Trip Advice - Sierra High Route, DP to TM
- mpeters
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Re: Trip Advice - Sierra High Route, DP to TM
]Hi again, thanks for all the input on this thread. Wandering Daisy -- you were right; 5 days was not enough for this trip! My friend never pulled out his fishing pole and i only took pictures in the early morning hours or a snapshot here and there during the hike. Here are a couple of highlights from the trip along with a few photos. I'll attempt to post a more detailed trip report soon for anyone that is interested.
8/31(Day 1): DP to Minaret Lake. Really just a dusty afternoon hike. We got a late start out of DP and didn't make it to ML until dark. However, our campsight was spectacular and the morning sunrise on the Minarets was phenomenal. 2 other people there, otherwise we had the place to ourselves.
9/1: Minaret Lake to 1000 Island Lake. Hiked from about 10:00 a.m. until 7:30 a.m. with plenty of rest stops. The Iceburg Lake snow traverse was OK, but hiking poles were really helpful. The highlight was crossing down Whitebark pass into Garnet Lake basin just as the sun was starting to set behind Banner. The wide shallow stream coming out of Banner was unique and something I hadn't seen before. About 2" deep, 30' wide, with 2-6" rocks meshed into a composite riverbed.
9/3: 1000 Island Lake to a valley above the lake at 3,100 meters. Glacier Pass(moderate snow ascent), Lake Catherine, Twin Island Lakes(the stream crossing wasn't an issue, only about 30" deep and slow). Out altimeter was off by about 200' and in the dark we walked right past the unnamed lake we were shooting for. Had a great campsight though with fantastic views due to our mistake. Other than our slight detour here, this was the only real route finding issues we experienced. A second time through this area would be much easier as it seems like Roper gives you just what you need but not what you want. 9/4: to Lyell Fork of the Merced. Another long day, through Bench Canyon(sublime), up to Blue Lakes, over Blue Lakes pass, through a wonderful meadow with a trout filled stream and down into the Lyell Canyon by way of headlamps.
9/5: Lyell Fork to TM:Total mileage approaching 20 miles by my estimation. Too much and my feet paid for it! Lewis Creek and the cascade from Forester Lake(??) is spectacular. Vogelsang to TM, dry and dusty!
Lots of time joking about Roper's "strolls", "gentle walks", and "scrambles". I guess for a world class mountaineer, his words are correct. For us, we rarely found much strolling, except the walk through Bench Canyon which may have been my personal highlight. The waterfall into the solitary tarn below Lake Catherine was unreal.
8/31(Day 1): DP to Minaret Lake. Really just a dusty afternoon hike. We got a late start out of DP and didn't make it to ML until dark. However, our campsight was spectacular and the morning sunrise on the Minarets was phenomenal. 2 other people there, otherwise we had the place to ourselves.
9/1: Minaret Lake to 1000 Island Lake. Hiked from about 10:00 a.m. until 7:30 a.m. with plenty of rest stops. The Iceburg Lake snow traverse was OK, but hiking poles were really helpful. The highlight was crossing down Whitebark pass into Garnet Lake basin just as the sun was starting to set behind Banner. The wide shallow stream coming out of Banner was unique and something I hadn't seen before. About 2" deep, 30' wide, with 2-6" rocks meshed into a composite riverbed.
9/3: 1000 Island Lake to a valley above the lake at 3,100 meters. Glacier Pass(moderate snow ascent), Lake Catherine, Twin Island Lakes(the stream crossing wasn't an issue, only about 30" deep and slow). Out altimeter was off by about 200' and in the dark we walked right past the unnamed lake we were shooting for. Had a great campsight though with fantastic views due to our mistake. Other than our slight detour here, this was the only real route finding issues we experienced. A second time through this area would be much easier as it seems like Roper gives you just what you need but not what you want. 9/4: to Lyell Fork of the Merced. Another long day, through Bench Canyon(sublime), up to Blue Lakes, over Blue Lakes pass, through a wonderful meadow with a trout filled stream and down into the Lyell Canyon by way of headlamps.
9/5: Lyell Fork to TM:Total mileage approaching 20 miles by my estimation. Too much and my feet paid for it! Lewis Creek and the cascade from Forester Lake(??) is spectacular. Vogelsang to TM, dry and dusty!
Lots of time joking about Roper's "strolls", "gentle walks", and "scrambles". I guess for a world class mountaineer, his words are correct. For us, we rarely found much strolling, except the walk through Bench Canyon which may have been my personal highlight. The waterfall into the solitary tarn below Lake Catherine was unreal.
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- bainhameen
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Re: Trip Advice - Sierra High Route, DP to TM
Just curious MP, do you reside at sea level? In terms of altitude acclimatization, do you have any trouble going from sea level (or whatever altitude you reside) to Minaret Lake (~9500ft) in one day?
Thanks,
b-h
Thanks,
b-h
- cgundersen
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Re: Trip Advice - Sierra High Route, DP to TM
mp,
Fabulous shots, but yes, you definitely could have used more time on that route. I don't know what the flowers were like in Bench canyon, but the first time I went up that way, the lupine was sensational with dwarf plants all the way up to Blue Lake. And, I'm addicted to the infinity pool views one gets of the Minarets from Blue Lake. Then, there's the Lyell fork of the Merced. It's very low impact and spectacular. Hope you get back...
cg
Fabulous shots, but yes, you definitely could have used more time on that route. I don't know what the flowers were like in Bench canyon, but the first time I went up that way, the lupine was sensational with dwarf plants all the way up to Blue Lake. And, I'm addicted to the infinity pool views one gets of the Minarets from Blue Lake. Then, there's the Lyell fork of the Merced. It's very low impact and spectacular. Hope you get back...
cg
- mpeters
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Re: Trip Advice - Sierra High Route, DP to TM
I do live at sea level but we drove up to TM on Tuesday night and spent the night at altitude. We relaxed around TM most of the morning and then caught a ride to Mammoth on Wed afternoon. I think the night at altitude was a big help. Still, i was exhaused by the time we arrived at Minaret.bainhameen wrote:Just curious MP, do you reside at sea level? In terms of altitude acclimatization, do you have any trouble going from sea level (or whatever altitude you reside) to Minaret Lake (~9500ft) in one day?
Thanks,
b-h
- Wandering Daisy
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Re: Trip Advice - Sierra High Route, DP to TM
Thanks for the short report. It is good to see that conditions were good for you (snow and river crossings). Now you have to go back and spend some more time at each place! I do not think I am tough enough to do that route in 5 days! Wow!
- ManOfTooManySports
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Re: Trip Advice - Sierra High Route, DP to TM
Great trip! Thanks for the report. The meadows in the Lyell Fork of the Merced were what got me 100% hooked on the Sierra high country many, many years ago. Thanks for that photo.
I've been thinking of doing parts of that route sometime. I'll have to pick your brain when I start planning.
I've been thinking of doing parts of that route sometime. I'll have to pick your brain when I start planning.
- mpeters
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Re: Trip Advice - Sierra High Route, DP to TM
Thank you! The Lupine was largely gone from Bench Canyon but the Paint Brush and many other flowers were in full bloom.cgundersen wrote:mp,
Fabulous shots, but yes, you definitely could have used more time on that route. I don't know what the flowers were like in Bench canyon, but the first time I went up that way, the lupine was sensational with dwarf plants all the way up to Blue Lake. And, I'm addicted to the infinity pool views one gets of the Minarets from Blue Lake. Then, there's the Lyell fork of the Merced. It's very low impact and spectacular. Hope you get back...
cg
I have a nice pic of an infinity pool at Blue Lake which I'll post later. It is one of my favorites from the trip because we finally had a few nice clouds in the sky that day.
We had no time to explore the Lyell fork of the Merced but if i return, i'll plan to budget extra time to work my way upstream towards the lakes underneath Electra and Ansel Adams.
- mpeters
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Re: Trip Advice - Sierra High Route, DP to TM and on to Twin Lak
Hi All,
Back again after a break from hiking in 2012!
Planning to hike from TM to Twin Lakes to complete the northernmost section of the SHR. Mileage is approx 28 miles with all but a couple of miles XC(according to Roper).
In contrast to 2011, when snow wasn't an issue but a consideration(only a couple of sketchy snow traverses by Iceberg Lake and North Glacier pass), I expect this year to be bone dry in Aug/Sept. A couple of questions as I start planning.
1) How available is water on this section? There are some lakes but it doesn't look "littered" with them and i doubt we can count on snow runoff.
2) 5 days for the DP to TM was more than enough for my hiking speed/condition. An extra day would have been great. So... as time is always a consideration, is 4 days a decent amount of time for this section or is 5 better? The terrain doesn't seem to be as spectacular and varied as the section on our last trip but...
3) Any must see detours that would offer either fishing opportunities, or photo ops. I'm not into fishing but i do hoof 12-13 lbs of camera gear along.
Regards,
Mark
And here is the picture from the reflecting pool by Blue Lakes that i never posted from 2011.
Back again after a break from hiking in 2012!
Planning to hike from TM to Twin Lakes to complete the northernmost section of the SHR. Mileage is approx 28 miles with all but a couple of miles XC(according to Roper).
In contrast to 2011, when snow wasn't an issue but a consideration(only a couple of sketchy snow traverses by Iceberg Lake and North Glacier pass), I expect this year to be bone dry in Aug/Sept. A couple of questions as I start planning.
1) How available is water on this section? There are some lakes but it doesn't look "littered" with them and i doubt we can count on snow runoff.
2) 5 days for the DP to TM was more than enough for my hiking speed/condition. An extra day would have been great. So... as time is always a consideration, is 4 days a decent amount of time for this section or is 5 better? The terrain doesn't seem to be as spectacular and varied as the section on our last trip but...
3) Any must see detours that would offer either fishing opportunities, or photo ops. I'm not into fishing but i do hoof 12-13 lbs of camera gear along.
Regards,
Mark
And here is the picture from the reflecting pool by Blue Lakes that i never posted from 2011.
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