High Sierra Topix

Eric, that would be cool if other members could get some copies from Gene. After reading the book, it almost seems like it should be a prerequisite for further mountain studies. There's a wealth of information contained & shared that many people never get a chance to experience first-hand. (And, if they did, they probably would be reduced to a quivering mass - myself included.)

There are so many photos of incredible panoramas of vast snow covered expanses, it makes you wonder how someone could willingly - and with complete confidence - just take off into those kinds of conditions. The key, as revealed, is he had years of experience further developing his craft of winter trekking, and was a recognized "stud" amongst his peers.

For instance, Bart designed a lot/most of his gear & equipment - including his specialty skis - and was an early proponent of the functional/multi-purpose UL ethic. Of course, his pack weighed 70lbs, mostly because of materials. There are numerous photos of his long, down overcoat that doubled as his sleeping bag, and his pyramid "tarp" that need only one tie off point to prop it open.

And he got though multiple sub-zero nights in the middle of winter usually above 10k.

40 years ago in August 1975 and 46 years after the photo of the cabin, (St.) Diane, Iowa Joe and I spent a night in a cabin of this size on Tyndal Creek. It´s quite likely the same cabin but it didn´t that roof. It had a flat roof. Joe and I couldn´t stand upright but Diane could. I wonder if anyone knows anything about the roof and if there could be another cabin which I greatly doubt. I wonder if the cabin is still there.
That day we were hiking from the summit where we had camped by the small lake at the summit. We were being follow down the arroyo by a small storm which was gaining on us. It started to snow and shortly we encountered the cabin. We took refuse and after a short while cooked en early dinner. There was a hole in the córner of the roof for cooking. After it stopped snowing and around 6 in the afternoon I fished Tyndal creek and caught pure upper Kern River Trout. We were later to catch more of these in the Kern River but they weren´t so pure. They have since been obliterated by rainbow that probably someone trans planted from below Junction Meadow.
I returned on a solo trip about 12 years later to the upper Kern and caught no fish resembeling these trout.
If you have an old Sierra South book (pre 1976) you will read the reference to these fish.

Thanks for letting us know about this gem, after reading the beginning of this thread I have already purchased and read the book. Quite a story of an amazing adventure and quite a mountain man. Amazon has copies used form several vendors

PS - Does this cabin still exist? Has anyone here seen it?

BrianF wrote:I have already purchased and read the book.

What was your reaction when the book opened with his hike up Cottonwood creek on Xmas day 1928 & his desire to get above 10k with a major winter storm moving in? * It's so counter-intuitive, yet makes complete sense. If it was me, I would of course high-tail it out of there. But, if you're going to stay, then you need to get above the point where snow collects.

* Bart's experience from many years of trekking, trapping and exploring in the dead of winter led to him to conclude that 8-10k were the danger zones. Below 8k, you'd have relative warmth and a way out. Above 10k, while it was colder & windier, the snow tended to blow off and not accumulate. The gullies, ravines and valleys between 8-10k was where the major snow accumulations occurred. Not only could you possibly not move, but then there were ice falls and avalanches to contend with as the weather warmed back up above freezing. His 'hike' (he's actually skiing) down Mather and into the Palisades lake area is completely nuts.

There was discussion about naming a spire in the Ritter Range after Orland Bartholomew about 11 years ago but I don't think anything ever came of it. If they can name a mountain peak after Amelia Earhart who was an aviator, why not Bartholomew? I have not received a reply to this email to the USGS yet.

Dear Folks,
Has a Sierra Nevada Peak/Spire been named after Orland Bartholomew? I was not able to find one in the search option. He is certainly deserving of having a peak named after him. His story was told by Gene Rose in “High Odyssey”. I understand one of the Minarets in the Ritter Range was suggested back in about 2004. Here is an article about him in the LA Times.
http://articles.latimes.com/2004/apr/24 ... /ed-bart24
Regards,
Dale Matson

dematson wrote:There was discussion about naming a spire in the Ritter Range after Orland Bartholomew about 11 years ago but I don't think anything ever came of it. If they can name a mountain peak after Amelia Earhart who was an aviator, why not Bartholomew? I have not received a reply to this email to the USGS yet.

Dear Folks,
Has a Sierra Nevada Peak/Spire been named after Orland Bartholomew? I was not able to find one in the search option. He is certainly deserving of having a peak named after him. His story was told by Gene Rose in “High Odyssey”. I understand one of the Minarets in the Ritter Range was suggested back in about 2004. Here is an article about him in the LA Times.
http://articles.latimes.com/2004/apr/24 ... /ed-bart24
Regards,
Dale Matson

I nominated his name for a peak in the Sierra National Forest that it not in a designated wilderness area. We'll see if it is apporved.

Is there a petition format or other form to help your cause?

Mr. Bartholomew's epic feat does seem to be lost to some, but for those of us who know about it, we are highly impressed by his legendary trip. His planning and resupply reminds me of something Doug Robinson said over a fire @ Tuttle after our winter High Sierra trail adventure last year. He mentioned that there were many hidden caches still out there in the Sierra and the effort some went to place them. The more I venture out in the winter each year, the more I appreciate the magnitude of his trip. Truly inspiring. It would be nice to have a peak named for this man.

I just received a letter from the Board of Geographic Names approving my nomination of Orland Bartholomew for a named peak (Bartholomew Peak). I designated a peak south of Huntington Lake (8,916'). I contacted his son Phil in Oakhurst and told him the good news. This has been a two year process but worth the wait!