Dan's Outside

Thank You!

Special thanks to “Mike” for a ride back to Mammoth Ski Area and my car this past weekend.

I was on the fifth day of a planned fourteen day pack trip between Agnew Meadow and South Lake when I felt a bit under the weather. I wasn’t sure if I was getting sick or not, but I made the cautious decision and left the trip, exiting from Purple Lake over Duck Pass rather than continuing on into the more isolated area around Silver and Selden Passes.

Fortunately (or unfortunately?) I was absolutely fine by the time I got out, hiking over Duck Pass in light rain with no problems at all. But by this time it was too late to turn around and catch up with my friends who had gone on and would now be two full days ahead of me.

In any case, I arrived at the Duck Pass trailhead and hiked through the campgrounds toward Lake Mary, trying to hitch a ride back to my car as I walked – and having no luck at all. I made it down to the paved road around the lake where there was more traffic, hopeful that someone would pick me up here. Still no luck. When I got to the main Lake Mary Road into Mammoth I was sure someone would give me a lift. Wrong.

Soon it began to rain. Ironically, I thought this might increase my chances of getting a ride. Who could let a solitary backpacker walk down the roadside in the rain. Lots of people, it turns out… ;-)

Shortly after I had resigned myself to simply walking the 3 1/2 miles into town where I could pick up a shuttle to the ski area, a familiar looking vehicle came back up the road and pulled over. Mike said that they had passed and felt bad, and had come back even though there was barely any room in the back under their camper shell. I was very happy to squeeze into the back of their truck, and I was even happier when they took me all the way up to my car!

So, thanks again, Mike!

(One funny – to me at least – note. As I was being passed up by all of those cars I had an odd realization. I must have looked scary to these people! Sort of funny to me, a 50+ year-old college music teacher, to think of myself that way.)
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August 9, 2005 - Posted by gdanmitchell | Trips