Tunemah Peak & Lake from the east?

[commonloon]

I'm starting to plan hikes for 2025 ;-)

Let's say one has hiked down the Enchanted Gorge to the confluence of Disappearing & Goddard creeks. Can you hike up the roughly 5300 vertical feet to Tunemah Peak as shown on the attached map?

It looks like there is at least 1 cliff band to navigate thru, but when I view it in google earth it looks possible.

Has anyone done this? I've search the forum but not much luck.

Thanks in advance! Happy Thanksgiving!!

[Wandering Daisy]

I have walked up from the confluence to Lake 10232 then on up and back to Chasm Lake. I have looked down from the lakes below Tunemah Lake. I actually day-hiked down maybe 800 -feet, all on rock slabs to a drop-off. From there it looked like it would go but you had the choice of talus or brush. There are bears up at the lakes below Tunemah (I saw bear scat). I really think they come up from below so there may be game trails.

Here are a few photos looking down. This is the drainage just north of the one you show on your map.

[druid]

I've been intrigued recently by the idea of doing something similar to what you have planned.

Hacker (one HST post, but it seems legit) wrote here that he ascended the drainage just north of your proposed route from Goddard Creek to Tunemah Lake and that there are breaks in the cliff bands that are shown on some maps, so they aren't a major issue.

Fourputt wrote here that he hiked a route that approximated what was long ago a trail over Tunemah Pass down to Simpson Meadow. He writes elsewhere that Tunemah Pass (or at least the Tunemah Pass he went over) isn't where it is shown on recent USGS or Open Street Maps but is instead just south of peak 10987, as is shown on the historic CalTopo base layer map. He was kind of coy about the details but a map shown on his flickr page https://www.flickr.com/photos/fourputt/with/17350650459 implies that he followed the old trail route relatively closely.

[commonloon]

I have walked up from the confluence to Lake 10232 then on up and back to Chasm Lake. I have looked down from the lakes below Tunemah Lake. I actually day-hiked down maybe 800 -feet, all on rock slabs to a drop-off. From there it looked like it would go but you had the choice of talus or brush. There are bears up at the lakes below Tunemah (I saw bear scat). I really think they come up from below so there may be game trails.

Here are a few photos looking down. This is the drainage just north of the one you show on your map.

Thanks Daisy! That's helpful. The photos appear to confirm the flavor of terrain I would expect from looking at google earth and the topos. I hoping for a sort of slabby class 2-3 sort of "Approach" hike. Game trails would be bonus.

[commonloon]

I've been intrigued recently by the idea of doing something similar to what you have planned.

Hacker (one HST post, but it seems legit) wrote here that he ascended the drainage just north of your proposed route from Goddard Creek to Tunemah Lake and that there are breaks in the cliff bands that are shown on some maps, so they aren't a major issue.

Fourputt wrote here that he hiked a route that approximated what was long ago a trail over Tunemah Pass down to Simpson Meadow. He writes elsewhere that Tunemah Pass (or at least the Tunemah Pass he went over) isn't where it is shown on recent USGS or Open Street Maps but is instead just south of peak 10987, as is shown on the historic CalTopo base layer map. He was kind of coy about the details but a map shown on his flickr page https://www.flickr.com/photos/fourputt/with/17350650459 implies that he followed the old trail route relatively closely.

Thanks Druid. I saw those cliff bands on the next drainage North. They looked like deal breakers. Perhaps not. I will read the posts you referenced. Given your comments, I think I'm going to try this route if it works out timing wise with next years snow/melt. It looks to be a good adventure!

[giantbrookie]

My memory may be wrong, but I seem to recall the sekihiker had a trip report on his website in which he did in fact do a route that connected Goddard Creek and Tunemah.

The reason this sticks in my head is that I recall studying sekihiker's account to prepare for what I had intended to be a "Tunepite" trip which was to combine Tehipite Valley and Tunemah on one 5-day trip in 2008. I think that plan (in 5 days) was overly ambitious for me and my buddy, so I think I was lucky that a wildfire broke out in Tehepite not long before I picked up my wilderness permit and I was forced to change the trip to "Tunechuck".

[commonloon]

My memory may be wrong, but I seem to recall the sekihiker had a trip report on his website in which he did in fact do a route that connected Goddard Creek and Tunemah.

The reason this sticks in my head is that I recall studying sekihiker's account to prepare for what I had intended to be a "Tunepite" trip which was to combine Tehipite Valley and Tunemah on one 5-day trip in 2008. I think that plan (in 5 days) was overly ambitious for me and my buddy, so I think I was lucky that a wildfire broke out in Tehepite not long before I picked up my wilderness permit and I was forced to change the trip to "Tunechuck".

Giantbrookie that’s funny. I was thinking before I posted this, I bet Sekihiker’s probably been thru there. I’m right with you with planning itineraries that stretch the envelope… keep doing it. Adventures.

[Harlen]

Paul commonloon, you seem to me an ambititous sort of man. No one yet has thought ask you "Why?"

Is this a "because it's there" sort of idea that has crept into your head? Or do you owe a penance for some evil deeds? I for one, would be interested in sitting up on Tunemah Peak, watching your little antlike progress, listening hard for the faint echos of curses wafting up on the breeze.

I think I may have a photo looking your way from Tunemah Peak; not sure if it will be useful to you, you crazy f%*%$#&!:

These three photos are a poorman's panorama, looking northeast to southeast from the summit of T.Peak. They overlap each other moving to the right. Do they give you pause Paul? The dropoff from the edge of the basin, east of that lake looks woefully steep, and a lot like 3rd or 4th class fun. Cheers, Ian.

p.s. Am I correct that your route would have you topping out at the smooth rim of the basin seen in the first two photos? The forested basin seen in the last image is one drainage south of the one you've hightlighted-- Yes? It looks promising, at least what can be seen of it here. How about climbing up beside the creek that falls between the ridge south of your route, and Peak 10,520?

[commonloon]

"Why?"

Honestly, I have no idea. Places like this just draw me in, like a moth to a bright light. Thanks for the photo! It has prompted more thought.

Me crazy Ian. Pot meet kettle ;-)

In CalTopo, using the Slope Angle Shading layer, I usually associate orange and red with 2nd or 3rd class terrain, and blue with 4th or 5th class. It looks like mostly orange and red. Everything looks steeper from afar in the Sierra right? Maybe it's class 2 or maybe Norman Clyde class 3, it could be either or both. Yes, I always pause - to look at the view.

Yes, it would top out there. Here is Google Earth of the route from approx top Tunemah Peak. Looks pretty close?

[hurricaniac]

I hiked down from Tundemah Lk. to the confluence of Disappearing Ck and Goddard Ck. in 1977. That was the easy part, just lots of ledges, ramps and route finding. It went pretty fast. The hard part was descending Goddard Ck. downtstream of Enchanted Gorge to the MFK. Insanely brushy, rattlesnake-infested thrashing. You will be going the right direction