Questions on Kearsarge to Cottonwood

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Mike M.
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Re: Questions on Kearsarge to Cottonwood

Post by Mike M. »

One problem with starting from Shepherd Pass is that you need to figure how to get back there at the end of your trip. If you're hitch hiking, there aren't a lot of people going there -- the trailhead is off the beaten path. Were I to begin a trip at Shepherd Pass, I would want to loop back to it on foot and end it there too. It's one of the reasons I haven't hiked the trail from the desert floor (I've been over the pass several times via Center Basin and Junction Pass). I don't know if you can get shuttle service there, but it couldn't hurt to inquire.

If you enter from Kearsarge Pass, Golden Bear Lake is nice but probably not worth the four extra round trip miles. Also, I would forego Lake South America and instead either a) hike through lower Milestone Basin and follow the Kern River Trail down to Junction Meadow; or b) take the seldom-used Tyndall Creek trail that shoots west from the JMT, just past the Shepherd Pass/JMT trail junction. This route takes you past the Tyndall Creek ranger station, through some beautiful meadows and then steeply down to the Kern River. Either of these routes will eliminate the need to hike the Wallace Creek trail twice.

Regarding Crabtree Pass: on the south side of the pass, there is a use trail on the east side of Sky Blue Lake. Faint traces of a use trail again can be found along Rock Creek beginning about 3/4th of a mile below Sky Blue Lake. Cross country navigation here is easy; just follow the general direction of Rock Creek as it moves downhill and don't worry about following the trail, unless you just happen to step onto it, as you eventually will. Coming down from Crabtree Pass, as you move in the general direction of Sky Blue Lake, can be a bit tricky once you get to the first large lake directly below the pass. Be sure to consult your topo map frequently. There are cliffs on the south edge of this lake, and although the cliffs are passable, most hikers elect to go around them, heading west and then south toward the obvious tributary stream that flows into Sky Blue Lake from the upper basin.

Have fun and be sure to post a trip report!

Mike
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Re: Questions on Kearsarge to Cottonwood

Post by Hobbes »

Everyone who has commented so far has given you an excellent the lay-of-the land. Your proposed itinerary is pretty ambitious - not just mileage, but elevation gain/loss. Many are aware, but it may not always register at the moment, that Whitney is the highest point on the Sierra crest. By association, all trails, peaks, lakes, valleys, etc in the region share these same high-low characteristics.

In other words, it's one of the hardest sections of the Sierra. Realistically, this hike could actually be two, if not three separate trips. You hinted that you haven't had much chance to explore the area before, so perhaps you would be more interested in the key highlights. If I may make a suggestion, you could narrow the selection down quite a bit once you determined your primary goal(s).

As far as highlights, Kearsarge, Vidette & Forester are part & parcel - it's a great mini in/out. Just getting up Shepherd is its own reward, with opportunities to go x-c over to Wright & Wallace lakes (Site of 1st HST meet-up). Keaweah basin (site of 2nd meet-up) is a long haul - it's why, as Mav mentioned, people don't spend much time there. That is, once you finally get there, it's time to go back. Cottonwood pass and the PCT to Crabtree meadows sucks - don't do it. (New) Army to Sky Blue, over Crabtree pass and then around to Whitney and exit @ Portal is a classic - IMO, everyone should do that trip.

Having done each trip mentioned above (some multiples), if I had to choose - especially for a 1st timer, I'd pick the Army, Crabtree to Whitney option. The shuttle (call Elevation for some local contacts ie employees) is easy - leave your car in Lone Pine and get a ride to Horseshoe. The world's easiest hitch is from Portal back down to Lone Pine.

If you do decide on that loop, as Mike M suggested, it's batter to stay at either the very far end of, or the tarns just past, Guitar. Much nicer and less crowded aka no one there. Here's my son contemplating the scene 5 years ago:

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Re: Questions on Kearsarge to Cottonwood

Post by CAMERONM »

Agreed about the possibility of chopping this into two trips. If you like peaks, Picket Guard and Langley are obvious ones to hit. For sure, leave your car at Horseshoe and have a shuttle driver drop you at the trailhead. When I'm done hiking, it is too depressing to then be hitchhiking or waiting for rides/busses; I always go to a lot of trouble to have my car waiting for me at the end of a trip. It is cool to be up on Whitney when the sun comes up; you can start making your way down at 8 or earlier!
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Re: Questions on Kearsarge to Cottonwood

Post by kpeter »

Superb advice, everyone. Here is my thinking:

I'm aware that the southern Sierra is more difficult and demanding than my usual haunts further north--and that is part of the reason to do a trip soon, before my age begins to catch up with me. I will probably retreat to easier and more familiar haunts further north as I slow down. I have done a Mineral King loop, a trip from Road's End to Lake Reflection, and a trip over Kearsarge to Charlotte--and that is the full extent of my time in the southern Sierra. It is not my backyard the way it is for those of you from SoCal.

The two priorities for me are Kaweah Basin and permit-less Whitney, since I have never done either. Neither of these places lend themselves to the 4-5 day trips that are more typical for me, and it is not every summer when I have enough time for a long, extended trip. By using a shuttle service I hoped to make a one-way trip a reasonable proposition. And I don't know if I will have the physical ability and especially the time in some future year to get to either place.

These are the reasons for my ambitions, unrealistic though they may be!

Decades ago on my trip to Charlotte, we dayhiked to Vidette Meadows, but that is as far south on the JMT as I have ever been. How spectacular is the stretch from Vidette south, over Forester Pass, and down to the intersection with the Shepherd pass trail? I actually by-passed Kearsarge Lakes on the trip in my youth, but they looked spectacular, and I am weighing how much of a sacrifice it would be to start from Shepherd--giving up 3000 feet of elevation at the start and skipping Kearsarge and Forester.

Then there is the shuttle. The earliest it could get me to Shepherd would be about 10am. From what I have read, it is a terrible idea to start up that pass so late in the morning.

Well, all ideas and cautionary advice are welcome, and I appreciate the words of wisdom you have already offered. At this point I am thinking hard about how much food I can carry and how long I can extend the trip, since doing one very long trip may be a better answer given my circumstances than breaking the trip into pieces.

And WD, I do not plan to fish, although perhaps I should reconsider that if it would be a practical way of extending the trip. I fished avidly as a kid, but it has been 40 years.
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Re: Questions on Kearsarge to Cottonwood

Post by CAMERONM »

I don't agree that the alt route up Shepards buys you a full day; yes it is a shorter distance to get in but that trail is a real slog. so..1/2 day, 3/4 day? (However, if you like peaks, Tyndall and Willamson are right there when you get to the top.) From what you say about distance and intentions, why not stick to the plan by entering at Kearsarge and keep it easy by just exiting Whitney? Make Mav happy by hanging out in Kaweah. That view of East Vidette going south on the way to Forester is one of my Sierra favorites. BTW, there are several drivers in the area who can take you up to the trailhead at most any hour you like. Camp at trailhead, take off at dawn if you like.
Last edited by CAMERONM on Sat Feb 03, 2018 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Questions on Kearsarge to Cottonwood

Post by Hobbes »

I'm not sure you'll want to try Shepherd, especially as a first timer. It's an odd shuttle location, it requires very specific timing (5am start), it's hard, it's puts you in the middle of nowhere ie Tyndall plateau.

Now, if you're going x-c, or hitting Willy/Tyndall, it's all time. But you've still got something like 20 miles more to go to get to KB, with more big elevation losses & gains. People who are in super shape get worked. And then, you have to repeat to get back.

I would seriously consider focusing on doing a Whitney trip from the west. Either start at Kearsarge and follow the JMT south, or go in @ (New) Army/Crabtree, and follow the PCT/JMT north. IMO, it's one of the classic Sierra trips everyone should do at least once. Plus, it's an easy-breezy shuttle situation, and the THs don't require any special skills, training or timing. (HM is 10k, KP 9.2k, so you can begin anytime.)

Thinking about this a little more, I'd go for the Kearsarge to Whitney exit trip. That's going to provide you with exposure to all the things you mentioned like Forester, Vidette, etc. You can see KB and all the key highlights from the PCT across Kern canyon. You can take short side trips off the PCT/JMT lasting no longer than an hour or so to reach a vantage point to see different basins, such as LSA, WLB, etc. (Or, take a day to actually go in and camp for the night, before coming back to the trail.)
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Re: Questions on Kearsarge to Cottonwood

Post by Wandering Daisy »

My upper Kern trip last year followed a similar route. I calculated numerous routes to the upper Kern. (Look at my trip report with photos) Since I cut over to the Lake South America trail from the PCT at about 11,600 feet (about 2 miles before the trail drops to the junction at the Tyndall Creek crossing) the mileages below could be half a mile or so off.

From Kearsarge to the Tyndall junction is about 19-20 miles, 6800 feet gain. It takes three days, simply because of logistics. Unless in super shape, getting over Forester Pass from Kearsarge Lakes is difficult. It is better to camp at the small bench with ponds (11,200 at timberline) on the north side of Forester Pass, making it three moderate days to the Tyndall junction.

It is about 10 miles and 5700 feet gain over Shepherd Pass, the first day with most of the elevation gain, downhill from Shepherd Pass to the junction. Since Williamson Bowl is so close, a couple-hour side-trip from the pass to Williamson Bowl is a no-brainer. At least go up to the small pass and take some photos.

Another entry point is Roads End via Bubbs Creek. This is 20 miles, 7100 feet to the Tyndall Creek junction. Unless you had family or friends to help out in transportation, this would be logistically difficult. This is probably the easiest and most gentle elevation gain.

So, yes, you can save a day going in Shepherd. The "cost" is a harder first day. But the route over Kearsarge and Forrester is no walk in the park either. But it is more flexible, having numerous water sources, and several good locations to camp. Shepherd Pass is hard because of the lack of water sources which forces you to start early and at least get to Mahogany campsite.

I chose Kearsarge route last year because I had never been over Forrester Pass, and yes, it is stunning. However the trail is crowded. I have done Shepherd twice and camped above the Potholes the first day. Second day we got all the way to Milestone Basin, taking the cross-trail north of Tyndall Creek trail.

If you want to do Whitney, a Portal exit is logical, if you can get a permit. You could still do Crabtree - just go from Wallace Creek to Crabtree Lakes- all on trails. Then backtrack to Guitar Lake (or nearby less crowded campsites) and do Whitney on the way out. You likely would want to camp one night in the Whitney zone. Although the route finding to Consultation Lake from the Whitney Trail is a bit tricky, there are nice campsites there, and it is not crowded. In spite of being crowded, I found Outpost a nice place to camp too.

I also calculated exiting to Cottonwood rather than Whitney Portal. From the trail junction, on the PCT, at Whitney Creek (close to the Crabtree RS), it is 22 miles and 4300 elevation gain with a side trip to see the upper Cottonwood Lakes. I figured two days, camping at Soldier Lake and a long day out through Cottonwood Lakes. A more scenic option would be to camp at Sky Blue Lake, one of the Cottonwood Lakes, and then a short third day out.

You really have to calculate all the options and figure out the logistics to all options to see how much time is saved by going out Whitney Portal vs Cottonwood.
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Re: Questions on Kearsarge to Cottonwood

Post by Hobbes »

Wandering Daisy wrote:It is about 10 miles and 5700 feet gain over Shepherd Pass
WD, you're shortchanging yourself. Don't forget the 600' drop from Symmes saddle into Shepherd canyon, for a total gain of 6,300'. I've done Shepherd pass 6 times, and wondered about the various calculations and comparisons to other notorious climbs, including gain/mile. Since Shepherd is 10 miles long, the averages are influenced by different factors that can understate its difficulty. I finally had enough experience to sit down and chart out the route, identifying 4 major sections that help hikers understand what they're facing:

1. Symmes creek/4 crossings: 1 mile long, gains 400'. Very easy, cool & refreshing.

2. Symmes creek -> saddle: 3.5 miles, gains 2,420', or 691'/mile. Steep, but not too bad. North side of ridge (ie semi shaded), still in (some) tree cover, really nicely graded, all of which makes the trail pretty soft and easy on the feet.

3. Saddle -> Keith creek: 1 mile long, drops 590'. This is also easy, since you're going down hill. The peak of the saddle is 9.1k, so it's not too hot either. Year-round stream near the bottom (which I call Keith creek since Keith peak is up above somewhere) is the place to fill up.

4. Keith creek -> Shepherd pass. Ok, this is the real deal, where you finally begin to understand what you've signed up for. You've already hiked 5.5 miles with some pretty good elevation gain/loss, but it's only a warm up act. Here you climb from 8,500 to 12,000 on the *south* side of the canyon wall. It's rocky, the sun is blasting off the exposed granite, the trail begins to degrade, and yes, you're climbing 3,500' in 4.5 miles or 780'/mile. Only Baxter and the final leg of the Whitney mountaineer's route are steeper.

Anvil is around 1.5-2 miles ahead, and is where most people call it a day, unless they're in good shape AND they started at dark. Going up, I've done it twice up and over (going back/down, 3 times all the way from the Wallace/KB/LSA to car ie all 6 transits were in/out via Shepherd), but one time I started at 9am and paid the price. I was whacked and had to bivy above the Pothole. My legs were cramping and I was pretty dehydrated. Lesson learned.

So, yeah, even though Shepherd might technically be shorter, it's way more challenging. I really like going in Kearsarge to the tarns underneath Forester that you mentioned. That's a long day in itself. If I was driving from the Bay area, I'd do that in two days, keeping day 1 as a shorty just over the pass to the Kearsarge lakes. So, that would make getting over Forester day 3. From there, it's pretty flexible, with lots to do/see while heading to Whitney.

I've never had a problem getting a Whitney exit permit. Unlike all other Whitney zone permits which are all reservable, the walk in EXIT permit is still subject to 40% walk in availability. So, even if you can't secure an on-line exit permit, as long as you have the entry locked down, you can get the exit when you show up to get your permit.
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Re: Questions on Kearsarge to Cottonwood

Post by Wandering Daisy »

Does anyone know if Uber or another ride-share option is available between trailheads? It would be great if you could get the Whitney exit permit and then leave it open depending on how things go, to either exit Whitney or continue to Cottonwood. Then just call Uber! This would avoid a pre-trip commitment (and payment). Actually, both trailheads are pretty well used and I think you could easily get a ride back to Lone Pine, if not back to Onion Valley (or Symes Creek/Shepherd). Do not forget, that with Kearsarge, you gain 2,500 feet to the pass, then loose 3,200 feet to Lower Vidette Meadow, and then gain 3,700 feet to Forrester Pass. The only thing that makes this route seem easier, is the easier first day.

What I like to do when going over Kearsarge, is to drive down, get my permit, and then go up the trail to Matlock Lake (last year I went to Heart Lake) to camp. Both are very scenic. Then it is a full day to campsites north of Forrester Pass. That way, I actually save a day because I combine the drive down with getting up the trail a short ways. It is a bit under 2 miles and 1300 feet gain to these lakes. I do not pack food for that day, just eat a deli sandwich before I start hiking. Of course, if your heart is set on camping at Kearsarge Lakes, by all means, plan it that way.

The times that I have gone over Shepherd Pass, we camped at the trailhead and got a very early start the next AM. Hobbes, I used the old TOPO program to calculate the miles and elevation gains. With TOPO it is difficult to draw the line that exactly follows the trail on trails with lots of tight switch-backs. This just is an inherent problem with TOPO. No matter how carefully I draw the lines, I can never get the miles that Secor's guide states. But not sure how HE got his mileages. Your mileages are probably more accurate than Secor or my estimates.
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Re: Questions on Kearsarge to Cottonwood

Post by kpeter »

OK, here is the plan so far. It will certainly be the hardest and longest trip of my life. I plan to do several trips earlier in the summer to begin to build myself up for it. I have been over Kearsarge to Charlotte once, and up to the top of New Army pass via Cottonwood Lakes once, but absolutely everything else will be new to me. When I get the food packed I will see if I can squeeze an 11th day in for an extra layover day in Kaweah. I'm not happy that the first night will be at Kearsarge since I really can't cheat and leave anything out of the canister there, it being bear capital of the world.

Day 0 Drive to Horseshoe Meadows and camp there or vicinity, picking up permit along the way. Leave my car at the trailhead here.
Day 1 9am Eastside Sierra Shuttle takes me from Horseshoe Meadows to Onion Valley. Hike to Kearsarge Lakes.
Day 2 Kearsarge Lakes to Headwaters of Bubbs Creek just north of Forester Pass
Day 3 Over Forester Pass to Junction Meadow via Tyndall cut-off
Day 4 Junction Meadow via Pickett Lake to Island Lake in Kaweah Basin. Partial day for exploring.
Day 5 Layover for dayhiking in Kaweah Basin.
Day 6 Island Lake via Junction Meadow to somewhere approaching Whitney, perhaps tarns past Guitar, or maybe just camp near the Ranger Station since I'm coming back to move camp and this would save hauling full weight any further up the hill.
Day 7 Dayhike to Whitney early am. Return to camp and move camp to Crabtree Lakes, probably 11339
Day 8 Cross x over Crabtree pass via Sky Blue Lake to Rock Creek, possibly to lake 10804 on the New Army Pass trail.
Day 9 Over New Army Pass to Cottonwood Lakes
Day 10 Cottonwood Lakes to Horseshoe meadows and home.
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