Father/Daughter Hikers Looking for Trip Advice

[maverick]

That trip you posted a link to is the long version of the North Lake to South Lake trip.
Even though these guys did it fast do not be fooled into thinking that it is a walk in the
park.
Plus why would you want to rush thru one of the prettiest sections of the Sierra, there
are several areas on this route that you could spend a week(at least) exploring.
If you want to visit a beautiful basin with great climbing opportunities, than from
South Lake head up over Bishop Pass into Dusy Basin is where you will find gorgeous
lakes, great scenic views to the west and of the towering Palisades, a climbers mecca
to your east.
You can spend the first day acclimating at one of the lower lakes below the pass
and go over on day 2, and base camp, while you explore the rest of the basin and
bag a few of some of the best peaks in the Sierra.

[AlmostThere]

I'd suggest starting to dayhike with the backpacks you intend to use, adding more weight incrementally, to try things out well before the long trip.

It really sucks to be out some miles with a loaded backpack and have to turn back. A friend retired and starting hiking again after many years, dayhiked often, and reassured the rest of us he was honing the gear list and he would be good to go for a five day trip of his dreams on the JMT - we were barely five miles from the trailhead on the flattest walking possible (Lyell Canyon) and he slowed to a crawl. Turned out he did not do any hiking at all with his backpack beforehand. The rest of us had all been backpacking many times in the previous few years. Another in our number volunteered to go back with him. He had reserved the permit for our group and done a lot of planning and dreaming, and didn't get to go at all, after all his dayhiking. There was no way he could have hauled that 70 liter pack full of gear up Donahue Pass.

I'm sure your dad is in better shape than my friend.... Still, better safe than sorry.

[giantbrookie]

Giantbrookie, do you have any specific route suggestions for the Bishop Creek area? My dad sent me this link (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... d_id=23926" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) about a trip that included "Bishop Pass," which I assume is in the area but can't be sure (sorry, my knowledge of this part of the country is painfully lacking!). A route suggestion would be most welcome, or your thoughts on the route that hiker did (and links to maps would be great! Google has been pretty helpful, but I couldn't find a good one for this area). Mt. Sill looks amazing!
Jean

Jean,
I think you have a number of options. Bishop Pass is indeed part of this area. Mt Sill requires the most work to reach. With the parameters you give above I'd recommend day 1 South Lake trailhead to Bishop Lake, day 2 over Bishop Pass and through Dusy Basin, the over Thunderbolt Pass to Barrett Lakes. This is the one problematic part of the this game plan, given that off trail backpacking (Thunderbolt Pass) with a bad hip might not be in the cards., day 3 for climbing Mt. Sill, day 4 reverse out to Bishop Lake, dropping the pack and climbing Agassiz from Bishop Pass if there is time, and, if you plan to stay on longer, climbing Mt. Goode from Bishop Lake.

For other options you can sort of mix or match with easy backpacking segments. For example, you can backpack to Bishop Lake and use it as a base camp to dayhike to Mt Agassiz and Mt Goode. You may either go around Mt Hurd via trail to Treasure Lakes or cross the pretty easy cross country pass over to Treasure Lakes then climb Mt. Johnson on a dayhike. Mt Gilbert is class 2 and easily reachable from Treasure Lakes, too, but the couloir you climb to the crest requires an ice axe and is quite steep. You can also do the Bishop Lake-Mt Agassiz and Mt Goode combo, hike back to the trailhead, hike back in to Green Lake and camp there to dayhike to the Cloudripper. Or, you can go back out to the car, move it to the Horton Lake trailhead (I recommend a high clearance vehicle for this road, though). From lower Horton one can make the dayclimb to Mt Tom, which is truly one of the most distinctive landmarks of the eastern Sierra skyline.

In any case all of the backpacking segments mentioned above are short (5 miles or less) and all on trail with the exception of going over Thunderbolt Pass (class 2 talus) and/or the little pass that goes to the Treasure Lakes (easy class 2). Certainly trips can be designed (see above) that don't require off trail backpacking at all, although the peak bagging is all off trail, of course.

Cheers,

John

[frediver]

IMO for your first trip don't plan to much on climbing, be happy with the walk and see how
dads hip's adjust to the new strain.
Emigrant wilderness would be a make a great 1st trip IMHO.

[mafkdcio]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks again for all of your advice. Maverick, I should have mentioned that we wouldn't attempt to do what the person in that trip report I posted did in 3 days; we would take at least twice as long to do it. I was mostly interested in getting your opinions on the route that he took, rather than the time he took to do it. We are in no hurry to rush through the trip, and hopefully we can get 5 or 6 days out there (although that depends on how much time we can get off from work).

It seems I continue to do my dad injustice! As I mentioned before, his fake hips are not a hindrance and he rarely feels pain in that part of his body. He does a lot of skiing (he went on a ski trip only a couple of months after getting the second hip replaced!) and hiking and does not feel like his hips hold him back in any way. His knee is the only real concern, but even that isn't much of a limiting factor. We actually went backpacking back home (Alaska) for three days this past August and, although it wasn't a long trip, it was very strenuous and he was carrying a lot of weight. The second day we did a lot of very steep climbing for most of the day before hiking out on day 3. So no, it wasn't long, but he tells me he feels about as strong as he did when he used to go on long backpacking trips. I wouldn't be too concerned about what he can and can't do.

I was able to find a map of this area and follow the route that hiker took. It certainly is roundabout! But my dad seems like he's leaning towards that route. He really wants to see the Evolution basin area. I think he's been there before and is dying to go back. This hiker took a similar route to the one I posted before but got to Evolution via Lamarck Col (http://www.ljhelms.com/albums/0608Evolution/index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.) What are your thoughts on that route? Would it save much/any time? Would it be more/less strenuous? Ionian Basin seems like it might be a nice day trip, as this person suggested.

You're right, Wandering Daisy, that route is a lot of walking and not much climbing. I think my dad would prefer that, though, and maybe I should be content with a day trip somewhere along the route. I mostly want to be above tree line (I've been on the east coast for much of the past four years, and have rarely been able to go above tree line! Having the view while hiking is what makes it all worth it to me).

As always, thanks again for your thoughtful comments. I'd appreciate any feedback on the link I posted, and if you have links to any other North Lake-South Lake routes, I'd sure like to see them! Now that I have a map I can get a better sense of our different options.

Thanks,
Jean

[mafkdcio]

Someone made this comment about Lamarck Col:

"There is one challenging permanent snowfield to cross at Lamarck Col, and only a vague suggestion of a trail down from the Col to Darwin Lakes."

Would this still be the case in late August? Would it be difficult for someone who hasn't been here before to navigate?

Thanks,
Jean

[maverick]

Yes, there is a small snow field beneath the col on the eastern side which should not
be a big deal, especially if you go over after the snow has softened a bit.
The western side is a long way down with a lot of scree and takes time, but again, if
you have dealt with this before than it is no big deal.
Darwin Canyon and especially Darwin Bench is beautiful, and well worth visiting.
Doing this version can be done in 6 nights though you will need to stay at Lower Lamarck
Lake to acclumate.
Phil Arnot's book "High Sierra" describes the route over Lamarck Col very well, as into
Ionian Basin, and other great backcountry Sierra destionations.
You will not be able to visit Ionian Basin with the time you have available since you want
spend some time in Evolution Basin, then you have to go over Muir Pass, then the
long hike down LeConte Canyon, and then a long up into Dusy Basin, which is gorgeous
in itself, and then over Bishop Pass.
There should be some trip report about Lamarck Col here, check the search feature, and
there are several trip reports you can google that have pictures.

[Wandering Daisy]

As a climber, I do not count Emigrant Wilderness as big mountains. It has great backpacking and fishing and is beautiful, but no comparison to Evolution Valley, Dusy Basin or Barrett Basin. If you can somehow at least do a day-hike into Barrett Basin (via Knapsack Col or Thunderblot Pass from Dusy Basin) you will not regret it. It is a very reasonable day trip. Darwin Canyon down from Lamark Col is spectacular. A great 2-hour side trip is to Lake 11640 is recommended. I like to camp on Darwin Bench. I think the best camping in Evolution is off the trail on the southeast side of Saphire Lake. I personally do not think Wanda Lake is a good place to camp - too many bugs. Others probably have different opinions!

Lamark Col is not bad. I think there will still be snow on it this year in late August. So many climbers use this route that huge footprints will already be there. The only problem is ice. Try to do it in the afternoon. If you plan on going over in the early AM you may need crampons. You may want to think about going only to Lower Lamark Lake in the late afternoon. Then you can easily make it all the way to Darwin Bench the next day and hit Lamark Col when the snow is softer. Lots of people make it to Darwin Bench in one day. I tried it once and unfortunately got hit by altitude and had to camp at the little tarn just NE of the col. There is a good use-trail all the way up, although it is not shown on the map. There is also a little creek along the upper part so you could really stop and camp a lot of places if you bonk. The stream is shown as an intermitten stream on the map, but with the high snowpack this year it should be OK. The descent to Darwin Canyon is very steep and you do not need to find all the little trails. The traverse along the north side of the lakes has more talus. There is a good use-trail althoug it goes in and out of talus so is easily lost. But there is nothing you cannot just walk over even if you loose the trail. You just have to plan on fairly slow travel for this mile. For anyone who has done mountaineering, Lamark Col is not difficult. Those who have never been off-trail find it difficult.

[mafkdcio]

So my dad nixed the Lamarck Col idea because of his knees. Too bad! I was really excited about that. He would prefer to stay mostly on-trail (even though all the hiking we do in Alaska is off-trail). He is now suggesting possibly going right after Labor Day. How are the mosquitoes/temperature that time of year?

[AlmostThere]

September? Mosquitoes are negligible, not real problematic.

I go with the same gear late spring - early fall, expecting a chance of any amount of rain or snow, and temps well below freezing (usually prepared for 20 degrees F, if the forecast is for 20F I prepare for 10 degrees lower than that). Never had a reason to regret being prepared for 20F. Often glad that I did.