SHR solo Tioga pass to twin lakes 7/3-5 2014
Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 11:28 am
Day 1 7/3 2014 10.10 miles +4346 -4011 Started the trip at the Gaylor Lakes trailhead right past the Yosemite entrance dropped a car at Twin lakes and had my friend shuttle me to Tioga. Started hiking 7:30 am up a nice trail going to Gaylor lakes trail ended around Upper Gaylor on way to Great Sierra mine.
Got a slow start as was waiting for the sun to hit to dry of the frost on my bivy etc but didn’t get the sun so packed up and started at 8am went down the left side of the creek staying above the willows most of the time then crossed to the right and through the trees to the bottom of Virginia canyon easy hiking crossed the creek and worked towards gray butte up and up it seemed to go but got out of the trees and had great views worked up to soldier lake, beautiful Found out I had lost my Roper directions and ended up in the trees above soldier lake but having been so nervous about Stanton Pass had the directions burned into my head. When I got to where I could see the pass stopped for some food and took out my monocular to find a good route up, once there found did not really need to scout. Other side a different matter fortunately I topped out a little above to the left of the actual pass and could see a good? way down alittle to the right. Took off my pack and scouted looked doable stowed my poles and did a little way of butt sliding down some class 3 for not very far then grabbed the poles and was on my way not to bad, Got down into Spiller Canyon and worked up to Horse creek pass and Matterhorn peak, next part to come
From mine shaft pass I worked towards Spuller lake not visible yet. Then over to Green Treble lake and up to the east ridge of mt Conness The view to sky pilot col is almost always in sight as I wanted to be over this pass today.
I think I didn’t go far enough west on the ridge and had to butt slide down some class 3 but worked out fine lower conness lake is beautiful.
Worked towards Cascade Lake where I did see 2 people and the tent of some others my plan was to go over sky pilot col today but backup was to camp here decided to go for the col it was still early. Made it up to secret lake and up to the bowl of the col I went up to the left but when reached top realized I had gone up to soon as I could see Upper McCabe lake so went up to the right as one could not traverse to the actual col up and over shepherds crest found this to be quite easy and hoped the other side would work out it did, worked down to the actual pass I should have stayed below where I was as below the pass is rock hard with no real foot stopping ability. Nasty! Could see my destination for the evening Shepherd Lake and where I was to go tomorrow, up and over Stanton pass, and Matterhorn peak to below Burro Pass.
Anyway snow is your friend below Sky pilot col and yes the flowers are up there. Took a bit to get to the lake as the rocks all seem to want to move. Got there at 4 set up camp which was my bivy and got dinner going was in bed at 7 dead tired. First big passes of the SHR were over but was nervous about Stanton Pass backup to go around to spiller lake but pretty much had decided to go for Stanton.
Day 2, 9.1miles +4551 -4550Got a slow start as was waiting for the sun to hit to dry of the frost on my bivy etc but didn’t get the sun so packed up and started at 8am went down the left side of the creek staying above the willows most of the time then crossed to the right and through the trees to the bottom of Virginia canyon easy hiking crossed the creek and worked towards gray butte up and up it seemed to go but got out of the trees and had great views worked up to soldier lake, beautiful Found out I had lost my Roper directions and ended up in the trees above soldier lake but having been so nervous about Stanton Pass had the directions burned into my head. When I got to where I could see the pass stopped for some food and took out my monocular to find a good route up, once there found did not really need to scout. Other side a different matter fortunately I topped out a little above to the left of the actual pass and could see a good? way down alittle to the right. Took off my pack and scouted looked doable stowed my poles and did a little way of butt sliding down some class 3 for not very far then grabbed the poles and was on my way not to bad, Got down into Spiller Canyon and worked up to Horse creek pass and Matterhorn peak, next part to come