High Sierra Topix

Just got back from 3 nights backpacking in Mokelumne Wilderness. Last Thursday made an over the phone permit for two of use for 4 nights out of Pine Creek up in Granite Park 7-19>23. Then left Friday for Mokelumne. Was surprised to have already recieved the permit reservation in my mail box. Rather fast these days. Have backpacked up that old jeep mining road that is the Pine Creek trail a few times in the past. We'll base camp in Granite Park a couple days.

On this Mokelumne trip, I was wearing brand new Vasque Summit Sundowner GTX boots. Toe box is a bit wide making my foot slosh around on steep slanting slopes so I'll work on modifying that toe space tomorrow. My old old Whisperlite banged up fuel pump began leaking fuel on that trip too so each day had to cook the old fashion way making a fire. Oh what dirty time consuming fun rounding up wood and making a fire is. Likely buy the Whisperlite Shaker jet. Thus a little trip to REI tomorrow to make a $70 donation.

Thinking I may drive up to Mineral King next Friday or Saturday and start my 6 or 7 day solo trip over Sawtooth Pass. Now that is a painful thought. Maybe I can hire a team of local marmots to be my sherpas. I'll pay them well. Will guarantee a nice new Kragen's bought 10 inch rubbery smelling radiator hose dipped in fresh radiator coolant for them each day on the team. ...David

Hi Dave

Have considered going over Glacier Pass instead of Sawtooth Pass.
Though a class 3(easy) it will get you into prettier country quicker
than Sawtooth, like Spring Lake and over Black Rock to Little and
Big Five Lakes.

That's a good option on low snow years if one is going at least as far as Little Five basin. Sawtooth is less vertical if one is going to Big Five or Lost Canyon because after climbing over Glacier one has to then go up 2k to Blackrock. My objective are some foxtail pines at obscure non-lake locations to aim my 4x5 at including these two I shot in 1994 with my 35mm SLR:

Dave,

I love that picture! It's a classic statement of California native. Hopefully you will share this view again taken with the box camara.

That's a beautiful photograph!!!

I purchased a new Whisperlite with the shaker jet last October. It was worth the money. Another nice feature is the built-in fuel filter on the fuel intake tube--no more clogs! I'd grown accustomed to cleaning the jet on my old Whisperlite once a day at least.

The forecast southeast moisture flow started cumulus buildups for the first time today across the Sierra Crest areas. Hopefully will get some nice clouds up in skies for that pair of trees with my big camera.

Good to hear you're positive about that stove Kerstin. I did buy the Whisperlite and gave it a roaring checkout. Either cleaning the jet or worse having to break up cable varnish were always a nuisance. A few years ago my fuel pump leather cup became too worn but I refused to buy the $25 MSR kit to fix it and instead cluged in a sponge foam one with poor performance. Then I lost the fuel outlet o-ring but it still worked till this leak.

I've spent the last week pruning down my pack weight. Still my worksheet totals are miserable:

backpack 29.2, photo daypack 22.1, tripod 6.6
food 10.0 for total pack weight of 68.2 pounds.
Plus 4.0 boots, 4.2 clothing worn and pocket items. Total carrying weight 76.4 pounds.

...David

Dave: Have a great time and I hope you get some beautiful pictures.

Kathy