TR: Upper West Walker
Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2014 1:09 pm
A 3 day/ 2 night trip to the head of the West Walker river in Hoover Wilderness 09/30/2014.
After checking forecasts, ahead of a Bay Area heatwave, I headed for the hills. Picked up a permit at Pinecrest, drove over Sonora Pass and by the aspen groves
, arrived at Leavitt Meadow trailhead. On the trail at mid-day with the view of Tower Peak ahead. Passed Roosevelt/Lane Lakes , and trudged beyond the narrow river gorge, and through aspen groves and river ox-bow meadows. The river seemed very languid, not in a hurry to empty into desert. Late afternoon I reached Upper Piute meadows and plunked down on a site overlooking the meadow , with views of alpenglow on Tower Peak and Hawksbeak. The night started early and clear, but around 10:00 P.M. clouds appeared on the ridges and to the north, they never made it directly overhead, but made for frequent checks until they disappeared around 03:00. The morning was frosty and clear, and I was slow to crawl out and start the day. I dayhiked up the West Walker canyon to more meadows with views of Tower Pk and Hawksbeak, and reached the divide between Hoover Wilderness and Yosemite, and scrambled up S.E. slope of Hawksbeak. Terrific view, especially of north Yosemite peaks , extended from Sawtooth ridge to the Clark Range. Descended with some bushwacking to Kirkwood Pass , then followed the trail ,back at camp late afternoon. Another fine display of alpenglow that evening.This night the sky stayed clear, and dawn was colder than the previous one. Hiked out the next morning, meeting first people of trip that afternoon. All in all a fine Indian Summer trip.
After checking forecasts, ahead of a Bay Area heatwave, I headed for the hills. Picked up a permit at Pinecrest, drove over Sonora Pass and by the aspen groves
, arrived at Leavitt Meadow trailhead. On the trail at mid-day with the view of Tower Peak ahead. Passed Roosevelt/Lane Lakes , and trudged beyond the narrow river gorge, and through aspen groves and river ox-bow meadows. The river seemed very languid, not in a hurry to empty into desert. Late afternoon I reached Upper Piute meadows and plunked down on a site overlooking the meadow , with views of alpenglow on Tower Peak and Hawksbeak. The night started early and clear, but around 10:00 P.M. clouds appeared on the ridges and to the north, they never made it directly overhead, but made for frequent checks until they disappeared around 03:00. The morning was frosty and clear, and I was slow to crawl out and start the day. I dayhiked up the West Walker canyon to more meadows with views of Tower Pk and Hawksbeak, and reached the divide between Hoover Wilderness and Yosemite, and scrambled up S.E. slope of Hawksbeak. Terrific view, especially of north Yosemite peaks , extended from Sawtooth ridge to the Clark Range. Descended with some bushwacking to Kirkwood Pass , then followed the trail ,back at camp late afternoon. Another fine display of alpenglow that evening.This night the sky stayed clear, and dawn was colder than the previous one. Hiked out the next morning, meeting first people of trip that afternoon. All in all a fine Indian Summer trip.