Eleanor to Kibbie to Inferno Options

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kpeter
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Eleanor to Kibbie to Inferno Options

Post by kpeter »

On Monday I start in to Kibbie Lake and beyond. I decided that rather than hike Kibbie Ridge on the first day, I would overnight at Kibbie, and then head from Kibbie lake to the ridge on the second day. If anyone has done that cross-x, advice about the route would be appreciated. It looks like going NW from the lake's NW inlet and coming up onto the ridge in the vicinity of the pond at 7270 is the least steep route.

The road is currently closed to Shingle Springs and is open only as far as the Eleanor trailhead. I can either hike the extra two miles up the trail to Shingle Springs--probably in a burn zone--or I could take the alternate trail that goes direct to Kibbie from Eleanor without going via Shingle Springs. Has anyone been on this trail? Is it still passable? I wouldn't mind some variety, but that route also crosses the Kibbie outlet twice, which I am not sure will or won't be a problem.

I am keeping my goals fluid on this 5 day trip, but I would like to make Inferno Lakes at some point. I've been to Many Island, Boundary, and Lord Meadow so would like to take in something new. I wonder about coming out via Flora.
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Re: Eleanor to Kibbie to Inferno Options

Post by SSSdave »

I reread your 2012 trip report. You've barely make a dent in what is up there. That was an awful drought year, no wonder Cherry Creek was boring. And ho hum Inferno Lakes are near the bottom of a list of things to do.

Hiking from Kibbie to the ridge issue will be deadfalls and brush, especially whitethorn. The wisest strategy would be to carefully draw out a route while looking at Google Earth plus the topo, avoiding the brush and really green looking areas with deadfall.

The Eleanor trail is longer and more vertical and at least decades ago was mainly used by equestrians. You are mentioning Flora besides your Kibbie diversion. No way to fit that in with just 5 days. Those glaciated granite landscapes full of brush and cliffs have many difficulties.

The most exciting thing this early June will be Cherry Creek as there is a lot of melting snow much higher up coming down now. From 6900 to 7400 has some amazing hydraulics. As for the Boundary zone try hiking early morning around the east side and continue on up above around Little Bear and Spotted Fawn. And if there is still gas in your tank check the amazing cliff view from the top of Nance Peak. Oh and the really impressive stuff is not Lord Meadow but rather a half mile upstream at the 7680+ dome.
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Re: Eleanor to Kibbie to Inferno Options

Post by kpeter »

SSSdave wrote:I reread your 2012 trip report. You've barely make a dent in what is up there. That was an awful drought year, no wonder Cherry Creek was boring. And ho hum Inferno Lakes are near the bottom of a list of things to do.

Hiking from Kibbie to the ridge issue will be deadfalls and brush, especially whitethorn. The wisest strategy would be to carefully draw out a route while looking at Google Earth plus the topo, avoiding the brush and really green looking areas with deadfall.

The Eleanor trail is longer and more vertical and at least decades ago was mainly used by equestrians. You are mentioning Flora besides your Kibbie diversion. No way to fit that in with just 5 days. Those glaciated granite landscapes full of brush and cliffs have many difficulties.

The most exciting thing this early June will be Cherry Creek as there is a lot of melting snow much higher up coming down now. From 6900 to 7400 has some amazing hydraulics. As for the Boundary zone try hiking early morning around the east side and continue on up above around Little Bear and Spotted Fawn. And if there is still gas in your tank check the amazing cliff view from the top of Nance Peak. Oh and the really impressive stuff is not Lord Meadow but rather a half mile upstream at the 7680+ dome.
Thanks Dave, that is exactly the kind of information I need. You've been a big help for several of my trips!
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Re: Eleanor to Kibbie to Inferno Options

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I did a similar trip Memorial Day 2016, six day trip including driving. The road to Shingle Springs was open, which made a big difference. In my opinion the more scenic areas were 1) Lord Meadow, 2) Spotted Fawn, 3) Nance Peak, 4) Inferno Lakes, 5) Boundary Lake. Although hard to get to (post-hole snow), I also liked the view from the lakes near Mercur Peak. The route to Inferno Lakes was almost all snow, but could stay on top easily. I walked down to Fawn Lake, and then up past Barrett Lakes to Many Island Lake- the scenery not really worth all this effort and the route-finding was very tricky (would not do that part again). Definitely Lord Meadow is worth a day or more, beautiful camping. I just stopped and did a short day-hike downstream.

The trip was a bit rigorous- about 8 miles every day. The off-trail was pretty rough in places. I had to wade into lakes waist deep in one place. This time of year, this route is very soggy, but I think I beat the main mosquito hatch.

I wrote a trip report; you may want to read it. Photos are probably gone now since I did not pay for continuing Photobucket. I could add some of the photos if it would help you. Here is a map of my route. Sorry that it is hard to distinguish the red (day hike) line from the Yosemite Boundary. The blue lines are backpack miles.
SpottedFawn_Map1_reduced.jpg
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Re: Eleanor to Kibbie to Inferno Options

Post by kpeter »

Thank you so much, WD! I remember reading your earlier trail report at the time and being enchanted. I found it again and it is quite helpful, and the pictures are still active. I think this was after your photobucket issue.

http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... hilit=Fawn

I just put in another day's worth of food to extend this to six days.

I am taking along your report and SSSDaves for some on-trail advice. You both seem to have thought Cherry Creek and Nance Peak were highlights, and you both sounded notes of caution about Flora given my constraints. At this point I am thinking:

1) Kibbie Lake--camp a ways up the inlet on the NW corner near the cascades. I scouted this on my 2011 trip there.
2) Ascend to the ridge trail--through Styx Pass to Lord Meadows. Sunset pictures down canyon.
3) Morning explore up canyon to 7600. Afternoon move camp to Little Bear or Spotted Fawn, exploring east side of Boundary as I go (since I've done Boundary before.)
4) Dayhikes. Either/or Inferno Lakes, Nance Peak.
5) Morning dayhike, perhaps climb a knob like 7879 in morning and then move camp to somewhere along Kibbie Ridge part way.
6) Out and home

2016 was a slightly above average snow year, while we are at 2/3 normal, so I don't expect to expect that Cherry Creek will be quite as nice as either of you saw, and I don't expect to see any snow even if I head to Inferno Lakes. I think it is safe to leave my microspikes at home. But Cherry Creek should be much nicer than my 2012 trip several weeks later in June.
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Re: Eleanor to Kibbie to Inferno Options

Post by Wandering Daisy »

Once you initially get into the area around Boundary Lake and Lord Meadow, everything else is pretty close. Too bad the road to Shingle Springs may not be open. Hope you have a good trip. Not sure if the trail was in good shape when you went in last, but in 2016 the CCC crew had just cleared the trail and it was in good shape all the way to Lord Meadow, except where snow covered or excessively boggy due to melting snow.
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Re: Eleanor to Kibbie to Inferno Options

Post by SSSdave »

We should finally get a clear image Worldview satellite image of the Sierra today after weeks of clouds. Lets hope it is not a blurry shot. Looking at CDEC information for Lower Kibbie Ridge, aka LKB at 6700 feet, snow melted out on April 14 thus all should be well dry there with wildflowers in gruss flats. The nearest CDEC remote gauge from Styx Pass near 8k is 18 miles away at White Wolf. Snow melted out there on May 9. Thus at most likely will see just patches of snow in shadiest locations even at 8000 feet. Could be a lot of mosquitoes at Lord Meadows unless one of the cold fronts this month got below freezing and killed them. I will be interested in your report as I have sized up a 7 day trip possible late in June

Also looked at Cherry Creek flow graph, aka UCC at 4750 feet just before it reaches the reservoir, and current flow is 369 cfs. Has been as high as 2000 this month and hit 15,000 during the AR storm in April so there ought to be wood high above the river bed.
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Re: Eleanor to Kibbie to Inferno Options

Post by SSSdave »

Indeed mostly clear satellite view today. See this Conditions thread:

http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... 22#p135622
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