I've been backpacking in the Sierra for 40+ years and have learned a thing or 2 in that time. I like to share advice so that others can learn from my mistakes. I love the outdoors and like to share trip reports to inspire others to get out there. I'm also a certified arborist so I throw in a few videos about the Sierra trees I love. I don't take myself too seriously so neither should you. Work is something I do to pay for vacations in the great outdoors!
Across the valley other side of Caples Lake there is evidence of some pretty dramatic glaciation, as matter of fact ice covered that entire area or at least the valley floors over there, similar to some areas of Yosemite though not as pronounced but sill image Kirkwood Valley and Caples Lake area full of ice 1500-2000ft thick...
Beautiful area this really encourages me to get out and hike more. Looks like you’re doing well with those two replacement knees. You actually helped me with a lot of my questions when I was getting my knee replaced I live in New Jersey and I was waiting in the waiting room to have my knee replaced and you text me to say good luck with that today, but don’t blame me in two weeks. When You’re in a lot of pain LOL You look great. Keep on hiking.😎
Looks like a nice hike in an interesting part of the Sierra Nevadas. I hope to get back to some local hiking. Last hike I took in our Thunder Mountains otherwise known as the Huachucas I did fine, even though a snail could have beat me in a race I have made a wonderful comeback after almost 3 years of recovering from painful, disablina cg injuries. I am right now putting in 6 to 7 hours a day landscaping my place from the ground up. As I am reaching a good point to take a break and as the weather cools I'll begin working my way up a canyon 4 miles with a 2800 ft elevation gain. I don't know how long it might take me to condition enough to do that but I'll be hiking and given that I'm soon turning 83 that's pretty good. I always enjoy your vids and seeing those great Mountains again. BTW was your hike on the Western side or Eastern side of Carson Pass?
I last did this hike 20 years ago with the 4th grade hiking club so it was sad to see the fire damage. Fire in the Sierra can be normal but not at the scale of these recent giant fires.
My friend and I stayed in a cabin at Kit Carson Lodge on Silver Lake from 10/4 - 10/8. Hauled our kayaks up and had a grand time paddling and doing short day hikes in the area. We were nearly alone on the lake and trails. Thunder Mountain is a beautiful sight from Silver Lake. I looked at the maps and wished I could hike to the top, but my friend is unable to hike that many miles. I predicted that the trail was on the somewhat narrow ridge between Caples and Silver lakes. Watching you, I think it might be the same ridge I could see. While paddling in and walking around the lake, we saw many volcanic intrusions. Now I know what they’re called! Thanks Apeman. 😊
Thanks for the video America has amazing species that must be preserved in sanctuary. Here in Brazil we suffer with wood stolen gangs. Criminal companies that kill police government . Inocent suffer with the criminal fire
You stopped at the first Twin Lake? You should have crossed the outlet stream and accessed the second Twin Lake, plus two other lakes just beyond the first lake. I've hiked and backpacked there many times before I moved out of CA.
Thank you for taking time to make this video and share your story. Q: Did you have an "allograft interposition" (replacement carpal bones from cadaver) inserted? Or just removal for the proximal carpal bones?
I just had the bones removed and my wrist is just a simple hinge joint now. You get used to it even though it’s not nearly as flexible but it’s pain and swelling free! 👍🏾 It’s my non dominant hand so that helps.
Hello Mr. Apeman, how is your wrist 8 years after PRC surgery. I had the surgery on September 13th and I am a little nervous. I want to be able to exercise again lifting weights. Were you able to get back to that and is your wrist still holding up?
I don’t even think about it anymore. No pain and I do whatever I want albeit with less flexibility but you get used to it. My fingers have become more flexible making up for less flexibility in the wrist. I’m 100% satisfied. Good luck!
@@bradfrazer4137 I tore my ACL and meniscus in one knee and the meniscus in the other one. Surgeries repaired those but the bone on bone and swelling and discomfort finally drove me to go for the total knee replacements and everything is great now! Still no pain or swelling and I don’t baby them.
@@ApeMan thanks for your reply. I am 48 and have a bucket handle tear of my lateral meniscus on right knee and found another tear in medial left knee. Surgeon wants to remove 50% of lateral and trim 10% of medial. Says it’s a waste of time to repair. I am so depressed that my life of wakeboarding, snowboarding and skydiving is now over. Time to take up my other sports of cave diving and go kart racing? Less stress on my knees? How long before I start suffering bone on bone pain and need TKR? One friend said he lived for 15 years after having meniscus removed and others say only 2 years.
@@bradfrazer4137 At your younger age you want to delay the tkr as long as possible. I milked my bone on bone knees for 15 years before the tkr. Icing, bracing, swelling, trouble sleeping etc. looking back I probably waited five years too long but still played sports. I chose to give up downhill skiing and basketball which sucked but I’m so happy with my pain free knees!
@@ApeMan how long before you had bone on bone? I thought the cartilage had to wear down first? So this is my future? 15 years of icing, bracing, swelling and trouble sleeping?
I'm glad you're doing well. I also had a great surgeon. I am only 9 weeks out. My surgeon told me beforehand things I could not do afterwards. No jumping, running anything with twisting and jerking movements. I never did those things anyway. Only walked a lot. He said walking and hiking, swimming is fine. I had the traditional surgery. I have heard with the Mayko Robotic you can do more activities. I am 67 and want this knee to last the rest of my life. So, I will be guarded. Another point, though I was bone on bone and had a shredded meniscus, I would have had the surgery at least 2 years ago, but the hyaluronic acid gel shots got me by for a year and half. Took 75 % of my pain away. So, I never had the extreme suffering that most do but was the pain ever so overwhelming especially the 1st 2 weeks! Hopefully, by the time you see this you would have had the other knee don. Best of luck.
I have to tell myself not to do some things since I’m pain free and it’s tempting. I really want to go skiing but I will have to settle for other fun activities. Glad yours is going well! 😃
6 months in for me and my knee is wonderful, no pain and it feels as good as my other knee. You must bend it a lot in the early weeks other wise you will get trouble with it. By the way l spent 10 days in hospital with it due to a blood problem with low platelets. The pain l had for the first week was very bad but boy l quickly got better and now it’s fantastic.
@@markshepherd7367 We are lucky that ours turned out so well! No swelling or pain 👍🏾 You are right - do the work and bending early. Yes it hurts like hell the first week but the end result is sooo worth it!
I'm getting my right knee replaced in January 2025. My favorite hobby now is disc golf. It's low impact and pretty easy on the knees. However, there is a twisting motion involved when throwing the disc. Much like a batter swinging a baseball/softball bat. Does the twisting motion bother you?
@@kevinpowers9024 Not at all. I just played 18 holes of disc golf a month ago with no ill effects. I’ve played lots of softball too with no problems. Best of luck on your journey!
I’m not sure about the robot surgery. I climb mountains and pretty much can do anything in the backpacking and hiking world. Google “ape man tallac” and you can see a mountain hike of 10 miles I did 2 weeks ago. No I’ll effects on my knees.
First hiked it in. 1974. View never disappoints! I'm headed to the Loon Lake trailhead in 3 weeks to get into the Rubicon valley. Snow stopped me last month at the Rock bound Pass.
Not to bad on the west side…yet. It all depends which way the wind blows. I saw the smoke from the Chico area fire in the distance from the summit of Tallac. Hoping the rest of the summer isn’t filled with smoke and fires! Fingers crossed.
There's a fairly large one across the street from where my brother lives in Tacoma. At first I thought that it was a sequoia but looking closer I figured out that it was an incense cedar. Google also helped a lot. Super cool looking trees when they get big, but you're right about them needing a lot of real estate.
Nice to see you again. Your first video I saw was of you and your daughter on the JMT. I seem to do pretty good at altitude. Mt. Whitney was a bit of a strain, but not horrible. On the other hand my wife just can't acclimate. Anything above 6500' and she's like a fish out of water. 😒
@@garyleibitzke4166 Some of us are fortunate and just do better at altitude. My daughter does well at altitude also but my wife not so much. Enjoy those beautiful high places and thanks for watching!
@@peterbedford2610 With this crazy hot weather we’ve had the last two weeks it should be passable now. Still will have patches of snow but should be a good boot track through those. Be safe out there and hopefully the huffing and puffing will be better next hike. 😊
I learned about altitude sickness the hard way when I went to Steamboat Springs Colorado. Boy that was a whole new experience in being sick. That kinda sick was comparable to the way I felt years later when I had a heart attack. Hydrate HYDRATE HYDRATE.... and don't be too active until you've been there for a few days. Frog Lake?
