Eastern Sierras 2011 TR and Pics

“Full album here: http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/580784093YuoiOK?start=0

Me and my two brothers, Dustin and Shawn, made the drive up to Bishop early Sunday morning to get our permits for the pass as soon as they were made available. I thought this was 8:00am, when the center opened � so we left town around 4:00 in the morning � however, since we were getting the permits for the next day, the actual time they were made available was 11:00 AM. I could�ve used that extra couple hours of sleep, but ah well.

To kill time in Bishop, we went into Schatt�s Bakkery to eat. Dustin and I ate, but Shawn said he wasn�t hungry. I didn�t take note of this at the time, but it would turn out to be an important detail later.

Permit acquired, we headed up to the North Lake campsite (and trailhead for Piute Pass) to grab a public spot to camp/acclimate before starting the hike. I took a nap while Dustin and Shawn fished, then when the time came, I drove back down into Bishop to meet the last two members of the party � Ryan and Tommy. Ryan flew into Burbank from Dallas and Tommy had picked him up from the airport on his way to Bishop. After a quick stop into a local sporting goods shop for some last-minute gear purchases, they followed me to the Pine Creek trailhead where I left my car. On the way back to North Lake, we stopped to pick up a couple pizzas for dinner.

After eating dinner (Shawn, again, didn�t eat � something we hadn�t all pieced together until later), we turned in early.

The next morning, we packed up and, after a quick breakfast (Shawn, again, didn�t eat) we started up Piute Pass. Our destination was Goethe Lake, some 5-6 miles and 2,500 feet up from the trailhead. Shawn quickly and unsurprisingly fell behind, so I slowed down to hike with him and keep an eye on him while the others tromped ahead. The going was slow � Shawn would walk some 50 yards before needing to sit down and rest. He complained of nausea whenever I told him he had to eat something, and his complexion got increasingly pale as we went on. It was only a matter of time until he completely tapped out.














This happened about a half mile beneath Loch Levelin, about 2 miles into the hike where he dropped shaking onto a red ant covered rock in the sun (it was a warm day) and lay there gasping for breath. Again refusing to eat (it had now been about 24 hours since he ate more than a bag of chee-tos), he decided that he needed to cut his trip short right away and hike back out. I left him with some water and ran ahead to try and catch Tommy to get his keys.

Luckily, they had waited at Loch Levelin (for about 2 hours before I showed up) � after some deliberation, Tommy agreed to give up the keys to let Shawn drive home. Dustin and I hiked back to Shawn and I carried his pack out while Dustin helped Shawn. After about a mile, Shawn decided he was good to walk the rest of the way himself so we turned around and hiked back up to the lake where Ryan and Tommy waited. We spent the rest of the trip somewhat worried about Shawn (especially when, once we�d ultimately reached our campsite for the night, a S&R; chopper flew over us and down into the pass) � but he did get out and home safe and unscathed � save for a speeding ticket he got around Big Pine.

Now four, we continued hiking up the pass. Of course, we hadn�t gone a quarter mile when a sudden rainstorm blew in � between this and Shawn�s early departure , the omens were not exactly good for the start of the hike. The storm blew over in about as much time as it took us to dig our rain gear out of our packs, and the heat returned � it would be a hot trip � over 80 every day.

By the time we reached the snow-covered pass (there was a lot more snow on the ground than I�d ever seen up there in August) we were really feeling just how out of shape we all were � but Goethe waited about a mile away and a few hundred feet up. So we made the trudge and reached the lake around 4:00 PM.

















After a quick dinner of MREs (WAY better than dehydrated meals if you don�t mind the weight and size), everyone but me turned in. I went out on a little adventure, hiking up a small peak to the north of our camp and watching the sun set over Humphreys Basin. They were all sawing logs when I stumbled back into camp a couple hours later, so I followed suit.




















The next morning, we were planning to hike to Paris Lake on the other side of the basin. The two possible routes I proposed were: 1 � hike across the basin near Desolation Lake and head down over Carol Col. I�d done this a couple years ago and though it was a little hairy/risky with packs on, it wasn�t anything too dangerous, or 2 � Hike down Piute Canyon until it meets with French Canyon at the tip of Pilot Knob, then head up French Canyon until we can cut across and up to Paris Lake around Lake Elba. The consensus was for option 2, more out of curiosity about what lie in Piute and French Canyons than out of an aversion to the first option.

Tommy was slow getting packed, and confessed he had a headache and was feeling dizzy and nauseous. I figured the drop in altitude going down 2,000 feet into Piute Canyon would do him some good � but it seemed like he got worse the lower we went. We took a long break at one of the Golden Trout Lakes where Dustin tested the veracity of the lake�s name by casting in a few spinners with no luck. Then we dropped into Piute Canyon.








It was a beautiful hike, going from the desolation and emptiness of Humphreys Basin to the thick pine forest and creek-filled meadows of the canyon. The heat grew worse as we hiked down, as did the mosquitoes. These mosquitoes gargled with DEET after devouring whole heads of cattle. We�d apply repellant and be swarmed with hundreds of these bloodsucking bastards within 10 minutes. Keeping in motion staved off the worst of it, but with Tommy�s condition, we were taking lots of extended breaks. Dustin and I took advantage by fishing the ever-growing creek. At one such stop in Hutchinson Meadows, we each caught a fish on each of our first six casts. We were letting them all go, by the way.











At this time, discussion first came up about leaving a day early (we had planned four nights). I refused outright (stubbornly and with increasing anger at the suggestion), which led to some tension and hostility for the next two days as those who wanted to leave early festered on my insistence on staying � as I was the one with the keys, I, for better or worse, threw democracy out the window on this decision. Besides, it was a 2-2 vote.

Tommy decided he could go a little further, so we headed up French Canyon for a few miles before coming to the perfect campsite in a pretty meadow on a river with a firepit.











We sat around the fire well into the night, cracking open the bottle of scotch I�d brought and watching the milky way slowly materialize into a streak across the sky. Eventually, we turned in one by one and all of us reported sleeping great.

The next morning we were all feeling a lot better. Discussion came up again about leaving early and again I shot it down. We decided to hike up to Paris Lake and started off, Dustin and I in front while Tommy and Ryan took the rear. We made it to Elba Lake, about a mile away from an 500 feet below Paris, when those who had wanted to leave early decided to put their feet down and insist we camp at Elba instead so as to not hike any further from Pine Creek Pass and the way out. After some heated discussion, Dustin and I decided to dayhike up to Paris lake to do some fishing while Ryan and Tommy stayed at the Elba Lake camp.













I love those higher French Lakes � the way they�re just seemingly perched on the edge of French Canyon. The view of the waterfall coming down off Mt. Merriam and the sense of desolation that comes from those higher-altitude lakes. Dustin and I walked around Alsace, Puppet, Paris, Lorraine, Star and French Lakes before coming back to camp. In that time, Dustin caught another 25 or so fish, including a couple large enough to be eaten had we been closer to camp.




















Back at camp, tensions had cooled and we enjoyed dinner and drinks while fishing. Then sleep�








The next morning we headed down Pine Creek Pass to Pine Lake, perched on the edge of the final set of brutal switchbacks down to the trailhead and my waiting car. As predicted, we reached Pine Lake very early in the afternoon and although nothing was said, it was obvious that there was still lingering bitterness at us staying at this lake rather than hiking out. I napped in the shade, read a couple hundred pages of the book I brought (Cormac McCarthy�s �Suttree� � an incredible read by the way), then Dustin and I spent about three hours wading around the lake, fishing and keeping cool. We caught a few keepers which we promptly cooked and ate on the fire and, as evening fell, the bitterness sloughed away again until we were all laughing and caterwauling around the fire, finishing my scotch and most of our food.











After a universally awful night�s sleep, we packed up and headed down the pass (how anyone would choose to hike *up* those switchbacks is beyond me � that was a steeper and more challenging hike than Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon by a fair margin. After a stop at Kmart for clean clothes and toothpaste, then another stop at the Pizza Factory for a pie and pitcher, we were on the road home.














Overall, a successful trip. Bummer about Shawn needing to back out (despite his self-inflicted reasons for not being able to make it, I know how much he was looking forward to the trip) and about the disagreements that permeated the trip. However, the weather was beautiful, the campsites were awesome, and despite the mosquitoes (which were worse than I�d ever seen them), I had a great time.

Now the hard part � getting used to being back at work�”

“Nice report, thanks. Amazing how much group dynamics can create unneeded tension in what is supposed to be a relaxing endeavor.”

“Great photos, thank you. Seems all need to get in shape for a high Sierra trip, that and maybe packs are too heavy, but many want their luxuries or its not worth going.
Duane”

“Thank you soo much for sharing pictures, and oh my gosh only to imagine all that wonderful scenery AND great fishing too!.. :) Wow. Sounds like paradise.

Sorry to hear of all the unexpected twists and turns, but glad you still managed to find the good in all of it. :) Again, thanks for sharing your story and pictures.”

“"I want 25% less time in paradise!" Non-backpackers are a pain in the butt. I'm glad you made em stay.”

“Did your hiking group give any reason for wanting to leave early? Did they not know what the exit date was originally? I have been on those kind of trips and I am always surprised when someone says they want to leave early just because.”

“hikerduane - we all definitely could use to get in shape. I keep forgetting I'm not young enough that I can go from sitting on my butt all day to putting in 15 miles with a 60 pound pack without batting an eyelash ;-) as for my brother Shawn, he just needs to take care of himself a little. His diet usually consists of doritos and pepsi, so it isn't too huge a shock that he couldn't make it. He knows what he'll need to do for next year.

TownDawg - In the three days that we were actually catching something, I think we ended up landing a good 100 fish. Most were 4-6 inchers (golden, rainbow and brook trout), with a few 8-10'ers and one (so Dustin claims) 24 incher that he let go before anyone could see...

Sandyann - I think they were just tired and dirty and wanted a shower... all the typical backpacker ailments that most of us hike through because the reward is worth it.”

“FepsisPormosa, They oughta know then, about the bugs, sweat, cold, exersion. If you all go again then, you'll know what needs doing and to expect. I'm still amazed at trip reports where they are not in shape and they still went to places I would be sweating over if I could make it. Thanks again for the great photos. That trail up to Pine Creek Pass, I've been up and down it a few times, does not improve any, try going back up to Morgan Pass after coming down from Honeymoon Lake.”

“I've been wanting to get up to Honeymoon Lake but just haven't made it yet. Maybe I'll give Morgan Pass a shot next time.”

“Honeymoon, one of the prettiest lakes I have seen from the west side looking east and sorta so close. Framed in a camera, a great shot.

Duane”