Welcome to the High Sierra!

Our first leg in the High Sierra did not disappoint. We have encountered record snow, crazy cold, fast rivers, huge, ancient foxtail pines, Mount Whitney--the highest peak in the lower 48--, Forester Pass--the highest point along the PCT--, glissading, and much more! We simply cannot get enough of this incredibly wild and unforgiving place.

We walk in snow following old footprints hoping they go the right direction about 90% of the time. Early in the morning, the snow is hard enough that we can walk across it easily, so long as we can find tracks of people that pass before us. It softens around noon and is a nightmare to walk in the afternoon as we posthole (sink in the snow when walking) frequently, sometimes up to our thigh. Frequent river crossings means that our feet are always wet and with the water temp at 38 degrees, they are cold too! The Sierra had record snow this year, meaning the river crossings, swollen from melt, could be our most dangerous and challenging task. We do not anticipate a single day or even moment in the Sierra lacking adventure!

6/13
We started our last full day in Kennedy Meadows sorting food stuff, and then decided to hit the beach of the South Fork Kern River for an all day party with friends Caveman, BAMF, Rambo, Quake, Unload, Ramble On, Roadrunner, Climber, and Tom. We would heat up on the beach and jump in the river to float down the rapids. It was a blast! Thanks again for the place to stay, Tom!

Caveman going for a swim

6/14
We decided to leave this morning and got out of Kennedy Meadows! Finally, at 10,500 feet, we got an up close and personal view of the High Sierra. After about 10 miles, we hit the South Fork Kern River once again and decided we had to swim! Now that is good livin'! Refreshing Sierra snow melt.... We made dinner by sunset, but decided to continue hiking along with the glowing full moon. We turned our headlamps off and night hiked by the spotlight of the full moon, finally arriving at camp around 10. A beautiful 26 mile day.
728 miles S->N

South Fork Kern River

High Sierra Sunset

6/15

We started to feel the effects of elevation, as the first 5 miles crept by. We dropped about 1500 feet after a snack and then prepared for a long traverse of Cottonwood Pass. We got lost for the first time of many on this leg, as we approached Cottonwood Pass. After an hour, we found our way again and postholed across a couple alpine meadows. We finally found camp at 11,300 feet next to Little Chicken Spring Lake, a tarn surrounded by a massive cirque. One of the coolest places we have camped, albeit very cold. Full moon!

22 miles. 750 miles S->N

Alpine meadow (under snow)

Little Chicken Spring Lake surrounded by a cirque

6/16
After a chilly, breezy, yet gorgeous full moon night at Little Chicken Spring Lake, we moved out of camp atop the glistening snow crust with the sunrise at our backs. On our way down to Rock Creek, we ran into a pair of black-tailed deer. The buck (in velvet) and doe were fearless and allowed us to walk within 20 yards and snap some photos. An elevated log crossing over the swift Rock Creek guided us to a dry, grassy pad for lunch. Leaving Rock Creek, we lost the trail again and wandered up and down the creek until we got back on it for an immediate 3 mile climb to Guyot Pass. A steep descent--out of control slide--carried us to the edge of Whitney Creek. Once again, we lost tracks in the snow and wandered until we got back on trail. We forded Whitney Creek 3 times and arrived at the Crabtree Meadows Ranger Station for camp, only 7.6 miles from Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous United States. 17 miles. 766 miles S->N

Buck in velvet

Very very steep!

Crossing Rock Creek

Whitney Creek at Lower Crabtree Meadows

6/17
Reluctant to move, we shivered in our bags as the watch beeped to shake us loose at 5 AM. We packed up and laced up our stiff, frozen shoes, only to immediately thaw them in the frigid Whitney Creek once again--quite a shock to the body at sunrise! We followed the John Muir Trail along Whitney Creek for about 2 miles before passing Timberline and Guitar Lakes. We then crossed a rolling snow field, passing 2 more frozen alpine lakes, to the start of the switchbacks leading up to the summit. Due to the steep, treacherous snow chute that crossed multiple switchbacks, we chose to rock scramble up the face of the mountain between the switchbacks. This may not have been the safest route, but we felt we had a little more confidence on the rock slides than on the steep, icy snow chute. A few crazy switchbacks carved into the sheer face of the mountain and we were looking up at the final snowy ascent to the summit. Short of breath from the thin air and steep terrain, we climbed the snowy ridge, ice axe in hand, and summited the 14,496 foot beast! Speechless.... 360 degrees of shocking, humbling beauty. High, snowy mountains to the North and dry, barren desert to the South. We spent the next couple of hours relaxing, eating lunch, taking photos, calling home, and attempting to comprehend what we were looking at and where we were.

Next to icy Whitney Creek



John Muir Trail - blasted into rock at 14,000 ft.



Near the top of Whitney

Happy little guy

Ernie, Bert, Miscreant, Flying Fish, Mark + Holly on the summit

Rascals

Then, back down the 4,000 foot descent to camp. The ascent took us about 4 hours....the descent about 2.5 hours. We switchbacked and rock scrambled as we did on the climb, but we added glissading to the modes of travel. Both with zero ice axe experience, we gave glissading a shot down the first long, open snow chute we encountered. Using the butt of the axe as a brake, we slid down the soft, white snow. What a blast! We are hooked on the new form of 'extreme sledding.' We continued to play in the snow the rest of the descent and cruised down to Crabtree Meadows for an early camp. A relaxing evening full of satisfaction and accomplishment along Whitney Creek.... 16 mile side trip



Glissading



View from camp

6/18

We woke shivering at 6 to another day of frozen shoes, but we warmed quickly as the sun rose over the mountains. The goal for today was to get as close as possible to the base of  Forester Pass, the highest point on the PCT, so that we could quickly ascend it tomorrow with hard snow. Walking was easy this morning, as we finally feel acclimated to the high altitude. The ford of Wallace Creek was wide but easy, but within the next mile, we hit Wright Creek and faced our first challenging crossing. We scouted for a place to cross and went with our best option, which was still very deep and fast. Having only 5 miles left, we decided to take a long break to warm up in the sun. We ascended after the break to Bighorn Plateau, an expanse of treeless meadow covered in snow that stretched between mountains. It was beautiful and felt like we were walking on the moon. We descended again to cross Tyndall Creek, paused after to warm up and eat dinner, and postholed our way to camp, an exposed rock outcrop in the middle of a snowfield. The view is incredible!

11miles. 777 miles S->N

Bighorn Plateau

Camp in the snowfield

6/19
After a restless, cold night of sleep, we packed up and began traversing atop the crust toward the hyped and slightly feared Forester Pass. We were joined by Miscreant and Flying Fish today. It was nice to have the company for the challenge ahead. We reached the base of the pass and took a short break to put on our microspikes and eat a snack. For a brief moment, we stared down the vertical snow shelf leading up to a V that was dynamited out of the ridge for us to pass. Now, we had to do it. Following frozen steps, we climbed the shelf up to the first exposed switchbacks. We were in awe with the craftsmanship that it took to build such a trail, along with the shocking view below. A couple switchbacks and only one snow chute stood in our way before the top of the pass. With full concentration and without looking down, we slowly crossed the slick snow with our axes and reached the the top of the 13,200 foot pass the marks the boundary between Sequoia (to the South) and Kings Canyon (to the North) National Parks. A little game of cribbage on top to wait for the snow to soften up for glissading and we started the downhill to Canada. Soon, we were flying down steep snow fields on our butts and celebrating the completion of Forester Pass. After a few river crossings and passing by a massive waterfall on Bubbs Creek, we faced another large climb to the top of Kearsarge Pass. Despite not having much of a trail at all, it was a gorgeous ascent along multiple alpine lakes surrounded by the Kearsarge Pinnacles. Then, a sprint and slide combination down the snowy pass to the Onion Valley Trailhead. (12 PCT miles -- 9 miles down Kearsarge--790 S->N)

We stopped at campsite 14, where we had a beverage and a trail angel from Independence, Oregon, gave us a ride down the valley to Independence, California. A few phone calls and dinner and we resided to the Independence Inn for a relaxing evening with Frosted Flakes and ice cream.

Forester Pass is the "V" blasted out of the rock in the direction of footprints

Final switchbacks to the Pass

A steep climb to the switchbacks

Snow chute at 13,000 ft

Atop Forester Pass - 13,200 ft

Glissading

View from Kearsarge Pass

Alpine lake near Onion Valley Trailhead

Today, we received our best hitch yet from a wonderful woman from Bishop, CA. With her dog Keesha, we talked about our love for the outdoors and future travels we anticipate. She gave us a tour of Bishop and dropped us off at the motel. On top of it all, she offered us her car for the day, while she was at work at the Mountain Light Gallery that features Galen and Barbara Rowell's photography. A huge thank you to Mary!
Another day of resupplying and relaxing before our next leg in the Sierra....

Anticipated Itinerary:
6/29--Mammoth Lakes, CA
6/30-7/2--Possible trip down into the Yosemite Valley
7/10--Bridgeport, CA

Good Livin'!

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Much love,
F+A