Day 1: Over Shepard's Pass to a small lake a mile or two west.
Day 2: Over "Wright's Pass," into Wrights Lake Basin, explored lake basins on either side of Mt. Barnard
Day 3: Climbed Mt. Barnard, cross-country over to Wales Lake
Day 4: Epic day hike somehow ending up on the top of Mt. Russell, returning to camp by moonlight at 9 pm
Day 5: Back up through Wrights Basin, camped by Diamond Mesa
Day 6: Upper Kern Basin, lake just west of Lake South America; received inhalation therapy from the smoke in the late afternoon
Day 7: Continued exploring Upper Kern, made the mistake of taking the Kern cut-off trail back to Diamond Mesa area. Endless zigzags, needless up and down, needless steepness heading in the wrong direction, need I go on? (memo to self: this is why you hike cross-country.)
Day 8: Back to car, loved every inch of the 500 foot climb on the way "down."
I discovered Wales Lake on a side trip from a group hike of the HST in July, and vowed to return. This is why.
![Image](http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/45726/2843936220096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
The sign at Shepard's Pass always cracks me up. Damn, foiled again!
![Image](http://inlinethumb58.webshots.com/45625/2590970330096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
Wright's Lakes basin is unusual in that lakes are just spread out seemingly at random in a huge meadow.
![Image](http://inlinethumb12.webshots.com/40843/2760787370096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
This is in the bowl/cirque formed by Mts. Tyndall, Tommy Trojan and Barnard.
![Image](http://inlinethumb15.webshots.com/44622/2342835370096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
Looking towards the Kaweahs
![Image](http://inlinethumb47.webshots.com/26350/2309016200096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
Russell and Whitney, as seen from near the top of Mt. Barnard
![Image](http://inlinethumb11.webshots.com/44042/2398048120096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
Mt. Barnard is Class 1, but my natural instinct would have been to go up this way.
![Image](http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/45150/2665624440096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
Wallace and Wales Lakes from the top of Barnard
![Image](http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/13671/2193694790096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
Ancient civilization, discovered near summit of Barnard
![Image](http://inlinethumb03.webshots.com/44610/2729196110096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
Blessed with an instinctive skill for route finding, this was part of my x-country route to Wales Lake
![Image](http://inlinethumb12.webshots.com/4683/2976875070096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
Mt. Hale, over Wales Lake
![Image](http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/44000/2585668600096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
These were the only clouds (as opposed to smoke) in the entire 8 days, but they were sweet
![Image](http://inlinethumb50.webshots.com/24817/2507890040096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
On my way to Mt. Russell, and more evidence of my knack for route-finding
![Image](http://inlinethumb47.webshots.com/46126/2172640990096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
So I go up this, only to discover there's a real cliff on the other side, and I have to come halfway down and traverse to a saner crossing point
![Image](http://inlinethumb61.webshots.com/44476/2843273430096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
Finally made it to Tulainyo Lake, the highest lake in the continental U.S. and the hardest to spell. Notice how blue the sky is.
![Image](http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/46648/2191889930096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
Oh boy, my kind of route! This is the only way to the Russell-Carillon saddle. Believe it or not, it's Class 2, although I naturally discovered a Class 3 route instead.
![Image](http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/40135/2885368600096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
The beast lies just ahead to the right
![Image](http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/45239/2962282190096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
One heck of a sliding board
![Image](http://inlinethumb59.webshots.com/23802/2569220470096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
Just like climbing stairs
![Image](http://inlinethumb19.webshots.com/20370/2833673520096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
But don't look back
![Image](http://inlinethumb22.webshots.com/45141/2367714950096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
I considered being terrified, but then figured, "what's the point?"
![Image](http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/47433/2934185200096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
What's left of me, on top of Russell. Smoke in background is from my central nervous system.
![Image](http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/46279/2023479920096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
My feet after discharge from the hospital the next morning. I've been wearing the same boots the whole summer, what's with this?
![Image](http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/17373/2973833260096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
In Upper Kern Basin, smoke in background.
![Image](http://inlinethumb28.webshots.com/47579/2764130240096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
I know the Great Western Divide is there somewhere
![Image](http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/15072/2549799590096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
I got to witness the creation of the universe
![Image](http://inlinethumb23.webshots.com/46550/2868809160096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
So it was slightly clearer the next day
![Image](http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/21600/2840095270096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
I'd be willing to spend the rest of my life here (side canyon from the Kern basin)
![Image](http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/27384/2369955880096743830S600x600Q85.jpg)
Rest of the photos are here:
![Image](http://thumb10.webshots.net/t/76/176/4/53/2/2145453020096743830vscfzq_th.jpg)