High Sierra Topix

Having gone all winter without backpacking, I was dying to get out at any moment and Tioga Pass opening up over the weekend lit a fire in me. It was supposed to be a 3 day trip to Young Lakes, looking forward to some nice winter like conditions and much needed down time. The snow started immediate along the trail, with solid snow cover just below Dog Lake. A beautiful hike through the woods, I found myself standing alongside Delaney Creek as it raged by. Hiking for almost a mile along its banks looking for a hint of encouragement, I finally decided against hiking far up valley to find any sort of feasible crossing, and turned back. Count this as my second trip I've bailed on due to raging waters. I was met with indifference from a ranger when I described the conditions, a typical response I seem to get when trying to report on conditions - no matter how obvious or obscure (of course, they hear know-it-alls like me spew all the time so I don't blame them).
As tempting as other trailheads were, I left a strict itinerary back home and had to report in, so I took the drive to cell phone service land and suddenly found myself hiking up towards Little Lakes Valley. For some reason I packed for winter-like conditions, but I enjoyed it: the weight of my backpack pressing down reminded me how long its been and how much I missed the beautiful, mind-numbing, and exhaustive tempo of hiking through the wilderness. After a bit of searching, I found a nice snow free camp above Box Lake just as the sun vanished over the mountains. No mosquitos, and lots of birds who didn't miss a chance to let me know they're there, be it by song or by swinging past my ears at frightening speeds. It was a short trip, and like always too short. A soak in long valley, a visit to Whoa Nellie, and a quick visit to Yosemite Valley ended the trip: the raging falls and mother bear teaching its cubs to forage in the forest topped it all off.

Sunrise at the outlet of Box Lake


Ice patterns along the lakes edge, with the alpenglow lighting up the surface


I never tire of this view

Nice, I want to do an early season trip sometime, just need to avoid creek crossings.

Lovely photos! Thanks.

We were out this weekend as well---see the report on Carson-Iceberg...

Kind of funny that there have been almost no reports on Memorial Day or this last weekend activities by others on a few boards I use or lurk on. And the couple I read are like yours, snow fests. I know alot of people likely drove up to their usual places thinking they could cope with whatever despite all the warnings and were surprised so turned back. Too embarrassed to admit they wasted alot of time of course.

I had a productive holiday weekend spending Saturday morning on the Sonoma County coast where wildflowers were spectacular, then drove east to the Hetch Hetchy area where Sunday morning I worked an obscure granite bedrock zone that was nicely green, buzzing with bees, and full of spring flowers. There are actually some productive spots a photographer might hike to below 6k elevation but its all obscure stuff mostly off trail. Good example is all the no name ponds in the Miguel Meadows and Swamp Lake area where vegetation and critters are at their usual late spring peak. Probably been totally devoid of anyone this year as it always is.

Then this last weekend was tired of all the driving I'd been doing for weeks so just did a Saturday day trip down to the Monterey Coast where I did the Rocky Ridge/Soberanes trail loop at Garrapata again full of wildflowers though a week or two past a greener peak. Then Sunday took a rest at home dealing with weeks of piled up domestic duties. This Friday after my m-f 8-5 workweek will drive back east to the HH zone. The rest of higher elevations will have their day. Its just not going to be for a month plus before it gets green and pleasant. For the 4th we may do something low and pleasant below 7k like Penner or Kibbie.

Thanks!

SSSdave wrote: And the couple I read are like yours, snow fests. I know alot of people likely drove up to their usual places thinking they could cope with whatever despite all the warnings and were surprised so turned back. Too embarrassed to admit they wasted alot of time of course.

I love snow-fests...in fact look forward to this time of year when conditions are just like this. No mosquitos, no people, long days, warm weather, and lots of snow. Just have to be prepared to turn around every so often if I take a chance on a route (like I did)...never a waste of time, embarrassment, or disappointment. There's always something to do in the high country. The only thing I wished I had brought were my skis because there were some nice spring conditions up there.

Great trip report. Lovely pix. Glad you got to get out and stretch a little. I start my REI trips down Yos. Creek tomorrow, June 9. It's gonna be interesting with all the snow and water.

Kind of funny that there have been almost no reports on Memorial Day or this last weekend activities by others on a few boards I use or lurk on.

Here's a good report from the Kearsarge Pass/Rae Lakes area:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Romain.Wacz ... arenceKing#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, it looks like the road to Mosquito Flat just opened up:

http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB2/viewto ... 10a5cc05da" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mike

Looks like a fun trip Copeg, any pictures of Tuolumne Meadows/River?
I am heading up to the area on the 24th for several days.

copeg wrote:Thanks!
...never a waste of time, embarrassment, or disappointment. There's always something to do in the high country. The only thing I wished I had brought were my skis because there were some nice spring conditions up there.

A really good time can certainly be had especially for savvy backcountry skiers and mountaineers with usual gear like crampons, ice axe, skins etc. All that stuff going on over at the telemarktips site I've been into in the past. But for the summer hiker and backpacker types that aren't into winter sports, such late spring conditions may just be a novelty. Many may not have a pleasant experience because it can be a difficult and dangerous landscape to cope with.

SSSDave is correct in that there many who are unprepared to deal with the out of the
ordinary conditions that may present themselves, especially in the Spring season.
Snow, snow bridges, river/creek crossing, avalanches, and cornices are just a few hazards
one needs to be able to deal with.
I have read previous posts from you Dave in the years past, and from them I seem to get
the feeling that you do not care for the higher elevation Spring season that much
for photo purposes, though in your posts you do mention that in your younger years you
used to back country ski a lot.
I enjoy the Spring season for the solitude the snow offers.
Also there are some great photo opportunities that present them self that are just not
around any other season of the year that I am sure you are aware of, though the travel
to these places may be difficult, because of the reasons mentioned above, the effort can
be quite rewarding.