Maverick's 2016 Annual HST Meet-up

[oleander]

The new plan for Viki and me:

Isberg TH - Joe Crane Lake - skip over to Post Peak trail and Post Peak Pass - north along trail possibly with diversions to Turner Lake, Harriet Lake, etc. - Lyell Fork, arriving at Camp 3 as early as Tuesday evening. Friday midday departure from Camp 3, returning directly to Isberg TH.

That'll give us a full two days to explore Lyell Fork and Hutchings Creek.

Can't wait to see old friends, and make new ones...

- Elizabeth

[Shhsgirl]

Ummm...okay, Mav. You gave hubby and me a place we want to be, but it's the getting there. Haha. We'll go our best to haul our OLD you-know-whats up there from trail.

BTW, we are making it a ten-day trip. Coming in on River Trail, then etc., etc. Exiting Tuolumne.

[Rockyroad]

Still planning on coming in via the River Trail over Glacier Pass and Blue Lake Pass, arriving Thursday after exploring Hutchings Creek Basin. Exiting via Rodgers Pass back to Mammoth, unless P&P reports bad conditions and scares me into another route...

... I read that the west side of Rodgers Pass (we are coming in via Rodgers) is no fun, ...

[Shhsgirl]

Maybe we'll see you, Rockyroad, as you zoom past us. Providing we get a permit, that is...

[Rockyroad]

Shhsgirl, what day are you starting? Sunday for me. I travel slow, especially over talus. I'm giving myself 3 days to get to Blue Lake.

[Shhsgirl]

Sunday, permit providing. Camping on west side of TI that night. Hope to get to Twin Lakes Monday night. Blue Lake on Tuesday night. Bet you anything you are faster than we are.

[Rockyroad]

Sunday, permit providing. Camping on west side of TI that night. Hope to get to Twin Lakes Monday night. Blue Lake on Tuesday night. Bet you anything you are faster than we are.

Haha, I guess it's a race to see who is the slowest then! Just as long as Hobbes doesn't pass us up (He's starting on Tuesday). I have the same itinerary as you so I hope you get your permits.

[Jimr]

You'll know Hobbes has passed you by the sudden smell of jet fuel and burnt rubber. There may be a flash or a sonic boom, but don't count on it. Sure wish I was going. I've now spent 7 days moving 16 years worth of house stuff one truckload at a time. Hope to be done by Sunday, but I'm not sure. I've decided that since I'm not going, I will haul up Isberg trail on the 30th and meetup with Maverick, Oleander and Viki for the evening, then hike out with them Sunday. Better than nothing and I get to see my friends.

[maverick]

Better than nothing and I get to see my friends.

[kpeter]

In case we see anyone along the way, this is my itinerary beginning tomorrow. Looking forward to meeting all of you! I will be traveling with a colleague.

Sunday July 23: Drive to Yosemite, pick up permit, drive to Mono Meadows Trailhead off the Glacier Point Road. Leave car at Mono Meadows trailhead and begin hike. Camp at one of the crossings of Ilillouette Creek or along the Creek.

Monday: Hike to Lower Ottaway Lake and camp there for the night.

Tuesday: Hike over Red Peak Pass, take a short cross-country hike to Red Devil lake and camp there for the night.

Wednesday: Rejoin the trail and hike east to Triple Peak Canyon, go down and back up the east side to join the High Trail that runs to the east of Triple Peak Canyon. Depending on time and energy could camp at lake 10005 or further north along the trail. Slight possibility if we are feeling very energetic of cross country up Foerster Creek to camp at Harriet lake.

Thursday: Continue north on the High Trail until we get to the Lyell Fork of the Merced River. There we leave the trail and follow the Lyell Fork upstream (east) to join up with the other participants coming for the High Sierra Topix annual meet-up. Our assigned camp is approximately N 37.70388 W 119.29062.

Friday: We do not move camp, but will dayhike from the meet-up. Most likely we will explore the high lakes on the Lyell Fork that lie immediately west of Electra and Rodgers Peaks.

Saturday: Leave camp and take the High Trail north, then west into the canyon at the Merced Lake Ranger station. Continue past Merced lake and Echo Valley and ideally camp in the vicinity of the Bunnell cascades--but more likely anywhere we can find a legal unoccupied camp.

Sunday: Leave camp as early as humanly possible and hike through Little Yosemite Valley (bypassing the hordes of people lining up to climb Half Dome) and hike down to the top of Nevada Falls. Then take the Panorama Trail from Nevada Falls and climb back up out of the canyon. At the top we will probably take the boring but shorter Mono cutoff to get us the last 8 miles back to the Mono Meadows trailhead.