Roper's Sierra High Route - made 11 out of 16 days

“< a href="http://community.webshots.com/album/190999626gQgssF"> Photos: Day 1 and 2

Day 1: South Lk (9,852') to Bishop Pass (11,972') to Dusy Basin Lake 10,800') last lake before LeConte Cyn.

Day 2: Dusy Basin to LeConte Canyon, Big Pete Meadow to Lake 10,800' (east of Helen Lake)”

“Wow, great pics as always. It should be illegal to get to hike as much as you do.”

“Snow Dude looks so much better after a bath!


Cool photos. I like the two guys comments.."Is that Snow Nymph?"”

“Hi, Snows. Much of your first two days followed the South Lake North Lake trip. It was fun looking at your photos and recognizing where we were in July.
Snow Nymph, I so appreciate your naming of peaks. I am often too tired (lazy?) to haul out the map and figure out which peak is which, even if I could, which is doubtful. When you name them in your photos, it allows me to begin to recognize them. Thanks!”

“Nice photos. Where's is rest?
I want a trip report!”

“Did you guys bail because of the snow? We were in Ansel Adams 9/17-18, and the group decided we should head out a day early because of the dark sky and the corn snow we got in the morning. Plus, the wind was unrelenting the night before. We drove home through blizzard-like conditions on the 19th.”

“Great shots as usual! I'm looking forward to the whole report... I would like to do the Sierra High Route next year!”

“Beautiful pictures Snow Nymph & a beautiful section you were at it looks like!

I was thinking about you guys on this trip with that weather we had that brought the snow if you got caught in it or not?

I kept checking your webshots site looking for your pictures to see them..as always looking forward to see your latest trip pictures!
Thanks for sharing them”

“wannabp: we bailed because
- spent 24 hrs in a tent during a storm (day 9). This was cross country, it was white out conditions, and we couldn't see anything.
- (day 10) 7 deg at 6:30am, and 20 deg by 10am. My feet were so cold they hurt (needed down booties). Also, needed more than glove liners, hands were so cold I couldn't do anything. Got to Piute pass to exit, but a guy coming in said forecast said warmer. We continued, but by 2:30 had to set up camp and sat thru more snow/wind.
- Couldn't get warm til SnowDude put his sleeping bag over mine, and I had all my layers on. Discovered later that the down in my bag had shifted to the sides. I was able to move it around to get me thru the night, but it was cold (20 deg inside tent).
- so windy out we had to cook inside the tent for the last 2 nights . . . not a good thing to do in the Sierra.
-Day 11: We were already 2 days behind schedule, but could have come out at a different trailhead. By then I had enough of the cold and wanted warmth. The first 7 days out was nice. Slept with the tent door open. If we knew about the storm, we could have brought gloves, down booties and another layer.
- By the time I thought about SnowDude going solo, we were already back at Piute Pass. We got as far as putting all the gear he needed in his pack. Then he decided to go with me. He had already figured out all the things he was going to do for the next few days, and decided to do that instead.
- We'll finish this section and more next year.”

“Anita, yes,we got stuck in that storm. If we had been prepared for that weather, we would have continued. I just couldn't function being that cold. My sleeping bag failure scared me too.

I took the Sub-Kilo back to REI and got a full refund. It was 2 years old.

They asked how I stored it. Its spread out in the garage as soon as I get home. I just didn't tell them I use it every weekend.
:-)”

“DAY 3 - Unnamed lake (10,800') in LeConte Canyon to Helen Lake (11,617'), with a dayhike to Black Giant (13,330')

Photos: http://community.webshots.com/album/193934294wIwvCB

Packed up from unnamed lake (10,800') and hiked to Helen Lake
(11,617'). Set up camp, did some quick laundry and dayhiked Black
Giant.

Ran into Max, who was setting up camp as we arrived. He hiked in at
midnight from South Lake, bagged Languille on the way, and climbed
up a ridge by 3:30pm! What an awesome way to spend the night! We
offered him water but he said he had enough.

Beautiful views all around! We were impressed with the view of
Lakes Basin. We could see all the passes we went over to get
there. A view we don't see from the peaks on the east side.

The register had entries from Calhiker and Steve from '97!

. . . will post more as I get it uploaded”

“This is one those hikes I say each winter "I'm doing the SHR this summer". For some reason I keep putting it off. Hmmmm, maybe next summer!”

“Nice photos, Snow Nymph! Regarding the Sub Kilo, it's really more like a 25 degree bag. It's a very liberal rating at 20 degrees. I have one myself and I sleep warm yet I still won't use it in the High Sierra in the fall. I take my very conservatively rated 15 degree Marmot Pinnacle (coated with DryLoft for even more warmth). I use my Sub Kilo only when I wanna go really light in nice weather in July and early-mid August. If I'm gonna be sleeping above 12,000', even then I'll use my warmer Marmot.”

“I'm really happy with my two feathered friends bags. I have a 30 degree Grouse bag and a 10 degree Petrel. They make the bags to order in the colors and size you want. You have choices of different fabrics and zipper lengths. My bags are both made for short people (up to 5'3"), which is perfect for me.

I just went back to the Petral after using the Grouse all summer. Great bags - they keep me nice and warm. I burnt a hole in the Petral last year, so I sent it to Feathered Friends for repair. They patched it (you hardly notice the patch) and cleaned it all up for $30.”

“Lake Eugene strikes again! From what I can tell, the unnamed laked in LeConte Canyon is the same one that the Sierrapalooza group stayed at this summer.”

“Snow Nymph thanks for posting what happen...im so sorry you two had that weather hit you, but it sounds like the days before were nice and warm and clear, so thats nice.
Glad to hear the REI gave you a the refund on your sleeping bag. Thats sounds terrible with getting that cold..I know what thats like, it happened once to me backpacking we got caught in a snow storm, I was so freezing my teeth were chattering... and it seems like when you get that cold it is so hard to get warm again..we too cooked in our tent which I was a nervous wreck doing, but it did work out okay and it did really warm it up inside.

Once again beautiful pictures, my friend wants us so bad to backpack to the Ionian Basin so I will send her the link to your pictures that show the views in there.
I love the froggie picture! Is that a mountain yellow legged frog? it looks like it when I looked at the pictures I have seen of them..boy are they cute, I just love frogs.
Thanks for sharing the report and the beautiful pictures. Yes down booties to take :)

Anita

Wingding...the feathered friends sleeping bags do they have a website? They sound like really good bags”

“Snow Nymph, I figured it was the weather. We left on Saturday and it was way worse by Sunday.
I think REI should have given you a refund. I'll keep an eye on my Sub-Kilo, just in case. That happened to my first down bag (I noticed it first camping in a blizzard, too!)but that bag was 25 years old!”

“McHugh...Let's do the High Route next summer..are you game???”

“Buck, I have the Marmot Pinnacle too but its being relofted. I've used the SubKilo in the fall with layers and never had a problem. We left home on the 9th when the weather was warm and didn't expect temps to drop that low. I'll be carrying the Pinnacle on fall trips.

wannabp, They gave me a full refund, no questions asked (except how I stored the bag). The new Sub-Kilo's are reinformed so the down doesn't shift. They also have a women's Sub-Kilo, so I might look into that one.

So that's Lake Eugene!

I don't know what kind of frog that was, but the big one was watching over the smaller ones. He would come up to us and just stare.

We'll continue north next year on the SHR.

Matt, I like the change! AND the edit option! Whoo hooo! Thanks!
last edited: 10/07/04 6:56:24 AM”

“Anita - http://www.featheredfriends.com/”

“Thank you so much Hawg for posting there website!”

“2004 (Sept 14) Day 4 Mt Solomons (13,034')

Photos: Day 4: Mt Solomons to Evolution Lake

We hiked to Muir Pass from Helen Lake, met a interesting woman on a solo trip, dropped our packs off in the hut and dayhiked Mt Solomons. Beautiful views of Ionian Basin from the summit!

Did some laundry at Wanda Lake, discovered the JMT had been reworked, had trouble finding a favorite campsite in the dark at Evolution Lake. Beautiful alpenglow on the way.”

“Day 5 - Off the JMT and onto the SHR
Photos: Day 5: Off the JMT and onto the Sierra High Route


Followed the use trail to Alpine Col, then at 10,700', started crossing streams and following rock slabs like Roper's book said to do. Saw 12 deer in a few hours. Made our way to Lake 11,106', also called Frances Lake. We could see Snow Tongue Pass from here. Tomorrow we would bag one of the peaks around here. Beautiful area!”

“Day 6: Matthes Peak Dayhike from Lake 11,106')

Photos: Matthes Peak from Lake 11,106'

We had an extra day to kill and a few peaks around. This one was just off the map, so we weren't sure what we were climbing, but we knew it was big. The register said Matthes Peak (13K+), GPS said 13,009'. There were only 2 entries from this year. No one up there between '92-'98 unless they didn't sign in. Register was placed in '68, with only a handful of entries. Cool peak! Awesome views!”

“Beautiful pictures! I love the ones of the two of you each separate on the edge of Matthes peak, those are really neat..you always take the best pictures I think!

What fire was that? that is terrible
Looks like a great campsite and beautiful lake you were at & the weather perfect

Thanks for sharing more great pictures!”

“It's really neat to look at your pictures, some of them cover where we were on the South Lake/North Lake trip, but show the area from a different angle. You got some really good view shots over the tops of the mountains. I liked the Helen Lake ones, too.”

“Climbing those benches looked scary! As always beautiful pics. I look at those pics and it just makes me long to be out there! Thank you.”

“Wow!!Great pictures. I even went back and looked at the Lamark Lake hike. You guys are staying busy. I hear Mammoth opened this wknd so you won't be seeing this post any time soon I guess.”

“Day 7: Snow-Tongue Pass to Wahoo Lakes

Photos: http://community.webshots.com/album/204292063DBnuAH

Snow Tongue is the gnarliest pass I've ever done! We had not seen anyone for 2 days, so we decided to stay at Wahoo Lakes and make it 3 days.”

“2004 (18 September) Day 9: Muriel Lake . . . Stuck in a tent for 24 hours waiting out a storm . . . reading Into Thin Air. 20 deg inside, 10 deg outside for most of the day.

Photos: http://community.webshots.com/album/211347997rafrtq”

“Thank you,

That was the perfect workday escape.”

“cool..er cold.”

“Snow Nymph, what a treat. I'm on the edge of my seat reading and looking at the photos. Your documentation is truly a public service. Anyone wanting to try this route can get a first-hand view of what's involved. I, for one, would not want to try either of your routes down Snow-Tongue Pass!!!”

“I WANNA GO THERE”

“I screwed this up, wrong pix with wrong day. This is what it should be:

2004 (18 September) Day 8: Muriel Lake Resupply. . . hiked a mile to Muriel Lake and met our resupplyers: Calhiker, GirlRider, SmokinFatBob and Bailey, Mooses, Mrs Mooses and Samson.

Photos: http://community.webshots.com/album/211347997rafrtq



------------------------------------------
2004 (19 September) Day 9: Muriel Lake . . . Stuck in a tent for 24 hours waiting out a storm . . . reading Into Thin Air. 20 deg inside, 10 deg outside for most of the day.

Photos: http://community.webshots.com/album/214693066OtkKlj


Almost done . . . 2 more days”

“Brrrrr. Did your boots get frozen? At last year's Winterfest, my boots were frozen stiff -- the sweat stuck inside the Goretex. It was unbearably cold. Fortunately, I also had my X-country ski boots since we had pulled a sled. Now, I sleep with my boots in the tent and under my bag if it's cold enough to freeze.”

“Never really thought about the moisture that gets into the boots. Thanks for the tip.”

“Snows, we're in Los Angeles and I think just minutes from you. We're staying at the Villa @ Park La Brea, 5553 W. 6th.

E-mail!”

“oops! Geezr, missed your reply, and your visit to LA! Sorry!

Boots were inside the tent so they didn't freeze, but they were still cold. Putting warm feet into cold boots didn't take long to freeze. I think after 10 min outside my feet were so cold it was painful.”

“2004 (20 September) Day 10: Mesa Lake . . . Started hiking out, but
continued on the SHR

Photos: http://community.webshots.com/album/215156530DUZAnJ

With single digit temps and frozen hands and feet, we were ready to
hike out. A hiker at Piute Pass said the forecast was for warmer
temps the rest of the week. We continued on the Sierra High Route,
towards Puppet Pass. We set up camp at Mesa Lake when it started
snowing and the wind picked up. Later realized the down in my
sleeping bag shifted to the sides, that's why I couldn't get warm.”

“2004 (21 September) Day 11: Bailed at Piute Pass

PHOTOS: http://community.webshots.com/album/229953168JqSqzR

With sleeping bag issues, no gloves or down booties for the single
digit temps, I was ready to bail.


We'll continue this trip in 2005

THE END!”

“didn't have a chance to peruse the photos yet, but knowing your talents, I can already see the photos in my mind. I look forward to seeing them later in Jan.

Cold is NO FUN, unless your prepared for it. You all did the right thing. Happy Holidays to you...slap Justin fer me when ya see him.”