Loose ends and impressions

A few random thoughts about the Sierra/aviation project:

-- One long-time friend told me there was not enough of Cyndee and me in the newspaper over the 18 days of the series. He wanted to see more about the journey to Mendel, as well.

Well, we had seven consecutive days of my blogs in the newspaper. Sometimes, I wrote three times a day. Cyndee blogged as well, and her work found its way into the newspaper.

-- Another friend asked why the bylines sometimes had Cyndee's name first and sometimes my name first.

The first name in the byline was the lead writer on the story, though I must say I leaned pretty heavily on Cyndee in my stories. In fact, she made a huge difference in the last story. So, think of Lenon and McCartney, and you'll be pretty close to the relationship.

-- Someone asked if we had injuries from the backpack. It was a pretty intense hike.

My knees both hurt afterward, mainly because of osteoarthritis. But not a big deal. The bigger injury was whatever happened to my left hand. I think I banged it against a rock when we were boulder scrambling. It is still puffy, though it doesn't really hurt. Actually, for a guy who turns 55 next month, I came out pretty unscathed.

-- One other person asked how my family reacted to the trip and the danger.

As with all my treks, my wife followed closely and was most relieved when I came home. My Mom, two sisters, three children and assorted other relatives by marriage? Absolutely no response. I'm fairly certain they had no idea what I was doing. And, just as in the past, I can write about it in unflinching terms here because nobody in my family reads this or anything else I write. No sour grapes, actually. I might not read any of it myself if I hadn't written it.

What a thrill ... let's not do that again

We've been back a week now since the hike to Mendel, which is one of the most beautiful, rare and terrifying places I've been. OK, I haven't been around very much. It's really not that bad.

But, for the unprepared or the beginner in the outdoors, it is dangerous. Even Michele Hinatsu, who I think is a wonderful backpacker, navigator and all-around outdoor enthusiast, fell at the glacier because a rock shifted underneath her.

Michele hikes with Peter Stekel. They are a dynamic duo, laughing, talking and enjoying the mountains. They were a true pleasure to be around, and I learned a lot from both of them about boulder scrambling and finding my way without a trail.

Yes, it's hard to believe I've been hiking the Sierra for so many years without really venturing very far off trail.

As a trail pounder, I'm still moving pretty well for my age. As a boulder scrambler, I'm a tentative snail. I'd like to say I faced true, harrowing times up there, but really I just followed Peter, Michele and photographer Mark Crosse, my long-time friend, colleague and backpacking buddy.

This was truely an eye-opening adventure, at once humbling and exhilarating. It has to be the pinnacle of my hiking experiences in the Sierra. I'll tell you more in later blogs about the thrilling search for ice mummies.

And yet, as Crosse says, we're not going back there again. Agreed, Mark. It was a terrible thrill that I am so pleased to have completed. Now, let's not do that again.

Back from Mendel

Seattle author Peter Stekel found part of a wing to the AT-7 aircraft that crashed on Mount Mendel in 1942. That was quite a highlight of our trip to Mendel Glacier.

Great trip. Learned a lot from Stekel and his hiking partner, Michele Hinatsu, who is just a marvelous off-trail navigator and hiker. Both of them were so impressive.

Photographer Mark Crosse and I have been back for a couple of days now. The knee swelling is slowly going away. We did a descent of about 3,600 feet on the last day from Lamarck Col to North Lake.

I wish I hadn't been so cold all the time. The wind was incessant. On the hike out, we had to climb 1,400 feet to the Col. No trail. Lots of boulders. Near the top, it began hailing.

Worried about exposure to lightning, we blasted over the Col. Didn't even stop at the top. Then we boulder scrambled around the ice field at the Col. Actually, it was far less difficult than it had been two days earlier because I was learning more and more about boulder scrambling.

I will write more about the desolation and beauty of the Mendel Glacier. It was like being on the Klingon home world, if you ever watch Star Trek. Just another world. Nothing growing. Lots of ice and rock and scary looking combinations of both.

I'll write a little more about this in the next week before I give up. I loved doing this adventure.

Headed to Bishop

Photographer Mark Crosse and I are driving to Bishop, then North Lake today. We'll camp at North Lake and begin hiking in the morning.

Looking forward to it. Weather seems fine. The forecast is 102 in the San Joaquin Valley, meaning it will probably be in the 70s above 10,000 feet. Very nice.

The satellite phones work. We tried them out in the parking lot yesterday. Now we need to figure out if they'll work up there.

Keep your eye on http://www.fresnobee.com/lostflights/. I will try to blog on the satellite phone from the glacier.

The photo above was taken two years ago at Evolution Valley, which is west of Mendel Glacier.

The flurry is hitting now

It's crunch time in our reporting at The Fresno Bee. On Sunday, Aug. 31, we started the first of 18 days of stories, graphics and photographs on aviation and the Sierra Nevada.

We've been working on it for a solid two months.

Now, the marathon becomes a fast-paced finish. Graphics, editing, photographs, online audio, map data. Fellow writer Cyndee Fontana and I are trying to make sure we see as much as possible to help troubleshoot and find mistakes. At the same time, we're still writing and reporting.

It's tough. It means looking at stories that you've read dozens of times, trolling for that one preposition that you left out. Poring over that same map and trying not to miss something really obvious.

It is very humbling. I've worked with Cyndee for about 20 years, but I had no idea how talented she was in organizing stories, turning a phrase and hashing out details. She's really good.

I need to think about buying food, checking my tent for leaks, calling the forest service to hold my wilderness pass in Bishop. That sort of last-minute stuff needs to be watched carefully. I've messed it up too many times.

On Thursday, the satellite phones will arrive, unless the federal government has taken them for use in emergency operations in New Orleans for hurricane Gustav. Still have to figure out how to use them. We're leaving Saturday.

Lots to think about. I've almost forgotten about that glacier. Almost.