Maverick's 2017 Annual HST Meet-up

[Dave_Ayers]

Planning to drive from Fremont to Taboose Pass TH on Weds. 7/26 with a stop in Lee Vining for permit and lunch if someone wants to join. However, my return date is uncertain.

Open ended trip Dave?

I'm shooting for 7 days, but I'm unsure how much the knee can take. It's possible I'll need to bug out early.

[Hobbes]

I'm the last guy to engage in fear mongering, but I've been hearing reports about the Taboose access road that are causing me to re-think my plans. Confirming what Sierra Shepherd reported 10 days ago here:

http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... ss#p122458

A guy that I've used before for shuttling between THs said essentially the same thing. He's going to be out of town next week, so he will be unavailable, but he was going to charge me $100. The reason it's so expensive to shuttle just 10 miles to the Sawmill TH is because the Taboose road is so degraded that it takes quite a long time to get there (and return). One of the official regular shuttle services might be 2x that price.

Besides using his 4x4 SUV for Taboose (he lives in Lone Pine & uses a mini-van for standard THs), he thinks a regular truck or SUV is necessary. He was just up there last week 'rescuing' some JMT hikers he had previously dropped off @ Horseshoe. They were done with the snow and wanted to bail.

So, with this in mind, I'm thinking of reversing course and hiking up Sawmill. I can leave my mini-van @ the Taboose creek campground and get dropped off @ Sawmill. I'm thinking I can offer someone hanging around $20 or $40 bucks to drive me the 5 miles. On my return over Taboose pass, I could camp by the last creek crossing (around 5 miles from the TH) and then road walk the 4.5 miles down to my car the next morning. I've hiked from the Symmes creek (ie Shepherd pass) TH to the OV road before - essentially the same distance - and it's actually pretty nice if done very early in the morning.

Right now I have a permit for Taboose Tues 7/25 and could conceivably stick to those plans if anyone with a truck/4x4 is heading up that way on the same day. I could still leave my car at the Taboose creek campground and do the road walk on the way back. If I did this, it would be an interesting in/out lollipop to check out some of the more intriguing fishing holes in the near vicinity.

[Ashery]

Unfortunately, Hobbes, while Tues 25 was one of the two viable openings for Taboose when I reserved the permit yesterday, I opted to for the other option, Sat 22, because of the fact that I need to be back in Lancaster by late afternoon on Sun 30.

I'll be heading out in a few minutes to go get some new tires on our Passport, actually. Your info makes me think that that'd be sufficient to get to the trailhead, but regardless, its chances are a lot better than my little Subaru.

[maverick]

Besides using his 4x4 SUV for Taboose (he lives in Lone Pine & uses a mini-van for standard THs), he thinks a regular truck or SUV is necessary.

Great, another wrinkle. Now, even with all this chaos going on at work, if there would be a small window of opportunity that presents itself, to get to the Meet-up, the road may not be doable any more with my car, because of the road degradation.

[Jimr]

I'm heading up early Sat. 22nd, pick up permit, check into Mt. Williamson Hotel and drop off pack at around noon. Head to Sawmill just to check out the road past the pavement portion to TH, then head to Taboose and stow my Truck, then walk back to the road and get a ride from Lisa & Viki on their way by back to Independence. Should be a nice hot slog.

[Hobbes]

Division creek road to the Sawmill pass TH should be fine. I was up there last July and it was in perfect condition. It's paved until the LADWP powerhouse, then graded gravel the last .5 mile. Here's an off-roader's description:

http://www.cbioffroadfab.com/trail-ride ... ng-canyon/

So, you'll be there in less than 5 minutes after turning off the old 395. What is far more interesting is whether you have a chance to check out Taboose. If it's doable in your truck, I might, just might, steal my son's little Nissan Frontier for the week. It's a '99 and a little ragged - but still reliable and functional - so while it wouldn't be as comfortable on the way up, if I could make it to the Taboose TH, it might be worth the effort.

I'll give you a call Sat evening to see if you have any good road intelligence. I can post any updates here if you'd like.

[Jimr]

Since we are bringing Viki's Chevy Volt to Sawmill, I thought she would be comforted knowing her low profile vehicle can make it without issue, especially at 4am. I figured it was nothing to get a visual and report to her. I don't have any cell service in Independence. If you have an iPhone I can send and receive text through wifi, but only if you have iPhone.

[Hobbes]

So you're leaving your truck @ Taboose TH? How are you going to get back to the hotel for your 4am start to the Sawmill TH the next day?

Re iPhone - got it. I'll use Regan's to get hold of you. Or, you can walk across the street to use the pay phone and call me. Either way, I'd love to get some input on the Taboose road.

[Jimr]

Text me Regan's number. That way I can update you as soon as I know. I'm walking out to 395 and waiting for Lisa and Viki to pick me up.

[Hobbes]

I'm walking out to 395 and waiting for Lisa and Viki to pick me up.

Ah, so you're doing the road walk. Only you're going to do it in the afternoon? Even without a pack, you might look like this afterward:



Boy, you will definitely want some of these when you get back to the hotel. I'm sure there will be plenty of people interested in seeing your road report and will greatly appreciate your sacrifice by taking one for the team.