Page 2 of 2
Re: Upper Kern Basin from east or west? [6-day solo trip]
Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 12:42 am
by RiseToADry
windknot wrote:
D1/up Shepherd Pass to Anvil Camp or Shepherd Pass Lake
D2/to Wallace Lake
D3/back around to Upper Wright Lakes Basin
D4/to Lake South America
D5/layover in Upper Kern Basin
D6/back out over Shepherd Pass
Just by glancing over the topo, why skip over WLB the first day and head straight to Wallace? It would seem logical to me after an initial grueling first day hiking out of the desert, you'd want an easier follow up day. Why not do this:
D1/Shepherd Pass to Anvil/Pass lake
D2/WLB
D3/around to Wallace
D4/Head down basin, jump on JMT, X-country to LSA
D5/ Layover after longish day
D6/Long, but mostly downhill hike out
The only thing about adjusting this route, is that perhaps you are not maximizing time in the "geographic" area you want, but you still get a whole layover day!
Just some thoughts from a semi-noob quasi fisher-backpacker.
Re: Upper Kern Basin from east or west? [6-day solo trip]
Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 2:44 am
by windknot
Great input guys, thanks!
RiseToADry, my reasoning is that going the extra distance to Wallace/Wales on Day 2 makes the mileage on the succeeding days more manageable (i.e. more time to fish). If I go to Wright Lakes Basin on Day 2, then Wallace/Wales on Day 3, this means a longer Day 4 to LSA and therefore less time to check out the interesting lakes on Tyndall Creek on the way there. I definitely see your point though!
Re: Upper Kern Basin from east or west? [6-day solo trip]
Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 10:45 am
by maverick
Rlowgren wrote:
I'm new to the forum but I thought I'd chime in since your trip sounds very similar to one
I'm considering for later this year. My route goes over McLeod pass which is an alternative
to Langley and would avoid the double Harrison move.
Day 1 - roads end to sphinx lakes
Day 2- over sphinx pass to south guard lake ( although I believe I've read on this form
there's no fish in this lake so I may modify this stop)
Day 3-over McLeod pass (between thunder and table mtn to the lake s. America
Day 4- over forester pass to center basin and golden bear lake
Day 5 - long hike back to roads end
If you wanted to go to lake reflection you could take Harrison or milly's foot pass from the
upper kern and then back to roads end from there.
Welcome to HST! The reason McLeod Pass was not put into the mix is that it would
have added another class 2 pass, Thunder Ridge, making it four class 2 passes to
get to the LSA area. As you mentioned SGL fish status is uncertain, and the decent
down Harrison is not a piece of cake, and MFP is avoided by most people because
of the steep talus and the very steep upper section at the top of the pass which gives
the pass it's class 2-3 rating and makes it most difficult on the Kern Divide.
Re: Upper Kern Basin from east or west? [6-day solo trip]
Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 12:32 pm
by overheadx2
Last year my brother and I hiked a 6 day trip over shepherds pass to Lake So. America. We then went down the Kern trench visiting Kern hot springs to the Kern River ranger Station and then out over Cotton wood pass or trail Pass to Horse shoe Meadow / lone Pine. We parked at Horse shoe and got a taxi ride to Independence and shepherds pass which was simple since they are close to the 395. The fishing along the Kern was incredible, and the Funston Meadow part was the best river I have ever fished.
Re: Upper Kern Basin from east or west? [6-day solo trip]
Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 1:47 pm
by cgundersen
windknot,
My wife & I did a Shepherds-Upper Kern-Milestone basin trip in late September 2 years ago, and it was a revelation. By then, the sun is sufficiently far south and rises late enough that we were able to get up that first switchback-laced hillside before hitting direct sun. And, we're slow. And, even though we spent a fair amount of time on trails, we only saw 2 other parties in 7 nights out. That's another plus for late September. My wife gave up fishing a while ago, but the huge lunkers we saw in LSA were almost enough to convince me to bring gear.......unless the weather turns very weird, you should have a great trip!
cg
Re: Upper Kern Basin from east or west? [6-day solo trip]
Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 4:07 pm
by windknot
Thanks guys! Cg, late September is definitely a great time to be in the area. I spent 6 days in Miter/Crabtree/backside of Whitney last Sep. 22-27, and except for a brief hailstorm the timing was great.