High Sierra Topix

k, adjusting the 1/3 stop incremental exposure compensation settings are one way to control the exposure in digital cameras, however as long as the scene is within about 2/3 stop one can more easily deal with the resulting raw file in an imaging program. That will allow you to shoot images as you see them without needing to monkey around with your camera controls and menus. Advanced camera users like myself do adjust such controls regularly from shot to shot but unless an image has some importance, simply taking a shot and later post processing can suffice. The time to fix such shots in an image editing program takes mere seconds. And one can batch process a whole directory full of images in one quick whack. There are many imaging editing programs out there for modest cost as well as freeware for download. Novices ought to buy simple popular consumer packages which ought to have all the basic tools needed today while being simply documented well enough to allow even beginniers to use the software without assistance. Anyone that buys these new hi tech digital camera gadgets ought to also take time to use some of this software because it will make your experience and those of your audience much better. I can't give you any specific recommendations since the low end applications are out of my realm but others here certainly might. Best of luck and I hope to see more of your TR images....David

I've looked forward to hearing this report of yours ever since you said you were doing this trip and your report certainly didn't disappoint. Outstanding! Just a little note: the shallow part (half, or whatever one calls it) of Hortense is not fishless, or at least it wasn't as of my last time through there in the late 90's (just has a super low fish density). I am pleasantly surprised to see that the deep side have is giving up 11-13" instead of the smaller ones I caught the last time . This may be a product of possible management changes and if the population density is lower in that half, then maybe not as many are making over it to....

Thanks Dave!

Thanks gb, all your previous comments about lakes and differences in fish due to spawning habitat, feeding habits, etc, was really sticking in my mind the whole time! I had really hoped Hortense would not disappoint me, based on a rumor of good fish I had heard or read somewhere earlier this year. Once I saw a pic of the place I decided I just had to include it on a trip! Once interesting thing was Tully Lake. I really thought there would be goldens in there based on what I had read about it and seen documented elsewhere, but I was surprised when we started pulling out nice brookies. Maybe they were still in there somewhere though. Wish we had been able to get up to Red&White too, but my friend was kind of ready to go I think. I figured I would have plenty of time to do more the next week (I was going to go to Pioneer Basin on a solo 5-day trip) so I didn't push it, but as it turns out my father-in-law was in the hospital so I had to cruise home for a few days and that changed the plans. Once he was ok though I was able to backpack up the Kern River a ways (about 5 miles above the J-dale bridge) on a brief 3-day trip and I caught one of the biggest trout of my life, a 15.5". PLUS a 14.5. On dry flies! Granted I only caught 5 fish in 3 days but those two really made it worth it, it was cool.

Anyway thanks for all your fishing info and tips especially with regard to this trip, it was a big help.

Thanks for sharing your trip report and pictures. I really liked the pictures of the Hortense Lake area and the shot in the hot springs. I've never run into hot springs while out backpacking.

Great pictures, interesting report. Hortense Lake is a favorite of mine--got to get back there someday--and the X-C from there to Cotton Lake/Fish Creek tarns is a great one.

Yes, thank you for sharing. Some of your photos look like the stuff I went thru on my trip a few weeks back. I tried xc over to Hortense but as the norm I didn't study my map enough and got into trouble within 30 minutes. I should have just hiked up the hill out of Izaak Walton and I would have been there. I did that on my first trip thru the area some years back, but only went as fas as to see the lower lake was a drop down and I didn't want to do that on that day. Your trip was more enjoyable than mine I am sure as I was solo.

Thanks duane, all your previous comments and info really helped me out. Seems the easiest way to get from Izaak to Hortense is indeed to just go right up the hill to Mace Lake and then from there its a short and easy hop to the upper end of Hortense. Scenic as all getout for sure.

Thanks Tehipite Tom - in fact I'm going to Tehipite myself in about 3 weeks....cant wait!

Thanks Kathy, but I was just trying to meet the pretty high bar you've set with all your great pics and trip reports in the past!

krudler wrote:Thanks Tehipite Tom - in fact I'm going to Tehipite myself in about 3 weeks....cant wait!

My goodness you're doing some good trips this year! I can't wait to see your report for that one.

krudler wrote:Thanks Tehipite Tom - in fact I'm going to Tehipite myself in about 3 weeks....cant wait!

Awesome! I haven't been there since 1999, and I'm itching to go back...

...but then there are so many places I want to go back to, and so many places I haven't been to yet...so I'm torn.

giantbrookie wrote:My goodness you're doing some good trips this year! I can't wait to see your report for that one.

Aye, I'm trying to get them all in. There is a pretty good chance (or at least a hopeful one) that a year from now I maybe living somewhere else, like Montana, or going back to Florida. Depends on how long the father-in-law can withstand the lung cancer. I made a pretty strong committment this year to try to make sure I was able to knock out some trips I have wanted to do for a long time, as there was a pretty good chance this season might be my last opportunity.

I for sure promise a Tehipite report with pics! It will possibly be the crown jewel of my adventures here.