TR: Headwaters Kern R

[sparky]

Great trip report. Love the pictures of your camps at Milestone Basin and Thunder Mountain Basin. Stunning!

I also like using no clock. Up and down with the sun.

Thanks for taking the time to share this trip!

[freestone]

Sorry, I need to correct myself in my earlier post. I meant Junction Pass, not Shepherd Pass.

[giantbrookie]

Classic trip and report. Quite a fishing odyssey, too. What a great area.

[SSSdave]

Note for any that are merely interested in reaching the lower Tyndal Creek areas, the net vertical up and down going over Shepherd Pass and returning that same way is about 1620 feet less than out and back from Onion Valley over Forester Pass. This includes a route down to where the Shepherd and Forester passes meet lower down so would not be valid for someone staying up near the top of Shepherd Pass say to climb Tyndal.

Total vertical out and back via Shepherd is 8460 feet that includes 6630 from the trailhead to the pass and another 1170 back up on the west side to the pass. However if one starts at Onion Valley but exits at Shepherd Pass, it is 1325 feet less than Shepherd pass out and back or 7135 feet total up vertical though the mileage is considerably longer. Thus the logic of that popular semi loop though one pays with an extra day of travel.

[Shawn]

Thanks for posting the great trip report; it was a great read and beautiful photos.

[canukyea]

Since I haven't had a chance to do a significantly long trip this year, it's reports like these that have me salivating! Those are some gorgeous lakes and a route that is top quality fishing.

[TehipiteTom]

Great report.

I think I camped in the same spot at Vidette Lakes--there really isn't much else around there.

[KathyW]

Note for any that are merely interested in reaching the lower Tyndal Creek areas, the net vertical up and down going over Shepherd Pass and returning that same way is about 1620 feet less than out and back from Onion Valley over Forester Pass. This includes a route down to where the Shepherd and Forester passes meet lower down so would not be valid for someone staying up near the top of Shepherd Pass say to climb Tyndal.

Total vertical out and back via Shepherd is 8460 feet that includes 6630 from the trailhead to the pass and another 1170 back up on the west side to the pass. However if one starts at Onion Valley but exits at Shepherd Pass, it is 1325 feet less than Shepherd pass out and back or 7135 feet total up vertical though the mileage is considerably longer. Thus the logic of that popular semi loop though one pays with an extra day of travel.

Since that recent flash flood along the Shepherd Pass Trail, there is an extra 100 or so feet gain each way because you have to go up to get around the big gully before Anvil Camp; so add a good 200 feet to an out-and-back trip via Shepherd Pass.

I came up with about 14,000' gain from the Shepherd Pass Trailhead to Milestone Peak and back out again.

[Wandering Daisy]

My choice of Onion Valley TH had nothing to do with elevation gain. I have never been on the portion of JMT from Vidette Meadow to Forester Pass, had never seen Center Basin or Vidette Lakes and never had spent any time exploring the lakes on the east side of Kearsarge Pass, but had been over Shepherd Pass three times. I always am looking to see new terrain! Although getting to the Kern watershed was a main goal, it was not my only goal. My route choice usually has more to do with where I want to wander in the mountains, not the easiest nor fastest way to get somewhere. My only limitation is how much food I am able to carry. Last year (in the Wind Rivers) I did a 14-day ration but it was miserable the first week. In the Sierra it amounts to what fits in the bear can! A 10-day trip is becoming my new limit - if I fish I can usually squeeze in another day. As for daily mileage - that depends on when my old knees get too stressed.

A good deal of the route decision also was to pick places where I most likely would avoid the smoke from the Aspen Fire. My second trip was a short easy trip up N. Pine Creek/Palisades. It would have been preferable to do the short trip first, but when I drove through Bishop there still was too much smoke - could not even see the Palisades! By the time the Kern Headwaters trip finished, the smoke had cleared significantly.

I like to change plans and adapt to conditions. This is why I seldom reserve permits. So far, knock on wood, I have never had any trouble getting a walk-in permit.

Just a note- there now is a lot of smoke up here east of Sacramento. There is a fire burning near Forrest Hill. We were thinking of going to Desolation this weekend, but decided we have to go farther south to get out of the smoke.

[BakoGal]

I pulled out my map and really enjoyed “arm chair” travelling with you. Thanks for taking the time to write this up and include those awesome photos!

I smiled at your lower Vidette Lake issue….I was there two weeks ago, also with a very wet Tarptent Moment and no morning sun!