Backpacking

[PaloAltoCougar]

Great to see, BP. I thought you'd meet them wherever the PCT/JMT crosses a road. I didn't realize you'd be hiking in. At least the hike back was easier, I presume, than the hike in. And I'm amazed the girls are smiling after all that.

[BigPiney]

Great to see, BP. I thought you'd meet them wherever the PCT/JMT crosses a road. I didn't realize you'd be hiking in. At least the hike back was easier, I presume, than the hike in. And I'm amazed the girls are smiling after all that.

Unfortunately for me this was as close as a road will get for the first 185 miles of their trip. The hike back was way easier, about 25 lbs lighter I would guess. Gained just over 4000 ft today, and that is one of the easier passes in the Sierra.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Unfortunately for me this was as close as a road will get for the first 185 miles of their trip. The hike back was way easier, about 25 lbs lighter I would guess. Gained just over 4000 ft today, and that is one of the easier passes in the Sierra.

I saw your hike on Strava. Packing food-for-three up a rugged 4.5 mile stretch with an average slope of 11% or so is okay I guess. More impressed by the ladies, however.

[bluegoose]

Nice picture. They're pretty bundled up there. Cold temps? Hard to believe that's possible with the crazy hot weather we've been having here up north.

[BigPiney]

I saw your hike on Strava. Packing food-for-three up a rugged 4.5 mile stretch with an average slope of 11% or so is okay I guess. More impressed by the ladies, however.

Absolutely, the 8 year old is killing it. She crushed a lot of spirits the day she hiked Whitney. Passed a lot of people like they were standing still.

Nice picture. They're pretty bundled up there. Cold temps? Hard to believe that's possible with the crazy hot weather we've been having here up north.

It has been bit stormy down here. The weather was perfect when I was up there with them, probably 70 with just a few sprinkles. Mostly the jackets were for the mosquitoes while they sat around and read books for a hour while they waited for me to show up.

[splitbamboo]

This is so cool. Beats Girls Camp.

[SteelBlue]

Wow, Piney, that is seriously impressive. I'd be a nervous wreck though.

[BigPiney]

A little late on the update. Things have been crazy at home.

Last Thursday I hiked over Bishop Pass to meet then at LeConte Canyon in Kings Canyon National Park.

They are still doing very well and I was able to stay the night with them and survived a big thunderstorm. I had borrowed a single wall tent with a nice waterproof bottom that was able to withstand the 2 inches of water that was flowing under the tent in the middle of the night. My wife was loaded up with probably close to 60 lbs on friday and they had a 7 mile climb with 3000 ft of elevation to do. I don't know how she was going to make it. She says the pack is not fitting as well since she estimates she has lost a least an inch off her waist and is now under 120 lbs. I thought I was going to die bringing all that food in to them, I am not sure how she is doing it.

Here they are in their tent, trying to make the out of doors look like their room.



Just above their camp.



LeConte Canyon looking up towards Muir Pass, where they were going to hike on Friday.




If they are able to push themselves I should be getting a call tomorrow night letting me know they are in Mammoth. If not we are planning of driving up Thursday and spending night with them at Devils Postpile. They hope to be done a week from today or possible earlier.

[BigPiney]

I saw them of Thursday. 180 miles down, 60 to go.

They should be done Monday or Tuesday. It has rained entirely too much, but they are still doing well.

The 8 yr old may bail a day early when they get to Tuolomne meadows in Yosemite. If so I will be getting a call tomorrow evening. She has done awesome, but I think is ready to be done. Mainly she misses her brother who is 6.

[bluegoose]

Did I see some pics of snow in Yosemite the other day? Tioga pass, maybe?

[BigPiney]

Did I see some pics of snow in Yosemite the other day? Tioga pass, maybe?

They had to close the pass for a while. Hope it is melting.

[Surfah]

Didn't see this until now. That's amazing BP. Looking at my 9 year old and there is no way she would even want to attempt something like this.

We just had our High Adventure. Being the great scouter that I am I planned a week in the Outer Banks full of activities like bodyboarding, sunbathing, a baseball game, and an all you can eat seafood buffet. I had one parent ask me what kind of High Adventure this was and I replied the kind you get when I am put in charge of scouts. I can honestly say that your girls are 100x tougher than my YM. There is no way that they could have handled something like this. They were upset that it was too windy most nights to play Magic the Gathering. No way their packs could have held their decks.

[PaloAltoCougar]

My respect for your women is off the charts. If the youngest bails, where will your wife and the other daughter go after Tuolumne Meadows? On my much more modest trip in that area, we went down the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne which is spectacular. Is the missus carrying more than one bear canister?

[ERCougar]

Didn't see this until now. That's amazing BP. Looking at my 9 year old and there is no way she would even want to attempt something like this.

We just had our High Adventure. Being the great scouter that I am I planned a week in the Outer Banks full of activities like bodyboarding, sunbathing, a baseball game, and an all you can eat seafood buffet. I had one parent ask me what kind of High Adventure this was and I replied the kind you get when I am put in charge of scouts. I can honestly say that your girls are 100x tougher than my YM. There is no way that they could have handled something like this. They were upset that it was too windy most nights to play Magic the Gathering. No way their packs could have held their decks.

Seriously. 24 consecutive 10 mile days (in that kind of terrain, no less) is no joke. I don't know that many scouts could pull that off.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I told my wife about Sister Piney and her daughters and shared some photos. She is in awe.