Will I Enjoy the High Sierra Trail?

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Wandering Daisy
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Re: Will I Enjoy the High Sierra Trail?

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I think the big factor in a 10-day trip is your pack weight. I just finished an 11-day trip and my total pack weight was 31 pounds. Every day added to a trip, is at least 1 pound (more common 1.5 pounds) extra food and also extra fuel, etc. So you need to find the right balance- go too slow and your pack is very heavy, go too fast and your pack is lighter but you are totally beat at the end of the day. It takes experience and time to become a "lightweight" backpacker, and a lot of $$ for the super light weight equipment to become a UL (ultra light) backpacker.

I would go for two 5-day trips instead of one 10-day trip, if you are not able to keep your pack weights in the 30-35 pound range for a 10-day trip.

The HST is not one of my favorite routes. Nice but not high on my list. There are just too many boring miles on that route. And, although many like Kern Hot Springs, it had no appeal to me.

As for the Whitney exit permit, I just got a non-reserved permit (they actually had 18 available). A lot of Whitney Exit permits are cancelled or no-shows. I do not think it is that hard to get one on a first-come basis.

If you are having so much "pain" in the actual act of backpacking, you at not doing it right. Wrong pack, wrong weight, wrong shoes, not knowing or using the best techniques (do you know what the "rest step" is?); inefficient setting up and taking down camp (should take about 1.5 hours to pack up and get going). The mental part of backpacking is a personal thing. Some people just do not like to be away from civilization that long.

I also think an in-and-out from Crescent Meadow to Nine Lakes Basin and then out to Wolverton may be a better choice given your experience level. By the way- you can do that with the same permit. No official actually cares if you complete the HST or just do half of it.
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TurboHike
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Re: Will I Enjoy the High Sierra Trail?

Post by TurboHike »

maiathebee,

Thank you for the clarification.
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: Will I Enjoy the High Sierra Trail?

Post by Wandering Daisy »

You could go to Nine Lakes Basin, and then either continue, or "Plan B" spend a few days there (great place with many day-hikes to do) and return. Either way, your current permit is OK. The only hitch is the transportation logsitics if you have already paid for a shuttle at Whitney Portal.

I did not mean to sound harsh when I said if in pain you are doing something "wrong". I worked at NOLS for many years and we had that old saying. All it means is that there are actual solutions for most discomfort when backpacking. If you are miserable because of going too fast, just slow down (properly pacing yourself for an all day hike is important). If miserable due to a heavy pack, seriously evaluate what you are bringing. If cold, stop and put on more clothing. If thirsty, stop and drink. If hungry, stop and eat. Be sure your shoes are broken in and fix potential blisters before they become serious.

We took raw beginners (some from cities where they had never walked off a sidewalk in their lives!) and slowly started, on 30-35 day trips. Never pushed them to the point of misery. At first, their load was shared by stronger other team members. Within a week most were really enjoying backpacking.

It sounds like you will be backpacking as supportive partners. That is good. A lot of your enjoyment with backpacking is due to the person you hike with. If you do the trip, take it easy at first and work up to longer days. It is not the end of the world if you have to get out a day late.
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Re: Will I Enjoy the High Sierra Trail?

Post by AvFan »

I have done the HST twice (2010 with my son and 2011 solo) and I will hike it again with my daughter beginning Sept 17th. Like any backpacking trip some portions of the hike are nicer than others but overall the HST offers some of excellent scenery for the effort. It is important to find a pace during each day that is comfortable. It is OK to arrive at camp a little later than planned versus becoming completely spent. Make sure the slowest in the group leads and that they don't feel pressured to go faster.
I can offer a few tips:
o Stay at 9 Mile or Buck Creek on your first night versus going to Bearpaw Meadow. There is a steep climb out of Buck Creek about 2 miles from Bearpaw that just sucks at the end of the day.
o Stay at Hamilton Lake if you can. It is amazingly beautiful and the climb towards Kaweah Gap will be in the cooler morning than the hot afternoon sun. I've done it both ways and the afternoon is nasty.
o It is a slog climbing out of the Big Arroyo up to the Chagoopa Plateau and it will be hot if you do it in the afternoon. There is a stream about 1/4 mile after the crest and you can make camp there if you can't reach Moraine Lake (another highlight).
o Spend the night at Kern Hot Springs! A hot tub 3 or 4 days into a backpacking trip is heavenly.
o Make the climb from Junction Meadow to the PCT/JMT junction in the very early morning otherwise you will cook. Skeeters can be a PITA at Jct Meadow.
o If you want to see the sunrise from the top of Whitney you have to leave Guitar Lake very early to climb about 3000' over about 5 miles. I haven't done that yet but I've seen lots of headlamps on the trail ahead of me at 4:00am.
o One of my favorite places is the Big Arroyo coming down from Kaweah Gap in particular where the trail crosses the stream. It is park with a stone beach!
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HappyHiker11
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Re: Will I Enjoy the High Sierra Trail?

Post by HappyHiker11 »

I would highly recommend doing it based off my experience. I just completed the HST from 8/3-8/11. Myself and my brother did a 9 day trip with a zero day at Lodgepole before starting to begin acclimating.

This was my 1st backpacking trip entirely (I was the instigator in doing the HST and spent a year planning & prepping for the trip). It was my brothers 2nd trip (he previously did a 3 day trip in the Grand Canyon).

We both absolutely loved the trip! It was physically challenging at times but nothing we couldn't handle by being willing to get up around sun-rise, eat & pack, hit the trail, hiking with breaks throughout the day ending between 3 & 6 typically at camp. The toughest days for both of us were day 2 climbing from 9 Mile camp to Hamilton. Then we had one epic long day going from North of the Kern Hot Springs to Crabtree Meadow. All though it was epic in terms of both length and elevation for both of us.... we planned to leave early that day and got in about 1/2 hour before dark. We were both tired, but we handled it well and it set us up nicely for a short day up to Guitar Lake the next day. There were spots with water along the way when we went to camp between Wallace and Crabtree if we needed to pull up.

The next day going from Crabtree to above Guitar was incredible and easy. We were in by mid-afternoon, relaxed, lounged, carbo-loaded, hydrated, and acclimated for the summit run the following day. The 2nd hardest part of the trail for me was post summitting Whitney. The hike down to Outpost camp just wore me out and all day walking on the rock/talus just made my feet sore.

Both of us in-experienced backpackers (but experienced day hikers / car campers / etc) managed to make it through the entire trip without any real issues. It was also my brothers 1st time handling significant stream crossings. The only "injuries" were a couple foot blisters my brother dealt with. If you've prepared some physically (which it sounds like you have with shakedown trips and such ahead of time here), with a good plan and a winning attitude I think you will enjoy it. The trail is a piece of cake to follow. Clear single track all the way through with signs at all major junctions. I only pulled out my map to reference estimated mileage at night for the next day and only used a compass a few times to figure things out "what peak is that over there in the distance." And that was just for conversational reference, not needed for navigation.

We both loved the experience and trail. Epic scenery throughout and such a rewarding feeling once we accomplished it.

So I vote to give it a shot. I've done 10 & 12 day car camping / day hiking trips and I will say. 9 backpacking days was a fun, interesting and shocking challenge to dive into on my first ever trip. But it was absolutely worth it!!!
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