[pct-l] Fw: Al Shavers ultra light JMT record attempt

[Reinhold Metzger]

ATTENTION  ULTRALIGHTERS!!!

For a great ultra light link  &  a review of the  BPL article on Al Shavers
maddening light unsupported  JMT record attempt go to the link at the bottom
or....BACKPACKING  LIGHT MAGAZINE.... and then....Recent Articles.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Reinhold Metzger" <reinholdmetzger at cox.net>
To: "Al Shaver" <alshaver2000 at yahoo.com>
Cc: "Reinhold Metzger" <reinholdmetzger at cox.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2006 2:30 AM
Subject: Al Shavers ultra light JMT record attempt


> Al,
> Sorry about the late response.
> I was not planing to do any hiking this year do to my shoulder injury, but
> the JMT was calling me until I could not take it any longer so I finally
> made a snap decision to hike the JMT.
> When the  JMT fever strikes there is only one cure...........'' HIKE IT''.
> Then when I read the  BPL article about your planed super ultra light
> attempt to run the JMT and break the current unsupported record I decided
>   to go all out and make you work for it.
> Unfortunately, as you can tell from my  '' The JMT....a love affair ''
post I
> sprained my ankle during a fall and had to bail out. It got so heftig with
> last minute preparation including making an ultra light tent that I forgot
> to respond to you.
>
> In response to your question about my opinion about the proper starting
> point for the  JMT,  it is either Yosemite or Mt. Whitney.
> The JMT starts or ends in Yosemite or Mt. Whitney depending where you
start.
> With all due respect to Buzz, I disagree with Buzz.
> The JMT does not begin at Whitney Portal it begins or ends at Mt. Whitney.
> The Mt. Whitney trail is just one of many trails that connect to the JMT.
>  Buzz's argument is all trails start at trail heads therefore the
Mt.Whitney                                         < trail head at Whitney
Portal must be the beginning or the end ofthe
> JMT since the JMT can't just begin or end at the top of Mt.Whitney.
> There are, however, more ways than one to the top of Mt. Whitney.
>
> Because of the difficulty of obtaining  permits for the Mt. Whitney trail
> and the crowds, more and more JMT hikers  are entering and exiting
< by way of Horse Shoe Mdw. via  Army pass, New Army pass, Cottonwood pass
and Siberian pass.   Which one should be designated the official starting
point?
> I say keep it simple. The JMT starts or ends on top of Mt. Whitney, those
> are my starting or ending points.
> Now if somebody wants to start the clock at Whitney Portal because that is
> where they are starting that is ok, but
> that those not make it the beginning of the JMT.
> Al, looks like you got it down to a science and are going to run the JMT
> unsupported like a trail runner, super ultra light.
> I would question your decision, however, not to carry a sleeping bag,
> shelter, or sufficient cold weather gear because you will run all night
and
> only cat nap at lower elevations in the day time and therefore will not be
> stopping at the cold high elevations and thereforewill not need all the
cold
> weather gear.
>
> What if you break your leg or suffer some other injury that will prevent
you
> from getting of the mountain during a snow storm or a freezing rain?
> Without a sleeping bag, shelter or sufficient cold weather gear you could
be
> a casualty in no time at all.
> You can not discount the the possibility of snow in the High Sierra even
in
> the summer.
> I never venture into the High Sierra without shelter, sleeping bag and
> sufficient cold weather gear to ride out a storm, even on my JMT
marathons
.
> Remember the Boy Scout motto  '' BE  PREPARED ''

> I hope all goes well and you have a great time on the JMT.
> Keep me tuned on how it went.  Hope to hear from you soon.
>
> JMT Reinhold
> Your JMT addicted trail companion
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Al Shaver
> To: Reinhold Metzger
> Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2006 12:14 PM
> Subject: JMT Start
>
>
> Reinhold,
> JMT supported competitors start the clock at Whitney Portal, go to the
> summit of Whitney and then head for Yosemite Valley. They are suggesting
> that I do the same. I would like to see both supported and
> un-resupplied/unsupported to be competing on the same route so I'm
> considering starting from the Portal as they do. As the Record Holder, I'm
> interested to know if you have any opinion on this.
>
> Here's a link to the BackpackingLight.com article on my attempt, an
excerpt
> from Buzz Burrell's post following the article and a PR photo of me in
> action.
>                                          Cheers,   Al
>
>
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/unsupported_john_mu
> ir_trail_speed_record_attempt.html
>
or go to.......BACKPACKING LIGHT MAGAZINE.......and then.......Recent
Articles
>
> "One strong recommendation: the JMT really does start at Whitney Portal.
All
> trails start at trailheads ... that's why they're called trailheads ...
not
> at some mark along the way. The original reason Mt Whitney summit was
called
> the start was for marketing hype."
>
> Have fun, BB  [Buzz Burrell]
>
>
> Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help. Yahoo! Small
> Business.
>