Thanks for your feedback. The Gorge of Despair is such a great and awesome place...
I see that you are in Ontario. Do you ever go climbing in the Adirondacks? I am from NY originally and did a lot fo summer and winter stuff around there between 1973 and 1980. There are some pretty remote places there too like Panther Gorge (between Marcy and Haystack.) I nearly froze to death in there once...
Although I live close, no, I have never been to the Adirondacks. My boyfriend, Tim (tlogan), has been a few times and wants to bring me soon. I am very interested in going there. My experience has been very limited - living in Mexico helped. I have to get out more.
I would be interested in hearing about some of your trips there - especially almost freezing to death... is that in a trip report somewhere?
If you want to freeze in Panther Gorge, here's how. Ski in alone during a cold snap (down to -20f.) Set down your pack, in which are your bag, stove and warm clothes. Go touring around for a couple of hours while the wind blown snow erases your tracks and covers your pack. Then, realize that you have lost pack. I was pretty seriously scared knowing i could not get through the night, when I finally found the thing.
I haven't done any trip reports on anything, but Guy Keesee is doing one on a trip we made to the Gorge of Despair. Should be interesting.
If you two ever come out west to climb, let me know. I'll get you hooked up with some serious fun.
Thanks, Brian. Yes it's a great place. I think it's about as far from any roads as you can get in California - actually that honor probably belongs to the Kettle Peak drainage, across the Middle From from the Gorge....
I wouldn't have had much to work with on this page if Guy Keesee had not had the foresight to carry a decent camera with on our trips in there. At the time I couldn't have cared less about taking photos...
I'm curious - do you happen to know of anyone who has descended the gorge all the way to the valley below (Tehipite)? Talk about a wild adventure! So many great canyoneering opportunities in the Sierra, but I don't know how many folks are out there doing it. Seems like the desert southwest gets all the attention.
Nate - Secor says in one of his books that a team in wetsuits did the descent once. I don't know who they were. From what I have heard from some who have done it, a great canyoneering trip is to come down the North Fork of the Kings River from a point just below Wishon and come out at Balch Camp.
ksolem - Mar 30, 2004 6:50 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThanks Paule. It's a great place, deserves a good page.
Rachel - Apr 13, 2004 8:04 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentThis is a great page - thanks for sharing and putting great effort into making the page. Cheers!
ksolem - Apr 15, 2004 6:30 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThanks for your feedback. The Gorge of Despair is such a great and awesome place...
I see that you are in Ontario. Do you ever go climbing in the Adirondacks? I am from NY originally and did a lot fo summer and winter stuff around there between 1973 and 1980. There are some pretty remote places there too like Panther Gorge (between Marcy and Haystack.) I nearly froze to death in there once...
Kris
Rachel - Apr 19, 2004 11:24 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentAlthough I live close, no, I have never been to the Adirondacks. My boyfriend, Tim (tlogan), has been a few times and wants to bring me soon. I am very interested in going there. My experience has been very limited - living in Mexico helped. I have to get out more.
I would be interested in hearing about some of your trips there - especially almost freezing to death... is that in a trip report somewhere?
Cheers, Rachel
ksolem - Apr 20, 2004 8:49 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentIf you want to freeze in Panther Gorge, here's how. Ski in alone during a cold snap (down to -20f.) Set down your pack, in which are your bag, stove and warm clothes. Go touring around for a couple of hours while the wind blown snow erases your tracks and covers your pack. Then, realize that you have lost pack. I was pretty seriously scared knowing i could not get through the night, when I finally found the thing.
I haven't done any trip reports on anything, but Guy Keesee is doing one on a trip we made to the Gorge of Despair. Should be interesting.
If you two ever come out west to climb, let me know. I'll get you hooked up with some serious fun.
ksolem - Dec 28, 2004 5:00 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThanks for your vote. I am glad that you liked the page - have you ever been back there? It's quite a wild place.
Bill Ott - Dec 29, 2004 9:24 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentI have never been back there, sorry to say. There is just so much to see, and so little time.
Bill
Brian Jenkins - Jan 18, 2005 11:58 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentNice page. Wish you had more pages I could check out. Enjoyed your info and style. Great stuff and cool place. Hope to get down there someday.
ksolem - Jan 19, 2005 2:03 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThanks, Brian. Yes it's a great place. I think it's about as far from any roads as you can get in California - actually that honor probably belongs to the Kettle Peak drainage, across the Middle From from the Gorge....
I wouldn't have had much to work with on this page if Guy Keesee had not had the foresight to carry a decent camera with on our trips in there. At the time I couldn't have cared less about taking photos...
Nate D - Feb 9, 2005 1:29 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentTruly inspiring! Thanks for sharing.
ksolem - Feb 9, 2005 3:19 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThanks, Nate. I'm glad you stumbled into the pages. Now you'll have to stumble into the gorge some time... It's a wild and wondeful place.
Nate D - Mar 4, 2005 5:32 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentKris,
I'm curious - do you happen to know of anyone who has descended the gorge all the way to the valley below (Tehipite)? Talk about a wild adventure! So many great canyoneering opportunities in the Sierra, but I don't know how many folks are out there doing it. Seems like the desert southwest gets all the attention.
ksolem - Mar 4, 2005 9:19 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentNate - Secor says in one of his books that a team in wetsuits did the descent once. I don't know who they were. From what I have heard from some who have done it, a great canyoneering trip is to come down the North Fork of the Kings River from a point just below Wishon and come out at Balch Camp.
Cheers,
Kris