heavy snow/Olancha

...11,000-ft. ele.

Summer 2009 Backpack Trip #1: Olancha: June 6-14: Mostly cold; severe lightning with heavy snowstorm @ 9,000-ft. ele. due west of Olancha Pk. Up to 4-6" snow with deeper drifts...Tina Bowers & Tanya Kelley

Summer 2009 Backpack Trip #2: Sugarloaf: June 27 - July 5: Lee Bergthold (solo), Chris Spicher 1st day/night only:

...extreme heat: 100-degrees (+) @ 5,000 - 9,000-ft. ele.

Trekked from 5,000-ft. ele (aband. quarry) west of Big Pine to Baker Ck. Stretch from lower Baker Ck. to Onion Ck. extremely difficult with no viable water sources—had to search, hunt and find.

...rest when you can

...water hole

...would hike 'til mid-day, then seek shelter because of high air temps.: no water, very steep grade, dry, desert conditions. Would 'debris shelter' during late, mid-day...shelter under biggest brush-bush growth possible; throw sage on top to create shade; sleep, if possible to conserve energy, but vultures would appear seemingly out of nowhere.

..spent great deal of time searching for water; found sources @ three locations. Water search takes time and energy ('water waste'): know when to stop and seek shelter from heat. Do not wait until you feel faint of feel ill (vomiting)! Sleep, if possible, but move about (physically) to discourage vultures. When resting, spread legs and arms to allow air circulation.

...shelters

Seeking water sources: always look for obvious 'green.' Check culverts, canyons, arroyos, investigate 'dry' beds. Follow possible game/creatures: burros (none in Sugarloaf area), rabbits (saw maybe one); birds and insects best bet, especially doves (in Sugarloaf area). Wet earth—dig! One lightning and rainstorm with heavy wind resulted in 'water rocks'—sup quickly as evaporation/percolation takes place almost immediately because of ground temps. in addition to warm/hot wind.

Major water find: Big Pine Spr.: open water from spring plus me activating a float valve on trough = water! Many insects drawn to water source: bumble bees, honey bees, hornets and wasps. I lived amongst them...they didn't bother me!

...second water location: I dug out well casing in ground...many bugs!

...third location: gambled that water was in deep canyon...there was, but the climb back up to my gear was tough.

Finally made it to Onion Ck.; great water. Continued on to gate/fence line due south of Trough Spr./east of 11,000-ft. Sugarloaf where R.C. and Tina concluded prior year. Continued on to 10,000 - 11,000-ft. ele. re Coyote Ridge. Weather much cooler + snow @ 10 & 11,000-ft. ele.

Exit via Logging Flat; Grouse Spr., dry! Built shelters from limbs and branches. Out!