Amelia Earhart Peak Climb

Jon carried his fancy Gitzo Mountaineer graphite-fiber tripod on this trip. Yeah, it was useful for telephoto shots and the panorama, but it served very well as a crutch. (image #040807-130)

Gitzo as a graphite crutch. (image #040807-131)

The Ranger rode in from Tuolumne 10 miles on his horse with a second horse for Deanna about 3:30 PM. The two of them rode back the ten miles leaving about 4:00 PM and got in about 7:30 PM. (Photo by Wayne; image #040807-133)

Deanna is in higher spirits now that she's on her way home without the use of a helicopter. (Photo by Wayne; image #040807-134)

The Ranger making last-minute adjustments. (Photo by Wayne; image #040807-135)

Maurie and Deanna petting Moose, the horse. (image #040807-136)

"I'll see you soon, Mama." (image #040807-137)

Our Ranger. (image #040807-138)

Deanna and the Ranger head out. Ten miles and three and a half miles to Tuolumne Meadows. I stuffed about 20 pounds of gear into Deanna's saddle bags plus that stuffsack with a sleeping bag, down jacket, and GoreTex parka in it. (image #040807-139)

Jess emailed me the after we all got home to see how things went. He wrote: "Got your e-mail address from Wayne Penn after we got back to camp. The next morning Wayne and Maurie came by to say thanks, and let us know that Mary Jane had gone for help. We couldn't stay to find out the results, but on the way out we saw a Ranger leading a horse to Ireland Lake and inquired, he said it was for a hurt lady, so we knew that Mary Jane had been successful." (image #040807-140)

Well, Maurie was not about to spend a second night away from Mama. We took down half the camp and packed it up. (Photo by Wayne; image #040807-141)

Maurie carried ten pounds and my pack weighed in at 79 pounds. (Photo by Wayne; image #040807-143)

We left Ireland Lake at 4:50 PM and got to the car before 11:00 PM with the last three miles done by head-lamp light. (Photo by Wayne; image #040807-144)

that little girl is a hero the way she hiked ten miles out with me in under six hours starting at nearly five in the afternoon. (image #040807-146)

Mary Jane hiked out of Vogelsang via Rafferty Creek and met Deanna and the Ranger that evening. Maurie and I came in by LED headlamplight about two-and-a-half yours later. Deanna, Maurie, and I drove back to Oakland with a stop for a nap out of Oakdale and Maurie made it home in time to go see the Giants beat the Cubs Sunday (great catch and all). Mary Jane drove to Merced Saturday and got a motel and a shower then headed on to San Diego to visit another geology researcher and meet her boyfriend's parents. Jon and Wayne hiked out Saturday and got home fine. (Photo by Mary Jane; image #040811-010)

After two days with that boot on her foot, Deanna was finally at the car where she didn't need it to walk any more so off it came. A bit puffy, huh? (Photo by Mary Jane; image #040811-012)

After the Trip - Getting a Leg Up

I took Deanna to the doctor and the x-rays showed she had a hairline fracture of the lower tibia so we got her a moon-boot-looking air cast and she went to work the next day (Tuesday). (image #x-ray)

I called this Deanna's "Neil Armstrong" boot but Deanna thinks it is more like an Imperial Star Trooper's boot. (image #040809-0487)

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