Help planning for late 2016 trip

[Sierra Miguel]

I can't but think that you're going to run out of side trips on a 14-day plan through there.

Consider extending your loop to the northwest. I don't know the passes, but if you can get over to the JMT west of Mt. Hilgard, that area is pretty. Italy Pass looks like a good route over.

[AlmostThere]

Two weeks also means a LONG ways out from a reliable weather report.

The backcountry ranger stations get daily reports by radio, and many of the hikers will have days-old reports from the TH or from Muir Ranch. Not sure what date the (summer) rangers close up shop.

A serious storm is more probable. Few of us would do a 2-week trip late season.

A storm of a few days seems to roll through in mid-October, just like this year. If you're only two days from the TH and getting recent reports, it's not hard to get out safely. There's also Lamarck Col for a quick and easy exit, since you won't have dogs.

The backcountry rangers start closing up shop when the resorts, pack stations, High Sierra camps, etc. do - usually mid to late September.

And a weather forecast is unpredictable even in midsummer - on day four of a six day trip, we met the Crabtree Meadow ranger, who told us to expect night temps 30 degrees below what NOAA had said right before we left. And really gnarly weather conditions had developed, resulting in a course change and an early bail out. It's worse in October. Yesterday, I went day hiking with a morning forecast of 30% showers. We were being hailed on and we were hiking on or in a river in the trail for three miles, back to the car, and my poor dog kept trying to dig holes under rocks to hide from pea-sized ice stinging her while we walked. I will be investing in yet another dog clothing item - a rain coat.

[balance]

If you do go backpacking with your dogs, it would probably be a real good idea to get a book (or two) about backpacking with dogs.

Your dogs will probably enjoy being outdoors (all the new smells are like being a kid in a candy store for them). But taking a city-living dog up into the Sierra doesn't make them instantly ready for the environment. There are lot of ways they can get hurt, get into trouble, or cause trouble for others. Your dogs won't know what to expect, so you need to do the necessary research to protect them, and make sure that you and they are well prepared. Then it can be a safe, enjoyable experience.

[SSSdave]

hello kwyjibo,

Well you obviously are not going to be taking your pets into Evolution Valley. And 2-weeks is a rather long time to be out on trails requiring a significant weight of food. Lets see sometime next mid summer and my recommendation after normal winters is early August though note you are planning September.

Reads like you are expecting to hike out of South Lake over Bishop Pass, down to Le Conte Canyon, over Muir Pass, down Evolution Valley, down the SF of the San Joaquin River, up Piute Creek, over Piute Pass, and North Lake?

Although many trail beaters here would hike that route in less than a week, I also prefer leisurely trips with layovers and time to explore and fish once reaching camps and a 2-week trip on the route is perfect. The difference in my case is would break the single long trip into 3 trips haha. One out of South Lake, and two others out of North Lake.

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=37.12468,-118.55127&z=14&t=T

Day 1 from South Lake 9800 carrying max food weight just backpack up to Bishop Lake at 11.2k.
Day 2 hike over Bishop Pass 11.9k early morning and down into Dusy Basin. Wander off trail to lake 11388 for camp and have most of day enjoying world class views late day of some of the most impressive peaks in the range.
Day 3 mid morning break camp then hike down to Le Canyon and find nice spot about Little Pete Meadow along upper river 8.9k
Day 4 after lunch break camp and hike afternoon to noname lake at 10320+.

Day 5 early morning break camp and hike over Muir Pass 11,9k then down to south end of Saphire Lake 10.9k amid beautiful peaks.
Day 6 after lunch break camp hike short ways along trail to shores of Evolution Lake 10.8.
Day 7 after lunch break camp short hike to Darwin Bench 11.2k.
Day 8 layover day explore up Darwin Canyon.

Day 9 after lunch break camp short hike and find camp in Evolution Valley maybe Colby Meadow.
Day 10 early morning break camp then hike down through Evolution Meadow and down SF of the San Joaquin River to Aspen Meadow 9.2k.
Day 11 early morning break camp then continue down river then up Piute Creek to Hutchinson Meadow 9.5k.
Day 12 early morning break camp then continue up creek then off trail up to Tomahawk Lake 11.1k.
Day 13 after lunch break camp short hike to camp northeast side of Muriel Lake 11.4k.
Day 14 over Piute Pass and down to North Lake 9.2k.

David
http://www.davidsenesac.com/2015_Trip_C ... les-0.html

[Sittingbull]

I agree that it is important to be polite and friendly in response to questions, especially those posed by newcomers. I myself have felt discouraged from asking questions in this forum due to the tone of responses I have received. I assume the point of the forum is to share information and help backpackers to be educated and prepared.


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[kwyjibo]

Thanks SSSDave. We have planned the first couple days, and it looks like how you are describing it. We are only generally planning our days. If we hike to a spot that looks amazing (even if it wasn't a planned stopping spot) we will stop there to enjoy it. It is so easy to spend two weeks in the wilderness if you take the time to enjoy it

Balance I've learned my lesson on posting on here. I won't be making that mistake again. I think only a couple people actually helped me, and those people I'm grateful.

[maverick]

I will say that the response of AlmostThere to be excellent and you should carefully consider EVERYTHING he wrote.

She wrote.

I agree that it is important to be polite and friendly in response to questions, especially those posed by newcomers. I myself have felt discouraged from asking questions in this forum due to the tone of responses I have received. I assume the point of the forum is to share information and help backpackers to be educated and prepared.

Balance I've learned my lesson on posting on here. I won't be making that mistake again. I think only a couple people actually helped me, and those people I'm grateful.

Tone is very difficult to interpret without knowing the poster, and can be misunderstood, not saying that this is the case here, but it does happen many times in open forums. Please do not judge HST based on these exchanges, we are a very knowledgeable, open, and helpful group, sometimes direct to the point, without mincing words, but all with very good intentions. Like with many things on the net, you just need to sieve through all the information given, learn from the gems you receive, and tune out noise.

[WarrenFork]

Balance I've learned my lesson on posting on here. I won't be making that mistake again. I think only a couple people actually helped me, and those people I'm grateful.

Good luck with your trip. This forum is known as "High Sierra Toxic" on a private Sierra Facebook group and unfortunately much of this thread demonstrates why.

[markskor]

To draw an analogy - Much like the the transition between junior high and high school, each year a new crop of students (freshmen) enter into an alien reality where, (for the very first time for some), are actually held responsible for their actions. In school, the resultant failings are only bad grades...in the Sierra, the possibility of injury or death becomes more problematic. Sierra or high school, these new-comers often come/enter with a snarky attitude, foolishly thinking they already know all the answers, only soon to be met by unforeseen real world situations. Often, rules (see above dog response) are encountered which they disagree with and subsequently, then foolishly label them as stupid.

Our Sierra (much like high school) is a stark, mystical place...at first glance, seemingly benign, but fraught with unseen perils. Here at HST, experienced members, some with 40+ years of backcountry experience (seniors?) offer learned wisdom gleaned over time. Their answers here, some may initially appear a bit curt, cold, or brunt, but are truthful, overt, and proven...responses are based on fact and in the best interest to all. Sorry that some of our educated responses may run counter to novice beliefs.

Whatever, one thing we do not do here is hide behind the guise of a un-named (super secret?) Facebook forum and call out names...toxic?

marskor