Mt Whitney Zone Forums The Chat Room Watching Carolyn

A friend of mine started out at Horseshoe Meadows Saturday to do the JMT northbound. She's borrowed my Spot I, so friends and family can watch her progress. If you'd like to follow along, here's:
    Carolyn's SPOT page.

She's just south of Forrester Pass this evening. If you check the SPOT page, the locations run in 1-hour clusters. That's because we opted not to pay for the extra "tracking mode" subscription, so she's activating the "Help" mode, which tracks for 1 hour then stops.

Here's a picture of Carolyn at Pinchot Pass in June '08, when she did a section of the JMT with me. She did the entire JMT last summer with another woman, and she's doing it solo this year. Go Carolyn!

GO CAROLYN!

Steve....you are such a good friend to have...you lend Carolyn your SPOT which gives her a little more confidence in going it alone because she knows you'll be watching her every step of the way...well at least each step one hour apart...I'm. Sure she doesn't Feel alone since you're. Keeping an eye on her.

Yes, definitely a good friend to have!
He's loaning me his other SPOT for my southbound JMT, which I begin Aug. 19 or 20 (permit availability depending). I'm also going solo, but southbound.

What I want to know (changing subjects) is how did Carolyn come up with that nifty neck wrap-around to add to her hat? I need to do that, as I burn easily, and the high UV at altitude is unforgiving to anyone, let alone someone like me.

I hope Carolyn has a great hike. I think northbound is a bit more challenging at the beginning, since you have to start at altitude, rather than adjust to it gradually as you would coming from Yosemite. Starting from Horseshoe Meadows, however, is a stroke of genius.

CaT

http://www.rei.com/product/708136/exofficio-insect-shield-cape-hat

I wear these from time to time. The cape is nice, as you can wet it, and it provides localized 'air conditioning'.

Carolyn crossed the Woods Creek suspension bridge today.

Looks like she stopped in the canyon heading up toward Pinchot Pass. She's about a half mile short of the Sawmill Pass trail junction.

Here's the bridge -- the coolest bridge in the Sierra.

Ken,

Many thanks, my friend!
Ordered one the minute I saw your post.
Wasn't sure why the light khaki color cost more than the "turtle" color, though. I think I ended up with the light khaki one anyway, assuming "light" may have had something to do with weight.

Thanks again.

CaT

Glad to see Carolyn checked in at the end of today. :)

Hmmmmmm.......how did she get the shots of herself on and crossing the bridge if she is by herself?.........by the way....that is one beautiful bridge in the middle of the wilderness ......exactly where is it?......I just reread the locale of the bridge but still have no clue...guess I will have to hike to it to know exactly where it is.

I think the picture came from Steve's collection, as Carolyn would have little opportunity to be posting photos on a message board.

Lynn-a-roo, the Woods Creek suspension bridge is deep in Kings Canyon National Park.  You can get there in a long day of hiking (15 miles) from Road's End in Kings Canyon, up past Mist Falls, and through Paradise Valley. (pretty names, no?)

Here's a link to the Gmap4 map: Woods Creek Suspension Bridge.  On this map, if you zoom all the way in, then switch to Satellite view, and zoom in again, you can actually see the bridge! Very cool.

And Bee is right, those pics were from the hike Carolyn and I did back in 2008. Here's the album: JMT hike, 6-22 to 6-28-08

Here's a video I took from the bridge on that trip.

Thanks, Steve, I liked the video and the sound of the stream.

I was able to zoom in on the map (after switching to satellite) just like you said.....I could see the bridge. Amazing.

I'm sure glad I was born when I was because I get to experience all this new technology. I think of all the settlers that crossed this great nation in covered wagons and think to myself....wow, they really missed out on a lot being born so long ago.

So, where is Carolyn now?

P.S. I did check the SPOT map, but it's so small on my screen...I think it shows Carolyn in Kings Canyon.

I think she cleared Muir Pass today. Last post was at 1 pm, just a mile from the summit.

To use that SPOT map:

First, click on the top (last) orange dot on the list of "messages" in the left column. That causes the map to "center" on her last location.

Then, click on "Terrain" (upper right corner). That switches to a topographic map.

Last, zoom all the way in. The last two zoom levels show the JMT on the map.

Update: I got an email from Carolyn a couple of days ago. She bailed at Muir Trail Ranch, and hiked out to Florence Lake, then caught a ride down to Fresno.

She said she had lost 14 lbs, had a sore throat, was achey, and was having intestinal issues. She had endured days and days of rain, so it wasn't much fun.

Glad she's home safely!