High Sierra Topix

Friday, 16 May 2008 (day 1 of 3)
Backus Peak from Hwy 178

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/49 ... 4272_SuMhg

Moose Tracks and I wanted an easy warmup peak for Friday, since we both had big peaks to dayclimb on Sat. It was 90 deg on the summit (6,651'), and 100 deg coming down. Saw a lot of new flowers and reptiles and bugs on this trip.

Saw 3 Red Coachwhips


and new flowers which need ID




Are these edible?

The coachwhip looks hungry, beautiful colors on that snake.
Don't leave us hangin, want to see Spanish Needle pics!

PS; pmd you to get some e mails, got a new computer, and it has no e mail memory yet.

Hi Dave,

Got a new camera (G9) and the photos are so big my computer is slow uploading. I'm working on Spanish Needle. Its up there in favorites!

Saw your PM, but can't 'reply' back (the reply button isn't there on my screen) I'll send an e-mail to you later. Can't take time off because I'm saving vacations days for Australia.

Saturday, 17 May 2008 (day 2 of 3)
Spanish Needle from Canebrake Road - 2nd try, made it!

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/49 ... 1110_XX5fb

Tom Gossett and I dayclimbed Spanish Needle from the PCT on Canebrake Road. We tried with a big group a month ago and bailed when we saw the chutes filled with snow. What a great climb! I was expecting it to get really bad from reports from a group that didn't make it last year. It was a challenge and I'm looking forward to doing it again.

Found some new flowers on this trip, not sure what some are


this is a chocolate lily


we took the slab route


which got pretty steep below the summit, and made it a fun climb


caught the biggest horned lizard I've ever seen, and it squirted blood out of its eye (only 4 species do it)



It mellowed out and rubbed its chin on my finger

Great pictures Cori! I was initially going to comment on the flowers (which are BEAUTIFUL!) but the horned toad pictures are amamzing!!! I haven't seen a horned toad in years... probably since I moved to Washington .... however, Washington does have some of the biggest slugs I've ever seen!

you outdid yourself with the toad photos! for some reason I can't open the smugmug photos?
The slab looks like it might be a bit steep on the descent, good job!

Opened the photos, looks like a great day, cool scramble on that hike near the summit!

Thanks, Rosie and Ridgeline. Slugs are cool too! I’ve only seen little ones. That horned lizard was the coolest ever! Especially seeing it squirt blood like that! I had heard about it, but to see it was way cool! I forgot to open the album this morning, DUH! Thanks for letting me know! Yeah, slabs were steep, but I was on all fours so I was ok on it.

What a difference a month makes!

April 19th


May 17th

a week late, but here it is

Sunday, 18 May 2008
Meysan Lake Trail

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/49 ... 4135_NyJY9

Tired from Fri/Sat hikes, so hiked up the Meysan Lake Trail. This was my first day this year above 10,000'

Amazing horned toad photos!! Cori, thanks for posting such good photos of the summit route on Spanish Needle, because a group of us are headed up there for another try tomorrow. I especially appreciate the info about the required leap, because I'm not such a great "leaper". I have been practicing today I'm going to measure how far I can easily leap, then I'll bring a cloth tape measure and see how far the required leap is. That MIGHT give me confidence (maybe).

Moondust

A group of us went back out this last Saturday to Spanish Needle - we were the first to summit since Snow Nymph and Tom G.; this was my 5th summit of this enjoyable peak.

the final "leap" to the summit - for the tall people it is just a big step or small leap


for the more vertically challenged it is a little more effort to cross


as per discussion between Moondustie and Snow Nymph she brought a tape measure. This gap was exactly 60" that is 1" winder than Snow Nymph is tall - not many people can leap further than their heighth


Holly took spotted some nice varieties of flowers - although I did not see any chocolate lillies






and of course the crux of the route is this nice off angle stone ramp - which can be bypassed with a chimney west of the notch(some photos in set)


rest of pictures:
http://tomcat-rc.smugmug.com/gallery/50 ... ULd#P-1-20