High Sierra Topix

bcrowell wrote:

DoyleWDonehoo wrote: I have long planned to go up to Blue Canyon (and beyond), but not alone.

Why not alone? Is it one of these dangerous canyoneering-type canyons, like Tenaya Canyon?

No nothing as bad as Tenaya! Once at the 'cabin meadow' in Blue Canyon, the trail continues on up canyon (you can see it in Google Earth) and peters out below the upper lakes and it is cross-country from there. I have always wanted to camp at one of those upper lakes at about 10360 feet, in particular the southern one. Packers may go there. Nearby for exploring in Tunemah Lake and "pass" (supposedly a Chinese swear word). Then there is Finger/Blue Canyon Pass, and another lake I have yet to visit, lake 10212 at the bottom of Goddard Canyon. Still a (very) few things on my to-do list. Why not go alone? It is very remote in one of the remotest places in the Sierra, in particular Goddard Canyon. Most places in the Sierra you can get to in three days, and three day places are few. This area is one of those. (Yes, total gonzos can get there in fewer days, I know. ) In my view, while I do go to many places alone, one should not go alone to such three day places (though some do and I am not some).
Choosing the right time of year is important too. Crown Creek is nothing to sniff at. It was impassable when I saw it.
Here is looking into Blue Canyon from Mantle Pass:
http://www.sierra-trails.com/nfkings/nfkr17.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yes Tom, when you get to Rodgers Creek out of Crown Meadow, there is a very nice camp, creek and meadow there. We camped there.

Someone on backpackinglight, who doesn't have an account here, has the following question, which I'd also be interested in hearing answers to:

"Any friends been to Tehipite Valley this season starting from the Rancheria TH? I am concerned about the 1 million switch backs down to the valley..Its a unmaintained trail about 12 miles from the TH."

I went in from Rancheria in 2007, and finished the loop over Mather/Pinchot to Roads End. It was a beautiful trip, and plenty of solitude all the way up the Middle Fork.

The switchbacks are in poor shape, but not terribly dangerous. There is a lot of loose rock and leaf cover on them, and there were a few spots where we had to backtrack to find the trail again (this is where Amy Racina got off the trail and took her fall, read about it in Angels in the Wilderness). I have a friend whose cousin (an experienced equestrian) took a horse down it a number of years ago, and he said the horse went down three times. What I remember most about the switchbacks is that they are too steep to simply walk down, I had to put on the brakes with each step (sometimes challenging because of the loose rock/leaves). I did it a week after doing Whitney, and the switchbacks on Whitney are a walk in the park in comparison.

The other concern now is finding the trail at all. A lot of the area between the rim of the canyon and Crown Valley burned in 2008, so it would be interesting to see what the conditions are there now.

A couple friends went down about a month ago. Other than the deep leaf/needle cover, they said the trail was in pretty good shape for not being maintained. They compared it to coming up from Pate to White Wolf - except with more shade. They expected a trail eroding away to nothing but said it's not like that.

can anyone who's been into TV tell me about the climb out?
i noted that there is a creek flowing into the valley and the trail get's close to it at ~5100 feet.

1) is that a water source or should i plan on carrying 3 quarts of water (2 bottles)

thanks...

2) also, is there a water source at "hay" meadow at the end of the climb out?

i will be going to TV in a few weeks via bishop pass. return to bishop pass via ionian basin. i want to revisit the lake 10232/ionian area once again. it's beautiful there in the fall. i have a picture on google earth in that region between lake 10232 and lake 9797 northeast of finger peak (the only one in the area).


i guess my final question is

3) would it be easier going up the climbout (harder physical labor) go going down the climb into TV (higher risk of slipping on all the pine needles i hear about)

The creek that comes close to the trail at about 5100' is in the bottom of a deep gully with 50' vertical walls. I did not try to find a way down.

I was there in August of a drought year (2007), and IIRC, there was a little flow of water in the creek that drains through the draw at hay meadow (gnat meadow, according to Secor) at the top of the climbout. And there was plenty of flow on the third creek crossing east of Rodgers Creek, I camped there for the night. There should be flow this year.

thanks lambertiana.

is the climb down harder than the climb up?

(thinking in terms of slipping/sliding/falling on my arse... on the way down... whereas going uphill might be safer even though going up makes ya sweat a whole lot more)

Only you can determine if the climb down is harder than the climb up. I have quick reflexes and very flexible and forgiving ankles, and I rarely have issues going down loose scree; I also don't do well hiking uphill in high temps. My hiking partner on the trip I just did is the opposite, he is unsteady and unsure on such slopes. So I would think that the climb down would be better, while he would prefer the climb up.

If you are good on slopes covered with loose rocks/leaves/etc, going down is better. If not, and if you don't mind sweating, going up is the much better choice.

My advice for the climb up: start at daybreak (or earlier, if possible). It's a southeast exposure and it gets enervatingly hot early and fast. Led a group out of Tehipite in 1999, and we were on the trail at 6:30 am and up to Poopout Point by 9:30; that is definitely the way to do it.

thanks for the information