Interesting Comments Overheard in California Mountaineering Shop

[Aragon]

About 10% of the US population but only 4% of US area. But not for long.

Keep telling yourself that. I've heard that sort of envious bunkum my entire life.

Then again maybe you're right as CA's population continues to grow...

 

[AStone]

Then again maybe you're right as CA's population continues to grow...

It may indeed be growing, but as new immigrants come in, older ones are leaving.

I know that from 6 weeks experience in Portland OR, where I was trying to base my professional existence for a few months, into which CA immigrants are flowing like water missing in CA, causing rents and real estate to skyrocket to unimaginable levels. I could not live there because of that, and went elsewhere.

 

[danez71]

About 10% of the US population but only 4% of US area. But not for long.

Using quick simple math, 4% would be 2x the average size of states.

According to 2000 census data

CA is the most populated and the 3rd largest state.

15 yrs later, piecing together more recent data, CA is still the 3rd largest state and still the most populated.

But this isn't an immigration or geography forum so it's probably best to not talk about those things.

 

[captmoto]

You couldn't have been in an REI store. I went in once looking for topo maps, told them I wold be using them for deer hunting. About 3 of them nearly vapor locked.

 

[Aragon]

It may indeed be growing, but as new immigrants come in, older ones are leaving.

I know that from 6 weeks experience in Portland OR, where I was trying to base my professional existence for a few months, into which CA immigrants are flowing like water missing in CA, causing rents and real estate to skyrocket to unimaginable levels. I could not live there because of that, and went elsewhere.

Still a great deal cheaper than CA...

CA is still growing by leaps and bounds. How I wish enough would leave to make an actual difference.

 

[Aragon]

You couldn't have been in an REI store. I went in once looking for topo maps, told them I wold be using them for deer hunting. About 3 of them nearly vapor locked.

Naw, REI is like the Wal*Mart of outdoors. This was a local mountaineering shop. The kind that caters to mountaineers, rock climbers and serious backpackers.

I was on a hike a few weeks back. People were concerned about ticks. I said something like "this year isn't a bad year for ticks. I've been out deer hunting three times this season and not a single tick -- except on the animal carcasses themselves of course."

Complete silence...

 

[AStone]

This deserves repetition.

REI is like the Wal*Mart of outdoors.

 

[AStone]

The kind that caters to mountaineers, rock climbers and serious backpackers.

Here's an image that illustrates that concept.

I walked to this place in CO at 11,000' from 8,000' with a 60 lb pack over the continental divide.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Here's an image that illustrates that concept.

I walked to this place in CO at 11,000' from 8,000' with a 60 lb pack over the continental divide.

That looks familiar. Rocky Mtn National Park? Were you on Long's Peak?

Lots of big kitties and black bear in that area.

 

[AStone]

Kodiak, that was in the 1/2 million acre Weninuche Wilderness in very southern CO, west of Crede, north of Pagosa Springs. We'd follow Rio Grande up from NM to near its headwaters at the divide, but just before reaching the end, hang a left up Ute Creeks trail after wading across the RG (which could be really dicey with large packs on slick rocks with deep water).

Camp 1 was 5.5 mi in, the second half of which we called the switchbacks from hell. That camp offered a spectacular view of the entire Ute Creeks drainage (3 of them -- east, middle and west forks -- and the continental divide behind them another 6 - 7 miles in. Camp was under the Rio Grande Pyramid -- 13,822' on the divide up East Ute. From there, we grabbed the divide and walked ON the divide to camp 3, which is the pic above. (We often spent 2 - 3 days at each camp, especially on the longer, 2-week expeditions.)

Camp 4 was under the Guardian, the distant center peak in that image, another day's walk. Guardian is the easternmost peak of the Grenadier Range, renouned for its class 4 route (belay not required by you wish you had it) called the Gristle Grinder. I did some rock climbing, but I never did the GG, but I walked at the base of the Grenadiers.

This is the image from that report above (thumbnail is in the report). But it'll give you a sense of the Weninuche. Several famous 14'ers on the other side of that range. Here is my shot of the north face of Guardian. The rock at the base marked by a red line is the size of a 7/11 store.

That area is in the top 5 most powerful, life changing places I've ever had the privilege to walk in. Eight consecutive summers (before I moved from NM), sometimes in a group or with a GF, sometimes solo.

We saw occasional bear sign, but all black. The griz were hunted out in the decades before. I never carried a gun in, but if I went back now, I would for different reasons than bear.

 

[Aragon]

Here's an image that illustrates that concept.

I walked to this place in CO at 11,000' from 8,000' with a 60 lb pack over the continental divide.

Beautiful. Reminds me of the Sierra Nevadas. I would definitely be a 14er if I lived in CO.

Ever notice high altitude trails/campsites don't suffer from the trash/destruction of unsupervised shooting ranges and low altitude campsites? The jerks lack the fitness and will to hike to higher levels...

 

[Aragon]

Don't forget Mt. Whitney, CA. The tallest peak in the lower 48 and a killer 22 mile round trip day hike at altitude:



(I can just imagine the dropped jaws from those who equate CA to South Los Angeles or East Oakland!)

 

[jim in Anchorage]

^ Because mountaineers MUST be grounded in reality, lest they die.

I've been a backpacker since I was 22. (Now 65.)

I did mountaineering in my 40's and 50's.

I live in Maine, where at 400', I can be in the same climate
as in Colorado at 11,000' in winter.

Then, there's K2.

I sure can identify with that. I look at pics of CO at 11000 ft and think that can't be right. Theres no snow! No glaciers!

 

[AStone]

There's snow in CO for about 9 months of each year --- less so these days.

I normally traveled in the high country in July or August which is when I snapped those pics. Even as late as late May or early June a few decades ago, it was inaccessible w/o skis or snowshoes.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Very cool Astone. I was way off. Looks like a beautiful place.

 

[AStone]

You weren't really that far off, Kodiak. Colorado Rockies are pretty similar. I found that those in the northern part of the state had denser forests.

 

[ChaoSS]

CA went from legal open carry, then unloaded open carry, now, no open carry in at all in incorporated cities and other specified areas, but open unloaded carry is OK in most unincorporated areas if you can get away with being hassled. Generally it is both legal and reasonably accepted out in the boonies.

Where you can legally open carry, you can have a handgun on one hip and magazines, speedloaders, etc. on the other hip.

If you are travelling in a vehicle (without a ccw), the handguns must be unloaded and be in the trunk or a locked container.

Could you please show which code prohibits open carry in unincorporated and non "prohibited" areas?

 

[jeepnik]

I've been an REI member since the 70's. Back then they were a well rounded and well grounded bunch. These days they have gotten seriously into tree hugging. Still, I'm amazed just how many still have common sense and will discuss things like firearms and archery.

I figure they know that a good part of their customers are hunters and fishermen. Heck that's where I bought my dedicated fishing kayak.

But you have to keep an eye and ear open while you are there. I have heard some really ridiculous stuff come out of the youngster's mouths from time to time. Now being a crusty old fart I'm more than willing to step in and set the kids and customers straight. Seems in stores like this many of the younger customers are willing to listen to old guys with experience.

I must admit I've had a clerk as me to butt out, but me being me I always offer to discuss it with the manager. They usually drift away as I set the customer straight.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

You weren't really that far off, Kodiak. Colorado Rockies are pretty similar. I found that those in the northern part of the state had denser forests.

That's true. Rockies get to looking like Rockies in a lot of places.

A few years ago I got a call from some friends in Ohio. They were meeting up with an uncle and aunt in Estes Park, CO. They wanted to hike Deer Mtn. which is only a little over 10,000. The interesting part though was that they wanted to do it before dawn so we could watch the sun rise. Now, the woods don't scare me at all, because I spend my days alone in them all the time for work. However, in the dark, in a place with a very healthy black bear and mountain lion population, the notion made me think a bit.

So I asked my friends about firearms and they informed me that the aunt and uncle they were visiting were quite liberal. "Ok..... so bear spray. They carry bear spray, right?" "Nope...."

We did the hike, and it was a lot of fun. It was the first time I had done a several hour hike in total darkness. I was shocked at how unprepared they all were though. They had two old head lamps as their only source of light, that lit up the trail about 10 feet in front of them. The first time we heard an animal moving around, they stopped and were trying to see what it was. Of course, they could see nothing. That's when I turned on my Streamlight 300+ lumen flashlight that lights everything up about 150 feet away. It was a herd of elk. This happened several more times, and each time I found myself reaching for one of my defensive items.

I had a can of bear spray on one side, and a 357 in my waist band, concealed under a jacket. The "plan ahead" mentality can really help you avoid a lot of bad situations, and get you out of them if something surprises you.

 

[AStone]

^ Fine story. Here's my favorite line.

I was shocked at how unprepared they all were though.

That describes 95% of the population of the US.

All in a vacation state of mind, whether hiking in wilderness or living in the burbs.

Natural disaster per se does not scare me.
What scares me is the masses of underprepared that come after it.