Route suggestions request: Wolverton -> Moose -> ??

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
watsonic
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 10:38 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Route suggestions request: Wolverton -> Moose -> ??

Post by watsonic »

Thanks all for your incredible insights (and guilt trips ;) ) !

I've been mulling this over for a few days and compiling responses with new questions...

First, let me address some general things:
AlmostThere wrote:Your level of experience is most important when you're asking for advice on this route
Thanks for the warnings. I'm a fit 35 y/o male with significant XC route finding experience. I have with me a fit female companion with a decent amount of XC experience (several trips with and without me in the last 3 years).
maverick wrote:I hope you intented to write up a TR this time, asking for route beta and not coming back with a TR is not cool.
BUSTED! You are so right. I've benefited from this community (including you directly @maverick) on two seperate occasions for a trip 2 years ago that included Rae Lakes + XC in Arrow basin and one 3 years ago from Mosquito Flats to Mammoth (each of which were INCREDIBLE, btw and almost entirely without regret). It's only equitable to return the favor of trip data with data (though I hope my prior reconnaissance, route planning and careful thread direction has given others some ideas and compiled ideas in one place) Life is full for me right now and a lot has been going on (including a really serious bike accident last year which precluded the possibility of a trip at all), and I'm admittedly a perfectionist when it comes to creative output. I should get over it and give at least a cursory report. I owe you three and my lady also has one coming about vegan trail food techniques (she has NAILED this).
User avatar
watsonic
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 10:38 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Route suggestions request: Wolverton -> Moose -> ??

Post by watsonic »

Wandering Daisy wrote:You can reach Elizabeth Pass Trail via Paradactyle Pass and then the pass by Lonely Lake (forgot the name- but it puts you just on the north side of Elizabeth Pass), or drop down the creek from Lonely Lake until it intersects the Elizabeth Pass Trail (fairly easy x-country).
Several people on this forum seem to think that Ranger meadow is worth checking out. So I had half a mind to make the 1 mile or so excursion after descent along the outlet of Big Bird Lake. Though now looking at the map again, that would be a long long day: BB->ranger->Hamilton or Tamarack.

I'm now considering an alternate route which avoids descent down to Deadmans Canyon/Elizabeth Pass trail and even a visit to BBird altogether (which several of you think, from Moose, is a nontrivial route):
Day 1: -> big lake in Tablelands (at ~10,600) via Pear
Day 2: -> day trip (slightly crazy but not as bad without big bag):
  • north over the ridge NNW from lake 10,600
  • then ENE past the cliffs
  • descending eventually to lakes at ~9,800 in box canyon.
  • possible exploration also a bit downstream
  • then either back same way or:
    • possibly W over to West Fork Feurgeson drainage...
      (this ascent would appear to be doable even though somewhat steep on W side [1])
    • then SE from lake at ~10,300 (again somewhat steep on W side ... is this doable?)
Day 3: -> Moose (probably via the northern ridge running SE to outlet... sound right?)
  • visit lake 11,200 for sunset
  • maybe some other explorations around Tablelands...
Day 4: -> Out possibly via Alta route

Potentially reversing this entire thing and going via Alta -> Moose first. Opinions?

[1] There's a good writeup by @oldranger on this area here. He says:
oldranger wrote:Dropping in from the table lands, except for Crowley, involves careful route selection from ledge to ledge but is class 2. There is actually the remnants of a trail dropping into Crowley from the Tablelands.
In another post he called the short ridge between the Feurgeson and Box basins his favorite ridge:
User avatar
watsonic
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 10:38 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Route suggestions request: Wolverton -> Moose -> ??

Post by watsonic »

oleander wrote: My recent Tablelands trip had so many great slides, pools and water holes, many of them a surprise. In fact, I almost called it The Waterhole Trip on my Facebook.
So good to hear, Elizabeth! How recent was this (what dates)? Do you imagine it could have dried up by now in line with what @AlmostThere was reporting from previous years?

I tried to find rainfall history in the region but only found something for Hanford which report .37 inches (I think) total for July (most maybe right before your journey?)

Summarizing your excellent water findings, for community benefit, @oleander:
oleander wrote: 1. Gorgeous water pools/slides at Mehrten Meadow and at Buck Creek.
2. Delicious watering hole on Elizabeth Pass trail near junctions to Hamilton Lake and Tamarack Lake)
3. Tamarack Lake itself was also great swimming place with great camping and solitude.
4. Excellent water hole right on EP trail at 9,200.
5. Excellent beach/swim at north end of Lonely Lake.
6. Lake 11,200 (which is the tiniest, highest lake due west of Big Bird Lake). More great swimming. Famous evening view of entire Great Western Divide in alpenglow at dusk.
7. Little-known lake with great swimming is gorgeous Lake 10,559, just 20 min. off our 11,200-Pear route, a bit to the north. (Went there a few years ago.) Most other lakes on direct route are marshy. You will pass some beautiful sections of creek-sliding-down-slabs at approximately 9800-10,000 altitude.
8. Pear Lake is a good swim.
User avatar
watsonic
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 10:38 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Route suggestions request: Wolverton -> Moose -> ??

Post by watsonic »

oleander wrote: If I had 4 days, I’d probably either go…

1. Alta to Buck Creek to Eliz. Pass trail (skipping Tamarack – no time), up Lonely Lake outlet, over Pterodactyl and around to 11,200, out Pear. Moose Lake only if time/energy left. You’d see every watering hole we did, except Tamarack Lake. Or…
I really like the fact this would hit your best of water holes! and yet am reluctant to do the mileage. I also find myself resistent to the contour travel as I've had bad experience XC along contours, picking way through talus and in general finding my trajectory perpindicular to gravity. And definitely prefer the feeling of exploration in XC to pounding out trail miles.
oleander wrote: 2. Straight to Tablelands on Day 1, ... then just spend four days seeing as much of Tablelands as possible.
Thinking more of something like this. What do you think about my listed itenerary (in msg 2 or 3 above this)? Did you explore at all back in the Box / Feurgeson drainage? Is Bird (or perhaps more accessibly lakes just above it) worth visiting as a day excursion?


Thank you SO MUCH for your detailed report and suggestions, Elizabeth. I also want to point the community to the excellent thread you spawned about your Tamarack to Tablelands adventure
User avatar
oleander
Topix Expert
Posts: 480
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2010 10:15 am
Experience: N/A

Re: Route suggestions request: Wolverton -> Moose -> ??

Post by oleander »

Watsonic,

My Tablelands trip was on July 12-17.

Yes, the streams will have dried up substantially by now, especially in the creek that drains Tablelands into Tokopah Falls. That one was already low-ish when I was there.

However, every numbered watering hole that I/you listed (#1-#8) will still be flowing. All of those are either deep-enough lakes; or quite substantial creeks that don't dry up. Mehrten I think will be the only one that can't be as spectacular as a month ago.

- Elizabeth
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot] and 161 guests