High Sierra Topix

Thanks for the input and images help allot. I'll study it all and piece together a more finalized plan for the area.

RoguePhotonic wrote:

I have spent plenty of nights sleeping with heaps of food in my tent. Makes you listen more closely when you hear something.

Well, then there's always the R.J. Secor method -- sleeping out in the open without a tent and stashing the food in your sleeping bag. That was on the same Sierra Peaks Section trip where we had to keep stopping so he could take cigarette breaks (banned in Mineral King, but so?) and we didn't get to camp until well after dark.

I don't think putting it in the sleeping bag is a good idea. Hikers have been dragged along by bears with that but at least if a bear comes and starts to claw at my tent I can start making some noise and try to scare it away.

Sounds like hiking with my dad with waiting on cigarette breaks.

I think R.J.'s theory was that the bear would immediately recognize his authority as author of The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes and Trails and prostrate itself in obeisance. That didn't work with the permitting ranger, though.

quentinc:

Interesting post regarding Secor- smoker, really? Did not know that. And a ranger? This story needs telling over at the campfire, or someplace....Not to take anything away from RJ- just fleshing out the picture.

R.J. is a campfire story goldmine, but I do have to temper myself after his horrific accident.

Its good to see there are lots of ideas being exchanged and plans being formulated. I can feel the excitement of the coming summer trips building.

Rogue: " I'd plan for no more than 5 miles a day for any major cross country this year. Since I had not done allot of it before this last summer I did not know what to expect on an average day which led to bad planning. This year I would plan extremely conservative and maybe even pack an extra day or two of food just in case."

Rogue, here is something you might consider: When traveling cross country (it IS my moniker) find, look for, or arrive at a place you like and stop there. Plan for places where you can catch dinner or has an interesting peak to climb or a nearby basin to explore (I always chose the former, but each to his own). This really heightens the exploring aspect of you adventure. Grouse and Kid Lakes are your good examples. Too bad you didn't explore the Kid Lakes North Forks basin. You could have explored it in very few hours (there are no fish there). I believe you are ready for the next step in your backpacking evolution and that is Cross Country Exploration. For me it was the ultimate set of experiences (I didn't like climbing peaks).
I never saw cross country travel in terms of miles, just in terms of (great) places.