Sierrapaloosa 2003

“They were thick as flies last Sunday. There was a slot for Marmot damage reports next to the front door of the ranger station...makes it sound pretty comon to me.”

“The clerk/owner told me that the ranger station has rolls of chickenwire for a certain # of cars to placed around them like a fence. So who's driving all of us to the trailhead?”

“There are 13 going on the 7 day trip, not counting Pepper.
I'm going to carry extra tequlia so I can drink to Peppers health each night.

There is one map for the 2 trips. It's the same route just different directions.

Marmots are common and they eat rubber. Think tires, brake lines, radiator hoses. I excaped damage except to my thongs (that's slip on footwear, let's not start that line again).


This trip is going to kick butt!”

“There's a "rendezvous" thread on the "Trips" page.”

“WW, you're right. We'll be there late Wed 2nd , start hiking on the 3rd.

Fritz, I got the canister for you! Its the Bearikade Expedition and is good for both of you for the trip. Bring extra straps in case you have to strap it outside your pack.

Re: marmots. Last year I left the hood open with a boulder to let light in. I put mothballs around the engine and tires and wherever I could on the truck. I also left a few drops of clorox on a tissue in a open baggie. My truck wasn't touched. A friend left the hood open and part of the lining on the hood got eaten. I think the moth balls and clorox help. I always use it in bear country and have never had a problem.

Leaving for Mammoth, last weekend of snowboarding! Be back Monday!”

“I have a good Bearikade source for ya. You can borrow mine. I'll be in Maine July 12-20 where I can get by with my Ursack. As long as you get it back to me by the end of the month for the Dacks trips, you're welcome to it.

Give me a ring when you get a chance.”

“Woops, I just saw Snowy's post. It's still here if you think you'll need it.”

“Pepper, I am sorry to here of your condition. I hope you find the right combination of medication and are back on the trails you love.

Did someone mention Tequila????”

“Re: bear cannister. Well, Fritz, I'd go with Snow's Bearikade; it's bigger. Phil, I'm thinking Jerry (landscaper) and I can get the whole trip's food into one Garcia cannister if we carry the first days food out of the cannister. You think we'll starve? If Fritz uses Snow's Bearikade, we can use both our Garcia's if we need to. I wish I had a Bearikade...... Next year, maybe.

Re: marmots. SEKI website talks about them eating car innards. I think we'll bring along moth balls and maybe even our own chicken wire. It would suck to have car trouble on the way down the hill.

Re: campsite. Snow, if you get a campsite for you guys the night of the 2nd, take it for two days so the 7-dayers can have it. Otherwise, I'll give it a shot the morning of the 3rd.”

“Fritz, we will be at the Day's Inn on West Mineral King Avenue in Visalia.”

“I see some of the proposed camps we'll be staying at on the 7 day will have bear boxes. Does anyone know if all the proposed camps will have boxes? I'd much rather use those than buy and carry a garcia. Anybody know off hand?”

“Day 1 has a bear box.
Day 2 does not.
Day 3 does.
Day 4 does not.
Day 5 does.
Day 6 I forget.”

“There was a Toyota pickup at the trailhead with the hood up...and a marmot sitting on top of the coolant reservoir.

Pepper...hope you can lick that ailment quickly.”

“Maybe pepper could stay at the trailhead and guard the cars.
What do you think pepp?”

“I believe that bear canisters are manditory from earlier posts.

It was a bummer at first to have to carry the extra weight of a bear canister. But I have to admit that I am used to it now and find it very convenient. I fit my stove, fuel, pots and utensils inside along with my food and trash I am packing out. At night I put my other smellables in. I don't have to mess with counterbalancing and it helps keep things organized.”

“Thanks for the info Navi. I see that Big Arroyo Crossing has one. Is that different from Big Arroyo?

I was under the impression that canisters were required if not using the bear boxes. It probably would be best to just get one.”

“Those marmot's scare me.

I think it's bear boxes or canisters. I'm going to carry my canister because I don't want to have to give up hhat perfect camping spot because it doesn't have a bear box.

I'm hoping to hook up with the 5-day group on their day 3 and then run into the 7-day group on their day 2. This gives me some a nice mix of solo and group backpacking.”

“Wingding...where are you going to be for the first 2 days?”

“Hey Navi & Phil- Perhaps you wouldn't mind bringing along a little extra, of whatever you plan to use to ward off the parking lot critters.

I'm not sure that I'd want to try and explain a roll of chicken wire, or cotton balls and bleach, to the customs guys.

We've got some big-a$$ marmots up here, but mostly it's just the porcupines that eat cars.”

“Marmots, bears, hell, give me an occasional rattlesnake anytime.”

“Rock, when we 1st get into the Big Arroyo there is a campsite with a bear box, but I've always gone further up the canyon. And glad I did to save time for the next day.

Hodge, I've never done anything special because of the marmots, and never had any problems. I don't think I'm going to do anything different this time either. Except tempt the fates that is.”

“Having just looked through several trail maps, Tom Harrison's "Mt. Whitney High Country" trail map appears the most useful. The other maps don't have the trail mileage, or even all the way through. This one does.

I've set up revised maps with many waypoints for my GPS. The maps have an escape route, too. There are a variety of peaks marked with waypoints and there's a separate route up to Eagle Scout Peak as a class 2 jaunt (2 miles out and back).

Just need to upload it all to the GPS.”

“If the rangers aren't looking we can urinate around the vehicles. That should keep those pesky marmots away... or not. It works for squirrels! :)”

“WW: I'm starting out on the 2nd, so I'll be ahead of the 5-day group for the first couple of days. I'd like to spend some extra time in the Nine Lakes Basin area, which will put me on track to meet up with the 5-day group on their 3rd night.”

“Tekdude, thanks for the map info. I really like Tom Harrison maps, but I didn't realize this trail was on one. Off to the gear store :-)”

“Are the marmots after the rubber or is it what is in it i.e coolant and/or brake fluid?”

“Tekdude...I have the Sequoia/Kings Tom Harrison map ($8.95) 1:125,000 with mileages and the contour level is 200 feet.

Wingding, I wouldn't mind a side trip into Nine Lakes Basin :)”

“Mike they like both”

“Are you saying my thongs smelled like coolant and/or brake fluid?”

“Navi..If you were wearing a thong...It was probably the skid marks that attracted them...LOL!”

“Are you saying my underwear smelled like coolant and/or brake fluid?"”

“Techdude. I wonder if you could send my your map with way points and I could then up load into mine. Do you think it is possible, I have a Megellan sportrak? Are you on the five day trip? It would be cool to have that on my GPS. What do you think?”

“Not exactly :p”

“This link may have been posted before, but it has the official info about bears, canisters, and bear boxes in Sequoia-Kings Canyon NP.”

“Bigpoppa-

Sure, you got it. For the benefit of others who'd like a look as well, I uploaded these files on my web server.

sp.tpo: This file is my map with the trail route and text.

sp.tpg: This file is the GPS waypoints layer

You'll need the National Geographic TOPO! software. The Magellan receiver should be compatible with it.

Map and Waypoints; self-extracting file. I checked for viruses and it's clean.

This could work for the seven day folks, too. Just in reverse I suppose. Just "invert" the route on your receiver while in the field to track your position and mileage.”

“Windwalker -

I've got that map also. However, when you compare it to the Whitney map, the use trail over Sawtooth pass isn't there on the SEKI version. IMO, the SEKI version is more readable overall, but the Whitney map does suggest that small route segment.

Isn't a big deal, but you know how I am.”

“Theres a good chance I'll be taking the "race car" on this one. It's got braided steel brake lines, but stock rubber water hoses. Chicken wire may take up too much room in the already small trunk, so maybe I'll get some mothballs and hoses just in case.

Of course I should probably find a spare tire...”

“The park Service has not built a trail over Sawtooth. If they built one, by law, they'd have to make for stock. They figure that would cost too much. So no trail between Monarch Lake and the other side of Colubine Lake.
What you end up with is a bunch of "use" trails. Trails going every which way and ducks leading to sheer drop offs.”

“I'm going to bring chicken wire”

“Mike...it's a very narrow, 20 MPH road. Prolly won't get out of first gear after you leave Three Rivers ;)

I'm probably bringing the wire, moth balls, etc.”

“Yeah, but think of all the fun I'll have before that! 8D”

“I'm going to make a mouse trap worthy of snapping the neck of any gosh dern marmot that fricks with my truck!!! Mwhahahahhaha”

“I can remember if there's been any chit-chat about this trip being a bugfest. I don't actually own a headnet or anything. I'm wondering if I might need one. What do you think locals.... as bad as Montana last year?”

“I think the mozzies will be pretty bad this time of year. My first line of defense will deet, followed by my homemade head net, and thirdly, my flock of specially trained mexican free tail bats. Hope you have bats too.”

“I've got a head net, but what kind of bug spray (brand) is everyone packin'?”

“DEET is the best, but after using it every weekend, it soaked into my system and I could taste it, even during the week.

I switched to Cutter unscented, and spray it over my bugpants , bug shirt and headnet.

If its really bad I do what Navi does, and water the DEET down.

If the bug bites, dab a little Preparation H on it BEFORE you scratch, and it won't swell or itch (just like the ad says!) I've been using it for a few years now (for bites) and it really works!”

“"So no trail between Monarch Lake and the other side of Colubine Lake." . . . Navi

I was there in the 80s, and all I remember was 2 steps up, slide back a step. It seemed to go on forever!”

“100% Deet - right now I have a small spray bottle of of repel. I'll be buying a bigger one for the MK trip.”

“Ah yes, I'm familiar with the Snow Nymph Bug Defense System

If I ever put anything on, it's usually just the 40% deet stuff, but maybe I'll see if I can find a basic headnet to try out”

“Even in Mosquito Valley a little bit of DEET worked just fine. No, Hodge, Sierra skeeters aint as bad as the Montana Masses.

Snow, that's why I've always headed over to the north to go up the rocks then cut back to the pass. (Check your e-mail.)”