TR: Center Basin, Junction Pass, Wrights Basin 8/18-23/2018

[frozenintime]

great report. i was in center basin a few days after you!

[wildhiker]

Thanks for the entertaining trip report and great photos!
-Phil

[RiseToADry]

Thanks for taking the time to write this up. Loved everything about it - writing and pictures were first class.

The views from Junction pass (wow!) and your tour of Wright Lakes Basin (helpful for my trip planning) were the highlights for me.

[texbob]

Outstanding TR! Thanks for sharing.

[Wandering Daisy]

You convinced me that I do not need to go over Junction Pass! Thanks for the trip report. Next time you get into Wrights Lakes Basin, go up to the large upper lake. It is stunning and not that hard to get to.

[maiathebee]

Thanks everyone! It's fun to write these things, and it's always nice to hear that people enjoy reading them too. I hope I can do better about working through my backlog this winter!!

I laughed out loud several times. Excellent report and photos (as usual). Thanks for posting. I share your feelings about the trail on both sides of Junction Pass. It comes and goes but you get a good feeling of what it was like back in the day when it was the JMT. See my take at: http://www.sierrahiker.com/CenterBasin- ... index.html

I did indeed! Yours was one of the reports I'd read. That south side of Junction Pass is just a beast! I think it's even worse now than when you were there.

You convinced me that I do not need to go over Junction Pass! Thanks for the trip report. Next time you get into Wrights Lakes Basin, go up to the large upper lake. It is stunning and not that hard to get to.

The view from Junction Pass is pretty cool though, and the approach from the North is easy. I think it's even worth camping in Center Basin somewhere and doing it as a day hike. And thanks for the tip on Wrights! I will keep that in mind for next time. I love that basin so I'm sure I'll be there again sometime soon.

[levi]

Your trips, photos, and trip reports continue to inspire so much, thank you! (Maybe this will motivate me to write up reports about a few of my smaller, 1-2 night trips from the summer... they just aren't as spectacular as the longer trips)

I vaguely recognize the campsite you chose south of Vidette Meadows, a few miles up the Bubbs Creek drainage. I swear my wife and I camped within fifty feet of there in early July, if not in the exact same campsite That area, north of Forester but still above 10,000ft, is pretty magical if you can create distance from the JMT groupies. We passed three different spots with more than 4 tents in each before finding an area that was utterly empty and silent. Totally worth it.

[bbayley80]

really nicely done! humorous and informative narration and gorgeous photos.
inspires me to visit these areas. Center Basin has always been on my radar, cool to know it can be spun into this cool lollipop loop.

[Rockyroad]

Thanks for another superb TR. Wrights (and Wallace) Basins are on my shortlist. Why are sunset photos of that area always such incredible shades of oranges and pinks?

[SSSdave]

Read your full report. Your reports continue to be about the best on this board and that takes some effort both processing images and crafting a well written report. Like a few others on this board, you are able to put in long miles plus vertical, beyond my own ability even if I was carrying a moderate weight. At my age about 10 miles is a limit with 20>30 pounds lest my feet get too sore. Good that you were able to get several days in without smoke.

I've had a 10/11 day base camping trip over Shepherd queued up several years now so it was entertaining and enthusing to view some of the areas I'll be visiting. Will see how this winter plays out as have been targeting an earlier greener period than mid August on your adventure. But won't be spending much time at those barren areas but rather down within the foxtail pine forests with more greenery and wildflowers and that includes 2 or 3 days tented near the top of the south slopes Bighorn Plateau. Your 30634868488_d7168fbc94_h dot jpg image is what I expect to be looking at though with more snow on the peaks. In your following image those middle ground hills with foxtail pines will be my second base camping zone.