High Sierra Topix

Since I've gotten some requests for more photos of the Harrison Pass area (from the recent thread on "backcountry conditions"), I figured I should do a brief trip report. Last weekend I did a 3-1/2 day trip from Onion Valley > JMT > Forester Pass, then cross-country over Harrison Pass to Lake Reflection, and back to Onion Valley via Junction and Vidette Meadows.

As others have noted, the skies have been quite clear for the first time in a while. Even though I've been by Bullfrog Lake maybe 30 times, the view of East Vidette (and Deerhorn) always amazes me.



The route from the JMT just south of Forester towards Lake South America affords some nice views, at least when done cross-country:



A good view of the Kaweahs:



Looking north (Mt. Ericson rt.) from the unnamed pass leading into the upper Kern basin:



This brings me to the Harrison Pass photos I posted on the backcountry conditions thread:





I was about to turn around before I discovered a plausible route to the south (left) of the snowfield:



The view north from Harrison Pass (Deerhorn Mt. rt.):



This is the second stage of the descent from Harrison Pass. I'd forgotten how much talus there was -- it was all talus going through the basin above this too:



Still, I was happy I hadn't come down Lucy's Foot, which I did about 15 years ago and said never again. This is from the north, and it doesn't even begin to capture the mayhem of refrigerator-sized rocks coming loose all around you:



I made it to Lake Reflection that evening; here is a picture from the next morning:



Bubbs Creek was amazing. Just a short way off the trail, this cascade was like my very own mist falls:



Also, the wildflowers were the best I can remember for late August.

That was great. Thank you. Thank you. When I saw Harrison from below (long ago), I made note. Years later from the South I chose Lucy's foot because Harrison looked so mean from afar. I obviously choose wrong. I though that I might die or be injured coming down LF. Lucy's foot is nasty coming down on the North side. I was alone. Looking back on this experience it was great, only because I made it. Also I was probably not in danger because there a man following me. I didn't know this, but he did. We camped together at the lake just below the pass and at the end of the trail from below. We had a good fish dinner that night. Backpackers really are the good guys.

Beautiful pictures, especially that one over Bullfrog Lake.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, sort of. I like the one from Reflection way better. Bullfrog is easy, Harrison and especially LF are not. Each to his own. I taught art and yet I'll take substance over esthetics(?) anytime, but of course that's just my point of view.

Nice trip!

Thanks for posting. Saw the photos of Harrison in the conditions thread, and was hoping more was to come.

quentin,
My computer is severely fickle and I could not access your latest set of photos, but even so, the guy I took the trip with a couple years ago took a few shots (in the link) when we were in the heart of the loop (we did essentially the same trip as you did except that we went up Vidette and over Deerhorn saddle rather than visit Reflection/East Lake). The only point of the photos, aside from illustrating the scramble up to Deerhorn saddle is that one gets a nice comparison of Harrison versus Ericsson in the shots from astride Deerhorn. Really, a tossup! But, as commented by others, both these routes win hands down over Lucy and Milly.
cg

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Thanks for the report! Gorgeous pictures (especially of the harrowing Harrison Pass). They really help evoke that wildness of the Sierra.

Wonderful trip report- superb photos. I almost think you should post a warning label, "don't try this at home"(I'm kidding). Your routes are not for the faint of heart, or the inexperienced.

Beautiful photo looking wsw across lake reflection. What did Longley look like?