SilvrSurfr, I won't tell your wife, but there is a small pocket of cell coverage in the bay on the NW corner of Little Tupper in the Whitney Wilderness.
Based on your description of a 1/3 mile carry to put in I gather you were on Lila though. Both are nice. I still haven't done the LTL-Lila traverse.
When I was in Arizona, the wife and I took a hike up Finger Rock in the Santa Catalina Mountains in January. As is generally advised, I gave loved ones (my sister, my mother, my brother-in-law) our itinerary. Well, to make a long story short, I had been giving my itinerary for so many years, and hadn't died yet, that they began ignoring my instructions that if we weren't back by a certain hour, to call the authorities.Originally Posted by DuctTape
It rained, it snowed, it hailed, and wifey and I were trapped on a mountain with no shelter the entire night, and nobody came to rescue us. When we finally got down the following morning, family was unapologetic.
They cited the Boy Who Cried Wolf, Chicken Little and The Sky is Falling, and all sorts of reasons why they didn't call authorities.
You are so right. When I was there in 2010, there was definitely no cell coverage on Lake Lila - we tried. In 2011, around the 4th day of camping I heard my 12-year-old son talking to someone, and it wasn't me or my other son.
"Who are you talking to?" I asked. "Mom," he said. I was very upset to find out there was cell phone coverage at Lake Lila. Of course, my 12-year-old Andrew had to tell mom EVERYTHING, like when we took a canoe trip under a new moon at night, which scared the holy crap out of him.
I had to shut my phone off 'cause Mom thought that was some kind of sadism.
Imagine my wife's grating Newark, New Jersey, accent:
"You took your 12-year-old son CANOEING AT NIGHT DURING A NEW MOON?
Are you INSANE?"
When I turned my phone back on, I think I had something like 30 voice mails from my wife.
SPOTS are nice for this. my GF liked the OK e-mail at nite and the tracking http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=258977. carried a cell phone and when was on hills called or texted.
BUT DON'T do what i did.
ME "got service. was thinking about you, so i called"
HER "That's so nice, Where are you?"
ME "On Big Butt Mt.
EX "Click"
ME "Hello, Hello, Hello??????
"Tenting is equivalent to a bum crawling into a cardboard box, hammocking is an art" KK
I do everything just about solo unless the wife is with me. And that is not very often. I hang my stands like a monkey from the tree, alot of stands each year,,and move them often deer hunting. In my lifetime, I have owned alot of boats, big and small,,I fished Lake Mich, and Erie and other G. Lakes by myself, almost every lake in the North and south and midwest, a few in Mexico years ago, by myself,,I still fish day and nite by myself on big lakes in a 14 ft jon boat with a 10 hp kicker by myself, I hike by myself lot only because when i take off its always on the spur of the moment without setting anything up. Been doing it all mylife. I even kayak a few rivers around here bymyself and I know that is a wrong subject to bring up. I have even taken a few trips out west in the mountains by myself backpacking as far back in the backcountry I could get in. Age 62. Time waits for nobody! And I just have to when I get time to do it as I have always lived with my fav. saying from Vietnam.."life is too short to be a bioch". Besides,,if I had to go,,might as well be doing something I liked anyhow. Life is good
2nd CAG, CAP 2-1-5 5th Marines, 1st Mar. Div.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_Action_Program
When I hike/ camp solo I:
- plan my trip with at least two days time in advance
- write up a thorough trip itinerary including possible exit points for rescue and check in times (usually post hike)
- keep my wilderness first aid up to date (I need to recert my wilderness first responder)
- print off a copy of my itinerary for my wife and email her, my father, and my best friend a digital copy
- I stick to the plan
Some special points:
- if there will be little to no cell reception, I do not carry my cell phone with me. This is not for everyone, but my wife and I are comfortable with me leaving it in the car for my return
- my solo trips are currently to be no longer than four days (which is the longest I've gone without real food and on rationed water (survival school)). I know I can take care of myself if excrement hits the spinning blade
- My wife and I are prepared for the worst case scenario and to date have never needed the extra assurance a PLB would offer, though that may change
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@HawkEye, does the Rescue Link require an annual subscription like the SPoT? The extra fee and the lousy reception have kept me from getting one.
-Jeremy "Brother Bones"
Well, I know how I was as a kid, if my parent had taken off on an adventure by their self, I sure would have done everthing in my power to do the same. You are the "Roll Model" for your son. If you do not want him doing something, you sure should not do what ever that thing is. The kid is going to emulate you, especially at 12 years. I gave up a lot of things I enjoyed while my children were young, because I did not want them doing some of my adventures. My Harley went bye bye, when I became a mother, I quit staying up all night, the boat had to go, I could not rescue two kids if something happened on the water. Lots of other pre kid stuff had to go.
I have solo hiked since I was 18 years. I took my children for a while, then my 2nd child became such a pain in the ***, I quit taking her. I used to tie water ski tow ropes around their waists, so they would not wander off while I set up the tent. My son and I always had fun hiking and camping. I do not like to have a set time and place to be, just a time to return.
When I had the opportunity to go hiking alone, I did so. In the 70's I would hitch-hike to where ever I decided to go.
My husband never wanted to go hiking or camping with the family, only hunting with his day. Really caused problems in the marriage.
Now days, with my little computer, I just go, my little cheap TracPhone, has excellent range, better than Tmobile or Verison. I would rather go in the woods than in a hospital bed or on the street. Natural
You can't have families without lies. Or is it happy families end with lies. I can never keep that straight... so I err on the side of caution and avoid deception.
Big plus on itinerary and scheduled check in. My main trail buddy is my 9yo son, makes me much more careful than I would likely be alone. It is sort of nice to have someone to care about you enough to make you take care of yourself ain't it?
Many different points of view here, but personally, it will be a cold day in hell when I go out in the wilderness with some kind of electronic tether, whether I'm taking my kids or not.
When I decide to die (if I'm afforded that luxury), I will go off in the wilderness, lean against a tree and die. I have discussed this with my family and they consider it very selfish, that they cannot have closure. However, it is my life, and my death.
If you have ever had a sick pet, you know that they cannot fight the urge to crawl off and die alone. It's in their DNA, just as it is in my DNA. I don't want a large gathering of people around my hospital bed.
Solo hiking, for me, is a dress-rehearsal for that ultimate time when I will meet my maker. Call me selfish, but that time alone is mine and nobody is gonna take it from me, no matter how irresponsible or selfish people think it is.
If I can choose how I live, then I can choose how I die.
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