High Sierra Topix

Despite an absurd variety of weird physical nusiances; despite rain, hail, sleet and mosquitoes; despite the demise of my sunglasses, sunscreen and extra water bottle...somehow I made it in and out of the Kaweah Basin on a trip 2 weeks ago. Before I lapse into complaining, though, the payoff:



I was hoping to have 8 days for this trip, but lost 2 of them trying to figure out: (i) how I developed a nerve inflammation from hiking in hiking sandals (because of a blister) back in May, which now makes it impossible for me to lace my left boot, (ii) how I developed a horrible blister on my left toe by doing a training hike in the same boots I had been comfortably wearing for months, and (iii) how I developed bursitis in my left elbow from having a colonoscopy (seriously -- talk about a gastroenterologist who doesn't know someone's a** from their elbow). But refusing to be thwarted, I went out and bought new boots (in a half-size too big), tried them once and decided they were broken in (yeah right), and headed up to Shepard Pass.



It was raining from the first and I was dying of thirst (pardon the Dylan)...when Mt. Tyndal came into view:

For some reason, either the Topix Board or my computer refuses to let me post a message of more than one page or so, probably as an attempt to squelch my verbosity. So I'll have to do this in parts.... I was eager to get off the trail, so decided to cross-country through Wright Lakes Basin rather than slog onto the JMT. It was quite beautiful.



I was thinking of climbing Mt. Barnard, but today the thunderclouds were coming in early (it was a doubleheader of rain today -- noon and then 5pm) so it was a good thing I didn't.



The Kaweahs looked good from Bighorn Plateau:



Then I descended cross-county to the connector trail between JMT and the High Sierra Trail. The view from the High Sierra Trail back towards Kern River canyon is quite dramatic, although poorly captured on my camera.

The route up Picket Guard Creek was fun, except for when I tried an ill-advised Class 3 shortcut and had to drop my pack below me in order to get back down. It seems that my sunscreen somehow took that opportunity to disappear.



Picket Guard Basin was beautiful, but the mosquitoes here (and in Kaweah Basin) were almost intolerable.



I was kind of tired the next day, so decided on a layover, exploring upper Kaweah Basin (and it's mosquitoes, even at 12,000 feet)

Despite rain every day and mosquitoes, it was hard to leave the basin.



Despite my grand plans of returning via Milestone Pass, hiking in unbroken-in boots, without being able to lace the left boot, and not being able to use hiking poles because of my elbow... 6 days wasn't quite enough, so I returned the way I came. I'll be back -- I'd like to explore upper Wright Lakes Basin, as well as Red Spur Basin and a number of other spots. Rest of the photos are here:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/573893589FMBozt

Very pretty. Nothing like exposed camping above the treeline.

Beautiful photos. Must explore that area.

Thanks for sharing.

quentinc,
My buddy had a simular blister problem with a well worn pair of boots on our recent Yosemite trip. He couldn't understand why he all at once got such a blister until the next day when he started to get a hot spot on the little toe of his other foot. On inspection he found out that the inside seem of his hiking sock had balled up and was causing the problem. Just something to consider?

Thanks Q for the TR and pic's which I enjoyed.
Looks like you had a fun trip, some bad weather makes for some great sunrise/sunsets.
I descended Picket Creek and it has some fun class 3 parts, and a little bush
at the beginning.

Thanks for the TR and photos!

Thank you for the pics and report, would like to hit that area next few years if able.