Hey guys. Been lurking for awhile and figured it was time to sign up. I’m definitely a lighting person in general, including flashlights but I am a lantern person at heart. Yes, I actually collect them though they all get used at some point; camping, backpacking, black-outs, working outside at night, etc. Glad to be here!
It's a pleasure to know you, Subterrestrial!
Welcome! Hope you’ve been following the BLF lantern project thread!
Welcome to the forum. There’s some nice mountains out west.
Thanks!
Yes, I am intrigued by this!
The Sierra Nevadas are great. I was fortunate to be able to spend a decent amount of time in the Sierras this past summer; camping, etc.
Welcome!
For lazy hikers like me, the Sierra's are the best. They give you world-class vistas, combined with mild Summer weather that allows you to wear shorts and a T-shirt at 12,000 feet. Few places on Earth are so friendly to hikers.
(But that does not mean you don't need to carry enough supplies to spend the night if you twist an ankle or face a similar unexpected event. Even on a day-hike, I used to carry three or four layers of clothing in my pack, along with a "space" blanket.)
Welcome to BLF!
Yeah DBSAR is working on a sweet lantern that’s for sure!
Hey, I know the Sierra Nevadas a little.
I used to live in Porterville (and Visalia) and my mom worked at Bank of the Sierra.
I used to go to Lodgepole and check out General Sherman on the way. 
Totally agree, always “be prepared to get lost”. Yesterday I climbed Mt Tallac and though I got a late start and knew I’d probably be coming out in the dark, I wasn’t worried because I had my flashlight and headlamp with me and I definitely ended up using them. I also carry a couple of knives, plenty of fire-starting implements and some hand warmers (as a last resort).
Thanks. Yeah, I hope he can find a manufacturer. That thing is boss!
Dude, Lodgepole is the best! Definitely one of my favorite campgrounds. I stayed there this past summer and spent the entire week just exploring the Giant’s Forest alone. I love being able to basecamp somewhere and hike in, instead of having to drive to a trailhead every day.
My hike down from the peak of Mt. Tallac was one of those adventures where I learned to carry more. Like you, I came down after dark. My flashlights were fine, but I began to shiver when the late October cold set in.
For those unfamiliar with the name, Mt. Tallac sits above Lake Tahoe’s Emerald Bay. The views of Tahoe from the peak are some of the best you can get.
Edit: Found this stunning, 360-degree panoramic photo showing the views from atop Mt. Tallac.
Welcome to BLF…your new cyber home for a long time
I’m bad about carrying extra layers. I get overheated very easily and the cold doesn’t really bother me much unless I’m not moving for long periods of time, so it’s just dead weight for something I never end up using.
Thanks for sharing that panorama, very cool! I wondered about those lakes you can see in the back country from the backside of Mt Tallac. I’m sure I’ve seen them on a map before, but couldn’t remember the names. There’s a small one above and to the south of Gilmore Lake (you can see it in the panorama) and I could swear there was another huge one above them.
Thanks! No place I’d rather be.
I think small one is Susie Lake. I am not sure about the other. During the final part of the hike up to the peak of Mt. Tallac, you get views to the west, looking into Desolation Wilderness. I remember enjoying the views of Susie and Gillmore for a long time.
Here's a tip for would-be hikers of Mt. Tallac. Stay away from Lake Tahoe during summer weekends. The crowds are enormous. I believe the short, 1-mile hike up to nearby Eagle Lake is the single most popular trail in all of the Sierras. You don't want to be there when everyone else is. Tahoe is better when you go midweek, and, if possible, before Memorial Day or after Labor Day.
For good weekend hiking during the tourist season, try Alpine County, just to the south. It's still something of a secret.
Another tip is to start late, and come down after dark. Flashaholics will understand how perfectly reasonable this is. When I visited Eagle Lake, I started around 4 p.m.. On the way up, I passed something like 300 people who were on their way home. By the time I reached the lake, I had the whole thing to myself!
Mt. Tallac, however, is an all-day affair. Even if you are planning to stay late, you want to get started well before noon.
Welcome, nice to have you.
That’s what I love about the Sierras! You think you’re in the real high elevation, far in the back country and as you climb higher you realize there are far higher, far more remote places. Glimpses of the Desolation Wilderness in the Tahoe basin or of the Great Western Divide from Sequoia are some of my favorites.
Excellent advice KIL. I also find that Mondays are bad, even in the off-season. I don’t know if it’s people on a long weekend, squeezing in one last hike before they leave or what. But yeah, mid-week, even Friday late morning, early afternoon is not bad.
I just did Eagle Lake the day before Mt Tallac. Eagle Falls was bone dry! Oh well, rainy season hasn’t started yet.
Thanks southland.