High Sierra Topix

The lake just below 10,800 has good camping

That is indeed where I plan to make camp. Glad to see it is so nice. I'll need the positive views for climbing over Recess Peak and off to the SE with a full pack on!

I'll have to give some thought to when I get to Red Rock Basin. Basically I have Florence Lake listed just in case I have to walk the whole 14 mile road from VVR. It's very likely though that I can get a ride some or most of the way. If I can do this then I will hike in as far as I can the first day. Hopefully to Thompson Lake. My hope was that one of those little tarn lakes would have some water still and maybe one will. If not where I go will depend on how I feel. That section is going to be brutal! 16 days of food and enough fuel to last a month and a half since I cannot get any at Parchers. I'll probably dump all the food I possibly can and eat like a slave.

I'm sure you will see me kicking back around VVR on July 18th. Just look for the olive green Hexamid in the camping area!

Good luck Rogue and be safe.

RoguePhotonic wrote:I'll have to give some thought to when I get to Red Rock Basin. Basically I have Florence Lake listed just in case I have to walk the whole 14 mile road from VVR. It's very likely though that I can get a ride some or most of the way. If I can do this then I will hike in as far as I can the first day. Hopefully to Thompson Lake. My hope was that one of those little tarn lakes would have some water still and maybe one will. If not where I go will depend on how I feel. That section is going to be brutal! 16 days of food and enough fuel to last a month and a half since I cannot get any at Parchers. I'll probably dump all the food I possibly can and eat like a slave.

I'm sure you will see me kicking back around VVR on July 18th. Just look for the olive green Hexamid in the camping area!

In Red Rock Basin, Lake 9840+ (just south of the E in "FOREST" on the 7.5' map) and the biggest lake east of Point 10124 are both going to have water. Most of the smaller tarns in the basin will be, not necessarily dry, but stagnant and unappetizing. Lake 10187 in Reddys Hole is extremely shallow, to the point that we had trouble getting water when we camped there.

Thompson Lake is just off a 4WD route (the Dusy-Ershim road, which splits John Muir from Dinkey Lakes), so it gets the off-roading crowd. Not that pretty anyway, IMO. Lost Lake is much nicer if you're going to be up that way. Then again, the Thompson Pass trail is so poorly (or un-) maintained that it's not that much more effort to head off-trail to Mt. Shinn Lake.

If you don't have the juice to do a full day's hiking from Florence Lake, there are really nice campsites on the slabs east of Boulder Creek at around 7600-7800'. That's assuming Boulder Creek has water (I've never seen it dry, but who knows this year). Pretty area, good views, and solitude just a short hike from Florence.

Have a great summer. Be safe. I look forward to your pics and stories.

Rogue:

Looking forward to your trip reports. I'll read them with envy. This weather year reminds me of 1977, when the high passes were almost clear of snow by June 1. No matter, it was good hiking the entire summer!

Be safe and enjoy --

Mike

P.S. -- for you, these are the good old days.

Have a fabulous trip and stay safe!

Safe, fun, and exhilarating travels Rogue. Take care.

Bringing this up front. Rogue should be working on trail crew now. Anyone heard from him??

Still alive out here and doing well. Just finished 6 days with the trail crew and now I am heading out again. I will post more details of the trip when I get to VVR in 6 days.

That itinerary makes my brain hurt.

Rogue, about Black Kaweah. Roper lists it as class 3, which means it is really class 4 for mere mortals. Lots of people climb it with ropes. Secor says "even its easy routes are challenging", and "has a well deserved reputation for loose rock...caution is advised..." and being "constantly vigilant." The legendary world class climber Norman Clyde called Black Kaweah, "One of the most difficult and dangerous peaks of the High Sierra." Plan well.