This weekend’s trip was supposed to be a hike back into Hogback Canyon. The area I wanted to camp at is very remote – I know of very few people who have been there and they all day hiked it and got out before dark. I’ve researched the trip for over a year and talked to five people who have been back there. I’ve ran the route on Google Earth and I studied Topo maps until my eyes hurt. I thought I knew the route.
Friday I picked up Zach, a family friend and an Assistant Scoutmaster in our Boy Scout Troop. My 12 year old son was also along on the trip. We headed north through LA traffic, planning on a Moose hunt and then a night at the Portal. I thought sleeping at the higher elevation would be cooler and help my partners who have never been over 11,000 feet (our destination was 11,200).
After we passed through LA and anything that resembled civilization, Zach remembered his boots were sitting in the garage. The sandals he was wearing would not work on the terrain we were planning on covering. I called my good friend in Lone Pine and she recommend a local outfitter – Elevation. Upon arriving at the shop I asked the proprietor if she had a “Dummy who forgot his boots discount” and to my surprise, she did. He got hooked up with good boots at a great price. Our Moose trap baited with Mexican food worked perfectly and we all had a good dinner.
My son slept in the cab of my truck and Zach and I slept in the bed. At 0500 we woke up, sorted through our gear and drove down Hogback Road to the jeep road. After finding the right spot to park and almost getting stuck twice (a ¾ ton crew cab with street tires and 2wd isn’t the best for back there) we headed out. We had our choice of two ridges – one on each side of the creek. I thought we were supposed to keep the creek on our right so we headed up the one on the left. Once up several hundred feet and through some brush I knew the other ridge looked more like what I had seen in photos and Google Earth. After retreating to the start I decided that this trip was off for the day. It was already getting warm; we lost much needed daylight and used energy going nowhere. I worried there could be other route finding challenges deeper into the trip and with my 12 year old along, I wasn’t go to do it until I had the route down cold.
Back at the truck I suggested we check on a Whitney overnight permit. My son and Zach had never been and we were in the neighborhood. As luck would have it, they had one. By 1 pm we were at Outpost Camp. I’ve never camped on the trail before, preferring to day hike it or come across from Kings Canyon. I thought that Trail Camp would be crowded and carrying gear the extra miles up the trail and back didn’t sound like much fun. I figured Outpost would be a big enough head start. My son loved the waterfall there and took tons of pics. I never even knew it was there.
We started early and had almost no one ahead of us up to Trail Camp. I briefed the crew to dim headlamps and stop talking at the approach to camp. We filled up on water and headed up. I kept checking on my son making sure he was eating and drinking fluids. He was strong all the way up the switchbacks and we decided to press on. The last mile he slowed and I thought we would turn around, but he made it ok with a slower pace. After letting him have a quick nap and taking pics we headed down. We ran into Bob R and his “entourage” (their word not mine) and then made it to Trail Crest. A quick snack and we were back down the switchbacks. Zach was low on water so he dashed ahead to refill. After taking a long break at Trail Camp (and giving my son a check for blisters, etc) we went and packed up camp. We made it out without headlamps, but we were a few minutes too late to get a burger.
We had a great time and are making plans to return next year with more of our scouts..............................DUG
Last edited by DUG67; 09/22/09 02:01 AM.
