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Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Sat May 16, 2020 2:57 am
by WinsomeWanderer
Just joined this website today. Very impressed with the great trip reports and interesting trips, and the great people who are willing to take their time to put together great reports and pictures.

I have been wandering and climbing in the Sierras since my Dad half-carried up Mt. Whitney at age 7, more than 50 years ago. I have been lucky to get in one to two 9 day trips each summer until recently when an encounter with a dog fractured both knees. I have done, and enjoyed immensely, several of the southerly Ropers High Routes, before they became popular. Some of my best memories are the sublime and magical places of the Sierras, Bench Canyon, Darwin Basin, Center Basin, etc, etc, and one or two bad ones, like descending the jungle of Lower Goddard Creek after exiting from the Enchanted Gorge below the Ionian Basin.

I thank you all trip reporters. If I can get my act together, I’ll get into my picture archives, explore the cobwebs of my memory to put together some belated trip reports.

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Sat May 16, 2020 9:10 am
by maverick
Hi WW,
Welcome to HST!🙂
Looking forward to seeing those TR’s. :nod:

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 10:59 am
by walkawhile
Been lurking here for about nine years and tromping through the Sierra for forty. I always check the forums before a trip and have got some great beta. I'm doing the North South lake loop in two weeks and am super excited. Did the Lamark Col variation a few years back, so I missed the Humphry's Basin leg. I'm looking forward to seeing Humphry's and expect the wildflowers will be off the hook. Cheers!

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 11:39 am
by maverick
Hi Walkawhile,

Welcome to HST! Looking forward to a TR (with pictures), which will help your fellow members gauge the conditions in the area. :)

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 1:52 pm
by physicshappens
Hi all, I'm Bryan, and am getting to the point where I have to admit I'm more a geezer than a young buck, but I still feel strongest when in the wilderness. I guess I've always preferred being a loner to a group hiker; I was 17 when I did my first major solo multi-day backpacking trip in Glacier Natl Park, and I was hooked. There is something about being alone and far from anyone while above 3000 meters that revives my soul. I don't know how the levels work; what's the difference between a level 3 and a level 4 route? I'm not a mountaineer, I don't have any experience with rope climbing aside from a few recreational guided rappels. And I'm a summer hiker; I've done a bit of winter camping but I prefer not to deal with much snow on the ground. I'm comfortable doing cross-country routes in the high Sierras; one of my repeat pilgrimages is going up Copper Creek in King's Canyon and spending 7-10 days wandering all around the Dougherty Creek area, on and off trail. The last time I was there I happened to get up in the middle of the night to pee, looked up and witnessed a huge fireball slowly track across the sky from horizon to horizon. Turned out to be a Chinese booster rocket burning up on re-entry, but it was a sublime experience. Other haunts include Yosemite, of course, and the Trinity Alps. A few years ago I quit my corporate job and became a high school physics teacher, in part so I will have time every summer to go on a backcountry pilgrimage. I like the risk inherent in solo backcountry, but I don't take unreasonable risks. These days I hike with an inReach and evacuation insurance, and use GPS navigation but also have my paper maps and compass. When traversing a risky stretch, I repeat my mantra, "every step matters," and take my time. I've slid into some creeks and run out of food and sunscreen, but no injuries beyond scratches so far, and I hope to keep it that way. I'm prepping for my annual pilgrimage now: July 14-23 looping around the Ritter range. I'll start from Postpile and head south to loop around Iron Mountain, and then North up to Twin Island lakes. Then the only segment that makes me nervous, Twin Island Lakes up to Catherine Lake and over, down to 1000 Isles lake. After that I'll complete the circuit via Ediza and Minaret lakes. I've got it mapped out for 7 overnights, but I'll throw an extra night in somewhere, maybe exploring Bench Canyon on the way towards Twin Island Lakes. I've just discovered High Sierra Topix, and just begun to mine the wisdom here collected. What I've found on the Twin Islands Lakes to Catherine Lake segment confirms the nervousness I felt looking at the Topo and Google Earth. Any route suggestions welcome. I'm wondering about the snow level around Catherine in mid July this year and whether I need an ice axe -- I'd rather not pack the weight just for that segment, but if I need one I need one. I hear the snow pack is below normal, but still. Also reading about Rockyroad's experience makes me think about bringing a helmet!

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 2:28 pm
by maverick
Hi Brian,

Welcome to HST! Please request any route information in a separate thread, thanks. :)

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 4:19 pm
by Iriscaddis
Greetings everyone, I find the site extremely helpful. I’ve spent years reading through but now I’m a member. Background-flyfisherman, surfer, hiker. I’ve been to mountains of Chili and Canadan; to the Dolomites to Tavarua. I live in Southern California (don’t hold it against me ;) ). Hopefully I can share information back to you guys.

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 6:52 am
by maverick
Hi Iriscaddis,

Welcome to HST! :)
We enjoy trip reports to Chile, Canada, and Italy too. :nod:

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 6:13 pm
by Iriscaddis
Excellent. Planning on Italy in 2021 (fingers crossed the plague doesn’t wipe us all out 😆)

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 11:21 pm
by Emmablob
Hello!
Just joined a couple of months ago, but have been looking for tips and found this place very helpful for many years :) hope to contribute in kind. I’ll be backpacking Twin Lakes next week!