High Sierra Topix

Route taken: Roads End->Bubbs Creek->East Lake->Lake Reflection->Return

Elevations:5000-10400+ feet

Difficult section encountered: Lots of gnats below ~7000 ft, bring a headnet. Bug free above 7500 ft. Bubbs Creek crossing was at mid-calf.

Special equipment needed/used: none

Temps at elevation were mid-50s high, mid-30s low. Light breeze, clear skies. All creeks and most creeklets had good flow. Aspens had nice color around ~8000, fading at ~9000. Saw nobody after turning toward East Lake. No active road construction on Hwy 180, perhaps they're done?

Route taken: Duck Pass > PCT/JMT (Sobo) > McGee Pass trail -> Tully Lake > Rohn Pass > Mott Lake > Silver Pass > PCT/JMT (Nobo) > Duck Pass

Elevations: 9000-11000+ feet

Difficult section encountered: None

Special equipment needed/used: None

Temps: lows into the teens, with highs up to high-50s. Wind in the late afternoon would chill you to the bone! w/o good insulation/shell layer. Great weather otherwise.

Water: I didn't have trouble with water. None of the lakes I came across were frozen (only bits) and Fish Creek and others were flowing.

Snow: none to speak of. Recent dusting had mostly burned off except north/east aspects in trees, etc.

Notes: Lots of day hikers going up Duck Pass/Lake. After that saw and talked to a group of 3 Sobo PCT'ers that were trying to beat the storm to Forester. Given the late season, limited day light, that was going to be a big ask mileage-wise. I was a little concerned for their safety, and told one about some more sheltered campsite locations. Only saw 1 other pair of hikers, also on PCT/JMT for all 3 days. I had planned a more ambitious route but I developed a head cold during the hike and decided to cut it short.