Trips for 2010

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tim
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Re: Trips for 2010

Post by tim »

I'm planning a 3 day trip for mid June to Rancheria Falls in Yosemite (hopefully basecamping there for a day hike to Leconte Point) and a 5 day trip Mammoth trip (Duck Pass to Iva Bell Hot Springs to Devils Postpile) for early August. Both trips with my 9 yr old twins.

One question about Rancheria Falls in mid June - will it be the height of bug season there given it is so low in elevation (4500ft)? Would somewhere higher up be better or worse on the bug front(assuming the Tioga Rd is open by that point)?
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Re: Trips for 2010

Post by Timberline »

Hey, rlown and Tehipite Tom:

DEFINITELY keep the Wallowas high on your list, and do them if you can. I recommend entry via Lostine Canyon to the heart of the wilderness just below Eagle Cap itself....
Wonderful country, and suggestive of the Sierra on a smaller scale.

Go for it! :nod:
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LMBSGV
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Re: Trips for 2010

Post by LMBSGV »

A long-time dream, Kaweah Basin, probably 7 nights in late July, early August or late August, early September. I've started perusing maps to figure out the best route in and out that leaves me 4 days to explore the basin and Picket Creek basin. I'll post my questions for all of you to offer your wise advice once I get beyond the map staring stage.
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Re: Trips for 2010

Post by SSSdave »

I've long had several years worth of thoroughly planned backpacking basecamp trips saved on the computer and each winter kick a few around that I have interest in. I've been working on a few new trips the last two months. Since my interest is photography where being at locations when light is good is utterly important, I tend to plan trips down to hour granularity and that includes what I will be doing once camped with general routes and when I will be rambling about day hiking. Lugging about a heavy tedious 4x5 view camera takes considerable strategy to be successful. My backpacking will be rather crimped by my job limitations unlike the previous few years so I'm in a similar boat to giantbrokkie but with different interests. I've already posted the Burro Lake thread that is probably just a Friday-Sunday early to mid August trip starting down in Lundy Canyon. As noted I would welcome others independently on that challenging route finding climb. I also may be doing a weekend mid to late August trip out of nearby Virginia Lakes.

My first 2010 backpack won't be in the Sierra but rather a short weekend warmup trip locally at Henry Coe State Park where I will get in a 2 or 3 hours hike start after work on a Friday before sunset to camp a couple nights atop a ridge. I've discovered a little known serpentine geology outcrop that tends to have dense wildflowers amid very green grass oak savana. That's also mountain lion country so it cannot be solo. If I can get a full 9-day week in, it is likely to be late July to early August out of Edison with at least one of my bro's up and over Rohn Pass where I have alot of unfinished business. So much to do, so little time, and just keep getting older.
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Re: Trips for 2010

Post by mokelumnekid »

SSSDave- did you know that Giantbrookie is a "serpentine" expert? I mean in the geological sense ;) I don't worry too much about getting older, at least as far as Sierra backpacking goes (real mountaineering and rock climbing is a 'nuther story have dialed that back). I'm 57 and we still punch-in significant mileage. If anything- oddly- as the years roll by we are taking bigger bites each time out.

Plans for 2010 are still not settled for us, I've taken up white water kayaking and 2010 may be the year I spend my Sierra time doing that (I live in WA State so have limited time in the SN).
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maverick
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Re: Trips for 2010

Post by maverick »

MK- you have Olympic, Rainier, Cascade NP's close by, and Alpine Lake Wilderness in your
backyard to keep you busy for several life times.

SSSDave- the Bighorn, and Rosy Finch via Mott, with Grinnell included was on my to
do list, but I am also interested in the lakes west of Seven Gables, and maybe adding
in a re-visit to Apollo and Orchid as an alternative trip, have not made up my mind
yet, but I am visiting this area for sure.
Last edited by maverick on Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:53 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Trips for 2010

Post by mokelumnekid »

Right Maverick, and I have done a lot in those places, but to be honest, we much prefer the Sierra or mountain west for big trips. In part because one can do a lot more cross-country travel in the SN which is very difficult up here (it has led to some epic bush-wacking and river fording nightmares). Plus all that clean rock and great weather in California is a joy. Add double/triple bugs, trickier weather, lack of great sight-lines until you top-out, etc. and the trips here require more tolerance for all that. The one 'bucket list' thing up here I DO have to do is hike of the Olympic coast. I've done day trips that were simply amazing. Not ragging on the Pacific Northwest, it can in some ways have more visual drama than the Sierra, by a long shot, but it is less of a care-free playground. For that big expansive, above timberline feel, that invites one to simply go roaming for days, that's the Sierra.

A little off topic but one thing that takes getting used to for hikers in the PNW, are the absolutely enormous, huge, frequent and brutal, clear-cuts. Folks from CA have no idea, as I didn't, how much of the area up here has been ravaged. Especially on the Olympic Peninsula. And a lot of the low-land forest- which one spends a lot of time hiking through- is third growth forest that has lost all diversity. Just saying- this colors my take somewhat.

Plus having a family cabin at Hermit Valley on Hwy. 4 (Ebbetts Pass) brings us down to the SN most every year.
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Re: Trips for 2010

Post by giantbrookie »

mokelumnekid wrote: I don't worry too much about getting older, at least as far as Sierra backpacking goes (real mountaineering and rock climbing is a 'nuther story have dialed that back). I'm 57 and we still punch-in significant mileage. If anything- oddly- as the years roll by we are taking bigger bites each time out.
Right on, I second that, although just recently joining the 50 plus club. My only athletic concession to age is that my basketball days are over, given that I couldn't stay off the DL when last I played in my late 40's. I certainly haven't noticed any limitations in radius of action or the type of terrain tackled versus my 20's. In fact I'm probably more solid in the mountains now than in my 40's owing to the fact that I've quit basketball (but not weightlifting) and my knees are much happier as a consequence. The much more limited trip slots (one per year if that) also force more rather than less distance per day. Years ago ('70's), I wondered why my dad didn't take more days off and would insist on cramming our peak bagging trips into a maximum 3 days (only one 4 day exception to do Goddard in 1977)- we could have climbed many more peaks if we took more days. Now it's the same thing, I could fish many more lakes if I took more days. Work and family schedules have a way of doing that.
Since my fishing (etc.) website is still down, you can be distracted by geology stuff at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/ees/facu ... ayshi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Rosabella
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Re: Trips for 2010

Post by Rosabella »

mokelumnekid wrote:Right Maverick, and I have done a lot in those places, but to be honest, we much prefer the Sierra or mountain west for big trips. .
ditto on that :D

The only trip I've got planned for sure this summer is the Mountaineers Route on Whitney. Laura (Moosetracks) is going to take a few of my family members and myself up... Woohoo! Will this be a fun trip!!
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Re: Trips for 2010

Post by LMBSGV »

As a 58 year old, I’ve been interested in the comments of other 50+ members on this thread. Since I turned 50, I’m still able to get to the places I want (I’ve never wanted to be a peak climber). However, my ability to rock hop with a full pack on a slope has become either very slow steps or rock walking around. Also, the pace I go has gradually become slower. While once six to seven hours of walking took me fifteen to twenty miles, it now is more likely to be ten or twelve miles. I used to maintain a fairly fast steady pace climbing so I passed people on the trail; now while I maintain a steady pace, it’s a low but sure plodding. And I, too, appreciate layover days and short hiking days more then when I was younger. Having more time to explore a particular area or simply take in the wonders surrounding me seems more and more important as I grow older.
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