Planning Piute Pass Late July

[maverick]

For learning x-country this place is perfect, but no snow experience makes things a little iffy. If you cannot find any bald spots to set up your tent, do you know how to set-up your tent on snow? Don't try winging it, prepare yourself the best you can before heading out, with knowledge and gear. Stay away from any of the passes like Carol, doing passes requires experience, not only with gear, but with proper timing.
If you go for it, just be willing to turn around if you or your son feels uncomfortable, you can always go back at another time.

[Hobbes]

When BW went to the Bishop station to pick-up his permit for the Palisades lakes, we got to talking with the ranger about getting turned back @ Bishop. The ranger mentioned that 3 guys had just come back over Piute the previous day (this was back on 5/12). He said said that they said (2x removed?) that the pass was clear and windswept at the very top.

In support of this 2nd hand information, a guy I was talking to at a local gear shop this week also mentioned Piute as a possible alternative to PCTers getting off trail due to conditions. That is, hikers getting off at either Horseshoe or Kearsarge are beginning to show and make inquiries about possible work-arounds. By going in Piute - not Bishop - they can continue down French to the PCT, and then come back (months) later to do the big 4 passes through Kings.

So yeah, Piute into Humphreys with either runners/spikes or just good heavy lug boots should be fun. Like Mav said, you'll probably be able to find clear areas to camp. When there's potential for mixed snow/rock, I take a combo of both snow and regular stakes. (That is, I reverse which ones anchor the tent, and which ones hold down the fly/guy lines.) That way, I can also pitch my tent in bald areas, noting that this requires the snow stakes to have rocks placed on them (since they're laying flat above ground).

One last item you might consider, and something that Ned Tibbits is a huge advocate, is a whippet. I picked up one a few winters ago after reading his long(ish) explanations as to why they excel while hiking in snow. Ned was a back country ranger as well as ski patrol dude for years - whippets were developed by back country skiers. He (and others) had the insight to apply this tool to hiking; in fact, he prefers it to an ice axe, since an axe requires you not only how to use it, but when to use it ie unstrap it from your pack. (In fact, he won't allow anyone in his class that goes over Forester without a whippet and hiking crampons - not spikes.)

The whippet, OTOH, is always in your hand - it's just another hiking pole. (While skiers use two, you only need one whippet for hiking; the other hand is just a regular hiking pole.) For terrain like Piute and Humphreys, I think it would be the perfect piece of equipment to take along.

https://blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US ... 0ALL1.html

[kpeter]

I headed through Piute pass in late July 2011 and it was fine. A couple hundred feet of snow on the east side of the pass, some water running down the trail on the west side of the pass, but the basin was mostly clear of snow. Mosquitoes were at that point very bad in certain elevation bands but not ubiquitous, although I was just passing through the basin.

Here is my report on the North to South lake loop I did in that heavy snow year, fourth week of July:

http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... ete#p46912

You might also peruse the 2011 trail conditions report to see what people were saying about Humphries Basin in July of that year.

http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... &start=156

[Matthewkphx]

Thanks for all the helpful information. I appreciate each of you sharing your experiences. I promise I will pay that back as I gain more experience in the Sierra. Two trips in and I'm hooked. I look forward to returning for many years.

Great idea looking for trip reports from 2011. I would never have thought to do that.

[Matthewkphx]

I just realized that I have another option due to my weird work schedule that changes quarterly. I don't find out until May what my July/Aug/Sep schedule will be so I am forced to make multiple reservations on different days of different weeks and release the unused permits. I'm currently holding three permits:

1) 3rd week of July @ Sabrina
2) 4th week of July @ Piute
3) 1st week of September @ Piute

I'm absolutely 100% going on trip #3.

I figured I'd do #2 rather than #1 to keep things interesting and not go to Sabrina twice this summer although I wouldn't really mind going there twice. My son and I like getting familiar with an area and we enjoy seeing the changes from one season to the next.

So my followup Q is there any reason to think Sabrina in July would be a dramatically better choice than Piute in July? Elevation is comparable, topping out around 11,600' at Echo Lake in Sabrina Basin versus 11,300'ish at Muriel Lake. Is there a significant difference in the meltoff on the eastern side of the divide versus the western side?

[rlown]

I like 3 but what is your purpose/likes for the trip? I looked at the thread and couldn't discern that. Fishing? West and South seems to melt faster in my opinion, until August when the sun has made its migration south so to speak..

[Matthewkphx]

We like hiking.

No interest in fishing.

We had hoped to explore XC travel in the Sierra this summer.

We are capable of 15-20 miles/day at moderate elevations but on a quick weekend trip in the Sierra with minimal acclimation a leisurely 8-12 is probably better.

[rlown]

We like hiking.

No interest in fishing.

We had hoped to explore XC travel in the Sierra this summer.

We are capable of 15-20 miles/day at moderate elevations but on a quick weekend trip in the Sierra with minimal acclimation a leisurely 8-12 is probably better.

Fair enough.. Have you been in the Sierra before when starting from 9,400' and hiking over 11,280' and then having more distance to go for a reasonable campsite? Think 5-7 miles as a better gauge. I don't know your age or capabilities..

[Matthewkphx]

Yes good point. Last summer I went from the hiker parking below Sabrina Lake (~9,000') to Midnight Lake (~11,000') and got there by late morning and then got lazy and napped all afternoon. I think that's like 6.5 miles.

We averaged ~13 miles per day on the JMT after the slow slog out of the valley to Tuolomne.

I'm 46 and in reasonable shape but have been focusing more on resistance/flexibility rather than cardio due to some PT work post injuries 1.5 years ago. My hiking partner is my 14 year old son who is a hiking machine and does heavy cardio a couple times a week. We live at 1400' so the elevation change slows us down a bit.

[paul]

I have been over Piute pass on several ski trips, in light and heavy snowpack years, with varying amounts of snow cover. There's very little steep terrain that you will encounter on the way to the pass - only the stretch just below Loch Leven, which should be bare by then, and possibly the last bit to the pass though I wouldn't call that steep -and none to speak of on the other side unless you attempt one of the passes into French canyon, which I wouldn't recommend if you are not experienced on snow. Finding your way around is very easy in the basin, snow or no snow.
Microspikes may be a good idea, though you'll only need or want them in the mornings before the snow softens up. Trekking poles or just one will likely be handy.
I would just about guarantee that you will find bare spots to camp on, but it may be that the only bare spots are rock slabs, so be prepared to set up whatever shelter you have on bare rock where you can't get stakes in.
Be prepared for extreme UV exposure - there's almost no shade up there and with the July sun and snow on the ground it's easy to get very badly burned. Serious sunscreen, serious lip balm, long sleeves, big hat.