Re: Trip Report - August Back pack (Part 2) - TM loop

Our trip was planned for 6 days

Thursday - Travel
Friday - TM to Merced
Saturday - Merced
Sunday - Merced to Vogelsang
Monday - Vogelsang to TM
Tuesday - Travel

Friday we arrived in Merced near 6pm, cold tired and hungry. Our second camp set up went very well. With many large trees in the camp, we had a nice dry site. We strung clothesline and tried to dry our gear. We had asked the forum for meal suggestions and used most of them. Our first trail dinner was couscous, foil pack chicken and chix bullion. Hot, tasty, and filling. Great first meal. Via java and a bit of choc and we were feeling much better. Sleep came at dark for three tired guys.

Merced was busy that evening and one large party had left their bear canisters near their tents (instead of in the provided lockers). After snuffling past our tents the bear zero'd in on the canisters. Fortunately one of the leaders woke and scampered the bear off.

Saturday we rested at Merced, taking pictures, swimming/bathing in the chilly Merced, and gathering firewood to use in an existing fire ring. Matt loves a campfire and we started our about 4 in the afternoon.
Several folks stopped by throughout the evening. Dinner #2 was cheese tortelini, italian dressing and pepperoni. Tasty and filling.

You guys recommended the Lewis Creek trail up to Vogelsang Pass. Great recommendation.



We departed Merced about 830am and arrived in Vogelsang camp about 1:30pm. The mile up to the pass took 1:12 to accomplish. We had meal reservations at Vogelsang to lighten our food load (Bear Vault 500 weighed in at 16 lbs at the start).



Dinner at Vogelsang was terrific and plentiful. It was great to meet and chat with all the other hiking enthusiasts and break a little bread together.

One of things we like to do is build Inuksuks (trail guardians) whenever we hike. Daniel is particulary adept and here is his Vogelsang rendition.



Our trek out on Monday was swift as we had friends who offered bed, shower, beer and food in San Jose. (there is a spot near Vogelsang with cell reception, lucky us).



Many thanks to the terrific sharing folks who help three newbies have a great first back packing experience. Your advice and humor, patience with all the questions, was appreciated and even a bit heart-warming. I envy you who have such a treasure so close by.

Thanks for everything

Randy

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BigR
One of things we like to do is build Inuksuks (trail guardians) whenever we hike.

Please don't do that. It's a wilderness. The engineered and well-worn trail is unavoidable, but many of us feel strongly that ducks, cairn gardens, etc. detract from the wilderness experience.

While I'm not a fan of them either, it doesn't really upset me if they're right next to a well-worn trail, since the trail itself is a far bigger scar on the virgin wilderness the some small cairn formations. But I really don't like seeing them away from a trail.

Like others, I'll knock down cairns and other artificial man-made creations I find off the beaten track in areas designated as wilderness. I'm a big believer in the “Leave No Trace” ethos and I strive to keep the wilderness as pristine and natural as humanly possible.

.

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BigR
One of things we like to do is build Inuksuks (trail guardians) whenever we hike. Daniel is particulary adept and here is his Vogelsang rendition.

I knock those down whenever I find them. Anywhere else, fine, but not in Yosemite.

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BigR

Many thanks to the terrific sharing folks who help three newbies have a great first back packing experience. Your advice and humor, patience with all the questions, was appreciated and even a bit heart-warming. I envy you who have such a treasure so close by.

Thanks for everything

Randy

Glad you had a wonderful time in Yosemite.

Randy,

I'm sitting here chuckling because I knew upon reading your post that you would get jumped on regarding the Inuksuks (cairns). Sorry about that. I know they are popular elsewhere, just not in Yosemite.
Anyway, I'm really glad you guys had a great first trip to the big granite slab park. That was a long first day for being new to Yosemite. By any chance did you have an opportunity to check out Bernice Lake or did that long climb from Merced start taking its toll while still looking at Vogelsang Pass ahead?

Jim

I have no issue with people expressing their beliefs and opinions. Free exchange is how we grow.

We looked at Bernice lake side trip pretty hard. My oldest did not train for the trip and was suffering quite a bit. So we set it aside for family unity
and will save it for the next trip.

Just finished a trip with my wife to Glacier. What a wonderful place that was.

Regardless, folks here have been great and very civil (for the internet).

Randy

Pretty sure a bigger offense is the building of said cairn-thingie while wearing pink crocs.


Glad you had a great time in Yosemite. (and ah-hem... uh... 3 hrs from SJ as I said)

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It could be worse by building the cairn - thingie in a thong.

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chick-on
Pretty sure a bigger offense is the building of said cairn-thingie while wearing pink crocs.

I thought you were partial to the color pink.

Had to watch those nasty pink crocs dangle from the back of Dan's pack for the whole trip.

Understand the passion for "leave no trace" and will consider myself more enlightened for our next outing....

Randy

Wow, interesting perspective on the building of the cairns. As I understand the original Inuit intent was to signal to the
lonely traveler/hunter that in the vast wilderness that he was not alone. We viewed it as a positive affirming action. Maybe
unnecessary today but I still get a smile whenever I see one.

Randy

Quote
BigR
Wow, interesting perspective on the building of the cairns. As I understand the original Inuit intent was to signal to the
lonely traveler/hunter that in the vast wilderness that he was not alone. We viewed it as a positive affirming action. Maybe
unnecessary today but I still get a smile whenever I see one. Randy

That's nice for the Inuit, but in a National Park, or any other wilderness, Leave No Trace is the best policy. Here is something from the Yosemite Web Site. There is a longer "Fact Sheet" that I'm going to try and get put up on the website. It's not that they are just visual graffiti, there is also an ecological reason to not build them.