Favorite California Peaks?

[Rollie Free]

gaslighting

know how i know you don't know what that word means?

This must be a new word in the social lexicon. I first heard it (read it) on this site a few months ago and was totally puzzled. So I looked it up. The main Bing definition:

gaslight [ˈɡaslīt]
VERB
gaslighting (present participle)
manipulate (someone) by psychological means into questioning their own sanity.
There's also an audio button on Bing that you can push to hear a clear chirpy voice pronounce it.

And from Wikipedia:
Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which a person or a group covertly sows seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or group, making them question their own memory, perception, or judgment. It may evoke changes in them such as cognitive dissonance or low self-esteem, rendering the victim additionally dependent on the gaslighter for emotional support and validation. Using denial, misdirection, contradiction and misinformation, gaslighting involves attempts to destabilize the victim and delegitimize the victim's beliefs.

But there's a better term that I prefer (about 15 seconds before it starts):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwDrJqqEmVw

Unfortunately the original meaning of 'gaslighting' has been co-opted by the crowd to mean 100 different things because it's the word of the day. Disagreeing with certain people will bring accusations of gaslighting. Just like every questionable method became a 'ponzi scheme'. A ponzi scheme is a specific methodology.

[Dave B]

deleted

[Steve2]

How about scrapping the word gaslighting and using something that everyone understands:

https://tinyurl.com/1otoap36

This says it all. As well or better than John Lennon. Really. Listen.

[greenonion]

So, anybody else have favorite CA peaks? Expected to see some Shasta mentions, but not Mt Gaslight or Conflation Peak.

[Dave B]

Mt. Gaslight is actually a pretty fun hike, except all of those "Wrong Way" signs on what is clearly and most definitely the trail.

[CoHi591]

Piling onto the initial question a little bit, wondering if anyone has done the Yosemite High Route as outlined by Andrew Skurka? I'm looking at the southern loop of it and would love to chat with someone who has done it to figure out if it's in my wheelhouse or not.

[ker0uac]

See, this is reflective of larger issues associated with misinformation spread on social media.

1. Person A posts an off-the-cuff misleading statistic (e.g. we're at 93% of snowpack)
2. That statistic is easily placed into context with a simple click of a mouse and a few minutes of thought processing (e.g. 93% is a single station; statewide is between 54 - 76 % of CURRENT snowpack).
3. Rather than note the misleading statistic, person A doubles down, gets defensive, spews more misleading statistics, arm-waives a bunch of doubt into said statistics and even the literal definition of words (such as drought), starts attacking everyone else's credentials and experience (which includes numerous Sierra trips in said time frame) and uses the classic "arguing this isn't worth my time" tactic.

Truly, all you have to do is say as follows and be done with it: Apologies, I guess stating we're at 93% snowpack was misleading, and using that statistic to defend my views on recognized drought conditions was faulty.
Let me do some more research and see if I can better defend my position which is ultimately somewhere along the lines of: "drought has negative connotations but there is no need to be alarmed by that word."

Not just social media hah you'd do well as a couples' therapist!

[719BR]

See, this is reflective of larger issues associated with misinformation spread on social media.

1. Person A posts an off-the-cuff misleading statistic (e.g. we're at 93% of snowpack)
2. That statistic is easily placed into context with a simple click of a mouse and a few minutes of thought processing (e.g. 93% is a single station; statewide is between 54 - 76 % of CURRENT snowpack).
3. Rather than note the misleading statistic, person A doubles down, gets defensive, spews more misleading statistics, arm-waives a bunch of doubt into said statistics and even the literal definition of words (such as drought), starts attacking everyone else's credentials and experience (which includes numerous Sierra trips in said time frame) and uses the classic "arguing this isn't worth my time" tactic.

Truly, all you have to do is say as follows and be done with it: Apologies, I guess stating we're at 93% snowpack was misleading, and using that statistic to defend my views on recognized drought conditions was faulty.
Let me do some more research and see if I can better defend my position which is ultimately somewhere along the lines of: "drought has negative connotations but there is no need to be alarmed by that word."

really? that's what you came up with? while throwing out a meaningless statistic? wtf does the op care what statewide snow totals are? or whether CA is a prolonged drought? i certainly don't give a rats ass because it's not relevant to the original question.

OP, you asked about climbing high Sierra peaks. the (generally speaking) ideal time frame for that is mid-late may to mid sep. apr is usually posthole madness, end of sept you start having to deal with fall snow. don't take my word for it (i'm sure you won't HA!) - look at trip reports online and see when the majority of climbs are for the peaks you want to do. you will find they tend to run jun - aug/sep, but yes, may can happen on low snow years. we don't know what it will look like in may, but the higher elevations have received a not-insignificant amount of snow this year (some might say a drought-worthy amount even). or you can just believe mr. numerous sierra trips and book your november trip. there's no mosquitos that time of year after all.

[davidsmetzler]

Hi all--Thinking of going in (solo) to the Sierra via Shepherd Pass, climbing Williamson, then taking the JMT around to Whitney and exiting via Whitney Portal. Maybe doing Tyndall and/or Russell if time and energy allows. Questions:

(1) Is there a more direct Class 2+ way from Williamson Bowl to Whitney? It seems dubious but not impossible from the topo. I'm fine on 3rd class terrain but I do not want to do it with a full (backpacking) pack.
(1a) Even if there is such an off-trail route, would it be a lot more work than using the JMT, especially with a full pack? I suspect so but I'm still tempted by the idea of a high route.
(2) How hard would it be to get from Whitney Portal back to the Shepherd Pass TH? I see that there is a shuttle along US 395 but it would be nice to get a bit more beta.
(3) Am I crazy for thinking that I could get one of the short-notice permits for this trip, given that I want to do it at the end of July?

Thanks for any info!

[eskermo]

[Deleted]

[719BR]

Hi all--Thinking of going in (solo) to the Sierra via Shepherd Pass, climbing Williamson, then taking the JMT around to Whitney and exiting via Whitney Portal. Maybe doing Tyndall and/or Russell if time and energy allows. Questions:

(1) Is there a more direct Class 2+ way from Williamson Bowl to Whitney? It seems dubious but not impossible from the topo. I'm fine on 3rd class terrain but I do not want to do it with a full (backpacking) pack.
(1a) Even if there is such an off-trail route, would it be a lot more work than using the JMT, especially with a full pack? I suspect so but I'm still tempted by the idea of a high route.
(2) How hard would it be to get from Whitney Portal back to the Shepherd Pass TH? I see that there is a shuttle along US 395 but it would be nice to get a bit more beta.
(3) Am I crazy for thinking that I could get one of the short-notice permits for this trip, given that I want to do it at the end of July?

Thanks for any info!

1) yes, you can go over trojan and barnard. it's not even dubious, though you will have to give up a lot of elevation on the traverse between the two, as the ridge gets spicy. the lower traverse is max class 2.

1a) it would not be "a lot" more work. more work? sure. but you'd be saving yourself a lot of miles.

2) that i can't answer, but others i'm sure can

3) depends on how short notice. you'll need to get an entry pass for shepherd pass, with an exit through the whitney zone. thankfully because you're exiting via the whitney zone, you'll have an easier time getting a permit. you should be able to look at recreation.gov to see what's available on the dates you have in mind.

[seano]

Hi all--Thinking of going in (solo) to the Sierra via Shepherd Pass, climbing Williamson, then taking the JMT around to Whitney and exiting via Whitney Portal. Maybe doing Tyndall and/or Russell if time and energy allows. Questions:

(1) Is there a more direct Class 2+ way from Williamson Bowl to Whitney? It seems dubious but not impossible from the topo. I'm fine on 3rd class terrain but I do not want to do it with a full (backpacking) pack.
(1a) Even if there is such an off-trail route, would it be a lot more work than using the JMT, especially with a full pack? I suspect so but I'm still tempted by the idea of a high route.
(2) How hard would it be to get from Whitney Portal back to the Shepherd Pass TH? I see that there is a shuttle along US 395 but it would be nice to get a bit more beta.
(3) Am I crazy for thinking that I could get one of the short-notice permits for this trip, given that I want to do it at the end of July?

Thanks for any info!

(1) Yes. As brichardsson wrote, you can head south via Barnard/Trojan and Vacation Pass, which is a pain but only class 2. From there, continue over Russell-Carillon Col to keep it class 2-3, or go over Russell at class 3. Slow going, but a lot less distance than the JMT.

(2) You could hitch, but it might take all day, and potentially four legs: Down from the Portal, then from Lone Pine to Independence, then up toward Onion Valley, then up the dirt side-road to Shepherd. You might end up walking the last. I haven't done it, but it might be easier to just walk along the foothills.