First High Sierra Solo Trip - Advice

[egghead]

Heya,

I'm tacking on a high Sierra trip onto a work trip out west in early October (juggling shifting weather and a potential gov shutdown). I'm a crusty old thru hiker from the 90s. I do a ton of solo, multi night trips out in the Pisgah, Nantahala, Unicoi out in TN/NC. But it's been a long time since I've been above 9k ft.

I've got a lot of flexibility. Perfect plan is 3 nights up Piute Pass, over Humphreys Basin and Puppet Pass, down French Canyon and back over Piute Pass. Plan to acclimate at Loch Leven for night 1, if weather/snow warns against trying to cross Puppet Pass, I can hang back and look at Golden Trout or some such.

My normal winter kit (for SE Appalachians) doesn't include micro spikes or ice axe. I know with snow this weekend that there could be snow up and over Puppet Pass, I know there's still snow on Piute from last winter. I know I'm pushing it into what is clearly a very short shoulder season.

Here's my ligherpackhttps://lighterpack.com/r/gb7nn0 Would welcome any advice or gear recs. Thanks

[shampeon]

Was just in that general area last week. There was only one very short snowfield coming down from Piute Pass that we crossed. I had microspikes but didn't use them, as it was easy to cross. It was like 15 feet of the trail, with shallow snow cups and a boot track. Solid snow. Hardly thought about it.

After this cold front blows through, we go back to a warming pattern, so it's very likely any snow on the passes melts out by the time you get there. The projected accumulations aren't super impressive either (6-12" total). My gut says an ice axe is wholly unnecessary (we didn't carry one). Micros are cheap insurance, so I always feel better carrying them if there's any possibility of needing them.

[thegib]

No on the spikes and certainly no axe. Snow banks can be walked around and they won't help with the dusting they might get this week. Just follow the minimum temp forecast closely and be sensible with your warm gear. Nights are getting longer.

[commonloon]

Have fun!

I think your route is mostly clear of snow fields at this point. If that changes between now and your trip then you may consider micro spikes/ax.

Some things I thought about looking at your gear list:

1) If temps drop as they sometimes do in Oct then be prepared to stuff you canister stuff in your sleeping bag or jacket before use. Insulated it from the ground, etc.
2) The BeFree will likely need to be in a ziplock in your sleeping bag during the night (can't get below freezing). I tend to prefer a Steripen in the fall for that reason (good to keep it in an insulated pocket also -- batteries). I do the same w/ my mini bic as well.
3) The Torrid Apex may be a little unpowered depending on temps if your cooking/hanging out outside your shelter while not hiking.
4) You may want some warmer gloves. I find those wool fingerless a minimum for fall.
5) I almost never go w/o rain pants and mitts in the fall -- unless the trip is very short and great forecast. Mitts because you need your hands obviously if the weather turns nasty to get the shelter up. In October I've found myself in unexpected freezing rain/sleet.

Just my 2 cents :-)

[Gogd]

Pretty much agree with @commonloon .
Your base weight seems light for this time of year. I generally hit the late season trail with a base weight closer to 20 pounds. Many experienced Sierra trekkers prefer to stay on the trialhead side of high passes this time of year, so they are not trapped on the wrong side of a pass by bad weather. If the first big storm of the season hits while you are out, you will have quite an ordeal getting back. Fresh snow with no underlying base is a safety hazard, your foot can plunge through the snow, contacting the underlying terrain, perhaps injuring leg or foot on hidden surface structure. This concern will slow you to 1mph, exposing you to an avoidable, extended time period while up high, trying to get over passes, where safety is proportional to speed.

The details:
I thought the list of warm gear left little room for the low temps that are reasonable to expect. Note this recent TR reports below freezing temps below treeline: https://www.highsierratopix.com/communi ... hp?t=23307 You probably will have to remain active when outside of your sleeping bag to remain warm, as well as wear your gear to bed. This is the beginning of shoulder season, the temps could drop any time now. Foul weather can hit one basin, but not necessarily the adjacent ones, making weather forecasts unreliable. I have experienced single digit nights in the upper Bishop Creek basins, Dusy Basins as well as upper Le Conte Canyon (all local to your venue) in mid September. Just saying. No warm gloves is an unnecessary weight reduction plan, given the comfort afforded for a few additional ounces. No rain pants is not a good idea. If rain comes, it will be a very VERY cold experience. Note: most hypothermia incidents happen in the wet, at just above freezing. Don't be that guy! I would bring at least two extra pairs of socks, in case the primary and secondary pairs gets sodden, at least you will have one more pair to fall back on while trying to dry pairs 1 & 2.

I agree, the over canister stove will be an issue. A remote canister stove is preferable, given you can invert the canister and preclude the temperature related fuel issues; however, a white gas stove is the superior choice for temps below 30 degrees. The tarp tent may prove problematic if snow does fall, as alpine terrain often doesn't allow you to seal off the bottom edge of the tarp, and spindrift will get everywhere. A water filter will not be necessary, if you choose water sources that are not crossed up stream by trails. And there are many along your route, so this is not a problem. The backup blue foam pad is a definite plus for cold weather; a leaky air pad can be a real suffer fest in the cold, and the blue foam pad back up can minimize that issue.

Ed