Re: The Ultimate Sierra Backpacking Trip (past and future.....)
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 10:38 am
Ultimate trip you ask…been pondering…good winter thread this…depends.
Like many here, have been backpacking for, what it seems like, forever…easily over 2500 Sierra bag nights.
Starting out as a teen-age, dirt-bag, clueless wanderer – religiously pre-planning everything and always keeping to the trails (mostly). Under a half-dozen squeaky Kelty Tioga externals, my old high school art teacher (@Flintstone Tech in the SFV), introduced a few of us students to the Muir and the rest is history. BTW, my first real backpacking adventure was the entire JMT broken down into 5 one-week “student” sections, and I did it all. That particular trip could stand out a definite candidate on anyone’s ultimate trip list.
Got into big wall-climbing for a spell… (Valley walls mostly)…Camp 4 denizen…a real PB – Park Bum…spent many a summer month those years hiding out in the Valley. That first overnight climb of the HD face – (30 + pitches and the thrill of Porta ledge living) - made this particular 2-day trip (one night on the wall and one night atop the Dome) stand out as another ultimate.
A few years later, after having another hiking buddy drop out last minute, again…(always had hiked with the company of others), I discovered the serenity that comes with hiking solo. My third trip of the Muir (could have been the fourth) marked this prodigious milestone. As the planning part, always so meticulously structured before, was thrown out the window…having already seen the trail, I ad-libbed it. Somehow my reserved, 2-person, 21-day, wilderness permit turned into a circuitous, solo, 32-day, fishing adventure. No schedules – no pre-arranged white buckets of food sent, no hard plans…serendipity…the Ultimate JMT.
Took up fishing seriously and dropped the big walls soon after my son was born… (Wife’s orders) and subsequently trod the TYT, Fallen Leaf to Yosemite Valley. Having the good fortune to tag along with a master “chronic” angler that trip, we spent a glorious 2 weeks – him teaching and catching, me fumbling and swearing…another notable Ultimate Sierra adventure.
As the angling side of backpacking became more obsessive, rather than the long miles and peak-bagging days of a previous life, now getting off trail became more important. Why…That is where the great fishing lies – off trail. Plus, I was getting older and realizing that the masses could be easily avoided with but a little effort and crowded trails were just a conduit to places more remote. Now instead of structured trips of yore, all pre-arranged and highly mapped out before the hike…I just load up my pack with 10 days of provisions, pack some plastic, and go. Plans always change anyway…accept this; chose some place like Tuolumne to start out, pick a general target destination, and go with the flow.
Last year, Mike, OldRanger, invited me to join him… (Who knows why, but am truly thankful)… for 34 days or so, all in the Yosemite area. Where we were going was probably brought up beforehand but who ever listens to Mike? He picked me up in front of the Curry Arch and my latest ultimate trip was on. We spend countless days fishing, half off-trail; hardly saw a soul, and culminating with our successful 19-day, 95 mile, Yosemite 5-slam. FYI, being solo does have its merits but hiking with someone else, even if it was Mike, made this trip special.
Concluding this rambling diatribe, my 107 Sierra days last season; all in the Yosemite back-country were probably my ultimate backpacking adventure to date. I know my 400+ miles hardly compare to our own Rogue’s pre-planned itinerary, but fairly substantial nonetheless. However, just got another invitation letter from Mike and again he won’t say where we are going this upcoming year…sigh…no matter, probably just another ultimate adventure to come.
Mark
Like many here, have been backpacking for, what it seems like, forever…easily over 2500 Sierra bag nights.
Starting out as a teen-age, dirt-bag, clueless wanderer – religiously pre-planning everything and always keeping to the trails (mostly). Under a half-dozen squeaky Kelty Tioga externals, my old high school art teacher (@Flintstone Tech in the SFV), introduced a few of us students to the Muir and the rest is history. BTW, my first real backpacking adventure was the entire JMT broken down into 5 one-week “student” sections, and I did it all. That particular trip could stand out a definite candidate on anyone’s ultimate trip list.
Got into big wall-climbing for a spell… (Valley walls mostly)…Camp 4 denizen…a real PB – Park Bum…spent many a summer month those years hiding out in the Valley. That first overnight climb of the HD face – (30 + pitches and the thrill of Porta ledge living) - made this particular 2-day trip (one night on the wall and one night atop the Dome) stand out as another ultimate.
A few years later, after having another hiking buddy drop out last minute, again…(always had hiked with the company of others), I discovered the serenity that comes with hiking solo. My third trip of the Muir (could have been the fourth) marked this prodigious milestone. As the planning part, always so meticulously structured before, was thrown out the window…having already seen the trail, I ad-libbed it. Somehow my reserved, 2-person, 21-day, wilderness permit turned into a circuitous, solo, 32-day, fishing adventure. No schedules – no pre-arranged white buckets of food sent, no hard plans…serendipity…the Ultimate JMT.
Took up fishing seriously and dropped the big walls soon after my son was born… (Wife’s orders) and subsequently trod the TYT, Fallen Leaf to Yosemite Valley. Having the good fortune to tag along with a master “chronic” angler that trip, we spent a glorious 2 weeks – him teaching and catching, me fumbling and swearing…another notable Ultimate Sierra adventure.
As the angling side of backpacking became more obsessive, rather than the long miles and peak-bagging days of a previous life, now getting off trail became more important. Why…That is where the great fishing lies – off trail. Plus, I was getting older and realizing that the masses could be easily avoided with but a little effort and crowded trails were just a conduit to places more remote. Now instead of structured trips of yore, all pre-arranged and highly mapped out before the hike…I just load up my pack with 10 days of provisions, pack some plastic, and go. Plans always change anyway…accept this; chose some place like Tuolumne to start out, pick a general target destination, and go with the flow.
Last year, Mike, OldRanger, invited me to join him… (Who knows why, but am truly thankful)… for 34 days or so, all in the Yosemite area. Where we were going was probably brought up beforehand but who ever listens to Mike? He picked me up in front of the Curry Arch and my latest ultimate trip was on. We spend countless days fishing, half off-trail; hardly saw a soul, and culminating with our successful 19-day, 95 mile, Yosemite 5-slam. FYI, being solo does have its merits but hiking with someone else, even if it was Mike, made this trip special.
Concluding this rambling diatribe, my 107 Sierra days last season; all in the Yosemite back-country were probably my ultimate backpacking adventure to date. I know my 400+ miles hardly compare to our own Rogue’s pre-planned itinerary, but fairly substantial nonetheless. However, just got another invitation letter from Mike and again he won’t say where we are going this upcoming year…sigh…no matter, probably just another ultimate adventure to come.
Mark