High Sierra Topix

Well, I am impressed. Backpacker Mag had a big article a few months back on some folks who did it in a week and it sounded like death by blisters. My hat's off to you.

Thanks Sierra. Both your Darwin Bench and Bear Lakes areas are fun. I assume
your going in from Lamarck Col which is quite an experience itself the view down
into Darwin Canyon is quite beautiful, though the descent down is quite tedious and
slow going.
Nice pic's on his website.
Hi CG, Im looking forward to the Blue Canyon trip to ,it looks like GB will be exploring
the northern end of Goddard near Emerald Peak and TB and I on the southern end.
I hope you get to Kaweah Basin sometime this year, Im sure you'll be blown away with
its beauty as I was the first time I saw it.

Sierra,
I'll second maverick on the pace. The same friend and I did this trip (but south to north) in 2003, starting from Horseshoe Meadows. We did the 240 miles in 16 days, and that include 5 half days (ok, so 10 mile days). We're not ultralight, but we were below 30 lbs starting weight. Never felt like we were pushing the pace, and most days we got hit by rain, so there was a bit of down time there. So, I'm pretty comfortable with the pace. Getting the pack weight down to 25 lbs or so really made the difference for me. The knees and feet don't hurt so much in the afternoon, which makes the day so much nicer.

Mike

Nothing firm, somewhere east side central/northern Sierra (not Tahoe). A long weekend towards Fall.

The big trip in the planning stage is the Oregon Siskiyous in June.

I called after work today and got reservations for a eight day trip over Bishop Pass in late July. Heading into country maverick went thru last year. Palisade Basin, Lakes Basin, Dusy Basin etc. Looks like a tough trip, so we will see how I do. Trying to cut a few pounds off the pack weight, but with my chair and an ice axe I think, I'll be a little over 30 lbs. If I carry less water, I can shave a little weight.

So far, I am invited to Lassen over July 4th, nothing else planned by me, take them as them come.

Sierra Maclure, I belong to a small group that goes out year round, most live in Sac, the valley and the bay area, if you need/want someone to go on winter trips with, either in the mountains or the coast.

We probably won't make it all the way out to the Sierra this summer, but we've got a wedding to go to in Laramie so I'm thinking we might do a short trip in the Winds. Anybody been to Titcomb Basin? This looks like about a 5-day hike to me: two days to Island Lake (remember: we'll be acclimated to 0 feet!), one day to day-hike to Titcomb and explore, and then two out. I'd be delighted if anyone on this board could provide more information, and/or any other suggestions for a relatively short trip into the Winds.

Has anyone ever done the "Muir" trip of circumnavigating Mt. Shasta around the treeline...this trip has been in the back of my mind for about 5 years...perhaps next summer...hmmmm. Well just looking for some insight.

Ratboy wrote:Has anyone ever done the "Muir" trip of circumnavigating Mt. Shasta around the treeline...this trip has been in the back of my mind for about 5 years...perhaps next summer...hmmmm. Well just looking for some insight.

There's a thread over at the Backpacker Mag forums that discusses this. Consensus: probably lots more difficult than it looks on the map. Be an interesting trip, though.

Thanks. I will check it out.