TR: Maverick's 2015 Annual HST Meet-Up 7/22-7/24/15

[Rockyroad]

I'm still going through work emails so won't be able to review my photos and write a trip report right away but hopefully soon. I also took some GoPro videos but haven’t reviewed any of the clips yet. Hopefully, I got some good footage so stay tuned.

As a cross-country novice, I appreciated the opportunity to hike with and learn from Oleander, Richlong8, and Bluewater. The meetup was a great experience for me: seeing new places, making new friends, sharing trail experiences, getting ideas on gear and food... And the Picket Creek and Kaweah basins are so gorgeous!

[oleander]

Rich approaching the inlet to Island Lake, after we crossed the saddle from Picket Lake.

Kaweah Basin 2015 1176.JPG

[Hobbes]

Here's a brief photo-logue of the hike from Shepherd/PCT/HST on Wed, 7/22:

Looking SE from Bighorn Plateau on the PCT/JMT. Trace snow is visible on Russell & Whitney from the Tues storm event that had me under my tarp right below Shepherd pass for 15 hrs (3pm-6am):


Same location looking SW towards Kaweahs & basin:


Heading west down the HST from the PCT/JMT junction looking across Kern canyon to the Kaweahs & basin:

[Hobbes]

Looking south down the Kern canyon from the HST above the point where it connects to the Kern river trail:


Same point looking west across Kern canyon towards the Kern-Kaweah canyon. The Colby pass trail heads up under Kern point to the right. The pyramid is Picket Guard peak that Gazelle climbed Thurs am wondering if anyone was going to show after spending Wed night alone @ the meet-up location:


The reason it's called "Junction Meadow" - sitting @ 8k, it's a 2-3k climb out to the east, west or north:

[maverick]

Hobbes wrote:
While Island lake was also awesome, I think many were wondering why this wasn't the meet-up spot. Probably because of limited camping;

Exactly Karl, wilderness impact.

[Hobbes]

Thurs 7/23 approx 11am - Picket lake looking north towards Kern point. A classic hanging bench lake that creates an 'infinity pool' effect. While Island lake was also awesome, I think many were wondering why this wasn't the meet-up spot. Probably because of limited camping; still, it's like choosing between a Ferrari or Lamborghini. PS That's Mt Williamson enveloped in clouds way to the NE:


A few hours after I took this photo, Gazelle cruised by on her way back to Island lake. I think I was the first person she saw; she was doubtful whether others would show. (To be honest, I had my doubts as well - this year's location was much tougher to reach than last year's.) Regardless, with full confidence I practically guaranteed that 3 people would make it: Oleander, Richard & BlueWater.

As we neared Island lake, Oleander - per usual - was doing her Lady Godiva thing while swimming peacefully in the middle of the lake. (She did the same thing the year before @ Wales while Jim was cooking up the trout.) She waved to us and told us that Richard and RockyRoad were also there - I think that really cheered Gazelle up. While we were having dinner, BlueWater strolled in, delivering my perfect prediction.

Lastly, while we were breaking up for bedtime in the semi-dark, MN2 & Andrey cruised up - they had heard our voices. They had just walked all the way from the Hamilton lakes over Pyra Queen col in one day. You can imagine the group reaction as the magnitude of this achievement registered - I think it's called a "pregnant pause" - LOL. Still, they're young & strong, so we didn't have to feel too badly about ourselves. They went about setting up their tent in the dark as we all went to bed.

[Hobbes]

The next morning, everyone conferred together on their chosen exit routes. The boys were worked from the day before, so were opting for Colby pass. Richard & I had to make it back to our eastern THs, so the four of us headed out for Picket lake and down to the Colby pass trail. We said our goodbyes as they took a cliffy high-line straight NW towards Gallats lake, while Richard & I (prudently) dropped down the standard route towards the trail @ 9,645'. (Standing with them above before we split up, it looked like the Whitney east buttress. This is what Gazelle came down the day before after summitting Picket Guard peak. They seemed pretty non-plussed, while Richard & I agreed we wanted none of that. )

Oleander, RockyRoad & BlueWater were heading out via Pyra Queen col, with a planned layover in upper Piket/Kaweah basin. Both Gazelle & the dos amigos had come in that way, so more information was exchanged.

Lastly, Gazelle was leaving via Kaweah pass, with the intention of also summitting Mt Kaweah for good measure. I'm sure we'll soon get to hear about her "exciting" solo adventure. Crazy stuff.

[MN2CAPisco]

Andrey and I made it back to the comforting land of triple degree heat and air so thick you can see it Sunday afternoon. After a burger and a shower I found myself wondering why we ever left the mountains at all.

Since then I've been doing a bit of sifting through photos (1142 in all!), which will take some time for certain. I'll hope to get a trip report up sometime relatively soon, perhaps as ERIC mentions the Backpacking forum is the appropriate place for that?

Meanwhile I'd like to echo the comments that it was an absolute pleasure to meet everyone out in Kaweah Basin. The long way up from Hamilton after being socked in by rain Wednesday was well worth it, just wish we had more time to hang around and talk all things High Sierra...like Hobbes mentioned on our trip over to Picket Creek, anyone willing and capable of making it to a place like Kaweah Basin must be my kind of people!

Wanted to give a sincere thank you to Maverick for putting together this event, the location was absolutely one of my favorite places I've wandered into, every step on the way down was pure bliss. Also a big thank you for steering me away from Kaweah Pass on the entry, from what "Gazelle" had to say about it I'm not certain I'd have made it at all.

Finally, here's the photo of everyone at the basin on Friday morning:


Left to Right: richlong8, Myself, Andrey, Rockyroad, YubeRiver/Gazelle, oleander, Hobbes, Bluewater

[Bluewater]

So that everyone can find it more easily (and at Eric's suggestion) I am posting a few photos as a humble beginning to what will surely be many epic trip reports from the 2015 HST Meetup over here on the Backpack / Hiking / Camping forum.

There [were] already beautiful photos and info from the meetup here [but they've since been moved to this thread]: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=12006&start=240.

The extreme weather during the first few days was a common theme for everyone. After spending hours each day in my shelter I made it out of the Tablelands and over Pterodactyl Pass, Horn Col and Coppermine Pass and finally down into the safety of the low altitude in Cloud Canyon. By avoiding my original plan to go over Triple Divide Pass I was able to stay on trail and get over Colby Pass, up the traverse to Picket Lake and over the saddle to Kaweah Basin on Thursday. As I rounded Island Lake I heard Hobbes say, "Bluewater!" and I knew I had found the HST crew.

Many thanks to everyone for being so friendly and welcoming. It was good to hear all of the stories about the journey to Kaweah Basin and talk gear, food, clothing and all things HST. I'm still sifting through photos and will post a full TR later. In the meantime here are a few from the trip to Kaweah Basin:

A short break between storms in the Tablelands:

IMG_3330-PANO.jpg

Sunrise on Horn Col & Lonely Lake:

IMG_3437-PANO.jpg

HST on Coppermine Peak (aka Peak 12,345):

coppermine peak 4.JPG

Kaweah Basin:

kaweah peaks reflection.JPG

kaweah outlet creek.jpg

kaweah outlet view.jpg

The HST crew before MN2CAPisco & Andrey arrived:

hst crew.JPG

Rocky Road on the way to Pyra-Queen Col:

IMG_3788-PANO.jpg

Oleander showing us that you can't escape Justin Bieber even at 12,900 feet:

oleander on pqc.JPG

[Bluewater]

Many thanks to everyone for being so friendly and welcoming. It was good to be part of the meetup this year, and in one of my favorite places on earth!

I started a trip report thread over on the Backpacking / Hiking / Camping forum:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=13203

kaweah outlet creek.jpg