High Sierra Topix

Looks like some interesting fishing spots could become accessible again.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsint ... pname=Inyo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; National Forest- News & Events

Wow, this is interesting news. I appreciate your posting this!

Matt

Thanks for posting this, I have all ways had a fascination with these creatures, now
I will have a better chance in photographing them within there own environment.

treadwell wrote:Looks like some interesting fishing spots could become accessible again.

Well it's not as if those spots were not accessible, but the time window (ie when thawed but allowable access) to visit them was rather narrow (I managed to do this after a moderately heavy winter in 1996--in fact those lakes are not particularly late-thawing). I do look forward to having a better opportunity to see bighorns. I still have yet to see one (at least alive--I've come across two carcasses).

giantbrookie wrote:

treadwell wrote:Looks like some interesting fishing spots could become accessible again.

Well it's not as if those spots were not accessible, but the time window (ie when thawed but allowable access) to visit them was rather narrow (I managed to do this after a moderately heavy winter in 1996--in fact those lakes are not particularly late-thawing). I do look forward to having a better opportunity to see bighorns. I still have yet to see one (at least alive--I've come across two carcasses).

Accessible to us warm weather hikers anyway. Ironically the only bighorn sheep I've seen in the Sierra were from the driver seat of my car. They were standing just off the road on the shoulder of Hwy 120 just east of Ellery Lake in the early am.

Wonderful -- would open the window wide for climbing Williamson, even in snowy years (for us ice-axe-adverse hikers )

I always wondered how they decided that people climbing Williamson would somehow interfere with the dating behavior of bighorn sheep in the first place. They mate on the trail? Makes me think of that song on the White Album -- "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?"

I saw 5 bighorn sheep on 4th July weekend about 5 years ago, up Tuttle Creek. Evidently nobody told them that they were off their protected area! I have seen many more bighorn in the Wind River Mountains. They are even hunted there. Yes, I would be very happy to get into the Williamson area at a bit later date.

Oh man, I can imagine the rush- folks figuring that the USFS may reverse itself in a year or two...get into those peaks while ya can. You can bet I will!

I'm happy for the sheep that they appear to be doing so well. Things were looking pretty bleak for them for awhile. I've seen them up in the Tioga Pass area (back in the early '90's), and again up in the high country up out of the Golden Trout Wilderness.
But if some of the avenues of egress to the backcountry to get back there include Baxter and Sawmill Passes, I don't think the rush will be unprecedented. Nobody in their right minds climbs in that way.
Two trails I said I'd never do again, and I'm sticking to it!

.....BTW -
Has anyone seen the documentary "Counting Sheep" that Joe Green released in 2004 on the Bighorns? Nearly all the filming was done out of the Rae Lakes area, Mt. Williamson, Baxter Pass, etc.