Sierrapaloosa 2003

“WLD - are you offering to start up an email list??? Whaddaguy!

Hodge - I am about 600 miles south of Portland right off I-5. That should take you about ..... 7 hours??

Anyone else thinking of coming from the Sacramento area?”

“Hey Pep - That's not too bad. Maybe I'll try to make Portland, on the 3rd, and drop in on China Chas. Then I could easily be at your place, by dinner time, on the 4th !! Who knows.... maybe I can talk him into coming along, before then”

“Oooops... wait a minute. That's not right. I could be there by dinner time Thursday...... that's the 3rd. Cool !! I can't remember the last time I was in the US for the 4th of July thing”

“Did someone mention FOOD?

Well, I will pass on the email list. But let me know who is going to handle it... LOL”

“Here is my tentative plan:
6/29 fly in (probably Sacramento or Frisco)
6/30-7/3 Yosemite
7/4 Hope someone will meet me and pick me up to go to the trailhead.
7/5-7/11 Sierrapalooza
7/12 fly away home

So does anyone have any ideas and or help for me?”

“I think that when we all meet up we can go crazy!

I think that would be a good idea.

8)”

“Yes I'll be Tango Crazy!!!”

“I just flew into Fresno this fall and had pretty good connections from Denver on United Shuttle. That wouldn't be a bad way to go and you're less than an hour from Yosemite. Might be worth checking out, assuming United's still in business...”

“I thought I just heard, on the news, that the United shuttle service was back in buisness”

“Aero I looked at Fresno but didn't know how big it was. Thanks I will look at that and it will be more central. Hopefully for whomever comes to my aid with a ride to the trail head.”

“It's FAT.

Ha ha, no, that's the airport ID for Fresno Air Terminal.

OK, I'll go back to work now....”

“LOL @ Martyb”

“It's a PHAT airport all right! But, it's actually pretty small and really easy to get around and get out of town!! IF I were going to Sierrapalooza, I'd go through Fresno.

Hey marty, has the rain let up yet?”

“We got down there in November from Billings through Denver for about $225 round trip. There might be some deals floating around out there.”

“I will probably be driving down to the trailhead area on the 4th (maybe try to find some fireworks in Visalia) to be ready to hit the trail on the 5th. I might be able to swing through somewhere to pick up a person or two. It will depend on how many people I am bringing down. We can work something out.

Hodge - sure, you can stop by for dinner. Hope you like tofu and spinach!”

“tofu and spinach.... Hmmmm, how about Steak and Lobster.... BBQ the man a steak.... LOL”

“Tofu and spinach, eh?..... Hmmmm maybe I'll go find a greasy burger somewhere. ;-)”

“Now yer talkin' WLD”

“WLD - don't cause trouble.”

“This thread is well on its way to 2000”

“Aero, Rain stopped for today - it was GORGEOUS! Cold rain and windy tomorrow, with snow level to 2500' (surrounding "hills" are up to about 4000, so this means snow will be visible from the flatlands).”

“LOL, well Hodgeman, I tried....
Things I eat before going into the wilderness.....
Meat (and lot's of it)
Pasta
Potatoes
Salad
Chicken
with Shrimp or Lobster
Pizza
Plus a Pepsi, gatorade and lots of water.

Things I do not eat before going into the wilderness....

Tofu
Chinese food
Rice
Fish
veggie only dinners
low fat meals
low sodium meals
low carb meals
plus no achohol”

“What a manly man!!! JJ would be proud! Didja ever eat a bear?????”

“Plus Deer, Elk, Moose, Buffalo, Rabbit, Opossum, Rattlesnake, Frog legs, Crawdads, Quail, Dove, Pheasant, etc.”

“Don't forget Squirrel.

Bearclaws Chris Lap: "What's on the Spit?"

JJ.. "Grown Petic-lar"”

“Not about feedin'....just the company I keep.

You have done well to keep so much hair....when so many are after it.”

“It's not the same over the internet!”

“It is for us.

Maybe, I better send you that video. there Pepperdog....
"Cause the Rockie Mountains are the marrow of the world"”

“I'm sure you have several copies - some to lend, some in case something happens to the others.”

“LOL, no, but I know where to purchase them... And I am headed that way today...:)”

“Yo Pepper what airport to I need to fly into for you to come and pick me up at?

8)”

“Fly into the Sacramento airport and I will pick you up. I will even find a place for you to sleep unless you want to find a hoe-tie (not to be confused with a hotie, this is a small town).”

“Ok good deal!!!!

I will keep you in the loop.

Thank you so much for helping me out.

8)”

“Don't know which one I'll be on tho.”

“Hey Nekkid - You are in Vacaville, aren't you? I have been exploring some great day hiking up above Lake Berryessa. Check out yolohiker.org.”

“I am so ready for this trip I am going to ge my air plane ticket soon after the new year for this trip and I can't wait to be high up in the Mountains again with all of you great people.

I hope to make this the trip that makes me stop working and start being what I have always wanted to be a guy that lives to backpack that lives on the trails of the great lands that God has made for us to all enjoy and see.

8)”

“It's way too early for me to commit but I'll be following along with this thread. I guess I could do a 6 mile/day hike. It will drive me nuts but I guess I can fish somewhere.”

“Things getting kinda sideways for me. I'm putting my name a the "Flake" list now. Could show up at the trailhead last minute, but doubt it.
Will stay tuned for the thread by thread till the hike.”

“didj - Hold on tight!!”

“Translation-I found American Airlines from Orlando to Fresno for $371.00 on my dates. But of course I will wait and hope there are some air fare wars. But the price isn't terrible. I hope to work out a ride to the trailhead. That is my major sticking point now.”

“I know southwest runs deals into L.A. from time to time. Usually out of Nashville for 200 bucks. then from nash to orlando for 64 bucks.. you comne out ahead that way.

Southwest has orlando to L.a non stop for 263.”

“tango - I assume you will be renting a car in Fresno for your side trip to Yosemite. Correct? The Sacramento people plus a few others drive thru Fresno on their way to the trailhead. Seems to me that one of them can save you some room in their vehicle, no problemo!”

“I'd like to go on this trip but I'll need a ride from the airport or at least from somewhere near the airport. I would prefer to fly into Sacramento, Ontario, or John Wayne. I can fly into one city and fly out of another. Also I can go in with the first group or in with the second group. Then there is the ultimate trip. I can go in with the first group and go out with the second! I will share gas and traveling beer expenses! pepper? phil? wingdingo, jvz, obi? anyone?”

“If you can't hitch a southbound ride with a TTer...I only live 1.25 hours south of Fresno. We'll get you there some how. I'm probably going to start with the clockwise group on the 3rd though.
Tougher trip but it just works better for my schedule.

I have been playing with Topo! and looking at reversing Navi's trip with the 5 day plan, this is what I came up with...

Day 1- Mineral King to Redwood Meadow 8.14 Miles

Day 2- Redwood Meadow to The Large Hamilton Lake 7.81 Miles

Day 3- Largest Hamilton Lake to Little 5 Lakes 8.77 Miles

Day 4- Little 5 Lakes to Columbine Lake 7.54 Miles ( probably adjust the mileage on this day to meet with the counter clockwise group in Lost Canyon or at Columbine Lake or somewhere along their route)

Day 5- Columbine Lake back to Mineral King 5.61 Miles

37.87 miles + or - Total Mileage

There is at the very least a hundred different ways you could split this up.

Snowy mentioned going to Nine Lakes Basin ....we could go light on the mileage on day three or heavy on day two and spend some time or even camp in the Nine Lakes area. I left the mileage low on the day we go over Sawtooth Pass. The only scary thing about this route and direction of travel is there are no easy options if Sawtooth is impassable. If it is impassable it's a long way back around to get out either way you go. I guess it all depends on how much snow we get and how much heat we get early next summer 8)

You lose a bunch of elevation by going through Redwood Meadow but if you don't go that way you'll miss Valhalla, Hamilton, Precipice, etc.

We can adjust the mileage on day 4
so we could all camp together in lost Canyon? or somwhere along the route.

If we get a pretty good turn out we would have had to form two groups anyway....just my 2 cents

What do you think Navi...will it work...see any kinks, other than some tough days ??? ;)”

“I also can pick up anyone who flies into Ontatrio...”

“I posted an elevation profile and maps for this 5 day version on webshots.
For those of you wanting to start on the 3rd take a look and see what you think.”

“I like the sound of 40 miles of backpacking for this trip.

So is that the trip or is there other ones that might be in the works?

8)”

“Same trip Mike just two options... 5 days clockwise on the loop.
or
7 days counter clockwise on the loop.”

“Sierrapalooza maps and elevation profile

If I goof the link again just copy and paste this...

http://community.webshots.com/album/58207862BHPxVb”

“5 days is the only way it is going to work for me becuase I am only takeing a week off for this trip.

8)”