The High Sierra Trail
Introduction
The High Sierra Trail runs 71 miles from Crescent Meadow
on the West side of the Sierra to Mount Whitney on the
East side. From Mount Whitney to the road is an 11mile
trail called the Mt. Whitney trail. The trek is 82 miles
if you bag the peak, 78 miles if you do not. The High
Sierra is considered THE east-west trail much as the JMT
is considered THE north-south route.
The winter of 1998 was unlike any I had experienced.
Snow was 200-300% of normal and was melting late. Streams
were torrents and rivers impassible. I already had two
hikes scrubbed because of the weather.
For three months I had checked everything available on
the conditions. I prepared for ice, snow and raging river
crossings. I read the reports of the few PCT thru hikers
who had braved the sierra. Most did not and simply skipped
this section. It was clear that winter conditions existed
in the sierra as of late July. We needed to prepare for
that
Start-Crescent Meadow to Hamilton Lake
Tuesday
.The first 14 or so miles of the High Sierra trail is
along the Middle Fork Kaweah River. The Kaweah is the
major drainage South of the Kings and West of the Kern.
Its headwaters are along a ridge of mountains called the
Great Western Divide that run from Triple Divide Peak
where the drainage of the Kings, Kern and Kaweah meet
all the way South through Mineral King. It is rugged beautiful
country. The trail is essentially level as it crosses
the Kaweah Tributaries of Panther, Mehrton, Nine Mile
and Buck Creeks.
In slightly less than a mile we reach Eagles View, a
point where we can see all the way up the valley to the
Great Western divide. Of course there is a better view
from Moro Rock, just behind us. This section is open because
of the Buckeyee Flat fire several years ago. Only once
in the many times I have hiked this trail had the air
been clear. That was 12 years ago before the fire. Now
the smog from Fresno has ruined the view of the Valley.
Panther Creek crosses the trail in five (5) places. They
are all simple walk acrosses. After 5 miles we meet Mehrton
Creek, the first difficult water crossing. It is noon
and the water is low. A simple step across. However, if
you blow it, it is several hundred feet down the cliff.
I climb next to the creek and find the campsites empty.
These are the first campsites with a bearbox. They are
small, slanted and usually filled with campers. The snow
covered Great Western Divide is to the east and the ridge
that separates the valley from Mineral King is to the
South. Cathedral Peak stands imposingly across the valley.
It is still smoggy but I say nothing.
Wednesday
We are on the trail early and across Mehrton Creek.
The flat trail continues up the valley and the Great Western
Divide gets closer. Soon Nine-Mile Creek has come and
gone-a walk across! At Buck Creek is a brand new bridge.
The last 1/2 mile to Bearpaw is a 600' uphill. For those
who don't know, Bearpaw High Sierra Camp provides food,
tent cabins, showers and flush toilets 11 1/2 miles down
the High Sierra Trail. Reservations are hard to get and
very expensive.
Friday
After breakfast we leave for Hamilton Lake. Wildflowers
are 3 feet high as we traverse the river canyon beyond
BearPaw. We drop to Lone Pine Creek to find another new
bridge, then climb to Hamilton Falls. The trail crosses
the creek BETWEEN the falls. You must ford the stream
and the rushing water from the upper falls. If you screw
up you slide down the lower falls hundreds of feet.
Middle Hamilton Lake is a classic glacially formed lake.
To the North is Angel Wings. To the South is the massive
ridge called Valhalla. East is the top of the glaciers
travel, the flanks of Eagle Scout Peak. It is 3000' up
in three directions. On the west is a long trickling waterfall
from the uppermost Hamilton Lake. Try to imagine the alpine
glow on three sides. Got It? OK, now multiple this by
two! It was a full moon and the moonlight illuminated
Angel Wings. Moon glow is even more spectacular than sun
glow
By dinner empty Hamilton Lake is full of campers. Every
possible site is taken.
Middle-Hamilton Lake to Kern Hot Springs
Saturday
We have crossed Hamilton Creek and are drying our feet
preparing for the climb to Kaweah Gap.
The switchbacks go SFU. After two hours we aren't any
closer to Kaweah Gap than we started but we gained lots
of altitude. We take a break and level off to a gentle
ascent to Hamilton Gorge. At one time, in the 30's, there
was a bridge across the gorge. It was wiped out be an
avalanche so the Park Service built a tunnel across the
gorge. As we climb towards the tunnel a lone hiker approaches
us. His backpack is huge. He isn't using the hip belt
and is only using one shoulder strap yet he is walking
at triple our speed. He is from Nepal and arranges tours
for a living. Mountains? What mountains?? He shoots past
us. I am reminded that, no matter how far, how fast or
how long you walk, someone is always stronger, faster
and more dedicated.
We go on to Upper Hamilton Lake. It is right on the edge
of the precipice and ought to be named Precipice Lake.
There is a little snowfield just before the lake Soon
the snow is solid. . At Precipice Lake, almost 500' higher
we are exhausted but make good time across snowfields
and snowbridges across water. The snow lessens and we
reach a bowl where the trail is invisible. Working forward
in the direction we must we find and climb a little ridge
--Kaweah Gap, 10,700. We have crossed the Great Western
Divide
The guy from Nepal, is planning to cross the Kaweah range
[13000 foot peaks] via a cross country col called Pants
Pass [it is called Pants Pass because it its pure loose
scree and one slides down on his pants]. We take the High
Sierra that goes south, around this mountain range.
Big Arroyo is a side valley of the Kern. It runs between
the 13000' Kaweah Range to the east and the Great Western
Divide on the West. At 10,500' the 13,000' peaks look
small. Down valley is easy walking. Late in the day we
ford Big Arroyo Creek. Finally we arrive at our destination,
the junction of several trails where an old cabin
The Big Arroyo trail junction is where the High Sierra
Trail junctions with the trail down the Big Arroyo and
with the trail to Little Five Lakes and Black Rock Pass.
Several years ago I hiked over Franklin Pass from Mineral
King, then over a plateau down to the Big Arroyo Trail
Sunday
The trail climbs the northeast wall of Big Arroyo. Looking
over and down I can see Rattlesnake Creek, Lost Canyon
and the Big and Little Five Lakes basins. It sure looks
steep. I musta been in good shape back then when I hike
the area. The trail crests at 10,700' at a little pond.
Kaweah Peak looks small even though it is a 13000+ peak.
In fact the entire Kaweah range is less than impressive.
Sorta little hills. Course I have been viewing them from
above 10,000'.
The Chagoopa Plateau is a disappointment. I have checked
the snow pillow regularly to find about snow melt and
I expected a lush plateau with magnificent vistas. Instead
I have scattered trees, bare dirt with a few ground plants
and a red hill in the background {the red hill is Kaweah
Peak}.
At the trail junction we take the spur loop to Moraine
Lake. More dirt and scattered tree cover but the lake
appears soon. No one is at the camp. The wind off the
lake blows the bugs away. No mosquitoes!! Checking the
lake, I find the water quite warm. Everyone takes a welcome
swim. The view of Mineral King across the lake is lovely.
It is a relaxing camp. By nightfall no one has shown up.
We have this huge camping area and the entire lake to
ourselves.
Monday
I considered a layover day at Moraine Lake because it
was so wonderful. Our next stop, Kern Hot Springs, is
sure to be crowded. We rejoin the High Sierra trail making
good time on the flat plateau and reach the lip of the
Kern trench. The direction is SFD. Fortunately, the switchbacks
are very good. At the bottom the going gets tougher. Working
up the Kern is real work. We are following an overgrown
trail. The trail gets boggier and boggier. We work over
logs and fight for solid ground. The trail is now a tributary
of the Kern. This is taking forever. Finally we cross
Chaoogopa Creek and spy dry trail . The scenery is beautiful;
lovely ferns and Chagoopa Falls in the background
We reach the bridge across the Kern. It is intact. Looking
at the Kern there is no way we could have crossed it.
Another dry manzanita section awaits us followed by an
unwanted stream crossing. We reach the hot springs and
look around for campsites. The first we find are less
than stellar but we soon fine a fine spot. We also find
a pit toilet! It is 1 PM. There is no one but us here.
Kern Hot Springs is an improved version of nature. Someone
has constructed a concrete bathtub. Water from the hot
spring enters through a small pipe. It is too hot for
me. I use the wooden stopper to stem the flow. My son
empties buckets of cold river water into the tub until
it is just right. It takes time to figure out how the
Hot Springs exactly works. You need to picture this. The
Hot Springs is set in a small meadow next to the rushing
Kern River. I am sitting next to the Kern River taking
a hot bath. No mosquitoes, the wind is too high
End-Kern Hot Springs to Whitney Portal
Tuesday
Today is anticlimactic. The ford of Whitney Creek is
exciting but not difficult. It is fast running water thigh
deep but our dual hiking poles work very well. Everyone
crosses easily. . Later, another hiker crosses Whitney
Creek without poles. He goes in up to his neck and needs
to be fished out. He has a nasty gash from his fall. You
get my point?
Wallace Creek is even more exciting than Whitney Creek.
The water is so strong that we have a bow wave from our
knees to our belt. This gets our shorts wet but little
more. Again four feet make all the difference. Most people,
and some of our party, cross on a log.
We are at Junction Meadow. There is a lone lady here.
She came over Pants Pass. She talked about the loose scree.
One time TV sized boulders gave way underneath her Very
dangerous she said. Every step she took caused a landslide..
Thursday
We rise early to climb out of the Kern. Past Junction
Meadow the trail claims about 900'. The Kern is one massive
rapids here. Originally we were scheduled to continue
up the Kern Headwaters and out over Forrester or Shephard
Pass but snow considerations nixed this idea. As we climb
the Colby Pass area comes into view. Fantastic. Another
year. We turn away from the Kern and continue climbing
up Wallace Creek. The views get better. The once dinky
Kaweah Range now rises 5000' from the Kern and is very
impressive. Behind it Mineral King and the Great Western
Divide form a backdrop. We ford Wright Creek, the last
difficult crossing. No Problem. By 10AM we have reached
the John Muir Trail. We rock-hop Wallace Creek and climb
some more.
The Whitney area is very high. From Wallace Creek we
climb and traverse some ridges that can only be glacial
moraine -- as unbelievable as that is at 11,000'. The
entire Bighorn Plateau --the area between Wallace Creek
and Forrester Pass comes into view. It looks lots like
Chagoopa Plateau and I am not so sorry I am heading for
Whitney. Traversing these moraine ridges, however is not
fun. We camp just north of Crabtree Meadow at the junction
of the High Sierra Trail and the trail from Cottonwood
Pass. Guitar Lake is less than 3 miles away
Friday
We are on the trail to Guitar Lake. It is a 900' climb.
Timberline Lake is wonderful. There are awesome views
in all directions. Guitar Lake is not as ugly as we'd
heard but we head for a meadow above it. We set up camp
next to a flowing stream on the flank of Mt Whitney. Looking
up one sees precariously balanced rocks that would devastate
our campsite if they ever tried to fall. Down the cliff
is Guitar Lake and beyond is the Kaweah range and beyond
that Mineral King and the Western Divide.
Saturday
We are ready to go well before it is light enough. As
expected, at 5:40 we start up the trail. We climb to the
upper plateau and are soon on long, well graded switchbacks.
Most Sierra Passes have rocky switchbacks with 1-2' steps.
Not these. It is easy walking. At 13,100 my altimeter
poops out. I continue, not knowing how far I need to go.
Dawn brings a magnificent view back across the 70 miles
we have hiked.
The switchbacks are anticlimactic. By 7:30 we are at
the junction of the High Sierra Trail and the Mt. Whitney
Trail. We say goodbye to those wanting to climb the peak
and head to trail crest. After a short scramble over a
rock slide we arrive at the Crest 13,700'. The views either
west or east are unbelievable. It is clear and sunny.
From Trail Crest 13,700 to Trail Camp are 96 or so unbelievably
well graded switchbacks. Until last week they were covered
with snow and people climbing the peak took the snow field.
There is still lots of snow on the switchbacks requiring
many detours. Our poles are a godsend. About halfway down
we start meeting dayhikers. They are a different bunch
seeking to pit their strength against the mountain. After
two weeks we are more or less in harmony with the mountain.
We say hi and pass quickly.
Conventional wisdom says you must be off the summit by
2PM to make it back to your car. It is 10AM and we are
most of the way down the switchbacks. It is at least a
four climb to the summit yet the dayhikers still come.
At Trail Camp we take a break and try out the solar toilet.
Nice.
The weather is turning. I don't want to be at 12,000'
in a lightning storm. We start down to Outpost Camp. The
well groomed trail has been replaced by the usual rocky
staircase. It is beginning to rain. We meet the Ranger
coming up the trail. He is telling everyone to "Get
the hell off the mountain".
It is raining hard and I am wet. The trail is hard. I
am slipping on the wet stone. Finally we reach Outpost
Camp. We pick one campsite then change our mind and take
another. Mistake! Before we can get our tent up the hail
storm starts. Two inches of hail falls in 1 minute. We
struggle into our tent while high winds threaten to blow
the tent down the mountain. I am cold, wet and have a
headache from the altitude. I change clothes and wait
out the storm, huddled with my family. For three hours
the storm doesn't let up! Lat that afternoon we break
camp and head down to Whitney Portal. The end.
We have crossed the Sierra 80 miles. For Jonathan Breen,
the PCT thruhiker who traversed the Sierra this year,
the distance was a pittance. Still, I am reminded of the
guy from Nepal. We didn't go far. We didn't go long but
we went.
-- Tom Reynolds
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