Shorty Lovelace

A place to explore the natural setting (geology, flora & fauna), people, constructed infrastructure and historical events that play and have played a part in shaping the Sierra Nevada as we know it today.
Cross Country
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Shorty Lovelace

Post by Cross Country »

How many people writing on HST have seen one of his cabins and where is (or was) it?
Diane (my wife), Iowa Joe and I were on a trip in the Upper Kern River drainage in late August, 1975. We had come over Shepard Pass and had stayed the night at the small lake (tarn) near the summit. The day before, Iowa Joe and I had caught a fish dinner at a lake below Lake Helen of Troy.
We started the day from the small lake and were hiking down to the Kern River. We were hiking down the Tyndall Creek trail just below the JMT. There was a building storm following us down the canyon so we were in a bit of a hurry. It began to snow.
A little ways from the JMT we encountered what I would assume is one of his cabins. There is no mention of this cabin in any literature I've ever read. We decided to stop for the night (and afternoon) inside the cabin. It was very short. Only Diane could stand completely erect.
In the corner of the cabin there was a hole in the roof and directly below it was a fire ring, obviously for cooking. We used a stove but still cooked under the hole.
In the afternoon and after dinner the snow stooped. I fished in Tyndal Creek and caught several very small trout, the likes of which I had never seen. It turns out they were about the last of the upper Kern River Trout.
That night we had some trouble with mice.
The next morning we left for the Kern River.
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rlown
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Re: Shorty Lovelace

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AlmostThere
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Re: Shorty Lovelace

Post by AlmostThere »

http://news.rootsweb.com/th/read/LOVELA ... 1092617719

Shorty's cabins are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places - the ones in the parks.

I'm more familiar with the ones in Sierra National Forest:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 353816.pdf
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oldranger
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Re: Shorty Lovelace

Post by oldranger »

I've been to 6 in sugarloaf/Roaring river country and looked for signs in Box canyon. Heard there may have been one in scenic Meadow but couldn't find a sign of one and it may have been part of cattle grazing. Also been to one on monarch divide, Bubbs creek, and Sphinx creek. Tried to find one s. of Rowell Meadow but was unsuccessful.
Mike

Who can't do everything he used to and what he can do takes a hell of a lot longer!
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Pika
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Re: Shorty Lovelace

Post by Pika »

I saw one of his cabins last summer just a few hundred yards north of where the HST heads up Wallace Creek to join the JMT. The cabin was missing its roof, so it wouldn't be much of a shelter in a storm...
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Jimr
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Re: Shorty Lovelace

Post by Jimr »

Last year I picked up the Kindle version of "Shorty Lovelace, Kings Canyon Fur Trapper" by William C. Tweed. It was free and an interesting "short" read. I don't see it offered on Amazon Kindle version, but I see there are many libraries that carry it. Somebody told me that those things still exist. Anyway, it has pictures and highlights of many of his cabins.

Found it. Still free
https://www.amazon.com/Shorty-Lovelace- ... B008L4AONA
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Re: Shorty Lovelace

Post by Cross Country »

Has anyone more than me, reading this, hiked down the tyndal creek trail to the Kern River?
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sctopdx
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Re: Shorty Lovelace

Post by sctopdx »

I've been to one half way down Crown Valley. Cross country travel down that valley, but as I recall it was fairly easy to find. In 1997 it was in good shape for its age, who knows now though.
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Re: Shorty Lovelace

Post by sekihiker »

My trip report for a visit to Deerhorn Saddle is here:
http://www.sierrahiker.com/DeerhornSaddle/index.html

Included in the report is a video of Shorty's cabin in Vidette Meadow which is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob-vwPKlFdQ
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Re: Shorty Lovelace

Post by Cross Country »

So - I take it that no one has hiked down Tyndall Creek below Shepherd Pass on the Mount Whitney Quad except for me (on HST).
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