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thanks Mike - that helps me get a better perspective on the area
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Got an email from Eric Blehm, who was very gracious.
We are informally talking about the possibility for him giving a talk, perhaps for a combined CMC-SCMA meeting, such as was done for Peter Croft and Glen Dawson, in LA. I think it would attract a lot of attention from the "community".
It's great that he is open to such things.
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Tom, I'm glad others chimed in before me...
My first impression of the second photo is that I'm looking at "Explorer Col" if you follow the ridgeline down from the peak at the center of the photo. I may be mistaken though.
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and following Richard's SPOT tracker - as of 11 minutes ago they were getting close to LBSL - with 3 days to play - this should be another great epic journey
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My brother in law and I were in the area when Randy went missing....in fact we saw him at his ranger tent on the JMT near Bench Lake a couple of days before his disappearance, though we did not go over to speak to him. We did not enter the Window Peak drainage over Explorer Pass, but crossed the ridge just to the southwest - a pass we dubbed Monster Pass - which included a short section of class 3+ climbing down. We made our way down to the large Window Peak lake, stayed a day and left down to Woods Creek and out Sawmill Pass. It is somewhat creepy to know we were there when Randy (who I had met a couple of times previously on my Sierra trips and enjoyed his company tremendously) was coming down the drainage when we were at the lake or just leaving it. There were snow bridges over the creek and we took precautions when crossing them and I guess luck was just with us. Sometimes your time is just up I guess......
We have still pics and video of our trip down the drainage and I have shared them with Eric Blehm.....Randy was a knowledgeable and great guy, and is missed by all who knew him even in a casual way as I did. Bill, any way you can share your photos from your '96 trip with us? Thanks for posting.
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Got an email from Eric Blehm, who was very gracious.
We are informally talking about the possibility for him giving a talk, perhaps for a combined CMC-SCMA meeting, such as was done for Peter Croft and Glen Dawson, in LA. I think it would attract a lot of attention from the "community".
It's great that he is open to such things. Ken, can it happen somewhere towards the north, so those of us way out here don't have to drive so far? This would really be cool!
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small steps, Richard. Small steps.
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Just finished "The Last Season". This post and the related photos/posts bring a very enlightening and beautiful dimension to the story of the Backcountry Ranger and this most beautiful and unique part of our state - we are so fortunate to be able to experience it first-hand, and I for one, hope to never take that for granted.
Thank you for the effort to make the treks, take the photos, type the posts, for introducing me to the story - and also to this message board for making it possible.
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Well said, Blooty.
Glad you enjoyed the book and thanks for the comments.
When I have the time, I'm going to add to this thread. I've been in touch with Eric Blehm and we're both willing to share material (photos, etc) that should make for some more interesting reading/viewing.
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Richard thank you for sharing this here. I have been very facinated and drawn to Randy Morgenson and his life since I read the book..I read it when it 1st came out and I read it for the 2nd time again during this last spring. I would have loved to have meant him!..I think he was a very special gentle soul that really cared about protecting not only the Sierra but all wild places.
I think he has affected a lot of people...I can understand his love he had for the Sierra and wanting to always be out in it.
August of 1999 on a backpacking trip to the Rae and Sixty Lakes Basin I meant Rick Sanger on Glen Pass..he was very nice to all of us..he spent the whole time visiting with us while we were snacking resting at the pass..he told us to stop by his cabin he was stationed at Rae Lakes to say hello..later that day he came to our campsite to check in on us...I learned from him what Sedge Grass is..he wanted to make sure we knew about it and was careful not to place our tents on it..was very interesting to hear about it and how fragile it is. I have a picture of him and myself on Glen Pass from that day we meant.
I often wonder if he is still stationed at the Rae Lakes cabin and always make sure I pay more attention to Sedge Grass while out.
I can understand why you went to the area Randy was at..I too often think I would like to myself.
Thank you again for sharing this
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Met Rick on a dayhike to Heather Lakes one time. He was the summer ranger at Pear lakes.
I looked at his nametag & asked, "They ever Spoonerize you"?
He said I was the first-ever hiker to notice.
He stayed with us & we had a very enjoyable visit. At the time he was writing childrens books.
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Hi Wagga...very cool..what year did you meet Rick? Cool about him writing childrens books.
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I think 2000. I did leave out the pointer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoonerism& please don't call me a shining wit.
Last edited by wagga; 09/30/08 07:42 PM. Reason: unlinked bad link
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August of 1999 on a backpacking trip to the Rae and Sixty Lakes Basin I meant Rick Sanger on Glen Pass...I often wonder if he is still stationed at the Rae Lakes I first met Rick about the same time just above Charlotte Lake. We ended up having a long discussion about VHF and 2-meter radios  followed by more email discussions about the same as he was amazed at how SMALL my 2-meter was. More on Rick (and a photo of him dressed as a bear) at http://www.mountainpathpress.com/
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> please don't call me a shining wit.Spoonerize that! 
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Thanks to this thread, I ordered and read "The Last Season"
Had no idea about this event while being on the southern JMT during that very August 1996.
The "simpleness" of the accident (slip and fall into a small stream hydraulic?) reminds me of a quote from my favorite mountaineering author, Joe Tasker, who said,
" Tragedy in the mountains can occur from the most innocuous situation."
Harvey
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Bump.
We had a conversation of Eric/The Last Season over lunch on Saturday, so I thought I'd bump this up.
Just finished his book about the Green Berets that accompanied Karzai to Kandarhar in '01.
See he's got another book out about a Seal.
I haven't been disappointed by any of his books that I've read, so I'll probably be picking this "new" one up too. The Climbing books can wait...
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Richard,
Nice bump. There's a lot going on in that conversation. RIP Randy M.
fiddy
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Thanks for the 'bump' Richard. Funny how a little comment opens up a whole different world. I've been amazed & enlightened by reading the threads & viewing your pictures. I loved reading the book because it describes places in the backcountry I have wanted to visit. So I will read it again with this new perspective...
-cat
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Thanks Richard. I had ordered this book two weeks ago and just started reading it. So far, so good! (The disappearance of Larry Conn sparked the purchase of this book).
Stacy
ps So glad you're ok after #52! (that was some scary $hit) Guess it really can happen to "anyone" up there...
Moved to Bishop in 2012 and haven't looked back since...
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