High Sierra Topix

Part 1

There was a strong weather system forecast on the last day of this trip, affecting mostly the northern Sierra. So, I went far south. Horseshoe Meadow is one of the farthest High Sierra trailheads from Northern California. It’s a long drive away.

As I was driving up the switchbacks in the afternoon, I spotted a hitchhiker with a large backpack that was mostly empty. He had paraglided from higher up. He left his parachute behind to retrieve it later. I asked him many questions about paragliding before I dropped him off near his car. Sometimes the air can be very turbulent, with rapid updrafts as fast as a free fall. That’s dangerous.

The trail goes through a sparse conifer forest on dry, sandy granite slopes with boulders and almost no understory.

Looking back:
It became dark as I neared the lakes.

Approaching Cottonwood Lakes:
View toward Mount Langley:
I felt that the trail was crunchy in some places. Frost. I put my water filter in a pocket to prevent it from freezing.

I camped at the northern end of the narrow, long Lake 3.

Day 2

Overnight, the lake became covered with ice.

Sunrise on Lake 3.
I like the sound of the ice on the lake:



A coot. The break in the ice is where I got my water:


I climbed to the higher lakes.

Lake 3. (Old) Army Pass on the right:
I climbed to (Old) Army Pass.

(Old) Army Pass:
Lake 4 (near) and Lake 5 (far), view from (Old) Army Pass:
On the way to Mount Langley, I found a day-hiker lying down. He was resting, a bit sick, but apparently not due to altitude sickness. His wife had continued to the summit. Soon, I met her speeding down to meet him.

Panorama from the top. Mount Whitney is at center-right. To the left, a distinct Table Mountain and the tip of Milestone peeking. Below, Miter Basin with its lakes. The Kaweahs on the left:
Cottonwood Lakes from near the summit:
I got an updated, detailed weather forecast at the summit.

Originally, I had planned to go down to Soldier Lake, south of The Major General. Instead, I continued west-northwest on the gentle slope along the crest until it abruptly ended in steep gullies and ridges.

Above Tuttle Pass. Mount Langley on the right, above the valley with Tuttle Creek. Center-left: Miter Basin with Mount Whitney and the Great Western Divide behind:
I decided to descend directly. If that didn’t work out, I would climb back up and descend along The Major General.

Sky-Blue Lake and Iridescent Lake from the descent:
I went down one chute, but it became too steep. I went back up partway and traversed south to another chute. That one was wider, which gave more options. However, it became too steep, too. I found a way to traverse to another chute. After a few such chute changes, I saw a clear way down. It was sunset time. I wouldn’t try this way again.

As I was descending and the day was ending, I was thinking about how I would spend the night on the slope, if I had to.

Miter Basin from further down the descent. The rest of the way down was easier:
Finally, at the valley floor. A short break. View toward the outlet of Iridescent Lake.
I climbed to Iridescent Lake and searched in the dark for a campsite. Bright moonlight was helpful.

As I was canvassing the area, something bright caught my eye: a reflective marking on a trekking pole.

Day 3

At night, the wind picked up.

It was cold and windy in the morning, so much so that I even considered ending the trip a day early.

Iridescent Lake at sunrise with my tent:
I ate breakfast and packed while hiding behind a big rock. When the sunshine reached me, it warmed up.

I picked up the trekking pole I found. It must have been lying there for a while because the moving parts were creaky or almost stuck.

I followed the creek down. The outlet was dry, but a short distance below, there was a spring - the lake was “leaking”.

The main valley of Miter Basin. The Miter at center right:
From the main valley of Miter Basin, I climbed to Sky-Blue Lake and rounded its eastern shore.

The whole day, I was obsessed with looking for wind-sheltered campsites. I was noting them mentally so that I could get back to them if necessary. Some of them I even tested by standing in them and feeling how the wind was weaker.

Sky-Blue Lake at the northeast corner:
I climbed to the bench north of Sky-Blue Lake, then to the lake marked “WL 3697” on USGS 7.5’ map. Near that lake, I found a well-sheltered campsite, and I decided to camp there. But first, I wanted to visit Crabtree Pass. I could come back to that campsite in the dark if it got too late.

On the way, I noted more sheltered campsites. Most of them were far from water. I spotted one near a small lake close to the pass.

Lakes below Crabtree Pass, looking east:
I hurried to the pass to get there before sunset.

Almost at Crabtree Pass. Sunset:
I got there a few minutes too late.

Crabtree Lakes:
Panorama from the pass. Crabtree Lakes at far right:
After taking photos, I went back to the spot at the small lake that I had found on the way up.

Ridge brighter than the sky, looking east:
I had to break the ice with a rock to get water.


It was very quiet. I heard the lake ice booming from time to time. I knew that the next day was going to be windy.

Day 4

In the morning, I heard what sounded like a commercial airliner. But I couldn’t see any airplane, and the sound continued. I realized that it was the sound of the wind blowing, primarily over the ridge south of Mt. McAdie, just east of me. My spot had only occasional wind.

I went to the lake west of lake “WL 3697”.

A small lake below Crabtree Pass, looking north:
Ice on the lake west of lake “WL 3697”, looking west:
Looking north:


The wind was pushing and pulling on the thin ice sheet. The ice had melted near the rocks, and water was being pushed up:


I went down to the small lakes below.

At exposed vista points, the wind was knocking me down as I was taking photos.

Looking toward the serrated crest east of Iridescent Lake:
Sky-Blue Lale at the northwest corner:
Then, around Sky-Blue Lake and to the main valley.

Above the main valley of Miter Basin. Mount Langley in the center:
The main valley of Miter Basin. The Miter, center-left:
Water in my partially filled bottle became solid ice.

I climbed over a low ridge west of The Major General. On top of the ridge, where the creek starts on the map, there is an unmarked lake.

The unmarked lake:
Ice:
Then down a steep, dry creek, and then east to Soldier Lake.

Dark clouds arrived quickly. I put on all my clothes, except my down pants.

Spooky tree:
I climbed toward the crest. The wind was fierce. It was pushing me uphill, which was helpful, but it was knocking me off balance, which was not. Despite climbing, I felt cold. I hid behind a large boulder and put on my down pants under my rain pants. That helped a lot.

Looking back toward Solder Lake when the sun shone in a brief break in the clouds:

As I approached (Old) Army Pass, it started snowing. I considered using that pass, because it would be a shorter distance, but the New Army Pass trail would be easier to follow in the snow.

I arrived at New Army Pass shortly after sunset. Originally, I had planned to be at sunset time at Cottonwood Lakes.

New Army Pass:
Switchbacks near the pass:
As I started descending, the snowfall intensified. It was hard to see. Blown snow was stinging my eyes when the switchbacks faced west. The snow quickly accumulated on the ground. After the switchbacks, the trail became hard to follow. I lost it many times, and I relied on GPS to guide me back to it. The wind caused the snow to be redistributed smoothly, obliterating any trace of the trail in most places. I really wished it would stop snowing. My progress was very slow.

Eventually, the snow stopped, the clouds cleared, and the moon came out. It became much easier to walk.

I found icicles in my beard.

The landscape was transformed.

Lake 2, west side:
Same spot, looking south:
My shoeprints on the trail:
Lake 2, east side:
Looking back toward Lake 2:
Looking back toward Lake 1:
Along the trail below the lakes:
Winter has arrived.

At the trailhead:
I was able to drive out carefully.

wow!
a unique trip to say the least.

tomba,

Thanks for sharing such an adventuresome outing.

On your descent from Langley to the Miter Basin you noted, " I wouldn't try this way again." Hiking up the Miter Basin after visiting Langley, I often have scouted to my right possible more direct descent routes from Langley like the one you took. I guessed something would be doable (well maybe), but have never tried. I think I will stick with the easier way: Drop to the Upper Soldier Lake by descending to it south of the Major General, staying high above the lake on the right, climbing a short wall, and then landing within a few yards of the "Three Trees" landmark (which is seen on the left bank of the Unnamed Lake in your Day Four hiking. (It appears that this is the route you ascended out of the Miter Basin to Old Army/New Army Pass on Day 4.)

Again, thanks.

Jim

Hi Tomba, thank you for sharing another excellent trip report. I especially love your photography at dawn and dusk. With the late-season short days, the cold wind, and the sudden snow -- this adventure seemed to have an otherworldly quality. I'm glad to hear you were able to drive out safely

I am glad you did not get snowed in! I hesitate to park at high trailheads that late in the year to avoid getting stuck. I enjoyed the photos since I do not go out that late in the year, mostly due to the long nights.

You have posted many late fall trips for 2024. Did you do each with separate drives from your home? Or did you combine a few.

Looks like a great and cold trip. I really like the snowy photos around the Cottonwood Lakes.