R03/R01 TR: Loop around Mount Clarence King, August 2024

[tomba]

Day 8

The sun hit my campsite early.

I descended to the lake below. I crossed its outlet and explored the two small lakes east of it.

Lake “WL 3144”:

I had a break at the peninsula on the northwest shore of lake “WL 3144”. Then, I crossed the outlet and went up the pass. See viewtopic.php?p=187867#p187867 for more information about my crossing.

View from the pass toward the valley southwest of peak “3903” (“Woods Peak”). I was considering whether to go there on this trip:

On the way down from the pass, looking toward the Baxter Lakes:

I swam near the outlet of the lowest lake in Sixty Lake Basin before the sun hid behind a ridge.

I didn’t have a clear plan for what to do before heading out. I climbed the valley east of Mount Clarence King.

View down back to the bottom of Sixty Lakes Basin:

I camped near the outlet of the highest of the lower three lakes there.

[Harlen]

Tomba--more great pictures!!!

I pushed through some pine tree branches. I found that near my waist, my pants and shirt got covered in a fresh, sticky sap. A lot of it! I used some rocks to scrape it off. After just one scrape, it’s better to throw away the rock and pick another rock, to avoid spreading the sap.

When the slope became gentler, I got down to the single lake in that valley. It was windy. I stopped to eat. I cleaned off more of the sap with some rocks, sand, and dirt. What I couldn’t clean got covered in fine powder, so it was less sticky.

Yes, Christ! There is way too much sap in the Sierra! I hate it when it gets on my down booties, and then into the sleeping bag! I think the Park rangers should begin to address this problem.

[tomba]

Day 9

Sunrise:

In the morning, I climbed to the higher three lakes. The southwest double lake was surrounded by talus, so I skipped it.

The highest lake. Mount Clarence King doesn’t look very pointy from here:

I then descended the ridge east of the highest lake.

I crossed the main creek of the basin and headed over Basin Notch. I swam on the western shore of Arrowhead Lake.

Arrowhead Lake:

Then I went north to the Baxter Pass trail. I had some trouble finding the trail on the other side of the first washout.

I visited the two small lakes south of Baxter Creek that I skipped when I came in.

Then I headed up north to the lakes east of Acrodectes Peak.

The valley below. Mount Clarence King is visible:

The lower of the two main lakes:

I was able to find a spot to camp on the southwestern side of the round lake, where water had washed down some gravel, sand, and silt. Otherwise, it was hard to find a smooth spot in the metamorphic rock. Fortunately, there was no rain in the forecast I received over satellite. It was windy.

[tomba]

Day 10

My camping spot in the morning:

I went up to see the highest, largest lake.

I turned back to a small, narrow lake to the southeast. I was eating wax currants. Each bush had only a few. I descended to Baxter Creek.

I stopped at the creek, below the largest lake, to get some clean water and eat. I remembered that the lake had a lot of plankton the week before. When I got to the lake, I saw that the water was fine. I stopped again at the eastern end of the lake to eat and drink more before a waterless stretch. I don’t carry much water to reduce weight.

I saw trails below the ridge east of the pass. I thought these were game trails, perhaps made by bighorn sheep. But then, I saw a lone hiker on the ridge near these trails. Now, I don’t know how these trails were made.

A hiker is visible:

I ate some mountain sorrel on the way.

East side:

I had a break where North Fork Oak Creek starts.

The highest creek crossing was much easier to find on the way down, but still a scramble.

Moonrise at the lower crossing of North Fork Oak Creek:

I got to the trailhead when it was just getting dark, with the full moon rising over the Inyo Mountains, crickets chirping, and bats flying overhead.


Any comments, suggestions, questions, requests, etc. are welcome.

[Harlen]

My camping spot in the morning:

on Mars!

What a great campsite!

[Schleppy]

What a great trip. Thanks for reminding me what summer looks like. I hope your ankle heals well enough to get more of it this year.