Lost Wedding Ring -- FOUND!

[Hikin_Jim]

Pretty much a long shot, but if anyone is heading to Charlotte Lake (just off the JMT near Kearsarge Pass), I lost a man's wedding ring there this past Sunday. It's titanium (silvery in color), so no great dollar value, but of course there's sentimental value.

I camped at the west end of the lake just east of two large Knaack brand brown/tan metal tool boxes that are presumably used by horse packers as food storage boxes. Note that these boxes are not the NPS supplied bear locker which is further east. From where I was, I could see the two tool boxes out of the corner of my eye, so I was close, just east of them.

I've marked the approximate position on a topo map. Note that the position of the trail is wrong on the map. The trail ran below my position, not above it. If you zoom in on the map, you should be able to see where I've sketched in the corrected position of the trail.

Yep, major long shot I realize, but if anyone is out that way, look for it on top of a rock just east of those two tool boxes.

Much obliged,

HJ

[zippetydude]

That sucks, but I believe that the trail/mountain community is the best in the world at taking care of each other. If it shows up, I won't be surprised. If it doesn't, if you'll drive up to the closest trailhead, I just might be willing to do an immediate recon/rescue mission. How many miles rt? Doable for a trailrunner/old man? I'm off Saturday!

z

[Hikin_Jim]

Hi, Zip. From Onion Valley, up over Kearsarge Pass, it would be about 16 miles round trip, pretty doable for a runner or fast trail hiker. I'd probably have to overnight at my pace...

The trick of course is that the Onion Valley trailhead is about 4 hours drive (from Los Angeles).

If you're serious, I'd love it, but I wouldn't expect you to make a drive like that! Fabulous spot though if you're up for it (Charlotte Lake).


HJ

[HH8]

I lost a man's wedding ring

Why would anyone take one off?

[arocknoid]

That's just dreadful, Jim. With luck maybe one of the HST locals will recover it. If anyone finds it, let's hope they connect with you. Puh-leeze.

side note re: ravens, which are prone to collecting bright and shinies, much more inclined than four-footed furballs. (ref: Al Stewart tune, "... all of your jackdaw reasons.")

And HH8: lots of reasons to remove it while hiking, such as hand-washing to remove residual sunscreen, or bug spray, or in Jim's case perhaps fritter batter and whatnot. Also, sometimes fingers will swell with prolonged hiking.
It can take thirty reps or more of concentrated "I'm gonna look that ring right into my pocket" before a fail-safe ring-doff becomes habitual.

Good luck, Jim.

[zippetydude]

HJ, we've been friends for years. If you'll drive, I'll run. I'm totally serious. lmk.

z

[Hikin_Jim]

I lost a man's wedding ring

Why would anyone take one off?

Well, I'm asking my self that now (slaps forehead Homer Simpson style), but two words for you: fish guts.

I was cleaning fish, and I had fish guts all over my hands. I don't normally take it off at all, but I either took it off deliberately and forgot about it or it slipped off when I was cleaning. I have no conscious memory. Welcome to middle age, I guess.

HJ

[Hikin_Jim]

HJ, we've been friends for years. If you'll drive, I'll run. I'm totally serious. lmk.

z

And oh what a run it would be. The views in the area are outstanding.



Michiko, Joyce, and I are going up to June Lakes for a church function in two weeks. I'll go in myself then -- if it doesn't turn up prior from someone else finding it. I'd rather do it that way instead of potentially wasting your time (and I have a class I need to teach this Sunday morning and I need to be somewhat fresh). I think let's do it this way, but I super appreciate the offer.

HJ

[Hikin_Jim]

In case people don't know what I mean by a Knaack tool box, this is a big, honking tool chest, the kind that gets left at a job site. I think they're about 4 1/2 feet wide and maybe 3 1/2 feet tall. Big. I have no idea how they got these things up there (there are two of them), even with mules.



There were two of these, about where I've shown them on the linked topo map in my first post. I was in a flat area just east of the two tool boxes. I could see the closer tool box quite clearly. Maybe I was 30 yards away. I was above the trail even though the topo map shows the trail higher than where I was. The topo map is wrong in that aspect.

So, the references are:
1. Just east (30 yds?) of the two big Knaack boxes.
2. Above the trail.
3. In a flat area (basically a camp site)
4. West of the outlet of Charlotte Lake.

The ring is most likely still on top of the rock that I seem to recall that I set it on.

HJ

[HH8]

The ring is most likely still on top of the rock

If I found one, I'd deliver it to the nearest Ranger station lost&found.
Try calling before you drive.