High Sierra Topix

On Friday, I headed up the Taboose Pass Trail at about 9 am. I got to 10,300' and called it a day on Friday. I had a hard time setting up the tent in the wind, but at least it was warm out. Yesterday (Saturday), I finished the trek from where I camped to Cardinal Mountain and then back down to pack up camp and head out. It was breezy, but not too windy earlier in the day on Saturday, but on my way out as I got closer to the trailhead the wind really picked up; so I was glad I had gone in on Friday instead of Saturday.

I hit my first snow patches right after the first creek crossing, but they were just small patches. By about 9,000' there were some bigger patches. Then by 10,000' there were some snow fields to cross, but they were wonderful to travel across/up because they were nicely consolidated. All the way to Taboose Pass it was that way. I got lucky and there was snow in one of the chutes that popped me out up near the summit of Cardinal Mountain. I don't think I'd want to climb that Cardinal from Taboose Pass without snow - too much loose crap.

Pics: http://kathywing.smugmug.com/California ... &k=cct534V" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Very nice photos. Thanks for posting. I've never hiked Taboose but I'd like to. I heard that it was a windy on Saturday from a friend who was out desert hiking. It's a good thing then that you went in on Friday.

Thanks for the nice set of pictures. It's neat to see into the back country this time of the year.

What kind of foot gear/equipment were you using on the snow?

The weather looks like it might be nice next weekend. Maybe another hike up the east slope?

cloudlesssky wrote:Thanks for the nice set of pictures. It's neat to see into the back country this time of the year.

What kind of foot gear/equipment were you using on the snow?

The weather looks like it might be nice next weekend. Maybe another hike up the east slope?

Footgear - just boots all the way to Taboose Pass - snow slopes were gentle and the snow was soft enough not to be slippery. I wear lightweight mountaineering boots when traveling in snow; so kicking steps is easy with the rigid soles. I also use trekking poles with snow baskets in the snow when it's not steep enough for an axe. On the way up the chute I took from near Taboose Pass to Cardinal Mountain, I used an ice axe and crampons. On the way down the chute, I left the crampons off and plunge stepped most of the way down the chute except one section that was a bit icy; so I put the crampons on for that section and then took them off again after I got past that section. I know it's a pain taking the crampons off and on, but over the years I've taken a couple of falls because I thought I'd be okay without crampons for a short section.

Yes, the weather looks good for next weekend - I wish I could go back up there too. Taboose Pass is probably the easiest of the hard passes (Shepherd, Baxter, Sawmill, and Taboose). Taboose Pass is also a nice wide Pass and usually pretty easy to get to in the spring once the snow consolidates.

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Very impressive jaunt and photos, thanks for sharing. What new lens are you using?

Rich: For some reason, I purchased the OM-D E-M5 with the Olympus M.Zuiko ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R lens. Then I purchased a Olympus M.Zuiko ED 9-18mm f/4-5.6 and have played with that one for a while, and I will still use it at times. Recently, I decided to pick up the kit lens that is typically sold with the camera - the Olympus M.Zuiko 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 ED EZ thinking I might be better off with that one in the learning process. I picked up the 12-50 for half-price used, and this was my first trip out with it. My learning curve with the OM-D E-M5 is huge, but I'm having a lot of fun playing with the camera. So far, I'm really happy with the camera and realize that most of the problems I have with it are due to my lack of knowledge when it comes to photography.

Thanks for the report Kathy. The lack of snow on the east side is crazy. If the weather holds I think I'm going to do a few dayhikes for my birthday weekend in 2 weeks.

Thanks for posting the details of your trip. I appreciate the photos on your website, I've looked at most (translate: all) of your Sierra photo galleries

KathyW wrote:Rich: For some reason, I purchased the OM-D E-M5 with the Olympus M.Zuiko ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R lens. Then I purchased a Olympus M.Zuiko ED 9-18mm f/4-5.6 and have played with that one for a while, and I will still use it at times. Recently, I decided to pick up the kit lens that is typically sold with the camera - the Olympus M.Zuiko 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 ED EZ thinking I might be better off with that one in the learning process. I picked up the 12-50 for half-price used, and this was my first trip out with it. My learning curve with the OM-D E-M5 is huge, but I'm having a lot of fun playing with the camera. So far, I'm really happy with the camera and realize that most of the problems I have with it are due to my lack of knowledge when it comes to photography.

Kathy, I own the OM-D as well. This is actually my second time around with the camera, and when I bought the camera again, I did not buy it with the 12-50mm, because I was not sure about the quality of the wide angle photos I took with the lens. It is a very convenient small and light lens though. I do own the 9-18, which is considered a better lens acc. to most tests I have read. It is easy for me to get the depth of field right with the 9-18 lens because it is so wide. The best camera aperture setting for the 9-18mm is supposed to be either F8 or F11, so at those settings, it is pretty easy to have both foreground and background in focus. Here's a link to a DOF calculator that shows if you focus the OLY with a 9mm lens at a point 6' away, everything within a couple of feet will be in focus.
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I think you could experiment around with the calculator, and use it with the 12-50mm lens also.
I also own the OLY 60mm Macro, which seems to be a great lens, and I am eager to get out to the Sierra this weekend with that 60mm, and the wide angle.
Regards