High Sierra Topix

In late October last year, I made a short trip to Tableland. A weather system was approaching, primarily affecting the northern Sierra, so I went to the southern part.

I started from Wolverton in the late afternoon. It was dusk at the Watchtower. Some people were camped with a campfire at Heather Lake. Camping and campfires are not allowed there.

At Pear Lake, there was a group of three people with three tents. They also arrived in the dark, before I did. I went to sleep late.

I had a headache in the morning, likely due to the altitude. A day-hiker arrived, stayed only about 15 minutes, and left. I wondered about that.

Two backpacking girls arrived. They had camped at Emerald Lake the night before because it had gotten too late.

I checked out one of the three bathrooms in the morning, but it was repulsive. I’d rather dig a cathole later, after leaving this area.

Pear Lake:
I went over a low ridge and hiked along the dry Marble Fork. Further up, on slabs, the creek was trickling, so I took a nice break there.

I climbed to lake “WL 10558T”. The weather station was still broken, just like I found it in the spring two years ago, after a very high snow winter.


Some insects were dashing across the surface of the water.



Lake “WL 10558T”:
I rested and snacked while overlooking Ferguson Meadow.


I went to Tableland Pass.

Lakes northeast of Tableland Pass. Smoke was drifting in the valleys:
Sunset::

In the morning, the sky looked ominous.


In the distance, dark clouds were floating with virga, like hanging tentacles. Fortunately, the sky soon became less threatening.

Lakes east of Big Bird Lake. Characteristic Table Mountain and Milestone Mountain on the Great Western Divide are visible to the left:
I went past numerous small lakes, then continued north of point “10860 T”. There’s a big vista from that ridge.

Grass rings:
Grass waves:
Fall in Tableland:
I continued to Moose Lake. The water level was low. I could walk to some of the islands.


After a break, I went up over the ridge to the northwest.

Dry creek:
Then, I went down by several lakes to Pear Lake. I remembered to stay far left on the final descent. It’s easier to find the right way up.

Pear Lake:
As I approached the Watchtower, I saw that the sun was going to peek under the clouds before sunset. I hurried and got there just in time.

View from the watchtower to Tableland:
View from the Watchtower to Lodgepole:
I hiked the rest of the way out by headlamp.