Tehipite Valley

[RoguePhotonic]

Make sure you have a head net. The little gnat flies that I simply call face flies are horrendous down there. Once you enter the oak forests it's all over.

[jmherrell]

Not a lot to add but everyone's trip is different. I entered from the Rancheria trailhead in June 82, a high water year. The switchbacks are steep of course but a bigger problem was the numerous big steps. It's annoying both up and down. From some of the very difficult descents I've heard of I'm guessing that a big problem is walking off the end of a switchback probably enabled by game trails. The poison oak started at about 5000'.

Crown Creek was impassable of course at least for mortals. We spent two days in the valley and explored. A trip to Little Tehipite Valley was not worth it. A hike to the base of Silver Spray Falls turned into a bloody dead manzanita bushwhack, almost worth it.

One bear I think several times, no problems. 2 rattle snakes, no problems. No memorable bug problems, bug problems are always memorable even after many years.

I'm glad I did it once but will probably not return.

Jim

[jmherrell]

For the curious who don't care about the "I did Tehipite Valley" T-shirt, there are a couple of overlooks with excellent views. At the top of the switchbacks there are excellent views down. From point 7,230 there are excellent views of the dome from a mile away. Leave the trail near Hay Meadow and head northeast a half mile.

Jim

[limpingcrab]

OK, I haven't been in Tehipite proper but I've been to the top of Tehipite Dome, up to Little Tehipite Valley, into the Gorge of Despair and down a ways from Simpson Meadow so I am familiar with the approaches. Don't write off the Wishon approach too soon. If you go up to Spanish Mountain and then down to Geraldine Lakes the are amazing views and it's a beautiful little basin with few people. You'll need those trail-finding skills you mentioned.

At the same time, the Middle Fork of the Kings is Beautiful all the way down but if you can work out a shuttle it would be nice to avoid walking all the way down and all the way back up it. I came from South Lake in August of 2011 and was the first person to do those creek crossing and didn't have any problems (although I'm very comfortable with river crossings). No fly problems. They actually sent a trail crew person all the way to Simpson Meadow with instructions to count downed trees and look for our bodies in the river

Going up from Road's End and down "The ****" and back out would probably be more work than necessary since it's beautiful but not significantly more so than the other routes.

20131012_020.jpg

Upper Geraldine Lake, the Obelisk and the Middle Fork drainage from Spanish Mountain.

[Wandering Daisy]

Thanks everyone. Lots of good information! Here is what I ended up with for a tentative plan:

1. drive to South Lake and walk into Saddlerock Lake
2. over Bishop Pass and down trails to the Palisade Creek/Middle Fork confluence (missing bridge)
3. down trail to Simpson Meadow, cross Middle Fork, and on to Kennedy Creek confluence (or thereabouts)
4. down to Crown Creek
5. return to Kennedy Creek or Simpson Meadow.
6. return to JMT, and up it a short distance
7. to Palisade Lake (easy day and contingency)
8. High Route to the lower Barrett Lakes via Cirque Pass and Potluck Pass
9. Day hike to Lake 11115 and over Knapsack Pass, to Dusy Basin Lake at 11430 (or if out of food I can bail out via Thunderbolt Pass)
10. Out over Bishop Pass and drive home

Still not sure of the timing. Perhaps mid-June. Definitely will bring fishing gear, head net, and wear gaiters for the brush. Now if I can talk some poor masochistic soul into going with me.

[limpingcrab]

The common thing I always hear from people who go to Tehipite Valley is that they wish they had more time down there. No way to work in a rest day in TV? I'm going down in August for 5 rest days! Well, I'll be climbing so they're not really rest days and it'll give me plenty to do.

[Wandering Daisy]

There is some contingency in the schedule. I have conservatively estimated traveling only 1 mph between Simpson Meadow to TV and may be able to get there earlier. If the bugs are bad, I am not that interested in hanging out. I have 1-2 days on the return that I can skip if I choose to stay longer in TV, by either returning on the same in-route or going out from Barrett Lakes via Thunderbolt Pass (one day out instead of two via Knapsack Pass). I usually can beat my planned travel times and am more commonly a day ahead of schedule instead of behind. So if the lure of Tehipite Valley is strong, I will stay longer!