High Sierra Topix

Sweetsierra,

Thanks for taking the time to pass this very useful info on to all our HST members.
Looking forward to hearing about the Kennedy Meadows to Kearsarge Pass section too.

Looks like an incredible trip. I could barely recognize some of those places (like Darwin Bench) with all the snow!

Cool, wish I had the proper skis for something like that.

DAVELA wrote:frikkin' jealous.How much preparation goes into a trip like that?Gotta have a lot of expensive winter gear...i snowshoe but would prolly have to get new skis n boots and tent etc...
looks so awesome.Cant beleive how much snow there is?

Probably the hardest part of the prep is the transportation. We ended up paying a friend to drive a vehicle from the starting trailhead to their place in Tahoe, then drive down to pick us up on the east side at the end. The other way is do put a vehicle at either end, which means lots of driving for all.
Of course, all the years of experience on shorter and easier trips counts as preparation, I guess.
Not so much on the expensive winter gear - really pretty basic stuff, since traveling light is critical for a trip like this.

And as to the proper skis (re Hikerduane) - that's the easy part, really, as none of the skiing is really all that challenging. I'm not such a great skier, but I'm not too proud to walk down if it's too steep for me. I play it safe. No sense taking chances when you're carrying a pack and you're 4 days from anywhere. Anyway, the steep downhills are only a small percentage of the trip. Most of the time you are going uphill or on rolling terrain. so you don't have to be a good skier - but you do have to be a really good navigator.

Just enjoyed your slideshow immensely. Envious, really. that was epic. Almost makes one appreciate the ease with which one can move on snow. I hate to say this, but better than a fishing TR.

I'm not a great skier either, and I appreciate those comments as well, because when you actually do it, it's not that bad.

If i had discretionary cash i would pay paul or anyone else to let me tag along.Thats a dream trip.I prefer the Sierra in snow.Im absolutely blown away by it when i snowshoe there.I dont know if i would have the stamina for winter camping.When i was snowshoeing at big pine/north fork,some guys were headed out on skis with skins to go climb one of the 14ers.I thought, what frikkin rock stars!

What im wondering is that Paul says the snow is fresh but all the reports i read seem to say that snow is hard.Someone on the whitney board posted pics from kearsarge pass looking west and it is blanketed in snow.So maybe i hike over kearsarge and break out the snowshoes?Night temps are in the teens tho and my summer tent and 20deg bag would prolly kill me.So frustrating!

DAVELA wrote:What im wondering is that Paul says the snow is fresh but all the reports i read seem to say that snow is hard.Someone on the whitney board posted pics from kearsarge pass looking west and it is blanketed in snow.So maybe i hike over kearsarge and break out the snowshoes?Night temps are in the teens tho and my summer tent and 20deg bag would prolly kill me.So frustrating!

Dave, I hope I didn't confuse anyone. We had a foot or so of fresh at the start of our trip (may 18), but that consolidated in a day or two. After that it was firm - crusty in the mornings and getting a little slushy some afternoons, but generally firm. You could walk without snowshoes if you got up early and got going.

Hey, I know that guy! Nice trip Paul.

John

This is for Paul. I posted a link to your trip pictures on the Yahoo group for the JMT and now everybody wants to know who you are. Ladd thinks your Paul McGloughlin? Lots of people would like to say hi so if you drop in to the group and leave your contacts at least Ladd and Dittli might know you. Others would like to. Great trip, not what I was hoping for but still great trip. i want to walk on the ground not the snow.

Wow, nice trip! Thanks for sharing.