that didn't sound right. Hmmm... come to thing about it...

Anyway, good times, fun laughs, nice workout. Photos later
Walking outside is where I find what's inside.
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will_jrob
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Post by will_jrob »

Hello. I'm out of the woods. It was pleasure to meet the group, however briefly. I apologize if getting separated caused problems , inconvience for anyone, and that I didn't get to L.P. afterwards. Got back from my mountain at 3. Headed back up trail to meet the group on their way out. Waited till about 5:00, down to parking lot at 6:00, met Roseabella and Doug ??(sorry if I got these wrong). They said the main group was quite a way behind, so I gatheredup my flashlights, headlamp, went back up the trail. Didn't meet them before Gilbert Lake, when natural light gave out. Stayed around the creek crossing, in case the group was coming through the woods. After a short while I decided that if they weren't on the trail by now they would end up spending the night out. Headlamped down to the parking area, arrived about 9:00, with the group's vehicles gone ( a relief). Again, sorry if getting separated caused any problems.
Jim Williams will_jrob
Image
University Peak from Snow Crown summit.
Last edited by will_jrob on Wed Oct 03, 2007 3:48 am, edited 9 times in total.
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Ranboze
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Post by Ranboze »

TRIP BLOOPERS:

Rosabella had the waitress at the HS Cafe fill up her water bladder. Half-way up the OV road, Rosie felt something wet from her pack, which was on her lap. The waitress had not secured the lid on the bladder, it peed all over everything inside Rosie's pack, including the shorts she was going to wear. Camera was spared!

Cori removed the leg portion of her convertible pants while on the SC saddle to ice her knew. The zipper broke and she had to McGyver the two sections together with safety pins.

I forgot my headlamp which led to the group having to split up with Tom leading me and a few others down the xc route in order to get down before dark. The other group waited for Salim to exit the chute above Bench Lake. Jim - how nice of you to come after us with needed lights. Sorry we missed you and hope it didn't cause you a lot of concern.

Im not the only one to forget something. Seems to me we had no bubbly to offer the summit gods.

Remember how nice Doug and Rosie were to pack ALL of our stuff out? That included Larry's car keys which were in a pair of pants. As I was driving him to Lone Pine, we called Doug who, once again, graciously agreed to save our butts, and met us in Manzanar where we picked up Larry's keys. Back up to OV we went so Larry could p/u his car and camping gear.

It was all good!
Walking outside is where I find what's inside.
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Snow Nymph
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Post by Snow Nymph »

Great writeup, Robin! :) Great group of people, great hike, and LOTS of laughing!!

Jim, it was nice meeting you, though briefly. Glad you made it out ok. We were wondering what happened. We took a few breaks to regroup so no one got separated, but somehow we lost you :( . We were hoping you would show up at Pizza Factory or at camp. Thanks for the wood!

another blooper: I somehow left my trekking poles at home, but Quentinc had an extra set in his car! :D I left them on the hood of your car last night, hope you got them!

:birthday Birthday wishes to Tomcat! :partyman:


*no_pics* (but we're working on them!)
Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free . . . . Jim Morrison


http://snownymph.smugmug.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Trekker
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Post by Trekker »

Jim, I think you ran into most of us, but in smaller groups; I think that was you I ran into carrying stuff under his arm; I asked you about the group of 4, and you said 2 (I guess this was Trailbud and Rosabella) had been down 20 minutes. I think you may not have recognized me; I was the last one off the mountain from the group. I think it was about 6:30 when I ran into you. That WAS you, wasn't it?
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will_jrob
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Post by will_jrob »

Trekker, Yes That was I, but I didn't see (recognize) another group from Topix. (I'm pretty sure most of the group would have recognized me ;) .)There were a few other folks that I was passing for the third time, twice on the ways up, once on the way down that looked puzzled by what this guy was doing, I would explain was heading up to meet some people. I was advised that it got very cold up in these mountains at night and I would need more than a coat for warmth. hmmm.
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MooseTracks
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Post by MooseTracks »

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TOMCAT!!!

Image
Yeah, he's hot!

Had a blast with y'all this weekend. I didn't take all that many pics, stragely, but I figured with all the other flashes going off, that there will be plenty to go around!

The apartment hunting went OK, I'll hear in a day or two if it's a go. In the meantime, it was cool to see these guys along the 395 on the way home yesterday!

Image

Pics are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/moosepics6 ... 227881909/

-Laura :cool:
"Why do I climb? Quite simply because the mountains and I had to meet." - Colette Richard

http://www.flickr.com/photos/moosepics621
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cgundersen
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Post by cgundersen »

Looks like way too much fun! hope you guys can make this an annual event and that I can join in next time!
CG
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Trail Bud
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Great Trip

Post by Trail Bud »

Thanks everyone for a good time. I just wish the knee was working better that day. The hike, the dinner, THE BIRTHDAY CARDS!! (they were the best!)
Tom it was great to celebrate your birthday, I'm glad I made it.
It was good to meet the new people and to see the old friends. I miss not going out more with you guys.
Rosie, I have your poles, PM me and I'll UPS them to you. I think you have my sock cap too?
Let me know who to send money to for the camp sites. Also, I'm glad we went home that evening after all. I got to see my daughter's soccer game and she scored a goal! Even though I would have liked to the excitement of the bears too.
Robin that was a great trip report, I think when the bear flipped the bear box over that must have been LOUD. Those guys are really restless! Any pics?
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tomcat_rc
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Post by tomcat_rc »

just got back from an added day of hiking -
Robin - thanks for getting a fast but very well written trip report up
love the idea of a group trip so we can meet new board members and reunite others that do not get together enough.

it was a pleasure meeeting Rosie, Larry and Jim

Rosie - you are a sweetheart - too bad your trip was so short - but I know you have to make the most of your California time

Larry - you are an animal - you mowed up that loose chute like you were part billy goat

and Jim: I am sorry we missed you for most of the day - from your picture it looks like you got a fun day in. when Rosie and Doug radio'd that you were at the trailhead we were all relieved and hoped to see you soon. I had no idea you had gone back up and assumed you were sleeping in your vehicle after a long day on the mountain. in actuality we were less that 20 minutes from the car and both of groups were taking the old trail down - that is why you missed us. when Salim said he talked to you on the trail I assumed he told you we were all down safetly and you would be following him down the trail. wow how easily a communication breakdown can occur. (more on that at another time)
next time we want you at our dinner/camp as well

and thanks again to friends for coming back out - you all made the trip a good outing: inc Ridgeline(Dave), Trailbud(Doug), Snow Nymph(Cori), Trailtrekker(Sooz), Trekker(Salim), Moosetracks(Laura), Ranboze(Robin)Lewis(Lewis)

also not hiking with us but joining in camp:
Sierra Snail(Richard) and Tina T.(Tina - now entered in my cell phone as "Talking Tina") - loved the energy you brought along

special thanks to to SnowNymph and Trailtrekker -
they surpised me with b-day cake and some of the funniest card I have seen in my life - I guess a years worth of hiking and fun have given lots of material to chose from - thanks again for the memories.
although after pizza and lasagne we were all too full to eat a cake - so we moved the party up to LPCG and proceeded to break out the alcohol and party adult style. we took the cake up to the WP store the next morning and broke into it after breakfast

also double thanks to Snow Nymph for handling camp sight reservations - many of us are so not used to doing civilized camp grounds and I hope we did not keep the other campers awake past normal bed time


ok so not messing with pictures till probably tomorrow - but since Laura seems to have snuck a picture before I got my shorts on - time to return the favor:

many of you do not know that Moosetracks was into track/field in high school incl a champion shot putter - seen here in good form
Image

and the followthrough:
Image

will finish pictures tomorrow - but again - great trip everyone
mountain hiking is addictive:
I can quit anytime I want - I just choose not to want
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