Hey 419GM,
Do not give up there are other places easier to go to than down a canyon wall especially if there is no trail! I've been playing in this area since 1964 and shucks one can drive down to many of the rivers and park for the day and prospect, swim, picnic and enjoy the fresh air. Sure there will be many others there and it won't be exactly like being in a remote canyon all by yourself but you can still prospect in all the usual places, on the downriver side of large boulders and likely you will find some gold as well. Just check out your maps and drive down to one of many road/river crossings and spend the day, have some fun, maybe even talk with other folks.
I started doing what I refer to as "committed" backpacking trips, ones where a person is away from all forms of help and it takes 3 to 6 hours to hike out with your gear, many years ago. Oddly enough they just keep getting heavier and harder and I just keep doing them and now I'm 68 and still doing them. My usual pack is around 85 pounds, I've carried in 115 lbs in one shot and 200 lbs of gear over a two day period all by myself. The 115 and 200 lbs trips were a few years back and yes I was in good shape!
Since I started having lots of bear problems about 10 years ago, ones that threatened myself As Well as my children I started carrying a 44 Mag. Then when I saw a demonstration of what a real revolver could do I purchased a 454 Casull and that is the last handgun I will need to purchase, that leaves a loop hole for the just want's. It will pierce 3/8" thick steel plate and that means it will knock down anything on the North American Continent and most other continents as well. So this is my carry gun to ensure my well being from any type of beasts of the land. Do I want to shoot something, NO! Do I want to be injured by something, NO! So I choose to be able to take care of myself. I also carry the Spot Messenger GPS unit and yes it seems expensive, that is till you NEED to use it just once then it seems really cheap to own.
I've had some of the most wonderful experiences of my life hiking these sierra canyons either by myself, with my three children and with friends. Found a Two Hundred Foot tall waterfall that has loads of 18" to 24" trout at the bottom of it and hardly a soul goes in there. Found a Five Hundred Foot tall waterfall and not many folks go in there either. Odd how the tough trails tend to keep out the looky lookers. It takes work to get into some of the beautiful places and then again just at the bottom of the trail the rivers are just beautiful enough right there.
Physical condition depends a lot on your general life style. If you are 200 lbs overweight stay out till you are all the way down to what you should weigh. If you have not exercised for many years stay out till you've got enough energy to hike some simple trails with a 30 pound pack. Before you go into wilderness country be able to hike for 3 hours with a 30 pound pack, be able to take care of a snake bite, be able to take care of simple cuts and stings and bites. If you are alergic to bee stings carry a kit to counteract their venom. Always have a head covering. Always carry your own water and a way to sterelize more water when you find it. Always know where you are going and let others know where you are going, carry a map with you, carry and know how to use a compass, carry a good reflective 'thing' to use as a signal mirror. All this stuff adds up to the point that there is not much in your pack and then your pack gets heavier. Of course if you are going in only as far as the car will take you, and there is nothing wrong with that, then your list of needs will change some. In all cases you must be able to take care of yourself. If you are going to be around water then you should know how to swim. You should understand that some mountain rivers/streams are swift and therefore one needs to be careful to not let them get control of you as slamming into rocks hurts, now just how do I know that! Getting your feet trapped in the rocks is also not a good thing. I've survived all of these things for many years and I intend to continue to do so and I intend to continue to keep going "out there" as long as I can keep my body in shape to allow me to do the things I've come to love doing! You will be sitting quietly just being one with the spot, a deer or little fox or a bear will walk up and realize that you are not really a part of what it should be around but if you have the right feeling about you then lets say the deer will stay and listen to you talk to it for awhile before it slowly walks away, yes I've done this. I've also done this with a bear and they are beautiful but I've also come back to a bear attacked camp and that is not good. So prepare yourself, do some reading , some exercise, understand what you Can do and then prepare to do what you are not used to doing because as you go 'out there' you will be given the opportunity to stretch yourself and if you choose to do so you will change and for the better. You will however continue to stretch for many years to come.
Have fun, be safe and enjoy the beauty of what is out there............63bkpkr
