Sierra Trip Summer 2011

This was a week long backpacking in the Eastern Sierra with Barbara and Nick. Rich got injured earlier in the summer and couldn't make it. Because we were down to three, we scratched the original plan of going to 60 Lakes Basin and then to Horseshoe Meadow, and made it an in and out trip instead.

We started at Onion Valley and hiked over Kearsarge Pass and to Kearsarge Lakes the first day. Even though we car camped at 7000 feet the night before, we all got hit by the altitude while staying at 11000 feet for the first night. Snow Nymph came from Mammoth and joined us for a day hike to the pass. It was great finally meeting her. We also got caught in a storm less than an hour into the hike and Barbara appreciated her stop at Willsons in Bishop to get a backpack cover on the way.

We planned on a long and hard day the following day. We started by an easy hike to the stunningly beautifull Bullfrog Lake, and then up up and up to Glen Pass. The views in both directions were well worth the sweat and suffering getting to the pass.We stayed above Rae Lakes that day, and encountered our second and last storm of the trip.

On Monday we walked down to Rae Lakes and then turned West to Sixty Lakes Basin. The trail was full wildflowers and little streams, and Sixty Lakes Basin turned out to be incredibly charming. We spent the rest of the day exploring the upper basin and finding better and better campsites.

On Tuesday we dayhiked to the lower basin and talked to researchers monitoring frogs in the basin. They were very enthusiastic about their research and showed us the first Mountain Yellow Legged Frog found at that particular location since the non native fish population started declining (by getting zapped by the girls in the water and caught in their nests). It was quite fascinating. They also helped us identify surrounding mountains and gave us some good tips about the basin. Then we went cross country to 60 Lakes Pass, which turned out to be a highlight of the entire trip. We had great fun scrambling up the granite slopes and discovering more and more lakes, and then we got incredible view of Gardiner basin on the other side.

After a "rest" day on Tuesday, we got up early Wednesday morning to start heading South. As we were going off trail heading to the first lake, Barbara spotted a herd of 8 big horn sheep above us. Very very cool! We hit the trail close to Fin Dome, descended back to Rae Lakes, and climbed back up to Glen Pass. It seemed like a very long downhill from there back to Bullfrog Lake. Then we descended another 1000 feet to Vidette Meadows, for the first time getting bellow 9500 feet elevation. Breathing the thick air felt really good. We ended up camping few miles into the Vidette.

We moved our camp to a very pretty granite slab with views of Junction Peak the following morning, had breakfast, and then dayhiked Forester Pass. Some really nice views. We met a group of French hikers and a guy who introduced himself as Oliver and shook everyone's hand on the top of the pass. We still had plenty of daylight when we got back to the camp and enjoyed our premium location, did laundry and launched around.

Barbara and I started Friday morning by a quick hike to Central Basin. I kept looking for a bear, somehow it seemed appropriate to meet one on that trail. The basin seemed so so at first. We found rocks and small trees where we expected a lake. But the lakes were just little bit further and surrounded by peak on all sides. No bear.
When we returned, we packed up the camp and started returning back to Vidette junction and the famous 1000 feet in a mile climb up to Bullfrog. Once 1/4 mile pass Bullfrog, we started looking for a campsite. We got lost and desoriented in the process, but Barbara spotted a black bear making his way in the same direction. My first bear! Woohooo! Because of our little off trail adventure, we ended up the day pretty tired at the same lake that we stayed at the first night (but not sure about that until we could see it from above the next day). We watched a beautiful sunset, marmot and some deer, had our last trail dinner, and went to bed early to get up at dawn the next morning.

We started the last day early. Barbara was hoping to see Steve in Bishop, so she was already packing in total dark with her headlamp. I can't go witout my coffee and breakfast, so I was leaving the camp last, and reached the pass just as the first sun rays hit the trail on the west side. We met Paige half way down and she joined us for the last few miles. Steve was already in Bishop, adn all of us stopped at Amigos for some real food and telling stories.

Leaving Nick, Barbara, Steve and Paige in Bishop, I continued to Mammoth and spent a very pleasant evening (and had a great dinner) with Kim, Jody, Sallie and Mickey, and of course their cats and dogs. They were all asleep when I got up Sunday morning and served me some fruit cobler for breakfast, followed by bacon and eggs once everybody got up and was ready for their breakfast. Whatever weight I have lost over that last week, it was surely back, but I enjoyed every bite. Jody's bacon is memorable.
Barbara and Steve drove Nick to Lee Vining and went off to Boddie. Nick went to sleep in my car tired after partying in Bishop the night before, and then safely drove from Oakdale to San Rafael. Larry was waiting in the driveway with a cold beer in each hand. What a trip!