Yosemite's Northern Section - Above Hetch Hetchy

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giantbrookie
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Post by giantbrookie »

Aviprk wrote:I understand 15 miles can be quite unrealistic especially on a first day that includes going up from the reservoir but that is why I'm training for it :D
It aint the 15 miles that's the big deal, its the 6800' of gain with the full pack. That's wicked. As many death marches as I've done, I must confess I've only once done 6800' on day 1 (this was the lower reaches of Upper Basin via Taboose Pass) with a full pack, and done >6k gain on only one other day 1 (Shepherd Pass). As for alternatives to Otter, I am biased toward doing Tilden, instead, because I fish. Same is true of other off trail alternatives that take you closer to HH rather than away from it such as Bearup Lake and Branigan Lake. In other words I'd do Tilden if I were really feeling good, and Bearup or Branigan if I were feeling a bit lazier.
Since my fishing (etc.) website is still down, you can be distracted by geology stuff at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/ees/facu ... ayshi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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maverick
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Post by maverick »

I hope you've included hitting the hills with a pack for you training
besides using the stair climber, which is good, but doesnt get your
stabilizing muscles in your hips or legs ready for uneven terrain.
Make sure you do some glute and hamstring work too, you glutes are
the main muscles that get you up those mountains(calves and quads to
a smaller extent).
Im honestly not to thrilled about that area. Tilden Lake can be really
bad when it comes to skeetrz. Wilma is nice but Im partial to big
mountain scenery which this area doesnt really offer.
I went to Edith Lake a couple of yrs back where I also visited the 3 lakes
north of Kendrick Creek about 3/4ers of the way to Edith Lake from
Lake Eleanor, gorgeous lakes! The area towards Spotted Fawn and
Many Island Lakes is pretty too.
Tilden Canyon and Breeze Creek(Deep Canyon) areas are fun to explore
and quite an adventure too(later in the year). The Branigans are a good
early season place to visit which can be easily reached in a day.
Thompson and Stubblefield Canyons are a good cross country warm up
trip to. Great places to get some x-country experience or prep for a
season in SEKI.
As mention earlier the place is good for an early season trip. There
are stretches that may be dry and not have alot of water(Vernon area)
but you should still be allright.
You may run into snow around Bailey Ridge and above 8500 ft especially
in shaded areas unless we start getting some warmer weather
systems with rain that will melt snow faster than any hot temp ever will.
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Post by TehipiteTom »

Maverick, I'm doing a Many Island/Spotted Fawn/Flora loop Memorial Day weekend, with a side dayhike to Nance Peak to look down on Kendrick Canyon.
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Post by maverick »

Hey TT
Yeah Nance Peak! I climbed from just south of Edith Lake to the
top thru the nastiest brush ever it took 2hrs to get up several hundred
feet, much easier from the west!
Werent you going up Cherry Creek this year? Still going to the
lakes near Mosquito Pass on the SEKI side this year?
That place has some pretty lakes and ponds that are great for photos
I really liked the Bartlett Creek area! Nance Peak has a great view
well worth the hike.
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Post by TehipiteTom »

maverick wrote:Hey TT
Yeah Nance Peak! I climbed from just south of Edith Lake to the
top thru the nastiest brush ever it took 2hrs to get up several hundred
feet, much easier from the west!
Werent you going up Cherry Creek this year? Still going to the
lakes near Mosquito Pass on the SEKI side this year?
That place has some pretty lakes and ponds that are great for photos
I really liked the Bartlett Creek area! Nance Peak has a great view
well worth the hike.
Thought about Cherry Creek, but I think I'll do the eastern lakes instead. I've been itching to do Nance ever since Kendrick. (I can't even imagine doing it from Kendrick Canyon...that sounds nasty!) Good to know the view is great...that's what I thought from the map, but confirmation helps.

And yeah, I'll be doing the lakes east of Mosquito Pass in July.
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Post by Aviprk »

Well OK! But that would be 14.5 miles, 6843 feet of gain and 2335 feet of loss.
Hey DoyleWdonehoo isn't the above elevation gain for the entire trip? Or is it really just till the lakes near Tiltill mountain?
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Post by DoyleWDonehoo »

Aviprk wrote:
Well OK! But that would be 14.5 miles, 6843 feet of gain and 2335 feet of loss.
Hey DoyleWdonehoo isn't the above elevation gain for the entire trip? Or is it really just till the lakes near Tiltill mountain?
No, that is just to the lakes near Tiltill Mountain. This counts all the ups and downs. It might be a little conservative. Topo! would say more. Harrison says more miles. I think my tools are more accurate.
...3 lakes north of Kendrick Creek about 3/4ers of the way to Edith Lake from Lake Eleanor...
I would get to Edith Lake and the downstream lakes (fishermen love it) not from Eleanor Lake, but from Laurel Lake north where it is easy cross-country.
The Branigans are a good early season place to visit which can be easily reached in a day.
Well, maybe not "easily" in a day :unibrow: , but it is a good destination, in particular the very nice largest Branigan Lake, looking good at the outlet with a wood at the NW shore for possible camping. The other lakes are on the pleasant OK side of things.
Thompson and Stubblefield Canyons are a good cross country warm up trip to.
Funny, I was just looking into them only recently... ;)
I'm doing a Many Island/Spotted Fawn/Flora loop Memorial Day...
Flora Lake is the real jewel with one of the best camps in the Sierra. There is a few trick ways to getting into Many Island Lakes, one of my favorite early season destinations (once the stubborn snow on Kibbie Ridge is gone). With a good topo, doing the Flora loop is very nice. There is some trail left above Flora (going towards Kibbie), but don't be fooled by that tree laying the length of the trail when the trail takes a sudden right. ;)

Interesting stuff...
Doyle W. Donehoo
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Post by TehipiteTom »

I would get to Edith Lake and the downstream lakes (fishermen love it) not from Eleanor Lake, but from Laurel Lake north where it is easy cross-country.
Went to Edith with a buddy who fishes, and he got a 14" and a 13". Very tasty. No wonder fishermen love it. ;)

The Laurel approach is the best, but I wouldn't describe some the cross-country in Kendrick as 'easy'. Some of it is straightforward slab-walking--nice stuff--but there are also some pretty brutal stretches of, for example, manzanita-covered talus. (Just ponder that for a moment.) It's well worth it, but keep in mind there will be thrashing. I have a lengthy trip report (with pictures) at http://home.earthlink.net/~tehipite_tom ... ick_tr.htm.
Flora Lake is the real jewel with one of the best camps in the Sierra. There is a few trick ways to getting into Many Island Lakes, one of my favorite early season destinations (once the stubborn snow on Kibbie Ridge is gone). With a good topo, doing the Flora loop is very nice. There is some trail left above Flora (going towards Kibbie), but don't be fooled by that tree laying the length of the trail when the trail takes a sudden right.
Thanks for the info! Much appreciated. :)
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Post by DoyleWDonehoo »

TehipiteTom wrote:...Some of it is straightforward slab-walking--nice stuff--but there are also some pretty brutal stretches of, for example, manzanita-covered talus. (Just ponder that for a moment.) It's well worth it, but keep in mind there will be thrashing. I have a lengthy trip report (with pictures) at http://home.earthlink.net/~tehipite_tom ... ick_tr.htm.
Lovely pictures.

Talus+bush=BAD!
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Post by maverick »

Hi Doyle

I also descended the ridge from Laurel Lake.Your right the largest of
the Branigans is the prettiest one of the three and they offer more
solitude than Vernon and Wilma in season.
You mentioned in another thread that you train in the Santa Cruz
Mt area, where abouts?
Flora is very pretty as is the small lake a little to the west of it a little
higher up.
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