High Sierra Topix

It must be my surfing background but I always stash my keys in my "secret spot". I figure that if I have done it thousands of times in a busy beach parking lot..... an isolated trailhead far from the big city should be at least that safe. My biggest worry with carrying them would be LOSING THE KEY somewhere along the trip!!

Locked up.......

After driving a dozen or so miles down a dirt road into the backcountry I took my key off my key ring and clip it inside the top pocket of my pack and stash the rest of the keys out of site inside of my SUV. On returning to my Sequoia three days later we found ourselves locked out because in my hurry I had pulled my Nissan PU key off by mistake and taken it for a 20ml walk for nothing. After trying to use a piece of bailing wire as a slim jim and a few other things we gave up. I pulled the duck tape off all the trekking poles and covered the rear side passenger window and broke it with a rock. It didn't cost as much as I thought it would but I still get ribbed by my buddies every trip.

So has anyone ever heard someone car being stolen from a Sierra TH? Break-ins I can see but you don't need a key for that I guess I am just not that worried about someone stealing a 10 year old truck from a somewhat remote trailhead.

My 18 year old Honda has been broken into 3 times. Nothing has been stolen.
Once during the monsoon season so the interior is falling apart from rain effects. The headliner is falling down and I can't roll the passenger side window up or down. So I have a good trailhead car that is (now) left alone. Every time the car was at a deserted trailhead and in late Fall.
Every time the car has gotten me home.
I am not sure what to make of that history but I still take the key.

balzaccom wrote:Do you carry your car keys with you on the trail, or you do hide them at the car? There is no point to carrying extra weight, and car keys certainly fall into that category. I leave all of my keys in the car EXCEPT the car key itself. That goes in my pack.

I carry car key only, in the same place, in my pack, every trip. Rest of my keys are hidden inside the car, out of site. Never had a car broken into at trailhead. "knock on wood"

my sweet '64 chevy impala was broken into at Carson Pass in the late 70's. They pried open trunk and smashed a rear window (4 door). My complete craftsman toolset was in the trunk. Nothing in the passenger compartment. They took nothing.

Ranger said it was usually people looking for money on their way to Nevada. Still had my key, and a bit of a windy ride home.

My Mini Cooper has a plastic emergency key. It probably weighs less than 5 grams. The fancy remote key fob thingie stays locked in the car for when we come back.

fishmonger wrote:My Mini Cooper has a plastic emergency key.

Have you tested it?

A friend had a plastic key from AAA and I suggested that maybe we try it first before relying on it. It twisted off in the door!

Tom wrote:
My 18 year old Honda has been broken into 3 times. Nothing has been stolen.
Once during the monsoon season so the interior is falling apart from rain effects.
The headliner is falling down and I can't roll the passenger side window up or down.
So I have a good trailhead car that is (now) left alone. Every time the car was at a
deserted trailhead and in late Fall.

Darn Tom, really sorry to read this, that really sucks!

Longri wrote:
Have you tested it?

A friend had a plastic key from AAA and I suggested that maybe we try it first before relying on
it. It twisted off in the door!

Know someone too that this has happened .