High Sierra Topix

Saturday, 24 May 2008 (day 1 of 3)
Chocolate Peak from South Lake (Sierra)

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/50 ... 8584_BWoRG

I dayclimbed Chocolate Peak from South Lake, 2nd high altitude hike of the year, and altitude was bothering me again. I got a really late start (drove all night, got to bed after 3am) and started my hike with the sun shining an blue skies above. By 2pm, it was snowing and getting cold and I wasn't feeling good. I didn't bring a map or waypoints (wasn't sure what I was doing that day when I left home), but my GPS said 11,300' and I knew I was close to the summit. I had climbed this peak twice before, but the trail was snow free then. I returned the same way, following my tracks (most of them covered with new snow), and spent a few hours at the Moose Lodge before heading for NV for more hiking.

Sunny with blue skies


BC skier on north slope of Chocolate Peak


Peaks all around were in clouds


Started dumping, and lost visibility


Didn't stay on the summit too long (too cold!)


It cleared up once I got back on the trail


Everything was beautiful with the snow

Great photos SNow Nymph. That's a lot of weather for this time of year.

Thanks Shawn! I drove to Nevada that night, and got even more of it. The rest of the gang had been camping in it for a few days. I love my FJ!

Sunday, 25 May 2008 (day 2 of 3)
Blue Dick Peak in Nevada

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/50 ... 7910_hRAgt

Got up early and drove to camp (near Lida Summit), and would have made it by the 8am start if I would have taken the correct road. Instead, I stopped to put waypoints in the GPS, then headed for camp. It was snowing, and everyone was around the smoldering log in the firepit. Mtflyer finally got it going, and by then it started getting warmer. We drove to the Blue Dick saddle, and started hiking at 11:30am. It snowed and got windy, but we kept going and got to the summit by 2pm

I got there an hour late, and they were hanging around waiting for the weather to clear


Took the wrong turn


Late start


Approaching the summit


A few flowers left


back at camp

Monday, 26 May 2008 (day 3 of 3)
Lida Summit to Magruder Mountain

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/50 ... 7796_cfWfB

Woke up with snow on the Cooler, and everyone was leaving. TomG said he would hike if I did, so we drove to Lida Summit and followed the dirt road to the start. As we got our packs together, the sun came out and clouds opened up. Perfect! Magruder Mtn was in the clouds, and stayed like that til our descent. It was cold and windy, so we didn't stay long. We came back a more direct way, and had lunch back at the vehicles. What a great day for a hike! I would have gone for another peak, but this was a long drive for me.

Beautiful blue skies


Followed a ridge



I took the low route, ugly below



TomG took the high route, blue skies above



Not much visibility at the top



but windy til we got lower



Took a different ridge back


Some friendly guys by the road

Some friendly guys by the road=
Thanks for making me smile!!

Are those wild Burros? They are adorable!

Looks like you all had a good time!

They made me smile too! These guys were along the 395, between Big Pine and Independence.

More burro friends, Cori?? Whatever happend to your pal near Independence ?

I haven't seen him since a few weeks before the Independence fire. I'm always looking, though