Pine creek or Piute pass?

If you've been searching for the best source of information and stimulating discussion related to Spring/Summer/Fall backpacking, hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada...look no further!
User avatar
rlown
Topix Docent
Posts: 8225
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:00 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Wilton, CA

Re: Pine creek or Piute pass?

Post by rlown »

OK.. I see no reason for Pilot knob. Someone needs to inform me how that is better than Carol Col (puppet pass.) The knob is completely away from the trails unless you want to walk down and then up and then down and then up again. Seriously. sure, it's a nice place to look out SW but ? no fish. From Mesa, over to puppet is 2 hrs, with a 52lb pack.


russ
Ska-T
Topix Regular
Posts: 249
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2007 8:59 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Pine creek or Piute pass?

Post by Ska-T »

Seems like your goal is scenery and exercise rather than fishing. I've attached a map that shows some alternate routes out of the Pine Creek trailhead with pleasant views in the area. The red line is off trail hiking. The trails are marked on the map (obviously).

The east side of the map starts about where you would make your first night's camp, i.e., at Lower or Upper Pine Creek Lake, or Honeymoon Lake. Or, if you eat dinner (near some water where you can fill up after) you could camp at the "flat" area west of Honeymoon Lake where the red line starts.

The shortest route idea leaves from lower Granite Basin and goes over Royce Pass. After exploring the Royce Basin you hike down the chain of Royce Lakes and head eastward toward Pine Creek pass on your way to French Canyon to avoid the steepest way down. Once on trail you head up to Elba Lake and Moon Lake. From there you visit L Lake, Steelhead Lake, and French Lake before heading over to Pine Creek Pass. From the pass hike back to the car.

The longest route idea leaves from the "flat" area west of Honeymoon Lake and makes its way over to Chalfant Lakes. From the highest lake you go west over an unnamed easy pass and down into Granite Basin. You cross the basin and go over Granite Bear Pass and down to Black Bear Lake. From there you follow the Sierra High Route in a southerly direction over Feather Pass and down to Merriam Lake. After making your way down to the trail in French Canyon you go up to Elba Lake by trail or more directly by cross county. From there visit the aforementioned lakes before reaching Pine Creek Pass.

Of course you can piece together intermediate routes and you can cut the trip short if need be.

-Scott

Image
User avatar
kpeter
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1449
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2010 1:11 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: Pine creek or Piute pass?

Post by kpeter »

In addition to all the other considerations that people have noted:
Pine Creek Trailhead is 7440'.
North Lake Trailhead is 9360'.
That is quite a difference, and I certainly feel the pain every time I use Pine Creek trailhead. North Lake gives you a huge head start on elevation.
User avatar
Hobbes
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1120
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 8:09 am
Experience: N/A
Location: The OC

Pine creek or Piute pass?

Post by Hobbes »

Hey guys, thanks for all the great input. I think the conclusion reached early in the thread, is that if you are limited by time (such as 2 nights*), it would be best to break the region into two separate trips:

- Piute over Carol to Puppet basin; possibly exit via the knob and hit the lakes under the glacier divide on the way out
- Pine to Royce & Bears; maybe backtrack to Italy rather than attempt the 'mysto' bear passes

As for elevation gain/lost, Pine has 3,700'. But whereas Piute starts higher, Carol is 11,800, while Puppet is 11,230, so it gives you a net +- of 2,900. Also, since it's x-c talus, you'll end up going much slower than just putting your head down and charging up the well worn mule trail to Elba & Moon.

In addition, and this just might be me, the drive up from Bishop and then the narrow dirt road + crowds @ N Lake seems busy vs the less used Pine TH. It might not be as lonely as Shepherd, but there is a certain appeal to just getting there & going without searching for parking, etc.

However, if you really look at it, the best situation would be to either hitch or pay for a ride, or go with someone in order to shuttle cars between Piute & Pine. Going in via Piute to the Puppet basin, then down French to catch the SHR through the Bears, then over Italy, dog leg to Royce, then out to Pine would be a great (fast) 4-5 night trip.

OTOH, if it would just snow like a normal year, then all my go-to spots in the Whitney area would be fine. It almost broke my heart to stumble across a recent photo someone posted from a peak of two very high lakes I've fished before with good results. Now, they look like dried up ponds (in fact, were labeled as 'ponds'). At this rate, they might go dry before winter, which would kill any remaining fish. Since I don't hold out any hope for re-stocking GT, these fishing lakes will remain only as memories.

*Like the ghost of Quentin, this includes jamming up from SoCal early am, hitting the trail in the afternoon, spending two nights out, and driving home.
User avatar
maverick
Forums Moderator
Forums Moderator
Posts: 11821
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:54 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Pine creek or Piute pass?

Post by maverick »

Hobbes wrote:
Like the ghost of Quentin
Really, that is the second time you referred to Q in your post. Is their no one elses
ghost, a non HST member, and not a friend to many of us that just died less than
a year ago that you could use for your example Karl. :\
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot] and 135 guests