I forgot to mention the lip stuff. Burt's Bees and Badger both make physical blocker lip balms I use. One time, doing RPP on 4th of July weekend after a really wet winter, full snow coverage from Lower Ottoway all the way up and over to Red Devil Lake. I'd eaten, drunk and sneezed, and couldn't easily reach my lip balm... and neglected to reapply. By the time we hit Red Devil Lake, my lower lby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
+1 for what The Other Tom said!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Flagged. Thanks for heads up.by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
JRinGeorgia is right, temp isn't the issue, it's the density/composition of the atmosphere and how much UV is absobed there before it hits you, and at higher altitudes the UV exposure is greater. I have allergies to a number of the chemical sunscreens/blockers so have been using Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide formulas since the get-go almost 2 decades ago. So far, so good, knock on wood. Righby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Not the GCT, but we camped just north of Tuolumne Peak this weekend, not far from the Canyon as the crow flies. We were looking at Falls Ridge and upper parts of the canyon from our campsite. Skeeters were bad from about 9000' to at least 10000'. Last weekend it was worse in the Lyell Headwall area from 9500-10,500', so I'm thinking skeeters won't be a problem in the canyon itself... but the fliby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'll suggest the Osprey Exos 34. Basilbop uses that as his day pack, and had I not started with the Exos 46 first, I'd have bought the 34 as well. We both use an Exos 58 as our backpacking packs. The 46 weighs only 2 lb 5 oz, and is my "day pack". The 34 is 2 lb 2 oz size M. I keep checking at REI and other places for a daypack that is lighter, but also has a good suspension and isby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I take it some nutty uber-skier kick stepped his way to the top and swooshed down? I just went and read the "Skiing Clouds Rest" article. Okay.... I'm gonna stick to walking...by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Great! More, please! I never seem to tire of looking at pictures of Yosemite... I especially liked Tuolumne "in early morning light" and "early morning Sun". Thank you! Can't wait to get back there!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
On one hand, I generally like to see the view without the touch of humans on it, on the other hand. WOW. Just WOW.by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thank you for the TR. It was neat to see so many places I've been - but from a different perspective. I've been all around the area you poked into. Looks like you guys had fun! Woo hoo! And even if you didn't get all the shots you wanted, the pics on Picasa were fun! More, please!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We visited May Lake Friday, June 7. There was a note at the trailhead and at the camp (not yet set up) that there was a water leak in the system. I didn't pay much attention to the sign, but the gist of it was, be prepared to treat your water. The bathrooms were chained shut for the backpacking camp. Best to check closer to your trip to get current conditions. But I think always a good idea to atby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Great stuff! Love that area! Thanks!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
No need to carry a "hard" bottle to fill a small-mouth bottle. We cut a lightweight water bottle like an AquaFina bottle in half, very lightweight., amazingly durable. Scoop and pour into your Platy. We do this with our 3 Litre Hosers when we hit camp. Or scoop and steripen and drink right out of it during a short break. I only say this for clear running Sierra water in areas with no grby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We were hiking back from North Dome - we were on the exposed granite heading back up to Indian Rock when the chopper flew over us. I just stopped and watched and someone in the back seat waved at me, so I waved back. I didn't want to wave first, for fear they would think I was in trouble. It was that freaking hot Saturday and I was afraid they were looking for possible fires sparked by lightningby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotepwlawrence What I like about Picaridin over the DEET-based products is that it won't damage my cameras, GPS and other things made with certain plastics. During the camping trip last week we found out quickly that the kids with the spray DEET on their arms ended up stained red from the plastic tablecloth when they rested their arms on it! Didn't see that coming! A couple of times either thby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I have many environmental allergies and take Allegra every day. When seasonal allergies are bad, I take Nasonex. With mosquito bites, I take Benadryl at night to try to knock down my reactions. I use StingEze Max 2 on bites as temporary topical relief to try to prevent the scratching. 10% Benzocaine. If anyone knows of a stronger product, please let me know! I guess I could ask my doc forby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I have no time right now... And I love this topic. If you can afford it, Western Mountaineering makes delicious down jackets and pants. Used to all be made in San Jose, California, some items now in Canada. I still use my original Flight jacket of 12+ years. 9 oz and most of it fluffy 850+ euro down (back then anyway)! Always check total weight and fill weight and sourcing of down... Iby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Oooh. Love to see what others are doing... Not too proud to steal a good idea.. I carry 3 litre Playpus Hoser, filled with minimum1 litre to start up to 3 depending on conditions. Use a side bottle with Frontier Pro filter screwed on. Carry chlorine dioxide tabs to purify lots of water at camp for night/next day. Sometimes use Steripen, but we fell out of the habit with the Frontier Pro. Mightby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm just interpreting here, but for some, the term "epic" carries baggage. Back when we got into this, our older, more "experienced" friends described their "epic" hikes... they were scary. Something (usually many tiny somethings) went wrong... planning/execution (and gear in the 60s & 70s) had issues. "Epics" had serious life-threatening situations. Onby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Sounds like a great trip! Hope your son enjoyed it and wants more! Good call on not pushing it if he was a bit off.. It'll be there for another trip.by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
If memory serves, we didn't actually follow the trail that year all the way to Gem Pass, but cut up to the ridge on the east and XC'd on top of the ridge to meet back up with the trail. And when I say cut up, Aaron used a little ice axe to cut steps in a few places, cuz we were going UP. Though one map I'm looking at has non-switch option...but there was so much snow.. If it exists, we wouldn'tby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
When I was using my original NeoAir, I used a cut down Z-Rest under my torso. Found I felt warmer with it between the NeoAir and me... I run COLD. And after 12 nights with it on JMT, no way was I going back to my 10 ounce BPL TorsoLite. I sleep on my side... Lotsa cush with NeoAir! I think the two feathered ones sleep warmer than I do... Which is unfair given i have more built-in insulation...sigby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thank you very much for the tips! They'll save me time, which will get me back to my family and friends faster! Happy Trails!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks! Decision made! Clever! Yes, vid conference is involved with my work... And large file transfers...not ideal.. Gaaak and a few cloud apps I have never tried to use over constrained connections... Ugh. But I've been scheming and trying to figure out what other bits I can focus on without decent connectivity... 3 more days to button things down enough to get by. Yos Lodge wouldby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks oodles! 2 Mbps.. From Camp 4. That's waay better than sub 1 Mbps. Hm. Decision time. Easier decision if someone can confirm >3Mbps!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hm. I'm on Verizon and have gotten email through on my iPhone 4 last year when camping. I even was able to tether and let a friend use my Verizon service (she was on Sprint) so she could check work email. I thought long ago I requested data roaming privileges (included with my plan, but for some inexplicable reason not activated until I called). It's worked. It's just that Verizon 3G data (EVDO)by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Gaak, we can't remember when we were doing the HSC camps (before Basilbop tricked me into "real" backpacking), late 90s? Pre-digital camera for us, so we can't recall. Sad, eh? But yah, after that first evening when I sat out after dinner... the next day, I had a bunch of people asking about the suit... Which wasn't anything special, had picked it up at REI. (hooded jacket + pants)by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
You say solo, I say duo! I get that claustrophobic thing in ultra small shelters... Duo is palatial for one, can work for two (if I take the door side) and weighs 3 ounces more.(both cuben) The solo innernet can be used in the duo, or use the duo-sized innernet for a few ounces more. Me with my DuoMid nest at Sunrise on the first night of my JMT trip. Tried to outrun a storm going over the lby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm twisted. I love that crossing when it's deep and cold. One year we came up on a group taking shoes off, rolling up pants, trying to stay on top of the rocks which were submerged, but not too much. Basilbop and I did our usual quick check of water depth and speed (obviously slow and safe) and just kept walking right through... I think mid-thigh on me, and as we passed one guy, he said "Sby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm a veritable, certified mosquito magnet. I sleep in a regular bivy with a mesh window. Yah, changing clothes can be tricky, if I can't time it with the wind and I think I'm going to be sucked dry while changing, I just change IN the bivy. Also a handy thing to be able to do when it's really cold and I don't want to stand in the cold changing. I'm 5'5" and Basilbop and I have the same sizeby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion