From my second full season at Piute. These early logs were pretty bland, consisting mostly of lifeless entries talking about travel, trail conditions, and work accomplishments intended for my boss, Lorenzo. There were a few interesting anecdotes, though. Here’s four from the distant past worth reading. Perusing these early logs now, I’m struck by how callow I was in those early days…how “young” I sound in my writing style. But it’s clear that my scorn for babes-in-the-woods incompetence was already evident. I suspect that most, if not all, rangers use their logs as a vehicle for venting frustration. For any ranger, it’s hard not to take personally the sort of minor crimes encountered virtually every day. In fact, what anybody who works in Wilderness has to learn if they want to remain in the business is the ability to let such things not eat them alive.
1 Jul (Sat) July again?! Already? Back up to Fremont Lake to greet the masses. Rode Ramon with shovel in hand. Spent my day tearing out the huge condo [giant firepit] just as you arrive at the lake. Hid the rocks on the hillside and tossed smaller ones in the lake. Taylor and Dave came in with a load of dudes and left with the stock awhile later, informing me that a bear got into their basecamp that very morning and tore things up good. Said this had never happened to them before here at Fremont. ◦◦◦◦◦ Backpackers started streaming in at about 1 p.m. and I gave many ranger lectures. Doing much better at it this year. Kept me from my work, though. Dug a huge hole (moved probably a cubic yard of soil) and shoveled all the coals and ash in after separating the sleazy melted cans and plastic and broken glass. Oh well. Was getting late so I quick ran around the shore to pick up more trash and see how all the folks were doing. About 75 people walked past me as I was working on the firepit. ◦◦◦◦◦ On my way back to the cabin, just before the Harriet junction, found three bozos camped by the trail who’d built a new firering right in one of the little sedge meadows there. Gave them a very stern ranger lecture and, in this case, actually enjoyed watching them squirm. They seemed to understand although the leader admitted to knowing that they were “being bad.”
→ 86 visitors → 2 lbs trash bits → 1 pit, 1100 lbs rock → 12 miles
2 Jul (Sun) ◦◦◦◦◦ Stopped by the bozo-camp of last night and gave them another lecture. Then met three guys heading up the trail who I’d talked to at Fremont yesterday. Asked them where they were headed and one guy replied, “Home!” They were going the wrong way! They’d seen the sign on the West Walker trail when they came down the hill from the lake—and thought it was wrong! Yet another amazing, true tale of backpacker ineptitude. ◦◦◦◦◦ Met a crazy botanist (a taxonomist) whose specialty is onions. We talked a bit. His name is Dale McNeil and he’s described several new species, apparently—one just recently, from down in Kings Canyon NP. He’s working on the new revision of Jepson’s California flora. ◦◦◦◦◦ Lots of non-compliance today. All the usual lies but a couple of parties had picked up fire permits in Miwok [Ranger district on the other side of Sonora Pass] and were told they didn’t need a Wilderness Permit here. [At this time, technically you didn’t.] ◦◦◦◦◦ Met Matt Torley [another packer] and his wife, Sue, at Roosevelt Lake. He congratulated me on not being married yet and advised me to keep my bachelor status as long as possible. He said this with a hearty smile while his wife sat on her horse right behind him, she smiling too. That was kinda weird. ◦◦◦◦◦ Back to the cabin at 8 and done unloading by 9:15. A full day.
→ 49 visitors → 21 miles → 55 lbs trash (mostly old barbed wire)
5 Jul (Wed) ◦◦◦◦◦ In the evening, went exploring. Hiked up the hill across the river and down aways into a little drainage that dumps into what Doc calls “Sheepherder Meadow.” Surprised to find myself there—it’s tucked away back behind a forested rocky hill and you’d never know from the trail that it was there. Bee-autiful spot. Made a big mistake, though, trying to take a shortcut across the thing. It’s very boggy on the south end. I’ve been in spongy bogs before but nothing quite like this. That whole meadow is afloat on a hidden lake, apparently! It felt like walking on top of a waterbed except I was sinking up to my ankles in muck in places. Kinda scary, like quicksand. The thing was undulating all around me. Once I stopped and watched: took a hop in place and watched the surface all around me heave and roll in departing waves. Absolutely amazing. It got worse the farther I went so decided to beat a retreat before it swallowed me up. “Ranger Goes Missing…no clues in disappearance…searchers confounded….”
11 Jul (Tue) Lorenzo brought in a bunch of fresh food yesterday (bless him) so we had bacon and eggs and English muffins for breakfast! After, we went out to catch Pal for Lorenzo to ride but they wuz gone. Walked all the way to Howard Black’s camp, crossed the river, and came back on the other side. Finally found them at the edge of the meadow in a little hideaway up in the trees. An hour and a half well-wasted…. ◦◦◦◦◦ I stayed home alone today and had a real day off—I’ve just worked 21 straight days. Not that I didn’t want to—just been busy and enjoying work. Read and wrote and ate popcorn. Also, installed my “ranger’s greeting sign” on the big tree by the trail outside the cabin. That took an hour or so. ◦◦◦◦◦ Great dinner: fried pork chops, smashed potatoes, gravy and corn outa can. Doc stopped by as we ate and sat in the grand easy chair smoking his pipe and had tea and sang us “Old Man Walker,” รก capella.
©2018 by Tim Forsell 16 Nov 2018
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