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Re: Night hiking safety & logistics
meganlaughs #39853 08/21/14 08:46 AM
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Originally Posted By: meganlaughs
I haven't seen any posts about people having trouble refilling water at Trail Camp, so I wonder if I was doing something wrong?!?!?!
...
I got there close to 3AM so it was completely dark.
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1) We attempted to get to the stream by following the edge of the pond (could hear it but couldn't see it, and it seemed very far away), got dead-ended by water, and turned back.
2) Walked along the pond trying to find a deeper place to dip for water, but couldn't, and I didn't want to wade in because it was extremely cold
3) Discussed descending from Trail Camp to the last stream we passed, but I couldn't remember how far back it was and didn't want to add a lot more mileage to our hike.
4) Contemplated heading for the stream on the switchbacks, but weren't sure if it would be frozen and didn't want to take the risk.
4) Attempted again to find the stream by myself - this time I was successful but it did involve a lot of boulder-hopping in the dark. I am a novice hiker, and pretty much terrified of the dark, so it wasn't easy for me.

Megan, thanks.

The dark plus your unfamiliarity with the area caused you a hassle. I always make my way over to the inlet stream, but it IS quite a distance from the trail (a minute or two in daylight.)

Finding it in the dark would be lots more trouble. And it is quiet enough that you couldn't find it by sound.

What time did you start hiking to be at Trail Camp at 3 AM?

Re: Night hiking safety & logistics
Steve C #39879 08/22/14 10:57 AM
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Here's the timeline of our hike (group of 3) - I hope this will help other beginner hikers get an idea of how long the hike might take:

11pm - Start! Very easy, leisurely pace, goofing off
3am - Trail Camp, spent 1 hour here (the water situation was the only thing we were unprepared for)
4am - Depart Trail Camp, VERY difficult from this point on (past Trail Crest, I felt like I had to stop every 10 steps!), snail-pace at ~1mi/hr LOL
9am - Summit!
10am - Depart summit, long break at Trail Camp
4:30ish? - Trailhead

Aside from weekend training hikes, I don't work out at all, and I definitely wish I had done more cardio conditioning. The hike took much longer than we anticipated, but it's certainly do-able for beginners!

My most important piece of advice for other newbies planning a trip:

GET YOUR WATER AT TRAILSIDE MEADOWS, DON'T WAIT UNTIL TRAIL CAMP!!

Re: Night hiking safety & logistics
meganlaughs #39881 08/22/14 11:58 AM
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Originally Posted By: meganlaughs

4am - Depart Trail Camp, VERY difficult from this point on (past Trail Crest, I felt like I had to stop every 10 steps!), snail-pace at ~1mi/hr LOL
9am - Summit


You had Mountaineer's Foot - can't put one in front of the other.

In all due respects, the reason it took 5 hours was probably lack of any or full acclimatization. Same reason for many of those folks who do not get to the top at all.

I am 63, never do any prep but 1 hr walks in lowland VA. After sufficient time up high, I and have done that stretch (including one week ago) from either side 12,000 ft level (Trail Camp or Guitar Lake to summit) in 3 hrs. If it took you 5, there was a problem. Yes, it may have been simple fatigue, but lack of acclimatization seems very likely. You would be amazed at the difference if you ever go back and do it with more days of pre-acclimatization. Someone will chime in about Diamox that helps a little, but the key is time, time, time. More nights first at higher sleeping altitude.

Re: Night hiking safety & logistics
meganlaughs #39970 08/26/14 09:25 PM
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Out of curiosity what is the distance from trail side meadows to trail camp?

My hike is next week. My plan is to use one nalgene on the way up and simply refill it when needed. And then I want to carry my 100 ounce blister bag empty until the last water source.

This way i have enough water to make breakfast/dinner at trail camp and also attempt my summit.

I was trying to avoid walking mile(s) with an extra 100 ounces of water to trail camp.

This post has made me nervous about trail camp pond even though I have a filter system i carry.

Re: Night hiking safety & logistics
Lambecc #39975 08/26/14 09:30 PM
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Ha found answer to my own question. About a mile.

Water

Re: Night hiking safety & logistics
Lambecc #39977 08/26/14 09:40 PM
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It's still a little bit of a climb. You can get water above Trailside Meadow at the creek you cross just before you get to the slabs above Consultation Lake. (I don't see it listed on Bob Rockwell's list, though I've personally never found it dry.) But I'd just take the water from the pond Trail Camp and filter as I've done on five separate trips now without problems ... if you're really worried, walk around to the inlet on the WNW side of the pond.

I carry 3 liters when I leave Trail Camp for the summit (that is sufficient for me, but some need more). Since I use about a liter for dinner and another liter for breakfast myself, I don't think your plan would work for me. Nor do I personally think it is necessary.

Every hike, I see people who have run out of water on the backside of Whitney. Dehydration contributes to AMS, among other things. It's a real problem.

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