High Sierra Topix

oldranger wrote:Markskor wrote:

Well Mark, except for the fact that you are now an old fart everything seems pretty much the same.

Mike

Not exactly Mike...Well yes, still a clueless, dirt-bag, back-country wanderer but now I can occasionally get lucky and catch a fish and best of all, I do know how to cook 'em.
Mark

There are at least 5 people on HST (I'm not one) who outdo the rest (not to belittle the rest). Markskor is one of those. I remember when I was first pointed to HST (by gb). I was eager to know of people with more breadth and depth of experience than mine. I had never met anyone with more, even though I am very gregarious on the trail. This has been a treat. I know I've gotten more from it than I've contributed. This thread really facilitates my appreciation of HST. Thank you to everyone.

(saint) Diane in the backcountry from 2007.

Some nice reflections thus far......

I guess it it my turn to share; since I started the thread and have not answered my own question

Let me begin by sharing the same sentiment that CrossCountry did; I consider it a privilege to be able to share a forum with such great members. Since joining HST two years ago, my interest in backpacking has expanded from an "enjoyable outing" to a "year round passion"; HST has been instrumental in this transition. While my experience in the "Range of Light" is limited to a few outings a year (never more than a week), these few escapes fuel me year round. It is great to be able to participate in this community and learn about the tools and resources that help make these outings more enjoyable and rewarding. THANKS

As for the questions:

1) My ultimate backpacking trip thus far was my High Sierra Trail venture from this past July.(viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8014" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
It had many of my ingredients for a good time:

* Decent Fishing (Hamilton Lake, Kern River, Guitar Lake)
* Good Scenery (diverse & beautiful/ places like Precipice Lake will stop you dead in your tracks)
* Fair Weather (sunny,warm,and a few afternoon T-showers to cool us off)
* Duration (a 7 day trip might seem like a drop in the bucket for many, but it is huge for me)
* Good Company (being able to share it all with a great team)

2) As far as my Ultimate, I would have to agree with Almost There by stating "the next one". I have set my sights on a Northern Yosemite loop (jpeg) The main excitement for me this time around will be integrating some cross country into the route (will be my first off trail Sierra travel). I have been fortunate to receive some HST input and guidance on this one.
(viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8345" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) My Ultimate-Ultimate trip would be to embark on any one of the epic trips mentioned in this thread (i.e. Wandering Daisy's, Marksor's, LMBSGV's, RougePhotonics' etc.) This is not my lot in life right now, but should I ever get the opportunity I will surely seize it.

Happy Trails !(and/or off trails)

OK, I'll join in. I'm not as seasoned as many here, but I have been at it for awhile and have had some tremendous adventures (at least in my mind )!

Ultimate trip past? Some of my longer trips (Like the OP, 9 days is a long trip for me with my longest ever being 11) make good candidates for such accolades. Headwaters of Bear Creek for 9 days in June 1977. Early trip with my brother Jim and high school friend Glen. I had been on 5 trips prior, but this one really hooked me. Off and on rain producing memorable sunsets and my first experience of viewing a very large rockfall (from a safe distance). Very cool!!! The Palisades Basin/Amphitheater Lake in trip 79. I can still feel the remoteness under the Palisades. Or the South Lake to Sawmill Pass trip in 82.

All great, but my fondest memory of a backpacking trip occured on a 4 day trip out of Florence Lake with my wife Deb in 89.

We took 2 days to get there and had a marvelous trip Saw some folk on day 1, but didnt see another soul until mid day on day 4. After a pretty tough cross country route in we had a stunning alpine lake to ourselves for 2 days and had what I consider my best ever backpacking meal as discussed here viewtopic.php?f=26&t=5847" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
My wife loved the mountains, but couldnt understand my love of the wilderness. Debs an artist who likes to paint and draw and she had prought along her pencils and charcoals for the trip. As I fished she sat, sketched, and soaked in the sheer beauty of the sun setting over a gorgeous alpine lake. The setting was serene and what I would call pure wilderness. Nobody else around for miles and just the two of us soaking in alpenglow of our own little slice of paradise found. As I joined back up with her she smiled and told me that she now understood the draw these places have on my soul. It was a magical moment for both of us and one i will never forget. Her packing activity peaked in the next few years and it was a truly memorable period in our lives. Another tid bit about that trip, Deb had been a tad moody/testy at periods on this trip , which is not her typical demeanor. The next week she found out she was preganat with our son Josh. There were actually three of us on that trip!! No wonder Josh like backpacking so much!!!

As for ultimate trip future, I'll go along with everyone else and say the next one, which hopefully will be an 8 day trip from Cottonwood to Shepard Pass, but only time will tell. The SE corner of Yosemuite sems pretty inviting as does the WHite Divide. Again, only time will tell.

Wandering Daisy wrote: Future trip? I would extend the High Route to the south...

For trip report of an extension of the High Route to the south, visit:
http://sierrahiker.home.comcast.net/~si ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bill, it's good to see you posting here. I always enjoy reading your trip reports. This one describes a nice southern high route, most of which I've done over the years. The only leg I've missed is the area south of the Big Arroyo -- for some reason, I've always found an excuse to avoid Mineral King and environs.

Mike

My favorite trip was a 17 day loop in north Yosemite in 1977: Virginia Lakes -> McCabe Lakes -> Benson Lake -> Seavy Pass -> Kerrick Canyon -> Tilden Lake -> Jack Main Canyon -> Dorothy Lake -> Upper Piute Meadow -> Tower Lake -> Kerrick Meadows -> Rock Island Pass -> Burro Pass -> Matterhorn Canyon -> Virgina Lakes. Runner up was the JMT in '74. Spent 30 days, with a layover day every week.

My wish list starts with Roper's High Route. I have done 2 sections already, but would like to do it all in one shot. I still have a long list of places to visit, some provided by a dear friend who makes his home and business in Mammoth.

mshields wrote:2) As far as my Ultimate, I would have to agree with Almost There by stating "the next one". I have set my sights on a Northern Yosemite loop (jpeg) The main excitement for me this time around will be integrating some cross country into the route (will be my first off trail Sierra travel). I have been fortunate to receive some HST input and guidance on this one.

I remember that thread. You have a great route there...that is really going to be one fantastic trip!

From Roads End up into Sphinx Lakes Basin, over to Big Brewer then down and out. As good as it gets...

I hope I'm posting this information in the right place. Several of the trip reports at sierrahiker.com were ultimate trips at the time.

A new page at sierrahiker.com shows a map with all the trialheads for the trips listed on the website. Also on the new page, all hikes are listed by location from north to south.

The link is on the main page at the website. If you don't see the link, hit the refresh button for your browser.

For those of you who haven't visited sierrahiker.com in a while, almost all of the trip reports have been recoded so that they show up on a single page. The quick links section on the left is now in alphabetical order. The detailed log list on the right is now in reverse chronological order. Again, hit the refresh button if the main page doesn't look like this description.