The Search

A Three Day Solo, August 2000

I just got back from a three day solo to the High Sierras and thought I would share my experience.

I had planned this trip to be "balls out" meaning whatever I could carry in a shoulder bag. Here's what I took.

Clothes:
- Mexican poncho
- longsleeve shirt
- pants
- undershirt
- 1 pr socks
- hat
- head rag

Gear:
- TOPS Anaconda
- Swiss Army knife
- belt
- . 45 w/ holster
- mini kit
- maxi kit
- iodine tablets
- camera
- maps
- fire starting kit
- shoulder bag
- ass rag
- water bottle
- body bag
- walking stick

Food:
- 2 MRE's
- Coffee

Gifts:
-tobacco
-silver bracelet

The main objective of this trip was to travel to a place called K____Valley. I heard a couple stories about it and thought it would be a challenge to find and explore it.

Suddenly, I realized that I had forgot to bring along my iodine crystals. I stopped at a local sporting goods store and picked up some iodine tabs for my water needs. After my purchase, I headed up the mountain, parked, and prepared my gear. I was on the trail by 10 am. One thing I did this time was to make an impression of my boot using some tin foil as Ron Hood did in his tracking video. I left the impression in my truck along with a map of my destination.

As I reached the top of the first pass, I decided to take a different route, which was about a half mile to the East. While I stood at the new pass, I noticed a hawk circling further down the trail almost as if he was wanting me lo follow. Shortly, as I walked down the new trail, I looked down and discovered a hawk feather directly at my feet. I thought that it may be intended as a gift so I picked it up and stuck it into my hat.

Using Shadows

On a show that I had once seen featuring Ron Hood, I recall Ron and his students standing at a rock dam, lining up a rock spire with a particular mountain. This mountain was their destination and it would be mine as well. The trek proved to be quite a challenge. Instead of trying to follow the creek, I tried to take a more direct route. I noticed that if I used the shadow from my walking stick as a reference I could stay fairly straight in the direction I wanted to go. As long as I didn't take a long time, allowing the sun to change it's position, I thought this would aid in navigation. Using this method helped a lot. In a short time I was overlooking the meadow in which I was to spend the first night.

While looking across the meadow, I had to make some choices. If I were to do this trip in three days, I needed to make the best use of my time and energy. For some reason Jack Torrances' words; "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." was going through my mind at this point.

Although I had originally planned on staying to my right (west ), that would mean going out of my way by at least a couple miles therefor wasting valuable energy. There was a particular camp that I stayed at before and I new there was a cowboy camp close by with some trash that may be of some use. I really wanted to find a cooking can since I had left mine at home. I decided it was not worth expending the extra time and energy so I headed northeast, the general direction of K____Valley . I ended up at a small foothill just below the main mountain I had traveled to.

I noticed there were a lot of cattle in the area including a bull. Making sure to keep my distance, I began searching for a good camp site. There was a stream nearby (guarded by Mr. Bull), plenty of pine needles, and a good supply wood. I started in on my sleeping arrangements which would be a combination body bag/pineneedle bed.

Not wanting to invade Mr. Bulls space, I waited until he moved on down the creek. Even then, I still kept an eye peeled for a possible charge. Just when I thought the bull had left the area, he walked up out of a hidden embankment. Hand on . 45, I gathered my water quickly and returned to my camp.

I slept very good that night even though there was frost on the outside of my body bag in the morning. One thing I notice about the body bag, is that unless you leave an opening allowing the vapor from your breath to exit the bag, you will have a lot of condensation inside by morning.

I always know when the sun will soon rise. One bird will start singing then gradually his little friends will join in. Soon it begins to sound like a miniature wilderness orchestra. I also notice that the coyotes will start their rehearsal during false dawn. I really do enjoy these natural alarm clocks and would find myself quite comfortable leaving my watch at home.

The next morning I ate breakfast and studied my maps. I had a long day ahead of me.

My plan was to head east then after a few miles turn northeast, through a series of canyons and small meadows that followed a stream. The route started off rather difficult because of rocks and debris. The stream was mostly dry so there were a few areas that made for good walking. I noticed some isolated pools of water each having several fish trapped in them. I thought that if I had more time, even I could catch something! Oddly, I imagined using a large firecracker such as an M-80, to bring up the fish.

My map skills were definitely getting a workout this trip. Even though I didn't have a compass with me, I thought I was doing fairly well figuring things out. I think with all the meadows this area has and being able to overlook entire areas at a time, makes it a lot easier for a green map reader like myself to read the land. Although I'm sure it helps that I've been to some of the areas before.

Part way through the first canyon, I stopped to snack on some peanut butter and crackers. As I sat there surrounded by rocks, I couldn't help but wonder about the Indians that once lived in the area. This trip was based on Indian stories I had heard so I was quite focused on the subject. For some reason, I felt the desire to leave a cracker and a pile of coffee and a nearby rock. Perhaps it was out of respect for the people that called this area their home at one time.

For the better part of the day, I traveled through a maze of canyons and meadows until finally, I reached what I believed to be my final destination. Looking down the meadow I sat down to rest and study my bearings. Everything added up and I believed to be looking at K____Valley in the distance. As I began walking through the last meadow towards K____Valley, I noticed another eagle/hawk circling above what I had believed was the entrance to K____Valley.

One of the main landmarks I was looking for to confirm the entrance to K____Valley, was a point where a main trail crosses a stream. As I entered the area I saw what I believed to be the trail I was looking for. I followed the trail and sure enough, it crossed what was now dried up stream bed. I stopped, looked down, and there, directly at the junction at my feet, was another feather! I picked it up and placed it in my hat next to the other I had found at the beginning of my trip. Did these two beautiful birds guide me to my destination? In my personal opinion, they did.

So far, the trip was without incident. When I began my trip, I was worried I may not be welcome at K____Valley. I'll admit that I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to the spirits and their ways. Regardless, I wanted them to know that I meant no harm in anyway and to let me know if or when I do something objectionable. Without killing me of course!

Water

I now had to think things through. My first priority was to find water and I would soon be learning the important lesson that even though a map may indicate water in the area, that doesn't mean it will be there when you arrive. The only water I came across were deep mud holes that cattle used for drinking. Some even had a few fish trapped in them. All of them had a visible and often oily looking film on the surface. Not very appealing but hey, this is survival.

Filtering Water

I searched for a nearby spring but it turned out to be another mud hole. When I came back to what I believed was going to be my camp, I proceeded to make an improvised filter out my ass rag to at least filter out some of the debris before killing it with the iodine. After tying the rag into a bag, I filled it with layers of sand, gravel, and grass. It did a pretty good job getting rid of the visible junk and smelled much better.

Firebed Preperations

While I was waiting for the water to die, I searched for shelter. I really didn't want to explore the canyon then have to worry about it. I found an ideal place not far from the canyon entrance to make a firebed. It had a rock overhang and was surrounded with stone walls. It was perfect I thought. Somebody else must have had the same idea because as I looked underneath the rock overhang, I could see evidence of a fire once having been burnt. I proceeded to gather wood and get the firebed ready so when I returned from exploring, all I would have to do is light it.

I started thinking about those fish trapped in the water hole. It was only about seven foot wide by five foot deep so I really thought I had a good chance of catching them. Well, I was wrong. After several attempts with an improvised net made from some willow and a rag, not to mention nearly falling in, I called it a day. Jokingly, I figured the fish were well conditioned having to dodge cattle hooves all day. Maybe the ass rag scared them. Stinking fish.

I really didn't know what to look for as I began to explore the canyon. I hadn't asked for information prior to the trip, but I guess if someone wanted me to find something, I would.

I basically just explored different rock formations that looked like they may have been important at one time. After an hour or so, I began to run out of steam. The long day of traveling, shelter building, and very little food was catching up. Last thing I wanted to do was fall off something. As I came down the canyon, I wanted to leave the gifts that I had brought. The gifts included some tobacco in a small cloth bag, and a silver bracelet with animal engravings. I didn't know if they were proper for the occasion, but I thought, heck, it's the thought that counts. I found a small crevice between two boulders and placed the gifts inside. Afterwards, I sealed it with some small rocks so not to be noticeable to outsiders. I though it would fun to go back years later and see if it's still there.

While making my way back down the canyon, I found a very small spring in the side of the rocks. Clear water! I dug out a little impression in the dirt so the water would form a pool and allow my water bottle to fill easier. I filled my belly with water and made a mental note on the springs location so I could find it the next day. Judging from what was ahead of me the next day, I would need it!

Heating the Earth

That night while waiting for my firebed to heat the earth, I feasted on an entire oatmeal cookie. All I had left was a package of spiced apples and an entree of some sort. I wanted to save those last two items for the next morning knowing that I would have a very long trek ahead of me. At this time I was wishing that I had thrown in an extra MRE. Time to sleep.

The fire bed worked very well. Much of the evening was spent outside of the bodybag with no covering. I used the poncho for a pillow, adding a small amount of comfort to an otherwise primitive feeling bed.

The next morning I woke early. I had a very tough and long trek ahead of me. I was to hike all the way from my location, back to where I had parked at the trail head, not to mention a four hour drive home. I ate what little food remained, made sure my camping area was fire free, and headed up the canyon to fill up on water.

According to the map, there is no visible source of water on the route I was to take and there was no way one quart would get me through the many miles I had ahead of me. I rigged up a water container using a trash bag. Fearing the seams at the bottom would give out from the weight, I twisted, folded over, and tied the bottom. I did the same thing to the top only allowing a larger loop so a stick could be placed through. I loaded eight quarts into the bag and it seemed to hold it well. I drank all the water that day.

The final trek was much longer than I had anticipated. I had very little energy by its end. In the past when I over exert myself having consumed little food, I'll vomit. This trek was no exception. The combination of altitude, little food, little sleep, was taking its toll! I was glad to finally make it to the truck after a full day of walking.

Eric

*Some thoughts I've had since taking this trip

My goal on the trip was to search for and find an ancient Indian site. Having heard stories about leaving gifts such as tobacco for the spirits, I though I would do the same. Since then, I've had some time to think about these rituals and whether or not they should be practiced by someone who is not a native.

In his book "North of Reliance" Dave Olesen wrote: "Much has been written of the Native hunt, the Native kill, the reverence and ritual. But my own reverence and rituals seem to arise from deep within myself - ancient memories, perhaps, of ancestors in another part of the North. A friend, like me a white man fascinated by the wilderness, once asked if I set aside tobacco at the places where I killed caribou or moose. All I could say at first was "No". Hastily I added, "I don't usually have any tobacco with me...I don't smoke anymore." The factory processed leaf from a warm southern hillside would not, I venture, instinctively strike me as a rememberance appropriate to the killing of an animal. One must be honest; I am wary of putting on facades of nativeness."

I tend to agree with Mr.Olesen.

Eric Stoskopf
January 2002