Live from The Highline Trail

[jdgibney]

Glad you're alright, man. The mountains will be there another day, and you'll kick their asses when you're ready. Rest up!

 

[Nick]

Thanks, all. Nice to hear from other that I made the right decision. I guess I need to get to planning my redemption trip for this weekend...

 

[barl0w]

Not only a smart move, but now you have this live hike blogging thing down. Dude - that has to be one of the coolest things!

 

[Nick]

Not 100% but feeling quite a bit better now. Looking at Cody's Spot updates is where the real pain comes from now.

But the good news... I will continue the live blog of the Highline when I hit the trail again in late August. To be continued...

 

[Nick]

Cody and Dan Ransom are standing on top of Anderson Pass just below King's peak at this very moment.

 

[Artemus]

Bummer. Excellent decision making lad! I just came down from Smiths Fork Pass. Myself and the two canines Merlin and Luna were sitting on Smith's Fork Pass staring down into the upper Yellowstone drainage and the Highline as it came off Anderson Pass yesterday (Sunday) hoping to eyeball you from afar. We came out today. The monsoon is here and the afternoon electric storms and downpours are like clockwork after 4 or so. There was 4 inches of snow on the ground south of China Meadows as I drove out. You and your bros would have had to hole up each afternoon and take the high passes in the morning. Hard to do when you are sick and weak. One thing you can count on - the mountains will be there and nearly as high when you are ready. You owe Audra a bottle of Pooolae Foosae ! (sp?). That is the standard charge collected by my sweetie after rescuing my sorry a@$#$.

 

[Artemus]

But the good news... I will continue the live blog of the Highline when I hit the trail again in late August. To be continued...

You know I crossed the Uintahs last August and picked that month due to the normal expiration of the monsoon. Had 6 days of no rain and the only virga we saw was 20 miles away. You and I both experienced monsoon (and even snow) up there this weekend since the monsoon is in full force. August:Good.

 

[blueeyes]

Sorry Nick! Was just talking about you guys at breakfast before we left Northern Utah.

 

[Nick]

Man... I'm having a hard time wrestling with what to do about having to bail on this hike. Options:

1. Head out next week solo, knock out the remainder from Chepeta. I will have hiked the entire Highline but not all at once. Have to cancel a short trip with Audra and some friends that I had planned for next weekend.

2. Wait til late August/Sept. Do it solo. Cancel a possible Winds trip that I was thinking about. Deal with shorter days and cooler temps but perhaps not so much monsoon action.

3. Wait til.. *gasp*.. next year?!?

Opinions? I'm giving this way too much brain power. Pretty bummed out about having to bail now that my head is more clear. Gotta make a decision...

 

[Nick]

BTW, Cody and Dan are camped near Crater Lake tonight.

 

[Nick]

Live blogging vicariously though Cody's Spot again. They're crossing Red Knob Pass right now.

 

[pixie1339]

Man... I'm having a hard time wrestling with what to do about having to bail on this hike. Options:

1. Head out next week solo, knock out the remainder from Chepeta. I will have hiked the entire Highline but not all at once. Have to cancel a short trip with Audra and some friends that I had planned for next weekend.

2. Wait til late August/Sept. Do it solo. Cancel a possible Winds trip that I was thinking about. Deal with shorter days and cooler temps but perhaps not so much monsoon action.

3. Wait til.. *gasp*.. next year?!?

Opinions? I'm giving this way too much brain power. Pretty bummed out about having to bail now that my head is more clear. Gotta make a decision...

In my opinion, you shouldn't bail on the trip you already have planned with Audra and your friends. You've had so few opportunites to go on trips with her until recently that I say spend the time with your lovely wife while you can. Plus it wouldn't be very considerate to your friends to bail on them so you can go do something else. At least I know I get a little butt hurt when people do that to me. So I'd say either do it later in the season in place of the Winds trip you were thinking about, or yeah, there's always next year.

 

[Nick]

In my opinion, you shouldn't bail on the trip you already have planned with Audra and your friends. You've had so few opportunites to go on trips with her until recently that I say spend the time with your lovely wife while you can. Plus it wouldn't be very considerate to your friends to bail on them so you can go do something else. At least I know I get a little butt hurt when people do that to me. So I'd say either do it later in the season in place of the Winds trip you were thinking about, or yeah, there's always next year.

If it were more than a quick overnighter I would not be so willing to cancel on them, but in context of salvaging a failed Highline traverse, I think they'd all understand. But I think I'm leaning towards next year anyway. I want to go back and start from the beginning and do it right and I just don't know if I can swing that this year.

 

[pixie1339]

If it were more than a quick overnighter I would not be so willing to cancel on them, but in context of salvaging a failed Highline traverse, I think they'd all understand. But I think I'm leaning towards next year anyway. I want to go back and start from the beginning and do it right and I just don't know if I can swing that this year.

Then you should definitely save it for next year so you can do it the way you want to. Plus that way you have another chance to round up some company.

 

[Nick]

Then you should definitely save it for next year so you can do it the way you want to. Plus that way you have another chance to round up some company.

I dunno.. after trying to keep up with Dan, I think I'll make a point to do it solo next time. I looked at my GPS data and even feeling like crap I was averaging 2.4 mph and he was still smoking me! Always nice to be able to move at your own speed without worrying about others wanting to move faster or slower.

 

[Nick]

The guys are crossing Rocky Sea pass right now and then it's pretty smooth sailing all the way out. They're finishing a day ahead of schedule too. They camped last night at Helen Lake, 72 miles in. By my estimate that should put them at 88 miles total in 6 days. Not too shabby, especially after having to deal with me being sick and slow.

 

[wes242]

I would like to get back to Helen Lake again. I haven't been there in about 10 years +

I also wish I could handle the length they put in too!

 

[Artemus]

It is interesting to me that I walked the Highline last August and only clocked (GPS) 67 miles between the same exact two trailheads. I will be interested to learn their final exact mileage. Took us 7 days six nights at that. The only major deviation they took that I can see is upper Rock Creek vs the directissima across the Rock Creek drainage in a more or less straight line and rounding Leidy Peak, at the beginning, to the south instead of directly across the north shoulder. Great job Dan and Cody !

 

[Nick]

It is interesting to me that I walked the Highline last August and only clocked (GPS) 67 miles between the same exact two trailheads. I will be interested to learn their final exact mileage. Took us 7 days six nights at that. The only major deviation they took that I can see is upper Rock Creek vs the directissima across the Rock Creek drainage in a more or less straight line and rounding Leidy Peak, at the beginning, to the south instead of directly across the north shoulder. Great job Dan and Cody !

I'm thinking it has to do with turning the GPS off here and there to conserve battery. I've found with my 450 that if my batteries die and I walk a mile, it doesn't seem to add that mile back in once I get it fired back up. We know that it's 55 miles in a straight line and I believe Dan drew it out on paper and came up with something like 78. Guidebooks are all over the place but most say around 80 or so. I'd say you hiked more than you thought last year!

 

[Nick]

Looks like they're rolling into the Highline Trailhead on the Mirror Lake Highway right about now. Hopefully my truck and it's cooler full of beverages is still there waiting for them. End to end, they did it in right about 122 hours and 46 minutes. Not too shabby guys...