August 4 — Day 23: 7.5 hrs, 12.5 miles, +2050/-4800
What da heck? No IPA 395?!
Saddle between Cecile & Minaret Lakes to Reds Meadow Resort
On my way at 7:00 AM. Picked my way down the saddle due north of the small lake NW of Minaret Lake — Class 2 all the way, no problem. Lots of people camped down there. Helped a couple of hikers with a dog (perhaps responsible for the howling yesterday afternoon?) in possession of a woefully inadequate map (I think the city of Merced was on the thing) plot a route up the saddle where they could pick up use trails for the rest of their excursion to Ediza Lake. I made a detour over to Deadhorse Lake by contouring around beneath Riegelhuth Minaret, and then made my way up to Nancy Pass. Nothing extraordinary along the way — just some steep terrain and lots of equivalent choices on getting from one point to another. There is a use trail that I picked up in the trees below the pass that leads to the top. The chute leading down the south side of Nancy Pass is pretty steep with some loose footing in places — I would say definitely Class 2 with some spots where I used hands for balance with the obvious caveat that I was enjoying my twenty-third straight day of ridiculously glorious weather in ideal hiking conditions. The bottom of the chute is a bushwhacking delight, compliments of Old Man Willow. I concur with Wandering Daisy’s assessment of this as “a most unpleasant steep slope of brush and scree.” http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... 61&p=34239 I sought relief by hugging the rock wall and heading left/east into a wooded area with a reasonably sparse understory (right side of photo below). The near free-fall to Devil’s Postpile and Reds Meadow was filled with people toiling their way to Superior Lake and the Beck Lakes. My resupply package was where I expected it to be again, right there at Reds Meadow Resort. To my consternation, however, they were out of Mammoth Brewing Co. IPA 395 or had stopped carrying it — in the photo below, witness the curious excision of all Mammoth Brewing Co. selections at the bottom of the left column yet 395 remains at the top. All that daydreaming for naught… Shower, laundry, a delicious burger and salad with Stone Arrogant Bastard as a worthy replacement brew, 26th wedding anniversary phone call home to Stacey, and then night-night.
Dennis
TR: PCT-SHR Donner to Piute Pass Jul 13-Aug 10 2016
-
Stanley Otter
- Topix Regular
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2015 7:44 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
- Location: Flat Land (a.k.a. Northeast Wisconsin)
Re: TR: PCT-SHR Donner to Piute Pass Jul 13-Aug 10 2016
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Stanley Otter on Sun Jun 11, 2017 1:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Roaring in my ears,
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
-
Stanley Otter
- Topix Regular
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2015 7:44 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
- Location: Flat Land (a.k.a. Northeast Wisconsin)
Re: TR: PCT-SHR Donner to Piute Pass Jul 13-Aug 10 2016
... not going to let myself get lapped by the calendar: here's the last of it
August 5 — Day 24: 9.25 hrs, 13.5 miles, +4850/-2050
Go Pound Sand
Reds Meadow Resort to Pika Lake
Breakfast at the Mulehouse Cafe. Purchased a supplementary box of mac and cheese and a “vacuum packed” can of roasted peanuts with a convex sealed lid indicating the contents were actually at a pressure higher than ambient. Made a few more phone calls, drank as much water as I could, filled up both liter bottles in preparation for a pretty dry day, and got on the trail by 8:30 AM. Chatted with a few groups of day hikers making their way over Mammoth Pass on my way up (once I found the correct trail — missed a turn and happily trotted along for about twenty minutes before the fact I was headed downhill again penetrated my consciousness). At what seemed an opportune spot I left the trail and started the sandy slog to the top of Mammoth Crest. The last stretch was of the two-steps-forward-and-one-step-backward variety, and I eventually joined a trail to the top. The views from the top were very nice — Mammoth Mtn, the Ritter Range, the crest itself. To the north there was a great deal of smoke from the Marina Fire at Mono Lake. Followed a well-defined trail all the way to the Deer Lakes and then back up to the ridge line of Mammoth Crest above Duck Lake. Lots of wildflowers on display from Deer Lakes to Pika Lake. At the end of the day I met a Sierra Club group at Pika Lake, and after talking to them for a while I scampered further along the shore to a nice site in a group of trees.
Dennis
August 5 — Day 24: 9.25 hrs, 13.5 miles, +4850/-2050
Go Pound Sand
Reds Meadow Resort to Pika Lake
Breakfast at the Mulehouse Cafe. Purchased a supplementary box of mac and cheese and a “vacuum packed” can of roasted peanuts with a convex sealed lid indicating the contents were actually at a pressure higher than ambient. Made a few more phone calls, drank as much water as I could, filled up both liter bottles in preparation for a pretty dry day, and got on the trail by 8:30 AM. Chatted with a few groups of day hikers making their way over Mammoth Pass on my way up (once I found the correct trail — missed a turn and happily trotted along for about twenty minutes before the fact I was headed downhill again penetrated my consciousness). At what seemed an opportune spot I left the trail and started the sandy slog to the top of Mammoth Crest. The last stretch was of the two-steps-forward-and-one-step-backward variety, and I eventually joined a trail to the top. The views from the top were very nice — Mammoth Mtn, the Ritter Range, the crest itself. To the north there was a great deal of smoke from the Marina Fire at Mono Lake. Followed a well-defined trail all the way to the Deer Lakes and then back up to the ridge line of Mammoth Crest above Duck Lake. Lots of wildflowers on display from Deer Lakes to Pika Lake. At the end of the day I met a Sierra Club group at Pika Lake, and after talking to them for a while I scampered further along the shore to a nice site in a group of trees.
Dennis
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Stanley Otter on Sun Jun 11, 2017 1:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Roaring in my ears,
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
-
Stanley Otter
- Topix Regular
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2015 7:44 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
- Location: Flat Land (a.k.a. Northeast Wisconsin)
Re: TR: PCT-SHR Donner to Piute Pass Jul 13-Aug 10 2016
August 6 — Day 25: 9.0 hrs, 12.5 miles, +3575/-3475
Discretion, Valor & All That
Pika Lake to Fish Creek Drainage
It was pretty cold overnight, which made for a slower start in the morning. Just before leaving on this trip, I discovered RoguePhotonic’s cross country pass descriptions for Pika Pass http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... 31&t=13812 and Franklin Col http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... 31&t=13831, so for this day I planned to deviate from Roper’s High Route and avoid the JMT altogether by taking advantage of these passes and staying closer to the crest. After packing up and reviewing Rogue’s description, I started up Pika Pass. My experience fits his description quite closely. Some easy going through the trees and then four or five levels of talus to the top. Some stretches involved quite large blocks. The residual snowfields were frozen solid and I had no microspikes, so I had to squeeze myself into the melted channels between the blocks and snow. It took me just under an hour and a half to climb to the top from the shore of Pika Lake. I thought the last section at the top was pretty steep, but it was as nothing compared to the other side. Holy spank. I did some serious hemming and hawing before deciding to go to the right (west) of a rather conspicuous squarish block right at the top of the pass. As Rogue points out, the top portions of the south side of the pass are very loose, very steep, and border on class three. Much of the stuff is at the angle of repose, and I managed to start a minor rock slide, riding the edge of it for five scary seconds or so. After that, it was just a long rocky slog to the bottom to the verdant meadows at the Ram Lakes. I spotted no rams, but there were many people on day hikes from base camps lower down.
I hiked to the small pool just below Franklin Lake for my first look at Franklin Col. There looked to be less snow on it than the year Rogue crossed over, but after my Pika Pass Experience (as it has come to be known) I was still a little jittery. I spent a good fifteen minutes doing some more hemming and hawing from a distance, taking zoomed in photos and reviewing them — I knew I would goad myself into making the attempt if I let myself get closer. In the end, I decided to let discretion rule the day, which was probably the hardest decision I made all trip. Trying not to feel too disappointed, I crossed over the ridge above Glenette Lake and descended to Lake Virginia, picking up the JMT/PCT for yet more elevation loss down into Tully Hole. A quick turn upstream at Fish Creek enabled me to avoid the crowds frolicking in the water, and I found the outlet stream from Izaak Walton Lake after a short mosquito-infested lunch in the woods. I spent far too much energy and time clambering up the rocks next to the rushing stream — as I finally discovered, it would have been much easier to stay upslope (west) of the stream as Roper advises. Other than inadvertently heading off to Mace Lake (“I am headed south, why is the sun shining in my eyes so late in the day? Oh, wait…"), the rest of the hike up to Cotton Lake was straightforward. There were a lot of stagnant pools in the area, so I hiked on until I found some running water closer to Tully Lake and then set up camp.
Dennis
Discretion, Valor & All That
Pika Lake to Fish Creek Drainage
It was pretty cold overnight, which made for a slower start in the morning. Just before leaving on this trip, I discovered RoguePhotonic’s cross country pass descriptions for Pika Pass http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... 31&t=13812 and Franklin Col http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... 31&t=13831, so for this day I planned to deviate from Roper’s High Route and avoid the JMT altogether by taking advantage of these passes and staying closer to the crest. After packing up and reviewing Rogue’s description, I started up Pika Pass. My experience fits his description quite closely. Some easy going through the trees and then four or five levels of talus to the top. Some stretches involved quite large blocks. The residual snowfields were frozen solid and I had no microspikes, so I had to squeeze myself into the melted channels between the blocks and snow. It took me just under an hour and a half to climb to the top from the shore of Pika Lake. I thought the last section at the top was pretty steep, but it was as nothing compared to the other side. Holy spank. I did some serious hemming and hawing before deciding to go to the right (west) of a rather conspicuous squarish block right at the top of the pass. As Rogue points out, the top portions of the south side of the pass are very loose, very steep, and border on class three. Much of the stuff is at the angle of repose, and I managed to start a minor rock slide, riding the edge of it for five scary seconds or so. After that, it was just a long rocky slog to the bottom to the verdant meadows at the Ram Lakes. I spotted no rams, but there were many people on day hikes from base camps lower down.
I hiked to the small pool just below Franklin Lake for my first look at Franklin Col. There looked to be less snow on it than the year Rogue crossed over, but after my Pika Pass Experience (as it has come to be known) I was still a little jittery. I spent a good fifteen minutes doing some more hemming and hawing from a distance, taking zoomed in photos and reviewing them — I knew I would goad myself into making the attempt if I let myself get closer. In the end, I decided to let discretion rule the day, which was probably the hardest decision I made all trip. Trying not to feel too disappointed, I crossed over the ridge above Glenette Lake and descended to Lake Virginia, picking up the JMT/PCT for yet more elevation loss down into Tully Hole. A quick turn upstream at Fish Creek enabled me to avoid the crowds frolicking in the water, and I found the outlet stream from Izaak Walton Lake after a short mosquito-infested lunch in the woods. I spent far too much energy and time clambering up the rocks next to the rushing stream — as I finally discovered, it would have been much easier to stay upslope (west) of the stream as Roper advises. Other than inadvertently heading off to Mace Lake (“I am headed south, why is the sun shining in my eyes so late in the day? Oh, wait…"), the rest of the hike up to Cotton Lake was straightforward. There were a lot of stagnant pools in the area, so I hiked on until I found some running water closer to Tully Lake and then set up camp.
Dennis
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Stanley Otter on Sun Jun 11, 2017 1:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Roaring in my ears,
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
-
Stanley Otter
- Topix Regular
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2015 7:44 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
- Location: Flat Land (a.k.a. Northeast Wisconsin)
Re: TR: PCT-SHR Donner to Piute Pass Jul 13-Aug 10 2016
August 7 — Day 26: 8.5 hrs, 11.4 miles, +3650/-3375
Three Creeks
Fish Creek to Lower Mills Creek Lake
Another slow start and finally headed up to Shout of Relief Pass and the Silver Divide after 8 AM. Straightforward hiking to the top with nice views. Roper’s claim that you can contour over to Bighorn Pass seems to apply only to bighorns themselves. Easy to follow use trails led down, up, down and back up again as I made my way past Rosy Finch Lake. You get the full geological impact of Second Recess from Bighorn Pass and on the descent to Laurel Lake. I followed a trail beside Laurel Creek for quite a while, eventually losing it as the terrain steepened on the way down to Mono Creek. After slaloming downhill for a while, I picked it up again just as the understory (manzanita?) started getting thick. I crossed Mono Creek on some rocks upstream of the trail crossing, promptly stumbled into the water on the other side, and got nicely entangled with the brush along the creek. Typical shortcut experience in my book. On the way up Second Recess I met a couple of gentlemen doing the south half of the High Route who had made the 5500’ climb out of Kings Canyon on one of those really hot days a while back. Yowza. I followed the established trail along Mills Creek and then a use trail to start the climb out of Second Recess up the “brushy, scree-covered hillside” described by Roper. Of course, I lost it at some point and ended up in a battle royale with Old Man Willow. He won, hands down. I finally realized my penchant for going higher was generating my frustration and fought my way back down to Mills Creek where I found the trail again. A short while later I made camp on a rock shelf along the north shore of Lower Mills Creek Lake.
Dennis
Three Creeks
Fish Creek to Lower Mills Creek Lake
Another slow start and finally headed up to Shout of Relief Pass and the Silver Divide after 8 AM. Straightforward hiking to the top with nice views. Roper’s claim that you can contour over to Bighorn Pass seems to apply only to bighorns themselves. Easy to follow use trails led down, up, down and back up again as I made my way past Rosy Finch Lake. You get the full geological impact of Second Recess from Bighorn Pass and on the descent to Laurel Lake. I followed a trail beside Laurel Creek for quite a while, eventually losing it as the terrain steepened on the way down to Mono Creek. After slaloming downhill for a while, I picked it up again just as the understory (manzanita?) started getting thick. I crossed Mono Creek on some rocks upstream of the trail crossing, promptly stumbled into the water on the other side, and got nicely entangled with the brush along the creek. Typical shortcut experience in my book. On the way up Second Recess I met a couple of gentlemen doing the south half of the High Route who had made the 5500’ climb out of Kings Canyon on one of those really hot days a while back. Yowza. I followed the established trail along Mills Creek and then a use trail to start the climb out of Second Recess up the “brushy, scree-covered hillside” described by Roper. Of course, I lost it at some point and ended up in a battle royale with Old Man Willow. He won, hands down. I finally realized my penchant for going higher was generating my frustration and fought my way back down to Mills Creek where I found the trail again. A short while later I made camp on a rock shelf along the north shore of Lower Mills Creek Lake.
Dennis
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Stanley Otter on Sun Jun 11, 2017 1:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Roaring in my ears,
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
-
Stanley Otter
- Topix Regular
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2015 7:44 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
- Location: Flat Land (a.k.a. Northeast Wisconsin)
Re: TR: PCT-SHR Donner to Piute Pass Jul 13-Aug 10 2016
August 8 — Day 27: 10.25 hrs, 14.1 miles, +4000/-3900
Three Passes
Lower Mills Creek Lake to Merriam Lake
Cold again last night, but up and on my way by 7:15 AM. My original plan had been to camp at Upper Mills Creek Lake, which at 11200’ turned out to be quite austere so I was glad to have taken advantage of the relative greenness 350’ below at Lower. The approach to Gabbot Pass came in modest stages with lots of ice and snow in the shadowed channels above Upper Mills Creek Lake. I took just under two hours to go from my camp to the top. The far side of the pass was very tame — easy striding down to Lake Italy where I picked up the trail along the north shore. I don’t know why Roper pans the area around Lake Italy — sure, at 11200’ it is bound to be a little stark but there are peaks aplenty to keep you occupied as you make your way around. It probably also helps to be visually stimulated by wildflower displays while enjoying your 27th straight day of faultless weather.
A short way down the Hilgard Branch of Bear Creek I made the short climb up to Teddy Bear Lake, whereupon Boone started making quite a racket. Something about being tired of seeing the trip backward and insisting on taking a break right now. So we stopped for lunch and a photo-op, which turned out to be a good thing because White Bear Pass took a much bigger effort than I anticipated. Part of that was because for the first time in miles upon miles of boulder- and talus-hopping I had a rock roll under foot and ended up with my right foot trapped painfully between it and a larger neighbor. It took me a minute to figure out how to lever the thing off so I could extract my foot. Fortunately, the sole of my boot had been caught square across relative to the two pinch points and its stiffness prevented further compression. After recovering, I climbed high to stay above the lower cliffs as advised by Roper. There were still some very steep (to me) slopes of bare rock to scamper across with distressingly small cracks for purchase and traction. Along the way, I met a group of three twenty-somethings galavanting down from the pass with boundless energy in such a way as to cause me to envy their knees. We had a nice chat and they buoyed me up with a “finish strong” as we parted ways.
I managed to get turned around in Bear Basin (I know, right? hard to believe it happened to me) and mistook Big Bear Lake for Ursa Lake. It felt just like two weeks ago on my first off trail day wandering around between Stella Lake and Lake Ruth. There are much worse places for an extended tour, so I wasn’t too upset at myself. Feather Pass, like many of the others, came in stages with use trails appearing and disappearing. On the way up, I met one of the people who mistook me for a ranger and asked my advice regarding protocols for getting a snakebite and setting off your personal locator beacon for rescue. Stay put or try to move toward an exit point? I told him that as a non-expert I would advise staying put and breaking out a tourniquet. I dunno… Anyway, near the top I stayed right (south) as advised and scrambled up. The area around LaSalle Lake did not appeal to me for camping purposes, so I pressed on to Merriam Lake and found a spot on the east shore just north of the outlet stream. A family with two dogs was camped at the base of the falls a little distance away. I was pretty tired and was out before the lights went off outside.
Dennis
Three Passes
Lower Mills Creek Lake to Merriam Lake
Cold again last night, but up and on my way by 7:15 AM. My original plan had been to camp at Upper Mills Creek Lake, which at 11200’ turned out to be quite austere so I was glad to have taken advantage of the relative greenness 350’ below at Lower. The approach to Gabbot Pass came in modest stages with lots of ice and snow in the shadowed channels above Upper Mills Creek Lake. I took just under two hours to go from my camp to the top. The far side of the pass was very tame — easy striding down to Lake Italy where I picked up the trail along the north shore. I don’t know why Roper pans the area around Lake Italy — sure, at 11200’ it is bound to be a little stark but there are peaks aplenty to keep you occupied as you make your way around. It probably also helps to be visually stimulated by wildflower displays while enjoying your 27th straight day of faultless weather.
A short way down the Hilgard Branch of Bear Creek I made the short climb up to Teddy Bear Lake, whereupon Boone started making quite a racket. Something about being tired of seeing the trip backward and insisting on taking a break right now. So we stopped for lunch and a photo-op, which turned out to be a good thing because White Bear Pass took a much bigger effort than I anticipated. Part of that was because for the first time in miles upon miles of boulder- and talus-hopping I had a rock roll under foot and ended up with my right foot trapped painfully between it and a larger neighbor. It took me a minute to figure out how to lever the thing off so I could extract my foot. Fortunately, the sole of my boot had been caught square across relative to the two pinch points and its stiffness prevented further compression. After recovering, I climbed high to stay above the lower cliffs as advised by Roper. There were still some very steep (to me) slopes of bare rock to scamper across with distressingly small cracks for purchase and traction. Along the way, I met a group of three twenty-somethings galavanting down from the pass with boundless energy in such a way as to cause me to envy their knees. We had a nice chat and they buoyed me up with a “finish strong” as we parted ways.
I managed to get turned around in Bear Basin (I know, right? hard to believe it happened to me) and mistook Big Bear Lake for Ursa Lake. It felt just like two weeks ago on my first off trail day wandering around between Stella Lake and Lake Ruth. There are much worse places for an extended tour, so I wasn’t too upset at myself. Feather Pass, like many of the others, came in stages with use trails appearing and disappearing. On the way up, I met one of the people who mistook me for a ranger and asked my advice regarding protocols for getting a snakebite and setting off your personal locator beacon for rescue. Stay put or try to move toward an exit point? I told him that as a non-expert I would advise staying put and breaking out a tourniquet. I dunno… Anyway, near the top I stayed right (south) as advised and scrambled up. The area around LaSalle Lake did not appeal to me for camping purposes, so I pressed on to Merriam Lake and found a spot on the east shore just north of the outlet stream. A family with two dogs was camped at the base of the falls a little distance away. I was pretty tired and was out before the lights went off outside.
Dennis
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Stanley Otter on Sun Jun 11, 2017 1:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Roaring in my ears,
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
-
Stanley Otter
- Topix Regular
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2015 7:44 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
- Location: Flat Land (a.k.a. Northeast Wisconsin)
Re: TR: PCT-SHR Donner to Piute Pass Jul 13-Aug 10 2016
August 9 — Day 28: 7.5 hrs, 10.4 miles, +2525/-2025
One Last Pass
Merriam Lake to Muriel Lake
Very cold last night. On my way by 7:45 AM. It was easy downhill hiking from Merriam Lake to the bottom of French Canyon, eventually connecting with the trail beside the outlet stream which led to the Pine Creek Pass Trail in short order. More easy trail hiking northeast past the Royce Lakes Falls. I was keeping my eye out for a small stream coming down from the bench to the south, which was where I planned to leave the trail. Right about where I crossed over I met Sean, Iris, Matt and Chris for the first time bookin’ it down canyon on Day 5 of their Sierra Challenge 2016 extravaganza. They were headed back up from whence I had just come on their way to Mt Morrow. No wonder it seemed they were on a mission — just the small matter of the better part of a 22 mile peak bagging day hike ahead of them. So at this point it was just nods and “mornin’”s. Tomorrow morning we would meet again near the top of Piute Pass for a longer conversation, and it would seem to me as if I saw them days ago.
Anyway, I hopped across the stream, consumed second breakfast, and started up the forested slope. I found the small stream trickling down from above and followed it for a while through moderate undergrowth until I happened up a steep bare slope among the stands of trees. I switchbacked my way right up to the top and was greeted with meadows dotted with lupine and Elba Lake in the near distance. From there it was another steep but much shorter climb to Puppet Lake and its satellites. If I were to grump about a group of lakes that I found unappealing, it would be these rather than Lake Italy. Probably this was just due to my mounting sadness with the realization that tomorrow spelled the end of my journey. Nevertheless, the immediate objective was Puppet Pass, which I had researched here fairly extensively. In my mind, I had organized it into four steps: 1) identify The Wall, 2) achieve The Wall, 3) follow The Wall, and 4) pray after leaving The Wall. From the north/west side of the pass, The Wall is an easily identifiable feature in the amphitheater of short cliffs, jumbled boulders, and assorted talus. In the photos below, it can be seen on the left (north/east). Getting to the base of The Wall is straightforward work through boulders and talus. Once there it is easy to identify various paths others have taken alongside the cliff. It was steep enough that I eventually put my poles away and used my hands for balance, but I never encountered anything beyond class two terrain. At the top of The Wall I opted to go right (south/west) to finish, and it was evident that numbers of people had also come down/gone up to the left, too. Steeper yet, but prayers were not needed after all.
At the top I met a group from Utah who had summited Mt Humphreys yesterday — they were singularly undaunted at the prospect of descending Puppet Pass after their lunch for obvious reasons. I told them how much I enjoyed visiting their red rock national parks, and I extolled the virtues of driving on Utah Hwy 12. After consuming a snack for energy, I wandered off into Humphreys Basin in the general direction of Muriel Lake. I did not feel the need to pick out a particular line to follow, so I ended up over by Mesa and Tomahawk Lakes rather than the Desolation Lakes. The terrain gets a bit more rumpled south of Tomahawk, so I headed southeast through lupine-decorated meadows until I crossed Piute Pass Trail. I met one half of a duo hiking the High Route from south to north who had come over what they thought was Snowtongue Pass but turned out to be something even more hair raising. His description was enough to banish all thought of going that way if I am able to return and pick up where I left off. I eventually crossed Piute Creek and made my way to the outlet stream of Muriel Lake. I was depressed and grumpy about ending the trip, so I disassembled two particularly obnoxious cairns somebody had erected on top of prominent boulders right near the creek and shoreline. I did this despite the fact that campers on the north shore were watching me, which goes against my midwestern upbringing — I figured I had been mistaken for a ranger often enough that they might think this was an Official Action. I found a nice grassy spot on the west side of the lake to pitch my tent and get myself cleaned up for the exit ceremonies tomorrow.
Dennis
One Last Pass
Merriam Lake to Muriel Lake
Very cold last night. On my way by 7:45 AM. It was easy downhill hiking from Merriam Lake to the bottom of French Canyon, eventually connecting with the trail beside the outlet stream which led to the Pine Creek Pass Trail in short order. More easy trail hiking northeast past the Royce Lakes Falls. I was keeping my eye out for a small stream coming down from the bench to the south, which was where I planned to leave the trail. Right about where I crossed over I met Sean, Iris, Matt and Chris for the first time bookin’ it down canyon on Day 5 of their Sierra Challenge 2016 extravaganza. They were headed back up from whence I had just come on their way to Mt Morrow. No wonder it seemed they were on a mission — just the small matter of the better part of a 22 mile peak bagging day hike ahead of them. So at this point it was just nods and “mornin’”s. Tomorrow morning we would meet again near the top of Piute Pass for a longer conversation, and it would seem to me as if I saw them days ago.
Anyway, I hopped across the stream, consumed second breakfast, and started up the forested slope. I found the small stream trickling down from above and followed it for a while through moderate undergrowth until I happened up a steep bare slope among the stands of trees. I switchbacked my way right up to the top and was greeted with meadows dotted with lupine and Elba Lake in the near distance. From there it was another steep but much shorter climb to Puppet Lake and its satellites. If I were to grump about a group of lakes that I found unappealing, it would be these rather than Lake Italy. Probably this was just due to my mounting sadness with the realization that tomorrow spelled the end of my journey. Nevertheless, the immediate objective was Puppet Pass, which I had researched here fairly extensively. In my mind, I had organized it into four steps: 1) identify The Wall, 2) achieve The Wall, 3) follow The Wall, and 4) pray after leaving The Wall. From the north/west side of the pass, The Wall is an easily identifiable feature in the amphitheater of short cliffs, jumbled boulders, and assorted talus. In the photos below, it can be seen on the left (north/east). Getting to the base of The Wall is straightforward work through boulders and talus. Once there it is easy to identify various paths others have taken alongside the cliff. It was steep enough that I eventually put my poles away and used my hands for balance, but I never encountered anything beyond class two terrain. At the top of The Wall I opted to go right (south/west) to finish, and it was evident that numbers of people had also come down/gone up to the left, too. Steeper yet, but prayers were not needed after all.
At the top I met a group from Utah who had summited Mt Humphreys yesterday — they were singularly undaunted at the prospect of descending Puppet Pass after their lunch for obvious reasons. I told them how much I enjoyed visiting their red rock national parks, and I extolled the virtues of driving on Utah Hwy 12. After consuming a snack for energy, I wandered off into Humphreys Basin in the general direction of Muriel Lake. I did not feel the need to pick out a particular line to follow, so I ended up over by Mesa and Tomahawk Lakes rather than the Desolation Lakes. The terrain gets a bit more rumpled south of Tomahawk, so I headed southeast through lupine-decorated meadows until I crossed Piute Pass Trail. I met one half of a duo hiking the High Route from south to north who had come over what they thought was Snowtongue Pass but turned out to be something even more hair raising. His description was enough to banish all thought of going that way if I am able to return and pick up where I left off. I eventually crossed Piute Creek and made my way to the outlet stream of Muriel Lake. I was depressed and grumpy about ending the trip, so I disassembled two particularly obnoxious cairns somebody had erected on top of prominent boulders right near the creek and shoreline. I did this despite the fact that campers on the north shore were watching me, which goes against my midwestern upbringing — I figured I had been mistaken for a ranger often enough that they might think this was an Official Action. I found a nice grassy spot on the west side of the lake to pitch my tent and get myself cleaned up for the exit ceremonies tomorrow.
Dennis
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Stanley Otter on Sun Jun 11, 2017 1:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Roaring in my ears,
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
-
Stanley Otter
- Topix Regular
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2015 7:44 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
- Location: Flat Land (a.k.a. Northeast Wisconsin)
Re: TR: PCT-SHR Donner to Piute Pass Jul 13-Aug 10 2016
August 10 — Day 29: 3.0 hrs, 6.1 miles, +125/-2350
Out
Muriel Lake to North Lake
Dang cold last night, so I got on the trail early as a matter of self-preservation. A mere one mile of trail and one hundred feet of elevation gain led to the top of Piute Pass and then down, down, down a well-built trail to the North Lake trailhead. The first people I met were Sean, Iris, Matt, and Chris who recognized the HST patch that Boone wears. We had a nice talk and then off they raced toward Four Gables Peak, their Sierra Challenge objective for the day. At the trailhead, I changed into my moderately clean camp shirt and headed down North Lake Road with my pre-printed “Bishop” sign. Two miles on, right at the stop sign that controls access to Hwy 168, I got a ride in the lead car of a group that had just completed a section hike of the JMT from Devil’s Postpile to Piute Creek. I tried to maintain my composure (successfully, I believe) as we bombed down the highway at a safe and sane 92 mph and discussed the merits of various hiking foods. I was totally velocitized — the fastest I had traveled in the preceding three weeks was about 5 mph, and that only during my frenzied dash out the tent door for my morning toilette each day. Yowza. Anyway, had I known how far it was to Bishop I would have been much more worried about hitching a ride — I am grateful for the kindness of strangers. I checked into my motel, cleaned up, and went for a burger and a beer at Mountain Rambler Brewery. I almost ordered another round of everything, but went back for my resupply package and some organizing for the morning ride on the Eastern Sierra Transit bus to Reno. While packing up, I listened to a cable music station on the television with a sweet display from a Hewlett-Packard spectrum analyzer from back in the day when they made really nifty stuff. Evening meal at La Casita where I overate — my body just overruled my mind: “it’s here, you don’t have to carry it or save it for tomorrow, so just pipe down and keep shoveling.” A couple Mammoth Brewing IPA 395s from Joseph’s BiRite (“Serving the High Sierra’s for the last 121 years” — it’s right there on the bag, possessive!). Night night. The end.
Thanks for following along.
Dennis
Out
Muriel Lake to North Lake
Dang cold last night, so I got on the trail early as a matter of self-preservation. A mere one mile of trail and one hundred feet of elevation gain led to the top of Piute Pass and then down, down, down a well-built trail to the North Lake trailhead. The first people I met were Sean, Iris, Matt, and Chris who recognized the HST patch that Boone wears. We had a nice talk and then off they raced toward Four Gables Peak, their Sierra Challenge objective for the day. At the trailhead, I changed into my moderately clean camp shirt and headed down North Lake Road with my pre-printed “Bishop” sign. Two miles on, right at the stop sign that controls access to Hwy 168, I got a ride in the lead car of a group that had just completed a section hike of the JMT from Devil’s Postpile to Piute Creek. I tried to maintain my composure (successfully, I believe) as we bombed down the highway at a safe and sane 92 mph and discussed the merits of various hiking foods. I was totally velocitized — the fastest I had traveled in the preceding three weeks was about 5 mph, and that only during my frenzied dash out the tent door for my morning toilette each day. Yowza. Anyway, had I known how far it was to Bishop I would have been much more worried about hitching a ride — I am grateful for the kindness of strangers. I checked into my motel, cleaned up, and went for a burger and a beer at Mountain Rambler Brewery. I almost ordered another round of everything, but went back for my resupply package and some organizing for the morning ride on the Eastern Sierra Transit bus to Reno. While packing up, I listened to a cable music station on the television with a sweet display from a Hewlett-Packard spectrum analyzer from back in the day when they made really nifty stuff. Evening meal at La Casita where I overate — my body just overruled my mind: “it’s here, you don’t have to carry it or save it for tomorrow, so just pipe down and keep shoveling.” A couple Mammoth Brewing IPA 395s from Joseph’s BiRite (“Serving the High Sierra’s for the last 121 years” — it’s right there on the bag, possessive!). Night night. The end.
Thanks for following along.
Dennis
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Roaring in my ears,
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
the mountain temple's silence.
Nobody else here!
-- Edith Schiffert
-
wildhiker
- Topix Fanatic
- Posts: 1112
- Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:44 pm
- Experience: Level 4 Explorer
- Location: Palo Alto, CA
- Contact:
Re: TR: PCT-SHR Donner to Piute Pass Jul 13-Aug 10 2016
Thank you Dennis for a great post about a great adventure. I know just how you felt at the end. I've never been able to go out for as many days as you did, but I do know that the longer I am out in the wilderness, the more I want to stay!
-Phil
-Phil
-
rlown
- Topix Docent
- Posts: 8225
- Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:00 pm
- Experience: Level 4 Explorer
- Location: Wilton, CA
Re: TR: PCT-SHR Donner to Piute Pass Jul 13-Aug 10 2016
Very nice report. I absolutely love that wall 
Anytime I hit a Sierra Col, the trekking poles collapse and get strapped to the pack, so I agree with you on that. Big talus and trekking poles are incompatible.
The TV shot.. Very cool and the comments. I worked at HP for 33 years. They did great work back then... Not now. I can say that now..
Boone is a nice touch to the report. The HST patch is also great.
Anytime I hit a Sierra Col, the trekking poles collapse and get strapped to the pack, so I agree with you on that. Big talus and trekking poles are incompatible. The TV shot.. Very cool and the comments. I worked at HP for 33 years. They did great work back then... Not now. I can say that now..
Boone is a nice touch to the report. The HST patch is also great.
-
LMBSGV
- Topix Fanatic
- Posts: 1015
- Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:42 pm
- Experience: Level 4 Explorer
- Location: San Geronimo, CA
- Contact:
Re: TR: PCT-SHR Donner to Piute Pass Jul 13-Aug 10 2016
I really enjoyed following along on your odyssey. You covered a lot of miles most days. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I don’t need a goal destination. I need a destination that meets my goals.
http://laurencebrauer.com
http://laurencebrauer.com
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 53 guests