After the short distance but intense vertical of Kid Mountain on Saturday, I wanted to get out and stretch my legs a bit. I know I was supposed to be 'takin' it easy' this weekend, but I had energy to burn, and have been looking up into the Whites for a while now, too. After a topo check for mileage and elevation gain from my topo dealer ( ) I decided to head up a 4WD road from Piute Creek Canyon. The added misery: parked down on the OV floor at White Mountain Estates (a few miles south of Chalfant), which added a few miles and 1000 vf of alluvial fan into the mix.
I was RTG by 7:10 or so, trying to get a little ahead of the sun. Things warmed up quick, and the mosquitos were out! :shock: But also, the OV floor is glowing green right now, and the wildflowers are all over on this side of the valley!
Basically, I just followed the road. I know, *yawn*, and I can see Tomcat's eyes rolling back in his head right now. But I guess it was 'safe' and 'taking it easy on your hand' and what harm could a little road do? It just kept going up, so I kept going up. And 4:20 later, I was at the Moulas Mine, 1/4 mile from the end of the road, and about 2.5 miles (2500vf) from the summit of Piute Mountain. What a view! I could see the OV stretch from South of LP up to Lee Vining and all in between, the snow-capped Sierra looking like a solid wall. (I have a few panos in the set, in anyone would like to stitch them together. I don't have the technology yet.) I would guesstimate that I hit between 5200-5500 vf, and maybe 15 miles for the day RT? But it was perfect, with a light breeze at the mine that just screamed for me to take a nap in the sun on a rock. Besides a few startled motocross dudes...:
Whom I was fated to meet, check out this one's stylin'...:
...I didn't see anyone all day. As I walked back down, the warm breeze from the OV floor carried the scent of the warming pinyons in the canyons. The air was noticeably warmer back on the floor, and I was glad to have stashed a few cold brews in the TOF, where I thought that taking a nap and waiting for sunset (it was 4 o'clock, so a bit early for that!) sounded great.
Looks like I'll have to work on starting a bit earlier if I want to finish a 7500 vf day!
Rest of the pics are here:
http://flickr.com/photos/moosepics621/s ... 523381014/
-L 8)
A Long Walk Up: Towards Piute and Sheep Mountains
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A Long Walk Up: Towards Piute and Sheep Mountains
"Why do I climb? Quite simply because the mountains and I had to meet." - Colette Richard
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moosepics621
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moosepics621
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Re: A Long Walk Up: Towards Piute and Sheep Mountains
Moosocrossers. Now how funny is that!
Alice
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Re: A Long Walk Up: Towards Piute and Sheep Mountains
He was cuuuuuuuuuttttttteeeeee, too! Another good reason to take a pic! Hmmm...
Got the update from Mike last night, looks like stats are closer to 18 miles, 5300vf. Not bad for a day's work!
-L
Got the update from Mike last night, looks like stats are closer to 18 miles, 5300vf. Not bad for a day's work!
-L
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Re: A Long Walk Up: Towards Piute and Sheep Mountains
Wow, what an AMAZINGLY clear day! Thanks for the life-sustaining pics and report for us flat-landers.
From amid the corn fields,
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From amid the corn fields,
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