R01/R03 TR: High Sierra Trail 09/17/18 to 09/23/18
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2018 1:27 pm
The weather was sparkly for the whole run, sharp clear blue all the way across the Sierra. Days were in the 60-75’s and nights were hovering around freezing, sometimes under, sometimes over.
Day 1 - Crescent Meadow to Mehrten Creek
Picked a walk in permit and started the hike a day early. Met two rangers that day that were coming down the mountain, ending their season. I was still poorly acclimated and migrainy so I decided to stop at 3 pm at Mehrten Creek and just enjoy my afternoon goofing off and taking pictures. Lovely camp with a legal fire pit, a lovely creek with pools of frigid water, solitude, big stars.
Day 2 - Mehrten Creek to Hamilton Lake
Took off Before sunrise, grabbed coffee and a giant piece of brownie (so large it took me 3 days to finish it) at Bearpaw meadow. Can’t say that I was seduced by Bearpaw… Glad I did not camp there. Delighted by the unfolding trail, in awe of the wisdom of its designers. Beauty all around, always renewed, enjoying bouncing a song on the canyon walls while walking through the tunnel. Some heartbeats crossing the Kaweah, high on a wooden bridge, staring at the roaring waters far, far underneath it, slicing through perfectly vertical canyon walls - like a Will Coyote Cartoon. Long, beautiful slog of a climb towards Hamilton, getting ever closer to the Great Western Divide slowly filling up the horizons. Reaching beautiful Hamilton upper lake about 3pm again with another solo hiker, a slightly older gentleman. The place was empty and we had our choice of camp - I carefully oriented the tent for night photography from my sleeping bag. Dipping in the frigid water up to my neck. We share some beer and whiskey, and early evening another group walks in. One of them pulls two trouts off the lake in an instant, and sets to prepare some fish tacos. Glorious sunset coloring the western divide in pinks and oranges, and blazing full moon at night.
Day 3 - Hamilton Lakes to Arroyo junction
Out of bed about 4:30 am. Doing some night photography, breakfast, folding camp. Start to hike out as the sky starts turning grey. Long climb towards the Kaweah Gap, at least I get through the hardest bit before the sun starts pounding. The altitude attacks me now - body, limp as a knot of overcooked noodles, devoid of power, restless breathing, pounding heart, migraine, just feet that keep going one step at a time, dragging the rest of me and my bag up the switchbacks. I reach precipice lake at last, it is quite cold but the sun is blazing, I dip my legs in the freezing water and grab a bite while savoring the beauty. Then up again, passing by lovely beautiful small tarns and through tiny meadows before I reach the Gap. Staring at the big Arroyo glacial valley from the top, gorgeous. Hiking down into a completely different ecosystem, carpets of very red small plants studded with very green small pines. Checking out the lovely campsite at the top of the arroyo - I will spend one or two nights here someday, the landscape is stunning. Encounter with an elderly gentleman mountaineer preparing to summit black Kaweah with his granddaughter on the next morning, and a gentle hike down the big arroyo. By the time I make it to Arroyo Junction, I am pooped and ready to admit I will not push further tonight.
Day 4 - Arroyo Junction to Moraine lake
Once again heading out before sunrise. Worried about overall pace after my schedule slippage yesterday - Did I underestimate other legs of this trip and will this become a snowballing problem? Should I skip Moraine lake entirely and just race for Kern hot springs ? Taking a break on Chagoopa plateau, beautiful, mineral and arid, studded with ancient twisted firs and the occasional tarn and grass. Staring at the map, the minute difference in mileage and elevation convinces me to go through with the Moraine lake detour.
I reach Moraine lake at noon, and I fall in love. A lovely picturesque, I want to say princessy, too cute to be true, high altitude lake surrounded by a gentle grove of large firs, crystal clear water twinkling under the sun, close to the edge of a cliff, granite boulders strewn around it as a crown, small sandy beaches, some patches of reeds, a sandy bottom, a handful of visiting ducks swimming in the distance. I throw my schedule fears away and decide to camp here - how could it possibly get better than this? I go for a very refreshing dip, rinse my shirt and shorts and set them to bake on a rock in the sun.
Later in the evening, as the sun is about to set, I am shocked out of lovely solitude when a crew walks into camp. This group is an eclectic mix of hikers that met on the trail, and from here to Lone pine we will be meeting every evening at camp.
Day 5 - Moraine lake to Junction Meadow
Not the best night of sleep, waking up at about 3:30. Slow wake up, photography, camp chores, walk out around 5 am, more photography on the way down. It’s cold this morning, and as I loose altitude it feels like I am slowly entering a coffer of frigid air. Walking past Sky Parlor meadow, the grasses covered in frost, a snack break, observing the Kern river canyon from the top of the access cliff. Two other flavors of beauty already today, I will meet many more before the sun is down. Steep drop in elevation, around 2500 feet to the bottom of the canyon. After a seemingly endless stack of switchbacks following Funston creek’s fall towards the Kern River, reaching the floor of the canyon, encounter with a smiling silver mustached gentleman about to hike up the way I cam from, looking at his map. “I see some amount of possibly strenuous effort in your near future”, I say. “The hiking sticks do all the work”, he protests with a chuckle. He looks trim and fit and his backpack looks very small and light.
I press on, the landscape is now a mostly flat and wide canyon bottom, alternating between arid rocky, and wet forest with ferns and grasses, with towering mountain cliffs on each side, and the brisk Kern river in the middle. About every half mile, a creek falls down the walls of the canyon with long, thin waterfalls running down the cliffs, finally merging with the Kern river at the bottom. A small Sequoia grove puzzles me - they are all young. Is this a new, artificial plantation grove? Where are all the large sequoias that should be here if this was an ancient grove?
I reach Kern hot springs around 10 am and soak for about one hour in lovely hot water with a little scent of sulfur and minerals, facing the mountain slope, gazing at the birds and the tree branches dancing in the breeze, surrounded by the song of the Kern river.
It is very hard to compel my lazy muscles and jello body to get back to work after the long hot bath. I hike the long slow climb towards junction meadow. A small herd of deer welcomes me to camp around 4 pm.
Day 6 - Junction Meadow to Guitar lake
Up early but a little later than usual - Feeling a bit beat after the long day yesterday. Today the name of the game is climbing higher and higher - between 2500 and 3500 feet elevation gain depending on final destination. Until the last minute, I cannot make up my mind as to where I should camp tonight. Crabtree Meadow, add one night to the trip, rest up a bit, have an easy day up to Guitar lake tomorrow and a relaxed staging for Whitney Summit. Or push a little harder to Guitar tonight and feed on the Tramily’s energy to ease the Whitney summit, and stick to my original hike schedule - 8 days. Through the day, the landscape unrolls and transforms, always gorgeous. I am slow and struggling, a couple of my new hiker friends pass me. I finally get to Crabtree Meadow’s trail fork and decide to keep going straight up all the way to guitar lake, and I press forward without stopping. Little snack break and water refill at lovely Timberline lake, and arrival in the mineral otherworldly alpine landscape at Guitar lake with my trail friends that I had passed again when they stopped for a break at Crabtree. We decide to head up to the upper tarns above Guitar lake. I am spent after over 13 miles and the big elevation gain, worn out legs and pounded feet clamoring for rest. I pitch my tent sloppily with rocks on a Granite balcony overlooking Guitar lake, the balcony is a little too small for the tent - the flakiest pitch so far for this tent. I pray the wind will remain gentle through the night. Three JMT hikers join us and decide to cowboy camp next to me, to speed up their alpine start tomorrow. The plan for everyone is to hike out at 3:30 am, to reach Whitney summit at sunrise. We admire the magical sunset, perfectly in the axis of Guitar lake, the mountains turn black, the lake becomes a silver mirror, the sky turns dark blue with a streak of vibrant orange on the horizon. We sleep.
Around 2 am strong gusts of wind suddenly shake the tent violently. I swing out of my quilt and do my best to tighten the tent pitch and reduce drag. I slide back in and fall back half asleep with an eye on the clock. The wind dies as suddenly as it started.
Day 1 - Crescent Meadow to Mehrten Creek
Picked a walk in permit and started the hike a day early. Met two rangers that day that were coming down the mountain, ending their season. I was still poorly acclimated and migrainy so I decided to stop at 3 pm at Mehrten Creek and just enjoy my afternoon goofing off and taking pictures. Lovely camp with a legal fire pit, a lovely creek with pools of frigid water, solitude, big stars.
Day 2 - Mehrten Creek to Hamilton Lake
Took off Before sunrise, grabbed coffee and a giant piece of brownie (so large it took me 3 days to finish it) at Bearpaw meadow. Can’t say that I was seduced by Bearpaw… Glad I did not camp there. Delighted by the unfolding trail, in awe of the wisdom of its designers. Beauty all around, always renewed, enjoying bouncing a song on the canyon walls while walking through the tunnel. Some heartbeats crossing the Kaweah, high on a wooden bridge, staring at the roaring waters far, far underneath it, slicing through perfectly vertical canyon walls - like a Will Coyote Cartoon. Long, beautiful slog of a climb towards Hamilton, getting ever closer to the Great Western Divide slowly filling up the horizons. Reaching beautiful Hamilton upper lake about 3pm again with another solo hiker, a slightly older gentleman. The place was empty and we had our choice of camp - I carefully oriented the tent for night photography from my sleeping bag. Dipping in the frigid water up to my neck. We share some beer and whiskey, and early evening another group walks in. One of them pulls two trouts off the lake in an instant, and sets to prepare some fish tacos. Glorious sunset coloring the western divide in pinks and oranges, and blazing full moon at night.
Day 3 - Hamilton Lakes to Arroyo junction
Out of bed about 4:30 am. Doing some night photography, breakfast, folding camp. Start to hike out as the sky starts turning grey. Long climb towards the Kaweah Gap, at least I get through the hardest bit before the sun starts pounding. The altitude attacks me now - body, limp as a knot of overcooked noodles, devoid of power, restless breathing, pounding heart, migraine, just feet that keep going one step at a time, dragging the rest of me and my bag up the switchbacks. I reach precipice lake at last, it is quite cold but the sun is blazing, I dip my legs in the freezing water and grab a bite while savoring the beauty. Then up again, passing by lovely beautiful small tarns and through tiny meadows before I reach the Gap. Staring at the big Arroyo glacial valley from the top, gorgeous. Hiking down into a completely different ecosystem, carpets of very red small plants studded with very green small pines. Checking out the lovely campsite at the top of the arroyo - I will spend one or two nights here someday, the landscape is stunning. Encounter with an elderly gentleman mountaineer preparing to summit black Kaweah with his granddaughter on the next morning, and a gentle hike down the big arroyo. By the time I make it to Arroyo Junction, I am pooped and ready to admit I will not push further tonight.
Day 4 - Arroyo Junction to Moraine lake
Once again heading out before sunrise. Worried about overall pace after my schedule slippage yesterday - Did I underestimate other legs of this trip and will this become a snowballing problem? Should I skip Moraine lake entirely and just race for Kern hot springs ? Taking a break on Chagoopa plateau, beautiful, mineral and arid, studded with ancient twisted firs and the occasional tarn and grass. Staring at the map, the minute difference in mileage and elevation convinces me to go through with the Moraine lake detour.
I reach Moraine lake at noon, and I fall in love. A lovely picturesque, I want to say princessy, too cute to be true, high altitude lake surrounded by a gentle grove of large firs, crystal clear water twinkling under the sun, close to the edge of a cliff, granite boulders strewn around it as a crown, small sandy beaches, some patches of reeds, a sandy bottom, a handful of visiting ducks swimming in the distance. I throw my schedule fears away and decide to camp here - how could it possibly get better than this? I go for a very refreshing dip, rinse my shirt and shorts and set them to bake on a rock in the sun.
Later in the evening, as the sun is about to set, I am shocked out of lovely solitude when a crew walks into camp. This group is an eclectic mix of hikers that met on the trail, and from here to Lone pine we will be meeting every evening at camp.
Day 5 - Moraine lake to Junction Meadow
Not the best night of sleep, waking up at about 3:30. Slow wake up, photography, camp chores, walk out around 5 am, more photography on the way down. It’s cold this morning, and as I loose altitude it feels like I am slowly entering a coffer of frigid air. Walking past Sky Parlor meadow, the grasses covered in frost, a snack break, observing the Kern river canyon from the top of the access cliff. Two other flavors of beauty already today, I will meet many more before the sun is down. Steep drop in elevation, around 2500 feet to the bottom of the canyon. After a seemingly endless stack of switchbacks following Funston creek’s fall towards the Kern River, reaching the floor of the canyon, encounter with a smiling silver mustached gentleman about to hike up the way I cam from, looking at his map. “I see some amount of possibly strenuous effort in your near future”, I say. “The hiking sticks do all the work”, he protests with a chuckle. He looks trim and fit and his backpack looks very small and light.
I press on, the landscape is now a mostly flat and wide canyon bottom, alternating between arid rocky, and wet forest with ferns and grasses, with towering mountain cliffs on each side, and the brisk Kern river in the middle. About every half mile, a creek falls down the walls of the canyon with long, thin waterfalls running down the cliffs, finally merging with the Kern river at the bottom. A small Sequoia grove puzzles me - they are all young. Is this a new, artificial plantation grove? Where are all the large sequoias that should be here if this was an ancient grove?
I reach Kern hot springs around 10 am and soak for about one hour in lovely hot water with a little scent of sulfur and minerals, facing the mountain slope, gazing at the birds and the tree branches dancing in the breeze, surrounded by the song of the Kern river.
It is very hard to compel my lazy muscles and jello body to get back to work after the long hot bath. I hike the long slow climb towards junction meadow. A small herd of deer welcomes me to camp around 4 pm.
Day 6 - Junction Meadow to Guitar lake
Up early but a little later than usual - Feeling a bit beat after the long day yesterday. Today the name of the game is climbing higher and higher - between 2500 and 3500 feet elevation gain depending on final destination. Until the last minute, I cannot make up my mind as to where I should camp tonight. Crabtree Meadow, add one night to the trip, rest up a bit, have an easy day up to Guitar lake tomorrow and a relaxed staging for Whitney Summit. Or push a little harder to Guitar tonight and feed on the Tramily’s energy to ease the Whitney summit, and stick to my original hike schedule - 8 days. Through the day, the landscape unrolls and transforms, always gorgeous. I am slow and struggling, a couple of my new hiker friends pass me. I finally get to Crabtree Meadow’s trail fork and decide to keep going straight up all the way to guitar lake, and I press forward without stopping. Little snack break and water refill at lovely Timberline lake, and arrival in the mineral otherworldly alpine landscape at Guitar lake with my trail friends that I had passed again when they stopped for a break at Crabtree. We decide to head up to the upper tarns above Guitar lake. I am spent after over 13 miles and the big elevation gain, worn out legs and pounded feet clamoring for rest. I pitch my tent sloppily with rocks on a Granite balcony overlooking Guitar lake, the balcony is a little too small for the tent - the flakiest pitch so far for this tent. I pray the wind will remain gentle through the night. Three JMT hikers join us and decide to cowboy camp next to me, to speed up their alpine start tomorrow. The plan for everyone is to hike out at 3:30 am, to reach Whitney summit at sunrise. We admire the magical sunset, perfectly in the axis of Guitar lake, the mountains turn black, the lake becomes a silver mirror, the sky turns dark blue with a streak of vibrant orange on the horizon. We sleep.
Around 2 am strong gusts of wind suddenly shake the tent violently. I swing out of my quilt and do my best to tighten the tent pitch and reduce drag. I slide back in and fall back half asleep with an eye on the clock. The wind dies as suddenly as it started.
