Trip report-Upper Kern and Pickett Lake - Jul/Aug 2021

[bobby49]

Even if you start at the stoke of midnight you are going to spend time hiking in the heat, unless it is a winter trip. Well in my case anyway. I like to get over the crest, to the interior on my first day. That is a very tall order if the route is Shepard. Shepard gets its rep because it starts low and has binder loads of elevation change to take on in a single day of hiking, particularly if it is the first day of a hike.

Ed

I've been over Shepherd Pass a couple of times, and I can comment. First of all, sleep in your vehicle for the short night that you arrive at the trailhead. Then, start walking uphill at 3 a.m. when it is nice and cool. I generally reach the first ridge at 6 a.m. After dropping down a bit, you start ascending. Make sure that your water bottles are full when you leave the last creek there. Continuing upward, I generally reach the pass around 1-2 p.m. and then descend the easy terrain to the JMT in plenty of time for happy hour.

[wsp_scott]

Shepherd Pass was not hard starting at 7am. It wasn't easy either but I suspect a lot of the complaining is due to huge packs. I talked to a couple guys who saw a medivac flight from the hump on the Shepherd Pass trail. Evidently a group of older guys (no idea how old) with huge packs set off from the trailhead a little too late. The heat and exertion hit one of them hard enough to call for help. It sounded like he may have had a heart attack.

The guy I talked to mentioned the huge packs a couple times, he also said that this group did not seem to be physically ready for the climb. Based on the huge packs I see on the JMT, I assume that there are a lot of hikers out there who would hate Shepherd Pass especially if they make the mistake at starting at 10am.

@Harlen I only saw that one marmot on the whole trip and I still haven't seen a bear in the Sierra

Glad everyone liked the photos

[commonloon]

I wanted to mention that my own favorite approach for getting up Shepherd is to early evening, just before dark, and hike up to the top of the 1st ridge (where you crossover into the Shepherd creek drainage). There are 3 or 4 flat spots to camp there, and worse case 2 more spots up the trail a bit. You can obviously continue to Mahogany Flat or Anvil Camp if you're more motivate... then finish the pass early in the am.

I travel light, and absolutely agree that on Shepherd that is preferred. Hope he was ok...

@Harlen I was once having lunch at the top of the pass, with everything within arms reach, when a marmot stole some crackers. It is marmot central up there.

@wsp_scott I recommend the Rae Lakes loop, HST, Copper Creek trail, or the Tehipite valley for bear viewing in SEKI ;-)