Let's talk Eastern Sierras for Summer 20 05

“The High Sierra Trail trip planned for Summer 2005 (7/2-7/10) is just a bit to aggressive for me (not the hike, but the miles/day). I was thinking of some other options that would be about 5-6 nights. The first two could be timed to summit Whitney the same day as the HST group:

1. Horseshoe Meadows - Whitney Portal: Go over Cottonwood Pass. Follow the PCT to Crabtree (Layover day at Miter Basin or one of the Crabtree Lakes?) and then out over Whitney. Camp at Guitar Lake with the HST group. Last night at Trail Camp.

2. Sheperds Pass - Whitney Portal: Sheperds Pass, then over Rockwell Pass to Wright's Lake Basin (Layover day at Wright's Lake Basin?). Then maybe Wallace Lake? Go north on the JMT to Crabtree. Join the HST group at Guitar Lake. First day would be 9 miles to Anvil Camp, but generally less than that each day (except the Whitney Day).

3. Humphrey's Basin - North Lake to Paiute Pass to Humphrey's Basin. Set up Base camp and explore peaks and passes, fish lakes and streams and grab some passes.

Any other thoughts?”

“someone talks who knows about this area. I will listen and read this thread in hopes of making it.”

“I'd love to do this, but everything depends on getting my knee fixed. I've got the brace and physical therapy for the next six months, and then they decide if surgery is going to happen.

At this point, I wish they'd just do it and get it over with.”

“phil, that number one option looks familiar!

i would love to come back out to the sierras and follow you anywhere....naturally, i would vote for 2 or 3..just for somethin different...”

“No. 2 (he,he) sounds good Phil. I think there are several out there that want to do Whitney. I have no problem doing No. 1 (he he) again. I'm in for whatever you want to do. I agree that the High Sierra plan is too much for me too. Jugler Vein Zombie.”

“I would like to join this trip. I will check out the trips page.”

“Is this on the trip page for just ideas being batted around?

I'm interested in going on a 'Phil' trip!”

“Stovie is coming out West!?! I'm there! Hopefully I will be living in LA by summer of 05.”

“You da man Phil... ; ) Summiting Whitney is definately on my list..can't wait til July 2005..sounds like a wonderful trip indeed.

Hope you can make it Ewker..you'll love it.

Stovie I'll just pack you in my duffle..no worries.. ; )”

“Pixie is moving to Lower Alabama! Yea! ;-)

jvz - hee hee too ;-)”

“I'll be up on something. Whatever is decided. I'm easy.

Phaed: What happened with the knee?”

“If trekkngirl is going, I'm going!

When is this trip?”

“trekkngirl, I am sure I would like it. It is going to be hard for it to beat Colorado though.

pixie, gets all excited that stovestomper is coming out but nothing about me :(
wwwwwaaaahhhh”

“Eh. Knee sucks. Doctors suck. Life sucks. I'll tell you over beer sometime.”

“Coool..Stovie

Trust me Ewker..this place is ultimate hiking...that's my view anyway..maybe it's the people I go with there..yeah that's it.. those Californis'are the bomb”

“om..did you get the message I left on your phone? about the moon bow trip..”

“Ewker - Nanna nanna boo boo... ;-)”

“SS, you young guys always get the women :(”

“Ewker - if only that were true. ;-)
I'm thinking about one very sweet lady right now that's about 520 miles away. Damn, I need an airplane.”

“Shepherd Pass to Anvil wasn't the greatest trail, but it gets you to some pretty awesome terrain! We did that trip in July (our 9 day trip, which is another one of my favorite trips in the Sierra). Rockwell Pass is where we photographed the tornado. We didn't spend too much time in Wallace Lakes Basin, because we had to get to the base of Barnard, which was a xctry route.

Humphrey's Basin is beautiful too. Got pix, but am still working on day 5 of that trip.

So many trails . . .”

“Phil - Thanks for putting these ideas out! I like #1 or #2, or whatever everyone decides! I'm there!

Phaedrus - How's driving with that knee? Want to come and see my new digs? I'll have beer ready for you! You better be with us on this hike! You've missed TOO many!

Greasy - Is it me? Is it me? (Note to self - get map and calculate miles) :-) Will be nice to meet you and include you in this craaaazy bunch!

Jugler - You lost me on the "hee hees". Surely this isn't an elimation giggle.. (hee hee)

Trekngirl - YEAH!! Up to Whitney!”

“Greasy - Is it me? Is it me? (Note to self - get map and calculate miles) :-) Will be nice to meet you and include you in this craaaazy bunch!

LadyHiker03
3:31:39 PM
10/08/04


SS, you are getting popular. Any woman wants to meet you.

going to stand in corner and cry now :(”

“Ladyhiker..you too many miles away for it to be you.. : ) now me..hhmmmmm
Yeah!!! Up Whitney..”

“Ewker, you are going too? Hooray!!!”

“pixie, I would like to be able to make that trip. Getting tired of a certain party from Tenn being the only one who goes to Ca. ;)

I will watch this thread, plenty of time to make a decision.

I also want to go on a 5-6 day bike tour of Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine next fall.
last edited: 10/08/04 4:31:00 PM”

“Very cool. I hope you can make it.”

“Ewker,You must be talking about Matt...ha
Or maybe that Eugene guy.”

“Slight correction to option 2 - It is "south" on the JMT, not north.

Yes, on hike #2 the 9 mile hike on day 1 to Anvil camp is a grind, but I think it is a pretty hike after the first mile or so. Anvil Camp is nice, IMHO.

After some discussion here I might feel better about posting a trip. Waiting for naviguesser to chime in also. He usually has good stuff to add.

Thanks for all the input so far!”

“yep trekkngirl...gotta wait til after tomorrow to reply...
up whitney....good chant

jvz....no. 1 would be cool again too...

ewker....colorado is very kewl...but the sierras ..oh my....u want to go to the extreme west...trust me, especially with those crazy californians...:)”

“trekky, guess again ;)”

“Ewker - You are going to hike with us? Why didn't you say so? GREAT!! Can't wait to meet you! (now... let's talk about that bike trip next fall! This is one of my MUST do's! Make a TT trip out of it! It'll be awesome! Next fall will be the bestest fall colors ever!)

By the way... Everyone gushing all over those Californians... Do I have to start whining like Ewker?”

“OOPS!!!! Ladyhiker..the only time I was with you was in Cali..my bad..I do love ya though..you ROCK..and then there's Hodge and Gonzo and Matt..Well what I meant was that California hikes are way COOL!!!

Cool om..I'll be waiting to hear from you”

“You guys make me nervous. Since I'm (almost) always the last one into camp, shouldn't I be the one saying the High Sierra Trail is too much? And I hate to think of my whole summer passing by without seeing my TT buddies on a Sierra hike.

Just a thought, but what about adding one day to the High Sierra trip and taking a day to get from Guitar Lake to Whitney and then to Trail Camp at the base of Whitney? That would make a big difference.”

“I hate to say anything because I have crapped out on so many hikes in the last few years but....

I like the idea of a little easier hike. I like the idea of meeting up with the more hard core gang. Cottonwood Pass - gee, that sounds familiar. I would love to see Miter Basin again but I imagine the shuttle would be a bit of a schlep. I would also like to go somewhere new. I can take Whitney or leave it.

Why hasn't Solitary Hiker chimed in again?

Just my 2 cents.”

“Ladyhiker, are you a roadie?”

“First pass at a trip plan:

Day 1: Shepherd Pass TH to Anvil Camp: 9 miles.
Day 2: Anvil Camp to Wright Lakes Basin via Shepherd Pass and Rockwell Pass - 6 miles
Day 3: Wright Lakes Basin to Crabtree Ranger Station - 6-7 miles
Day 4: Crabtree to Guitar Lake: 3 miles
Day 5: Guitar Lake to Trail Camp via Mt. Whitney - 10 miles (drop packs at Trail Crest)
Day 6: Trail Camp to Whitney Portal 6.3 miles

If timed properly, Day 4 could coincide with the HST Group.

A layover day could be added at Wright Lakes Basin or used to add Wallace Lake to the trip.

Another option is to do the following. Then we could then camp two nights with the HST group:

Day 3: Wright Lakes Basin to Wallace Creek Junction - 3 miles

Day 4: Wallace Creek Junction to Upper Guitar Lake - 8.5 miles (<1500 ft gain)

The only stretch of the above trip I have not been on is from Wright Creek to Crabtree Ranger station...about 5 miles. Days 1 and 5 will be hardest.

wannabp - IMHO, the hiking distance from Upper Guitar Lake to Whitney portal via Mt. Whitney is more like 17 miles and you might not get to enjoy the summit. We left the upper Guitar Lake area around 7 am and got to Trail Camp at 5 p.m. Stayed at the summit for about an hour. I couldn't go any farther.”

“I'd be up for almost anything. I hope by then I will be walking 100% by the first of the year. What ever the trip ends up being, it will probably have to be fairly easy because my legs will have to get used to walking with a pack again.”

“phady what kind of knee surgery? If its for the tendons (ACL) becarefull. I had it done and it worked for a while BUT it only seems to last for so long...”

“Phil, I'm with you on the last day. It seems unreasonable difficult. I'd like to add an extra day and stay over at Trail Camp. I'm pretty sure there are bear boxes on the west side for the first day or two, so I think carrying food would be manageable.”

“For what it's worth......
I had knee surgery in 1969 after I got hit by a car when crossing the street. They told me that all the tendons had been torn. I seem to be okay now. The only time I think about my knee is when I cross-country ski. I am scared to snow plow because it feels vulnerable.”

“looks like a good trip to keep in mind. my mind that is. How would ya feel if a northeasterner came along?”

“I haven't been to TT in ages but come in here tonight and low-and-behold, find this great thread started by Phil!

I'd like to make a California trip next summer. But must admit I'm partial to the Cottonwood Lakes area for acclimating and the NOP to get up high. But Piute Pass and Humphreys was nice too.

Just one thing....This trip has gotta be called the 2005 Wheezers and Geeezers Rendezvous.I've been thinking about this for a long time now. We need a trip for old slow people like me.It should be about sleeping late,walking 5 to 6 miles a day, eating shared meals,taking photos,doing a little fishing, and drinking some cold brews before and after.

:)”

“sirpete, coming from a southerner it would be ok with me if you wanted to do this trip. I wonder what it would take to get walkindude on this trip.

Phil, what ever you and the rest of the Californians decide is ok with me.”

“NOP = New Army Pass = NAP”

“You mean I get to correct my horrid spelling gaffs now w/o secondary posts? Sweeeeeet!!!”

“If solitary Hiker gets his way, I might be able to do that hike, even if I'm still injured.

I'll be watching this thread.”

“Solitary - great to hear from you!! It's about time you made it out this way again!

This trip would not be popular with the mile monsters. Like I said, the 1st & 5th days would the hardest, but the rest would be reasonable. Day 2 covers 2 passes, but I don't think they are that bad.

My first hike suggestion starting at Cottonwood pass is still up for grabs. I haven't really looked at the difference in shuttle distances.

Where is naviguesser! He needs to put in his 2 cents.”

“You're doing good here Phil keep it comming!I'm being lazy.Havn't had time to look at a map yet but if you're in charge I know I don't have to. And then like you say,Nav will be on to this thread soon. Look at the group the Pied Piper brought in 8).
Sol..Wheezers and Geezers. LOL. I'm sure thats why your spelling got by uncorrected. The turn around time on the ol thought process ya know.”

“jai solitary hiker! where have you been hiding? wheezer and geezer rendevous ??.!? sleeping late, leisurely breakfasting and 5-6 miles hiking? and sleeping late and fishing/swimming?? pre and post hike feasting!!....where is the sign up sheet, i love rendevoooooooos~~~

phil remember the B52's hike? well now it is the arrive alive at 55....yes? where is mel? :)”

“One, two or three...all sounds good to me!”