Well, that trip took some interesting turns...
Due to impending foul and cold weather, and our slow progress, we turned back at Mirror Lake.
And then it turned into a rescue effort helping a fellow on an epic 43-hour "day hike" -- he spent the night at trail camp, outside until 5 am until some hikers let him use their tent a few hours while they went to the summit. He was hiking incredibly slowly because his back wrenched as he was getting ready to return. ...but he was hiking terribly slowly already. So add the two together, and you get a 43-hour epic
day hike. He had started at 1 AM, summited at 5 PM. (
and there is a lesson in there.)
Anyway, at 9 PM last night, filling the tank in Lone Pine at the Mobile, with 50 MPH winds, 1. I was glad I wasn't anywhere on the mountain, and 2. decided to drive home. Made it to Bakersfield, where I stopped and slept an hour, and then got home at 2 AM.
Today, I am driving up to Sequoia with family, to see the Sierra
west side.
That was a crazy trip! Definitely memorable.
I'll post more of a write-up later.
