Tips for a brief excursion into Tablelands

[maiathebee]

Sunset at 11,200 is more interesting than sunrise imo. You get the alpenglow all through Deadman instead of staring straight into backlit peaks. Move camp there as Oleander suggests and you can get both

[overheadx2]

Please post a quick trail report since the wife and I are scheduled to do the Alta pear lake loop in mid sept. Interested on where to camp.

[levi]

We returned from our trip on Sunday evening. I went into this trip a tad concerned about how our friends would hold up with the altitude, which turned out to be warranted. Majority of the group elected to camp at Pear Lake on night one, despite our intentions (and permit) for Tablelands; a ranger was happy to alter our permit for us. After exploring the beginning of the xc route and describing it to the group on that first day, it became clear that the group wasn't comfortable hiking that xc terrain with their packs on. Then one person got sick, so we decided to day-hike to 11,200 the next day instead and keep our camp at Pear. Our sick comrade was able to care for herself and relax/recover while we did our day-hike. Still a successful trip by all means, but I can't offer direct beta on campsites since we were in the numbered sites at Pear Lake. That said, it's really dry up there right now, and I'd recommend camping next to major lakes, or you'll be dry camping in the Tablelands. (This did make our hiking easier though!)

Another observation - though we saw plenty of people on the Lakes Trail (dayhikers and backpackers), the Tablelands are big enough for multiple groups to feel like they have true solitude. Can't wait to return with enough time to really soak in the area in the future and explore more of its nooks and crannies. I must credit maia in particular for her recent TR about the Tablelands, plus all the others here on HST, for inspiring this trip thank you all!

[rightstar76]

After exploring the beginning of the xc route and describing it to the group on that first day, it became clear that the group wasn't comfortable hiking that xc terrain with their packs on. Then one person got sick, so we decided to day-hike to 11,200 the next day instead and keep our camp at Pear. Our sick comrade was able to care for herself and relax/recover while we did our day-hike. Still a successful trip by all means...

In my opinion, it was a very successful trip. It showed graciousness and civility. Nobody was pushed to do anything they felt uncomfortable with. The person who wasn't feeling well got to rest up. The rest of the group was able to see the Tableland. If your group goes backpacking again, it will be stronger. Rare these days.

[cgundersen]

Hi Levi,
For what it's worth, after seeing a lot more of the Tablelands than we intended (on a mid-August trip), there are some very cool tarns on the margins with great views North and East. And, even in mid-August there was nary another soul, except for a party camped at the fabulous spot by the tiny tarn above the Big bird basin. cameron

[levi]

Thanks, cameron (and rightstar76 ). Next time I'm in the area, I'm hopeful I'll have more than just a few hours at the rim of the Tablelands to explore those tarns... though even that singular tiny tarn at 11,200 above Big Bird Lake was, on its own, quite something. (I need to write up some reports of my shorter trips this year, now that the season is winding down)..