Re: Three realities

It was mid-afternoon. We were on the last leg of our hike out of the backcountry, and only about a mile from our car. It had been a great hike, and we were now looking forward to taking off our packs, a nice drive home, hot showers, and a dinner that didn't involved freeze-dried anything.

The weather was perfect for late September, sunny but not warm.


The first couple was young and sportif, wearing only shorts and t-shirts, and they moved briskly up the trail towards us.

"Hi there," I greeted them. "Where are you headed?"

"We are going to the lakes!" the young man replied, with enthusiasm and a French accent.

"Ah!" I gave this some thought. The nearest lake was at least five miles further along the trail. "You realize that they are about five miles--eight kilometers--from here?"

The young man nodded. "About forty minutes?" he asked.

I considered this. "No, closer to two or three hours" I explained.

"OK. Thanks!" he continued up the trail. His girlfriend looked at me.

They were not carrying even a daypack, and I didn't see any bottles. "Do you have any water?" I asked. There was no real source of water for a few miles. We had very little in our packs.

"No, it's OK" he called back over his shoulder.

I looked at the girlfriend. She looked at me. "Maybe we stop before the lakes." she said.

I nodded and watched them hurry up the trail.


A hundred yards later we met an older couple, almost as old as us. Now I was really curious, and I asked them the same question. "Where are you headed."

"Up the traill," the husband replied as he panted uphill past me.

His wife looked at me and asked me how far the lakes were. I told her. "Well, we'll just see how far we get," she said. They each had a daypack, and I asked them if they had water. "Oh yeah, we have lots of water," she replied.

"Good," I thought. "You might want to share some of it with the nice young couple ahead of you."


A half-mile from the trailhead we met the last couple: two young men sitting on a couple of rocks and resting. When then heard me coming down the trail, the first young man turned around quickly and said,. "Oh, good. You're not a bear."

"Nope," I assured him, I was not a bear.

"How much further is it to the lakes?" he asked. He and his partner had a full complement of cameras, tripods and other paraphernalia.

"About five or six miles," I said.

He looked at his watch. I looked at mine. "We left our camp there about three hours ago," I explained. "So that would be about six hours, round trip."

He nodded. He looked at his watch again.

"That means you would get back here about 7 o'clock," I explained. IT would be close to dark by then.

"I guess we better get moving," his partner chimed in. He didn't get up off the rock that he occupied.

"Well, maybe you hike faster than we do," I offered.

They both nodded.

"Then again," I thought,"We didn't stop in the first half mile from the trailhead when we did this hike, and we were carrying full packs.


I wonder how far each group hiked...

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Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-Rocks-Paul-Wagner/dp/0984884963

Reminds me of a time a few years ago, when I was coming down from the Upper Yosmite Falls trail.

We were maybe only about 45 miniutes from the bottom. It was hot, and dry. I Had taken plenty of water, but was still close to running out.

I passed a school group who were on their way up, and overheard some talking between students, and teachers, saying that some were already out of water. I often wonder how far up they planned to climb, and if they made it.

Steve

That reminds me of a hike where we came across an obvious tenderfoot that was bragging about his hiking and backcountry survival skills. He could carry a 50 pound pack over 25 miles a day. He had hiked the PCT and the AT. He was so tough that he had only a small water bottle for a 3 day hike and didn't need a filter because he knew he would not get giardia. He took off about 20 minutes before we did. We came across him later and found him drying his socks, after fording a stream, on a bush.

We didn't have the heart to tell him he was trying his socks on poison oak.

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Dave
We didn't have the heart to tell him he was trying his socks on poison oak.

It was too late anyway.

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Dave
That reminds me of a hike where we came across an obvious tenderfoot that was bragging about his hiking and backcountry survival skills. He could carry a 50 pound pack over 25 miles a day. He had hiked the PCT and the AT. He was so tough that he had only a small water bottle for a 3 day hike and didn't need a filter because he knew he would not get giardia. He took off about 20 minutes before we did. We came across him later and found him drying his socks, after fording a stream, on a bush.

We didn't have the heart to tell him he was trying his socks on poison oak.

that's a great story!

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Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-Rocks-Paul-Wagner/dp/0984884963

We were hiking north on the JMT this August just a mile or so below Donohue Pass. It was around noon. Met a guy who stopped us and asked whether we thought he'd make it to Red's Meadow by 7pm. He was supposed to meet friends there. He didn't have a map (and apparently hadn't looked at one before making his plans).

We were coming down from Ridge Lakes @ Lassen, which is 2.2 miles, 1000 vertical feet & met a man & his daughter. He was using a walker.

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W7SG
We were coming down from Ridge Lakes @ Lassen, which is 2.2 miles, 1000 vertical feet & met a man & his daughter. He was using a walker.

Good for him. I hope he made his goal (whatever it was)

I used to hike with a Viet Nam Vet who wore clip on crutches (and plenty of metal in his legs) I can only imagine the reports that were made based on the expressions of the folks we passed....

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The body betrays and the weather conspires, hopefully, not on the same day.

This is an interesting phenomenon: people don't take a map or know where they are on a trail; they meet a total stranger and ask crucial questions, then accept that what the stranger tells them is accurate. And yes I've done this too, especially while driving or walking in the city. Usually works out; sometimes not.

Related to this is following tracks in the snow and assuming that the tracks are going to where you want to go.

Although not a crucial question, I have been the one asking before. We came upon a stream that we needed to cross just as someone else had finished crossing from the other side. I ask how it was. "Not bad, a little over knee deep but a little faster than it looks". I asked his opinion on going barefoot and got an emphatic no. I took his advice. It was nice to be able to ask someone what it was like. Even better to get an accurate answer.

Not barefoot but if you have wool socks on they will grip the rocks better than boots. Can be a bit hard on the feet though.

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Old Dude

I know people think I'm crazy but I trudge right through water with my leather boots, wool outer sock, synthetic inner sock, then keep hiking. I've never had a blister, or even a sore spot, from doing this.

Done that too but it feels icky.

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Old Dude

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mrcondron
Not barefoot but if you have wool socks on they will grip the rocks better than boots. Can be a bit hard on the feet though.

I am going to have to try that a short crossing the next chance I get.

I'm referencing the first post in this thread. I was camped in the rain on a flat spot in the brush near the bridge crossing Milk Creek on the flanks of Glacier Peak. My partner went to hang our stuff off the bridge and came back a bit bemused. There is a gorgeous 30 miles round trip from the Suiattle River trailhead that heads up the river, over it, up to the PCT, traverses Glacier Peak, and then down, and back. The couple he'd met camping near the bridge was seven miles from the trailhead and had brought six Burger King Whoppers to eat for food on their trip... 23 miles and four whoppers to go. Go figure...

Jeff...