It seems that the Whitney area is becoming littered with lost cameras; it must resemble a camera museum up there.

There are several ways to avoid losing cameras, including chest harnesses. I use a harness from OP/Tech to carry my large Nikon and zoom lense, which enables me to raise the camera to my eye for shots and then drop it safely back to the carry position. I have used it on long back-pack trips and on steep terrain, with no problems, other than an occasional bounce when I'm walking fast, but that's better than losing an expensive investment. The harness can be quickly converted into a conventional shoulder strap. The only draw-back might be on really steep (5th class) technical ground.

I'm sure others have similar systems for safe-guarding their expensive camera equipment. What do you folks recommend? How do you carry your camera on high-angle (vertical or near vertical) terrain?

After the recent bunch of lost camera reports, it prompted me to put my name, address and phone number on paper, and then take a picture of it. The picture is the first one on the camera, so if anyone looks at the pics, they will see it.

In fact, I took the picture and stored it on the camera's internal memory as well as the removable chip.

As for carrying it, I try to keep it in my pants pocket. Just a little tight putting it away or taking it out.

I think people lose cameras when they set them down someplace, then walk away without looking around. I did that once on the JMT with a pair of glasses. Got them back though, via ranger. I asked the next group of hikers to pick them up and carry them to a ranger station.

That is really smart Steve. Never would have thought of that. How about the obvious attaching a luggage type name address,phone number tag to the case or camera itself.

1. I took a permanent magic marker and wrote my name & number on the camera (not very inventive of me)

2. Today, I went to REI and purchased some thin cord to create a lanyard that will attach at one end to the point-n-shoot camera strap, and the other end to my waist strap or belt loop. There will be just enough slack in the line to allow removal of the camera from the case (attached to my pack waist strap)and holding it to may face without a bunch of cord hanging down, but short enough to catch the camera before it hits the ground if I drop it (the previously frost bitten hands drop things frequently.)

I will post a pic when the contraption is finished.

(BTW, not my idea -- it is a modified version of what Bob R. uses)

I have a long lanyand (about 18") attached to my P&S cameras, and for a camera bag I use a Lowepro Rezo 40. The camera bag is attached to my pack's shoulder strap with its Velcro retaining tab, and the lanyard is clipped into a mini-biner attached the same shoulder strap. The 18" length is more than enough to take pictures without unclipping it from the pack strap.

I own several Lowepro mini camera bags, but the Rezo 40 is the first one I've found that has an additional snap to hold the Velcro strap in place.