Sierrapaloosa 2003

“All you out of Staters..need to listen to Snow Nymph..There's no one that knows the Sierra Nevadas better(not counting Mel)...”

“Nav - So, how many miles long is the trip you are suggesting?...and how many days?”

“I can't wait for this trip.

8D”

“Phil, without going to TOPO! it would be under 40 miles in 6 days.”

“I used moth balls and ammonia while parked in that parking lot and the marmots never bothered it. But the 4Runner doesn't have much room under the hood. I was told they like the darkness, so leave the hood open.”

“I hope we decide on this trip...for a couple of selfish reasons ;)
1. I have wanted to visit the big/little 5 lakes area for sometime now and something always seems to come up.
2. It is really, really close to my house!

Navi...I live about 35 or so miles south of Three Rivers in Porterville.”

“I know where Porterville is. My friends used to live in Visalia, and I called on the auto parts warehouse in town. So, I guess we'll just have to pick you up on the way.”

“This should be fun!”

“1. Thanks for the info. My Garmin topo software put the distance over 40 miles, but who knows if my waypoints are right.

2. You never answered Snow Nymph's question about the 'thong'.”

“Wind Walker - There's an old Creedence song called Porterville - is that about your area? I can't remember all the lyrics, but it had that classic CCR sound.”

“We used to go up to Camp Nelson every June(right above Porterville) I actually thought about playing some college football at PCC before they dropped the program..I ended up playing at Bakersfield College...”

“October of next year y'all say?? I'm in, plenty enough time for me to arrange flying a cupla of Mamaws to stay with the youngins. Just don't get jumpy on the dates once they're set eh!!

Kearsarge Pass, is that up near Mono Hot Springs? Or was that Kaiser Pass?”

“I want in on this trip. Don't really care where we go except really don't want to climb over Shepards Pass again. Going down is ok.... just not up!”

“Navi, the thong question? Heehee.
Phil, he's avoiding that one.

Naked ape, I think Mono Spring is by Kaiser Pass. I don't know if they picked a date yet for this one.

Have you guys thought about what month this will be? Mid Aug-mid-Sept is not good for us, because we'll be gone for a month. We might join you for the entry or exit if we're here. Maybe make a 3 day-er out of it.”

“I'm interested - please count me in - definitely worth flying in from Texas to CAlifornia.

It never rains in California...the girls don't they warm ya..

la la la la

Tex”

“Phil / Solitary,
I think Mel is planning a fishing trip to Bench Lake next summer. She thought you two might want to go. I'll definately go.
Mel and I went on a good trip earlier. It wound up being just the two of us and the five idiots. I'll tell ya though, I've never experienced that much luxury that far back in the woods before (didn't carry a pack...took lawn chairs, lamb chops, steaks, 1 case bud, 1 sixer Mt Dew,...this was in addition to what she took). Phil - I think I missed you and your kids by only a few days.
Anyway, something to think about. The golden trout in Bench Lake are so big and hungry they will jump out and bite your arm off. Nobody goes there.”

“Bench Lake is awesome! Got some good pics from there. I'll look for that trip. Is she going over Taboose Pass? (the one I said I'd never go over again . . . .)
Bench Lake and Arrow Peak ”

“Howsabout late July, early August for this trip? Ocotober seems a little late to me and we want the Snowduo along to show us the ropes, right?

Navi - I was curious about the thong - not curious enough to want to see it, you understand.”

“I would be happy to follow Snownymph's advice. I hope we can find some place she has not hiked! So we can all discover and experience it together.”

“I could do July. The week that we did Montana worked pretty well, better yet... a week earlier. What's the snow situation like?

Otherwise, September or October would be equally OK”

“So who is all going to be going so far?

8D”

“Early July would work best for us. Might be able to take a few days off. We'll be taking 4 weeks off mid Aug-mid Sept, so anything too close wouldn't work. Mid Oct is our 3 day canoe trip, so its hard to take extra days off there.

The only trip mentioned here is the Mineral King loop. We haven't done a whole lot on the western side of the Sierras.”

“Early July is fine with me. I don't know what snow conditions would be like there then. We might also be concerned about there being more people at one time rather than another. On the other hand, if we have as big a crowd as it looks like we won't have much room to complain about others! (but we will be a nice crowd!!)

It looks like the Western Sierra would be much quicker for me to get to than Eastern - a big plus as I would rather spend my time off hiking rather than driving.”

“Oh wow Snowy, that's a postcard! I'd go just to get that shot. I gotta get out to the left coast someday.”

“So how crazy can I go on this trip?

8D”

“Mike - You will be in California - believe me when I say that nothing you do hasn't already been done.

Pennsy - come on!!!”

“So that means I can go EXTRA CRAZY!!!!!

YES!!!!!!

8D”

“Yeah Mike ...Crazy is everday stuff in California 8)”

“please say geezr is going!!















j/k”

“Are you guys talking the weekend of the 4th? (That would work for me.)”

“Thanks for the invite Pepper - I'm going to keep an eye on this thread. I hate flying more than anything else in the world, but I've seen too many great pictures and read too many great trip reports from out there to keep ignoring it.

Unless of course I can get Crazy (Mario Andretti) Mike to pick me up in Pa... I'm 70 miles from the Atlantic. How long would it take you to pick me and hit the other ocean?”

“Pennsy...if you start hiking now ...you could make it here by then ;)

Snow Dude....yep it's about this little town. I don't remember exactly... but some or all of CCR were from around here.”

“I hope Geezer does come!! What about it buddy?”

“wsdavies....my parents have had a cabin in Camp Nelson most of my life, spent many a weekend up there. They still can't figure out why I want to hike out in the sticks and sleep on the ground instead of just going to the cabin :)”

“Nav..what about this Thong the marmots chewed up?”

“pepp, then I may come!!”

“I can do 4-5 days over July 4th, I get a paid holiday.

WW, you know where all those are, doncha?”

“It would be nice for some of you to get to know me for who I REALLY AM!! Like geezr ect.”

“Forgot to mention. This past July, we were in the Bishop area. Only one pass had snow on the north slope, but it was soft, and we were able to get down.”

“LOL! Snowy...it took me forever to find it. I knew there was one on your site somewhere, almost had to look at all of your pics to find it... You must have a gazillion pics on there :)”

“Pepper, I'm looking at possibilities.I was looking at doing a rim to rim of the Grand Canyon in the spring and not sure if two trips can be worked out.

The other thought is having our son in Simi Valley come along for Sierrapalooza 2003, provided he can get away from work that long. If that can be worked out then we'd postpone the Emigrant Wilderness trip in the fall.

Definitely, keeping the hopes up that I can hike with you all soon.

Thanks for the invite!!!!!!!!”

“The famous SN thong pick... Hahha”

“All you people on the Montanapalooza trip saw my thong(s)!!!

WW, that one does look better than mine!”

“If we have another dry winter the 4th of July time should be good, but if it's above normal then the precipice would difficult and disappointing. Early August has been great.
That being said, I say we shoot for early July so the Snow People can come.
Anyone got a Farmers Almanac?”

“I talked to a woman I work with who hiked the Precipice loop. She said it is one of the prettiest hikes and includes her favorite spots in the Sierras. She said it was closer to 60 miles than 40 miles.

Early July probably works for me also.”

“Can I come? I'm told that I'm pretty good for a newbie. Maybe I can talk Geezr (dear ol' dad) and Aero into a road trip? Hey Geeeezr, Aeeero, how 'bout a road trip? I won't be as hard on you two as Crazy Mikey-poo was on gforce, I'm sure of that.”

“If anyone is keeping a list, please put me on it. Sounds beautiful!”

“Rutrow, the 4th might not be too swell fer me. But no matter whut the date, I'm almost certainly a fer shore! Summer 2003 I'm doing the TRT (minus the cornices this time), so I'll keep an eye out to keep the trips seperate.

TheNav in a thong ...... shew...”

“Phaedrus
Tango
Wind Walker
WLD
Pepperdog
Phil
Didjfan
jvz
WingDing
Hodgeman BC
Navi-Guesser
Crazy Mike
Tekapo
Hikin Mike
Indiana John
Naked Ape
Solitary Hiker
TexWoodswoman
Prowler
Pennsy Hiker
Geezr
newgirl
Fritz
Snow Nymph
SnowDude
= 25 so far Let me know if I left anyone out.

(wasn't sure if wsdavis or the Flip was yes or no or just input)”

“Mine will have to depend on whether or not I can afford to get there, but I'd love to try for it.”