High Sierra Topix

Another great report. Glad you were able to find someplace to go and it had good fishing to boot.

crazy nice weather for the middle of Oct, glad you could take advantage of it, thanks for the report

Great trip to get in there that deep in mid October. I've always chickened out and headed for the N Sierra this late in the year. I'm glad you got to Tower Pk, too. I very much enjoyed that summit back in the day (late 80s). The route it neat because it ends up being a lot less hairy than it looks from a distance (say when you look up from the ridge below)--those ledges are super wide, so it's like this big staircase with extra wide steps. I think that's the way it was described in the early climber's guides a "staircase gully". It was my undergraduate mentor, the great Clyde Wahrhaftig, who assured me that Tower was not as difficult as it looked---I always think of him when I think of Tower Peak and the old Tower Pk 15' quad because that was "his" quad. Yours and Harlen's report are cementing the position of Emigrant-N Yosemite as my no. 1 choice for my big 2021 trip. I hope to combine some of the highlights of both and enter from Leavitt Lake. We'll see. The summer of 2021 is a far away and 2020 isn't over yet. Thanks again for the report.

Those enormous caddis pupa shells are the famous October Caddis. It's not surprising you saw a bunch of spent cases because they likely just finished their 2-3 week frenzy of emergence. It's actually a shame you just missed the emergence, because I'm sure the fish were at the all-you-can-eat buffet. Probably would have made for some amazing fishing.

Just to gross everyone out, some pictures of adult, larva out of case and in case.

Hey Rise, thanks a lot for that submission-- the pictures are great, and I have only ever seen them in their stony cases.

kpeter wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 5:49 pm How great that you got out there, the weather cooperated, and you found a nice trip in the midst of smoke and darkness! I've never been in that area and have it on my list. Out of curiosity, why did you opt for Tower/Mary/Tilden cluster rather than going to the Dorothy/Stella/Ruth/Helen/Cora/Harriet/Bonnie cluster? I've never been to either--wondering which should be higher on my list.

Kpeter, I had never been to the "Sister Lakes", but Gary had about 10 years ago. I understand that while beautiful they had been gill netted for the frog, which detracts both from fishing (obvious) and scenery as well. I dont know if the nets have been removed. Nevertheless, we contemplated a loop trip over Tower Pass and back via Dorothy Lake and the sister lakes, but ultimately chose just an up and back. I had been in Emigrant and down Jack Main Canyon before as well. I think Mary and Tilden rank higher in terms of scenery and "wilderness feel" as well than the sister lakes. One of the guys we met at Mary Lake said that he had been coming to Mary Lake for 40 years and we were the first people he had ever seen there. Sister Lakes are of close closer to the PCT. But hey..go to both.

Dwwd wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 7:46 pm Without a tent, did you see any meteors? The Orionid shower was supposed to peak on Oct 20,2020 and without a moon some of them ought to have been visible. Just Curious.

Saw TONS of meteors. I didnt know about the Orionids Meteor Shower until I came back and read about it. It turns out we caught the beginning of it
and it peaked after we left. But I feel blessed to have had good weather, no moon, not much smoke, and warm enough to sleep outside the tent to see the meter showers.

Harlen wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 10:47 am I just noticed your Ptarmigan photo; did you nearly step on it? In Alaska they are also called "Stupid chickens" because you nearly step on them before they flutter madly off, scaring the shite out of you. I second Wandering Daisy's recommendation of the valley under Hawksbeak. One of the best sunset mountain sights we've ever had!

Harlen, yeah we did almost step on this one. Got very close..perhaps 2 feet? I was surprised when it didnt scurry away when we got this close.

On peaks to climb, bagging Tower Peak doesnt compare to you getting Thunder and Russell.. I have done Russell, from the south, and always wanted to do Thunder, but it may be beyond my capability now. But Tower Peak is a worthy peak!

On our itineraries seeming to be similar.. definitely noticed that..perhaps this winter we should exchange PM on 2021 priorities.
My only one that I am sure is top of list is to do the trip that I cancelled in Sept for the creek fire..to finally get to Ionian Basin.
Other than that.. I am not sure..but I will think about it until April 1st. On April 1st.. ( 1st day for some permits) I will have a definite plan.

Wandering Daisy wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 8:23 am Until you walk that section of loose sand on the trail out of Levitte Meadow you have no idea how bad it is. Normally I am not a critic of horse use on trails, but this is a place where horse use has contributed to these conditions. That section sort of is a "payment" you simply have to make to get into the higher country from that trailhead.

There is an off-trail valley east of Tower Peak that I believe is locally called "Rainbow Valley" that is very scenic, particularly the view of Hawksbeak that you should explore on your next trip. Another great variation on you trip would be to go in Rainbow Valley and then over a pass into Stubblefield Canyon and back out your route.

When I climbed Tower Peak years ago, we ran into Marines, marching in unison, who were training carrying huge packs and weapons, I bet near 100 pounds; definitely building character as well as muscles! We were going really UL and ran past them. I really felt sorry for them as we climbed the peak and ran past them again on the way down. My husband who was a marine, says the reason they recruit 18-year old guys is that anyone older has more sense. He volunteered for "adventure" and got more than he bargained for!

WD, I had heard about the loose sand here, and it wasn't "awful". But it was bad enough in places that I thought I would mention it.
I often have delusions of how far I can hike on Day 1 of any trip. I mistakenly thought I might get farther than we got on this day 1, largely because it seemed like the trail was mostly flat from Leavitt Meadows. The truth is I was really really tired when we camped on the creek below the cabin.
I thought since I was in pretty good shape, we would get farther. But I attribute some of the fatigue here ( other than old age) to the sand.
On the other hand, I agree with your "payment" comment. I view all Day 1's as "investment day". And frankly often day 2 as well. Then the pack comes off, and climbing, fishing, and day hiking (without pack) take over.

On Rainbow Valley and Stubblefield Canyon, I will add to my list. I saw Harlen mentioned as well. I have written on other TR's about how I sense a great feel for certain places..beyond the pictures and TR's (Bench Canyon/Twin Island Lake area, Kaweah Basin are others than I think of in this category.)
I sense a similar "feel" for Stubblefield Canyon area and perhaps some of the other canyons. It certainly looks like a wild, unused area from the top of Tower Peak. Great story about marines and Tower Peak.

RiseToADry wrote: ↑Wed Oct 28, 2020 5:50 pm Those enormous caddis pupa shells are the famous October Caddis. It's not surprising you saw a bunch of spent cases because they likely just finished their 2-3 week frenzy of emergence. It's actually a shame you just missed the emergence, because I'm sure the fish were at the all-you-can-eat buffet. Probably would have made for some amazing fishing.

Just to gross everyone out, some pictures of adult, larva out of case and in case.

Cory, thanks for this explanation! I didnt know about the October Caddis. I have seen tons of caddis in my years of hiking/fishing, but not this October Caddis! You are probably right...it would have been great to see this hatch.
Those hatched caddis are HUGE. I only noticed them on one lake, and only even along the north shoreline.. I will remember this for future reference...