Re: Must Do "A" List
Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2017 8:03 pm
Not to be critical of Maverick's reason to post the thread as it is a worthwhile subject as I won't address his question and rather offer a terse ornery two cents about the attitude I see in many others visiting these places.
The Sierra Nevada is vast. Too much for any one m-f 8-5 working person over an adult lifetime to do more than put a modest dent in though one can visit most of the most popular locations. I won't come close to visiting all the SN locations I would find strongly interesting and worthwhile, but that does not bother me in the least. And I can say that far more greatly also about the whole planet that I've only visited a tinee tiny part of. Even some rich outdoor enthusiast that could spend their whole adult life going any places they desired would barely put a dent in what is out there. Much of the best is not about taking modern transportation to wherever but rather requires putting boots on the ground and hiking to after dealing with considerable logistics.
Consider how even we peon level humans in this era can do so so much more today in this modern era than even the wealthiest royalty could in centuries past. And that a whole lot of people just take such for granted ho hum. In the SN itself many hikers quickly pound through on trails hardly spending time visiting but trail side places as though that is enough haha. Thus think they have experienced what they went through but from my perspective are oh so wrong.
Look at all those JMT/PCT hikers that stop to camp at famous Thousand Island Lake because they read or heard it was one of the most scenic places in the whole range. But on ANY early morning late July when shores are vibrant green, wildflowers are out, and the lake waters are calm reflecting Mt Ritter behind Banner Peak, are any of the backpackers in dozens of groups camping up on the northeast hill along the trail even down at the lake? The same hikers that reached the lake the previous late afternoon while the sun was behind the ridge offering boring back lit views west. No, almost all rose well after sun's orange glow colored the peaks and are eating breakfast, putting their packs together, mostly just interested in getting back on the trail and moving out while vaguely glancing down at the lake.
So no I don't have and have not had for decades any bucket list or a "A list" of places I've been dreaming about. Of course there are fair numbers of those out in the backcountry like members here that don't reflect the picture I've painted and are interested in more than just scratching another place off a bucket list. I would rather in the few remaining years that I'm able to, return to some of those places I've already been to that I greatly love and enjoy base camping at, getting to know and experience deeply. More importantly I've seen a whole lot more during my modest life time than any people ever did in historic times and immensely appreciate and thank God for that.
The Sierra Nevada is vast. Too much for any one m-f 8-5 working person over an adult lifetime to do more than put a modest dent in though one can visit most of the most popular locations. I won't come close to visiting all the SN locations I would find strongly interesting and worthwhile, but that does not bother me in the least. And I can say that far more greatly also about the whole planet that I've only visited a tinee tiny part of. Even some rich outdoor enthusiast that could spend their whole adult life going any places they desired would barely put a dent in what is out there. Much of the best is not about taking modern transportation to wherever but rather requires putting boots on the ground and hiking to after dealing with considerable logistics.
Consider how even we peon level humans in this era can do so so much more today in this modern era than even the wealthiest royalty could in centuries past. And that a whole lot of people just take such for granted ho hum. In the SN itself many hikers quickly pound through on trails hardly spending time visiting but trail side places as though that is enough haha. Thus think they have experienced what they went through but from my perspective are oh so wrong.
Look at all those JMT/PCT hikers that stop to camp at famous Thousand Island Lake because they read or heard it was one of the most scenic places in the whole range. But on ANY early morning late July when shores are vibrant green, wildflowers are out, and the lake waters are calm reflecting Mt Ritter behind Banner Peak, are any of the backpackers in dozens of groups camping up on the northeast hill along the trail even down at the lake? The same hikers that reached the lake the previous late afternoon while the sun was behind the ridge offering boring back lit views west. No, almost all rose well after sun's orange glow colored the peaks and are eating breakfast, putting their packs together, mostly just interested in getting back on the trail and moving out while vaguely glancing down at the lake.
So no I don't have and have not had for decades any bucket list or a "A list" of places I've been dreaming about. Of course there are fair numbers of those out in the backcountry like members here that don't reflect the picture I've painted and are interested in more than just scratching another place off a bucket list. I would rather in the few remaining years that I'm able to, return to some of those places I've already been to that I greatly love and enjoy base camping at, getting to know and experience deeply. More importantly I've seen a whole lot more during my modest life time than any people ever did in historic times and immensely appreciate and thank God for that.