I've been gone and I just absorbed the final two installments and all the comments to date just now. Fabulous! Thank you again for sharing the story of your adventure! I loved reading how you had a crazy idea and then researched, created a plan and worked your plan. And even when things went a little awry, you kept working your plan and you finished with flair! Congratulations again and I thiby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We love that loop, as you can tell from previous posts by Basilbop. I'm rushing so won't paste links... Search site if you are interested... But on lightning safety, will add NOLS' article to reading list. Shows probably safest lightning position, but most practical, and still much safer than standing in open is to sit on pad and wrap arms around legs (try to minimize contact with pad/ground)by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Not boring at all! Especially love the perspective of the cables, and the grouse! Great shot of the puffy terror! Have a seriously soft spot for birds.... And fabulous your girls are into it!!! Kudos to you for making it happen! Thank you for taking the time to share your trip with us!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yah, you gotta suck it up and get it out at night! Then you can sleep peacefully! Thanks for the trash collection! I'm getting really worried with reports of trash and poo and whatnot on and near our trails and water bodies. Recent articles and stories about what the Whitney Portal trail is like now.. and the sights we've seen (diaper on trail in Oahu) in various places... Ugh. Did you liby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I am at once sooo very happy to hear that your first experience to see the Milky Way was in Yosemite (how utterly perfect, in my mind!)... and also saddened to hear that it was your first time ever! I've been lamenting skyglow for years, but the folks who we knew in our old astronomy club.. they've been trying to fight it for much longer... So sad that so many have no idea what a sky filled withby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteTechieSteve I saw the Mily Way for the first time. Um, did you mean you saw the Milky Way for the first time this trip, or for the first time ever? Just curious... Seeing the Milky Way at night is one of the best treats for me backpacking and a huge reason why I prefer sleeping in my bivy sack... Lovely, isn't it?by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Wow! Thank you so much for the trip report! I have dear friends who currently have a 9 month old, 3- and 5-year olds. All girls, and we've been taking them to Yosemite for camping a week at a time since each was 3 months old... and we've been grooming them on short day hikes... and Thanksgiving when they can swing it. This summer, the mom indicated she wants to do her first backpacking trip! Onceby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
If any of you regulars (or regular lurkers) here are from Ireland or have hiked in Ireland and are willing to share information on hikes to do, best resources (websites, books), tips/tricks, Basilbop and I would be very appreciative. I'm currently wading through the Lonely Planet guidebook to get an overview of what most appeals...Michelin driving map should arrive today. I want to start fixing pby JustKeepWalking - General Discussion
Yah, after I posted, I wondered "which *is* harder"? I've heard many lament the difficulty of the HD lottery... I did hear the ranger tell someone on the 4th of July who thought she and her group would be able to get permits to hike HD that day that there were like 100 people in the Valley already lined up for HD... I wasn't really paying attention. And then I wondered how that worked,by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
They already have their Half Dome permits. So the hardest bit is done. They are just trying to get up to LYV the night before.by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I truly appreciate you sharing your thoughts and feelings as you started on your journey! I had similar thoughts of bailing and internal fights before and during my first solo trip and again as I started my longer solo section on the JMT-they dissipated as I continued and I actually was happy on my own and felt weird when I met up with my regular hiking buddies 100 miles into the trail... Did theby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I was wondering what exactly you'd planned to do... Great job! Love the report so far...more, please!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yah, inside the park, I'm more likely to pull over and give backpackers lifts... outside.. well, not as much. But if I'd been at the Mobil Station and had seen a guy with the name "TechieSteve" tacked to his shirt, you bet I'd have walked up to wish you luck and a ride, if you'd wanted! But who's gonna walk around with screen name plastered on them??? Maybe there should be a subtle siby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Doh, never even occurred to me to mention that detail, I was already emailing with the Director of Sales & Marketing for International Mapping... never crossed my mind that the "Tom Harrison" company would try to start a software company.. His website speaks volumes as to how much effort goes into web technologies. Good thing his maps speak for themselves. Anyway, when I asked Inby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks! Too bad about your detour, but you made your first day goal-and the whole trip, obviously! Congrats! Looking forward to more!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Update: Ran the High Sierra Trail numbers on app and manually from our admittedly old paper map. 5.1 miles longer on paper map! Some segments were 1 mile different between the two. All discrepancies were before the junction with the PCT/JMT. Numbers matched exactly after that. Totals were 54.4 vs 59.5 (to top of Whitney). We seem to prefer west to east, lighter when packing up to Whitney, sceneryby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It's an iPhone app, not a universal app, so it'll be tiny, or you can blow it up 2x, not the best use of iPad screen real estate. But it's serviceable. The app has an interesting zoom point where it gives overview info and when you zoom in more, you get what you see on the printed map. Been comparing bits with our map, just to be sure...build up some trust...by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Okay, I searched on "tom harrison app" over all dates and found bupkiss, so if this has already been discussed, please forgive me in advance, point me to the right place and I'll happily read up... Don't ask me why I haven't done this before, because I don't know. Tom Harrison paper maps have been our go-to paper maps on our Sierra adventures. The USGS 7.5' maps on our electronic toyby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
You are most welcome and thanks for the birthday wishes!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I obviously have not gone through the entire Yosemite NP section on the NPS website. 17 species of bats in Yosemite! Urk. I have no idea how I'd ID one of them unless it decided to land on me!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The branching at the ends of the "feet" (?) don't look right. I recall the ends being tapered to points from what I could see. Ugh. I keep going back to look at the pictures of the pools of water instead of trying to remember the bug's legs.by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Anything left of the teams? or the scenery? Teams, not sure.. but at last count all bodies were holding up well, shoes not so much... Scenery? LOTS! I have been saving northern Yosemite just for you! It's another reason why Basilbop and I, at least, are going to Sequoia for my birthday!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Sad to say, didn't even know this card existed! Quote1. Any mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, or invertebrate observation is useful. We are especially interested in rare and sensitive species, including amphibians, bats, mountain lions, fishers, and raptors; and nonnative species, including wild turkey, white-tailed ptarmigan, beaver, and bullfrog. Yikes, I don't think I have enough tiby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks wherever and JasonS for the kind words! I'll try to flesh out BB's posts with the stronger images I remember. It's fun for me to relive them in my memory. I was apparently given a nickname on this trip, but I'm still trying to figure out all the implications...by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Does this one do the tube-shelter building underwater too? I'm kinda confused now... The only bug-like bits I saw were two "legs" pulling it along the rock, against the current, right at me! They seemed long. Might have been the antennae I saw in the first bug picture, with the legs hidden by algae... or it could be this one, if this one does the same kind of thing. I really thought &quby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Fabulous!!! Thank you!!!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
BB wasn't sure any of you would read my chatty long report, but some of you did! Yay! Thanks! I tried really hard to see what it was, the light was being refracted in the water.. but I thought it looked like a tube and it had stuff sticking on it, definitely algae and earthy looking stuff, and i could only see two long "legs" though it may have been the antennae, now that I look at yby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
To accompany the B team, you must like to chat! And laugh. And generally enjoy yourself! And you must either enjoy water or be happy to sit by and wait while I enjoy the water! I love hard hikes, but lately, I'm getting spoiled with all the lovely rivers, lakes and creeks I've been able to take the time to dip into. Technically, it's "cold-water" therapy to fight inflammation so I *havby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm soooo glad to hear you went to the Bristlecone Pines! "Awestruck." Appropriate. They are definitely worth a few return visits. And White Mountain is definitely a great 14er to walk. Technical difficulty is low. It's all about the altitude. And the views!by JustKeepWalking - General Discussion