High Sierra Topix

Very cool TR! I just got back from a little trip that went over Junction Pass and I feel your pain about the south side. That steep loose scree slope wasn't a lot of fun going down but must be downright miserable to ascend. And then all that talus, only to find yourself 1500 feet below Shepherds after all that work!

Stanley Otter wrote: ↑Tue Aug 21, 2018 5:27 pm...BART from Richmond to SFO arriving at about 10:30 PM...12:05 AM PDT red eye flight from SFO to ORD.

Wow. Did you plan it out exactly this way or did you give yourself plenty of buffer time and with the delays it just worked out that you arrived exactly 1.5 hours ahead of your outbound flight? An impressive report, but I'm almost more impressed at the commitment to public transportation the whole way!

maiathebee wrote: ↑Fri Aug 24, 2018 2:01 am Very cool TR! I just got back from a little trip that went over Junction Pass and I feel your pain about the south side. That steep loose scree slope wasn't a lot of fun going down but must be downright miserable to ascend. And then all that talus, only to find yourself 1500 feet below Shepherds after all that work!

Thanks for the note. I know, right? Here's some more just for fun and profit.

Dennis

windknot wrote: ↑Fri Aug 24, 2018 11:32 am

Stanley Otter wrote: ↑Tue Aug 21, 2018 5:27 pm...BART from Richmond to SFO arriving at about 10:30 PM...12:05 AM PDT red eye flight from SFO to ORD.

Wow. Did you plan it out exactly this way or did you give yourself plenty of buffer time and with the delays it just worked out that you arrived exactly 1.5 hours ahead of your outbound flight? An impressive report, but I'm almost more impressed at the commitment to public transportation the whole way!

It was just luck that I had a 2.5 hour window to begin with and Amtrak only ate an hour of it. I wasn't so fortunate in my use of public transportation on the trip from home. In my limited experience, I have found YARTS and ESTA to be very reliable, and for the most part I find it relaxing although it can be time consuming. I really cannot afford to rent a car and leave it sit for two or three weeks, so I don't have all that much choice in the matter. I want to start exploring the western approaches to the Sierra via Emigrant and SEKI, but these appear to be more difficult to access via public transportation. The recent Great Western Divide trip report has me all in a lather... Something to dream and scheme about this winter.

I really enjoyed your excellent photos, as usual. Interesting variations you did on the SHR. I have always wondered about Junction Pass. I think we who live close by are not aware of the logistics required to do backpack trips far from home using public transportation and car rentals. It seems you have the routine figured out. Yes, do come back again to do more trips!

Thanks, WD. My Belovéd insisted we buy a new vehicle last month for the first time since the early aughts, so the 16 year old minivan devolved to me. I'm thinking of tossing the rear seats into the garage for an instant Sierra Mobile conversion. Don't look for me in the upper midwest next summer...