Oh Thank God this board is back! I’ve had these scary mental pictures of people having to use their own judgment, and end up –
13. Hiking up wearing high-heel pumps ‘cause no one told them what shoes to wear
12. Strapping bear vaults to their belt packs to hold their M&M’s on a walk up to LP lake
11. Stumbling around without walking sticks ‘cause they didn’t know that any real Whitney hiker wouldn’t leave home without them
10. Becoming dehydrated ‘cause they didn’t know they should carry extra water, nor which creeks it’s OK to refill at
9. Wandering off the trail in the dark after leaving at noon ‘cause they didn’t know when better to start
8. Leaving 12 lbs of raw tri-tip in their cars ‘cause they missed the 15 bear warnings on permits, signs and flyers
7. Almost being run over while camping in the middle of the parking lot ‘cause no one could tell them which campsite is best
6. or spending the night before at Death Valley /Badwater ‘cause they couldn’t figure out where possibly to better sleep at elevation
5. Having a breakdown, sitting down and crying on top of the 95th switchback ‘cause they didn’t know how many more of these there could possibly be
4. Falling off the Ebersebacher Ledges while holding their 4-year old by the hand ‘cause who knew there could be steep drops in the mountains?
3. Having to dig old dropped Tic-Tacs out of the floor mats after the hike ‘cause they had no idea where to get a cheeseburger
2. Actually feeling good about their own hike ‘cause they couldn’t compare it with all the other studs and studlettes who reported 4 hour roundtrips
1. and worst; actually hiking up some other Sierra trail and having a real wilderness experience ‘cause they missed the point that hiking the freeway-mule trail to California’s highest point is actually an accomplishment, and worthy of the praise from friends/family and neighbors
