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pacarockhound
Social climber
Escondido CA
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Sep 30, 2013 - 04:19pm PT
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I haven't been able to get a clear picture/response re that:
Cragman just hiked somewhere up Ritter Range two days ago. David Husted hiked farther west this past week but I haven't heard anything from him. Several people have said they were in Mammoth and how could they help...but at least from my end, I don't know where things stand.....
Some people are indicating that the search is too dangerous at this time of year with snow, etc. Others seem to say that it is possible.
Perhaps on the google search map it is current....it took me awhile to understand how to use this, but now that I can I am so impressed. However, I can't get clear on west side or east side of Banner, whether they were searched....
Banner sounds right to me.......
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OutdoorGal
Social climber
Lehigh Valley, PA
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Sep 30, 2013 - 08:59pm PT
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Thanks, Cragman. I had read your reports but hadn't remembered whether you had searched Banner. In your opinion is there more ground on that peak that should be covered?
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Hikesfortheview
Social climber
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I have been following but haven't seen that link before? I hope he or his photos can help.
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tdg119
Social climber
Northampton, PA
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Good find pradiata - would be nice if that person recalls seeing Matt somewhere.
I'm going to share two pictures of notebook paper with some areas Matt appears to have considered - this could be something he wrote up before even going out west and without being familiar with the area, I am unsure how much hiking versus climbing these areas offer. BUT I still wanted to share as he lists pros and cons for each one so yet another chance to get inside his head a bit.
There is also a tourist map where he'd circled right around Sherwin Plaza. I could not find much in the way of what businesses are there. I highly, highly doubt it's anything, but again, figured I'd share.
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Dan Watson
climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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The place circled on the map is where the Bristle Cone apartments are located. Just to the left of the circle is a small shopping center with a couple of restaurants and other businesses.
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kenish
Gym climber
Orange County, CA
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Also note on the map there is a pen mark in the intersection of Main and Old Mammoth over the traffic light icon. You would turn in that direction to go between Sherman Plaza and the car repair shop (or a lot of other businesses).
We don't know how exact the circle was drawn, but it marks a Thai restaurant, and also Skadi Restaurant, which doesn't seem like Matt's style: http://skadirestaurant.com/ Ironically, the MLPD station is nearby too. There's a ski shop and used bookstore across Chateau from the circle.
Tip: If you use Google Maps and the Street View feature, you can do a "virtual walk" of most streets in Mammoth.
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jeg
Social climber
center valley,Pa
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Our first night in Mammoth , we met Matt at that Thai restaurant and it was his choice to go there.
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kenish
Gym climber
Orange County, CA
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we met Matt at that Thai restaurant and it was his choice to go there.
My post 2 above was poorly worded. I meant that Skadi seemed to not fit Matt's style (but you know him best, and me not at all).
It sounds like the circle was for the Thai place: http://www.thaidup.net/ Do you know if he was a "regular"? I wonder if any of the staff recall Matt, or if a customer struck up a conversation with him? You'd think they would see and respond to the flyers, though.
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Hikesfortheview
Social climber
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Well, that answers THAT mystery. As a side note, I saw climbers are looking for alternate plans since Yosemite is closed. That may mean more hikers/climbers in Mammoth?
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10b4me
Ice climber
Soon 2B Flagstaff
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^^^national forests are closed also.
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LAhiker
Social climber
Los Angeles
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While national forests are closed, one can still get into the Inyo National Forest, at least according to the person who answered the phone at the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center this morning. The guy said that the Welcome Center was already closed and that facilities such as bathrooms in the National Forest would be closed, but that the road from Mammoth towards Devil's Postpile would still be open.
(One of the worst things about this shutdown is that it's hard to get info about its extent because those who would know are no longer there!)
But I've heard that though entrances to national parks and such have been closed, if a regular road goes into or through a national park or forest, one can apparently use it. The Inyo National Forest seems quite porous.
Edit: Fixed typo.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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National Forest are closed...
Which ones? Sequoia Nat Forest is wide open. All FS employees except fire and LEOs are on furlough, But at least for now you can drive on up to The Needles etc. and go climbing.
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LAhiker
Social climber
Los Angeles
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Perhaps I should have said "officially closed" = no services, maybe no bathrooms, etc. I didn't necessarily mean "can't get into it" closed.
There may be some places, however, where some access roads are closed. For instance, it wouldn't surprise me if down here, in the nearby Angeles National Forest, the road to Chantry Flats had a bar across it -- it often does. But I don't know for sure, and short of going there it's hard to find out.
But the guy at the now-closed Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center specifically said that Minaret Summit road to Red's Meadow was open.
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jeg
Social climber
center valley,Pa
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The list of climbs was a list Matt had with him that he and John were considering doing during there trip.
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LAhiker
Social climber
Los Angeles
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Tiffany,
Thanks for posting the pages of notes. Makes sense that the list of climbs was made before the trip – they make the assumption that one has a car. I’m sure they will mean much more to the climbers here, who will be able to tell, for instance, whether most of these climbs are usually done with a partner. Here are some observations from a non-climber.
-Very methodical guy, listing advantages and disadvantages of each climb!
-These appear to be for rock climbing routes in or around the Sierras – travel on snow or glaciers doesn’t appear to be mentioned. But as you say, they may help us figure out his thinking…
-Did Matt climb Fairview Dome and Bear Creek Spire on a previous trip? For those two, “done it before” is listed as a drawback.
-Advantages mentioned include classic climb, fun and easy for the grade, easy approach, the presence of other route options.
-Disadvantages mentioned include crowding, not being more than a scramble, done it before, long or difficult approach.
Were Matt’s notes in any sort of order, so one could tell which came first and which came later?
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Dan Watson
climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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As of now, due to the government shutdown, the road to Devil's Postpile and Red's meadow is open to the public. The booth at the top of Minaret Vista is closed so you can drive through. The USFS campgrounds and rest rooms are all locked up. All employees except Forest Service fire and law enforcement are furloughed. Access to the back country is still good, pending weather conditions which are forecast to be clear for the next 10 days.
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kenish
Gym climber
Orange County, CA
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Using combined knowledge of the terrain and Matt, can the list be sorted from most to least probable? (On the premise that some places may have a very small probability, but never zero).
Based on evidence, any place that's impractical to do in a single day without a car is very unlikely. "Done it before" are a less likely than new climbs, etc. What climbs on the list become the most likely?
Also, which of these climbs (unlikely or not) match up with torn out pages in his book, or photocopies?
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