2014 Member Meet-up 7/22-7/27

[schmalz]

It was the pothole lake.

[Bluewater]

Thank you Schmalz! Your photos are beautiful. I was in Kaweah Basin earlier that week and your photos take me right back there. Your pano of Wales Lake gives a great view of the whole area, making it another 'must see' place in the Sierra:)

[maverick]

Nice job Schmalz!

[Jimr]

Excellent read Schmalz. Reading it almost makes me feel like I was there

Here's a few panos I just finished.
_MG_0156 - _MG_0161 by jrowley1961, on Flickr

Guess you need to click on the image to see the rest on Flickr

[The hermit]

Thanks so much for sharing your pictures jimr. I can't wait to go myself. Looks pretty dry and desolate in some places. Any problems with dry stretches of "trail"?

[Hobbes]

Looks pretty dry and desolate in some places. Any problems with dry stretches of "trail"?

Unlike Kings and Mammoth, where the river valleys direct storms to funnel up and dump their rain/snow loads, the Great Western divide creates a bit of a rain shadow in Sequoia. However, since the highest peaks in the Sierra are just east of (upper) Kern cyn, there's enough separation to allow that part of the range to catch snow/precipitation.

That's why it looks so stark coming south from Forester through the Tyndall plateau, and why there is a lack of the multitude of small(er), forested lakes so prevalent north of the pass. But, and this is a big but, the lakes that do exist east of the PCT tend to be: (a) larger; (b) higher; and (c) more remote ie sitting right under the crest.

I happen to like that kind of stark, other worldly environment, whereas my wife really likes lower elevation, woody retreats. On our recent car camping trip, we day hiked up past Shadow, and then Cottonwood #5 a few days later. While she appreciates the unique aspects of the high elevation areas, unlike Shadow, she doesn't want to hang out there.

As for water, besides the major creeks/lakes, there are stringers and streams throughout the area that are sourced from windy, remote lakes that no one seems to visit. WLB north of the "pothole":

[Jimr]

I love those high, stark other worldly environments myself. My wife likes all of it as long as there are three star accommodations to go with it. Severely limits the other worldly part of the program.

[Hobbes]

Here's an overview of the route that Jim and I took and the sights we had the chance to see.

Brian, beautiful pictures - now I know why you guys hauled those cameras up there & back.

[richlong8]

Really!