From reinholdmetzger at cox.net Sat Jun 1 16:17:03 2019 From: reinholdmetzger at cox.net (Reinhold Metzger) Date: Sat, 1 Jun 2019 14:17:03 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] JUST KIDS....Taking Chance In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <0f41ec4e-04fa-4980-e1b4-f5dd92ee6290@cox.net> Yes Switchback, Those were the times before "REI & the ULTRA LIGHT REVOLUTION" when only "Hard Core Mountain Men" like, Switchback and Reinhold, dared to venture into the wilderness hauling everything they needed to survive anything mother nature might throw at them in huge steel frame packs and bears and mountain lions were nervous. Hey, I remember the first time I hiked Mt. Whitney back in 1968. I was a recently discharged bad a$$ Marine, used to hauling heavy packs and it went against my grain to burden Karen, my recent bride, with a pack. So everything went into 2 Marine infantry packs, strapped together, and onto my back. Not only that, but we also brought along "MITZY" our 10 lb darling miniature Dachshund. After a while, with those short legs, she was all covered with dust, except for her black nose and eyes, so I put her also into my monster pack. So as Karen was skip hoping along singing a song I was moaning and groaning stomping up Mt. Whitney in "Combat Boots" with a Marine first aid pack, four water canteens? a bayonet strapped to my cartridge belt and 2 Marine infantry packs on my back. But with Karen coooooing into my ear "Reinhold you are my HERO" made it all worth it because that is all I ever wanted to be...Karens "HERO". Let me tell you, I was a sight to behold...Bears would run when they saw me but the girls would giggle. It seems that hairy legs in combat boots get the girl's romance motor running. Karen did not like that so I gave up hiking in combat boots. BTW....you guys ain't really..."Hard Core"...unless you hiked Whitney in "Combat Boots". Say Switchback, Ground Pounder,....I understand that "nowadays" the guys make their women carry their own packs. Yes, things have really changed from the time Switchback and JMT Reinhold ruled the trails JMT Reinhold...Karen's Hero ..................................................................................................................................... Switchback wrote: I consider our Vets to be first responders to. Only they responded for the whole nation, including all its various regions and groups. Rare and impressive. That is what I like about the trail. I remember back in the old days on the PCT, when the last Ice Age snows were retreating from the Sierras. When there were no first responders, when we had to deal with renegade Neanderthal tribes and Saber Tooth Tigers, etc. This was back when mountain men and women had to fight their way north to Canada through glaciers and hostile natives and no? REI. I thank you .................................................................................................................................... Reinhold wrote: Switchback, Ground Pounder...you guys served and know what I am talking about. ****** To my Hiking buddies,....those who served and those who know the "PAIN". Like always, on Memorial Day, I was watching the movie "Taking Chance" and it took me back to a time very long ago. If? "Memorial Day"? means anything to you, you owe it to yourself to watch the movie "Taking Chance". It will rip your heart out, make you feel all mushy inside and make you appreciate and respect the honor bestowed upon our fallen heroes on Memorial Day. It is by far the movie that best reflects what Memorial Day stands for. I don't know what it is about Memorial Day that makes me feel this way and makes me say the things I am about to say....... / We were? "just kids",? in the summer of 1965, when we landed in Vietnam. //"Just kids", most of us 18-19-20 years old, just barely out of High//School, not yet old enough to drink but old enough to die for our //country. / /We never could quite understand that....if you are old enough to die //for your country you should be old enough to drink. / /With one year of advanced infantry training including jungle, desert, //cold weather, hand to hand combat and raider training we were "Gung-Ho//" Marines, tough enough to chew nails...I mean we were Captain //Tolleson's Echo 2/7, the cream of the crop of the Marine Corps' //Raider Battalion and ready to kick a$$. // We were "just kids", eager to be Marines, eager to serve during a time //of war, eager to be heroes. // That naive fantasy thinking can change mighty quick when the landing // crafts hit the beach and bullets start flying. //There is no glory in war, only misery......it is your worst nightmare. // Our first casualty was by friendly fire....the tragic part was that //the bullet that caused our first casualty was fired by the casualties //best friend. //In combat, sometimes reflex decisions have to be made in a split second and //sometimes those decisions turn out not to be the right ones. //In my mind there is no greater honor than serving your country during //a time of war and no greater sacrifice than a soldier paying the //ultimate price while serving his country during a time of war. //Take Pat Tillman for instance....Pat was a professional football //player who had fortune and fame yet walked away from a 3.6 million //dollar contract to serve his country and paid the ultimate //price...ironically, also by friendly fire. //But it does not matter, friendly fire, enemy fire, the results are //always the same and Memorial Day is to honor all of our fallen heroes,//for they served their country and paid the ultimate price. // If it were not for men like that, TRUMP might be our Prime Minister or //our national language might be German and Memorial Day is to remind us //of that and pay our respect to these fallen heroes who sacrificed //their lives so that we can enjoy what we have today. //We did not consider ourselves to be "just kids",...but now that I am older //and wiser I realize, we WERE "just kids". //Nothing has really changed and many of our troops//are still "just kids"....not yet / /old enough to drink, //but old enough to die for their country. // / /Think about that for a moment, on Memorial Day, and what that day //stands for. / /Reinhold Metzger //Sgt. USMC 1964-68 //Gunner, Echo Co., 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines / /http://imgur.com/aJGLZTh / --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus From hiker97 at aol.com Sun Jun 2 08:01:25 2019 From: hiker97 at aol.com (hiker97 at aol.com) Date: Sun, 2 Jun 2019 13:01:25 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [pct-l] JUST KIDS....Taking Chance In-Reply-To: <0f41ec4e-04fa-4980-e1b4-f5dd92ee6290@cox.net> References: <0f41ec4e-04fa-4980-e1b4-f5dd92ee6290@cox.net> Message-ID: <1020247534.11022551.1559480485752@mail.yahoo.com> JMT Record Holder Reinhold wrote: Those were the times before "REI & the ULTRA LIGHT REVOLUTION" when only "Hard Core Mountain Men" like, Switchback and Reinhold, dared to venture into the wilderness?hauling everything they needed to survive anything mother nature might throw at them?in huge steel frame packs and bears and mountain lions were nervous.?Switchback the Trail Pirate replies:?It is interesting that down at the trail in late April I saw lots of hikers headed north.? It was fantastic.? I was so proud of them.? Many were from other countries too.? But I could tell in 5 seconds if they were really pros on the trail or victims of?the latest trail fashion plate advertising and group think.? I went over to the Warner Springs hiker camp ground too.? Some vendors were selling stuff to hikers there.? Unfortunately, too many hikers are not prepared for the trail like they should be.? This is physically, emotionally, and gear wise.? When I did my annual hiker seminar at the old BIG Kickoff, I tried to cover some of these things.? Now there is no way to seminar with these folks.? I might have to give up riding my trike too, since my legs bother me too much.? I DEMAND A LIFE RECOUNT!? Only kidding.? I have had a great life and the trail was a wonderful part of it. ??? From douglastow at gmail.com Sun Jun 2 18:44:53 2019 From: douglastow at gmail.com (Douglas Tow) Date: Sun, 2 Jun 2019 16:44:53 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] Snow Message-ID: Hello, all ye actives and lurkers, Is 2019 the highest snow year in the history of the established PCT? A few hardy souls have entered the Sierra, and all that I know of got off at Kearsarge to wait for better weather. One group of five that I know of went back in, and by the time they reached Mammoth, one had second-degree frostbite on his toes, one had burned eyes from a period without sunglasses over snow, and one had some bad sores on his achilles from shoe friction on constantly wet skin. One went head over heels from a glissade that didn't go as planned, but fortunately without injury. In the big snows of 2011, I met 43 thru-hikers as they came through Ebbetts Pass, and they certainly were, well, badasses. It remains to be seen if NOBOs straight through this year are that as well, or just plain insane. Chipmunk From gary at hbfun.org Mon Jun 3 19:16:37 2019 From: gary at hbfun.org (Gary Schenk) Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2019 17:16:37 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] JUST KIDS....Taking Chance In-Reply-To: <1020247534.11022551.1559480485752@mail.yahoo.com> References: <0f41ec4e-04fa-4980-e1b4-f5dd92ee6290@cox.net> <1020247534.11022551.1559480485752@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: On Sun, June 2, 2019 6:01 am, hiker97 at aol.com wrote: > JMT Record Holder Reinhold wrote: Those were the times before "REI & the > ULTRA LIGHT REVOLUTION" when only "Hard Core > Mountain Men" like, Switchback and Reinhold, dared to venture into the > wilderness?hauling everything they needed to survive anything mother > nature might throw at them?in huge steel frame packs and bears and > mountain lions were nervous. Guess you never heard of Ellen Wilts. What she did in the Canadian Rockies would make a couple of JMT hikers poop in their britches. Gary From gary at hbfun.org Mon Jun 3 19:21:54 2019 From: gary at hbfun.org (Gary Schenk) Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2019 17:21:54 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] Snow In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: On Sun, June 2, 2019 4:44 pm, Douglas Tow wrote: > Hello, all ye actives and lurkers, > > Is 2019 the highest snow year in the history of the established PCT? Well, there was 1980 and '82. Gary From virgil at baloney.com Mon Jun 3 19:28:00 2019 From: virgil at baloney.com (virgil) Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2019 17:28:00 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] Snow In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <201906031728.00415.virgil@baloney.com> There was a good reason why us old-timers talked about Ray Day and it usually wasn't until sometime in June. From tom.weir1959 at gmail.com Mon Jun 3 19:28:56 2019 From: tom.weir1959 at gmail.com (Tom) Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2019 17:28:56 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] Snow In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <000001d51a6c$7f959fc0$7ec0df40$@gmail.com> I was out there in '82. Forget the Sierras, Mt Laguna and the San Jacintos were socked in. -----Original Message----- From: Pct-L [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Gary Schenk Sent: Monday, June 03, 2019 5:22 PM To: PCT Subject: Re: [pct-l] Snow On Sun, June 2, 2019 4:44 pm, Douglas Tow wrote: > Hello, all ye actives and lurkers, > > Is 2019 the highest snow year in the history of the established PCT? Well, there was 1980 and '82. Gary _______________________________________________ Pct-L mailing list Pct-L at backcountry.net To unsubscribe, or change options visit: http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l List Archives: http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/ All content is copyrighted by the respective authors. Reproduction is prohibited without express permission. From timpnye at gmail.com Mon Jun 3 21:56:16 2019 From: timpnye at gmail.com (timpnye) Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2019 19:56:16 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] Snow In-Reply-To: <000001d51a6c$7f959fc0$7ec0df40$@gmail.com> Message-ID: <5cf5de58.1c69fb81.fc96d.9b55@mx.google.com> First time on trail 1969 at the end of the school year lower Echo was half ice and Upper Echo was solid ice. Solid cover in Desolation and frozen lakes.I sectioned in '80. Solid snow cover from Sierra City to Highway 70, although that was late May, early June.? 2011 was pretty snowy. Kicked steps up Baden Powell. Sierra was covered that year as well. -------- Original message --------From: Tom Date: 6/3/19 5:28 PM (GMT-08:00) To: 'PCT' Subject: Re: [pct-l] Snow I was out there in '82.? Forget the Sierras, Mt Laguna and the San Jacintoswere socked in.-----Original Message-----From: Pct-L [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Gary SchenkSent: Monday, June 03, 2019 5:22 PMTo: PCT Subject: Re: [pct-l] SnowOn Sun, June 2, 2019 4:44 pm, Douglas Tow wrote:> Hello, all ye actives and lurkers,>> Is 2019 the highest snow year in the history of the established PCT?Well, there was 1980 and '82.Gary_______________________________________________Pct-L mailing listPct-L at backcountry.netTo unsubscribe, or change options visit:http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-lList Archives:http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/All content is copyrighted by the respective authors.Reproduction is prohibited without express permission._______________________________________________Pct-L mailing listPct-L at backcountry.netTo unsubscribe, or change options visit:http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-lList Archives:http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/All content is copyrighted by the respective authors.Reproduction is prohibited without express permission. From brick at brickrobbins.com Fri Jun 7 17:29:42 2019 From: brick at brickrobbins.com (Brick Robbins) Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2019 15:29:42 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] Snow In-Reply-To: <000001d51a6c$7f959fc0$7ec0df40$@gmail.com> References: <000001d51a6c$7f959fc0$7ec0df40$@gmail.com> Message-ID: On Mon, Jun 3, 2019 at 5:29 PM Tom wrote: > I was out there in '82. Forget the Sierras, Mt Laguna and the San Jacintos > were socked in. When I hiked the PCT in 1995, I hiked 5000 miles in the snow, and it was all uphill, both ways! Kids these days would never believe that. In all seriousness, this year is quite a bit more difficult than most, not because of the large snow pack but because of the cold and snowy spring delaying the melt. It has just now started to arrive in Kernville, quite a bit later than usual. http://www.dreamflows.com/graphs/yir.104.php And everyone should remember that the snow really isn't dangerous, with an ice axe and just a little bit of training. But the water will kill you. From susan at newstories.org Tue Jun 18 21:52:51 2019 From: susan at newstories.org (Susan Virnig) Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2019 19:52:51 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] Sections B,C,D and F thru J Message-ID: Dear PCT Folks, Need your advice. I?m a section hiker, having done about 1800 miles, with the sections from Paradise Valley Cafe to Agua Dulce & Tehachapi Pass to Echo Lakes left to walk. These are my available times ? July 15 to August 1 (or possibly 11) and August 29 to September 23. Questions for you: Second half of July 1. I?d like to hike south from Echo Lakes to Tuolumne Meadows, with time for a zero day & re-supply at a friend?s place near Sonora Pass. But I don?t want to be post-holing and fording dangerous streams. If possible, I?d also like to avoid the height of the mosquito season. (The advantages of section hiking!) With the snowpack this year, is that too early to hike Sections J and I? 2. If it is too early, what about starting at Paradise Valley Cafe and heading north? Will it just be crazy hot with no water? How about Tehachapi Pass to Kennedy Meadows during that time? Also crazy hot and no water? Where would you recommend I spend those 2-3 weeks? End of August to end of September 3. Start south from Echo Lakes and go as far as I can? 4. Or start north from Paradise Valley Cafe and go as far as I can? Very much appreciate any suggestions you might have! Happy Trails, Sunshine (Susan from Spokane)