TR: 8/7 thru 8/17 - Red, White & Blue & Tunemah, too - Part1

[Harlen]

Fantastic route Paul! Your trip report is also fantastic, and so nicely documented with photos. It must've been interesting to view some of the same areas that you skied through. You tied together three of the most impressive lakes in the Sierra-- the project that mzim set up so nicely for us. Glad you had the best weather for those lake days. Congratulations on a real epic Paul. Cheers, Ian.

[kpeter]

A great report with a very interesting route.

The old trail you discovered at the crossing below Punchbowl makes sense to me--I wondered when coming up on the official trails why there was no direct route, but it seems there once was. The beaches at Punchbowl and the sunset overlook are outstanding features of that enchanted place.

Did I understand you correctly to say that camping is no longer allowed near the Post-Corral creek crossing? There was a use trail of sorts and half a dozen clear camps very near the crossing when I was last there.

You so casually discuss coming down from Hell For Sure Pass to the lake--but that is quite a trail!

I learned a lot from your report and hope I will have an occasion to employ some of what I have learned!

[paul]

There is a sign on the west side of Post Corral creek very close to the crossing that says no camping. And yes, I saw a number of obvious tent sites very close to that sign. I expect the FS is just trying to get that impact spread out, rather than being concentrated right near the crossing. Of course there was no one around the day that I was there.
Yes, that trail on the west side of HFS pass is a steep one at the top - and pretty beat up. But I recall from 1974 that we saw mule tracks on it, right to the top. Those must have been some tough mules! For me on this trip, at that point, after all the off-trail passes, it was comparatively tame.
The old trail was not very direct, in the sense of going to DPB. It came from Post Corral creek about the same as it does, then instead of going to Fleming and Rae Lakes, it dropped down to Fleming Creek, crossed it, and followed the outlet from HFS/Disappointment lakes up to meet the trail that goes from Dissapointment to DPB. So it just skipped Fleming and Rae Lakes. At some point it got re-routed. I found the old Quad online here: https://landmarkhunter.com/quad/66112
various versions, all based on the 1912, but revised several times. Fun to see a map of the area before Wishon and Courtright dams went in.

[CAMERONM]

Thanks for the enjoyable trip report. Looks like you had a great time-

[robertseeburger]

What an enjoyable trip report to a very special area.
In reading trip reports, I seldom pull out a map and follow along, but I did for your report.
It was am amazing route, and you got to some very seldom visited country.
My record for not seeing a sole is 8 days and was on my one and only trip to Tunemah in 2018.
I got to get there again, and your report is a good inspiration!

[paul]

Thanks, Robert. If you go back, I'd suggest dong the one thing I wish I had done - which is to wander around the Alpine Creek drainage a bit. It's very nice and I just walked through it. When I look at my photos I think, why didn't I take a day to explore that? There's that lake that you can't see from Dykeman Pass, I wish I had gone over and checked that out. Well, I guess I'll have to go back someday!

[robertseeburger]

Paul, since you asked about Alpine Canyon, I will give you a quick reply, with pictures!

One, a picture of the lake below Dykeman Pass. It is a beautiful, and seldom visited Lake. The view is up to the pass just south, which is more difficult.

alpine canyon 2018 - 1.jpeg

I spent two nights in Alpine Canyon.. the first because I wanted to leave Tunemah the next day and I had to cross the solid snowfield that went straight down into the lake, so I decided to leave the prior afternoon when the snow was soft, so I left late, and just went down into the canyon below.
The next pic is a reminder that , while wild today, there was the old Tunemah trail and I found some logs and bottles.. a century old I would think.

alpine canyon 2018 - 1 (1).jpeg

I went up the ridge to try to do the old Tunemah trail, and got a view of Alpine canyon, looking south across the kings. It was my plan to do the Tunemah trail down to the Kings and return via Tehipite. I didnt make it. I would love to see someone do a trip report on this.

alpine canyon 2018 - 1 (2).jpeg

I went over to the ridge that goes down to Tunemah Pass, and had to abort. I remember I put a narrative in my old post. It was difficult and no water.
Dog Creek is next canyon over from Alpine. and even more isolated. Looking more southeast ..

alpine canyon 2018 - 1 (3).jpeg

When I aborted, and wound up coming back to Alpine Canyon, only a mile or two lower. The canyon was very different..it gets very dense.
I found bear sign in lots of places. I have never been more "sure" that I would have a bear encounter than that night, but none came.

alpine canyon 2018 - 1 (4).jpeg

Alpine Canyon below Tunemah is a delightful and isolated place to visit.. I dont think I have seen anyone ever mention it before.

[Wandering Daisy]

Is this the same lake "below Dykman Pass"? Do you mean west side or east side of Dykman Pass. I assume you mean east, since that side is IN Alpine Canyon. I missed Dykman Pass and accidently went directly down to this lake- quite difficult descent!

116_1661.JPG

2850-51_unnamed Alpine Creek lake.jpg

Or do you mean the lake on the east side of Alpine Canyon? The lake I show is on the west side of Alpine Canyon downstream from Dykman Pass. A map location would be useful.

Blue Canyon and Tunemah with lake lable.jpg

[paul]

WD - the lake you have labeled as "this lake" is the lake that I referred to as the lake you can't see from Dykeman pass. Your photos increase my regret at not visiting it!

[robertseeburger]

Paul, WD, yes this is the lake of my photo. My photo is from the south side of the lake, looking up toward the pass that is south and west
of Dykeman pass..
I went there and took pictures of it.. partly because WD, I remembered that you had gone across the wrong pass in prior years and I wanted to have a picture of what that pass looked like!
I also did 15 minutes of fishing..just to see if it had surprise trout as many of the other lakes in the area do have trout..but caught none and saw none.