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[pct-l] 1974 thru hiker
- Subject: [pct-l] 1974 thru hiker
- From: Mtnned at aol.com (Mtnned@aol.com)
- Date: Sat Aug 14 11:45:20 2004
In 1974, at the age of 17, my husband hiked the entire PCT, before there
were complete maps and all the new light weight equipment. At this young age he
aguired his own sponsorships from The North Face, Kelty Pack (yes, an
external frame), Vasque Boot Co., and Richmore Foods to name a few. ( Also, take
into account this man had just lost his father to cancer a few years prior).
He spent two years planning his schedule and food drops. He was one of the
youngest at the time to complete the trail. He reads many of hummel's e-mails
and would be an incredible help to any who would desire his expertise.
Oh, by the way, he bicycled 5,000 miles in Europe in 1979 and attempted the
Continental Divide in 1980, which at the time barely existed, but had to
quit due to due injury at Steamboat Springs, Colorado. In 1984 this same man,
carring a pack weighing 70 pounds, guided me, a woman who worked in high heels
and had never seen a backpack through the John Muir Trail. Needless to say,
I fell in love with the Sierras and this man due to his love of its beauty.
Just so you all know, it was no cake walk for me. I cried at the top of
Donohue Pass because all I saw were rocks and no trees. At this moment I was
wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into. My 45 pound pack on my 125
pound body was screaming along with my hip bones! - Over the next two weeks
I survired a white-out on Muir Pass, alltitude sickness, endured freezing
tempertures and the dreaded Mather which to me went on and on and on on.... We
started our trip on the 17th of September and for many days didn't see a
soul. As the miles continued on I fell in love with not only the mountains and
their incredibe beauty but with the man who knew by the way the wind shifted
that a strom would be brewing by night fall. Needless to say, at Evolution
Lake, after we had eaten our last mac and cheese, he asked me to to take a walk.
As you have already probably assumed, he proposed to me under the immense
sky that only can be seen in the Sierra's after the sun sets. I fell in love
with Kings Canyon National Park. Forester was my favorite and have since
returned to it in 1996. Over the years this same man has taken many young kids
including our own into the backcountry to show them his love of the
mountains. He is well skilled and would not boast of his own accomplishments but I
will being the one who has benefited the most.
Lady J