2013 Expedition

[rightstar76]

The man, the myth, the legend - the RoguePhotonic! You have the stamina of a bighorn, running up and down the mountains. Don't know how you do it. Looking forward to seeing the photos of your expedition.

[schmalz]

So Rogue should be getting back to Sequioa today. Imagine walking back from the backcountry into lodgepole and having it be a ghost town. Crazy!

[RoguePhotonic]

Yes that was very crazy. Although I can now declare SUCCESS!!

I have returned to Bakersfield today after 130 days in the mountains. I decided to call it quits based on a number of factors. One was just how much colder the water and the general living was becoming. Not a big deal but it gets tiring. Then my rain shell was so torn up it no longer worked at all. If I did get a major storm and had to hike in it I would have no way to stay dry so not very safe. The next was simple money. I figured I would get home with very little money left if I continued with everything as planned so it was a way to save allot. Lastly I took a rock to the head which left a very nasty gash in my ear to add to my other injury of a sprained finger. All those factors made me decide to ride home with my hiking partner Derek since he had to go through Bakersfield anyway.

So in the end like I said 130 days. Climbed 34 peaks. Total days without seeing another person was 56. Longest stretch without seeing anyone was 11 days. Longest stretch of cross country without seeing a trail was 10 days. Had 36 days of rain. 2 days of snow. Found 18 balloons and what ever other statistics are of interest.

So the last section Derek and I went in planning on 14 days. It snowed on us the first night and was even snowing the morning we left. We climbed Lawson and Kaweah Queen, went to the Red Spur Lakes, went into the Picket Guard Drainage and did Picket Guard Peak. We crossed Kaweah Pass where I got injured. I was at the very top when the rock I stepped on went down hill with all the rest of the hill below me. A large rock above me slid into me and I could not get out of it's way so I fell into it. Luckily it stopped going down hill other wise it probably would have killed me. Instead I came out with a badly sprained left index finger which still is not good but getting better. Then we climbed Mt. Kaweah and went to the lake below Red Kaweah. We entered what I thought was the right chute but were blocked by massive chock stones. We both tried climbing the walls on the side in many places on completely horrible rock when I finally decided to retreat. Derek tried one more way and got much higher up while I waited below. He decided there was nothing better up above and began to retreat when a large rock came loose. He shouted ROCK ROCK ROCK!!! as the boulder fell and impacted and broke into many pieces. I looked up just in time to see a large piece not coming for me at all when out of no where with me not even seeing it WHACK!!! I got hit hard in the side of the head or more accurately in the left ear. I threw my hands over my head as the rest of the rock smashed around me but I did not get hit more. Blood began pouring down my face since I got a good one inch or more gash in my ear. Although it could have been worse. If it had hit my head I might have been killed. We retreated to camp where I tried to fix it the best I could. After lunch Derek decided to try another way but I was in no shape to join in and he made it to the top. That just made him feel worse as he said "I kicked a rock on your head and then went to the top without you". So after that with a bum finger and a messed up ear I decided against a summit attempt of Black Kaweah. I gave Derek the option of going without me but he declined and we decided to hike out a day early.

And yes it was crazy getting out with a note on his car saying the park is closed and that the gate is locked for us getting out and that a Ranger will be by every few hours tomorrow. We walked around the museum area being a ghost town until a few fire fighters came jogging up and one had a key to let us out. The plan was to stay at Lodgepole tonight and go home tomorrow but we just had to go home. As a result I couldn't get my last package from the post office.

So I once again return home after a journey of a life time. Now I just have to readjust to this strange way of life.

[RoguePhotonic]

Sorry for anyone that reads these posts before I edit them. I am finding it a bit hard to write at the moment. 130 days in the wilderness does strange things to the brain lol.

[RoguePhotonic]

A couple more details I can now add. I weighed in at 180 pounds which means I lost 45 pounds on this hike even though I started 20 pounds lighter than any other year I have done these hikes. I have not been this skinny since I was about 17. My belts are even too small to hold my pants up!

Also a closer look at my ear shows that the rock pierced all the way through. All I need is a Red Kaweah ear ring since it pierced my ear! Ouch!!!

[Shawn]

Amazing Rogue, simply freaking amazing. Sure glad to see you got out alive with the adventure of a lifetime. Hope to see a few photo's after you get rested up a bit.

[kpeter]

Congratulations Rogue on a fabulous season! And thank goodness you came home (generally) safe!

[SweetSierra]

Thanks for letting us know about your last big stretch. Amazing! I'm glad your encounters with rock weren't serious. I look forward to seeing your photos.

[hikerdmb]

Can't wait to see some pics and read your TR. Glad you were successful with your summer adventures.

[RoguePhotonic]

I will certainly be working on photos for the next many months. I had my 5D2 this year though so the photos are top quality.