High Sierra Topix

Coyote - nice TR, Thanks! A quick question regarding your photos from "Finger Pass", looking south and north; were those taken from right at the pass, or from a little ways down?

paul wrote:Coyote - nice TR, Thanks! A quick question regarding your photos from "Finger Pass", looking south and north; were those taken from right at the pass, or from a little ways down?

on top of the pass.

interestingly, the two guys i met inionian, john & rob.... john told me in an email that they went for the direct approach to tunemah.

they went from goddard creek then up and over the east shoulder of blue canyon peak then directly over the summit of the peak just north of tunemah lake.

(they're hardcore mountaineers)

Wow, this last series of photos adds to an already amazing report. This is the place of which High Sierra dreams are made.

Really enjoyed the great trip report and photos. Thanks for sharing.

Please continue! The most remote place in the Sierra? I think that perfect circue lake at the bottom of that canyon (10232) would be a contender, with the winner being the lower end of Enchanted Gorge. Now if I could just talk someone into going down into that canyon to 10232 with me, that would really knock a chunk off my 'things to do list'. I like the picture of the stream below Portal Lake, one of my favorite scenes and favorite picture of mine when I was there. I wonder if at Mantle pass if you went over the talus or if you found that friendly notch/gully next to the pass? (http://www.sierra-trails.com/nfkings/nfkr16.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) Please give us more! Thanks!

(Edit)
OPPS! I should have refreshed! You DID post more! Thanks!

Talk about a great loop. Wow. Must've been an incredible trip (except for maybe the smoke and stinging nettles...ouch). Thanks for posting such a great read along with all those great visuals

Really nice shots Paul. It was a trip meeting you out there.

JD

thanks john.
same here - unexpected

to me, the pictures are just snapshots - another rock... another tree...lol
i do miss carrying my 4x5. that camera gave some outstanding images. with the point & shoot, i get pretty sloppy as i can just keep popping off image after image cuz there's so much storage. with the large format, i had to be really selective, which in turn, really gets me to hone in on the subject. i sure don't miss carrying a hundred pound pack tho!

Hi Lostcoyote

You mentioned the heavy weight of the 4x5, you could go in between like a
1DS Mark 3 or 5D 2, and some RRS Pano gear set up, which would allow you to
stitch some photos close to what you would get with your 4x5, at much less weight.
Of coarse you are aware that there are some restrictions with this set up like moving
objects (water, clouds), but I have been using it with a lot of success.

I really like this TR. You write in a concise stile that I like.
The 2 times I went over Finger Pass I went from North to South and I remember thinking just what you said. I was really glad to be going up instead of down.