High Sierra Topix

Hello.

I have been a long time lurker of HST. I finally registered.

We are a group of 5(now 4, it looks like) starting june 2nd on the High Sierra Trail. West to East. Starting June 2nd which will only be 1/2 a hiking day. We could leave June 1st even. A partner in crime cannot make it for work reasons. Is there a short cut to say Morraine Lake or Kern Hot springs where he could meet us starting june 4th. I cannot find my golden trout Harrison map. I looked into Mineral King to Black Rock Pass to Big Arroyo Junction thats 17.5miles. it is 23.4 miles from High sierra Trail to Big Arroyo Junction. So not really cutting much for him.

Soda Creek, Rattlesnake creek....maybe options?

Thank you so much in advance.

Remember that your friend needs a different permit than you will have....

Does your friend hike crazy miles in a day? Have a helicopter? Unless he's into wacky cross country climb-y bushwhack-y routes, Franklin Pass down Rattlesnake and north in Kern Canyon is about the most straightforward - one pass, good trails.

Monarch to Sawtooth involves picking the right use trail up - he'd need to know the way. Going over Timber and then Black Rock is lots of climbing.

Hi Piripi,

Welcome to HST! What is your groups experience level? Even more important, what
is your friends experience level, and what day is he supposed to leave to rendezvous
with the group? All three pass will still have a lot of snow in a week, Black Rock Pass
(11680 ft), Sawtooth Pass (11720 ft), and Franklin Pass (11720 ft), snow is reported
starting above 10000 ft: http://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/trailcond.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Even your group could have a difficult time on the way up to Kaweah Gap.
The map you are looking for is the Harrison Map: Mt. Whitney High Country Trail Map

He can do 17-20 miles a day if it is well establish trail. We are working on the helicopter.....invigorating substances ......

I looked into Cold springs to Franklin Pass to rattlesnake Point up to Kern Hot Springs. If my math is not bad that is 21.5. Doable in 1 day and a half(pretty good elevation gain and prob lots of snow up there) . So far this is the best route I have found.

I do have the MT whitney Harrison map. But i dont have the golden trout one so after that Junction before Forester Lake to Soda creek I dont have info.

Our experience level is decent. Comfortable with class 3 and 4 mountaineering. We are hoping to leave axe and crampons home. We will take a 8mm 30m for just in case.

thanks for quick input

The Franklin>Rattlesnake>HST/Kern Junction is 22.6 miles, and if the person is
experienced then would be the most desirable trailed route.
By the way, how are you getting back to your car, and how about you friend? Mineral
King is a long ways from no where. Are you coming back via the HST and splitting
back up again?

PS Sorry with all the questions but we do not know you, or your group, and we
have had many folks come on HST before asking for info only to find out 3
pages in that the person/persons did not have a clue in what they were doing,
and were endangering their and their friends lives, which is why this thread was
developed for folks asking for trip advice: http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... f=1&t=4205" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
We would rather be safe on HST then be sorry, and give out unqualified person/
persons dangerous advice!

good luck. god bless (pick a god). and look forward to your TR when you get back.

I will for sure post a TR. We should be one of the first one to cross it or so the ranger said. We will see what he decides to do. Thanks for the quick responses.

The "short-cut" proposed is not that much of a mileage savings. The short cut may make sense if it were August. Although it seems a long slog to Hamilton Lake, it is a good trail and you can go fast and this is part of the route that is snow free. I have easily made it to Hamilton Lake in 7-8 hours and I am not even that fast. Plus, the late person would miss a large, very scenic, chunk of the High Sierra Trail. It makes more sense to me for that person to follow the route and just do more miles and eventually catch up with the group. I suspect that all of you will be slowed down by snow. Remember that snow is walkable in AM but post-hole conditions in afternoon. You need to time your snow walking for morning.

He could also come in from the other side, for that matter. Key exchanges are often the solution to shuttling or taking extra time to stage cars.

Hi piripi,
Among the many tradeoffs (some that folks have mentioned) include that the MK road takes longer and it will be necessary to secure the vehicle against the infamous marmots. That said, here's the link to the MK webcams (Farewell & Timber Gaps) which tells you almost as much about snow up there as you'll need:

http://www.mk-webcam.net/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Personally, I'm guessing your pal could get up over Sawtooth, but I'd worry a bit about the creek crossing before the ascent to Moraine Lake. I've done that in Aug/Sept, but early season may be a different story. Still, snow probably is easier to climb than the sand/gravel at the top of Sawtooth. But, overall, Daisy's idea of just doing double time on the HST should work and he will have the benefit of following your tracks over Kaweah Gap.
cg