tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23505209128557290892024-03-26T23:36:50.299-07:00Roland SturmRoland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-50244881309828150272023-08-12T17:44:00.005-07:002023-08-12T17:52:31.017-07:00Cottonwood Lakes in late July<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ68ukfMtyARnPBKW20HJ9zFNklL5dsVWcn5HFVDzxiRlypVwHxsfbgvXahzizoEs6eoBgFjLh2gRPdfSEw61viB4fGdhn5Ds-L4TVW0MK4kTq-5frL_XwhZ5ftOZ-0NHYVBN9UILh_tYS7sicp4eUF1wCWjzu2GOUFJAkp5PtV9fmUQtkBrY43WcPoddX/s4032/2448B050-DAE8-42AF-9F5A-B0FBBEB9A84F.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ68ukfMtyARnPBKW20HJ9zFNklL5dsVWcn5HFVDzxiRlypVwHxsfbgvXahzizoEs6eoBgFjLh2gRPdfSEw61viB4fGdhn5Ds-L4TVW0MK4kTq-5frL_XwhZ5ftOZ-0NHYVBN9UILh_tYS7sicp4eUF1wCWjzu2GOUFJAkp5PtV9fmUQtkBrY43WcPoddX/w640-h480/2448B050-DAE8-42AF-9F5A-B0FBBEB9A84F.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Along the South Fork of Cottonwood Creek</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;">July 26 was my first hike this year in the high mountains of the Eastern Sierras, more than a month later than in previous years. The Sierras received an unusual amount of snow this year and summer is coming very late in the high mountains. Even the end of July turned out to be too early to get over some passes or get to the really high mountains (I overly optimistically thought I could get up to Mt Langley). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQXwo33H_tnUz8AxSnizXLH-g3zVLtr-1OgPLKUkdH1PeBlZI5YGSkr3It6PV3wHwY8H3JXnylqOebcmmzZISrVFVAh1BEprMPZ7OY8eUyHDCu72owqx78oZQf7WNdrYyxPreFcuBEnToDZmCsr_1XIou21OSV_pWINKKsmLxdoXnmhnnMZcaxx2a8lL2/s4032/67A88985-D2B5-4899-B98D-3FC5C03ED507.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQXwo33H_tnUz8AxSnizXLH-g3zVLtr-1OgPLKUkdH1PeBlZI5YGSkr3It6PV3wHwY8H3JXnylqOebcmmzZISrVFVAh1BEprMPZ7OY8eUyHDCu72owqx78oZQf7WNdrYyxPreFcuBEnToDZmCsr_1XIou21OSV_pWINKKsmLxdoXnmhnnMZcaxx2a8lL2/w640-h480/67A88985-D2B5-4899-B98D-3FC5C03ED507.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks still very summer-like at this unnumbered lake, with Mt. Langley (4277m or 14032 feet) behind it</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Cottonwood Lakes and Cottonwood Pass are one of the closest trailheads to Los Angeles, the road goes from Lone Pine. Also quite popular, but not as crazily overrun as Mt. Whitney and I think much prettier. The day I went, still about half the permits for overnight backcountry were available.</div></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">As I was driving up the road from Lone Pine, I saw a big lake. Yes, the long gone Owens Lake is back this year. For 100 years, Owens Lake has been an alkali flat with small brine puddles after LA started to divert the water from the Owens Valley. The lake had disappeared by 1926. But this year, Owens Lake flooded and looks like the large lake it used to be. </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiOA152P9ZsttqlQDFY26WFswNA7NXRc28moLhl9TioVVjPp4pGmRzc7I4TD4WEk5GFjnkFy1J5hPogF6qjsWqQTaAfKGeK8-VNrjATh_1-zmRxAkdxoOgF-JOacjuYQmO2oB3xbSZ4iOpjv4xe3w3lEVAs5SGdJ-lWPNx4-Thsu3-vdxH8RSy2drgSOu/s4032/9EA87736-902D-4B0B-B617-0EF8B4E81C80.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiOA152P9ZsttqlQDFY26WFswNA7NXRc28moLhl9TioVVjPp4pGmRzc7I4TD4WEk5GFjnkFy1J5hPogF6qjsWqQTaAfKGeK8-VNrjATh_1-zmRxAkdxoOgF-JOacjuYQmO2oB3xbSZ4iOpjv4xe3w3lEVAs5SGdJ-lWPNx4-Thsu3-vdxH8RSy2drgSOu/w640-h480/9EA87736-902D-4B0B-B617-0EF8B4E81C80.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owens Lake is actually a lake in 2023, not an alkali flat</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_uStXF048pMfYe5nolBWN66_TTHXUOwBe9Zy8FrCS0OR13_zOc2WqH5Vn58vo2Oz4z9AFw03TQAd8pgooPG5fPVMa8We8hT7MTVO8pFNdi_FIJwTwCbg371Y3vsI6kR-WXuI_KOawxLdgBcE2amZworWCODwESYQn1eJj3HHBk_19ioPSAEe0K8AX1wS/s4032/6A95F1FB-FE9C-4062-A545-80C7524A522C.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_uStXF048pMfYe5nolBWN66_TTHXUOwBe9Zy8FrCS0OR13_zOc2WqH5Vn58vo2Oz4z9AFw03TQAd8pgooPG5fPVMa8We8hT7MTVO8pFNdi_FIJwTwCbg371Y3vsI6kR-WXuI_KOawxLdgBcE2amZworWCODwESYQn1eJj3HHBk_19ioPSAEe0K8AX1wS/w640-h480/6A95F1FB-FE9C-4062-A545-80C7524A522C.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After about 2 hours of hiking, I was high enough to encounter snow, this is at Lake #3</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;">I finally made camp between lakes 4 and 5, nobody else at either one of the lakes. No mosquitoes, I would not even have needed the inner tent (I didn't use the rain fly at all). I encountered a few further down in the swampy area, but unremarkable. This year is also a month later for them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ybf43u_AylCAxXtQjiXG0gOK5dSQZumA21pm0I5s0BZrovySL3ApLiaB2WcNn-Ey6l9i6R3BL-j7WVvZz5KCKgaoM_L1CCuM5Rnh4hbVks3PuIeRYbydU0XqHF8T--AP5WCBIq6eZfcjE62cWKHBpar9jIZ-C30h1IkPVT41qbKbWpuw_y56omX5NeF6/s4032/7753FDD8-5410-4CC0-B560-C121E5B7F7CB.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ybf43u_AylCAxXtQjiXG0gOK5dSQZumA21pm0I5s0BZrovySL3ApLiaB2WcNn-Ey6l9i6R3BL-j7WVvZz5KCKgaoM_L1CCuM5Rnh4hbVks3PuIeRYbydU0XqHF8T--AP5WCBIq6eZfcjE62cWKHBpar9jIZ-C30h1IkPVT41qbKbWpuw_y56omX5NeF6/w480-h640/7753FDD8-5410-4CC0-B560-C121E5B7F7CB.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">camp at lakes 4/5. </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5trzHicgR1ROTGmeg2sEWrOSdmXUd0nmcxUweUA9KsSrQFcNZMA5zEHJhbe75XvjFoVHpwJUjcbEx4CyLKdWkjjFNF-yaLe89zSHubkPkWMYqVuS5ncmj-wAlYU5_KvdIbRgALUfGv1NWmgleBx9Ngw9qagALAlnxjXDHAlTF18POXBAX_PeNl71ufwS/s4032/7DC8D42D-4B9B-47BE-92D4-885098524250.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5trzHicgR1ROTGmeg2sEWrOSdmXUd0nmcxUweUA9KsSrQFcNZMA5zEHJhbe75XvjFoVHpwJUjcbEx4CyLKdWkjjFNF-yaLe89zSHubkPkWMYqVuS5ncmj-wAlYU5_KvdIbRgALUfGv1NWmgleBx9Ngw9qagALAlnxjXDHAlTF18POXBAX_PeNl71ufwS/w640-h480/7DC8D42D-4B9B-47BE-92D4-885098524250.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from my campsite. Old Army Pass in the background is still snowed in</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br style="font-size: large;" /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;">It was obvious that Old Army Pass would not be manageable without winter gear. The picture doesn't quite give justice, but that is even before the real climb, not much above the lake yet. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx409qEddOhdDPmHZCrRUmpM_TCJfzjxmgi9uPvU1d-JQnaCWK9XxaxoxpfsJZKBDcnzihVeAlAirGMkG1BJZR_NlGZCG0uDjGNHr4dp_FQ6KH2W7iqhWA4-0_DKNb90bv8qdythW3WtVgFkoqlqbtUZG9X2QT_FJYUcizmxE2T2J55nk1Q2hhB0tiR69i/s4032/65F225B1-8048-4F24-A386-16E8A68E895D.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx409qEddOhdDPmHZCrRUmpM_TCJfzjxmgi9uPvU1d-JQnaCWK9XxaxoxpfsJZKBDcnzihVeAlAirGMkG1BJZR_NlGZCG0uDjGNHr4dp_FQ6KH2W7iqhWA4-0_DKNb90bv8qdythW3WtVgFkoqlqbtUZG9X2QT_FJYUcizmxE2T2J55nk1Q2hhB0tiR69i/w480-h640/65F225B1-8048-4F24-A386-16E8A68E895D.heic" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;">So the next morning I hiked back along lake 3, then on the New Army Pass trail past Long Lake and High Lake. That's where I saw a few groups, I think the majority wanted to cross the pass to get on the John Muir trail, but turned back. There was a well equipped group with ropes and ice axes who claimed it was impossible to get to the top of the pass. Mmh, that required a first hand look. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;">There was a slightly snowy area and some snow bridges that were about to cave, still before Long Lake (where I left my pack), and nothing difficult. Snow was pretty hard, so no post-holing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokSs-m96lz2ZRIz1ryqJApFpwxyURQuWHU96BWUaSCY0Xa8F0haCzAawqTbsiiX0VU5iHT9JTEVTiD-6Eq3JtsKcFv25OhDHCnkA6aMcIyw0npom7h1DXG2v4UdEPdogj1H-vW4XclWpMxfq8jTgbV-_fbMYrwChRFfhCvemlw3STx7l1DC4CPcakxT7x/s4032/33725C8D-3BE1-4EB6-AB4C-C9A8926F9104.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokSs-m96lz2ZRIz1ryqJApFpwxyURQuWHU96BWUaSCY0Xa8F0haCzAawqTbsiiX0VU5iHT9JTEVTiD-6Eq3JtsKcFv25OhDHCnkA6aMcIyw0npom7h1DXG2v4UdEPdogj1H-vW4XclWpMxfq8jTgbV-_fbMYrwChRFfhCvemlw3STx7l1DC4CPcakxT7x/s320/33725C8D-3BE1-4EB6-AB4C-C9A8926F9104.heic" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbehAWhY5s2QXyvdCvSWYdslAmYJI6CwkcWshuDjVFlKdGPOXnvsI9NddegRbz7b8EZmHk4UYp-BssKTKwqOS16aX5TMLZ9patZrUwoJ2DBgbwfzsM4puEEzh4DUGbB6HJFxbRxbPiZtftSBR9d4K6mc5sHnGUJ1uBrUr9gdMgYq1R2tnkzF7-AnSxtqZ/s4032/1B170948-B676-4608-97D9-2216CC125D2E.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbehAWhY5s2QXyvdCvSWYdslAmYJI6CwkcWshuDjVFlKdGPOXnvsI9NddegRbz7b8EZmHk4UYp-BssKTKwqOS16aX5TMLZ9patZrUwoJ2DBgbwfzsM4puEEzh4DUGbB6HJFxbRxbPiZtftSBR9d4K6mc5sHnGUJ1uBrUr9gdMgYq1R2tnkzF7-AnSxtqZ/s320/1B170948-B676-4608-97D9-2216CC125D2E.heic" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Lots of pink snow this year, I also had noticed it in Colorado the previous month. That is algae growth and is kind of new to me. Or have I always overlooked it? In any event, nothing difficult here either:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieaflBC8e9tCsubhjHfjRQzu4Z7LiNtXRjqppTYiMfBoeR3Uah8JHfTiJWi8Ap15dseg1PDGegrNdnYil681rIiyP9z7FaTMOkZf_p65d7Gh9UwhN9wvfGjPg0vZOwCUQ-fRWepWwLUGLoyM6wA1fvxHe-QxpZjKrSFPC8TpXaPT5HQs6rR0GAhsLNCOmb/s4032/62CFEFB0-958F-4EC5-945E-E1B17EA4DBED.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieaflBC8e9tCsubhjHfjRQzu4Z7LiNtXRjqppTYiMfBoeR3Uah8JHfTiJWi8Ap15dseg1PDGegrNdnYil681rIiyP9z7FaTMOkZf_p65d7Gh9UwhN9wvfGjPg0vZOwCUQ-fRWepWwLUGLoyM6wA1fvxHe-QxpZjKrSFPC8TpXaPT5HQs6rR0GAhsLNCOmb/w640-h480/62CFEFB0-958F-4EC5-945E-E1B17EA4DBED.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Army Pass Point is the mountain top in the background</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8pjGC1Ev5s0zUP5RAeJo4LjwIk5DtsSQxBqm1zevyof3lP7N6_d7lhLrFSzxVuafVC8BSqJMaP7En4jIsvf-Pkm3BwLlsMv7RI62BZDJ-cgDeHL1ABH_zaq4pL3BeJJLYDbDxGz6HDFfZW_GeyohovtnoUxVCoJ_5IUe2IF348n7DeqUDDg7Zh05D2AYJ/s4032/A1298F05-E5EB-4FFE-8F5E-1B5A10D7B7D0.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8pjGC1Ev5s0zUP5RAeJo4LjwIk5DtsSQxBqm1zevyof3lP7N6_d7lhLrFSzxVuafVC8BSqJMaP7En4jIsvf-Pkm3BwLlsMv7RI62BZDJ-cgDeHL1ABH_zaq4pL3BeJJLYDbDxGz6HDFfZW_GeyohovtnoUxVCoJ_5IUe2IF348n7DeqUDDg7Zh05D2AYJ/w480-h640/A1298F05-E5EB-4FFE-8F5E-1B5A10D7B7D0.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More pink snow elsewhere<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgOGJzPQ79dZTQVseQTA3fcRq506tA9-yiiTnH6YmH9Fa-RJCjM4jwa7akH1ixmlUtZYXYYp7HeBxN5grm_sgrEFC2_rrEp5qOqb0to3o1qmqyza9QPJE_LnkDt71reQoH-oEcA0ZCX3ufFBC3haHYmyQvlIf9rIi5GP-J60WMG451bWJFCJ47VdWxILd/s4032/182005B9-35A6-401E-96ED-794246FB90B6.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgOGJzPQ79dZTQVseQTA3fcRq506tA9-yiiTnH6YmH9Fa-RJCjM4jwa7akH1ixmlUtZYXYYp7HeBxN5grm_sgrEFC2_rrEp5qOqb0to3o1qmqyza9QPJE_LnkDt71reQoH-oEcA0ZCX3ufFBC3haHYmyQvlIf9rIi5GP-J60WMG451bWJFCJ47VdWxILd/w480-h640/182005B9-35A6-401E-96ED-794246FB90B6.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting closer, not much further to the top</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large;"><br /></div></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhS9w6elnq3Nxj1ifMYbWRfwvHmf6kodiCKV8ShjKWGLXNGeoSE3ZCBHXedTxweL2K5N1pQvLHf-q30CqFnGDTtKBiI0Fnv-LyMSjMTtJOn-vrrseVGEKjSfbZbBm2pLUHC3jyf1hXu0l-4XyMcshxyTnWhDhGGSUj6zkA9mKpSmR-eApscIbjyJwNW_9Xk"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhS9w6elnq3Nxj1ifMYbWRfwvHmf6kodiCKV8ShjKWGLXNGeoSE3ZCBHXedTxweL2K5N1pQvLHf-q30CqFnGDTtKBiI0Fnv-LyMSjMTtJOn-vrrseVGEKjSfbZbBm2pLUHC3jyf1hXu0l-4XyMcshxyTnWhDhGGSUj6zkA9mKpSmR-eApscIbjyJwNW_9Xk=w640-h480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Now I could see the problem: An overhanging snow cornice blocks the top part of the trail.</div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Instead of trying to tackle it, I got off the route and climbed rocks to the right of the snowy area. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmG1cjruTXGbExXLWxPwHq4haAKscLxIeClt_XQjpQ9jdihUinhW8JLvZIn7rB-Lj-pQqmj7SLz1K1rmkJkdeRIQvMSy0M4RX7ACM4TV9zQlkFoKpWzZOehRzWBw6ATWDfA0LQmAzIAQwqUOMc4sXJxyE3Pz9PDKoLR9ArBF3QrfFiWvU_Ib47C8NsFtjj/s4032/157409DA-8051-4219-AA64-6671C3435F78.heic" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmG1cjruTXGbExXLWxPwHq4haAKscLxIeClt_XQjpQ9jdihUinhW8JLvZIn7rB-Lj-pQqmj7SLz1K1rmkJkdeRIQvMSy0M4RX7ACM4TV9zQlkFoKpWzZOehRzWBw6ATWDfA0LQmAzIAQwqUOMc4sXJxyE3Pz9PDKoLR9ArBF3QrfFiWvU_Ib47C8NsFtjj/w640-h480/157409DA-8051-4219-AA64-6671C3435F78.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the top of New Army Pass</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">But it was clear that pushing onward would not be advisable: Mt Langley is another 600m higher. So I went back and hiked out. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1Iplvzmo9T-FIUKxu5TW52HEMKLP11ganbzjqbEthY6v67aoA0hPyV5DM8SQwy31QSuk9GlAeLk3iIsk_5QExa-2h_8JaGoP_xRLC-6C0DPERqE6qOPFAxihy3tJQHYBnXVn92DkwC7SZPCeDPCOnLmC-JfB9GkaSQ0EeUf5p9lTruxjdJiUz1_VlWJzm" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1Iplvzmo9T-FIUKxu5TW52HEMKLP11ganbzjqbEthY6v67aoA0hPyV5DM8SQwy31QSuk9GlAeLk3iIsk_5QExa-2h_8JaGoP_xRLC-6C0DPERqE6qOPFAxihy3tJQHYBnXVn92DkwC7SZPCeDPCOnLmC-JfB9GkaSQ0EeUf5p9lTruxjdJiUz1_VlWJzm=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">at the top of New Army Pass</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I returned along the South Fork of Cottonwood Creek. The whole area is lovely, but that stretch it particularly impressive.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEg35hsgj3C0s5SzXKPCdbwpahnKdJJaCCzJJDB_ckO_3VEHuc2yaoK8V1fIMhlVrOynNm80uTMc3BD2gKvv6X190UrvlMHKhVzVVyF1E8U_qR9iiAcd9PG519E7uI4wkkspxqRi2pfd8CDKSX2z6M3KAQADQxWC8PwTlSaNgRL57Pzwd7S9i2wRGXmAxX/s4032/285BBCDC-EA44-4F48-8C0D-459CB89524EF.heic" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEg35hsgj3C0s5SzXKPCdbwpahnKdJJaCCzJJDB_ckO_3VEHuc2yaoK8V1fIMhlVrOynNm80uTMc3BD2gKvv6X190UrvlMHKhVzVVyF1E8U_qR9iiAcd9PG519E7uI4wkkspxqRi2pfd8CDKSX2z6M3KAQADQxWC8PwTlSaNgRL57Pzwd7S9i2wRGXmAxX/w480-h640/285BBCDC-EA44-4F48-8C0D-459CB89524EF.heic" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBvS-0EoKkfZ1tXTD5iszDkbuG0HhsrRt2kP9lG3dPc4Vl-R0Cz_AzL2q-tD9WKh15CKgih-ZDDJzgqZ0hqlG3DDgEA6ngySuv_yDzNK2VW-TgE3BysNjmk6yRby8RH_LSy5AWMm7mUYgSjx4C_KrCB_fHjul3ECfEwLgaxjanq4Xg4tweWNgqN9Eu5at9" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBvS-0EoKkfZ1tXTD5iszDkbuG0HhsrRt2kP9lG3dPc4Vl-R0Cz_AzL2q-tD9WKh15CKgih-ZDDJzgqZ0hqlG3DDgEA6ngySuv_yDzNK2VW-TgE3BysNjmk6yRby8RH_LSy5AWMm7mUYgSjx4C_KrCB_fHjul3ECfEwLgaxjanq4Xg4tweWNgqN9Eu5at9=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Along South Fork Cottonwood Creek Trail, with Cirque Peak (3930m) on the left.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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font-size: large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVj8AlqQXSwTHhsNZFoVupApZfKLdMG6rUUuz0nEl87wA3DYcfDHKsX5ygZO4darIOgi0PpgRr64fINVhgXwU9pPrHjo3p8TBYtURGZ4tTqsp-27gwjpWN9vdUVgdNdmWd4rg8iRLAJbebXtKT2LwxW27PPhM4WlvzulPeJT6tgZhUweqvDDroMLObF3to/s4032/159D1C75-C42F-4E89-8894-58C0488554B7.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVj8AlqQXSwTHhsNZFoVupApZfKLdMG6rUUuz0nEl87wA3DYcfDHKsX5ygZO4darIOgi0PpgRr64fINVhgXwU9pPrHjo3p8TBYtURGZ4tTqsp-27gwjpWN9vdUVgdNdmWd4rg8iRLAJbebXtKT2LwxW27PPhM4WlvzulPeJT6tgZhUweqvDDroMLObF3to/w480-h640/159D1C75-C42F-4E89-8894-58C0488554B7.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A snow bridge that already develops treacherous holes</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dIB6AU9AObTPx_QeDGBp7ohsoKs6rpHBG11Te3LF1Bsn_nO72beXXHbd8lBRXonmCyOl9yYyLIX_sppZLH_fhjGFhUu-KVgEWR9vcgBuuc7zAPT09wy4mQpZ2FVVHmksES16FWa-AAyjiajQZGWPVkq-GL13r8UsvHneObl0jQkY73IuYfa4Cb7TAWl_/w480-h640/F4C1B018-E21E-4DC1-8C06-2DE713EB335D.heic" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-65884484194308215872023-05-06T12:19:00.016-07:002023-05-06T18:09:33.474-07:00Marin Bikepacking Loop<br /><br /><br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7c0IUWe5FCtA0vcp9Y4QsY1une60Bq_c-QrLO8hcSbm8jPuNo1LtS4LTBXfknnpCGGysxHmjgGDyNrphX0o21bIStHVNtV5T9xcK0g7zGp7v2bKcWYhgcZ9RB0dWr_1S6f6JOm4_ZFBB2rc4pLOPDn5igr8gnqVw41cBJwLuvyZGMLyxfQGbfW0KtKw/s4032/318EB8A0-5429-41E9-8B48-BAE7E5D5EFF5.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="499" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7c0IUWe5FCtA0vcp9Y4QsY1une60Bq_c-QrLO8hcSbm8jPuNo1LtS4LTBXfknnpCGGysxHmjgGDyNrphX0o21bIStHVNtV5T9xcK0g7zGp7v2bKcWYhgcZ9RB0dWr_1S6f6JOm4_ZFBB2rc4pLOPDn5igr8gnqVw41cBJwLuvyZGMLyxfQGbfW0KtKw/w665-h499/318EB8A0-5429-41E9-8B48-BAE7E5D5EFF5.heic" width="665" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Descending towards Samuel Taylor State Park</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Anya moved to the small town of Fairfax in Marin County last fall. She lives at the trailhead into the Mt Tamalpais watershed, but it is still just a short walk to (a very small) downtown. She can even take trails for much of the way to work (teaching high school math at the Marin Academy), but there is a price to be paid for that: Everything off-pavement is very steep. For flat riding, you have to stay in the (narrow) valley on pavement. </span><div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcevlHExDUGS3U608PNNFfpQ99Jq5-FIlryfDfdThsc5drEuw5JOPNmpy_QSFlyhq7vh99-Y0vqef2i9hCsHyegkgubUUg-VKdMSa7jIajic6O0kRSLC7Db9IeE7m5_9rlCvRpkcQBOJEhhIljTRxX3snv3TYSesiK9KJ37PealoV8cHnsqdKGL1OneQ/s4032/02709998-DEBB-4C32-93AD-AA74A9AF124F.heic" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcevlHExDUGS3U608PNNFfpQ99Jq5-FIlryfDfdThsc5drEuw5JOPNmpy_QSFlyhq7vh99-Y0vqef2i9hCsHyegkgubUUg-VKdMSa7jIajic6O0kRSLC7Db9IeE7m5_9rlCvRpkcQBOJEhhIljTRxX3snv3TYSesiK9KJ37PealoV8cHnsqdKGL1OneQ/w291-h388/02709998-DEBB-4C32-93AD-AA74A9AF124F.heic" width="291" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Quick to get into redwoods, but always steep</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;">The afternoon I arrived we went for dinner in the next town, San Anselmo, and took trails there. After dinner, we took the easy paved way back. We went to a concert in Mill Valley that evening, but did not use the mountain bikes for that: Mill Valley is only 11 km via trails from her house, but that is 600 meters up and then down again (so the uphill part averages over 10%). 11 km may sound like a half hour bike ride, but with 600 m climb it becomes closer to 1 1/2 hours. Keep that in mind for the route description later. Like the Schwarzwald in Germany, Marin is much hillier than one expects. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Marin is considered the birthplace of mountain biking and there is a mountain bike museum downtown. There are also lot of single track trails, but almost all are off limits for biking. Mountain bikes mostly have to stay on fire or dirt roads (just like in Southern Germany) with only a few trails open. Tamarancho is a 13 km, purpose-built single track mountain bike loop, a bit over 20 km total from Anya's house.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIeP80uswWY5oQm87tN-XlL3LFbmzLRxXHOwuk5nM2iRFR_ohulWAc_GM431JvKvYATmjK6bD25bKk0YRvEnb9NFrpJckmGIT_bTkKPC-LXTHC0bTeB4VOxfPVGP-8Mm2A-_Ej5eQUNv2ZYVcUtkBX7YC6mVgXvBJGF5bktV6CyhxueKgUDLlW4eo6g/s4032/404FCF88-6685-4017-9484-C0BA37DFB6CA.heic" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIeP80uswWY5oQm87tN-XlL3LFbmzLRxXHOwuk5nM2iRFR_ohulWAc_GM431JvKvYATmjK6bD25bKk0YRvEnb9NFrpJckmGIT_bTkKPC-LXTHC0bTeB4VOxfPVGP-8Mm2A-_Ej5eQUNv2ZYVcUtkBX7YC6mVgXvBJGF5bktV6CyhxueKgUDLlW4eo6g/w298-h397/404FCF88-6685-4017-9484-C0BA37DFB6CA.heic" width="298" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">This time, we wanted to do a longer ride and took a route that Emily Bei Cheng scouted out and calls it the "<a href="https://bikepacking.com/routes/north-bay-overnighter/ " target="_blank">North Bay Overnighter</a>". It is about 130 km with 3000 m of climbing and she considers it a 2-3 day bikepacking loop. The map shows it starting/ending at the vista point/turnout north of Golden Gate Bridge. We started and ended at Anya's house, of course (the route goes past it). Mostly dirt roads, some a bit more rutted or rocky (more like jeep trails), but the whole route is entirely rideable - if you have the stamina. Realistically, I think there is quite of bit pushing because it hits 20% grades regularly. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The first set of climbs out of Fairfax on Eldridge Grade takes us up towards Mt. Tamalpais East Peak. It does not quite go the top here, which is only about 750m away directly (but still 250 m higher). A few hiking trails go up straight (East Peak Trail, Indian Fire Trail), those are really steep, 30%. Anya also coaches the school's running teams and they often run here. Usually on fire roads, but there is the occasional challenge workout going up directly. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Towards Baltimore Canyon, we get out of the forested hills and have a panoramic view of San Francisco Bay. From here on, the route was new for Anya, too. Of course, first we go all the way downhill before starting the long next climb. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgKy1Xz6msVU_xCp0vohGw31aRLmuK1bfmTK91mQH1WJlxWiJAGnVKoN4W41JcfQsizF4KW-JfbiiJNwEuOTGDCyYpeCs0zGx2pt7_vWqHS_ZDVsrHsCxNTvNqXRSNN4VzpE4LmdGOurudbCQ6uNXkqQWt68PwZRfdBZ0fDXa_eaJQHfL-pqP0s5SeQ/s3290/598F319F-E028-4C35-9DF1-35EB33F6BF5B_1_201_a.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2209" data-original-width="3290" height="431" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgKy1Xz6msVU_xCp0vohGw31aRLmuK1bfmTK91mQH1WJlxWiJAGnVKoN4W41JcfQsizF4KW-JfbiiJNwEuOTGDCyYpeCs0zGx2pt7_vWqHS_ZDVsrHsCxNTvNqXRSNN4VzpE4LmdGOurudbCQ6uNXkqQWt68PwZRfdBZ0fDXa_eaJQHfL-pqP0s5SeQ/w640-h431/598F319F-E028-4C35-9DF1-35EB33F6BF5B_1_201_a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">On the map below, we started near the little spur where it says Pam's Blue Ridge. The end of the spur is downtown Fairfax (Pam's Blue Ridge is quite a bit higher). Now it was late morning and we were getting to the ocean side of the loop. The particularly high traffic area near Mill Valley (where 101 and highway 1 split) is actually traffic free for bicycles: A bike/hiking trail far separated from the freeway or highway 1. There is a little bit on the road to Tennessee Valley Road, but since this dead ends at the trailhead, not that many cars. </span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-V00pQlgxGnyaJBUpziAGK6iN7HO9dEq9o_jqkhJUrNPxa7sSK54gp2CevbSTmP_ru_14WxnnURUshNS33edJvrrXaMHBnGIHZDGHm64DO7tejp66q6UCyllFA9Eg3YMj67qoVqwBTQ4uN-EqhyKcEHl7eALDAiD3IRuXTqdoEgCYFVKV3H819rvz6A/s2088/Screen%20Shot%202023-04-17%20at%2010.25.05%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="2088" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-V00pQlgxGnyaJBUpziAGK6iN7HO9dEq9o_jqkhJUrNPxa7sSK54gp2CevbSTmP_ru_14WxnnURUshNS33edJvrrXaMHBnGIHZDGHm64DO7tejp66q6UCyllFA9Eg3YMj67qoVqwBTQ4uN-EqhyKcEHl7eALDAiD3IRuXTqdoEgCYFVKV3H819rvz6A/w640-h476/Screen%20Shot%202023-04-17%20at%2010.25.05%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wUoVVDj_7xj4xuALoz2iVPLseygKZwdhSa7EgupXPlfEuTpo5EM9GsMuh3uJ_tPEnFj-duOROddVNu_ttW_j-i7yudxewrgMdqvyG5GhIC8vQHcGXuKaPpdNEuf4NSVpETS8ddOpw3xQqXCQlCyWUcuLdY0muVbhz_yinBL0tdtb5TvZ39ovar0JPA/s4032/27F23176-CA7B-4FA1-9318-20F9E5C36172.heic" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wUoVVDj_7xj4xuALoz2iVPLseygKZwdhSa7EgupXPlfEuTpo5EM9GsMuh3uJ_tPEnFj-duOROddVNu_ttW_j-i7yudxewrgMdqvyG5GhIC8vQHcGXuKaPpdNEuf4NSVpETS8ddOpw3xQqXCQlCyWUcuLdY0muVbhz_yinBL0tdtb5TvZ39ovar0JPA/w640-h480/27F23176-CA7B-4FA1-9318-20F9E5C36172.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pushing our way out of Tennessee Valley</td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Tennessee Valley itself goes to the Ocean and isn't steep, but we have to climb out of there and that is really steep. The route goes quite a bit more inland, but now it was past lunchtime and we took a shortcut descent to Muir Beach. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Logistically, this is an easy route. We had packed a few slices of Pizza as snacks during the day, but had restaurant food for lunch and dinner. </span></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2B5JjD4ZT2EnNcRrvAyyz-Ck9yCICuzQmZ8Ph89-GLbjNtv9cNkS8Zr80ZN9JaeJAVe3NM491eK8_7e-DOZ6pxtioqddajMBWKTtE6uaBwOC1eSavX_wK88YfQFil6sJAslr9unIhXS7jBCR6oVbat-KLG83ZPtLTmwyrXHSVdOJTVHrApinkpjyrg/s4032/3E4B519A-CAF8-41FB-B00D-4E11AE455D13.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2B5JjD4ZT2EnNcRrvAyyz-Ck9yCICuzQmZ8Ph89-GLbjNtv9cNkS8Zr80ZN9JaeJAVe3NM491eK8_7e-DOZ6pxtioqddajMBWKTtE6uaBwOC1eSavX_wK88YfQFil6sJAslr9unIhXS7jBCR6oVbat-KLG83ZPtLTmwyrXHSVdOJTVHrApinkpjyrg/w300-h400/3E4B519A-CAF8-41FB-B00D-4E11AE455D13.heic" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fish and chips at the Pelican Inn in Muir Beach</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Good to have a break at Muir Beach because next comes the longest climb of the route. A quick single track push, then some road, then a long trail climb up the ocean side of Mt Tam State Park, which ends at Pantoll Campground. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLTW0ozN65TZ9pcXXvcXXftxyvtoMax5lbWwtZ1Q1fmqOCMzGSAmhxDNT9B1aiucFTzyy_P-zQR3qp4BlktmCsKbdZOItnKTZ541jjI1Vt0Lf1QsKVQniK_9Y9rfah_0E0LK_ggdZ0SHZNCgAPY41alJPKUO2hGL2d__sY3Y1epJrKHQKUQMrWNh8SQ/s4032/0FE6FDBC-1244-49DC-9D61-E49F339654BB.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLTW0ozN65TZ9pcXXvcXXftxyvtoMax5lbWwtZ1Q1fmqOCMzGSAmhxDNT9B1aiucFTzyy_P-zQR3qp4BlktmCsKbdZOItnKTZ541jjI1Vt0Lf1QsKVQniK_9Y9rfah_0E0LK_ggdZ0SHZNCgAPY41alJPKUO2hGL2d__sY3Y1epJrKHQKUQMrWNh8SQ/w300-h400/0FE6FDBC-1244-49DC-9D61-E49F339654BB.heic" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">short push out of Muir Beach</td></tr></tbody></table></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRGLI6N0YAw_SNiqeU38nWqXTSI-8r4fqlmUBgwzp7oOuGEm2ZGsBqgS5NcBJZ7iDYscVdK6-kzzcSaWcVW6KTNF7Mg3-zX-JGgvYwA6HI1Dt3QxZX7azDGG0gTCvMyN7bl-Jzx7xro1_Gf4jV6hQLz8AxFDxGHcgkCOCAuW2Mkr1JI4C8yIVRlU7MQ/s4032/3AA2C4D3-7004-4260-AE30-1E9A86A55241.heic" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRGLI6N0YAw_SNiqeU38nWqXTSI-8r4fqlmUBgwzp7oOuGEm2ZGsBqgS5NcBJZ7iDYscVdK6-kzzcSaWcVW6KTNF7Mg3-zX-JGgvYwA6HI1Dt3QxZX7azDGG0gTCvMyN7bl-Jzx7xro1_Gf4jV6hQLz8AxFDxGHcgkCOCAuW2Mkr1JI4C8yIVRlU7MQ/w480-h640/3AA2C4D3-7004-4260-AE30-1E9A86A55241.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">trail climb into Mt Tam state park, ends at Pantoll</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGk9Q15cFKLRxwVn8wPGIoIetwe0b3hZJxtqJBkJIZZW_t09DTQvnS9v6w4LkT9jRiCgoFjp94NJdFDdKn3CGg-dIl2l3qNHuDoQiWeFeo_n_t-rYioxM_kg-tySxB74_NK7Iel8ARPXrf6nDiTbg2uqIA5ZbdkmMghuHDI6kJ2q2nn2H7ULFevNUGg/s4032/0B147214-75B5-41A4-9B20-321B3BC86A2D.heic" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGk9Q15cFKLRxwVn8wPGIoIetwe0b3hZJxtqJBkJIZZW_t09DTQvnS9v6w4LkT9jRiCgoFjp94NJdFDdKn3CGg-dIl2l3qNHuDoQiWeFeo_n_t-rYioxM_kg-tySxB74_NK7Iel8ARPXrf6nDiTbg2uqIA5ZbdkmMghuHDI6kJ2q2nn2H7ULFevNUGg/s320/0B147214-75B5-41A4-9B20-321B3BC86A2D.heic" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rare thing: Pleasant road riding</td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-size: medium;">After Pantoll campground comes the longest stretch of pavement of the loop. Pavement stretches on almost all other bikepacking routes are unavoidable, but unpleasant. This one is actually very nice and after Rock Spring Trailhead mostly car free (at this point, cars tend to continue driving to the top of Mt Tam). And having an easy rolling surface with gentle gradients is very welcome after the previous climbing section. </span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1yhzAlmEcUnYIyhBwViSCeXo6G_FMiDN45td97VaUncxwizrdZBYnqRTEmPtDT_Bx82Bw53LwLfmvR8uFAqeqHSeWcxnzL5JiXpjgKx3raolJaG1fMpYl1y-4US0bA9UHZrBm3M51ZAc9MRxI4_VFi7cIEPXJrtzCeOqZ96WrWqkVzjY6jF0o7bobnQ/s2697/379AEA3A-FBFA-487D-9ED0-2E9668DFB9B4_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2604" data-original-width="2697" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1yhzAlmEcUnYIyhBwViSCeXo6G_FMiDN45td97VaUncxwizrdZBYnqRTEmPtDT_Bx82Bw53LwLfmvR8uFAqeqHSeWcxnzL5JiXpjgKx3raolJaG1fMpYl1y-4US0bA9UHZrBm3M51ZAc9MRxI4_VFi7cIEPXJrtzCeOqZ96WrWqkVzjY6jF0o7bobnQ/w351-h339/379AEA3A-FBFA-487D-9ED0-2E9668DFB9B4_1_201_a.jpeg" width="351" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">The pavement ends at the intersection with Fairfax-Bolinas Road. At this point, we could have taken a right turn and roll down the road back to Fairfax and would have been back at the start of our day within an hour (where we had left 7 hours earlier). The route continues north on Bolinas Ridge Trail and the next couple of hours hours were my favorite part. It is also the emptiest. The rest of the day (until we got to Samuel Taylor state park), we did not see anybody. And the next morning, once out of the state park, was similarly empty. </span></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwUJwXOS-tOjH7Bs4o1XeN4Ml7JKyPqnyZqHLWkBba3vUOfpFp5ff838gWWCegaj75DE7ru8_69CBZfcs6aEh0ZOmJQcEFSbUviGj7ht_uqea-VEGgY1BZmxfzJ080ba_GSiDxcyWDg9K3fCM53zXKayVfj3UlS6ZU2ZGG9_Oy6QxpVAL_udSe8iTBQQ/s4032/428C8800-B38B-48C4-A0DB-269B31024FFF.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="697" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwUJwXOS-tOjH7Bs4o1XeN4Ml7JKyPqnyZqHLWkBba3vUOfpFp5ff838gWWCegaj75DE7ru8_69CBZfcs6aEh0ZOmJQcEFSbUviGj7ht_uqea-VEGgY1BZmxfzJ080ba_GSiDxcyWDg9K3fCM53zXKayVfj3UlS6ZU2ZGG9_Oy6QxpVAL_udSe8iTBQQ/w523-h697/428C8800-B38B-48C4-A0DB-269B31024FFF.heic" width="523" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Urgently needed break, finishing our last slices of pizza in the late afternoon</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Bolinas Ridge trail is a wooded area for a long time, then opens into grass land, some with cows. While pretty, cows really make for bumpy riding. The ground often gets soft and cows sink in. Once dried out, the surface may look smooth from a distance, but it rides worse than cobble stone. </span></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxzeIRjXa_MPj_-CxAqcTRVGF3XrfH_BqGWi9H-xyqrbRSuYnaZZYh6MNF4GP5Fd-UUVGtpnfkxT8L5hFsSGebKHkGy04yUjNWgrFgC7zt7oRxfvLjYmU-Av6DTbfkazwB3cU4KF3NCmpKSUjn70ZlQD5dmgFlAXy4Ts6gwMm5b-jjbE4EOUbHYynKA/s2288/BACBFD67-7D23-416F-BF1F-8A5FFDAE4073_1_201_a.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2187" data-original-width="2288" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxzeIRjXa_MPj_-CxAqcTRVGF3XrfH_BqGWi9H-xyqrbRSuYnaZZYh6MNF4GP5Fd-UUVGtpnfkxT8L5hFsSGebKHkGy04yUjNWgrFgC7zt7oRxfvLjYmU-Av6DTbfkazwB3cU4KF3NCmpKSUjn70ZlQD5dmgFlAXy4Ts6gwMm5b-jjbE4EOUbHYynKA/w640-h612/BACBFD67-7D23-416F-BF1F-8A5FFDAE4073_1_201_a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bumpy Cow Terrain</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV76klpxOaBe6eSIA18a8XzNrIwyQxXjHRkbLG3mBjKRkizLLiHwPMlGTrqRgkmDaVlWvIL9DGqbn6Tav5FNUPhhkSUBbJTexqxxwLW3VtarUMKn-cl1iN7iRxlN_OdSdTM1Ylui6qK7uobxTTasijk0-VpzX4Bjx8zaL_X0No7a77R8yRrnPUAMsTQ/s1992/85CACC07-F02D-428A-837E-EF5E88D7A52C_1_201_a.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1992" data-original-width="1979" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV76klpxOaBe6eSIA18a8XzNrIwyQxXjHRkbLG3mBjKRkizLLiHwPMlGTrqRgkmDaVlWvIL9DGqbn6Tav5FNUPhhkSUBbJTexqxxwLW3VtarUMKn-cl1iN7iRxlN_OdSdTM1Ylui6qK7uobxTTasijk0-VpzX4Bjx8zaL_X0No7a77R8yRrnPUAMsTQ/w637-h640/85CACC07-F02D-428A-837E-EF5E88D7A52C_1_201_a.jpeg" width="637" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally out the cow area, much smoother descent towards Samuel Taylor State Park</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">We camped at the walk-in site for bikers/hikers and I did a quick extra loop into Lagunitas for take-out dinner. It is a 10 km roundtrip, but flat. Lagunitas has one restaurant, Arti's Indian Cafe, also one small store (closed by then, about 7 pm). We very much enjoyed our Indian food for dinner - and breakfast the next morning.</span></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKij1QTwDq5-nSGFvbjNdT5UY-xu6BPIJil2wXT8qGNrmJXwhomuR-e43TEuru8Y4Iax9YYjhWzfi76DeNPKXO-OLxLbpaw5XjgQsLq7AjgWiXDd7WTHh2Bf6X7kDhsblEXcx_Lw0Y36nbOrkX8A0_2kn1lqkUg8UcOVBvog3o62vwAS5C2WEina1yqg/s4032/663A15E9-7097-4E2F-866D-C48ABC204B07.heic" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKij1QTwDq5-nSGFvbjNdT5UY-xu6BPIJil2wXT8qGNrmJXwhomuR-e43TEuru8Y4Iax9YYjhWzfi76DeNPKXO-OLxLbpaw5XjgQsLq7AjgWiXDd7WTHh2Bf6X7kDhsblEXcx_Lw0Y36nbOrkX8A0_2kn1lqkUg8UcOVBvog3o62vwAS5C2WEina1yqg/w365-h486/663A15E9-7097-4E2F-866D-C48ABC204B07.heic" width="365" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A few water crossings, creeks feeding Kent Lake</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The next morning started with an easy roll on a trail away from the road (better than expected, I thought we would be on Sir Francis Drake). Then a climb up San Geronimo Ridge. Fairly steep, so definitely some pushing. There is an extensive network of dirt roads, giving many opportunities to shorten or extend the trip. The mapped route drops down from Hunt Camp/Green Hill to Kent Lake. It is pretty and remote (we didn't see anybody), but that involves a substantial descent and what we thought was the most grueling climb of the route back up again to get to Pine Mountain. I would recommend staying on the ridge and taking the slightly shorter and more direct route beween Hunt Camp and Pine Mountain. </span></div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWvqp0bPKAqYyb2MJwxmHK06CzgQhk1ZD9DoxSJMLCY7iAcNXCvQa8DVP8mlznjMdjO4r_RN6YPGEUrifw2a1gBC0PH99szKIj8DoGk7pPNMdWZPILdqmdO5SQXwX21BSen4d-vLkDt5k6hgcKRkek4oTfKai8BHxRRZx7w-FuW_nj0Z_0MoLArOR-g/s3088/4D2E5765-2DD7-4003-9918-9B481ED7C1D7.heic" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWvqp0bPKAqYyb2MJwxmHK06CzgQhk1ZD9DoxSJMLCY7iAcNXCvQa8DVP8mlznjMdjO4r_RN6YPGEUrifw2a1gBC0PH99szKIj8DoGk7pPNMdWZPILdqmdO5SQXwX21BSen4d-vLkDt5k6hgcKRkek4oTfKai8BHxRRZx7w-FuW_nj0Z_0MoLArOR-g/w315-h420/4D2E5765-2DD7-4003-9918-9B481ED7C1D7.heic" width="315" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pine Mountain! Done with climbing</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLEC96MpE7Y4tFX7v8RpPsuWgDzG4pBNotLXcLIotVjCMPQBtgOzsasSvYDHEjuorApqho0pQzOUKSwaPCLYg2qsSBE8y_AATi5Y_AQeQDRv3llWzgAmRjfxnpgmz4HFb-muIph-EnEPi4l0NeIefwdPmRLL9gQQIFmwd7O61K9nqSHGCUJDYW3U0_g/s4032/9904EF05-9984-4069-B1AA-3E9889C32852.heic" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLEC96MpE7Y4tFX7v8RpPsuWgDzG4pBNotLXcLIotVjCMPQBtgOzsasSvYDHEjuorApqho0pQzOUKSwaPCLYg2qsSBE8y_AATi5Y_AQeQDRv3llWzgAmRjfxnpgmz4HFb-muIph-EnEPi4l0NeIefwdPmRLL9gQQIFmwd7O61K9nqSHGCUJDYW3U0_g/w276-h368/9904EF05-9984-4069-B1AA-3E9889C32852.heic" width="276" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We thought the hardest climb was from Kent Lake to Pine Mountain</span></td></tr></tbody></table> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">After Pine Mountain, it is essentially all downhill back to Fairfax. Some pretty rocky and washed out, but nothing difficult. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvk4chvul4NK08wApEogaTWhAgcvam-PgJeXndTZiBKlWFOWKxNLf471CKla6TGajnw8HV9F6GjdhBbcrq-Jm9l-mJWPw5WjAYxu6Tfn00MJ_wPVSe198Wo-CftCQfw2qaIEibqOxffHGKGCA07YR-FWGtNrKbIQ1Yviw3wTxeXhj6kXLfymbEQ3WqQ/s4032/9265528F-4EA9-4272-AFFA-C8213FBAE5B0.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvk4chvul4NK08wApEogaTWhAgcvam-PgJeXndTZiBKlWFOWKxNLf471CKla6TGajnw8HV9F6GjdhBbcrq-Jm9l-mJWPw5WjAYxu6Tfn00MJ_wPVSe198Wo-CftCQfw2qaIEibqOxffHGKGCA07YR-FWGtNrKbIQ1Yviw3wTxeXhj6kXLfymbEQ3WqQ/w480-h640/9265528F-4EA9-4272-AFFA-C8213FBAE5B0.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back home, about 30 hours later</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">The<a href="https://mmbhof.org/.../history/mountain-bikings-first-bikes/" target="_blank"> Marin Museum of Bicycling</a> is in downtown Fairfax. Really nice exhibits, with a particular focus on mountain biking that started in the area - and maybe partly the club house of the 1970s racers that became manufacturers - Breeze, Fisher, Ritchey, Kelly. Joe Breeze (Breezer bikers) gave us a 90 minute tour, Charlie Kelly stopped by during our visit. Kelly had one of the first mountain bike companies with Tom Ritchey and Gary Fisher, unsuccessfully they tried to trademark the name "MountainBike". Eventually the company became Fisher bikes, Ritchey started another company. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61ONw5YH4Cp8LGYTN4w2Unl26RnnUC4V-TBHHXQtSnSBWGi7VPTIzYHbdMkke5wg27lvf3oWitwTy_tmv5CAq5WFt_c4H1vjcv1Xpk35uTkudR6PfSsb7fOb3cp8Cji5vmQAAbjJ-uskLIIgzvFtYl5chb5tAkBmx6VTvecS2IbqeTCABfU-kc8Fucg/s4032/9E71C450-2846-4871-A516-00A153B3B6E4.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61ONw5YH4Cp8LGYTN4w2Unl26RnnUC4V-TBHHXQtSnSBWGi7VPTIzYHbdMkke5wg27lvf3oWitwTy_tmv5CAq5WFt_c4H1vjcv1Xpk35uTkudR6PfSsb7fOb3cp8Cji5vmQAAbjJ-uskLIIgzvFtYl5chb5tAkBmx6VTvecS2IbqeTCABfU-kc8Fucg/w640-h480/9E71C450-2846-4871-A516-00A153B3B6E4.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe Breeze with one of his road frames</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3LQnnwO-XyP9FY46FjBcXoHI6MWACB30ctsuSHfqgW_qJmjzCCbwQPfNgiGYsNPuV-uL0q4i7It29rs09gtRks85PNZq2pPnrnssxzV8yEUYEjEfemDFXBYQEmVoPRVChIG0iDIfzn8i4Ckh9qaznpNVZAJnBCqAN6IGFpfHAgHd2aevtqLqJIbDpg/s4032/CBAFB90D-5FCA-4599-B6A8-CBBF57CFDBE9.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3LQnnwO-XyP9FY46FjBcXoHI6MWACB30ctsuSHfqgW_qJmjzCCbwQPfNgiGYsNPuV-uL0q4i7It29rs09gtRks85PNZq2pPnrnssxzV8yEUYEjEfemDFXBYQEmVoPRVChIG0iDIfzn8i4Ckh9qaznpNVZAJnBCqAN6IGFpfHAgHd2aevtqLqJIbDpg/w640-h480/CBAFB90D-5FCA-4599-B6A8-CBBF57CFDBE9.heic" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the first 10 Breezers - possibly the first new frames and parts made specifically for mountain biking. But not with the original (and better designed) fork. Joe says the diagonal was not necessary and would have saved work and weight - but he did the calculations later. It still looks cool and certainly made the frames unique. </span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />The museum is particularly strong on mountain bike history, but it has a lot on everything on cycling history. And with an expert like Joe Breeze showing you around, there probably is no better way to learn about bicycles anywhere! </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwKDr32MTTLdFW0b_uHnxUrk7fQtjYFQ61SDSP8U7kJ7MEbjjcCnMJIL2SFXXpzC52poDSFcIB8QkuTphTPf8Tv4pZdxWnoBqeWscDkP3_OLKoxdNQP_4NXclxheEjbpV2L0QrYJSOhbe9pXvaZ1KqtjndcTfR-rCI__lz09urriUsi5G5OvXrbUTsw/s4032/3F6471B6-1D5A-4561-A6AE-991089C803B7.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwKDr32MTTLdFW0b_uHnxUrk7fQtjYFQ61SDSP8U7kJ7MEbjjcCnMJIL2SFXXpzC52poDSFcIB8QkuTphTPf8Tv4pZdxWnoBqeWscDkP3_OLKoxdNQP_4NXclxheEjbpV2L0QrYJSOhbe9pXvaZ1KqtjndcTfR-rCI__lz09urriUsi5G5OvXrbUTsw/w640-h480/3F6471B6-1D5A-4561-A6AE-991089C803B7.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Multiple gears without derailleurs required moving the wheel to keep the chain tight, the shift lever (pointing forward, just below the brake on the rear wheel) also ratchets the wheel back or up as on this Bianchi. With one hand behind your back (the small photo shows the rider shifting during a race - Gino Bartali on the Col de Galibier 1948)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfkdEiJZsKJWGwo4DLybXPvhE4tvdcFKrFz92y8rhRwdB1_KOdm1QVcGgM6ctdzbyE4FYvwFeBAYcjAqy-xAr6OZUeCapBniRDq188J5avVG0J1HBlNq2wW0b4UnlG2MiFStrMy-Bj3dnKXMtLbSdIubVzXkUj5bYo4WBalSWnq_jXWvHDlVmzHqF8w/s4032/E5C62481-C137-45A2-8156-EFAD1FBF7E22.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfkdEiJZsKJWGwo4DLybXPvhE4tvdcFKrFz92y8rhRwdB1_KOdm1QVcGgM6ctdzbyE4FYvwFeBAYcjAqy-xAr6OZUeCapBniRDq188J5avVG0J1HBlNq2wW0b4UnlG2MiFStrMy-Bj3dnKXMtLbSdIubVzXkUj5bYo4WBalSWnq_jXWvHDlVmzHqF8w/w640-h480/E5C62481-C137-45A2-8156-EFAD1FBF7E22.heic" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-11144131731195587212023-02-16T08:46:00.000-08:002023-05-06T08:47:08.200-07:0060 YEARS LATER: THE FIRST TOPANGA BANJO FIDDLE CONTESTANTS<p><br /></p><header class="entry-content-header" style="background-color: #dedede; border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="av-heading-wrapper" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></header><div class="entry-content" itemprop="text" style="background-color: #dedede; border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We recently discovered the winners list and flyer from the 1963 Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest, which was 60 years ago this year (2023). The Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest is one of the oldest traditional music and folk arts festival in the US and 1963 was already its third annual event.</p><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">These two sheets come from the papers of Bess Lomax Hawes and together with a registration list are about all the documentation from the early years of the Topanga Banjo Fiddle Festival. Even those only exist because she was a collector (just like her folklorist father and brother, John and Alan Lomax). The flyers were created using a ditto machine. I remember the faintly sweet, headache-inducing smell of pages fresh from the duplicating process, a feature of school life still in the 1970s. Now an obsolete and really not missed technology.</p><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bess was the MC for the 1963 event, then still at its original location. She had moved to Los<img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-34047" decoding="async" height="423" sizes="(max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px" src="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TBFC-Third-Program-e1676226680891-238x300.png" srcset="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TBFC-Third-Program-e1676226680891-238x300.png 238w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TBFC-Third-Program-e1676226680891-1192x1500.png 1192w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TBFC-Third-Program-e1676226680891-560x705.png 560w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TBFC-Third-Program-e1676226680891-143x180.png 143w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TBFC-Third-Program-e1676226680891-600x755.png 600w" style="border: none rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; display: block; float: left; font: inherit; height: auto; margin: 4px 10px 0px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" width="335" /> Angeles in 1951 and helped catalyze the folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s locally. Bess became professor of Anthropology at Cal State Northridge and later worked for the Smithsonian and National Endowment of the Arts. As a songwriter (with Jackie Steiner), Bess had an unexpected hit: The MTA song, originally written for left-wing candidate Walter A. O’Brien’s 1949 political campaign, was revived by the Kingston Trio in 1959, first as a single and later on the Kingston Trio’s At Large album. The Kingston Trio changed the politician’s name to avoid association with a party perceived as communist sympathizers. Without Walter O’Brien’s name holding it back (it was the Red Scare period), the single reached number fifteen on the Billboard chart, and the album reached number one on the pop charts, won a Grammy, and remained charted for over two years. The storyline is about a Charlie trapped in the Boston metro system as he cannot pay the exit fare. Nowadays, the subway card in Boston is named the ‘Charlie Card’ in honor of the song. As appropriate for the folk tradition, it is based on a traditional tune (earlier versions would be “The Ship That Never Returned” and then the steam-power era “Wreck of the Old ‘97”). The lyrics give a nod to its ancestors with the line of “he’s the man who never returned”.</p><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Topanga Contest winner’s list from 1963 shows the astonishing depth of the LA scene. You’ll recognize quite a few of the names, even though serious contestants tend to fall into a very compressed age range. Almost all of them were teenagers, Richard Greene may have been the senior among the serious contestants, at age 20 (but then he had already won the two prior Topanga contests). Several, like Ry Cooder, were still in high school. David Lindley was particularly eager, entering every category. Other contestants were older. Mary Ellen Clark, in beginning fiddle then, was Bess Hawes age.</p><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-34048 " decoding="async" height="449" sizes="(max-width: 555px) 100vw, 555px" src="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TBFC-1963-winners-e1676226769818-845x684.png" srcset="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TBFC-1963-winners-e1676226769818-845x684.png 845w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TBFC-1963-winners-e1676226769818-495x400.png 495w" style="border: none rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; font: inherit; height: auto; margin: 10px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" width="555" /></p><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Other than those sheets, information about the early years lives in the participants’ memories, though those have become quite hazy (at best). Ken Bloom told me</p><div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_34042" style="border: 1px solid rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 5px 15px 10px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 193px;"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-34042" class="wp-image-34042 " decoding="async" height="170" sizes="(max-width: 183px) 100vw, 183px" src="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ken-Bloom-bowed-dulcimer-builder-and-musician-300x280.jpg" srcset="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ken-Bloom-bowed-dulcimer-builder-and-musician-300x280.jpg 300w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ken-Bloom-bowed-dulcimer-builder-and-musician-1030x960.jpg 1030w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ken-Bloom-bowed-dulcimer-builder-and-musician-768x716.jpg 768w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ken-Bloom-bowed-dulcimer-builder-and-musician-705x657.jpg 705w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ken-Bloom-bowed-dulcimer-builder-and-musician-450x420.jpg 450w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ken-Bloom-bowed-dulcimer-builder-and-musician-193x180.jpg 193w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ken-Bloom-bowed-dulcimer-builder-and-musician-600x559.jpg 600w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ken-Bloom-bowed-dulcimer-builder-and-musician.jpg 1153w" style="border: medium; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font: inherit; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 191.4px;" width="183" /><p class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-34042" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "times new roman"; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px auto; padding: 3px 10px 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ken Bloom</em></p></div><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I don’t remember much in the way of specifics about the contest. There was a whole community developing around our common interest in folk music and more specifically Oldtime and Bluegrass music. I just remember that we all helped eac</em><em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">h other unravel the mysteries of the music. It certainly affected our later lives. It was an exciting time.”</em> Ken mostly stuck with the trad music and in the 90s dedicated himself to building, teaching, and performing bowed dulcimer.</p><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Richard Greene was in the middle of a streak of winning the fiddle category in 1963. While TBFC had a “professional” category, that was more an aspirational designation than reality.</p><div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_34043" style="border: 1px solid rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 5px 15px 10px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 429px;"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-34043" class="wp-image-34043" decoding="async" height="326" sizes="(max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px" src="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/dry-city-scat-band-lindley-madlem-greene-cahill-300x233.jpg" srcset="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/dry-city-scat-band-lindley-madlem-greene-cahill-300x233.jpg 300w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/dry-city-scat-band-lindley-madlem-greene-cahill-705x547.jpg 705w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/dry-city-scat-band-lindley-madlem-greene-cahill-450x349.jpg 450w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/dry-city-scat-band-lindley-madlem-greene-cahill-232x180.jpg 232w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/dry-city-scat-band-lindley-madlem-greene-cahill-600x466.jpg 600w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/dry-city-scat-band-lindley-madlem-greene-cahill.jpg 765w" style="border: medium; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font: inherit; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 427.4px;" width="419" /><p class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-34043" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "times new roman"; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px auto; padding: 3px 10px 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">Dry City Scat Band 1964: David Lindley, Peter Madlem, Richard Greene, Steve Cahill. (Madlem is misspelled on the 1963 winners list as Madelyn).</p></div><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Various combinations of bands involving the core contestants came and went, including the Dry City Scat Band, which modestly called itself “the band that made bluegrass obsolete”.</p><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Richard surely had to roll back that claim quickly in order to become a member of Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys in 1966, which was his entry to broader recognition. After some electric adventures, he returned to acoustic music of the “New Grass” or “New Acoustic” instrumental music flavor. Richard has been at TBFC repeatedly since, especially in the last 20 years when several of his students won the advanced fiddle category. And his influence has been traced in an academic article, entitled: <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/ethnomusicology.57.3.0428" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #db1122; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Diffusion of an Instrumental Technique across North Atlantic Fiddling Traditions</a></p><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Not everybody was that excited about bluegrass or at least they had other priorities at that time, like Ry Cooder, winner of the advanced bluegrass banjo category in 1963: <em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I had a 60’s solid tone ring archtop Mastertone that was so loud it gave me headaches. I sold it for $300 and bought a 1947 Packard super clipper sedan.”</em></p><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_34045" style="border: 1px solid rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; clear: right; float: right; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 4px 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 252px;"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-34045" class="wp-image-34045" decoding="async" height="216" sizes="(max-width: 242px) 100vw, 242px" src="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/B8B6050F-01D7-4D5F-8FDF-DD681E2CC9F4-300x268.jpeg" srcset="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/B8B6050F-01D7-4D5F-8FDF-DD681E2CC9F4-300x268.jpeg 300w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/B8B6050F-01D7-4D5F-8FDF-DD681E2CC9F4-1030x919.jpeg 1030w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/B8B6050F-01D7-4D5F-8FDF-DD681E2CC9F4-768x685.jpeg 768w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/B8B6050F-01D7-4D5F-8FDF-DD681E2CC9F4-705x629.jpeg 705w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/B8B6050F-01D7-4D5F-8FDF-DD681E2CC9F4-450x401.jpeg 450w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/B8B6050F-01D7-4D5F-8FDF-DD681E2CC9F4-202x180.jpeg 202w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/B8B6050F-01D7-4D5F-8FDF-DD681E2CC9F4-600x535.jpeg 600w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/B8B6050F-01D7-4D5F-8FDF-DD681E2CC9F4.jpeg 1203w" style="border: medium; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font: inherit; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 250.4px;" width="242" /><p class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-34045" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "times new roman"; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px auto; padding: 3px 10px 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">Mary Ellen Clark (then still only in her 80s) and Anya Sturm, oldest and youngest members of the Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles.</p></div><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </p><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mary Ellen Clark would later run the Topanga Banjo Fiddle Festival in the 1960s and she continued to participate in community folk groups well into her 90s. She was not too much into tuning or replacing strings, occasionally I brought her guitar back into roughly standard pitch. Very gingerly – the strings were decades old. For all I know, Pete Seeger might have put them on.</p><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </p><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">After having jogged his memory, Ken Bloom had a follow up on the 1963 contest: <em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I do remember Lindley playing the most amazing version of the Arkansas Traveler you ever heard. Started out only using his left hand for a couple of times through the tune so when his right hand crashed into the banjo it was pretty dramatic. He always did have this Quixotic sense of humor.”</em></p><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Two other 1963 contestants show up regularly at the event these days. Brantley Kearns, who took second to David Lindley in the advanced fiddle category, probably is best known as the fiddler of Dwight Yoakam’s band, but obviously plays all genres (and also is an actor). I saw him at last year’s festival; until recently he volunteered for the chore of being a judge (a lot of sitting!). Fred Sokolow, second to Ry Cooder in 1963 in advanced bluegrass banjo, is almost certainly the most published author of instruction materials among this group, probably has done more than 100 books.</p><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_34046" style="border: 1px solid rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; clear: right; float: right; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 4px 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 308px;"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-34046" class="wp-image-34046" decoding="async" height="397" sizes="(max-width: 298px) 100vw, 298px" src="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ry-Cooders-1900-Fairbanks-Banjo-225x300.jpg" srcset="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ry-Cooders-1900-Fairbanks-Banjo-225x300.jpg 225w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ry-Cooders-1900-Fairbanks-Banjo-450x600.jpg 450w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ry-Cooders-1900-Fairbanks-Banjo-135x180.jpg 135w, https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Ry-Cooders-1900-Fairbanks-Banjo-rotated.jpg 480w" style="border: medium; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font: inherit; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 306.4px;" width="298" /><p class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-34046" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "times new roman"; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px auto; padding: 3px 10px 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">Ry Cooder’s Giant Fairbanks ca 1900</p></div><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ry Cooder didn’t abandon the banjo, in fact, he plays one on his latest recording with Taj Mahal (another 1960’s TBFC alumnus) that won a Grammy a few weeks ago (February 2023) for best traditional blues album: <em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Get on Board: The Songs of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee</em>. At the opposite tonal spectrum from the head-ache inducing Mastertone he traded for a car in the 1960s, a very dark thuddy sound. And in an unexpected place, a funk line on <em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Packing Up</em>. I wasn’t even sure it was a banjo, but when I asked Ry, he responded with the picture on the right. He also said: <em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I was never headed for high banjo status. There were guys way further ahead, even on the west coast, so i backed off. We can’t all be J.D. Crowe. These days, i play banjo ok, but back then there was no future in it.”</em></p><p style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee bring us back to Bess Hawes. Bess Hawes and her husband were members of the Almanac Singers in New York with Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. Their Almanac House (an apartment actually) became a center for leftist intellectuals as well as crash pad for folksingers. In 1942, that included a new duo of Blues musicians who wanted to break away from their genre and do something “modern” in the big city (like jump blues): Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Eventually they found more success sticking with their roots because that was in demand in the 1960s. Terry and McGhee (along with Bill Monroe, Tommy Jarrell) were recipients of the inaugural National Heritage Fellowship in 1982, the United States government’s highest honor in folk and traditional arts. The founder of the National Heritage Fellowships? Bess Hawes.</p></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-53748190689338849352022-10-29T21:46:00.010-07:002022-10-30T13:46:24.965-07:00Bishop Pass, Dusy Basin, and Mt Agassiz<div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFGBm9mjFhgeScugsFHMrIIAClo3zXXWh1TUrkPEC9l1e0jMpMZq0om9iF0gUrta6EjJecBXJJkcMBSWfIPUvY1s0YhAEIIh1VipxTMwGjYCqVAlS8BbIWEVc_o3A1xRxg2S27HmbjOfAbiuf8wPv4ZSl3MoXlXJo6bPChNWFvnrbTq5aNPs_mLxGqfQ"><img height="535" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFGBm9mjFhgeScugsFHMrIIAClo3zXXWh1TUrkPEC9l1e0jMpMZq0om9iF0gUrta6EjJecBXJJkcMBSWfIPUvY1s0YhAEIIh1VipxTMwGjYCqVAlS8BbIWEVc_o3A1xRxg2S27HmbjOfAbiuf8wPv4ZSl3MoXlXJo6bPChNWFvnrbTq5aNPs_mLxGqfQ=w975-h535" width="975" /></a></div>View from my camp in Dusy Basin, Palisades Range in the center, plus Isosceles and Columbine Peak on the right<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-agycmWurPTOfC_zJSAPF3ewTSrjv2HGrYFD3TKMeJdjnfSlzaTn6MZMBTKHe9zwpPluGlz04W40TBlG8RnHLQ7OzG1_DcBYB8HWXHUK9mHeI-_sev0H2xM0zsMxqEikxY1X_bxyiiCLRF888Jn3Xorwrl46ok3oMN3l8V-yAu_atQUcx9wVfVwpkzQ"><img height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-agycmWurPTOfC_zJSAPF3ewTSrjv2HGrYFD3TKMeJdjnfSlzaTn6MZMBTKHe9zwpPluGlz04W40TBlG8RnHLQ7OzG1_DcBYB8HWXHUK9mHeI-_sev0H2xM0zsMxqEikxY1X_bxyiiCLRF888Jn3Xorwrl46ok3oMN3l8V-yAu_atQUcx9wVfVwpkzQ=w767-h576" width="767" /></a><br />The sun is setting on the Palisades. From left to right: Mt. Agassiz, Mt. Winchell, Thunderbolt Peak<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Last week in October, but the weather looked good and I went for one more high mountain trip. It is much colder than at the beginning of the month, nights are well below freezing. The aspen tell what a difference 3 weeks make:</span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNBMLyCkp8f0T_EElThNBx0jhaBt-lv8jIyHoRetZHY4UyvC0W7QQtfx1HHnsZ4QnkS_5eJpNMki6mJDVF9oqRLjSDOAsEgGbp2kWCrI5hknaApR0tr1hz9Pzix5iz418RZyDsQehtecejtAcbHhOSM2zrCOc4GQ7tMjwkd37KkjEQ0g0pri50anaioQ" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNBMLyCkp8f0T_EElThNBx0jhaBt-lv8jIyHoRetZHY4UyvC0W7QQtfx1HHnsZ4QnkS_5eJpNMki6mJDVF9oqRLjSDOAsEgGbp2kWCrI5hknaApR0tr1hz9Pzix5iz418RZyDsQehtecejtAcbHhOSM2zrCOc4GQ7tMjwkd37KkjEQ0g0pri50anaioQ=w266-h355" width="266" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOzgNaJqt7Qqa65jt2ZGaMXzhK8hmpwdCWPzDPQtv6cLbHiat-jZCfR5abQwyGJGw21j57mlDnO7a--yGuVmYDIRhAABw41EG9RpaYtrEzEVKVhLHgEql7Ch1Q0te3jVP4mSkwKfrWVXYC7sKfL8MBxur4KhOrbT-KBb2aaqonqb7fTIQp10ithQ2W-w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOzgNaJqt7Qqa65jt2ZGaMXzhK8hmpwdCWPzDPQtv6cLbHiat-jZCfR5abQwyGJGw21j57mlDnO7a--yGuVmYDIRhAABw41EG9RpaYtrEzEVKVhLHgEql7Ch1Q0te3jVP4mSkwKfrWVXYC7sKfL8MBxur4KhOrbT-KBb2aaqonqb7fTIQp10ithQ2W-w=w269-h359" width="269" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">First vs last week in October</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Bishop Pass Trail is a very easy and pretty trail, over Bishop Pass into Dusy Basin and then a steep drop to connect with the John Muir trail. Also very popular and crowded during the main season. Mostly day hikers, but overnight permits (only required for overnight trips) are heavily oversubscribed and almost impossible to get in the summer. Similar to the Big Pine North Fork or Mt. Whitney areas.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Yet it turned out that in late October, permits for all days were available and on the day I went, mine was the only permit issued for that day (at least when I made the reservation, which was at 8am that morning - yes, no advance planning here).<br /><br />I started hiking at 3pm and my car was the only one in the overnight parking lot (not entirely surprising, but then this lot is usually full with day hikers as all parking fills up - backpackers sometimes have to park 1 mile down the road because all other lots are day use only). Sunset was a 6pm and I stopped at Bishop Lake, about 7 km in. All the lakes along the trail are pretty and except for the first two miles, nobody else was out.</span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsD8IR9bCOoOrXAkho_wxmY6R_smMIMHFMTYmTN-BZzR1AFAZirrCwDA7qmwTSR6RIhNbH9Q0LwJxPYIuNw3hLG8v5WMUBKdZNDhJ-AIpqo7bh2CIFfW0CH3il8rE0sV4DcyZc1lKGRTAZdxekhmge61zoa17t97Mapb-IATwcDfTli_UjxYL1D4K5uQ" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsD8IR9bCOoOrXAkho_wxmY6R_smMIMHFMTYmTN-BZzR1AFAZirrCwDA7qmwTSR6RIhNbH9Q0LwJxPYIuNw3hLG8v5WMUBKdZNDhJ-AIpqo7bh2CIFfW0CH3il8rE0sV4DcyZc1lKGRTAZdxekhmge61zoa17t97Mapb-IATwcDfTli_UjxYL1D4K5uQ=w300-h400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Bishop Pass Trail and Mt. Agassiz<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">Two mountains dominate the view early on the trail, Picture Puzzle and Mt Agassiz. Strangely, it turns out that Mt Agassiz muscled into about every picture I took. <br /><br />And while Agassiz is an impressive mountain, it is not particularly outstanding in this neighborhood. There are more spectacular looking ones, starting with Picture Puzzle (of which I have no picture).<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOAdQdQ2GPGNA9YyYXKWal9rtk4LQYeJUxZw32AlvoWGMJz_Vf-tlPH-4of2clpPOf5a-uZIuRN2S8UsdZI6mMxeih56p79cm9jlUVodOoWetqaSazYn16Zd8jRR9SnmpMbsINyW7mmcUqCgdtIHzs3DN_-pyM4P9LBF6v8yJV0By1CwanhkSULMgm5Q" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOAdQdQ2GPGNA9YyYXKWal9rtk4LQYeJUxZw32AlvoWGMJz_Vf-tlPH-4of2clpPOf5a-uZIuRN2S8UsdZI6mMxeih56p79cm9jlUVodOoWetqaSazYn16Zd8jRR9SnmpMbsINyW7mmcUqCgdtIHzs3DN_-pyM4P9LBF6v8yJV0By1CwanhkSULMgm5Q=w333-h400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bishop Lake and Mt. Agassiz</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">An hour or two later, the sun started to set and before it was gone, I took a picture of the red mountains. And back at home, I find out it is Agassiz again!<br /><br />Mt. Agassiz is part of the Palisades range, a very steep and rugged group of 12 peaks. The range also has the biggest glacier in the Sierra Nevada, which feeds Big Pine Creek. In this company, Agassiz misses out on any awards, rank 5 in height with 4236m. The imperial measurement crowd adds insult to injury because using that scale it also is the first to miss out on being a "fourteener", despite being only 37m lower than Middle Palisades.<br /><br />The night was cold, there is a reason why few people are out this time of year. All my water was frozen, but that was expected and I had filled up my pot. Only had to light my stove, no fight with getting ice water to flow.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Bishop Pass is one of the easiest passes and crosses into Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. To the east of the pass is Mt Agassiz, which is the last (as in "most northwest") of the Palisades. The aerial distance between Bishop Pass and the top of Mt. Agassiz is only about 1.2 km, but in the mountains it is not the distance that matters. Mt Agassiz is not a technical climb, just scrambling. I left my backback at the pass and made it to the top in about 2 hours and a bit less coming down.</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJ_Yb2ERrB-xE7dM0u7egWW86YeYo9ZeojigglcqtD1Z3X992Kb00mzLay3RW9T6OQ9msArEGhsx86-tN0K19eoQHSj-enYBFGZx9ny_BNEkl-LejAFv5aONS4Mp0gglRiObAf46tzywj7FZTaDxOyci6lJEa_dv9JhqvieJ3wJ0y10tn_ED15kz_d9w"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJ_Yb2ERrB-xE7dM0u7egWW86YeYo9ZeojigglcqtD1Z3X992Kb00mzLay3RW9T6OQ9msArEGhsx86-tN0K19eoQHSj-enYBFGZx9ny_BNEkl-LejAFv5aONS4Mp0gglRiObAf46tzywj7FZTaDxOyci6lJEa_dv9JhqvieJ3wJ0y10tn_ED15kz_d9w=w480-h640" /></a><br />Starting the ascent<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2BsabLmx003wgI-E0hiwS8NlDcrmedfbtoXA0AAMn9TpG4rGekFpgdFjxRCAFWyl-kkVk11GD_bId6hV4CHbZi6PYv4AAyNMm0AfG2R8wbssZCye3e6JVu_AMvBbKuQoczGsdX6f2CMNgMZut9zSkQIko_1KCawmobzQU4C4j5rwEmsllYUi3JAtErQ"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2BsabLmx003wgI-E0hiwS8NlDcrmedfbtoXA0AAMn9TpG4rGekFpgdFjxRCAFWyl-kkVk11GD_bId6hV4CHbZi6PYv4AAyNMm0AfG2R8wbssZCye3e6JVu_AMvBbKuQoczGsdX6f2CMNgMZut9zSkQIko_1KCawmobzQU4C4j5rwEmsllYUi3JAtErQ=w480-h640" /></a><br />Last stretch, almost at the top<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSbbUktUpgr1Y5EnVpzAuaz7Exc1qOQCD76sRmybJKKcJQv_oBBBBBIpkO14cA75SwS9W3q2GVbrPz71N8aRm0WZUnQWp7OZLWgDsoNG_a7DfM3GagIQYHPI4t_gvfXUmBqKjKXQvE0_ZtK_aqRXvUvmXVXY3g21n6hAPh_-ptO1xnJEp7igfRgwsllg"><img height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSbbUktUpgr1Y5EnVpzAuaz7Exc1qOQCD76sRmybJKKcJQv_oBBBBBIpkO14cA75SwS9W3q2GVbrPz71N8aRm0WZUnQWp7OZLWgDsoNG_a7DfM3GagIQYHPI4t_gvfXUmBqKjKXQvE0_ZtK_aqRXvUvmXVXY3g21n6hAPh_-ptO1xnJEp7igfRgwsllg=w714-h536" width="714" /></a><br />On top, looking down the east side of the Palisades with its two glaciers<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipc1hxcx5ymzhSPscgyOpyxBN_z9wvPm-iNLQr_3EwcOvcEYsYo7kZPeCmVceA9lGQNiO5Rfg5XRl6ap2-vNWBxRmwNMcRnBkW0tQHBBTtBy3Q-lZplgLOuM58Xy-EzfzYxrs56n8F9GhfhH4fvs3taQT_ECiu95wv6ycBtsP9q612MMG799a6N9gaug"><img height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipc1hxcx5ymzhSPscgyOpyxBN_z9wvPm-iNLQr_3EwcOvcEYsYo7kZPeCmVceA9lGQNiO5Rfg5XRl6ap2-vNWBxRmwNMcRnBkW0tQHBBTtBy3Q-lZplgLOuM58Xy-EzfzYxrs56n8F9GhfhH4fvs3taQT_ECiu95wv6ycBtsP9q612MMG799a6N9gaug=w714-h536" width="714" /></a><br />These are the lakes along the trail <a href="http://rolandsturm.blogspot.com/2022/10/fall-hikes-eastern-sierras.html">North Fork of Big Pine</a> <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivoOeH_j9as9WwAJkEN0aWxjkNx65U79OkeQxsIPVhKNSsVnzNMS1E5jVjjL3M2H5IuPc-E4M7MNd8fFGTaW1wjAQD2Sy3ObQSBQERcmATveVLYqmHAsB_2HougMD5XZHRAzHjNH0bglqxDvWTYdI_H_oNjw5F6Oy_HsNL_eT4nMC54404qsqzZFMMJA"><img height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivoOeH_j9as9WwAJkEN0aWxjkNx65U79OkeQxsIPVhKNSsVnzNMS1E5jVjjL3M2H5IuPc-E4M7MNd8fFGTaW1wjAQD2Sy3ObQSBQERcmATveVLYqmHAsB_2HougMD5XZHRAzHjNH0bglqxDvWTYdI_H_oNjw5F6Oy_HsNL_eT4nMC54404qsqzZFMMJA=w712-h534" width="712" /></a><br />Looking down at Bishop Pass. To the left of the Pass is Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br />At the beginning of October, I went up the <a href="https://rolandsturm.blogspot.com/2022/10/fall-hikes-eastern-sierras.html" target="_blank">North Fork of Big Pine Creek</a>. The two peaks I climbed, Cloudripper and Vagabond Peak, are very close, but considered to be in a different range. Here is how those areas hang together (or rather, how they do not hang together but are separated by tall mountains and valleys) - and that only works on a big screen. The previous hike is on the right, starting from Big Pine; this one is on the left, starting from Bishop/South Lake. In meters, not feet.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYhoyPttyyYmNAJNyKfgOuEEU8IG8VtQe51BINxRDmrfjvhdTjLcFVe7x7bolhKwJZ59cHEZImP96RW__rujtwFwhkC_1aSijPvCcZSjiCFCP54zIHxN5yRKY7x-6VPeCaG1hGtPtr5tUvjRXZsLu_fkFjG6FLgxHk_UA2cVS7WNxLixuBF8rvyWKTMg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYhoyPttyyYmNAJNyKfgOuEEU8IG8VtQe51BINxRDmrfjvhdTjLcFVe7x7bolhKwJZ59cHEZImP96RW__rujtwFwhkC_1aSijPvCcZSjiCFCP54zIHxN5yRKY7x-6VPeCaG1hGtPtr5tUvjRXZsLu_fkFjG6FLgxHk_UA2cVS7WNxLixuBF8rvyWKTMg=s16000" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I continued into Dusy Basin, not far from Bishop Pass and not much lower. However, rather than the desolate moon landscape, it is much friendlier looking. It is somewhat swampy and that vegetation makes the difference. I made camp at one of the lakes. It was a very clear, but also very cold night. In the morning, the lake surface was frozen solid (there was very little ice in the evening). </span><br /><br /></div></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYEqmdJQaXcaNm1YDKE5ncQEU9dLuGH48pMq1Blqq0ZFxuKsEZM14x3MssUWLCLR3aVQsPhCSIKesAezCrsp1e08fE8gU7qlbhG1uNJDtzBXd35JfknFLv0o2-lolMevJ-SOBl-E0FlurP2-nKnk4nFQYiXHuuVBMdN8aXI4O-GfQX1_bCnQ56tBbF0Q" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYEqmdJQaXcaNm1YDKE5ncQEU9dLuGH48pMq1Blqq0ZFxuKsEZM14x3MssUWLCLR3aVQsPhCSIKesAezCrsp1e08fE8gU7qlbhG1uNJDtzBXd35JfknFLv0o2-lolMevJ-SOBl-E0FlurP2-nKnk4nFQYiXHuuVBMdN8aXI4O-GfQX1_bCnQ56tBbF0Q=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dusy Basin. Isn't that Agassiz again on the left?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">I hiked out in the morning, starting before sunrise. Very pretty and peaceful morning</span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghQjJKg6RCcoH2qhtmWdn3ZcDGUwKZRUTFtexUhZOjsisva3ra5wKDL-pOQExlqgcAaL3fKpFgvEiY-NcPr-D9h-Uhegon6ydfSfCUdubFqNLtAqkPoWFNZkfr92LQltbLZCpw9yahKGzs1qAHrUs_zf3Dj2AE-RJ2wbC1t9lL_JqJdOi_mdI8QNgDlg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="851" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghQjJKg6RCcoH2qhtmWdn3ZcDGUwKZRUTFtexUhZOjsisva3ra5wKDL-pOQExlqgcAaL3fKpFgvEiY-NcPr-D9h-Uhegon6ydfSfCUdubFqNLtAqkPoWFNZkfr92LQltbLZCpw9yahKGzs1qAHrUs_zf3Dj2AE-RJ2wbC1t9lL_JqJdOi_mdI8QNgDlg=w589-h640" width="589" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdCfbnziEok8xsPjm90o3GwPtRWDI2lcdBKJz9LX5eKsnKgxcaZuvhS8f_FRg3cIQS0xw__dyHpeutFL8IsatA-QAfkSbNeI0uMJ1dHh7cYHkgR4KPfkVskPDQ0tYVX0N29Hu8ZGIJ8krlxV2zwJqkxHuIssntmxdgYEIb36Li0eZXRt7_cXpAP3MbEg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdCfbnziEok8xsPjm90o3GwPtRWDI2lcdBKJz9LX5eKsnKgxcaZuvhS8f_FRg3cIQS0xw__dyHpeutFL8IsatA-QAfkSbNeI0uMJ1dHh7cYHkgR4KPfkVskPDQ0tYVX0N29Hu8ZGIJ8krlxV2zwJqkxHuIssntmxdgYEIb36Li0eZXRt7_cXpAP3MbEg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Long Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-45510650253402212362022-10-22T19:24:00.008-07:002022-10-29T20:50:16.603-07:00Fall Hikes Eastern Sierras<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqyr3CcBMrkQY4htyLMtaUTHi6hsdfI-c_0dytRFWUMNk5SmEETtN-xPqW2HdlVC5dWLVVD-LLW4s74PSSleHFqwDK1uDQNc6zv88snCMQmtGLMynL7_yIQXMrZQgdd3aaEO8Yn5tVJ14jg7TgcctZON0vBd454VcwLJ7HlWBo9IU8XCfPRfLyj2Y5hQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqyr3CcBMrkQY4htyLMtaUTHi6hsdfI-c_0dytRFWUMNk5SmEETtN-xPqW2HdlVC5dWLVVD-LLW4s74PSSleHFqwDK1uDQNc6zv88snCMQmtGLMynL7_yIQXMrZQgdd3aaEO8Yn5tVJ14jg7TgcctZON0vBd454VcwLJ7HlWBo9IU8XCfPRfLyj2Y5hQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Eagle Peak and its morning reflection in Lake 7, Big Pine North Fork</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">September and October are the best time to go into the Sierras, days are still warm (but no longer hot), nights cool, and crowds and mosquitoes have thinned out (the latter completely after the first freezes). It is easy to get overnight permits, even for impacted areas like Mt. Whitney or Big Pine North Fork (which has a daily quota of 25). This time, I got a permit for Big Pine North Fork and left SM after teaching a statistics class in the morning. That was a 260 mile drive, but I was on the trail a little after 3 pm and by sunset made camp at a lake 1 (nobody else there). </span><div><span style="color: #11100f;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNA2fTqYxcEC9lYCyXSoz1TNFauRF-hb_7nKPjnOK2yWLGNI50jHwHjaaOLDQ7gxwDQV4tPzBfZyxDQYOCmlSyMBXRcupyC65mkzsIfej8MpagHKZmFV6D-8knOgGdLY1GunhpxwiMR755r2JhUqRZi2sVZH7ab0wIIEsUcSrJSfqkT1vdztY21INKFA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNA2fTqYxcEC9lYCyXSoz1TNFauRF-hb_7nKPjnOK2yWLGNI50jHwHjaaOLDQ7gxwDQV4tPzBfZyxDQYOCmlSyMBXRcupyC65mkzsIfej8MpagHKZmFV6D-8knOgGdLY1GunhpxwiMR755r2JhUqRZi2sVZH7ab0wIIEsUcSrJSfqkT1vdztY21INKFA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camp at Lake 1</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #11100f;">The trails from the East start very similar: drive a few hours north through the desert, make a left turn in a small town, 20 minutes up a windy road, start hiking. First town is Lone Pine (Mt. Whitney), second town is Independence (Kearsarge Pass), third town is Big Pine (Big Pine North and South Forks), then Bishop (South Lake for Bishop Pass). </span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #11100f;">Whitney is popular because it happens to be the highest mountain (making Lone Pine the biggest of the first three towns); </span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #11100f;">Kearsarge connects with Kings Canyon National Park; </span><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #11100f;">Big Pine is pretty, but it is a small area because both North and South Fork trails dead-end. Big Pine has some of the best names: The North Fork trail goes into the Inconsolable Range and Cloudripper is the highest mountain among the Inconsolables. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #11100f;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #11100f;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: 16px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRuy1i_ezIag6CAP_76pEnUmfIPmcLRlmZHcfkROqosSmQ_VgryHFH7bxukz9L9W1X1ZkfNTfi5JYmqk8Z_SWTcNqNwl5aKGDQ26NJstIdbX6Z67s7RzLO1JX26zma1DZvhJtVBvoutMU2pZQSz-xzFpr_FNJgDkPsRKcjtqZ0zMKaorsk7F__NAT7vg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRuy1i_ezIag6CAP_76pEnUmfIPmcLRlmZHcfkROqosSmQ_VgryHFH7bxukz9L9W1X1ZkfNTfi5JYmqk8Z_SWTcNqNwl5aKGDQ26NJstIdbX6Z67s7RzLO1JX26zma1DZvhJtVBvoutMU2pZQSz-xzFpr_FNJgDkPsRKcjtqZ0zMKaorsk7F__NAT7vg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6b6FpjV7SVild39v-3MMWjXHf8X8e3VVmHOEtrGO543k19XxvMr0fVCcg1bcrDu79FuyQpFb0Ft8xdUE-r8cZCb_NccSil-PIpO7R9mEbF7IjBpVVh1szZDu92vzA0F4suisGoML6pPyRBK9OEW9zyP5VseOOrH1NsxIyV_CTdgnBeLcFwxMFquG5mA" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6b6FpjV7SVild39v-3MMWjXHf8X8e3VVmHOEtrGO543k19XxvMr0fVCcg1bcrDu79FuyQpFb0Ft8xdUE-r8cZCb_NccSil-PIpO7R9mEbF7IjBpVVh1szZDu92vzA0F4suisGoML6pPyRBK9OEW9zyP5VseOOrH1NsxIyV_CTdgnBeLcFwxMFquG5mA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;">Only 25 overnight permits are issued per day for the North Fork. However, it is also very popular with day visitors within the first miles from the trailhead. Dayhikers with dogs are a particular nuisance, d</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;">og poop on the trail (and "responsible" owners leaving it wrapped in plastic bags on the trail), loose dogs that "just want to play", annoying barkers. Both on the way in and the way out. There is a pretty area with Aspens early on and they were in fall colors. Unfortunately, they are also heavily graffitied, suffering from the popularity. Fortunately, 2 hours of hiking gets you beyond that.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPFT2Tq7AlI4VpP7Xgcw9Zli-b4GpFZ2NY1c5A75U46Nlz5mrvhba6GTkpYGX2u_CXeVBEqscKC-CE72vgqUYkEGyBgWfw_CaLur0Q2f8utOA1Y4r5MHjRjjjl8vymWZmn6scXjMkL__Ujh5UX1F-SZteDKq8KfOxapCsTEBre3amUOSOxCeNJ8Jm9Pg" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPFT2Tq7AlI4VpP7Xgcw9Zli-b4GpFZ2NY1c5A75U46Nlz5mrvhba6GTkpYGX2u_CXeVBEqscKC-CE72vgqUYkEGyBgWfw_CaLur0Q2f8utOA1Y4r5MHjRjjjl8vymWZmn6scXjMkL__Ujh5UX1F-SZteDKq8KfOxapCsTEBre3amUOSOxCeNJ8Jm9Pg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cloudripper (on the right) from a distance, it is the highest peak in the Inconsolable Range</td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div><p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpBNNCIEOxbl3kcyWp3VXzQdzdosoFSIsdAesjCJtru3U7pRYsOx4uyqjdQfpHBtEEh-U_htCAJyk2ufD1DyP4IIwwl1_jof8cK3tBqE0ROT92Akd_ZlV59ArfuUx_yur9mhS6W7fNupLMIobBRAX2oaYDURNLl_h9ngVwywkqUmCZxJKmajgd0cyRHA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpBNNCIEOxbl3kcyWp3VXzQdzdosoFSIsdAesjCJtru3U7pRYsOx4uyqjdQfpHBtEEh-U_htCAJyk2ufD1DyP4IIwwl1_jof8cK3tBqE0ROT92Akd_ZlV59ArfuUx_yur9mhS6W7fNupLMIobBRAX2oaYDURNLl_h9ngVwywkqUmCZxJKmajgd0cyRHA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></span><span style="font-size: medium;">There are 7 numbered lakes (1-7) and a few other lakes. The main area is easy trails with gentle gradients up to where the trail splits into a branch going to Palisades Glacier and a branch to Lakes 4/5 (it is still a lot of climbing, so easy conditional on 1000m gain). Few day visitors (which is the majority) beyond Lakes 4/5 and I didn't see anybody at all for 1 1/2 days once past Lake 5.</span></span></p><p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">The trail seems to end at a campsite at Lake 6, after that comes a swampy meadow up to Lake 7. I stopped for lunch at Lake 7, set up my tent, and left the luggage there. </span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEh7T_DYJ3-tIhgDCWLBdzA9HxzaQK3IH92IlKGAuB-FErAJCGH8mE7kMSTxuIFIySDkQhbwIcYjc_WyLfsrJsBTIvw9m3t-fe6ioWDWk_wUW5rZ85C25wC1sajksM0HkoQuPzw5_AiGuffWTRHz0N7miwbC641JnJx5qV59rQREdc2rPHSpXY-t_msw" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEh7T_DYJ3-tIhgDCWLBdzA9HxzaQK3IH92IlKGAuB-FErAJCGH8mE7kMSTxuIFIySDkQhbwIcYjc_WyLfsrJsBTIvw9m3t-fe6ioWDWk_wUW5rZ85C25wC1sajksM0HkoQuPzw5_AiGuffWTRHz0N7miwbC641JnJx5qV59rQREdc2rPHSpXY-t_msw" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many lakes, more than 7</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div><p class="paragraph-190" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph-190" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="color: #11100f; font-size: medium;">After Lake 7, it goes up steeply in almost every direction, it sits at the foot of the Inconsolable Range. The tallest mountain in that range is Cloudripper at 4122 m (so not quite a 14er) and supposedly not a technical climb. I had not looked for descriptions beforehand, so I had to search for routes. The initial route I took was the wrong one - or at least a route that was becoming much more technical than what I would do. From the bottom, it is hard to tell what is and is not workable, I ruled out a chute to the far right which looked too steep and all loose scree (AFTER a big chunk of talus hopping). But that was the way to go after all. </span></p><p class="paragraph-190" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="color: #11100f;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCApbqdRPgAWCUFN5YjZW2Jnp9HVjsXmCsxPBM5ffoQl5gKfGLOlmUdEOcCVWktuxJSpV4Eiu1QfYjNrmySJ9leszcHw1EOT0Po9w_JO_Cu1EpFWLI9kQRmHF5A0F8d3cTU21knAK0LsUHZzxEf9BHK-JgrqyxIwrEzZWPuXqOc29aj12hN8jxeenwKA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCApbqdRPgAWCUFN5YjZW2Jnp9HVjsXmCsxPBM5ffoQl5gKfGLOlmUdEOcCVWktuxJSpV4Eiu1QfYjNrmySJ9leszcHw1EOT0Po9w_JO_Cu1EpFWLI9kQRmHF5A0F8d3cTU21knAK0LsUHZzxEf9BHK-JgrqyxIwrEzZWPuXqOc29aj12hN8jxeenwKA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now which way? (Turns out none of those, it would be further to the right, but I only figured that out later)</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="paragraph-190" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="color: #11100f;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph-190" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="color: #11100f;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaSGJaPTBNQdi__U8oTMcn3omW3VkpP6cbGYFsKnrE8fZh-H27VCCf0SLyc7PBLhASSscWPNVsOf1Tx7cowiC_WxptczHWpO8qVTlCPc-eKELeqnhqPEMrkHIJtpVmYA9UV5EN_3VrsLp0_eCSkIGefw8o5A9_aSHIJ9Uy7sq-gqF1fIZ3EAvCmp3mfA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaSGJaPTBNQdi__U8oTMcn3omW3VkpP6cbGYFsKnrE8fZh-H27VCCf0SLyc7PBLhASSscWPNVsOf1Tx7cowiC_WxptczHWpO8qVTlCPc-eKELeqnhqPEMrkHIJtpVmYA9UV5EN_3VrsLp0_eCSkIGefw8o5A9_aSHIJ9Uy7sq-gqF1fIZ3EAvCmp3mfA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made it to the ridge, now just straight ahead along the ridge</td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="color: #11100f;"><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA84WzJTYLm2fb2grk-wEP6nX269D5ePRAtml9nqeUvDzdvjjzc5JPJ15R7kmwcTQW6_TvkMFGePxM1UsVIM13AdItFaRu2bDQ5K-fAoYoYJxg0KiFMNRp9xDdrswDWkmclkmuJjLDJkpwltAzdJvCkYNzJv9ZhL0R2xCuF1Cc-CTomgtlVoRhYOO5Gw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA84WzJTYLm2fb2grk-wEP6nX269D5ePRAtml9nqeUvDzdvjjzc5JPJ15R7kmwcTQW6_TvkMFGePxM1UsVIM13AdItFaRu2bDQ5K-fAoYoYJxg0KiFMNRp9xDdrswDWkmclkmuJjLDJkpwltAzdJvCkYNzJv9ZhL0R2xCuF1Cc-CTomgtlVoRhYOO5Gw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Cloudripper southeast to the Palisades and Palisades Glacier</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="paragraph-190" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="color: #11100f;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ6Eq7eS3NJmNBxeQAxvuWe1nmfz5rvrFldZFBsxDUXAA9Mjq8qW2DoLsvsYPocFWsvcSI9cM3TdukoRzQs59ZD1usLwvQnNp5AmW42va5uRXcNVdwb5-FDm-EaaE4X77MsVM9kSAjR7ar0aw7_6LFGeKJwexSfSZmm6gzwUxuAWEstZ8xBtKOQyONsA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="1064" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ6Eq7eS3NJmNBxeQAxvuWe1nmfz5rvrFldZFBsxDUXAA9Mjq8qW2DoLsvsYPocFWsvcSI9cM3TdukoRzQs59ZD1usLwvQnNp5AmW42va5uRXcNVdwb5-FDm-EaaE4X77MsVM9kSAjR7ar0aw7_6LFGeKJwexSfSZmm6gzwUxuAWEstZ8xBtKOQyONsA=w640-h444" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #11100f; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">Looking the other direction from Cloudripper towards Bishop Pass/Dusy Basin</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="color: #11100f;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Turns out that there is another tall peak very close to Cloudripper, in fact, the second highest in the Inconsolable Range and also over 4000m: Vagabond Peak. It is not particularly difficult either (I hiked in running shoes), but a bit more scrambling than Cloudripper at the top. Coming down from Vagabond Peak, I heard some voices in the distance, presumably a group was either climbing or descending Cloudripper, but I didn't see anybody. In fact, I didn't see anybody all day. </span></span><p></p><p class="paragraph-190" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="color: #11100f; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph-190" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="color: #11100f; font-size: medium;">I was back at my tent by 5.30, so had a little bit of daylight left. I walked out the next morning.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDhFQ6b8FPWt-pZNETANFseAPr8n7pnBS6sPCK2SyBDFNuKkW5uAPhiNJptM_I_3fOFxPMmwbzF5zuXleKiCCCx_MMq1Oagel5EXxCsRdm6tMg1Fu21Jioc5Kgzf_gEoZu9jQ5UGse5AojmqI1cKGkByYCIETSoKIrLrysAu3M5EZlE1ceVi6LTmqccQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDhFQ6b8FPWt-pZNETANFseAPr8n7pnBS6sPCK2SyBDFNuKkW5uAPhiNJptM_I_3fOFxPMmwbzF5zuXleKiCCCx_MMq1Oagel5EXxCsRdm6tMg1Fu21Jioc5Kgzf_gEoZu9jQ5UGse5AojmqI1cKGkByYCIETSoKIrLrysAu3M5EZlE1ceVi6LTmqccQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">back at my campsite at lake 7</td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="color: #11100f;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="paragraph-190" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="color: #11100f;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph-190" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="color: #11100f;"> </span></p><p></p><p><br /></p></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-85351087962809653382022-10-21T21:07:00.011-07:002022-10-23T08:21:11.472-07:00Another try at Mt Whitney in the Fall<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFisC4b-8cU7tslg_CHt1jEkl0IC68EwmPTaHoU5YOgh_3A-L9JTedcUzvicvtt0aQA-zRgeeu9HqnNpn_vgstmms7dFy7paQWdoTgLV1QITmcm_jIN0AaFOOVmEBkWl6d4m4u7yfXjSJZgcFiFBPBOe9GHvhbWYVKo5_wN5FHYqRmwa5bjDj7nBE1Vg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFisC4b-8cU7tslg_CHt1jEkl0IC68EwmPTaHoU5YOgh_3A-L9JTedcUzvicvtt0aQA-zRgeeu9HqnNpn_vgstmms7dFy7paQWdoTgLV1QITmcm_jIN0AaFOOVmEBkWl6d4m4u7yfXjSJZgcFiFBPBOe9GHvhbWYVKo5_wN5FHYqRmwa5bjDj7nBE1Vg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Sequoia National Park from the East - yes, this is all National Park as far as you can see</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Fall is usually a good time to go in the mountains. It is easy to get permits on short notice that usually require participation in a lottery - like Mt. Whitney. Crowds and mosquitoes have thinned out, days are no longer hot, but nights are not yet too cold. Usually.... Last year around this time, I had one fail and that was at Whitney. It started and ended beautifully, but the time in between was rough after an unexpected storm destroyed my tent. Maybe the most <a href="https://rolandsturm.blogspot.com/2021/11/rough-night-on-whitney-but-nice-days.html">miserable night</a> I had on any trip. </span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1AmVZZAp6Dpz9vuFAeJ7xTzvTOAca2Be6zy8Z5AU_XKq-BtVrV6JTJnv-Tr2YEYyusDZzRZussvaqSiX6p2ZXwAHz_TVPQdF0CBw8NP8X2Em7NM5zWwZ_G5SLp-lHyZh8CuUdpA45-Pz/s2048/C8890404-E0CB-427B-B94A-A45B2508D1AC.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1AmVZZAp6Dpz9vuFAeJ7xTzvTOAca2Be6zy8Z5AU_XKq-BtVrV6JTJnv-Tr2YEYyusDZzRZussvaqSiX6p2ZXwAHz_TVPQdF0CBw8NP8X2Em7NM5zWwZ_G5SLp-lHyZh8CuUdpA45-Pz/w640-h480/C8890404-E0CB-427B-B94A-A45B2508D1AC.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whitney is the slightly rounder peak</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>So now there was a reason to make it to the top of Whitney. Until last year, I never tried because it has little appeal to me: The Mt. Whitney area itself is congested because it is the highest mountain in the contiguous 48 states at 4400m/14500 feet. </span></span><span>Entering the Whitney area requires permits even for day hikes. Those are so oversubscribed that they are awarded through a lottery at the beginning of the year. There is nothing difficult about it and m</span><span>ore than 100 years ago (and long before trails received maintenance), John Muir wrote that</span></span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>"...in summer no extraordinary danger need be encountered Almost any one able to cross a cobblestoned street in a crowd may climb Mt. Whitney."</i></span></span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Muir, John. The Complete Works of John Muir: Travel Memoirs, Wilderness Essays, Environmental Studies & Letters (p. 1801). Madison & Adams Press.</span></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;"> <span>No kidding, this is the trail after Mirror Lake, well above 3000m (or 10000 feet for those that count with their extremities) capturing a moment without people on it.</span><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHeJ5f4_xfYdrW45_6gHkGP_tt0WwCrmz7xwMaYMoZen-oDWeCzsW68mpA1uXT-HtvatdVk-oTTey8O-sJE1yLCg0piZxPFJdJQWoFcHvi77f6EZNt5kb9TkXuqDk_6NcdIYtOK3sNP1M12_RPwkVha2xBPjojjI7SX9xnv3aqYupMkwk3hhxnobdZYw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHeJ5f4_xfYdrW45_6gHkGP_tt0WwCrmz7xwMaYMoZen-oDWeCzsW68mpA1uXT-HtvatdVk-oTTey8O-sJE1yLCg0piZxPFJdJQWoFcHvi77f6EZNt5kb9TkXuqDk_6NcdIYtOK3sNP1M12_RPwkVha2xBPjojjI7SX9xnv3aqYupMkwk3hhxnobdZYw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the trail surely was rougher during John Muir's days</td></tr></tbody></table><span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">So Whitney may not exactly be my thing, but that freak snow storm last year that destroyed my tent put Whitney high on my agenda. Not high enough to plan in advance, but then this isn't necessary in the fall. I checked recreation.gov one morning, saw an overnight permit for that day, packed up and was on the trail before 4pm. </span></span><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWxAe-xe8HNGcXaDWCpKJ4W_LVQJNfhgx00dKZGkwv3-7OH9iNodIn4Y_V-ASQt7juO4hYh4TcEB9FaduL07d1LXlSBmKi5QSY3HNU77vGoExY1pQOKzx_7sxZ4Fjl_2ovegJFlCcU0nw/s2048/4875FC14-5F15-4C9B-8326-2C99986ADC12.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWxAe-xe8HNGcXaDWCpKJ4W_LVQJNfhgx00dKZGkwv3-7OH9iNodIn4Y_V-ASQt7juO4hYh4TcEB9FaduL07d1LXlSBmKi5QSY3HNU77vGoExY1pQOKzx_7sxZ4Fjl_2ovegJFlCcU0nw/w640-h480/4875FC14-5F15-4C9B-8326-2C99986ADC12.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Permits are by a lottery with low chances - or easy to get in October as long as you are flexible (same day or next!) </td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsxe1Jfwb3G-3LCRs86uPXDzXW98AbqU0L6A8ZqzBDgXjV8Aan5jABQCSL8WVAbVLF_5GApkkc13IDKfBjd7F-BDR8tk0XbAfhMfghnOSHV9nqXRT70-ptONqsRp1XCaqbcjxoRmQX5B3/s2048/A3373E6C-4853-471F-A3C9-5A7833865AF5.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsxe1Jfwb3G-3LCRs86uPXDzXW98AbqU0L6A8ZqzBDgXjV8Aan5jABQCSL8WVAbVLF_5GApkkc13IDKfBjd7F-BDR8tk0XbAfhMfghnOSHV9nqXRT70-ptONqsRp1XCaqbcjxoRmQX5B3/w480-h640/A3373E6C-4853-471F-A3C9-5A7833865AF5.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going up the main Whitney trail, now almost at the treeline. </td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;">It was lovely afternoon, not too hot (cloudy and a bit drizzly), but forecast was above freezing (well, last year unexpectedly turned out to be much different in the end). </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZcSRZD3TFMKWHGe3mfpGqu0CKTmzkDxfK2yIQxOwKI4dVFrjXPcV5hZlrsF_vuGzgUvN4cgS_gXqwFg-p4jiA5XpytH2wxr6ymWCTN0JSBr-SQgZH4xWjBnR8iQaSIlfGzREtoZAaDSj/s2048/8774DDFA-2291-4443-AB31-2FD980D83D54.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZcSRZD3TFMKWHGe3mfpGqu0CKTmzkDxfK2yIQxOwKI4dVFrjXPcV5hZlrsF_vuGzgUvN4cgS_gXqwFg-p4jiA5XpytH2wxr6ymWCTN0JSBr-SQgZH4xWjBnR8iQaSIlfGzREtoZAaDSj/w640-h480/8774DDFA-2291-4443-AB31-2FD980D83D54.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thor Peak (3750m) looms over much of the hike and it is a more impressive mountain than the picture shows</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-qKVq7Z8Yz3Y5RHL-p2vCdeJvt58x8OqPDhbSVc2ATiW8INy37I-wOVghsSdB6JfRQQyahdM4bDp06Rg0BgWlwgXfoXcX760J5kEh1Nr0_ac7iJUlbFwa-8opwE1d4URx5BCg4NMD__KpNV8D9JQqa8r-DRwG6vyR6aH6gMjumdjIPN-QYkGHzJjCxg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-qKVq7Z8Yz3Y5RHL-p2vCdeJvt58x8OqPDhbSVc2ATiW8INy37I-wOVghsSdB6JfRQQyahdM4bDp06Rg0BgWlwgXfoXcX760J5kEh1Nr0_ac7iJUlbFwa-8opwE1d4URx5BCg4NMD__KpNV8D9JQqa8r-DRwG6vyR6aH6gMjumdjIPN-QYkGHzJjCxg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my tent at Consultation Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Dawdling too much taking pictures, so time to speed up because I was about to run out of daylight before getting to Consultation Lake (ok, I DID run out of daylight). But now I know a hiking route (no scrambling required) to descend to Consultation Lake. No light needed for that. I was the only camper at Consultation Lake, like last year. </span><span>Few people seem to make the detour to the lake, maybe because there is an official camping location, Trail Camp, just a bit further on the trail. But Consultation Lake is SO much nicer!</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Night was a bit restless, at least initially, but that is not unexpected at 3600m without acclimatization. Tent wasn't needed this time and I actually stayed outside until the moon became too noisy (it was close to full moon). I didn't wake up until after 7.30 and by then the temperature was already pleasant. Very different from last year. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Trail Camp is just up the road from Consultation Lake, 15-20 mins, but what a different scene. Dozens of people crowded along the trail around a muddy pond. I go into the mountains to avoid this, but some seem to seek it out. The infamous 99 switchback section starts right after Trail Camp. Halfway up I took a picture to show you the difference between Consultation Lake and Trail Camp. On the right, Consultation Lake, I was the only person there. See the small greenish pond on the left? That is Trail Camp, dozens of people and tents every day. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXNDfBTbsUWf-xcrlg6xOE_hSSVwdgt7L_beNRc7WViRDVs1kKJH31cXh2hpc6_O4icp3hzSnbyN9VGmHnbCjs643IUGuF-GtXCItsfA1uuVDDxhvLOo-jJ-yaghkalhttLwDEKIK-yvlntmJCqLWMzYIfz8jpUk8dnMaumEOqbJKA2NrnFKggZm7pmw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="973" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXNDfBTbsUWf-xcrlg6xOE_hSSVwdgt7L_beNRc7WViRDVs1kKJH31cXh2hpc6_O4icp3hzSnbyN9VGmHnbCjs643IUGuF-GtXCItsfA1uuVDDxhvLOo-jJ-yaghkalhttLwDEKIK-yvlntmJCqLWMzYIfz8jpUk8dnMaumEOqbJKA2NrnFKggZm7pmw" width="578" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Consultation Lake on the right. Small greenish pond on the left is the crowded Trail Camp</td></tr></tbody></table><span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">99 switchbacks is a fairly tedious slog. Takes about 1 1/2 hours, 500-600 m or so elevation gain. Nothing difficult or hard, just tedious. A very well developed trail. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">But at the top comes Trail Crest and the connector with the John Muir Trail and that is an impressive view of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks as far as one can see. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCA_285C21vC07-93lQkkLXIuRWL-76dLmbPnXqdFU9FadibYxjnC3YdNv0uFyVuXrP0a3HGNCl7LMmUvq3cxOXZIh9uDO7M6fDPhTemQyz3GAxP4xbMNulzhdldtcMGKk2wWiW5YUeNWyzpykhG65KAasgprakc6_UwnwPDzji9Wo7EHCvOvV5TibYQ=w640-h480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking East from Trailcrest</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXvMpoY5c_GO1I09IRSN4FGjTWXNlI5ilFx_wvSklrYHBzoaWbDBUtUXS1m3B41-JqvmY_4ad6mbqnoHwGVHiCBA9ZtA1wyKU_fMAPIt32Qr7pW2Jr2HqCbUsvCIkPDiVTdspbBx0zSszW2EOOcJf_WuAser101eTlPo7CJeAfWnkYQVS_fQ5hq-5t8Q" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="872" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXvMpoY5c_GO1I09IRSN4FGjTWXNlI5ilFx_wvSklrYHBzoaWbDBUtUXS1m3B41-JqvmY_4ad6mbqnoHwGVHiCBA9ZtA1wyKU_fMAPIt32Qr7pW2Jr2HqCbUsvCIkPDiVTdspbBx0zSszW2EOOcJf_WuAser101eTlPo7CJeAfWnkYQVS_fQ5hq-5t8Q=w619-h640" width="619" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trail Crest</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfyF5bVb0HKdWqwiUGRfNj7WfzW2juVsprvdnOTfZ3VYzQNHTVRbnNFWY7vmqagKtWEnUHopN-4Sb7a6H9ijVYJQu4nI421I84K1Yw1Qskn0m-lABap58yIufy_UYjh4Evf632U3lreR961IL8mxDMR3rBtVstFzBtOGTLRP_jP3Hh38bFZ9NG_IMoMw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfyF5bVb0HKdWqwiUGRfNj7WfzW2juVsprvdnOTfZ3VYzQNHTVRbnNFWY7vmqagKtWEnUHopN-4Sb7a6H9ijVYJQu4nI421I84K1Yw1Qskn0m-lABap58yIufy_UYjh4Evf632U3lreR961IL8mxDMR3rBtVstFzBtOGTLRP_jP3Hh38bFZ9NG_IMoMw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It is pretty rocky around Trail Crest, but what truly astonished me is the effort that went into trail building. Big rocks on a steep slope, yet rearranged to make almost a staircase:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg539W3kqucMlldoSORi3Jjg2Uw7mtDSU-ry_cXnVXkijBvmtB5QE-AfKM8o5yTx3gT4Ufrhqyaso5IM6vo9wbuMKlzyCkBidr6x4LGD2BlQBmTv45si23nY1mIipJi34xFRF_nvTZiFHlGxQqgMfM8WMiYd7687BY8dzUvdUVf5dNGfYrUe6xFeOp47A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg539W3kqucMlldoSORi3Jjg2Uw7mtDSU-ry_cXnVXkijBvmtB5QE-AfKM8o5yTx3gT4Ufrhqyaso5IM6vo9wbuMKlzyCkBidr6x4LGD2BlQBmTv45si23nY1mIipJi34xFRF_nvTZiFHlGxQqgMfM8WMiYd7687BY8dzUvdUVf5dNGfYrUe6xFeOp47A=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Another hour or so from there to the top. Yes, highest mountain I've been on. Not the most rewarding one, though. And too crowded. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzPvL_KPDP_JKpCg7WWLH7bqd0doGBfv_h2Ihkbrr0lzj673fRhq1va_HS779iQAcl2_m62wxRfFQxUrWAh0AG2eZT9aLWBAugBkS52X6F0phe8sUka1ovPF-sRZHtySYGkIGDfjkQ3DTIgwQ7Ns0ZCELicmERqOtuIPvSQXorC4PLOrMkaxh87AeW5w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzPvL_KPDP_JKpCg7WWLH7bqd0doGBfv_h2Ihkbrr0lzj673fRhq1va_HS779iQAcl2_m62wxRfFQxUrWAh0AG2eZT9aLWBAugBkS52X6F0phe8sUka1ovPF-sRZHtySYGkIGDfjkQ3DTIgwQ7Ns0ZCELicmERqOtuIPvSQXorC4PLOrMkaxh87AeW5w=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-52642942754503756732022-10-01T17:57:00.001-07:002023-05-06T08:45:16.442-07:00The Enduring Charm of Obsolete Instruments<p><br /></p> Aluminum resonator (“resophonic”) instruments were an early 1900s attempt to mechanically amplify string instruments. Their time in the sun was rather brief – mainly the late 1920 – because as soon as there was a decent sounding and reasonably affordable resophonic instrument, the technology was outdated and completely superseded by electric amplification. There is a small niche for modern versions and I just added an 8-string resonator slide guitar to provide some company for my (modern) National resonator mandolin.<br /><br /><img height="480" src="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/7403DB05-69F1-4795-BA4F-B006041A4614_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /><br /><br />The best known effort was by Los Angeles instrument repairman/inventor John Dopyera who built a “resophonic” (or “ampliphonic”) guitar for the musician George Beauchamp. Together they founded the National Company and the instruments quickly became popular, especially for the then hugely popular Hawaiian slide guitar style. And that style urgently needed something punchier than regular guitars played with a steel bar. Their collaboration did not last long and Dopyera left the National Company in 1929 to start the competing “Dobro Manufacturing Company” with his brothers. Dobro was a contraction of “Dopyera brothers”, but conveniently also meant “good” in their native Slovak language, an idea reflected in the company motto “Dobro means good in any language.” National and Dobro did not compete for long and merged into the National-Dobro Corporation in 1934. By then the decline of resophonic instruments was already under way because electric amplification rendered mechanical amplification instantly obsolete. At that time, the only reason for resophonic instruments was added volume and that advantage was gone. For the next decades, the electric steel guitar ruled (before it fell out of fashion itself): <a href="https://folkworks.org/the-forgotten-steel-guitar/">The Forgotten Steel Guitar</a><br /><br />Beauchamp himself had started a new company with Adolph Rickenbacher in 1931 that sold electric steel guitar. National-Dobro moved from Los Angeles to Chicago and started building electric instruments. After 1941, National did not produce any original resonators and those designs were only revived by National Reso-Phonic Guitars, a San Luis Obispo company founded in 1989. Production of resophonic instruments under the Dobro label also ended in the 1940s, but Dobros had an earlier revival caused by bluegrass.<br /><img src="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resonators.jpg" /><br /><br />National “biscuit” resonator on top, Dobro “spider” resonator at the bottom<br /><br />The main difference between National and Dobro instruments is how the aluminum resonator cone amplifies the string vibrations through the bridge. National instruments have a resonator in a mountain shape – it is lowest at the edge with a peak in the center. A wooden disc (“biscuit”) is glued to the peak and the bridge sits on the biscuit. Dobros turn the resonator upside down, it is a valley (lowest in the center). On top is a “spider”, a cast metal framework, and a threaded bolt connects the center of the bridge through the spider to the bottom center of the cone. While necessitated by patent restrictions, both designs work well. I now have one of each.<br /><br />Resonator instruments have their own timbre. Neither like a typical acoustic (wood only) instrument nor like an electric. A bit metallic, sometimes rather rough, but that is exactly what blues players like, like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0jRX69mxcE&t=31s">Bukka White in this video</a>. My mandolin can be very loud, so the mechanical amplification does work, but played gently has an attractive tone on its own.<br /><br />Dopyera was not the first builder of metal resophonic instruments. That credit may belong to Augustus Stroh, who got a UK patent for a violin in 1900 on “Improvements in Violins and other Stringed Instruments”. His patent described a flat metal diaphragm to mechanically amplify the sound and a year later extended the concept to a conical resonator with corrugations at its edge, allowing a more ‘rigid’ diaphragm. He never registered his inventions in the USA, otherwise Dopyera and Beauchamp may not have been able to get their Nati0nal design patented.<br /><br />The Stroh violin was an expensive instrument, roughly 6 times the price of a decent factory violin. Combined with its rather shrill tone, lacking the more appealing characteristics of a violin, it never received widespread acceptance, not even briefly. It remained a rarity, although it has been the trademark of the Irish fiddler Julia Clifford (but I think most of her recordings were on a regular fiddle). Surely more appropriate for Sliabh Lucra polkas in a noisy pub than for a Beethoven string quartet in a recital hall<br /><img src="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/julia-clifford-stroh-violin-235x300.jpg" /><br /><br />Julia Clifford and her Stroh fiddle<br /><br /> Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-43367604440352993282022-07-18T21:33:00.142-07:002022-07-20T11:11:02.964-07:00Kings Canyon National Park: 60 Lake, Gardiner, Rae Lakes Basin<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-Ismo3bMd7RUdbOvZsQWwZf8AwEIYl9qE4jcHpQmmqBiCLC9naOvtTlfxDbSD6M5FrSl5_k1dVVnyh1jqESCqso_bgT_x5JZSxgbNWYU2U2ZILxeWvsFWQ1O6i7Vkor4e3jp1mHAh4bJktKYKaqHB-9_l3DOYfEjzFhR3EyjYar6lxej2p1WLNGeMQ/s4032/C4997845-2909-447A-BF61-D0C970F92A6A.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-Ismo3bMd7RUdbOvZsQWwZf8AwEIYl9qE4jcHpQmmqBiCLC9naOvtTlfxDbSD6M5FrSl5_k1dVVnyh1jqESCqso_bgT_x5JZSxgbNWYU2U2ZILxeWvsFWQ1O6i7Vkor4e3jp1mHAh4bJktKYKaqHB-9_l3DOYfEjzFhR3EyjYar6lxej2p1WLNGeMQ/w480-h640/C4997845-2909-447A-BF61-D0C970F92A6A.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sixty Lake Basin</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Four days in the High Sierra</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;">T</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>he Eastern Sierras are within easy reach from LA, about 4 hours to trailheads and offer an amazing alpine scenery that never disappoints. No matter how much further you want to travel, it won't get any better. The downside is that trails can be congested</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;">, especially the (deservedly famous) John Muir Trail or Rae Lakes loop. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, combined with some cross-country (no trail) hiking I had many hours without encountering anybody. </span></span></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">I left Santa Monica at noon and was on the Kearsarge Pass trail a little after 4 pm. It was a thundery afternoon and got a bit drizzled on. Actually perfect as the clouds and drizzle kept the temperature down. Otherwise, this could be a really hot climb. I need about 3 hours to get to Kearsarge Pass, it always is a very hard ascent, even if the temperature is pleasant. On paper, Kearsarge Pass doesn't look as hard as it feels, about 7.5 km and 800 m, but it wrecks me everytime. Maybe because of the altitude coming from sea level? Kearsarge Pass is 3600 m high after all. I also had a heavy backpack this time as I packed for 5 days. Whatever it is, Kearsarge Lakes, just about 2 km downhill from the pass, make a good first destination. Last year, Kathy and I just did that part, more detail (and John Muir quotes) here: <a href="https://rolandsturm.blogspot.com/2021/06/eastern-sierras.html" target="_blank">https://rolandsturm.blogspot.com/2021/06/eastern-sierras.html</a></span></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsR6HDB-qsSkyTDk4LWBYyFUwk6KZwo7vatsLiNRQBwvTrMtA9a_RqMyyIEKbaHBN48Cy4DOvXTGFRL-y3Vho6kyjMG34e_LRHD97ydgGfAsKYd8VbXFOuJg4VlMNT0FNRWYu8LJV3m2aAuHOrm7gjh5n8nR027b5FWKg9sDfWQ5ISqneqJO0EVezYIw/s4032/E81B78E7-8D6C-47B6-B9A3-98E954D1A2EB.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsR6HDB-qsSkyTDk4LWBYyFUwk6KZwo7vatsLiNRQBwvTrMtA9a_RqMyyIEKbaHBN48Cy4DOvXTGFRL-y3Vho6kyjMG34e_LRHD97ydgGfAsKYd8VbXFOuJg4VlMNT0FNRWYu8LJV3m2aAuHOrm7gjh5n8nR027b5FWKg9sDfWQ5ISqneqJO0EVezYIw/w480-h640/E81B78E7-8D6C-47B6-B9A3-98E954D1A2EB.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">going up Kearsarge Pass trail on a cloudy afternoon</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq52Lr8yeW5rmvabm3BciLHwuZuDn2FZKbdmuSbAbsGO4ewr2EFPLA3cWVXVPu4w9SMRPNaQQkD-H-C8hbv5Kge588SvpMl_o_Mmb6GvahdiFSlKLNjOYap7OsbEiZih6LjWIClrS1fhmdU9hryVTH0FX3d1pjX8FXKuJ7aBrjFBDCNqEKSNRCssAP5g/s4032/AE0A4C95-EC42-4C35-8B3A-4E67967D7A1A.heic" style="background-color: transparent; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq52Lr8yeW5rmvabm3BciLHwuZuDn2FZKbdmuSbAbsGO4ewr2EFPLA3cWVXVPu4w9SMRPNaQQkD-H-C8hbv5Kge588SvpMl_o_Mmb6GvahdiFSlKLNjOYap7OsbEiZih6LjWIClrS1fhmdU9hryVTH0FX3d1pjX8FXKuJ7aBrjFBDCNqEKSNRCssAP5g/w480-h640/AE0A4C95-EC42-4C35-8B3A-4E67967D7A1A.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This root sculpture is still a living tree! University Peak on the left </td></tr></tbody></table><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: georgia;">T</span><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: georgia;">here is no easy way to get past the mountain barrier on the eastern end, only strenuous ones. Kearsarge Pass Trail is </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">easier and shorter than the others, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: georgia;">Baxter, Sawmill, or Taboose, are twice the effort because they start much lower. Sawmill is 20km long with 2000m of gain. Kearsarge is 7.5 km and 800 m of gain. It </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: georgia;">comes at the price of extreme popularity, including people with their dogs, which is most annoying during the first half up to Flower lake. Then it thins out a bit and the other side of the pass is Kings Canyon National Park where pets aren't allowed. </span></span></span></p><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2zylEDtO_Y8VZx_mX1uDVtCjsCSV4mPugVnR0LB-fScURfx6FsxB5NqSJlrQh4-B9RNnffSSwN00IVmUFcLBCALWf2kmq7HTrd047Kld36eXsechHOZjSrGeNCEhMjwehPvM9H159IiyjV9H4ElVPbMDz8xlIPheE5jVRUV_-O2O47FBx5THOs3mvQ/s4032/C1F12F03-8AE8-4E58-A58D-354487EFC0ED.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2zylEDtO_Y8VZx_mX1uDVtCjsCSV4mPugVnR0LB-fScURfx6FsxB5NqSJlrQh4-B9RNnffSSwN00IVmUFcLBCALWf2kmq7HTrd047Kld36eXsechHOZjSrGeNCEhMjwehPvM9H159IiyjV9H4ElVPbMDz8xlIPheE5jVRUV_-O2O47FBx5THOs3mvQ/w640-h480/C1F12F03-8AE8-4E58-A58D-354487EFC0ED.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset at the 3rd Kearsarge Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UK2S3-P-no6IPtAPrJgXq8hUsz6Yhpsv5jXiV51baXlNqW4VinfdCeahDDefXh2s9aq6bx6jUXOe_eXEz6IeKLy19v8AjhWIxCQBxu034cRBxfXCG-nOL4p0wOLEmHDqVLv6kqmHbjGniAeW0s9redhUdo4T8KyhfnayBhcEOHvIZqFC5GW3P9WzGw/s4032/C7FF8276-C8EF-4C39-925C-2110FA625DFC.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UK2S3-P-no6IPtAPrJgXq8hUsz6Yhpsv5jXiV51baXlNqW4VinfdCeahDDefXh2s9aq6bx6jUXOe_eXEz6IeKLy19v8AjhWIxCQBxu034cRBxfXCG-nOL4p0wOLEmHDqVLv6kqmHbjGniAeW0s9redhUdo4T8KyhfnayBhcEOHvIZqFC5GW3P9WzGw/w640-h480/C7FF8276-C8EF-4C39-925C-2110FA625DFC.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise at the 3rd Kearsarge Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The next morning, I connected with the John Muir Trail (JMT) going north towards Rae Lakes and by noon was over Glenn Pass, also around 3600m, but only 400m of gain. It still is a hard climb with a big pack.</span></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOIAwSVAKu2zfXLMFTdSRXBvunhtJ1dq8cWlsUPPJ2DoCytY7aK8TAbDlSupypTpHf12WC9xVvZcCM4wShpuvjb7z83TdsqPY5GfW_doJCLz_yomtgkvCmY6YHErn2WzhgpiVyl5QfM6031eJ8nI5IJFzmQH8g_jQhzkqhVX0gxqF2SLz3oWQE-uszQ/s4032/69613C35-3A28-413E-A465-890E214BCA01.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOIAwSVAKu2zfXLMFTdSRXBvunhtJ1dq8cWlsUPPJ2DoCytY7aK8TAbDlSupypTpHf12WC9xVvZcCM4wShpuvjb7z83TdsqPY5GfW_doJCLz_yomtgkvCmY6YHErn2WzhgpiVyl5QfM6031eJ8nI5IJFzmQH8g_jQhzkqhVX0gxqF2SLz3oWQE-uszQ/w640-h480/69613C35-3A28-413E-A465-890E214BCA01.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bullfrog lake on the left</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5A6JCJ6sQGogAvVKpdnp7KyNyObPKIzpdlYmIPuQdinP9MxsX55TgwYItvoYioUHNIi7J7X5sz7vO-gVRwINnogt04zCoWmaqu2gp9A4qTOaUyrhb8OxajIpN-ZCQ2ifgLpFBVbr7mQp3TFPL5iNLWwUGLbe7Q3FEK6v5vI75TmWXcSueEywB-GQ54w/s3088/89EF8CE8-E721-4295-A241-6BA39B280951.heic" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5A6JCJ6sQGogAvVKpdnp7KyNyObPKIzpdlYmIPuQdinP9MxsX55TgwYItvoYioUHNIi7J7X5sz7vO-gVRwINnogt04zCoWmaqu2gp9A4qTOaUyrhb8OxajIpN-ZCQ2ifgLpFBVbr7mQp3TFPL5iNLWwUGLbe7Q3FEK6v5vI75TmWXcSueEywB-GQ54w/s320/89EF8CE8-E721-4295-A241-6BA39B280951.heic" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">The John Muir Trail and Rae Lakes loop are well known and extremely popular. Too many people all looking for solitude and remoteness! If you look at maps, the Rae Lakes loop goes around the Gardiner Basin and 60 Lake Basin, mostly along creeks/rivers. On the west, it is the South Fork of the Kings river, on the north Woods Creek, on the south Bubbs Creek, on the east Rae Lakes. In the middle are two basins with lots of lakes, but there are no maintained trails there. The two big peaks separating the Gardiner and 60 Lakes basins are Mt Clarence King and Mt Gardiner. They can be connected via 60 Lakes Col. So that's where I headed this time. </span></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHBB5nxCbk2v9kN0SFmdktokZ4-VopWomuStI2O1CLD8Fr4LKB_bHiXbx7SBxXTp_Fwc9R-BH6nTG7W7qgJFFxfhN235iU1P7uhcAx23nhlFULRYKxfDXQ2Oqqs18bOzggUojKUNdK1QC9yRjvHvXu-lG-hqm8V5O3fxHlaYLQCG4IhzOy_tmHquBeEA/s1966/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-19%20at%2011.15.11%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1966" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHBB5nxCbk2v9kN0SFmdktokZ4-VopWomuStI2O1CLD8Fr4LKB_bHiXbx7SBxXTp_Fwc9R-BH6nTG7W7qgJFFxfhN235iU1P7uhcAx23nhlFULRYKxfDXQ2Oqqs18bOzggUojKUNdK1QC9yRjvHvXu-lG-hqm8V5O3fxHlaYLQCG4IhzOy_tmHquBeEA/w640-h374/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-19%20at%2011.15.11%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Going north on the JMT over Glenn Pass, I turned off the trail about halfway down (200 m down from the top, to Rae Lakes would be another 200m of descent). </span></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEayynWyKNZcdTuHCC92RtUqEMgrIS6dmuRHYwlXav_nUa28obmCWtnkbJj_D66bCG91NXofVqGndosUiz3wfqFGcTpIIw5is2Uz10APFC8adIOmVlliKTgZPUaE_FvRm2We-Ee2ZKJdEb-gG4LABYrfli2KyErZdlkAFGGInKzv1xMFAedYrh9DCInQ/s4032/E2624BCA-1768-43E7-A5AE-98B442C8C883.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEayynWyKNZcdTuHCC92RtUqEMgrIS6dmuRHYwlXav_nUa28obmCWtnkbJj_D66bCG91NXofVqGndosUiz3wfqFGcTpIIw5is2Uz10APFC8adIOmVlliKTgZPUaE_FvRm2We-Ee2ZKJdEb-gG4LABYrfli2KyErZdlkAFGGInKzv1xMFAedYrh9DCInQ/w640-h480/E2624BCA-1768-43E7-A5AE-98B442C8C883.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Glenn Pass, Rae Lakes are on the right further down and you can see the valley where the JMT runs. The 4 or 5 lakes on the left are off the trail, up from there and over the ridge on the left outside the picture gets into 60 Lakes. </td></tr></tbody></table><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKHSD5Vj7knSzts66J18KdrCRzoeJhhcbfNzG400M6TuLXycbS2la-xZRzQQDcwgnESJGAKYjFJbXgO7ZhSTme7snxtXDbZ_lkIKUx8M59qeq970FjbUkj81Jnn89BoBuFOR5DiBfEWhXk3uFJrIWODHT-PQKjsIHV7CKQ5mhicjoUlTZwQAXyOJZTg/s4032/3644A8DB-A8F3-48A9-B5DB-5C2F40C5EEF0.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKHSD5Vj7knSzts66J18KdrCRzoeJhhcbfNzG400M6TuLXycbS2la-xZRzQQDcwgnESJGAKYjFJbXgO7ZhSTme7snxtXDbZ_lkIKUx8M59qeq970FjbUkj81Jnn89BoBuFOR5DiBfEWhXk3uFJrIWODHT-PQKjsIHV7CKQ5mhicjoUlTZwQAXyOJZTg/w640-h480/3644A8DB-A8F3-48A9-B5DB-5C2F40C5EEF0.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Off the beaten path. From this lake, the long one one on the left in the previous picture, I am trying to find a way over Rae Col to 60 lakes.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8DdzEvNVqn_yHfC3apZ_JUX38VOXwwwd8jPQJbC8ohpd1TgXwVpDAKNktybThL4nxSfHpKRAQpPsOMNh8wB93JsSi1rtrmWoJkyQkTpiw7PWU0xxJpoFh0VnkcBtigU0qfZtuHlDPQ7ay01Ocl6HOSfxgMjb8K0Hy-ozkqLFJCmnD9PkTfvCuxpWsg/s4032/D7DD68DF-EB65-4CD8-ABB5-EAEE937AB0DA.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8DdzEvNVqn_yHfC3apZ_JUX38VOXwwwd8jPQJbC8ohpd1TgXwVpDAKNktybThL4nxSfHpKRAQpPsOMNh8wB93JsSi1rtrmWoJkyQkTpiw7PWU0xxJpoFh0VnkcBtigU0qfZtuHlDPQ7ay01Ocl6HOSfxgMjb8K0Hy-ozkqLFJCmnD9PkTfvCuxpWsg/w480-h640/D7DD68DF-EB65-4CD8-ABB5-EAEE937AB0DA.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wasn't too difficult to find a way to the top, this is going down the other side. A bit steeper, but not too hard either. </td></tr></tbody></table><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiVAyTulqQujNEFuJPd32HUAe9hpRXfQSPK3G3MvQi07Z4__j_UrIhZspT9HtdddVlp04_nen_-ls_UEq7P2FHkEUNKNcQnTSG1JfhA4EaUhKkWZ9JkpBm9i-gAtRgEKc4dtpnXxnmFTpkV9dqDmDuOiVuQWAstegGyKysF7ZfhxFtu-w6GONiCIh0Q/s4032/194B0A49-387A-42D4-94AF-4F5F9D354A0D.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiVAyTulqQujNEFuJPd32HUAe9hpRXfQSPK3G3MvQi07Z4__j_UrIhZspT9HtdddVlp04_nen_-ls_UEq7P2FHkEUNKNcQnTSG1JfhA4EaUhKkWZ9JkpBm9i-gAtRgEKc4dtpnXxnmFTpkV9dqDmDuOiVuQWAstegGyKysF7ZfhxFtu-w6GONiCIh0Q/w640-h480/194B0A49-387A-42D4-94AF-4F5F9D354A0D.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steep scree slope and then some talus rock hopping to lake 3353</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">As soon as I turned off the trail, there were no more people. I saw a Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, though. Only a tiny fraction of people like to travel cross-country and then they disperse very quickly when there are no trails. In any event, I didn't encounter anybody until I would rejoin the JMT. Lots of pretty lakes here and now truly remote, making it much more attractive to me than Rae Lakes just one or two ranges east from here. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOvYBKAs5QybTjZhKgn2pylSf_KNkNCrPuld7rJLXvhYHGJ0yGByvH5ylm9vz4R6AqyS51Q0z0SVdWGW3DHDoUt71YD5qCD9h7ykWZ_TUKU2PYkHKOcPU6-pj0FN3Iwxn7GCzqKznvg31QwGh66fOco0nUUbVD5l3Tnx3PC9dCU2cX3FJ9xa2BQ9xcA/s4032/075FB117-FDB5-4157-B9A2-7C1605CE4752.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOvYBKAs5QybTjZhKgn2pylSf_KNkNCrPuld7rJLXvhYHGJ0yGByvH5ylm9vz4R6AqyS51Q0z0SVdWGW3DHDoUt71YD5qCD9h7ykWZ_TUKU2PYkHKOcPU6-pj0FN3Iwxn7GCzqKznvg31QwGh66fOco0nUUbVD5l3Tnx3PC9dCU2cX3FJ9xa2BQ9xcA/w480-h640/075FB117-FDB5-4157-B9A2-7C1605CE4752.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halfway down to lake 3353<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Most lakes or peaks don't have names and are labeled with the elevation on USGS topo maps. The topo maps use meters, but older descriptions may be in feet from older topo maps. In any event, lake 3353 is the first one descending via Rae Col into 60 Lake Basin, lake 3304 is towards 60 Lake Col that links the two basins and the first lake on in Gardiner Basin would be 3477 (very rocky area and hard to get around) before dropping to lake 3214. Nowhere as poetic Bullfrog or Arrowhead along the established trails (they have labels, too: Bullfrog is 3234, Arrowhead 3137, middle Rae Lake 3212)</span>, but more informative what it takes to get there. </span></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyAt8isM5vuTwPZ1rnoHZxDbe8j3EFS3NpX5lfnENqU0a_SBvRs5cXEtt8c2E2Lo3eC48lrj5dHTo8FHN-WELOQ9OVouehGWnY8OPQ-0DCdUBJtlcKaSiKNlCe-XN5WIS3cOgTQ-KJX3rw2grTnj8X_WF6GKxGLfp8nr2UbdwNrPWMB6GofOeAYqEvw/s3067/CF89707C-0322-4AF4-B8FE-10627659BC20_1_201_a.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3067" data-original-width="2502" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyAt8isM5vuTwPZ1rnoHZxDbe8j3EFS3NpX5lfnENqU0a_SBvRs5cXEtt8c2E2Lo3eC48lrj5dHTo8FHN-WELOQ9OVouehGWnY8OPQ-0DCdUBJtlcKaSiKNlCe-XN5WIS3cOgTQ-KJX3rw2grTnj8X_WF6GKxGLfp8nr2UbdwNrPWMB6GofOeAYqEvw/w522-h640/CF89707C-0322-4AF4-B8FE-10627659BC20_1_201_a.jpeg" width="522" /></a></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgveaW6jcFY5sTfUDCvVWUt0qk4SadSCraIyLPtonywE4YRimzSbTD1oZGLsUO6ZyrH9ba8Bbio8dIBjDEaVks3H6QhYhtAxd8QEqz7u-JF_h7CyuA5z6CT-7re2b-jpTBeAMIC4l_5E8s8ikXfBqmScxIC97-PAhieH4_xfkF9mVtFfhmJgvOZsxZ4-A/s3556/0415F9E2-1809-4057-A4B8-8FF0BE24B7CD_1_201_a.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2567" data-original-width="3556" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgveaW6jcFY5sTfUDCvVWUt0qk4SadSCraIyLPtonywE4YRimzSbTD1oZGLsUO6ZyrH9ba8Bbio8dIBjDEaVks3H6QhYhtAxd8QEqz7u-JF_h7CyuA5z6CT-7re2b-jpTBeAMIC4l_5E8s8ikXfBqmScxIC97-PAhieH4_xfkF9mVtFfhmJgvOZsxZ4-A/w640-h462/0415F9E2-1809-4057-A4B8-8FF0BE24B7CD_1_201_a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph-189" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #11100f; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, "system-ui", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span>Mosquitoes were mixed. Mid-July is about peak season for them and there were some bad spots, but also many where they were completely absent. Two nights I didn't have any problems, even sitting by the lake during sunset. One night I had to get into the tent by 5pm. During the day, sometimes I had to change plans when to take a break, but always found a mosquito free area. It is possible to leave Gardiner via King Col, it is mentioned in RJ Sector's book "The High Sierras" as a class 2, but then found reports that this was sketchy. The north side supposedly has a snow cornice, </span><span style="color: #202124;">an overhanging mass of hardened snow at the edge of a precipice, year round. </span>I was alone nor prepared for anything beyond hiking. Certainly wouldn't want to get close to a cornice. Instead, I took the easy route out from 60 Lakes via Basin Notch. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_DCle3Uz31hcykqa2TEJSVQ5bQSNFPnc4RzvlQJeAOpR9jF38abn6eehbnIH2b5XN0E5WBOF49Gwau4iiaCP4cIPd8l21rEm8FrH8yXCb-2B4UMQ-Qqfq3j5ipHxNnnQ6pTwj-inUSBikKknHCrVVJjxLwJUk-x8hWoaNJCFs637wPBOpce1aQKCCQ/s4032/EF6BDEBC-5904-4022-AA73-B32B15F64CC6.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_DCle3Uz31hcykqa2TEJSVQ5bQSNFPnc4RzvlQJeAOpR9jF38abn6eehbnIH2b5XN0E5WBOF49Gwau4iiaCP4cIPd8l21rEm8FrH8yXCb-2B4UMQ-Qqfq3j5ipHxNnnQ6pTwj-inUSBikKknHCrVVJjxLwJUk-x8hWoaNJCFs637wPBOpce1aQKCCQ/w640-h480/EF6BDEBC-5904-4022-AA73-B32B15F64CC6.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Cotter and Mt. Clarence King</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkRZTfUEWprxsP2NYUl3zwbNlLwqUw7rtOWY7wM-3j6xMVV5Qicsv5Nv3yDje-riRbPGe8Qz2RQPA8Jh67NB4CP_AhkWDW97LsPm8ksJKWx5M9bb90nhcs7q7fwWSWejUvWWzBzqU5mOKOCz5nZ1YPIeYNGecM8bnRPoFzvX2JLgqx10fhneZcI53IA/s4032/3CAB86BC-7C4B-4A10-A527-C8B644C4E004.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkRZTfUEWprxsP2NYUl3zwbNlLwqUw7rtOWY7wM-3j6xMVV5Qicsv5Nv3yDje-riRbPGe8Qz2RQPA8Jh67NB4CP_AhkWDW97LsPm8ksJKWx5M9bb90nhcs7q7fwWSWejUvWWzBzqU5mOKOCz5nZ1YPIeYNGecM8bnRPoFzvX2JLgqx10fhneZcI53IA/w480-h640/3CAB86BC-7C4B-4A10-A527-C8B644C4E004.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It became bright again after midnight with a full moon, with its reflection in a lake</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPhOvvU41NEJEE6EPxTjTgpZHpC-noHICAgOTqttA6d0Wj5zKuhsZ_jBWdskYdtSpXVp13OE081UZD3sSAzA4iV0Jml9gAMTTbETcEiqKK0L3J6MYvpGT9sX5S-j88COlCsaZyXAW-sssh4MJXgGi8A2fbhynu88Xs4PwKPRWP9iRIr8hmn_eQfQTTw/s4032/1DB57261-6563-4994-97DA-B1FB03ED326E.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPhOvvU41NEJEE6EPxTjTgpZHpC-noHICAgOTqttA6d0Wj5zKuhsZ_jBWdskYdtSpXVp13OE081UZD3sSAzA4iV0Jml9gAMTTbETcEiqKK0L3J6MYvpGT9sX5S-j88COlCsaZyXAW-sssh4MJXgGi8A2fbhynu88Xs4PwKPRWP9iRIr8hmn_eQfQTTw/w480-h640/1DB57261-6563-4994-97DA-B1FB03ED326E.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Connecting back with the JMT via Basin Notch at Arrowhead Lake, nothing too difficult here, although I had to backtrack once</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGit5G1gDpdWHcPTocr_pIXJHTS57_xr0lkMt5cYaVlokG4ehX49iHdBTfCmVB141VbxgunhSeE71lgcO5eMCQyTiMWG4J8pfjXFqmE3fj1pPlAkEqu9OuGBv-tvt7usW8uJU4k17GnmY4DD5icQWctDWY2bpiw4DVnZ2V59YsBE4I0rLcOLb3fvocvw/s4032/635072D3-8948-42FB-8066-541034D347A2.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGit5G1gDpdWHcPTocr_pIXJHTS57_xr0lkMt5cYaVlokG4ehX49iHdBTfCmVB141VbxgunhSeE71lgcO5eMCQyTiMWG4J8pfjXFqmE3fj1pPlAkEqu9OuGBv-tvt7usW8uJU4k17GnmY4DD5icQWctDWY2bpiw4DVnZ2V59YsBE4I0rLcOLb3fvocvw/w640-h480/635072D3-8948-42FB-8066-541034D347A2.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rae Lakes<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUb2AwEvxHp-X1FKpne5d659G7gV0c9L9rZWxbHcPuUJ-anuI-FGn86-6bFmd8FrZUiyaDG2NpFwTVRPBDOrE_sGuy8aSF_cnJiQ-4As7XVagtAMYpoVAVblleADhXRnBXuzOXWXvrzehKPCBz3exf1CKeHStRb-khZi73jlcjyJcgoIeiuHivG51S9g/s4032/4FC103CC-7397-41F5-858E-997BC9063808.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUb2AwEvxHp-X1FKpne5d659G7gV0c9L9rZWxbHcPuUJ-anuI-FGn86-6bFmd8FrZUiyaDG2NpFwTVRPBDOrE_sGuy8aSF_cnJiQ-4As7XVagtAMYpoVAVblleADhXRnBXuzOXWXvrzehKPCBz3exf1CKeHStRb-khZi73jlcjyJcgoIeiuHivG51S9g/w480-h640/4FC103CC-7397-41F5-858E-997BC9063808.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fin Dome separates Rae Lakes and Sixty Lakes, a landmark from both sides (this picture has Rae Lakes in the foreground). </td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0b9FB-cM9VEefLkkN8k7854xvuVQpfidGFkx-zZGRbBjL1SKWyvkLBETIxRI8of5pY04ii1CCWFo_0qWRkjBPfdysR4GS7GQw0WS40Qcv6n0RumTrmXsjGoc5WYDR-igXVEK7zVgjWEpeHWISOcOX5RHUMFfJR6Ms0ljUujxwGDJB3bjejv4WoDMgg/s4032/0274FA1F-69BC-4AEF-B635-CAF83E472D32.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0b9FB-cM9VEefLkkN8k7854xvuVQpfidGFkx-zZGRbBjL1SKWyvkLBETIxRI8of5pY04ii1CCWFo_0qWRkjBPfdysR4GS7GQw0WS40Qcv6n0RumTrmXsjGoc5WYDR-igXVEK7zVgjWEpeHWISOcOX5RHUMFfJR6Ms0ljUujxwGDJB3bjejv4WoDMgg/w480-h640/0274FA1F-69BC-4AEF-B635-CAF83E472D32.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painted Lady is next to the first Rae Lake. Going south, this is where the climb to Glenn Pass starts again</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQobL8iEeeQKKrQK2-i29vZhDvLToV2rv-ws36o2kfVQKNhiEGfKegfA-7gKxx48VKzWhgyHAF8sgkTiDe2rI5_a154K3nwbiefbfQMIvciX9KCJQJIwYQEAbM-SC22Dy6Wm811VqVgg0wF1XjBS-rK8nx1dz0djzuFFsqai1lX2SvCfteXkHtjGqiA/s4032/056130C2-48D1-4D2E-B57C-29FFAD4B2628.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQobL8iEeeQKKrQK2-i29vZhDvLToV2rv-ws36o2kfVQKNhiEGfKegfA-7gKxx48VKzWhgyHAF8sgkTiDe2rI5_a154K3nwbiefbfQMIvciX9KCJQJIwYQEAbM-SC22Dy6Wm811VqVgg0wF1XjBS-rK8nx1dz0djzuFFsqai1lX2SvCfteXkHtjGqiA/w480-h640/056130C2-48D1-4D2E-B57C-29FFAD4B2628.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Rixford (3928 on USGS topo maps)<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4ccPjomHFDcYaaDU7FzyoumVaTIHj_sQVvB4PTcQ3P-OcwYbeQGCH23MjcwGnKQ6Q-TuDiNK9BphzLOMbFiOq_QZdgllZR_Q9U_EnG0EHTg7wxEMFOx7dO1wDb2zwLj3AuAnkfT-FCzmJtZh10D_S8aGVu4KPSWHYsk0Bfu3mTaie6LsNmANMVgbmw/s3088/C63DB271-7DEB-4DC0-BB7B-C52F3C4F1339.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4ccPjomHFDcYaaDU7FzyoumVaTIHj_sQVvB4PTcQ3P-OcwYbeQGCH23MjcwGnKQ6Q-TuDiNK9BphzLOMbFiOq_QZdgllZR_Q9U_EnG0EHTg7wxEMFOx7dO1wDb2zwLj3AuAnkfT-FCzmJtZh10D_S8aGVu4KPSWHYsk0Bfu3mTaie6LsNmANMVgbmw/w480-h640/C63DB271-7DEB-4DC0-BB7B-C52F3C4F1339.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still struggling with Glenn Pass</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">That afternoon became very wet and it rained for several hours, repeated thunderstorms. Unlike my bike trip last month where I got very chilled with a 20 min storm, this time I didn't even add another layer. It was not exactly comfortable, but not particularly unpleasant although I was wet for 3-4 hours. By 5, the sun came out again and it became almost too warm. I returned to Kearsarge Lakes for the night and the next morning hiked out. </span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQx2j6JLavqyoQW4jkrWLjSiG2WnRXMMD0eRDsfEYuHnT3MvOAmpdObOuC7ls1R7fnxsjROqMdYDz-gbQgFSksT4Mc3hc63gkYsBNMnUmMj1Jnc9W_8IjjC5Jn3-KNkXH_mLvryIxNH-Flt0YPQpuqpCt_6123h-wdMGRUD4hvLWi9VM-684m6gw_LBA/s4032/9E7E2336-09AF-4821-9D90-57333860B697.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQx2j6JLavqyoQW4jkrWLjSiG2WnRXMMD0eRDsfEYuHnT3MvOAmpdObOuC7ls1R7fnxsjROqMdYDz-gbQgFSksT4Mc3hc63gkYsBNMnUmMj1Jnc9W_8IjjC5Jn3-KNkXH_mLvryIxNH-Flt0YPQpuqpCt_6123h-wdMGRUD4hvLWi9VM-684m6gw_LBA/w480-h640/9E7E2336-09AF-4821-9D90-57333860B697.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kearsarge Lakes and Pinnacles</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-8388006595416836572022-07-18T21:15:00.020-07:002022-07-24T17:33:50.138-07:00First 2022 Bikepacking Trip: Lake Tahoe Bones to Blue<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSQRu-_sHw6rE8tZRBrSfKuiamp8GBCdYWIIcWTTS1bx8qLx9hTano21UrTgbR9_evsZYWjzfc9eUEzoUKaE77Vh9LFVTWc5XKtNKpxt5v3pxfYBWFuELbxXc2mIgFKRpewvdi35UKkqsCc5QGiM97AYlhbrgIEFC43xOagCmxpJ0PbH3xlGXsIOT2g/s4032/EE32E2D6-5B78-4A09-8903-6F7B438EB2F7.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSQRu-_sHw6rE8tZRBrSfKuiamp8GBCdYWIIcWTTS1bx8qLx9hTano21UrTgbR9_evsZYWjzfc9eUEzoUKaE77Vh9LFVTWc5XKtNKpxt5v3pxfYBWFuELbxXc2mIgFKRpewvdi35UKkqsCc5QGiM97AYlhbrgIEFC43xOagCmxpJ0PbH3xlGXsIOT2g/w480-h640/EE32E2D6-5B78-4A09-8903-6F7B438EB2F7.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><div><span style="font-size: large;">First multi-day bikepacking trip in 2 years! That was a long pause, the longest in more than a decade, and only partly due to covid or repeated wildfires. Even in 2022, I was sluggish and had not planned anything yet. Then saw that the Bones to Blue bikepacking route was having a group start in June and that was an easy one to hop on. The route suffered from wildfires and smoke both in 2020 and 2021. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqR5N5WUtPiHPLLfil9l-3H0MtJKhwWKjZ9_k4e1dxPSXAjNpOOffF7A4p3iLuozsSWQ62lWHj-dqDK7Kw5mHJ3hpqPp2oA79BKGnGsFtqSQzxXSRYBmDBo2hOlGMIFRNohBvbj8SwTyKKiTLFDIg1mAIu2wLsTQC7SY4PCv02SIOwNsAvefWBnR_kEQ/s2780/20220625_055136.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="2780" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqR5N5WUtPiHPLLfil9l-3H0MtJKhwWKjZ9_k4e1dxPSXAjNpOOffF7A4p3iLuozsSWQ62lWHj-dqDK7Kw5mHJ3hpqPp2oA79BKGnGsFtqSQzxXSRYBmDBo2hOlGMIFRNohBvbj8SwTyKKiTLFDIg1mAIu2wLsTQC7SY4PCv02SIOwNsAvefWBnR_kEQ/w640-h304/20220625_055136.jpg" title="5:55 am - biggest group ever for this route" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5:55 am - biggest group ever starting together on this route in downtown Truckee</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The Bones to Blue bikepacking route consists of separate 2 loops that start and end in Truckee for a total of about 400km/250 miles: A</span><span><span> smaller loop above Truckee (Bones) and then a bigger loop around Lake Tahoe (Blue). </span><span>Forest Baker (to the right of the stop sign in the picture) has developed the route and reconnoiters it </span></span><span>regularly - even checking on possible problem spots (snow) right before the group start. </span><span><span>He knows what makes for a good route and the area offers many possibilities. Mostly single track, only minimal amount of pavement that cannot be avoided (</span><span>even that is scenic and not too aggravating with traffic). No junk miles make it o</span><span>ne of the best multi-day bikepacking routes. </span></span><span><span>The site for the route with gpx files is here: </span><a href="http://bonestoblue.com/" target="_blank">http://bonestoblue.com/</a></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span><br style="font-size: medium;" /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5mJgAFp0hcjJwDmqueRidFPUni0bg_NNlSTPLfwabWSfbbJ3BW9UsAnRztYPj3kzkmMyBCk1foq2t9l82j6snXG31-ukaND-guJK3r-GI-dTnjqhXedWHTP0Nza6ND3iOCsoMOdi0kX_/s1600/IMG_0511.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5mJgAFp0hcjJwDmqueRidFPUni0bg_NNlSTPLfwabWSfbbJ3BW9UsAnRztYPj3kzkmMyBCk1foq2t9l82j6snXG31-ukaND-guJK3r-GI-dTnjqhXedWHTP0Nza6ND3iOCsoMOdi0kX_/s640/IMG_0511.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">When experienced bikepackers put together a route they like to ride, it is going to be a good route! </span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>It is a much more challenging route physically than it looks on paper because of elevation gain, altitude, and single track. Even Forest's "Forlorn 4 day ride" is a hard touring pace with 35-40 (or more!) hours of moving time. </span></span><span>The fastest riders can do the whole route in under 48 hours total and there were a bunch of them this year. Jeff Kerkove finished in 37 hours and set a new course record. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The inaugural event for the Bones to Blue route was in 2017, although I missed the initial event because I went on the TransCanada Trail aka "Great Trail" that year. The TransCanada Trail received much media attention then because it was officially completed after being 25 years in the works, celebrated by even getting the new name "Great Trail". Reality was far from the hype - but you only find that out by doing it: <a href="https://rolandsturm.blogspot.com/2017/08/trans-canada-trail.html" target="_blank">Biking the TransCanada Trail</a>. In contrast, </span><span>Bones to Blue is a fantastic route put together by somebody who understands mountain biking. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">In 2018, I rode the Bones loop and about half of the Blue loop two weeks after the group event and in 2019 I did the Blue loop minus two sections.<a href="https://rolandsturm.blogspot.com/2018/08/" target="_blank"> https://rolandsturm.blogspot.com/2018/08/ </a> But I had not done the whole route yet. It also changes over time, though slightly. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Around Prosser Hill, previous incarnations of the route went into an area also used by motorized vehicles, which made for a sandy and tedious start. But this year's route has improved on it and has excellent trails at the beginning.</span></div><div style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: x-large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNoC20RFsbEh88mU_XCzmFzgXg-6I8kuYk_ZiZnCxrsMID3e6vsvvLjffBrLOTJb-Pql_qifAD--xa8zMt39SUlQoBsAEcA3r5dcAxZ2j0rAms1wy53V29OIcANb-hoMZCUgdiadTJvmIb4HK2DmmtQfuOhYucqnziPQCdHa2k_tGtZAjEUkYi_Qz6g/s3361/6270BCD0-6321-47D9-86E0-BE677F2EF95A_1_201_a.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2525" data-original-width="3361" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNoC20RFsbEh88mU_XCzmFzgXg-6I8kuYk_ZiZnCxrsMID3e6vsvvLjffBrLOTJb-Pql_qifAD--xa8zMt39SUlQoBsAEcA3r5dcAxZ2j0rAms1wy53V29OIcANb-hoMZCUgdiadTJvmIb4HK2DmmtQfuOhYucqnziPQCdHa2k_tGtZAjEUkYi_Qz6g/w640-h480/6270BCD0-6321-47D9-86E0-BE677F2EF95A_1_201_a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Less than 15 minutes on the Bones Loop and I already take a photo stop</td></tr></tbody></table><span><br /></span></div></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnwVfud1jU467WE3kVFjs1DWtfWn9ZTtWR3WoGmsoGb5_BNQ8RlkuZV7pzimIFNNvXJSib9Ox2Z813Gsb-vGKbcq7zAw4936scc_YYxB9RDWpw4XvIuI-WGoz4d3upm--QqusN4SGnu6e3jiBeuTpTjNEwvKTVGvTaGBwAl75muOtQZ6O8gIFdyFUwA/s4032/D992F783-80AF-402C-9E79-D600BE7A5C53.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnwVfud1jU467WE3kVFjs1DWtfWn9ZTtWR3WoGmsoGb5_BNQ8RlkuZV7pzimIFNNvXJSib9Ox2Z813Gsb-vGKbcq7zAw4936scc_YYxB9RDWpw4XvIuI-WGoz4d3upm--QqusN4SGnu6e3jiBeuTpTjNEwvKTVGvTaGBwAl75muOtQZ6O8gIFdyFUwA/w480-h640/D992F783-80AF-402C-9E79-D600BE7A5C53.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And I already missed a turn in the first hour and am going up the wrong ridge on the wrong side of the river. Had to backtrack later, but it was still enjoyable early in the morning. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIC3IrsCVcESAZxqTdfbL7fPV867HT2xm-C3gPiIQwVF9RS2Nh83_Lk6ZfA8BOC-wE4kYBV9iFXq8CKvn2k9i1BJL_QxR78ePaUUGtghTfnU9ey_38p_tZY75ItR-CDUStrhjSnMrKsyYmf5ATgCZpztbSLlh0Dbi_ZVq0g9H9OaJP4HDOqv5oKSvKQ/s3088/69CA40CD-4109-404E-884B-44F915F13E37.heic" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIC3IrsCVcESAZxqTdfbL7fPV867HT2xm-C3gPiIQwVF9RS2Nh83_Lk6ZfA8BOC-wE4kYBV9iFXq8CKvn2k9i1BJL_QxR78ePaUUGtghTfnU9ey_38p_tZY75ItR-CDUStrhjSnMrKsyYmf5ATgCZpztbSLlh0Dbi_ZVq0g9H9OaJP4HDOqv5oKSvKQ/w480-h640/69CA40CD-4109-404E-884B-44F915F13E37.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An hour later, back on the right trail!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />The day before the start, there is a pre-meeting at Pizza on the Hill. A nice opportunity to meet other similarly-minded riders (everybody rides their own pace, so during the day you rarely see/talk to anybody). And with Covid - and also the huge changes/growth the bikepacking community experienced over the last decade - nice to catch up. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhsHVZrmHIbcGTGK59nrCGtt9oHGue4JkE61GFAyygrIeuI_OleODL_QviZJuwcAfseFtgrXlX_-kmIJEJ2WjXGFKgD02mtN6RaqrCpWQL20smZ3MCLD4r87reVi2ahZJTaLQfVu678EFvE5kcAfKsv0YXKPLkz42emmMpTD5cAqBg_pHnjeTPfBfmw/s2048/42DD99C0-0257-42E5-86A8-852C995D67E3.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="970" data-original-width="2048" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhsHVZrmHIbcGTGK59nrCGtt9oHGue4JkE61GFAyygrIeuI_OleODL_QviZJuwcAfseFtgrXlX_-kmIJEJ2WjXGFKgD02mtN6RaqrCpWQL20smZ3MCLD4r87reVi2ahZJTaLQfVu678EFvE5kcAfKsv0YXKPLkz42emmMpTD5cAqBg_pHnjeTPfBfmw/w640-h304/42DD99C0-0257-42E5-86A8-852C995D67E3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Talking to Forest and Alissa</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span>I've known Forest for more than a decade, we met on many similar events. Alissa Bell is a newer participant to bikepacking, but with plenty of backpacking experience and huge endurance. She has an excellent website/blog that I had seen before and recommended, although only made that connection later. </span><a href="https://exploringwild.com/" target="_blank">https://exploringwild.com/</a> <span>While most of us probably try to start well recovered because this loop is going to be a major effort, Alissa had been out for 5 days hiking in the Desolation Wilderness, description on her website.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASnF72ihqwzUWcMEEKePYkGbkKWOnpp9dpsgDTwwS69lCG0DGCFnScQCBYikh3yN4PF3FjXEk7kULSjmcWwbciJHh6nFF4S4wTKSm7rRSeVEUb13nQIKWPBsefcoMX266p4dy0KbTALYGFwU8jI7639XTG_6gTVLH2XP95j40z5pXBNsAYimXB-3ymg/s2785/63274C13-93B3-4348-89D3-A684CE5BB981.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="2785" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASnF72ihqwzUWcMEEKePYkGbkKWOnpp9dpsgDTwwS69lCG0DGCFnScQCBYikh3yN4PF3FjXEk7kULSjmcWwbciJHh6nFF4S4wTKSm7rRSeVEUb13nQIKWPBsefcoMX266p4dy0KbTALYGFwU8jI7639XTG_6gTVLH2XP95j40z5pXBNsAYimXB-3ymg/w640-h302/63274C13-93B3-4348-89D3-A684CE5BB981.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like I've become the old guy in those events. Blake Bockius wasn't there and<br />that probably left me as the only one over 60.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSHaSj5vs77NFV8WJKI_qIK3QUBV039V9Ms0Aa77ZPcphIfOPzrFe5MPaJO14dmQm5GkPnxeKvTtXISSihLZo70T3gEwLes03n0hLAYkJ8tNYiP6f8seT0yuOW0hYVbfQWBE08QXYWnVY_dpmzxFEiS8hLYpIAnzQih1vjdi8rvkyO5PCdAdP2rIZvhQ/s4032/6C875764-F825-4FCD-835F-0658BAADB04C.heic" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSHaSj5vs77NFV8WJKI_qIK3QUBV039V9Ms0Aa77ZPcphIfOPzrFe5MPaJO14dmQm5GkPnxeKvTtXISSihLZo70T3gEwLes03n0hLAYkJ8tNYiP6f8seT0yuOW0hYVbfQWBE08QXYWnVY_dpmzxFEiS8hLYpIAnzQih1vjdi8rvkyO5PCdAdP2rIZvhQ/w300-h400/6C875764-F825-4FCD-835F-0658BAADB04C.heic" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">The "Bones" in the smaller one day loop refers to the fate of the Donner party in 1846/47.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Donner Party began as just another nameless pioneer trek to California, but the Great American Dream turned into a nightmare. Surely they would have preferred not having a lake or pass named after them. Based on one count of the group (which includes the Miwok guides Luis and Salvador), 42 out of 90 died and cannibalism saved some of the survivors. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">The Bones loop goes north of Truckee, past Alder Creek where the 2 Donner families spent the winter in of 1846/47. George and Jacob Donner had fallen behind the rest of the group after breaking an axle on a wagon (neither survived). Most other families were a few miles ahead and wintered at Donner Lake. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPcCjA4l0sxNjr0h4VjOYDHMgiPvt4KdENit-5ezTz9jNtA1AMR1iLHkbmcsPG5b7mWemLGT8ISCR1P-lT2qBQAwZvdxRPohWOkjOaaJCN1Ikk9ApO9DTkPsQqPw9E3nfGNgRylzFrbe__zb5-MXHTS7uBPXX9uZy_T2WqhduumF-eQKpdt17AHwe1JA/s4032/EC37BCA9-FA17-478D-B837-7A466673A915.heic" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPcCjA4l0sxNjr0h4VjOYDHMgiPvt4KdENit-5ezTz9jNtA1AMR1iLHkbmcsPG5b7mWemLGT8ISCR1P-lT2qBQAwZvdxRPohWOkjOaaJCN1Ikk9ApO9DTkPsQqPw9E3nfGNgRylzFrbe__zb5-MXHTS7uBPXX9uZy_T2WqhduumF-eQKpdt17AHwe1JA/w300-h400/EC37BCA9-FA17-478D-B837-7A466673A915.heic" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4G2BDU93Ok_2TyI_u024XL8bltnjO3OGVcxEo15g_a3roUTbG2mASqGinJsSf7fUSz12NkrUI9-_xquDkB6NOEKm838isixU198nTLoM_DLTx75-bubKkMxoqIdc5obK5utTg4VaiNQ5HEnB4wVBy6Ia7feSxiXZBwcsU6DlGVSlHSEp2dor8MvhGDg/s4032/47DFEA22-9C6E-4F8E-AFDC-3CA3F7319D4D.heic" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4G2BDU93Ok_2TyI_u024XL8bltnjO3OGVcxEo15g_a3roUTbG2mASqGinJsSf7fUSz12NkrUI9-_xquDkB6NOEKm838isixU198nTLoM_DLTx75-bubKkMxoqIdc5obK5utTg4VaiNQ5HEnB4wVBy6Ia7feSxiXZBwcsU6DlGVSlHSEp2dor8MvhGDg/w480-h640/47DFEA22-9C6E-4F8E-AFDC-3CA3F7319D4D.heic" width="480" /></a></div></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dNCTORJHcY784CBZLqSqBEkMh-PYInFfSPmfJ77D_aNH8PsPoy3rNvigxDL4eHMV4Kd0XQRPhlCnTOJs6KPxHhrGl6SZyYWVWyJf4edSx9hnBt8WcrNGYMmFPsoZ8qHiZOnsbPvVwJ84/s1600/IMG_1682.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dNCTORJHcY784CBZLqSqBEkMh-PYInFfSPmfJ77D_aNH8PsPoy3rNvigxDL4eHMV4Kd0XQRPhlCnTOJs6KPxHhrGl6SZyYWVWyJf4edSx9hnBt8WcrNGYMmFPsoZ8qHiZOnsbPvVwJ84/w240-h320/IMG_1682.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Not this time, years ago.<br />The Hole in the Leg section<br /> on the Hole in the Ground trail.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">The infamous Hole in the Ground trail. It has left holes in many people over the years. Indeed, two scars on my right leg are from it. Yet Forest pre-rode it the week before just to make sure it wasn't going to be too brutal (because of late snow and fallen trees). </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div><div><div><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedACLVf8c3hg4sYPbrRForjQVkALFfxPLghzgX7bMTbatB4GMwzeupoLnjGYBlwv8rA-dVq8G8tHznWIrsS1MlObFFKKT3FefeQmDeVkfEH3QkILnI1sa4HdzLo8KAGCQJJKxBYrndplcd8B1jgHXo3fco6x_GVd3fhLg22UsUpksYphEqtALSuQIzQ/s4032/5EA42514-06BE-42E7-8C05-169482E59C22.heic" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedACLVf8c3hg4sYPbrRForjQVkALFfxPLghzgX7bMTbatB4GMwzeupoLnjGYBlwv8rA-dVq8G8tHznWIrsS1MlObFFKKT3FefeQmDeVkfEH3QkILnI1sa4HdzLo8KAGCQJJKxBYrndplcd8B1jgHXo3fco6x_GVd3fhLg22UsUpksYphEqtALSuQIzQ/s320/5EA42514-06BE-42E7-8C05-169482E59C22.heic" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hail before it started pouring</td></tr></tbody></table>There was a 20% chance of isolated thunderstorms. Unfortunately, for me it was a 100% and even was pelted with hail right when I was on a fully exposed section. People faster than me (like Forest, Julie) were already sheltered, people behind me didn't get rained on. But the isolated thunderstorm did find me and I was getting quite chilled. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The last section is over Donner Pass and through the original Donner Pass train tunnels, riding over the top of the China Wall, which exerted a high toll among the Chinese laborers who did the dangerous and arduous work to connect the transcontinental railroad through the Sierras. Actually a tedious gravel section, although the novelty factor doing it the first time will compensate and it is slightly downhill. It wasn't my first time, though, so no compensating novelty. </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_HkHPorODEyxzwM986MFoU-zmsqWKEbJaZg5YYRqVS5MARvkwWj6Zc_60B_5ujRAVBM96ZXWtMa8ZLEiEvu4YRAgxGE6srtog7oh9xsNYxjqmOyTOxlMnk5I-Zf8Vl5uxsw131gs3HbV/s1600/IMG_1700.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_HkHPorODEyxzwM986MFoU-zmsqWKEbJaZg5YYRqVS5MARvkwWj6Zc_60B_5ujRAVBM96ZXWtMa8ZLEiEvu4YRAgxGE6srtog7oh9xsNYxjqmOyTOxlMnk5I-Zf8Vl5uxsw131gs3HbV/s640/IMG_1700.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">In the tunnel!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I had signed up for the "Forlorn" route where Forest even reserved camping sites. So a much more social ride than I usually do and his wife Annie and their kids joined us that evening with supplies. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8dtA5V7-uBlse7dM_2I2NOixlqlBSuicwOykt3RUHvrRozHvjRRnNgvztsiu_uS2vevxjCjjzdp4yCveE2ozUxZWevQqpx-B_6hPHhtUSuWJUgKQFpv8YBHt5yaXkqOW3F3Vu9IF-b2s0R_C19ZKxGGL6Ug2fD0YAUoYzVqAh5sasUw9XV22KbDmwg/s2785/4A90CC5F-B907-4281-8548-E03312C0863D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="2785" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8dtA5V7-uBlse7dM_2I2NOixlqlBSuicwOykt3RUHvrRozHvjRRnNgvztsiu_uS2vevxjCjjzdp4yCveE2ozUxZWevQqpx-B_6hPHhtUSuWJUgKQFpv8YBHt5yaXkqOW3F3Vu9IF-b2s0R_C19ZKxGGL6Ug2fD0YAUoYzVqAh5sasUw9XV22KbDmwg/w640-h302/4A90CC5F-B907-4281-8548-E03312C0863D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The second "Blue Loop" goes around Lake Tahoe, using the bike-legal sections of the Tahoe Rim Trail wherever possible. There is a lot of climbing, but it is very rideable. There are several Flume trails (distinguished by some second part in their name). Unfortunately, it was middle of day on a weekend, so those trails were crowded.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-HHJ2XV_J9D-lvMDdg__BTgMAVE2IDFbaog_a0FFL70sNDEJARveTwyGVSVWiO-krqRuuz0lBxdkNvNm_s4-RRzsGl8VOb6uXiIMeo1EGcJx2qtzNS3j-EBOaetak4u0BUYgeBk6-0nvu/s1600/IMG_0524+%25281%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-HHJ2XV_J9D-lvMDdg__BTgMAVE2IDFbaog_a0FFL70sNDEJARveTwyGVSVWiO-krqRuuz0lBxdkNvNm_s4-RRzsGl8VOb6uXiIMeo1EGcJx2qtzNS3j-EBOaetak4u0BUYgeBk6-0nvu/s640/IMG_0524+%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Just such a good trail going around Lake Tahoe!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="font-size: medium;"><br /></div></span></div></span><span style="font-size: large;">The first Flume trail, coming after the climb out of Incline Village, is the prototype of smooth flowing single track (Incline-Flume trail). I trust there are hardcore riders who will find this just "too easy and boring", but it would be my favorite trail, just avoid it middle of the day on a weekend. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9GjDvjtIJQOCLWlMzHH9tvrrNILAvqvY9dS8UWi9964zP4Y2UDqXlpZhIThxoQmY1b9_5S_dAU6HMGOqz8rhZNNGZIRuRg6D1NOek8Racs4HICCX9tx8JpR5PiCWNSRrkJ6LCR74Z2_r/s1600/IMG_0511.JPG"><img border="0" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9GjDvjtIJQOCLWlMzHH9tvrrNILAvqvY9dS8UWi9964zP4Y2UDqXlpZhIThxoQmY1b9_5S_dAU6HMGOqz8rhZNNGZIRuRg6D1NOek8Racs4HICCX9tx8JpR5PiCWNSRrkJ6LCR74Z2_r/s640/IMG_0511.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEfen_o_cBQ9Jie5xynqG8RGzbsizpkLFX6vJn1ISfuM6dXmpmc8YnlVzN2pe5Re1n2eKxCsxr6JouHnp8KIu2M8O_BznYutsLFmq3oky1euhchW7TCjTQ7i_TXiSKg51P0CscUC7nuGr4qdllZ1MctqKHJYZGz1UA7o9jI37PnJ9WvqipezLOqQnRQ/s4032/3D9E173B-D668-4618-95FA-5057FA0FCD76.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEfen_o_cBQ9Jie5xynqG8RGzbsizpkLFX6vJn1ISfuM6dXmpmc8YnlVzN2pe5Re1n2eKxCsxr6JouHnp8KIu2M8O_BznYutsLFmq3oky1euhchW7TCjTQ7i_TXiSKg51P0CscUC7nuGr4qdllZ1MctqKHJYZGz1UA7o9jI37PnJ9WvqipezLOqQnRQ/s320/3D9E173B-D668-4618-95FA-5057FA0FCD76.heic" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0aibOdQnw1uP1WZkSh3RzTyIXqJmy3yGvfhRF6oXF5MGuw7QDCf9bLh3jcyEzpxCdB6o_S1IYZHkU5ORWv1BhVEDrzmZCQn3H51lWVTMBq7M1czkIApOM9he1uzjqIY0FAzH7sEShNXp5c6_yaRqS3mCvo2aoqxwsAZQJ3XLH1uebwSv0TCI18x0sRg/s4032/9B498A2A-8AB2-4497-B79E-7AE7547F3602.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0aibOdQnw1uP1WZkSh3RzTyIXqJmy3yGvfhRF6oXF5MGuw7QDCf9bLh3jcyEzpxCdB6o_S1IYZHkU5ORWv1BhVEDrzmZCQn3H51lWVTMBq7M1czkIApOM9he1uzjqIY0FAzH7sEShNXp5c6_yaRqS3mCvo2aoqxwsAZQJ3XLH1uebwSv0TCI18x0sRg/s320/9B498A2A-8AB2-4497-B79E-7AE7547F3602.heic" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><span><div><span style="font-size: large;">For night 2, Forest had reserved a cabin at Spooner Lake. At this time of year, a swampy lake area could be mosquito hell, but it wasn't. None at all, I even sat by the lake at sunset. This is likely to change in July, I suspect we just were out a little early. On the Bones route, there were already several patches with aggressive mosquitoes. Another bonus for June, it might be the ideal time: Long daylight, low probability of wildfires, warm but not too hot, before the mosquito peak. Only risk is lingering snow, but there was virtually none left. </span></div><div style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJxEWMb8rkIW_NxZjN7zhdB8Bqw7RTTZltIiQIEtOtyspP2zxECXYCYuCyR4yeazdAN2rzNVTiqyV3wkLnO7RyITv3nl7DfW7upK3l4kkcuBn-LEl4HzF-XCKhl6yo2SGvf0PlBfGKhVU2UoNe3ewmxy_MiolKCPsoNHrAGNcVKS-_zqSNq6CB8kFjQ/s4032/7610A6BB-38EB-432A-B960-BBB09C4A77D1.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJxEWMb8rkIW_NxZjN7zhdB8Bqw7RTTZltIiQIEtOtyspP2zxECXYCYuCyR4yeazdAN2rzNVTiqyV3wkLnO7RyITv3nl7DfW7upK3l4kkcuBn-LEl4HzF-XCKhl6yo2SGvf0PlBfGKhVU2UoNe3ewmxy_MiolKCPsoNHrAGNcVKS-_zqSNq6CB8kFjQ/w640-h480/7610A6BB-38EB-432A-B960-BBB09C4A77D1.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Spooner Lake at Sunset</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQLzsx385isPBpq-qkujWIhI-tJhmy9VePRFpZxJyqQaAZIXMBnfLlOW_fkKOgqAlhN9zlgo3FLXX99T_CM2bjC6M6YpDgsPc302IU0zQCjKBAqGykZs6BjhVWppBgxboqLHtgFujh0icHN3fun5zVDIRFvbWU6ohPvmll-PHkAzR5quKVgIyxPlvmQ/s4032/4E3107F8-51F8-4F74-AFD6-93B02D231205.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQLzsx385isPBpq-qkujWIhI-tJhmy9VePRFpZxJyqQaAZIXMBnfLlOW_fkKOgqAlhN9zlgo3FLXX99T_CM2bjC6M6YpDgsPc302IU0zQCjKBAqGykZs6BjhVWppBgxboqLHtgFujh0icHN3fun5zVDIRFvbWU6ohPvmll-PHkAzR5quKVgIyxPlvmQ/w640-h480/4E3107F8-51F8-4F74-AFD6-93B02D231205.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Didn't use the rainfly on this trip. Tent at Spooner near the cabin<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SW7rmtE_XdjLskUznD8TVDGyXP9fgFwCx6JMR8d0U4xoPAyiEOSFLMNzJVblp179crpOTohvidsTCzrHw2-Caw3JOeHP1PZscGYM7exrzmEAii2fTTKDpYU5ZOXF48JAR2kx564w83Xqb3V6sHPpKOZzjdlGRHlLsLuwXN2RDF9VjT7e81sJWSjaPQ/s2014/B437380C-054D-489B-B85D-C3CE7DF58412_1_201_a.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="2014" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SW7rmtE_XdjLskUznD8TVDGyXP9fgFwCx6JMR8d0U4xoPAyiEOSFLMNzJVblp179crpOTohvidsTCzrHw2-Caw3JOeHP1PZscGYM7exrzmEAii2fTTKDpYU5ZOXF48JAR2kx564w83Xqb3V6sHPpKOZzjdlGRHlLsLuwXN2RDF9VjT7e81sJWSjaPQ/w640-h342/B437380C-054D-489B-B85D-C3CE7DF58412_1_201_a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Spooner Cabin, Walter Dunckel, Julie Kanagy, Jake Inserra, and me</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br /></div></div></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The next day was going to be the longest one among 4 days where none was short. I think I was on the trail by 5 am. While I was the first to leave Spooner in the morning, it didn't take long for Forest and Julie Kanagy to catch up with me and we rode the section to Kingsbury together. That was a more technical section and it was fun to ride with them - and also faster than I would have gone by myself. Helps following a rider. I tried to take some pictures, but especially Julie is just too fast and was out of sight before I could get good pictures at the interesting sections.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyOMUSSXNHaOWAffRrxFjadzYAr2NY1rjV_Koc12V_TvL_kVyizwyDoaBzY_KpPYVykHo_R5kgYTAP0WCepQAy2kk1BEnv51uMQPzh8x6uZq52Hdg8qB-oiivGhcBeZFmt77USEYzBkP_I9fgEM-LfImwvgsA0LKYmhdX7cduz_fTxQnacaR07aEvvg/s3271/93BFF5A8-DE09-4DEE-B98D-C8A8B45A9E27_1_201_a.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2618" data-original-width="3271" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyOMUSSXNHaOWAffRrxFjadzYAr2NY1rjV_Koc12V_TvL_kVyizwyDoaBzY_KpPYVykHo_R5kgYTAP0WCepQAy2kk1BEnv51uMQPzh8x6uZq52Hdg8qB-oiivGhcBeZFmt77USEYzBkP_I9fgEM-LfImwvgsA0LKYmhdX7cduz_fTxQnacaR07aEvvg/w640-h512/93BFF5A8-DE09-4DEE-B98D-C8A8B45A9E27_1_201_a.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only got Julie in the picture when she was slowed down by Forest</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQOReSuK-MUtlDap-j6dllcGmEKESZiIbb0kBCxK9w2PY7Qk18o5LLu9YsG7uBM4PfiaUnd7v1OnGv5YhXEt8cn4HNdwZG6zK2aBSjidkrrWEWrqdmKLu3DRcIUdlFgAKqYdCRlTNE7HTQgW3tIFksncprvfHkXfyTExjTyma5CKWv22IKc9fz5k8bg/s4032/1AD20CAE-C815-421D-94B4-7A6538603144.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQOReSuK-MUtlDap-j6dllcGmEKESZiIbb0kBCxK9w2PY7Qk18o5LLu9YsG7uBM4PfiaUnd7v1OnGv5YhXEt8cn4HNdwZG6zK2aBSjidkrrWEWrqdmKLu3DRcIUdlFgAKqYdCRlTNE7HTQgW3tIFksncprvfHkXfyTExjTyma5CKWv22IKc9fz5k8bg/w480-h640/1AD20CAE-C815-421D-94B4-7A6538603144.heic" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;">The afternoon was hot and tiring, you can tell by how we looked when getting to the Kingsbury food market. Note Forest's shopping basket. He is a big guy, on average probably 70 pounds on me, and his shopping reflected that. As he was paying, I thought "oh, this is one expensive store", but then when it was my turn, the total was more like a 1/3.</span></div><div style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: x-large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9uq87y8Op84fq59uKK-iovMFnkY_0FLK-a7xSlzcHduYPrjxQFfpPrd0azTnlqIyTk9_nJW21WcKacLVMHV_pze2-PkrOCcg5erqDCZ8MxISx8zg6pIQ2zPIdpY1gOBqBvXTPRRkX4dTbDOx1xZhNaNzvmYcXUYsaVavxerPe4Pe0sjDRZqE_jVLKQ/s1750/PXL_20220627_164732074.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="1750" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9uq87y8Op84fq59uKK-iovMFnkY_0FLK-a7xSlzcHduYPrjxQFfpPrd0azTnlqIyTk9_nJW21WcKacLVMHV_pze2-PkrOCcg5erqDCZ8MxISx8zg6pIQ2zPIdpY1gOBqBvXTPRRkX4dTbDOx1xZhNaNzvmYcXUYsaVavxerPe4Pe0sjDRZqE_jVLKQ/w640-h482/PXL_20220627_164732074.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forest, me, and Julie</td></tr></tbody></table><br style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif;" /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bfYNcswMF4kFbSrxQuX_vfkW_NgU3W_yOMoQR6yw0m_NuXIVWWLJ9HhQZk9qCp5-j5RIQnnSFuNv1_dxePwxM4V6sQOkX1LPdKnlRcAM9a8_IxWBN8i-_okTd4HUYt3yAASkvxGVX5TfPYHLWQCyvY22lhqcxbMc1E5BaVTSWCn7JQKMJrwNQoTZFA/s1760/PXL_20220627_171724241.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="1760" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bfYNcswMF4kFbSrxQuX_vfkW_NgU3W_yOMoQR6yw0m_NuXIVWWLJ9HhQZk9qCp5-j5RIQnnSFuNv1_dxePwxM4V6sQOkX1LPdKnlRcAM9a8_IxWBN8i-_okTd4HUYt3yAASkvxGVX5TfPYHLWQCyvY22lhqcxbMc1E5BaVTSWCn7JQKMJrwNQoTZFA/w640-h480/PXL_20220627_171724241.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Next shift, same spot, Dan, Spencer, Walter. By then we had left, Jake Inserra took that picture. </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">After Kingsbury, there is a brutal climb, in the sun. Initially through a ski resort, but then some very steep staircases. Gives some upper body workout as well, plenty of lifting up the steps here. This part up to Star Lake may be the hardest of the route, partly because of steepness and partly because it is midday fully in the sun and hot, looking down into Nevada.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfqczhfFQyxoeVH0yfFHgSkmvLIpjSxSsSoz8XYYQWlTey0G5GS5lGLt71Qi5lMrvLAqn67J6m04rq4O3Jfu-UglPXfHk8FE7hk5PxMC9StnRDEqfcgomaIQ9KW8HO4DnUDZkxuVIVANCLo_eOgqjEWETe7CyFCVGbkoEq5dVQKPy_0CR_CjmCVPMWg/s4032/00BBC804-9FEA-4A8F-A74A-51648310A6C1.heic" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfqczhfFQyxoeVH0yfFHgSkmvLIpjSxSsSoz8XYYQWlTey0G5GS5lGLt71Qi5lMrvLAqn67J6m04rq4O3Jfu-UglPXfHk8FE7hk5PxMC9StnRDEqfcgomaIQ9KW8HO4DnUDZkxuVIVANCLo_eOgqjEWETe7CyFCVGbkoEq5dVQKPy_0CR_CjmCVPMWg/w480-h640/00BBC804-9FEA-4A8F-A74A-51648310A6C1.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks nice, but the climb to Star Lake is grueling</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpM8V0mxB8O6BWFDSpqPNnjlSzEB1nPxQ-qL74Dxo7kZ_AfG8Hgen3pxkj_nn_04s2ypOp2XRHjDD7R3LZqQBIs_-son1oDFPvINptV4D7-h5v7QDIed0942SrVaklmHMKzeiepZ3muRXmLQtmX61-BXUzPPbiwGguBZ2I4ZrWU1ZkS4HzdakLvL6BhA/s4032/87BE02AC-7B89-46E8-94CA-B96DC3CDE77F.heic" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpM8V0mxB8O6BWFDSpqPNnjlSzEB1nPxQ-qL74Dxo7kZ_AfG8Hgen3pxkj_nn_04s2ypOp2XRHjDD7R3LZqQBIs_-son1oDFPvINptV4D7-h5v7QDIed0942SrVaklmHMKzeiepZ3muRXmLQtmX61-BXUzPPbiwGguBZ2I4ZrWU1ZkS4HzdakLvL6BhA/w300-h400/87BE02AC-7B89-46E8-94CA-B96DC3CDE77F.heic" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Star Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73KX8eE7gVOITCz7kcO1BTwpxs0B85GpyiTNY2h_UFfg0JQCI_zcPSKQE24AFYZ2gTXTufHKVV3tAIQ4eyFN7eck_39ndqu6nZwD3mPmtNupwMpCIV_Mrav44Xule3or3KOzQ5nKLnN9W3b4uxFMS-Auo7YxidqXM1RA1oiZwmiyznOGIjGRztGxbnQ/s320/86C62811-07B5-42E1-8478-4428279B9378.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Things look up after Star Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #202122; margin: 0.5em 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">It was going to be an (overly) long day in any event, but there was yet another challenge: The Tahoe Rim Trail goes past the tallest mountain in the Tahoe area that day, Freel Peak. Freel Peak is 3318m (just a bit under 11,000 feet), which makes it the </span><span>tallest summit in the Carson Range, El Dorado County, and the Tahoe area. So I can't just ride past this peak without climbing it. Especially since I have no other reason to get to this peak otherwise and I already missed it last time I was on the route. </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9-VPhWG21M2STf5Qan2VdUrpe9Oa1E9WnX_zUphaVP-4RVUdLN7AsJ4v4618UpwH0srXXocgNIfuQLWnaqDF4SsJNTtDSFyiy6CPWm7hN5vXAq2Uk2aahyAVFZPa0uK7ECUgrrbQz-5BIZ3VVkXbTXYdrc902IjP_ZR8RJcKLiZPztsA6N1YIQeGkA/s4032/03E00D1D-80A7-4F56-BF32-83C14BDAB3CA.heic" style="font-family: Times; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9-VPhWG21M2STf5Qan2VdUrpe9Oa1E9WnX_zUphaVP-4RVUdLN7AsJ4v4618UpwH0srXXocgNIfuQLWnaqDF4SsJNTtDSFyiy6CPWm7hN5vXAq2Uk2aahyAVFZPa0uK7ECUgrrbQz-5BIZ3VVkXbTXYdrc902IjP_ZR8RJcKLiZPztsA6N1YIQeGkA/w480-h640/03E00D1D-80A7-4F56-BF32-83C14BDAB3CA.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going up Freel Peak</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScRN15DAWbuugwSFFXUEmLD7m7jlZO-zj6MTtwonTYX6hsdZr2VNii6ZLMWl4SQIqkftsSQa0jfxObO7XjRfDvkfZdBS4oD8aufkG7h8KbJJwzoj-YGkFTxYyJZvYc4b_qOd3DvcL7ZgKTdwxsibvKWfJBnhc5Xeo2GQ7C75PycPHXwD0EZHYTgEBBQ/s3088/7A7D66CC-769A-4DFF-9601-E6A2EF22CCF6.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScRN15DAWbuugwSFFXUEmLD7m7jlZO-zj6MTtwonTYX6hsdZr2VNii6ZLMWl4SQIqkftsSQa0jfxObO7XjRfDvkfZdBS4oD8aufkG7h8KbJJwzoj-YGkFTxYyJZvYc4b_qOd3DvcL7ZgKTdwxsibvKWfJBnhc5Xeo2GQ7C75PycPHXwD0EZHYTgEBBQ/w480-h640/7A7D66CC-769A-4DFF-9601-E6A2EF22CCF6.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooling down on the climb, it was a hot day, but still had some snow fields</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Freel Peak is not a particularly attractive mountain and the way up is mostly sandy and steep. Nice views from the top, but other than being the tallest mountain it has no other redeeming qualities. By the time I came down, some other riders must have gone over the saddle and I found a few sour patches on my bike. I think it was from Jake Inserra and I enjoyed them. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gv2nWCbVnRyabcAADp8gp05dd8PIv77TUVGt22iXxN5D7L3pVqMPiNNyGnvxn50pPgGhnVkQRss5Fbp_7eAWTaQXB-RV0tzcCfIPxfljEH8HtZYRqIvh8mtm5vT7vmAt3_A8fwQuW2X9iRteOfh37fb1sxsKWNg8NC1vXo7n05KC1MeZ0IZTxHsoRQ/s1318/PXL_20220627_215858628.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="992" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gv2nWCbVnRyabcAADp8gp05dd8PIv77TUVGt22iXxN5D7L3pVqMPiNNyGnvxn50pPgGhnVkQRss5Fbp_7eAWTaQXB-RV0tzcCfIPxfljEH8HtZYRqIvh8mtm5vT7vmAt3_A8fwQuW2X9iRteOfh37fb1sxsKWNg8NC1vXo7n05KC1MeZ0IZTxHsoRQ/w482-h640/PXL_20220627_215858628.MP.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>There wouldn't be any long steep climbs afterwards, but still a lot of ups and downs after Armstrong Pass and around Freel Meadow. I think in the future, I would aim for camping there, it may add another day for the route, but the Freel Meadow area would be lovely for camping and it is plenty of riding already from Spooner to here. I saw many just perfect camping spots, probably would be dry camping as I didn't see a creek and it is high up. Necessary to fill up on water before then, but I did that after Freel Peak, multiple creeks crossing the Tahoe Rim trail then (at least in June, they may dry out later). It also gets technical again and that isn't great when one is tired. I took a fall and broke off one of my Ergon bar ends. Maybe two miles before Luther Campground, I took a shortcut to highway 89 (Grass Lake Spur trail) and rolled pavement down to Myers where I reconnected with the trail. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Fallen Leaf was a major disappointment. A huge, loud, smoky campground. Finally a year without wildfires and the campground felt like being in the middle of one. Only Forest and Julie were there when I arrived, which already was well after dark It does have showers and I bought a few shower coins and used 1 to get clean (also the scrapes I got from the fall) and left the others for latecomers. Then I headed back out again, just 5 minutes away from the campground was much more pleasant, although it still wasn't great. Especially when compared to all the great campsites I passed by in the early evening around Freel Meadows. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The final day starts with a long stretch of road riding on highway 89. The western side of Lake Tahoe is mostly designated as wilderness area where bicycles are not allowed. It is not a bad road ride, though, especially early in the morning when traffic is minimal and the sun isn't biting. There are two more trail sections starting near the north end of the lake, the first one with a brief section on the Western States trail. </span></div><div><p style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px;"><br /></p></div></span></div></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-63182752202876451492021-11-15T09:06:00.243-08:002022-07-19T09:24:28.522-07:00Kings Canyon Before Winter Closure <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOhLzSdsMbTU975K_3JaivSs-P2dj2Dh_SDaSD5ejfemKVTlI1vHWMVm01_sCKFpYKvRkHuMW-m_RUNbvKymb12amyDiH-rmh4GGNS8ErwqKh9eJiE3v3T7li-zRF1JeFyiIskj_HhbJxg7mDF37FqjyKN25HphzXegVCXK_HaSbRaJ60YaIh9PJbAxw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOhLzSdsMbTU975K_3JaivSs-P2dj2Dh_SDaSD5ejfemKVTlI1vHWMVm01_sCKFpYKvRkHuMW-m_RUNbvKymb12amyDiH-rmh4GGNS8ErwqKh9eJiE3v3T7li-zRF1JeFyiIskj_HhbJxg7mDF37FqjyKN25HphzXegVCXK_HaSbRaJ60YaIh9PJbAxw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">I got a last Sierra overnight in before the winter closure, this time Kings Canyon NP from the western endbecause CHP would close Highway 180 to Road's End on Monday morning (i.e today). Except for maybe the long darkness, conditions were great. No snow yet, pleasantly cool (summers can be too hot), no bugs (another summer problem), and not too cold at night (around freezing). I went up the South Fork of Kings River, which is the typical direction for people doing the full Rae Lakes loop, camped in Paradise Valley and hiked back down the next day. </span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjga-dMbzJTSvZC09yipRTMXJOshNNRcxHhWTEDbgdQSHSAZAkLLKbAAMx3baD_wlP1C11_JlnchlC0YVvVeU3il8PvEMrcChhpblr9REunqzjwBLjs252VUPqWLm3tlOEM52beyVtspK4UpK6-sVsdU16i13BR7Int-8fKK_4SBtnyPfIeIq9KBAflxg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjga-dMbzJTSvZC09yipRTMXJOshNNRcxHhWTEDbgdQSHSAZAkLLKbAAMx3baD_wlP1C11_JlnchlC0YVvVeU3il8PvEMrcChhpblr9REunqzjwBLjs252VUPqWLm3tlOEM52beyVtspK4UpK6-sVsdU16i13BR7Int-8fKK_4SBtnyPfIeIq9KBAflxg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">Plenty of bears out, I saw 4 on the first afternoon already. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">While I do not take spectacular photographs, only Iphone point and click, take it from the original Yosemite advocate that Kings Canyon is as spectacular: <i>"the trail in ascending the western flank of the range leads through a forest of the giant Sequoias, and through the magnificent Kings River Valley, that rivals Yosemite in the varied beauty and grandeur of its granite masonry and falling waters." Muir, John. The Complete Works of John Muir (p. 24). Madison & Adams Press.</i></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0F28p28Sqj8NSOAB2abQbumCJPvzUOzpJY5rS03Cmk1SOqc6XmWcLG8F4nDZFZdnNwUNBtHkInRa-H8CLfLjlTin8R_EI72a1iBSHhDxcQqviiZbszSRrpDDPXT_USaSg_34rMTs42OwERVRiUeu1xj_PnbE-xnjR5Y0xU1zeCgbv0zEwbYXUgxZ0NQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0F28p28Sqj8NSOAB2abQbumCJPvzUOzpJY5rS03Cmk1SOqc6XmWcLG8F4nDZFZdnNwUNBtHkInRa-H8CLfLjlTin8R_EI72a1iBSHhDxcQqviiZbszSRrpDDPXT_USaSg_34rMTs42OwERVRiUeu1xj_PnbE-xnjR5Y0xU1zeCgbv0zEwbYXUgxZ0NQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhD6IGCK1GqHXaKJKwEsiejRJ4gsU9TQASU_EiTHn4kfmldHG3wfF-33an1vvnsN_Ltu-3RH6kYldJXyIXFo2OnXffw7aGxQFVXtrmTbiaDvG5bbXnh8A6WC7B_S-x5C-1QW3eJfBqoADdw0Vt7atMoe81RPGkOzf-O1oLGE2WmUdjIe9_Gt4pdxhfLuw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhD6IGCK1GqHXaKJKwEsiejRJ4gsU9TQASU_EiTHn4kfmldHG3wfF-33an1vvnsN_Ltu-3RH6kYldJXyIXFo2OnXffw7aGxQFVXtrmTbiaDvG5bbXnh8A6WC7B_S-x5C-1QW3eJfBqoADdw0Vt7atMoe81RPGkOzf-O1oLGE2WmUdjIe9_Gt4pdxhfLuw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Kings Canyon National Park is adjacent to Sequoia National Park in California's Sierra Nevada mountains and the two are administered jointly. While best known for huge sequoia trees, including the gigantic General Grant Tree in Grant Grove, my favorite part is further east, after the road ends: the high mountain peaks, lakes, meadows, rivers. It is literally and figuratively up from Road's End. </span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNa3ORCaj-IsGlWiF8I44GI-HX9bdgBdIC_RI-WXtH6CFIVNBtKH3ztwOii1ke_szxTKBPmVHKH3ixDwLPUrWlTzVoAflRmBc6kfg0qVUrsWaK635bUwx958Urr6_OmF9t3M7Za0WdxDOIw8z7C7Mpsa9GeuhXTGbEnlRGMbJtTl1upCAg4B38elZMVg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNa3ORCaj-IsGlWiF8I44GI-HX9bdgBdIC_RI-WXtH6CFIVNBtKH3ztwOii1ke_szxTKBPmVHKH3ixDwLPUrWlTzVoAflRmBc6kfg0qVUrsWaK635bUwx958Urr6_OmF9t3M7Za0WdxDOIw8z7C7Mpsa9GeuhXTGbEnlRGMbJtTl1upCAg4B38elZMVg=w300-h400" width="300" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> <br />It started as General Grant National Park to protect the small area of giant sequoias. John Muir emphasized the huge wilderness area to the east, but it took more than fifty years for the rest of Kings Canyon to be designated a national park. The fight between various groups (especially hydroelectric dams and LA city again) continued until 1965, when the Cedar Grove and Tehipite Valley were finally annexed into the park. Partly for that reason, Kings Canyon National Park has two distinct sections. The smaller and older western section centers around Grant Grove and the park's sequoias, and has most of the visitor facilities. The trees are great, of course, but always too crowded for me, even in November. I stopped on the way, but left quickly. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The larger eastern section, which accounts for the majority of the park's area, is almost entirely wilderness, and contains the deep canyons of the Middle and South Forks of the Kings River. Cedar Grove is the only access point by road from the west (Highway 180). I have more often entered the park from the east, like Kearsarge Pass. That trailhead (Onion Valley) is about 4 hours/240 miles from Santa Monica whereas Cedar Grove is 5 1/2 hours/270 miles. But the initial going is harder from the east because every pass into Kings Canyon is over 3400m. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">In contrast, Cedar Grove is already in Kings Canyon and at 1400m and the elevation gain is fairly gradual along the South Fork of Kings River or Bubbs Creek, compared to the eastern approaches. </span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNLqTLcxPN70ylrtqw8WUq13dIJxr9PLltv_Ugj-qhkimDIiSeSob5kCKWiFH1RzHYLxetuguxJppc6Lzh4hx6Cv5827dlsILlx0ieF2fO1f3Es30DXxj3IBPIDtz4TFbE6vRaRb2PsYQQEOTbMPAa2FE1c8Z6awp6qGT8AFXxfrF_HU-NnIQt8o4-Xg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNLqTLcxPN70ylrtqw8WUq13dIJxr9PLltv_Ugj-qhkimDIiSeSob5kCKWiFH1RzHYLxetuguxJppc6Lzh4hx6Cv5827dlsILlx0ieF2fO1f3Es30DXxj3IBPIDtz4TFbE6vRaRb2PsYQQEOTbMPAa2FE1c8Z6awp6qGT8AFXxfrF_HU-NnIQt8o4-Xg=w300-h400" width="300" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Eventually, of course, you end up in the same spots and Kings Canyon has some extremely steep vertical relief with many peaks over 4000m, a few (like Palisades) even over 4300m/14,000 feet. At the sign, just before the first bridge, I went left. That would be the clockwise (more popular) direction of doing the Rae Lakes loop. Straight/right would be going up Bubbs Creek. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhz6b8m5dEBpt73QxSPQ8F5Kt4eQhBjRrc5_x40cB2Q1eaUZEdWFHVHJQx89dC9O4KAeGRvjmPzD-N8OzQgPq4cPVzZ98QCOYa-Pa363YWb0SbwbCHJ6uynX2j3AZq-mZy0qqQcDioqKO8gCwAk7sJp4msUkwytz31N1Z6_R_-F5AU85y_Bkc1JfXXS-w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhz6b8m5dEBpt73QxSPQ8F5Kt4eQhBjRrc5_x40cB2Q1eaUZEdWFHVHJQx89dC9O4KAeGRvjmPzD-N8OzQgPq4cPVzZ98QCOYa-Pa363YWb0SbwbCHJ6uynX2j3AZq-mZy0qqQcDioqKO8gCwAk7sJp4msUkwytz31N1Z6_R_-F5AU85y_Bkc1JfXXS-w=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><span style="font-size: large;">During the summer, these trails will be packed. And down here, it will also be hot. But mid-November was fairly empty. I saw a few day hikers between the parking lot and Mist Falls, but then nobody anymore. Seeing as many bears as people is a good balance! </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhp9UBGSJ6ZTYdWy9mcc-iQLE0n1_D3LIuzpO6XJ2KXunxjMll2VzhkLJfg9zBspAgNqQvHnchFvSywR66AfwE2JuQhvHoovGjMi6UU7bXOAozBbVRDn3ujgVADrBobPGE8K9sF7lgPxZUwOCUHdhfBXqi-T1RMkNRdc7Gu102fDAuHiwIVqqzl9HNJbw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhp9UBGSJ6ZTYdWy9mcc-iQLE0n1_D3LIuzpO6XJ2KXunxjMll2VzhkLJfg9zBspAgNqQvHnchFvSywR66AfwE2JuQhvHoovGjMi6UU7bXOAozBbVRDn3ujgVADrBobPGE8K9sF7lgPxZUwOCUHdhfBXqi-T1RMkNRdc7Gu102fDAuHiwIVqqzl9HNJbw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg11z--gPkRtydz79beHbJdosbHREnfW0nslEOcH6ZvUklJg0wk2cb_UojmlEupcJojOVj8eu1EE4qwnMhgQIJ_9Kl8bjqyN2J0z2gI41AeQhcoGfgDhVPFWkSZj04XXGL1M_GG3KrpwM3rt2NZ31TgA19tB5IX3LXpEjrRWidIb3BrcxJHcHSq4CWVjg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg11z--gPkRtydz79beHbJdosbHREnfW0nslEOcH6ZvUklJg0wk2cb_UojmlEupcJojOVj8eu1EE4qwnMhgQIJ_9Kl8bjqyN2J0z2gI41AeQhcoGfgDhVPFWkSZj04XXGL1M_GG3KrpwM3rt2NZ31TgA19tB5IX3LXpEjrRWidIb3BrcxJHcHSq4CWVjg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgTd8R9XETQKUbcLa--I3pEm25IIH5CjJs-4HgsUlcLk2DAqh_sQTVnXCCgYDGDVFjLsIl2jRDlOz9gAO-WoptZ8KHy90xq6WB4q6MruLdD1flgjHG7gaoTrSresDvS0A8AqwJY53hcMpdWRTa4cdboTCnDOwdFej4mMY6X_G7LttAKYdzKaoIOn5Hfw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgTd8R9XETQKUbcLa--I3pEm25IIH5CjJs-4HgsUlcLk2DAqh_sQTVnXCCgYDGDVFjLsIl2jRDlOz9gAO-WoptZ8KHy90xq6WB4q6MruLdD1flgjHG7gaoTrSresDvS0A8AqwJY53hcMpdWRTa4cdboTCnDOwdFej4mMY6X_G7LttAKYdzKaoIOn5Hfw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgO---N3QnNG9q_BxGFbGh-iirAln-EEjZGAUiJ5ZyZVFtvlSmP-6NmpO83w3YjW7c0hdGbMuuMFtin6K2PpouGbPahSN-efa3YrUf6UWLfTmlMV4SuXjsH9XL8doaSoSFZl2WfG6xMHQNA8Y4Er3IJ_VAQuQsAkMRA7hrL98DmZA7GR0A9PfOAkbkDtQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgO---N3QnNG9q_BxGFbGh-iirAln-EEjZGAUiJ5ZyZVFtvlSmP-6NmpO83w3YjW7c0hdGbMuuMFtin6K2PpouGbPahSN-efa3YrUf6UWLfTmlMV4SuXjsH9XL8doaSoSFZl2WfG6xMHQNA8Y4Er3IJ_VAQuQsAkMRA7hrL98DmZA7GR0A9PfOAkbkDtQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRrR1zuTDxc-Nz5TGShx-1mR1mU3IXgKjrH7zpZFVCC7QDWpO98c7IbMOOPLa_gsUdhRLbTkWG1_GRav31A15KLm2EVle07e7terpfzRVzNPMa7GmyC17CCvt6139juKElqqkXAEm9uWSOtm47W2M0d_yObfn5Cuap6SOCh754w0jdswjqvvdtBnnMiA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRrR1zuTDxc-Nz5TGShx-1mR1mU3IXgKjrH7zpZFVCC7QDWpO98c7IbMOOPLa_gsUdhRLbTkWG1_GRav31A15KLm2EVle07e7terpfzRVzNPMa7GmyC17CCvt6139juKElqqkXAEm9uWSOtm47W2M0d_yObfn5Cuap6SOCh754w0jdswjqvvdtBnnMiA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">From a bit further out, the high mountains in the east are visible. I'll be there again next summer. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">But on this trip, I'm heading towards Pozo for the Old-Time Music Campout: <a href="https://folkworks.org/pozo-old-time-gathering-and-more-southwest-fiddle-tunes/">https://folkworks.org/pozo-old-time-gathering-and-more-southwest-fiddle-tunes/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDcKfM-G5K5vx1PAzq7GcA5DtDVd1RS-oCVG5wh-eo3CgV5TfH6CkmgbnYjKRkIkcR57WBUDoLmuVKab3Js68xfHGwl5UHsZsqv8HoQIXQfA8xpwletO2AsywydemCo8JSCZjCqCSDQcNyWiW1l1SlJhh4aGyW5r7apDYY1BJZEiLF1aqxSv3MMF7VrA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDcKfM-G5K5vx1PAzq7GcA5DtDVd1RS-oCVG5wh-eo3CgV5TfH6CkmgbnYjKRkIkcR57WBUDoLmuVKab3Js68xfHGwl5UHsZsqv8HoQIXQfA8xpwletO2AsywydemCo8JSCZjCqCSDQcNyWiW1l1SlJhh4aGyW5r7apDYY1BJZEiLF1aqxSv3MMF7VrA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-69857949609337986862021-11-01T18:53:00.044-07:002021-11-22T20:20:31.006-08:00Rough October Night on Mt. Whitney (but nice days)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPprP4pjqutW7NXScd1lAXICO-cvqqVBD4WaeuZym8O559qkB_9nCRYF0sJiAhAaMQzwweVLnpbyymGfovKDawZxkvH0T4n54FYIX8Y7n6IW1SJTvzbvwWJmQ8cZawlMFUoJUNooEJY_J/s2048/682493D3-1953-445E-92E5-12A91DAC7899.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPprP4pjqutW7NXScd1lAXICO-cvqqVBD4WaeuZym8O559qkB_9nCRYF0sJiAhAaMQzwweVLnpbyymGfovKDawZxkvH0T4n54FYIX8Y7n6IW1SJTvzbvwWJmQ8cZawlMFUoJUNooEJY_J/w640-h480/682493D3-1953-445E-92E5-12A91DAC7899.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Mt Whitney from Lone Pine after breakfast (brown rocks in the foreground are the Alabama Hills)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpackLBnE_S1ZXem_IWwqF02EHFZ_QdmHdJKB5bGbvTl5vTc3Rbl-SNflZdgkj4f4bKBMIguaXKrgqxa6LXONH5R0CF4kiBgw_v0tmOIWQSZFh4-_eQI7HBisavko5x9h6M-YK2M3ZAv-F/s2048/D054A0AE-76D6-4AFB-B568-653AD0C7E7F3.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpackLBnE_S1ZXem_IWwqF02EHFZ_QdmHdJKB5bGbvTl5vTc3Rbl-SNflZdgkj4f4bKBMIguaXKrgqxa6LXONH5R0CF4kiBgw_v0tmOIWQSZFh4-_eQI7HBisavko5x9h6M-YK2M3ZAv-F/w640-h480/D054A0AE-76D6-4AFB-B568-653AD0C7E7F3.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Consultation Lake in the morning after the storm has passed<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;">In mid-October, I wanted to do one last high mountain trip before snow closes the trails for the season. It started and ended beautifully, but the time in between.... Maybe the most miserable night I had on any trip. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Hiking has been constrained this fall (2021). For a while, all National Forests in California were closed, then Sequoia National Park as well. Lighting strikes started several fires in Sequoia, which merged and became known as the KNP complex. The closure will last for a while, 10,000 trees will need to be removed as they are too damaged, including some in the famous redwood groves. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1AmVZZAp6Dpz9vuFAeJ7xTzvTOAca2Be6zy8Z5AU_XKq-BtVrV6JTJnv-Tr2YEYyusDZzRZussvaqSiX6p2ZXwAHz_TVPQdF0CBw8NP8X2Em7NM5zWwZ_G5SLp-lHyZh8CuUdpA45-Pz/s2048/C8890404-E0CB-427B-B94A-A45B2508D1AC.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1AmVZZAp6Dpz9vuFAeJ7xTzvTOAca2Be6zy8Z5AU_XKq-BtVrV6JTJnv-Tr2YEYyusDZzRZussvaqSiX6p2ZXwAHz_TVPQdF0CBw8NP8X2Em7NM5zWwZ_G5SLp-lHyZh8CuUdpA45-Pz/w640-h480/C8890404-E0CB-427B-B94A-A45B2508D1AC.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whitney is the slightly rounder peak</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The Eastern Sierras have mostly remained accessible (although air quality was at times terrible). The Mt. Whitney area itself is usually congested because it is the highest mountain in the contiguous 48 states at 4400m/14500 feet and yet not difficult (More than 100 years ago and before trails received maintenance, John Muir wrote that "almost anyone able to cross a cobblestoned street in a crowd may climb Mt. Whitney"). Entering the Whitney area requires permits even for day hikes. Those are so oversubscribed that they are awarded through a lottery at the beginning of the year. </span>Surprisingly, multiple overnight permits were available for Mt. Whitney in October! When I looked, there were overnight permits for 4 different starting days available for the coming week. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Forecast for that week was pleasant throughout, a bit below freezing at night, a bit above during the day. Unfortunately, it turned out that I picked the wrong day (or rather night).</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWxAe-xe8HNGcXaDWCpKJ4W_LVQJNfhgx00dKZGkwv3-7OH9iNodIn4Y_V-ASQt7juO4hYh4TcEB9FaduL07d1LXlSBmKi5QSY3HNU77vGoExY1pQOKzx_7sxZ4Fjl_2ovegJFlCcU0nw/s2048/4875FC14-5F15-4C9B-8326-2C99986ADC12.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWxAe-xe8HNGcXaDWCpKJ4W_LVQJNfhgx00dKZGkwv3-7OH9iNodIn4Y_V-ASQt7juO4hYh4TcEB9FaduL07d1LXlSBmKi5QSY3HNU77vGoExY1pQOKzx_7sxZ4Fjl_2ovegJFlCcU0nw/w640-h480/4875FC14-5F15-4C9B-8326-2C99986ADC12.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Permits are usually difficult to get, but some overnight permits were still available in October</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsxe1Jfwb3G-3LCRs86uPXDzXW98AbqU0L6A8ZqzBDgXjV8Aan5jABQCSL8WVAbVLF_5GApkkc13IDKfBjd7F-BDR8tk0XbAfhMfghnOSHV9nqXRT70-ptONqsRp1XCaqbcjxoRmQX5B3/s2048/A3373E6C-4853-471F-A3C9-5A7833865AF5.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsxe1Jfwb3G-3LCRs86uPXDzXW98AbqU0L6A8ZqzBDgXjV8Aan5jABQCSL8WVAbVLF_5GApkkc13IDKfBjd7F-BDR8tk0XbAfhMfghnOSHV9nqXRT70-ptONqsRp1XCaqbcjxoRmQX5B3/w480-h640/A3373E6C-4853-471F-A3C9-5A7833865AF5.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going up the main Whitney trail, now almost at the treeline. John Muir compared the trail's difficulty to crossing a cobblestoned street in a crowd. Other routes are more difficult, though.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;">I got to Lone Pine in the afternoon to pick up my permit for the next day. The ranger said the following night would get noticeably colder and much windier, forecast has changed, with gusts up to 50 miles, but no snow accumulation expected. And only one night and all the days should be nice. 50 mile gusts are quite strong. I took notice of that to make sure I aim the tent the right direction and stake it out well so it doesn't blow over. I've camped in storms and severe winds before and the changed forecast didn't seem bad. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZcSRZD3TFMKWHGe3mfpGqu0CKTmzkDxfK2yIQxOwKI4dVFrjXPcV5hZlrsF_vuGzgUvN4cgS_gXqwFg-p4jiA5XpytH2wxr6ymWCTN0JSBr-SQgZH4xWjBnR8iQaSIlfGzREtoZAaDSj/s2048/8774DDFA-2291-4443-AB31-2FD980D83D54.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZcSRZD3TFMKWHGe3mfpGqu0CKTmzkDxfK2yIQxOwKI4dVFrjXPcV5hZlrsF_vuGzgUvN4cgS_gXqwFg-p4jiA5XpytH2wxr6ymWCTN0JSBr-SQgZH4xWjBnR8iQaSIlfGzREtoZAaDSj/w640-h480/8774DDFA-2291-4443-AB31-2FD980D83D54.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thor Peak (3750m) looms over much of the hike and it is a more impressive mountain than the picture shows</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;">I only had time for a shorter hike that afternoon and went up a bit along the North Fork. That trail splits from the main route quickly and then becomes the Mountaineer Route, which is much less crowded, but also in a different league technically from the main trail. I did a little bit of scrambling, but didn't go as far as Boy Scout Lake. The north fork route starts out in a canyon and unlike the main trail, which is sunny, it had some snow and ice and was noticeably colder. Then went down to Lone Pine for dinner. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0-YocQ8TT4493w_sgXFUzV7gijNmxHg5NaXAug-U7mO-qeyK2vzGviG-F9ddyWmQl9rcvbsgEeEwj5MvzFt6aZyxaHtOysReYZN8QGrf9SVOHwWWaOyq2KxH2YS1Qa1F1HcFviTOtqMI/s2048/F82F0854-2129-43E9-94A3-881E23DE90F5.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0-YocQ8TT4493w_sgXFUzV7gijNmxHg5NaXAug-U7mO-qeyK2vzGviG-F9ddyWmQl9rcvbsgEeEwj5MvzFt6aZyxaHtOysReYZN8QGrf9SVOHwWWaOyq2KxH2YS1Qa1F1HcFviTOtqMI/w480-h640/F82F0854-2129-43E9-94A3-881E23DE90F5.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the North Fork trail had snow and looked cold, but I could hike in short sleeves</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCnMsusvvLq8dzg-uhVx6QQHj6xlQAaTWI0waT4FJJixaeIwZa_xvnDufdCIua4DeIX43Dp58ZxxLUzchT9D3fmJePnv229C1LBZBHN9uAYCMfM48zhq5nljNYsZjVGEFlwEOJYqWdQg4/s2048/336ED80E-5745-4538-89ED-F2A802722C21.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCnMsusvvLq8dzg-uhVx6QQHj6xlQAaTWI0waT4FJJixaeIwZa_xvnDufdCIua4DeIX43Dp58ZxxLUzchT9D3fmJePnv229C1LBZBHN9uAYCMfM48zhq5nljNYsZjVGEFlwEOJYqWdQg4/w480-h640/336ED80E-5745-4538-89ED-F2A802722C21.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back to Lone Pine and the desert from the North Fork Trail</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;">The next morning, I started around 11 on the main trail. There was no rush since I was camping at Consultation Lake, which is only about 11 km up the trail (although most of the total elevation gain). I made detours to the other two lakes on the route, Lone Pine Lake and Mirror Lake. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSWbBex4MuMCZXM7ecl0V6PwZBGlmsN1mOJCdbylqQlgjewLylMFbY49UP7kEiE692xkH0WM7pcd9FXw9zY_30b3mPaNPTzykV5tPk8DV2rYNwyfDy5gyMuiwLTYz0Q5nZ4_GG9T9ZYkl/s2048/628B71CD-10A9-4002-8F1A-773164BA6626.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSWbBex4MuMCZXM7ecl0V6PwZBGlmsN1mOJCdbylqQlgjewLylMFbY49UP7kEiE692xkH0WM7pcd9FXw9zY_30b3mPaNPTzykV5tPk8DV2rYNwyfDy5gyMuiwLTYz0Q5nZ4_GG9T9ZYkl/w480-h640/628B71CD-10A9-4002-8F1A-773164BA6626.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lone Pine Lake, 5 km from Whitney Portal, is as far as one can hike without permit<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnC0w0JqJ5Lv6lHRdwVE_bzEsU4Rg1Ow4zd4Mrf2MLmmhnUc6vgH8NhdBC2vxqlDP4Skl95dyvpOjJqxvmC9vYHNU1AsldumgcFvqb3Q4DPY8_dTNwToPKaD0lXrje0PhYLCRdYQ9l82So/s2048/90FE63D7-D825-4955-80CF-32C614E50F1B.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnC0w0JqJ5Lv6lHRdwVE_bzEsU4Rg1Ow4zd4Mrf2MLmmhnUc6vgH8NhdBC2vxqlDP4Skl95dyvpOjJqxvmC9vYHNU1AsldumgcFvqb3Q4DPY8_dTNwToPKaD0lXrje0PhYLCRdYQ9l82So/w640-h480/90FE63D7-D825-4955-80CF-32C614E50F1B.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The meadow below Mirror Lake, the mountain with the flat top is Wotan's Throne (about 3900m)</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;">It was a lovely day. Early afternoon, but a number of people had already made camp at Outpost, which is only 6 km from the trail head. Consultation Lake is higher up, at about 3600m/12000 feet, but is not popular because the lake is off the main trail (and downhill from it). I scrambled down to Consultation Lake from the trail, but there is also a more walkable route along the cliffs that starts from a bit further up the mountain. Few people want to make the detour to the lake because there is an official camping location, Trail Camp, just a bit further on the trail. But that means that Trail Camp is reliably packed whereas Consultation Lake remains fairly empty. I was the only person that day at Consultation Lake. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganBfhb3lInHzcrZb0hqBTExK9GYK4D6fCKf7oUF-3_44lC70liF_dVOnFO9V0b7dUGFe36VO_U9wW1kJipUbqKfQdcdlMLn24R7IZ65y3P9rCMkqkYXFVq5diX3njqMd6v0ZvmVy-oVZy/s2048/8398477F-06F4-43E4-A80A-34732E7283D5.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganBfhb3lInHzcrZb0hqBTExK9GYK4D6fCKf7oUF-3_44lC70liF_dVOnFO9V0b7dUGFe36VO_U9wW1kJipUbqKfQdcdlMLn24R7IZ65y3P9rCMkqkYXFVq5diX3njqMd6v0ZvmVy-oVZy/w640-h480/8398477F-06F4-43E4-A80A-34732E7283D5.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a bit higher up</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span>By the time I got to the lake, the wind had picked up substantially and it was getting noticeably colder. I found a place between two large rocks that seemed to offer some windbreak and checked for wind directions to place the tent the right way (i.e. keep the low end in the wind). I put 40+ pounds rocks on the stakes to keep them in place. </span></span><span> I </span><span>took our newer Big Agnes Fly Creek tent, rather than the older one that shows some wear and may be getting tired of those trips, so felt very prepared for the night. </span><span>The temperature dropped quickly once the sun was behind the mountains and by 5 pm it was so cold that I went in the tent. It was very pretty, just too windy and cold. The water was frozen by 7pm, but some was already in the pot and ready to be heated up for hot coffee/chocolate in the morning without leaving my sleeping bag! Very comfortable in the tent. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">By midnight, the tent was flapping loudly and I went outside to check. It was a full moon and clear night, but with strong gusts. Three of the guy lines on the tent had torn off (they were the original lines), but I could fix that by tying in new lines and a bit of wind wrestling. The stakes were right were they should be (with their rocks). Still disconcerting. While a pretty night, it was so cold that I quickly went back inside, just tying in new guy lines froze my hands (but it isn't something you can do with gloves). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I dozed and around 2 or so, the tent was pushing against me. I went out again to check on problems, but now the weather had changed and it was hard to see with a headlamp as snow flakes were blowing everywhere. Instead of a clear full moon night, there was no visibility and it was hard to stand in the wind. Felt more than 50 mph gusts. But all the stakes and lines were right where they were supposed to be. Back inside, warming up and appreciating the comfortable shelter during what turned to be a much fiercer storm than forecast. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I dozed off again when I suddenly found myself in the open and a bit disoriented with snow blowing in my face. It took a little while to figure out what was going on, but apparently all the guy lines had torn off, the rain fly was gone and the inner tent was torn into pieces. Once I realized that my shelter was gone, I tried to ignore it. But it was not that ignorable and I was becoming a snow drift. I tried to use the remnants of the tent floor as an outer layer/bivi sack to reduce wind chill, but that proved hopeless, too. It was too windy and the tears didn't leave a large coherent piece of the tent floor that I could wrap around me. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-nek4WzpJCNTqzioObBplrSWlfgrV5wpuxW_u0k7kdG0sfrgIFaivI8Miff-iTeYX3xOMaquykGF324_D9JExh8txcbVau34n52YwFLlqE90MIsmmDtm-iT-gms4aY98gseygQMy3dxE/s2048/11C1FCA8-D868-4166-8984-271A16E2B77B.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-nek4WzpJCNTqzioObBplrSWlfgrV5wpuxW_u0k7kdG0sfrgIFaivI8Miff-iTeYX3xOMaquykGF324_D9JExh8txcbVau34n52YwFLlqE90MIsmmDtm-iT-gms4aY98gseygQMy3dxE/w480-h640/11C1FCA8-D868-4166-8984-271A16E2B77B.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the storm was largely over in the morning. Snow was blown away from exposed areas, but accumulated elsewhere<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;">Now the situation was rather bleak, about 2.30 in the morning, outside in the middle of an early winter storm. Unfortunately, there was just nothing I could do other than curling up and trying to stay as warm as possible. It was much too cold and windy for any other outdoor activity! No visibility either, in the headlamp just glare off snowflakes. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I had taken my warmer sleeping bag, but that was still a three-season bag rated for maybe 25F. It would have worked well inside a tent that night, but sure was underpowered when the windchill is well into the minuses. Fahrenheit that is, so in Celsius that feels more like -20. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXE7xzgVmOSr5mW84Z00krR7UeIYHrquJmxKdckP8dRMaY_VejlBYQc0qDaSd7zOrotWIvbQAa2rwm6lI5j3dCamEFCJ90VV7AAWQwFG8Nqf7eAe54Oe3mqeaS9lM1LWqQtXtTuNez7RM/s2048/F41A94EC-73F8-4591-9B1C-468E9ED087E8.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXE7xzgVmOSr5mW84Z00krR7UeIYHrquJmxKdckP8dRMaY_VejlBYQc0qDaSd7zOrotWIvbQAa2rwm6lI5j3dCamEFCJ90VV7AAWQwFG8Nqf7eAe54Oe3mqeaS9lM1LWqQtXtTuNez7RM/w480-h640/F41A94EC-73F8-4591-9B1C-468E9ED087E8.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the camping I had expected (the yellow pieces are the floor parts of what is left of the tent)</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;">I closed things up as well as I could and then spent a few miserable and very slow moving hours. Not knowing how long this would take made it more unpleasant and slowed down the clock. I was uncomfortably cold (not dangerously, just uncomfortably) but just had to lie this out because trying to pack up and leave would actually have been dangerous. That storm was quite a bit worse than any forecast! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Eventually, dawn came and that reduced the bleakness of the situation, although without raising the comfort level. The storm didn't stop then. It took until 8 am or so for the storm to settle. Then I also heard some voices, most likely hikers who were trying to get off the mountain. Less likely would be very optimistic day hikers coming up. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCxaKy8ftGM2_i4W8s3zZplTeFRdbDZo9LWfBiHQvELP_YFe8HUMpNI44HMQNp2HEHMCdCagdTH2eKPtnfFAeVpYgR__XUE6K8k5gqsSM3OOcR4PuBY0XG7DsqfVuIxfUVRnSzBhzhux8/s2048/86B0B174-5662-4171-8C97-6D71EAB20EA4.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCxaKy8ftGM2_i4W8s3zZplTeFRdbDZo9LWfBiHQvELP_YFe8HUMpNI44HMQNp2HEHMCdCagdTH2eKPtnfFAeVpYgR__XUE6K8k5gqsSM3OOcR4PuBY0XG7DsqfVuIxfUVRnSzBhzhux8/w480-h640/86B0B174-5662-4171-8C97-6D71EAB20EA4.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No coffee or chocolate or even hot water for me, despite the best preparation</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;">The idea of making coffee/hot chocolate in the morning in the tent vestibule/mudroom (without even leaving my sleeping bag!) was no longer an option. Indeed, not even hot water was an option. I tried to shelter the burner the best I could after the worst was over, but there was no way to get it lit and stay lit in the wind. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSURMp5jW69BdjdX_MIJl9yitIRgYgms8bepcbmD6wWRoIAwIZcQS_CPeiVn9uaQItL7ElVr0GbGrj3c1m4J6_CnaCpOFcTQpASWh5y3nCfSFhVtRAyceO5tOwQKXDuV5JSyEV-DkR_b5/s2048/C5E2B25B-B574-442E-95D2-E8D877CEEB47.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSURMp5jW69BdjdX_MIJl9yitIRgYgms8bepcbmD6wWRoIAwIZcQS_CPeiVn9uaQItL7ElVr0GbGrj3c1m4J6_CnaCpOFcTQpASWh5y3nCfSFhVtRAyceO5tOwQKXDuV5JSyEV-DkR_b5/w480-h640/C5E2B25B-B574-442E-95D2-E8D877CEEB47.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow got into everything. In fact, when I got back to Santa Monica late in the afternoon, there still was snow in the tent pieces I had stuffed into the bottom of my backpack.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;">Another half hour later, probably 8.30 or so, I could see some blue sky towards the East, although it was still foggy and snowy where I was. Eventually it was promising enough that I quickly packed up and headed back to the trail. No snow accumulation? All the way back to the main trail I was at least ankle deep in snow and at some places I sank in knee high. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">On my way to the trail, I found a windbreaker. I thought I had heard an anguished voice an hour or so earlier, so I guess that was a hiker who had just lost a highly desired item at that moment! The trail was on a cliff above me, so that person thought it was lost for good when it blew away. I left the jacket at the intersection once I joined the trail. If it was a day hiker, he would find his jacket a few hours later. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7vyHVtb2ElHRN369xv3rokPZ_jrEMHZ-eNNmhgdnrIWqVtDt7eqyYGFaK7Ix2FX-u0d52jl0IAEMXK9hG-mhtROEYRcSr5krHx6lNF2PcwK0MVUfTDFFwAw0yHCGxb3bMBXKqOoLusv8/s2048/A772BF52-87E9-4E6B-8973-EC968CCDBF66.heic" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7vyHVtb2ElHRN369xv3rokPZ_jrEMHZ-eNNmhgdnrIWqVtDt7eqyYGFaK7Ix2FX-u0d52jl0IAEMXK9hG-mhtROEYRcSr5krHx6lNF2PcwK0MVUfTDFFwAw0yHCGxb3bMBXKqOoLusv8/w640-h480/A772BF52-87E9-4E6B-8973-EC968CCDBF66.heic" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning after the storm had passed, it was a very pretty day again<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;">On the way down, I passed several other hikers who had camped that night. I don't think anybody who was out overnight decided to go up to the top and from what I heard, most experiences were similar to mine. Later, a few day hikers were coming my way. It would not have been a particularly bad day either because by mid-day, the storm had blown away and it was nice (although day time temperature at the lake and above would remain below freezing) and sunny, although now with a bit of snow and ice. I actually enjoyed my hike that day once I was a bit warmed up again. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdwXMkcA7LV_l2uYOuIdeUV-XDUvm4zQUdTghbsFAfgDpCS0zgvyduyhR9wTEP473eR8O8NTXJNo7Ix-8VKjvnwRObHNwqm0cTL-8afUp8cnR9iwX3zOCG3Sqr9YggnXIWNBkMh5uMynB/s2048/A915FB43-A4B3-4840-8899-50A9D1A60E65.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdwXMkcA7LV_l2uYOuIdeUV-XDUvm4zQUdTghbsFAfgDpCS0zgvyduyhR9wTEP473eR8O8NTXJNo7Ix-8VKjvnwRObHNwqm0cTL-8afUp8cnR9iwX3zOCG3Sqr9YggnXIWNBkMh5uMynB/w480-h640/A915FB43-A4B3-4840-8899-50A9D1A60E65.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice sculptures on Mirror Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I stopped at Mirror Lake to finally get my hot coffee/chocolate. It is more sheltered there and also lower elevation. Hiding the stove behind some big rocks, I was able to keep it lit. The temperature was also pleasant, maybe around freezing. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Descending, I warmed up quickly and from 4 layers went down to a single layer (although still a long sleeve hiking shirt). By early afternoon, I was back at the trailhead and then I was hot in the sun. Hard to believe the change within a few hours. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVE53H_sNgSXn7gymzsUAmBUGyelxgnagutQq8_eS8yMZPxsEWTlq5hmYi-cak3hpKHKTj9SdsFwOpX48R24wu_j9M_9Uq2K3lG4Z1NmzuRRtQ1nhmrR-F5Wgtor75GgkXyBft3Ki5J6hW/s2048/1584D509-B2F7-43CF-BB26-0BD5C1A69DC2_1_201_a.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1831" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVE53H_sNgSXn7gymzsUAmBUGyelxgnagutQq8_eS8yMZPxsEWTlq5hmYi-cak3hpKHKTj9SdsFwOpX48R24wu_j9M_9Uq2K3lG4Z1NmzuRRtQ1nhmrR-F5Wgtor75GgkXyBft3Ki5J6hW/w572-h640/1584D509-B2F7-43CF-BB26-0BD5C1A69DC2_1_201_a.jpeg" width="572" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tent poles are broken in 5 places, but still had snow in them when I got to SM maybe 9 hours after I packed up<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div>Big Agnes responded to that story and gave me a 30% discount on a new tent, but with the recommendation that I buy a tent from their expedition series if I plan to go out in similar weather again. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not the first one to remember a cold night on Whitney late in the year: </div><div><br /></div></span></div></span><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Some eighteen years ago I spent a November night on the top of Whitney. The first winter snow had fallen and the cold was intense. Therefore I had to keep in motion to avoid freezing. But the view of the stars and of the dawn on the desert was abundant compensation for all that. This was a hard trip, but in summer no extraordinary danger need be encountered Almost any one able to cross a cobblestoned street in a crowd may climb Mt. Whitney."</i></div></span></div></span></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><div><span><div>Muir, John. The Complete Works of John Muir: Travel Memoirs, Wilderness Essays, Environmental Studies & Letters (p. 1801). Madison & Adams Press.</div></span></div></span></blockquote><p> <span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">A cold starry night (or full moon night in my case) would have been great. Sounds like John Muir experienced a really cold, but not windy, night and then moving around can warm you up. During the storm, however, trying to stay in motion would have been the more dangerous choice. No activity could make up for the windchill and the gusts were strong enough to knock you off balance. But the lesson is that late season weather can make Whitney a hard trip.</span></p><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruWQvd1s8G3sN1eEh3M61nVDtadZLljSJreRmnOeygLqAycJPIZHJ9zZonaghR7SLBRW9AJ14I9CFJGK7fWroxVxVhxRAqI15lmgYD5jC_8EdlLDo-Ao261m-NW9fGkMnCY8sjGASq1hE/s2048/11B2DCEF-7772-4D96-BB12-1194AB019BB1.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruWQvd1s8G3sN1eEh3M61nVDtadZLljSJreRmnOeygLqAycJPIZHJ9zZonaghR7SLBRW9AJ14I9CFJGK7fWroxVxVhxRAqI15lmgYD5jC_8EdlLDo-Ao261m-NW9fGkMnCY8sjGASq1hE/w640-h480/11B2DCEF-7772-4D96-BB12-1194AB019BB1.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ClkvJy0h-Y3UX2TdK4xExvO1AN2e0I-2eVU65Vpiz00IxGwGiadSsfgWKy8nLi_nU5Mp3nb4OigTsdsCR4ggKA-iPn_t70iqjV44hz8NufKT1Kg9dsxR6slfdmbQ6IpI22nz7VRojgEd/s2048/4452EFC5-7829-4327-B9A8-B13A93947A9A.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ClkvJy0h-Y3UX2TdK4xExvO1AN2e0I-2eVU65Vpiz00IxGwGiadSsfgWKy8nLi_nU5Mp3nb4OigTsdsCR4ggKA-iPn_t70iqjV44hz8NufKT1Kg9dsxR6slfdmbQ6IpI22nz7VRojgEd/w480-h640/4452EFC5-7829-4327-B9A8-B13A93947A9A.heic" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-44549229734226858552021-10-06T19:18:00.001-07:002023-07-29T15:37:53.848-07:00Rediscovering Ragtime<p><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></p><p class="fwnormal" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="The Entertainer" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-5130" decoding="async" height="351" src="https://folkworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/The_Entertainer.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; display: block; float: left; font: inherit; height: auto; margin: 5px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" width="275" /><span style="background-color: white;">Ragtime’s heyday was around the turn of the previous century, when ragtime composer Scott Joplin found success with <em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Maple Leaf Rag</em> (1899) and <em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Entertainer</em> (1902). The ragtime craze subsided before too long, although ragtime left a lasting impression on jazz and maybe on Brazilian Choro (another amalgam of European and African styling and rhythmic influences that has many similarities to ragtime). Ragtime never went entirely away, most piano students at one point stumbled across <em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Entertainer </em>and a few ragtime influenced tunes survived in old-time music, but it remained a fringe style even during occasional revivals.</span></p><p class="fwnormal" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">I recently started studying tunes that seem to be at the boundary between the “classical” ragtime style of composers like Scott Joplin and his contemporaries and old-time string band music. There is a jazzy tinge to this music and the musical ideas are more complex than in Appalachian old-time. And I’m not the only one who seems to have rediscovered this style.</span></p><p class="fwnormal" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">The <strong style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Temple Street Quartet</em></strong> is a Los Angeles based string band that plays an eclectic mix of musical styles from the late 19th and early 20th century. The group includes Frank Fairfield, Zac Sokolow, and David Elsenbroich, who alternate between guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and banjo, along with Jake Faulkner on the double bass. They are not limited to American ragtime, but also play Brazilian choros, tangos, and Italian parlor music from the ragtime era. This video from the 2019 <a href="http://www.topangabanjofiddle.org/" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #db1122; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Topanga Banjo Fiddle Festival</a> captured the rendition of the <em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Red Pepper Rag</em>, a 1910 composition by Henry Lodge (Frank on resonator guitar, Zac on regular guitar, David on banjo-mandolin):</span></p><div class="avia-iframe-wrap" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; height: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 462.688px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="844" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O8nvOpOyQHI?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&rel=0" style="border-color: rgb(26, 26, 26); border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; height: 462.688px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 822.319px;" title="Temple St Quartet" width="1500"></iframe></span></div><p class="fwnormal" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">There were many stringbands in the 1920s that played ragtime in a slightly more primitive style. Often they are categorized as Old-Time, but I feel that it is almost a category by itself or at least somewhere intersecting the classical or parlor style and dance styles. <strong style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_East_Texas_Serenaders" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #db1122; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The East Texas Serenaders</a></em></strong>, a band that included guitar, banjo, fiddle, and 3-string cello, clearly feels different from folk music and a step towards jazz/swing; more a precursor to Western Swing than Appalachian old-time fiddle.</span></p><p class="fwnormal" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Another recent video comes from the Down at the Yard concert series. San Francisco’s <strong style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.skilletlicorice.com/" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #db1122; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Skillet Licorice</a></em></strong>, with LA’s Kelly Marie Martin on bass and San Diego’s Clinton Davis on banjo, perform the East Texas Serenaders’ <em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3-in-1 Two Step</em>.</span></p><div class="avia-iframe-wrap" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; height: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 462.688px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="844" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m_8Ykonh1gc?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&rel=0" style="border-color: rgb(26, 26, 26); border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; height: 462.688px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 822.319px;" title="3-in-1 2-STEP - Skillet Licorice - Down at the YARD" width="1500"></iframe></span></div><p class="fwnormal" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">I have learned a few tunes from <strong style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The East Texas Serenaders</em></strong> and similar 1920s stringbands myself. Adding these ragtime tunes to my repertoire was a challenge, but they provide a nice complement filling a niche between Celtic/Old-Time fiddle tunes and jazz. It is a genre that my daughter and I play quite a bit together. Our mandolin duo version of the <em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mineola Rag</em>, recorded probably late 1920s by <strong style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The East Texas Serenaders</em></strong>. Mineola is a small down about 80 miles east of Dallas.</span></p><div class="avia-iframe-wrap" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; height: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 462.688px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="844" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mZ1CjPuyLSg?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&rel=0" style="border-color: rgb(26, 26, 26); border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; height: 462.688px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 822.319px;" title="Mineola Rag on two mandolins" width="1500"></iframe></span></div><p class="fwnormal" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">In written form, many of these rags, cake walks, stomps and marches are featured in Steve Parker’s <strong style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ragtime for Fiddle and Mandolin</em></strong> book. He has arranged 124 tunes for fiddle and mandolin with chords. Everything is written out in standard music notation. This is the most comprehensive book on ragtime tunes that I have seen, including the classical piano and novelty rags, string band tunes, and some newer compositions (all the tunes mentioned in this column are in the book). Many of the tunes are little known, though. They vary in difficult and a novelty rag like Russian Rag requires virtuoso skills – like mandolinist Dave Apollon who performed this in the 1930s. But most are fairly straightforward, although technically more challenging than most old-time or Irish tunes (more chromatic and surprising syncopation). Steve died years ago, but his website is still alive and possibly you can get the book here. <a href="https://www.elderly.com/products/ragtime-for-fiddle-mandolin" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #db1122; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Elderly Music</a> has the book in stock as I’m writing this.</span></p><p class="fwnormal" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.85em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">To finish this column, here is a fresh local rendition of the most famous ragtime of all times, Scott Joplin’s <em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Entertainer</em>. Once again the <strong style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Temple Street Quartet</em></strong>, from a performance at McCabe’s:</span></p><div class="avia-iframe-wrap" style="border: 0px rgb(26, 26, 26); box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: questrial, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; height: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 462.688px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="844" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wI2e3CGADvE?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&rel=0" style="border-color: rgb(26, 26, 26); border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; height: 462.688px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 822.319px;" title="Frank Fairfield & The Temple Street Quartet - The Entertainer - Live at McCabe's" width="1500"></iframe></span></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-9739483748710075792021-08-11T20:30:00.045-07:002021-08-15T19:50:41.311-07:00Inyo National Forest: Minarets and Mt. Ritter Range <p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPjC9jwsqZ1MipGu0NzxrrArVwychLud12PAsMEqGyc8r2WQDtjq-6fRNRGm_zbWOnaneJ9iAD15swYIJbPxtaE_mUutDRDlx-X6vR-ZVYLxhtObvl_vSolkHew0rXtcOpMrujMXSxji-/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1090" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPjC9jwsqZ1MipGu0NzxrrArVwychLud12PAsMEqGyc8r2WQDtjq-6fRNRGm_zbWOnaneJ9iAD15swYIJbPxtaE_mUutDRDlx-X6vR-ZVYLxhtObvl_vSolkHew0rXtcOpMrujMXSxji-/w640-h422/06C515A5-8A93-4922-A275-43C6D6D992E6_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Ritter (left, a bit further back) and Banner Peak (in the foreground and therefore looking taller) tower over Garnet Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Our friend John Zaller recommended a backpacking trip to the Minarets, a series of jagged peaks in the Ansel Adams Wilderness. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> The Minarets (about a dozen with individual names) are part of the Ritter range; Mt Ritter and Banner Peak are the two main mountains. The John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails weave around the many lakes at the foot of the range. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">We camped at Badger Lake, and also passed Thousand Island Lake, Garnet Lake, Shadow Lake, Ruby Lake, Emerald Lake, and a bunch of smaller lakes. </span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I have seen the Minarets from a distance, as do most people who visit Mammoth Lakes, but had not been in the wilderness area. </span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_XZtN0FfYmilnx7N0Lwp7-hdJ993Khm5mvZDhkzhRz2fXWyY05DzmicppM8krcVqbdp9S1AfzleOsdAqpDuxGbkmHpdPQGSZAzOgTYf2USFKq71CGWmkh_391LmbZ7Tny18WBSt8zsbI/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2006" data-original-width="2048" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_XZtN0FfYmilnx7N0Lwp7-hdJ993Khm5mvZDhkzhRz2fXWyY05DzmicppM8krcVqbdp9S1AfzleOsdAqpDuxGbkmHpdPQGSZAzOgTYf2USFKq71CGWmkh_391LmbZ7Tny18WBSt8zsbI/w400-h392/99747D8C-1FE8-487E-B67F-A43AF8F3C102_1_201_a.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On Starkweather Trail with Minarets in the distance. Riding trails around Mammoth was previously the closest I got to those mountains.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Minarets were named in the 1860s by the California Geographic Survey. O</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">nly their family name was bestowed by the California Geographic Survey, their (unofficial) </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">individual first names came much later. Mount Ritter, the main mountain of the range, was named at the same time and before there was any known climbing (John Muir takes credit for the first known ascent). </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We visited our daughter Anya in Davis over the weekend and the backpacking trip added only 150 miles of driving, a small price. Backcountry permits can be hard to obtain because it is a hugely popular area, but I got permits for a Monday start on the High Trail/Pacific Crest Trail. Our trailhead was at Agnews Meadows, which is on the road to the Devil's Postpile National Monument (huge tourist attraction) and therefore requires taking a shuttle bus. We were on the trail (PCT going north) at 4 pm. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDUCZxxCS0-XDl8qN7GGnTxPFHRE90_W_fRDCJQWvTgZ0DMJjOjEjzl8i_5MPItA5J-PxIqiYM1XFnGGuintIgpI5p7vi-3RYH6S_SICQueBZh87TbQsyNHJK9nsoil16BmeUWrTMiZMB/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDUCZxxCS0-XDl8qN7GGnTxPFHRE90_W_fRDCJQWvTgZ0DMJjOjEjzl8i_5MPItA5J-PxIqiYM1XFnGGuintIgpI5p7vi-3RYH6S_SICQueBZh87TbQsyNHJK9nsoil16BmeUWrTMiZMB/w640-h480/4001EB4F-B54A-42E2-BFF5-309A2142507A_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the High Trail/PCT, Minarets in the hazy distance</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />There are big wildfires and air quality can be very poor. Over the weekend, it was in the unhealthy range in both Davis and Mammoth, but it had improved to moderate by the time we started. The afternoon still had some haze, but it cleared completely overnight and air quality remained very good. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3bYOl1GvzNXGyaktkKUmMGwwiZNLAtrOHef6Wqj0f9ZHFDwSW193kCqtxjRBytr5qPFQbysDNiiwQkjNn_zAMbUYm6apuMz6cEWbTrERRdfzkRmd7GpHQetSbUKAK-IKEhMlYja2_UsI/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3bYOl1GvzNXGyaktkKUmMGwwiZNLAtrOHef6Wqj0f9ZHFDwSW193kCqtxjRBytr5qPFQbysDNiiwQkjNn_zAMbUYm6apuMz6cEWbTrERRdfzkRmd7GpHQetSbUKAK-IKEhMlYja2_UsI/w480-h640/3FF70B20-3AF0-4352-8DA2-5B4CB57AECAF_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the High Trail</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />The Pacific Crest and John Muir Trails are extremely popular. They are polished with signs at every intersection that make it hard to get lost. By 7pm, Kathy was getting very tired and when a sign pointed to Clark Lakes uphill and 1000 Island Lake still an hour away, she suggested going to Agnew Meadows because that sounded promising and it seemed to be downhill. Not remembering where we had started 3 hours earlier is a sign that it was time to stop. </span><div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfZcWRxkCX-v6Gu4EkLU7MVcwuVUJynnomlbJaoDz3StBv3m4_2dQigaSRa-DEBFPUnR_BU0NPTsRODa7YgbpPgvnBifvzsdhxDUySjQuYou-_x8sXen2vDvvMjxFcpbcIXQlur0Frs4w/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="2048" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfZcWRxkCX-v6Gu4EkLU7MVcwuVUJynnomlbJaoDz3StBv3m4_2dQigaSRa-DEBFPUnR_BU0NPTsRODa7YgbpPgvnBifvzsdhxDUySjQuYou-_x8sXen2vDvvMjxFcpbcIXQlur0Frs4w/w640-h418/F0E6416E-A5F2-4D53-99AF-46D33D49EA8C_1_201_a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Agnew Meadows would have been the one wrong choice out of those 3</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />She had to stumble on a little longer, but not much. Badger Lake was close and enough off the PCT to be empty (whereas 1000 Islands is always busy). We made camp at sunset. There are several Badger Lakes, maybe 5, but only one is of a reasonable size, the others are more like ponds.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAfnO1iRa-Zn7aoJTp7yOuUxmEx8cJO26eonkThi2eKgOkXoD-ZguydpV_CCiBPaNH1e_8B5GoF5l_XDzS8A81Z4g-c66tPVa-L65Sm525xM5MWd1KxCCVNmb2ycSpRp6Q50hlMu2mBbH/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAfnO1iRa-Zn7aoJTp7yOuUxmEx8cJO26eonkThi2eKgOkXoD-ZguydpV_CCiBPaNH1e_8B5GoF5l_XDzS8A81Z4g-c66tPVa-L65Sm525xM5MWd1KxCCVNmb2ycSpRp6Q50hlMu2mBbH/w640-h480/BC04D972-27E3-47D8-8A5B-BBEFD2EAB0F3_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Badger Lake at sunset</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3OfFJlJq95j9lbdbgHgNOLD68r1277PfUXyc2Ca1kPbkcs1-Q1kbwMtN1NtrUeuw2UGgO7KbG7Mv6ZMTxwY-gstr3ZzOwIDPzvqmVwT4CvsEXAcAsIie3FbvS8U1AGiKBW1-_n6DUFd8/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3OfFJlJq95j9lbdbgHgNOLD68r1277PfUXyc2Ca1kPbkcs1-Q1kbwMtN1NtrUeuw2UGgO7KbG7Mv6ZMTxwY-gstr3ZzOwIDPzvqmVwT4CvsEXAcAsIie3FbvS8U1AGiKBW1-_n6DUFd8/w640-h480/AB8E50A5-6ABA-4043-8D87-EE69E2870021_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and at sunrise</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />It was a lovely evening and despite being absolutely still, there were no mosquitoes or other flying insects. We didn't even unpack the tent. The haze had cleared, there was no moon and an amazing night sky with many shooting stars. Badger lake is a little over 2900 m. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Kjbdrk7CYQwULIpj7vf333TRxwi6EjM0ZIKvgA3LhW71mhLy6Xw369ECBZ_tkhuwyTphN27ZX-5IjZa3mn13gpMvtfQSUhOtV8ugcZBFch1PJ8rYk4r9aYTF7nYsVpx5UkFZ_f3PDzP8/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="847" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Kjbdrk7CYQwULIpj7vf333TRxwi6EjM0ZIKvgA3LhW71mhLy6Xw369ECBZ_tkhuwyTphN27ZX-5IjZa3mn13gpMvtfQSUhOtV8ugcZBFch1PJ8rYk4r9aYTF7nYsVpx5UkFZ_f3PDzP8/w584-h640/D989F6FD-451C-4584-BFBD-3BE5DF6DDB53_1_105_c.jpeg" width="584" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the PCT heading towards 1000 Islands Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />Maybe because of the late start yesterday afternoon, we had not seen anybody since a large animal pack train (15 horses/mules) coming the opposite way during the first hour. But this morning, we encountered the first ranger ready to direct traffic before 10am. Nobody has ever wanted to check my permits, but this day our permits were scrutinized twice (and verified that we haven't gotten lost yet and also reminded about backcountry rules). </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now we are at the foot of the mountain range and 1000 Islands Lake (and the others) are spectacular. At 3000 m, the vegetation is fragile because nature's metabolism slows down. 1000 Islands Lake along the John Muir trail might be more appropriately named 1000 Hikers Lake and regulations are needed to keep the area reasonably healthy. So there are many signs on where not to camp and it generally is a better idea to look for places not directly along the JMT or PCT.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Here is the beginning of the San Joaquin river: The outlet of 1000 Islands becomes the middle (and main) fork of the San Joaquin. The north fork starts near Mt Lyell and a short south fork in Kings Canyon.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrntfSG9FGo9ugPeH4vukrnqa4qs9pduXuEJ2T_ZixS3JmBts8cnkf5JX2xhSkGRiNngQbhGv-GbZncUNlpxeQLefLxhxLYrNZPAl4oxQe3pe1u6wptrl4czmMYP0xZYrgXpkgPANlWy7/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrntfSG9FGo9ugPeH4vukrnqa4qs9pduXuEJ2T_ZixS3JmBts8cnkf5JX2xhSkGRiNngQbhGv-GbZncUNlpxeQLefLxhxLYrNZPAl4oxQe3pe1u6wptrl4czmMYP0xZYrgXpkgPANlWy7/w640-h480/B436F9A2-B588-4D20-B501-A6DB4106C357_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The outlet of 1000 Island Lake becomes the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"> </span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTz9ZNlcMKBz3_qMvQNNMlTdoHIzEq4JHRLO7DqYecG8uufDP9YO6M3Qim_nRorvUg7mVQeGyS3bgVhB0YE69EVBw2M-Kf5EUxx4xOyJlYv2YdHs2PbrqBNsjupQ84I_9iH4LzUzguGB7E/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="959" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTz9ZNlcMKBz3_qMvQNNMlTdoHIzEq4JHRLO7DqYecG8uufDP9YO6M3Qim_nRorvUg7mVQeGyS3bgVhB0YE69EVBw2M-Kf5EUxx4xOyJlYv2YdHs2PbrqBNsjupQ84I_9iH4LzUzguGB7E/" width="562" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The San Joaquin picking up speed</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The San Joaquin is an amazing river, almost 600 km long. It originates on the Eastern side of the Sierra and for 150km is a rocky mountain stream with a steep gradient and many waterfalls. Yet somehow it manages to get across the Sierra Nevada to meander for 400 km through the Central Valley from Fresno to Stockton. Most of the water is used for agriculture and by the end only a heavily polluted trickle is left to join the Sacramento river and eventually flow through Suisun and San Francisco Bay into the Pacific. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8-T0ynfQkNhVKvei9x4UhMZul2RDqiDE1Co8AeWjMnVi4TMtGlQWo3tFko4nt7VqTcNO9qRE6gWuZB4Or0tsECAFFM19ZJSFu9jk8NZ2dEHOV96cqR3OnR8ujDSUYl_6_63BIWZI-dSy/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8-T0ynfQkNhVKvei9x4UhMZul2RDqiDE1Co8AeWjMnVi4TMtGlQWo3tFko4nt7VqTcNO9qRE6gWuZB4Or0tsECAFFM19ZJSFu9jk8NZ2dEHOV96cqR3OnR8ujDSUYl_6_63BIWZI-dSy/w480-h640/129CE58E-D228-42E9-81DA-BDE1ED5D467D_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby Lake</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">At 1000 Islands, we connect with the John Muir Trail, which comes from Tuolumne Meadows from the north (so does the PCT, around this area they are often the same) and turn south again. The trail goes by Emerald and Ruby lakes. But only their names are shiny; they are pretty, but no more than lakes with more pedestrian names; neither one would have been as good for camping as Badger. Also along the JMT, they see heavy traffic and the forest service closed one camping area for plant rehabilitation.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74lxIqv_7BAVZmoY4nD2Ddx8demqKNX9f6bgDn2IW1DUktynevF4cV8sP3Mtt0dN-ZIlCN8DAwv4CmV12dFU8er25CgpuEUXYC9bR0aHkUrfnOe9QZ9zE1zwmbJHwDhy_Hu68pJ4tV7MB/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74lxIqv_7BAVZmoY4nD2Ddx8demqKNX9f6bgDn2IW1DUktynevF4cV8sP3Mtt0dN-ZIlCN8DAwv4CmV12dFU8er25CgpuEUXYC9bR0aHkUrfnOe9QZ9zE1zwmbJHwDhy_Hu68pJ4tV7MB/w640-h480/B1AB3A96-2BE2-499A-92B2-E2640A448CBA_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak. Ritter, on the left, is a little over 4000m and Banner a little under 4000m. But the perspective makes Ritter look smaller. Garnet Lake in the foreground </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRipVVOnyEDRuCfi_NKJCP1YF3TQjnlfy54qir3-WhKmmdA7ZP2-p0RBrhE79FCcH4mglVKkB0XS0WMVysGS_yGcHc9GQPGLbLXTu9EeKuNmlFdxu79hQUJxIkGsLPDFn4A0-VQpMkPCv/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1144" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRipVVOnyEDRuCfi_NKJCP1YF3TQjnlfy54qir3-WhKmmdA7ZP2-p0RBrhE79FCcH4mglVKkB0XS0WMVysGS_yGcHc9GQPGLbLXTu9EeKuNmlFdxu79hQUJxIkGsLPDFn4A0-VQpMkPCv/w640-h384/F1327787-0E2B-4BCE-859A-522B2B3E88E2_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak again</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>Mount Ritter is king of the mountains of the middle portion of the High Sierra, as Shasta of the north and Whitney of the south sections. Moreover, as far as I know, it had never been climbed.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Muir, John. The Complete Works of John Muir: Travel Memoirs, Wilderness Essays, Environmental Studies & Letters (p. 211). Madison & Adams Press</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">. </span></p></blockquote><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Muir was going to change the "never been climbed" part. Why Ritter? Carl Ritter was a famous geographer in the early 1800s. Ritter was not much of a world traveler and never left Europe. Seems that the only connection to California is Josiah Whitney. Whitney got to name a lot of things </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">as chief of the California Geological Survey (like the Minarets), but earlier in life</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> studied with Ritter in Berlin. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The other famous geographer/naturalist of the early 1800s was Alexander von Humboldt (he and Ritter died the same year) and his name is on even more things. Humboldt did a lot of traveling, especially in South America, but he never came anywhere near Humboldt Bay/County/Redwoods (California) or Humboldt River/Range/Sink/Lake (Nevada) either. The closest was a short detour at the end of his South America travels in 1804 to visit Thomas Jefferson in Washington. Berlin casting a long shadow over our hikes in California: Ritter range this week, 2 weeks ago we were in Humboldt county.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uxWQDYpbzA_GDW2-e_JZmlLwtHDu9AQoLVKFz5HFnsfDDRonBIA41gbcplGFgMya4D0fkvhDixAClzKIRrVcwicyABxyH5cptgbCBtEF3PGXDh6guWTqPsGIZHV9lh3205u8gU-0Zgfy/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uxWQDYpbzA_GDW2-e_JZmlLwtHDu9AQoLVKFz5HFnsfDDRonBIA41gbcplGFgMya4D0fkvhDixAClzKIRrVcwicyABxyH5cptgbCBtEF3PGXDh6guWTqPsGIZHV9lh3205u8gU-0Zgfy/w480-h640/BFDFD3D2-9BE6-49CE-9E64-11E7D70DCB54_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing the outlet of Garnet Lake. The trails are very manicured.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />The descent to Shadow Creek/Lake surprised us. It seemed long and hard and we didn't think we had climbed up that much. It was interrupted by another permit check by a backcountry ranger and by many hikers coming the opposite way and asking "are we almost there yet?". </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LuWEdclOMu_Fj0RVQLDUE3O0KGbXr-s2ATHfH_jIjIMXAmEpni6H9Skg-LMMwxv13mDaKar20Qg52CLzMoCt9sFRfiBMscM9wv-UANaspitYQWzvudc911RmxQ9gm_xYAwWJVHnerpQc/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="1112" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LuWEdclOMu_Fj0RVQLDUE3O0KGbXr-s2ATHfH_jIjIMXAmEpni6H9Skg-LMMwxv13mDaKar20Qg52CLzMoCt9sFRfiBMscM9wv-UANaspitYQWzvudc911RmxQ9gm_xYAwWJVHnerpQc/w640-h406/E18900BF-905E-4928-AC70-533C7DD14156_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minarets</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>Looking southward along the axis of the range, the eye is first caught by a row of exceedingly sharp and slender spires, which rise openly to a height of about a thousand feet from a series of short glaciers that lean back against their bases, their fantastic sculpture and the unrelieved sharpness with which they spring out of the ice rendering them peculiarly wild and striking. These are the Minarets. Beyond them you behold the highest mountains of the range, their snowy summits crowded together in lavish abundance, peak beyond peak, aspiring higher, and higher as they sweep on southward.</i></span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Muir, John. The Complete Works of John Muir: Travel Memoirs, Wilderness Essays, Environmental Studies & Letters (p. 19). Madison & Adams Press. </span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Roughly the same view, but Muir must have looked from a higher elevation to see the peaks behind them, from Ritter rather than from the John Muir Trail. Of course, there was no John Muir Trail then and its construction started in 1915, the year after John Muir died. Maybe there was no trail at all: Trails start for utilitarian purposes, first by animals, then followed by humans, connecting grazing, hunting, and eventually trading areas. Primitive trails over Kearsarge or Mono Pass were known and surely many current hiking trails follow much older trading and hunting routes of the native Paiutes. But around here, there would be little practical use for animals nor people looking for them. Joe Nisbet LeConte, who became Muir's successor as Sierra Club president, pioneered a high route in 1908, roughly the modern JMT, and those efforts would be needed to create connections between traditional trails. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Joining Shadow Creek Trail, I had a tentative plan of maybe turning right/west going up Shadow Creek. Shadow Creek starts in the Minarets and then flows through Cecile/Iceberg/Ediza lakes. However, after Ediza, it is an unmaintained/no trail route along the Minarets and, from what I believe, partly along a glacier. This would be a slow scramble of a route, adding another day, and probably one I need to do on my own. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Shadow Creek and Shadow Lake are particularly pretty. Shadow Creek drops 1000 m over the short distance from its origin to the San Joaquin and therefore has many waterfalls. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghf77PdscpY7BxnEj1Z53vRmsSDV3hWMYtWZ4bFFqfHsIHpUFpkEp93pi42wJNYWBdXa2l6hDFo4B1Nvl5kJC-E-hTd4srRmnVtC5nGzIPZbovDskVGpaAZ1QwtaYZtFk7xCt2r8zm8mpA/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghf77PdscpY7BxnEj1Z53vRmsSDV3hWMYtWZ4bFFqfHsIHpUFpkEp93pi42wJNYWBdXa2l6hDFo4B1Nvl5kJC-E-hTd4srRmnVtC5nGzIPZbovDskVGpaAZ1QwtaYZtFk7xCt2r8zm8mpA/w480-h640/2E945510-427F-4198-B1D4-DEF54D2FB1F7_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shadow Creek</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljSTi1W-hSNV990xKy6hbMTbJsZiI_tznU2D2RWrdQsTogl0Bst3x0ilBLnJnEp4K9CyqMAI4Cnn3h9CxrOcNKDovVgtd53Yfy5QudW6yFRrIONgGl4KxqqIQ56JS4K7Bsq07TEKFnpNb/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljSTi1W-hSNV990xKy6hbMTbJsZiI_tznU2D2RWrdQsTogl0Bst3x0ilBLnJnEp4K9CyqMAI4Cnn3h9CxrOcNKDovVgtd53Yfy5QudW6yFRrIONgGl4KxqqIQ56JS4K7Bsq07TEKFnpNb/w640-h480/182B71B3-D94C-45C9-94C5-5E37C729AE69_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shadow Lake, Mt Ritter in the back</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VpMWu0UbmWzPvb88Uqf0wRycIF-8JtzHzBGNNKomriuVt6ZYRAUdAkQ-rwCnujTByp2e4qX48NPf6H9TdrhY6UnWRNOr87Mj2VdblUJCBM3fLZb0UcrLM-UfE3O4wES47qNfUfIiD3Dd/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VpMWu0UbmWzPvb88Uqf0wRycIF-8JtzHzBGNNKomriuVt6ZYRAUdAkQ-rwCnujTByp2e4qX48NPf6H9TdrhY6UnWRNOr87Mj2VdblUJCBM3fLZb0UcrLM-UfE3O4wES47qNfUfIiD3Dd/w480-h640/A1AD6895-E3ED-442A-AD3E-E3E9A87E9E3B_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shadow Creek shortly before it joins the San Joaquin</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Even more descending after Shadow Lake and by now our knees had enough of that. Also, now it was in the afternoon, the sun was hot, and the temperature was rising the lower we got to river bed. Fortunately, the trail back to Agnew Meadows along the river was shady and that was very welcome. And a surprise at the river crossing: There actually are a few sequoias, the Sierra redwoods. Far from the western slopes where they are usually found! Just a few, not giant and not old (decades, not centuries), but also not where I expected any as it is outside their natural range. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-rwF73gLgPd8e2un2eYhMR1u_w6J6GbyBPP6XLyp7QpKQglM3BW2VNPuB2JgRpMOx_s1eGPBi-iMl9pPfautS5QhADWhyah0BzHhaeWlEloqn8mHoPH-k7PNtv-QAxu3bBqCuD4cfiWY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-rwF73gLgPd8e2un2eYhMR1u_w6J6GbyBPP6XLyp7QpKQglM3BW2VNPuB2JgRpMOx_s1eGPBi-iMl9pPfautS5QhADWhyah0BzHhaeWlEloqn8mHoPH-k7PNtv-QAxu3bBqCuD4cfiWY/w480-h640/520E7315-7957-4C93-8DEC-46243E96D872_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />Another 1000 years and it'll look more like this</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9AY9QqmboDtx5eqX_NoEM0Zx90hQTOOy73aS9MmNn_bJdt8owFpgrWEFEgMucbZvsM0AbdUk7QpPU-cQqYsaORK5a1B7o0IkbUTOE8wO4aMAiEbZ3gXPfE6oEmAewq41pzuhdKCyjkwV/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1344" data-original-width="1008" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9AY9QqmboDtx5eqX_NoEM0Zx90hQTOOy73aS9MmNn_bJdt8owFpgrWEFEgMucbZvsM0AbdUk7QpPU-cQqYsaORK5a1B7o0IkbUTOE8wO4aMAiEbZ3gXPfE6oEmAewq41pzuhdKCyjkwV/w480-h640/20161105_121915.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From a bike ride on the western slopes 5 years ago</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We were on the trail for 7 hours this day, a very different world from LA, but not that far: We were back in Santa Monica for dinner.<br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-75183727285944994092021-07-28T16:59:00.016-07:002021-08-06T21:00:18.672-07:00California's Lost Coast - King Range Wilderness<p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, system-ui, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilh9B-Hp637N3KIrvo36HVRJU9FQt8tYFrSCQjZzOI27oYpePUj85mP5oVti94PS5dINQj5bPiTzJM5STZAFA-fs_G8xTMBbZSFbjKPmnzMZsZDodjem2aAEVe2e4Msj-s-p5NjGzowilf/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilh9B-Hp637N3KIrvo36HVRJU9FQt8tYFrSCQjZzOI27oYpePUj85mP5oVti94PS5dINQj5bPiTzJM5STZAFA-fs_G8xTMBbZSFbjKPmnzMZsZDodjem2aAEVe2e4Msj-s-p5NjGzowilf/w640-h480/37747E43-8D04-4597-B832-F1BF6D4C3870_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a short inland section on day 3</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The King Range Wilderness area in Northern California (aka Lost Coast) is one of the rare areas for a beach hike in a wilderness area. It is a National Conservation Area, administered by the Bureau of Land Management, and less developed than a National Park. But it also has a low quota of backcountry permits. Usually those are gone months in advance, but I got a 3-person permit for the week after July 4th. Kathy invited our friend John Zaller, who immediately accepted even though he would come off a multi-day hike in the Sierras the day before we start. </span></span><div><span style="color: #11100f;"><span style="font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #11100f;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The King Range is a steep coastal mountain range, so rough that no road was built on the beach side (unlike Big Sur). King Peak is 1300 m and within 5 km of the beach. However, the hiking route is along the water and almost entirely on sand and rocks. </span></span><span style="color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elevation gain is minimal and t</span><span style="color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;">he brief sections that go a little bit inland are very welcome for having a harder surface: </span></span></div><div><div><span style="color: #11100f; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #11100f; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jcDNUi4NhjWlJFG_dYzZx-5urF3lmn3d-FvN3zEgRn3ojFSuWPCpGShL7uGVwoyVdISlZpuNlwY5QNj5lV6awgTS5ZN5ygfv3K9eh_1sElooaR-MXoTLXdMli43W131cEjyv01elC2gW/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jcDNUi4NhjWlJFG_dYzZx-5urF3lmn3d-FvN3zEgRn3ojFSuWPCpGShL7uGVwoyVdISlZpuNlwY5QNj5lV6awgTS5ZN5ygfv3K9eh_1sElooaR-MXoTLXdMli43W131cEjyv01elC2gW/w640-h480/10FE40BC-4886-4FFB-BFF1-26DFE1EC6F7B_1_105_c.jpeg" title="Kathy and I on one of the few non-beach stretches" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">afternoon day 2</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></span></span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are several sections that are only passable during low tide; other times, the waves crash against the rocks, often steep cliffs that offer no option for a detour. Our permit started during a full moon, which tends to have extreme tides. In this case, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">only an early morning low tide was low enough to get past otherwise impassable sections. That timing was perfect for us going opposite (south to north) to the typical route and it avoided congested campsites (as the N-S hikers had to aim for campsites just north of the impassable sections). Sometimes there will be no passable tide during the day. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">We started after 4pm in the afternoon at Black Sands Beach (Shelter Cove), with pleasant air temperatures, but still a hot sun. We only had about 6km before the first section that requires a low tide and stopped at Gitchell Creek to camp. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFJ4IHxGMJZdZYzVtyk488bf8AFuppsXXK64fHAMxqudoJlvJpouAWD8bGBw-hqUhhOjVyJeHROuPiWXzoE3raGctrJLyZ2A-Aen1e-Wgtvbt1wFmHzZT7FbnXYybMpjq3vh02kDD6d2g/" style="background-color: white; clear: left; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFJ4IHxGMJZdZYzVtyk488bf8AFuppsXXK64fHAMxqudoJlvJpouAWD8bGBw-hqUhhOjVyJeHROuPiWXzoE3raGctrJLyZ2A-Aen1e-Wgtvbt1wFmHzZT7FbnXYybMpjq3vh02kDD6d2g/w300-h400/416D846D-9D47-4F9E-97AA-C6DAC2E5AEE7_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #11100f; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Kathy and John along Black Sands Beach.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">The weather during all 3 days was clear with a gentle breeze (other times could be foggy with a strong headwind going north). Slept outside with just a tiny bit of moisture on the sleeping bag, there was no need for a tent or tarp. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">Soft sand/gravel (even at low tide few spots with hard sand) and rocks make for a strenuous hike. Although our afternoon was just a small hike, the soft sand made it harder than one would think. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">On day 2, we started about 6.30 around the lowest tide level. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nNB_0lDQDIPyKDjuMtwf0EFNsHemMBfoOeGBhT-TQHUFwvyh5NBHErok0LdrcIygGVrwwL3-Foo10PiERlaqwVtyED-acxei3T9paI1W57mLyDOde-TzKb8sgIqsmR6heGiU5rMKQG92/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1444" data-original-width="2048" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nNB_0lDQDIPyKDjuMtwf0EFNsHemMBfoOeGBhT-TQHUFwvyh5NBHErok0LdrcIygGVrwwL3-Foo10PiERlaqwVtyED-acxei3T9paI1W57mLyDOde-TzKb8sgIqsmR6heGiU5rMKQG92/w640-h452/AF4F36D2-EA09-43DF-816E-FD4C0EE10048_1_201_a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early morning on day 2</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But we weren't the first: There were already new animal prints in the sand. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; white-space: pre-wrap;">The mountains are steep, often cliffs, and even bears hike on the beach to get from one area to another (these fresh bear footprints can't be more than a hour old). Deer, too. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqrnnhfSVf729j3ngon7n0fFYiEG03gdV1-AGqKwetk5MDGsNkmGbHK8bRzUHwN4kiepKsuLMcCS9Mf-bj_GCse-OGWOWwgz_soRntfKqgF2h1mt0zywgTkOaxQMVdx2eHgFTFhxiwNnI/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1783" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqrnnhfSVf729j3ngon7n0fFYiEG03gdV1-AGqKwetk5MDGsNkmGbHK8bRzUHwN4kiepKsuLMcCS9Mf-bj_GCse-OGWOWwgz_soRntfKqgF2h1mt0zywgTkOaxQMVdx2eHgFTFhxiwNnI/w557-h640/84EFE058-C54A-4CB8-9879-4EF85274AF5F_1_201_a.jpeg" width="557" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh bear tracks</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f;"><span><span style="font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">It didn't take long before the animal tracks were obliterated by humans, within the next 2 hours, we saw several groups coming the opposite direction. The sand comes and goes, depending on how the coast line curves. At some places, deep sand gets deposited; elsewhere it gets washed away, leaving just medium to large rocks and little space between the water and the cliffs. This picture is during a very low tide, most low tides leave less space - and during higher tides, the waves crash against the rock. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f;"><span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCnmvpwD4nC1lYUZXDJUXW7FkJN7osCeDWz0AXVsBCWQt43RWBqjdQAOEwHMhG9piBoNX3sAv_8VILer0zu2AZS6r9IRavFz_KV75p9hD49ioujfSz0i4cwX4oFQ1rHRY4sNBlm9W-_QE/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCnmvpwD4nC1lYUZXDJUXW7FkJN7osCeDWz0AXVsBCWQt43RWBqjdQAOEwHMhG9piBoNX3sAv_8VILer0zu2AZS6r9IRavFz_KV75p9hD49ioujfSz0i4cwX4oFQ1rHRY4sNBlm9W-_QE/w640-h480/52AB55DF-FC2D-454F-97B6-D9777B84BFA9_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These rocky sections are slow and strenuous</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">The morning was great, but this was the longest day of the trip(about 20 km) and the afternoon sun is not as pleasant as the morning. The terrain (soft sand or rocks) makes walking harder than 20km sounds. </span></span><span style="font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">The hiking experience is quite different from the mountains not just in scenery, but apparently walking mechanism: I got blisters on my toes despite wearing my usual hiking boots and socks. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">We made camp at Randall Creek by 3.30, right before the next section that required waiting for a low tide. </span></span></span></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnPQkje5tGYmYf6qtGziTPilsVwR98-2KyRuhrpLA2tISJKq0cFntEOmiGBO4TY-rvzFW0XAbtffUUEtLsvkzLzabXOFprNkHYqHIdjM_soSuChPelia8fEC7xCbVvAx5X8vodPTQCazO/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnPQkje5tGYmYf6qtGziTPilsVwR98-2KyRuhrpLA2tISJKq0cFntEOmiGBO4TY-rvzFW0XAbtffUUEtLsvkzLzabXOFprNkHYqHIdjM_soSuChPelia8fEC7xCbVvAx5X8vodPTQCazO/w480-h640/5C2D1314-237E-4256-B733-F5E274805614_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">looking down from my camp at Randall Creek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 3 started off with a similarly lovely morning as the previous day, it just had a bit more fog and wind towards the end. The first section that has to be hiked during low tide had some spectacular rock formations, almost like a minuscule version of Devil's Postpile near Mammoth. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJv4J5yXOk_G4MYgNJIJ8JyzAi6rmZZKuZvyJAgeylGZNIpF6zwjGZcK4LNn6TLBBRKesdQ_pGT0Rzuqxn_msMRCq0FmOiV9xoDe1LEy0hC64TG3HcYu0rxSI47-nOL-_I4qyWp9y02KVS/" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJv4J5yXOk_G4MYgNJIJ8JyzAi6rmZZKuZvyJAgeylGZNIpF6zwjGZcK4LNn6TLBBRKesdQ_pGT0Rzuqxn_msMRCq0FmOiV9xoDe1LEy0hC64TG3HcYu0rxSI47-nOL-_I4qyWp9y02KVS/w640-h480/D58290BD-6F57-4D2B-81DE-8D110F0F8B6A_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This needs a low tide - at other times, waves crash against the rocks</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfp-XHlbFbSjIzucwRY5hfGzdoJAHPLI-s3qswH_3lkMKCNvhiKplDUQUY-3n1WOOxuXNe4YJL0zw0qaq0XbRFDc6u-vw44BY9fC7BZiIaiJZZYeFFFpm8jJRhEPmVP2F7vqHGnHJqhR9/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfp-XHlbFbSjIzucwRY5hfGzdoJAHPLI-s3qswH_3lkMKCNvhiKplDUQUY-3n1WOOxuXNe4YJL0zw0qaq0XbRFDc6u-vw44BY9fC7BZiIaiJZZYeFFFpm8jJRhEPmVP2F7vqHGnHJqhR9/w480-h640/E2E9ECA0-7582-49AB-8A4E-82DF9954B502_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cooskie Creek is in the middle of that section and probably getting quite crowded at times (for people hiking N-S, the two camping options just before or along the impassable section are Sea Lion Gulch - where we saw the first people already making camp by 11am to start the next morning- or Cooskie). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfp-XHlbFbSjIzucwRY5hfGzdoJAHPLI-s3qswH_3lkMKCNvhiKplDUQUY-3n1WOOxuXNe4YJL0zw0qaq0XbRFDc6u-vw44BY9fC7BZiIaiJZZYeFFFpm8jJRhEPmVP2F7vqHGnHJqhR9/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEx2vi2jpxPCNdFXoBHI_3lYqj_dipKcMt4OYJYcfePXnZVpjLJPCRsgV9Gnwpd1EWVrsdlX1dBKhqrv8Hv4wJGVUClyVpqSXeK63VzinHO9B0pAgMaNaeFh3_tohteCdKJ9bpVV1_4Ctv/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEx2vi2jpxPCNdFXoBHI_3lYqj_dipKcMt4OYJYcfePXnZVpjLJPCRsgV9Gnwpd1EWVrsdlX1dBKhqrv8Hv4wJGVUClyVpqSXeK63VzinHO9B0pAgMaNaeFh3_tohteCdKJ9bpVV1_4Ctv/w640-h480/44F6277D-368D-425F-96D9-1C0A795D6F94_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooskie creek</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">The narrow section ends at Sea Lion Gulch, which unsurprisingly has many sea lions sitting on the rocks. The trail goes inland for a little bit, but soon returns to the beach and then it is mostly deep sand until the trailhead at Mattole Beach. The last hour is definitely a sand slog. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Just before the final sand slog, the elephant seals at the old lighthouse provide some entertainment. Not a particularly exciting entertainment, mostly they lie next to each other and doze. The more enterprising ones use their flippers to toss sand on their backs every few minutes. They spend most of their time in the ocean and much further north (Alaska), but come to California twice a year. This is the summer beach vacation for molting (they will be back for the winter breeding season). But first they will be swimming north again. These are two very long round-trips each year!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Occasionally they get on each others nerves - maybe one was snoring too loudly? - raise up their fronts and yell and snort at each other for a minute. They are huge animals, the males weigh several tons, and the males are also astonishingly ugly to human eyes with their fat wobbly noses. Their females must perceive that wobble nose differently: They didn't become extinct despite being aggressively hunted by humans. I think that huge nose is only good for loud snoring or roaring sounds (unlike an elephant's trunk, they can't do anything practical with it). Those two guys roared for a minute, the outcome was that the one at the left moved maybe a foot back before they laid down again. The rest of the pack didn't move a flipper and didn't pay attention, except for the tiny one in the front who was unnerved by the racket. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUn0T7sL7SRZPgmg_vf3RMysEFNIYo96_QRPAY0r9XC1OUZJsTTuwjyraefBk9uJrBDoW1zaO8IGrlrAAZnHu0YMxYOo1aQha53yVCJrQIBtvLfaZoFDG3CAlmz_QiwWKA_jmsJLTu_vt2/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUn0T7sL7SRZPgmg_vf3RMysEFNIYo96_QRPAY0r9XC1OUZJsTTuwjyraefBk9uJrBDoW1zaO8IGrlrAAZnHu0YMxYOo1aQha53yVCJrQIBtvLfaZoFDG3CAlmz_QiwWKA_jmsJLTu_vt2/w640-h480/30021916-A2C1-4B81-B592-C2FC89F517DE_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elephant seals snoozing and grumpy males yelling at each other near the lighthouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIne174duehEeMm6a28iH-GOyMbQXO1Dj7iV1LMaX-kKXoXmV7KYUKqHzJAXy11vQSyBRfxIIqtq-nokUPjTaRf0yL-d7Zpli_2hj1fsBFcWvjRLpC-Q5k26FXBqom3tgGPHR219vMgy2j/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIne174duehEeMm6a28iH-GOyMbQXO1Dj7iV1LMaX-kKXoXmV7KYUKqHzJAXy11vQSyBRfxIIqtq-nokUPjTaRf0yL-d7Zpli_2hj1fsBFcWvjRLpC-Q5k26FXBqom3tgGPHR219vMgy2j/w640-h360/18E8E807-D25F-4217-8CAE-3FE79DCD7DC8.tiff" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">done, time to lie down again, the one with the bigger nose wins and gains a foot more space.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-60943459632660523252021-07-10T17:57:00.001-07:002021-08-14T08:53:58.743-07:00Mineral King Loop - Sequoia National Park<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRvhwM2IEFLDcp15_qaXH9LXgMYzuSuFSebArZ5IysDTtiBkzaVclEZ7EP39ccLyRdHKt1l3ELMA0QdRKe7onL8whnwxpi6dOAkh_tr_ERX1T6inmo0AFUCKH3nLEQoMTXqXB42AlC0Hf/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRvhwM2IEFLDcp15_qaXH9LXgMYzuSuFSebArZ5IysDTtiBkzaVclEZ7EP39ccLyRdHKt1l3ELMA0QdRKe7onL8whnwxpi6dOAkh_tr_ERX1T6inmo0AFUCKH3nLEQoMTXqXB42AlC0Hf/w480-h640/F6F1ED49-872F-4DB4-ACF7-36BC63679430_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top of Sawtooth Pass</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">My favorite trip so far this year was a 4-day hike in Sequoia National Park, starting from Mineral King over the Blackrock and Sawtooth passes into the Five Lakes Basins. One of most spectacular routes ever. I went by myself, starting July 6.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The Great Western Divide is a formidable barrier separating the justifiably famous tourist destinations of the Sequoia National Park from the much less visited (and road-less) high mountains that account for much of the area of the Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks. There is no easy way to get over the Great Western Divide, every pass here is over 3500m (or >11500 feet). This trip started from the west, whereas last month's hike over Kearsarge Pass into King's Canyon started from the east. The western and eastern approaches differ systematically: </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>"All the passes make their steepest ascents on the east flank of the range, where the average rise is nearly a thousand feet to the mile, while on the west it is about two hundred feet. ...</i></span><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> Approaching the range from the grey levels of Mono and Owens Valley the steep short passes are in full view between the peaks, their feet in hot sand, their heads in snow, the courses of the more direct being disclosed nearly all the way from top to bottom. But from the west side one sees nothing of the pass sought for until nearing the summit, after spending days in threading the forests on the main dividing ridges between the canyons of the rivers, most of the way even the highest peaks being hidden."</span></i></div></blockquote><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Muir, John. The Complete Works of John Muir: Travel Memoirs, Wilderness Essays, Environmental Studies & Letters (p. 25). Madison & Adams Press.</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaj8y09nAIc0gnCYpvjEEa3dds5f4xjW8KJNqJQOowKcetcFudHNhx1xyQ0gVJPR-GslrT4MLWZ-ycY4xa-SFfHFxkO9AyfcXXpK0yXzEFcSIOzWtsoLljDTd6kz8iR0nlEJEO21ROU57/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaj8y09nAIc0gnCYpvjEEa3dds5f4xjW8KJNqJQOowKcetcFudHNhx1xyQ0gVJPR-GslrT4MLWZ-ycY4xa-SFfHFxkO9AyfcXXpK0yXzEFcSIOzWtsoLljDTd6kz8iR0nlEJEO21ROU57/w640-h480/AC76AE83-0431-476A-9144-26539A7EBB98_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset from upper Monarch Lake<span style="font-family: georgia;"> on my last night</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mineral King is a quiet corner </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">in the National Park, connected to the rest of the park by trails. A windy road that is too narrow for lane markings leads there, with an easily missed turnoff before the official park entrance (coming from the south, Three Rivers). It can take 1 1/2 hours for the 40km/25m to the ranger station (and the road dead-ends shortly afterwards). For John Muir, this took "days in threading the forests". </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyk1V3K8i_-LF1ZOz4tC7GiI4l8mGS3CMTHiK4-MWnFA4jIRrqNeRdRXoa1mPessU5H0Yrg70zThiu8Tvn6mI81Xfl6NxfoDB0PCEI9IAQrVkc867C_UULoSjlU7iAOSXi276njxShcWyG/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyk1V3K8i_-LF1ZOz4tC7GiI4l8mGS3CMTHiK4-MWnFA4jIRrqNeRdRXoa1mPessU5H0Yrg70zThiu8Tvn6mI81Xfl6NxfoDB0PCEI9IAQrVkc867C_UULoSjlU7iAOSXi276njxShcWyG/w300-h400/49B06883-0552-403E-8D6B-EA654D7D8E35_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicely wrapped minivan</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I stopped at the ranger station to pick up my backcountry permit (only for overnight, none needed for day hikes). Rangers want to confirm that people know the rules and have appropriate equipment. Although the ranger quizzed me on bear-containers (I have a Garcia, which can hold 4 days of food) and waste disposal, his first question was whether I had a tarp for the car. Car wrapping is a custom specific to Mineral King: The local marmots chew wires and hoses in cars left overnight. This is a major concern Mineral King, but only there (nowhere else in the park) and only until August (no car chewing from August to April). I brought my own tarp, but the ranger station has spare ones if needed. Marmot-disabled cars have occurred so often at Mineral King that the National Park Service has a webpage on that. While marmots could easily chew through a tarp if they wanted, having the car wrapped from below is sufficient to discourage them (whereas open wheel wells seem to invite exploration and wire/hose tasting sessions). </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YRy-OSwk8ohDyfW_HgDwzLscyuEYmhw1cExla27eKqDRzVpTqY7jWatRvFwMEcV1NqbblPK9o2ZqJT3gVEkXIu3QFW-mVTPxbxPKaKNgGis4wY6stygc4OVBfXnTA-EiPJl3jAnilkGn/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YRy-OSwk8ohDyfW_HgDwzLscyuEYmhw1cExla27eKqDRzVpTqY7jWatRvFwMEcV1NqbblPK9o2ZqJT3gVEkXIu3QFW-mVTPxbxPKaKNgGis4wY6stygc4OVBfXnTA-EiPJl3jAnilkGn/w300-h400/A2C6C7BE-1A27-4ADF-BEF6-9EC9F3512E6A_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funny looking trail parking lot</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The fairly recent recreation.gov website makes backcountry permit reservation fairly easy (it also is the portal for park passes, campsite reservations, shuttles, backcountry permits is a tiny part). Backcountry permits are inexpensive, this was the most expensive permit at $25, King Range/Lost Coast was $6. The website is for reservations only, getting the actual permit varies across agencies. Sequoia and Kings Canyon require in-person pickup of the permit at a ranger station, whereas I printed the King Range/Lost Coast permit (BLM) from the recreation.gov site and received the Kearsarge permit by email from the Inyo National Forest backcountry office. </span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgkb9FLI8DfMxuQQnEfaUHyzbfmjVuteV-t-xw_W3jYnj-z8kH7CzkdNqBgnQXTos7MohXjPnPKpon_LQSfnkmKVLxUGvEyPiVWRewvBn59IdP_cLT8MH0_fAsWqr3QKWbuhUy1Nn-Mzj/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgkb9FLI8DfMxuQQnEfaUHyzbfmjVuteV-t-xw_W3jYnj-z8kH7CzkdNqBgnQXTos7MohXjPnPKpon_LQSfnkmKVLxUGvEyPiVWRewvBn59IdP_cLT8MH0_fAsWqr3QKWbuhUy1Nn-Mzj/w480-h640/D93FE0FA-3EA3-4EFF-B092-7259F74D1719.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Columbine lake, afternoon of day 3<br />I didn't stay there but continued over <br />Sawtooth (peak and pass in the background)</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The permitting process is not difficult to navigate and I think that minor hurdle is a necessary requirement to keep the backcountry pristine. Along the Colorado trail a few years ago (no permits were required there), I've seen lovely lakes in the tundra surrounded by human waste. Nature's processes work slowly in those climates. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I went clockwise: Mineral King - Timber Gap - Blackrock - Five Lakes - Sawtooth - Mineral King. The data from my GPS are here: <a href="https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=12.4/-118.5664/36.4750&pubLink=AdlGrc6Yw2aIQ2FzOF3CdD9M&trackId=6d9799d9-9deb-40b3-b800-4e8b11a38a80" target="_blank">Mineral King map and GPS files</a> The parking area (middle of the week) was almost full, but compared to the well-known hiking destinations of the </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">John Muir or High Sierra Trails, Mineral King is nearly empty (there is room for maybe 20 cars, not hundreds). </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Not that there is anything secret or less impressive than other hikes. It just isn't famous like the JMT or HST. And that makes </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mineral King loop hard to beat. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The High Sierra Trail is actually not far from my trail, at times even parallel to it 2-3 km away. You probably would encounter dozens of hikers on the HST during any summer day. I saw far fewer on the trail: Zero on day 1, 3 on day 2, zero again on day 3, although 12 or so near Mineral King on the last day (mostly day hikers). The route wasn't entirely empty, I saw tents/people when passing visible campsites, just not on the trail. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysXob1ZVjixhrEM0VRN_7T54XSBC4YCFx0QqPwbRFJoPODHYp4B-7wR1DESl81qG8Ej8HRohZ5caO4UhkT-7FBB9dMhgnqzJOUgyvZoA4-35sMHYFiZI56tDyT5Gt2jt-rF4ydZuHwkso/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="2515" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysXob1ZVjixhrEM0VRN_7T54XSBC4YCFx0QqPwbRFJoPODHYp4B-7wR1DESl81qG8Ej8HRohZ5caO4UhkT-7FBB9dMhgnqzJOUgyvZoA4-35sMHYFiZI56tDyT5Gt2jt-rF4ydZuHwkso/w640-h318/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elevations are in meters; the top right shows a bit of the High Sierra trail running parallel.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I started in the afternoon, planning only to get to Cliff Creek, which goes over Timber Gap, followed by a long descent. In the afternoon sun, ascending to Timber Gap (< 2 hours) was a sweaty affair despite pleasant air temperatures and largely forested. The ascent is up to about 3000m, followed by a much longer descent to Cliff Creek, the descent is almost double the initial climb. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Cliff Creek can be a difficult or even dangerous crossing during spring with high water, but once I found the right crossing (took a bit of searching), it was easy. Cliff Creek is marked as a campsite with a bear box and indeed there were already 3 tents nearby (it was about 7 pm). Too crowded for me and I continued because I expected to find better opportunities. This wasn't guaranteed: The climb started, it is a steep canyon, and the vegetation is thick. However, after about 20 mins, I found a perfect spot near the creek, with a little waterfall, and no bugs. Outstanding camp site and I slept well, possibly because this was still at relatively low altitude, around 2200m. The standard recommendation, which would have been my fallback if I hadn't found anything else, is continuing to the next official camp with bear boxes at Pinto Lake, another 4k and 500m of climbing. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0eG_3lMiJnH7mySmznEKQoeWk72iyAYL7nfzkK6gj5lpfQN1WsIlFuYR2MVmdAjnc7cHlgu0cRbkkf-_QAtu91wsl42sJpfhIAh5RU6_jZYXMKpJZj825ThX_q4QlPHNCb__ucn657c5/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0eG_3lMiJnH7mySmznEKQoeWk72iyAYL7nfzkK6gj5lpfQN1WsIlFuYR2MVmdAjnc7cHlgu0cRbkkf-_QAtu91wsl42sJpfhIAh5RU6_jZYXMKpJZj825ThX_q4QlPHNCb__ucn657c5/w640-h480/6F9E3206-25AE-4CDC-975E-688AAC0CD467_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early in the morning, before the sun made it over the mountains</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The next morning started before 7 as I read trip reports warning of the difficulty of Black Rock Pass, 1400 m climbing with a full pack and without shade (or in feet: it goes from 7100 to 11,600). While not easy, it certainly wasn't grueling, and </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">I got to the top after 11am without feeling particularly exhausted, less than 5 hours after I started. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Cliff Creek to Black Rock Pass was the hardest part of the loop. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The climb begins gently after crossing Cliff Creek, along the creek with lots of vegetation, sufficiently overgrown that I twice lost the trail. Near the bottom of the waterfall in the photo (I think that waterfall is Cliff Creek, too, but maybe there is another contributor to it), it veers away to go over a ridge to the flat area near Pinto Lake. A path to the right (south) with a bear box presumably leads to camp sites, but the main trail briefly goes </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">through marshy meadows. That may be half the distance and 1/3 of the elevation gain. Then the climb starts for real on a scree slope, now fully exposed to the sun. Trees - or any meaningful vegetation - are gone. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR92ArNmSvE1RHfZcLbAcFTVgi7xeceXOvFLtSddL589yn2PW925KgeMr9Nu-lhp2gE6h59E0u7r4WS28zv54JnjQ93bMGJn83MO9sG1uX8w5bmQLVoUhvy3EyYhzM2rw-alUqUpfSxNoE/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="1086" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR92ArNmSvE1RHfZcLbAcFTVgi7xeceXOvFLtSddL589yn2PW925KgeMr9Nu-lhp2gE6h59E0u7r4WS28zv54JnjQ93bMGJn83MO9sG1uX8w5bmQLVoUhvy3EyYhzM2rw-alUqUpfSxNoE/w640-h429/9B3445D2-3201-4F09-AA67-72AA67AFDD36_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Columbine is the lake on top<br />2 days later I get there from the other side</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">While going up the switchbacks, one terrace after another with a lake become visible to the right/south: Spring, Cyclamen, and Columbine. The switchbacks themselves are strenuous and boring, but the views of the lakes and valley below are fantastic. Everytime a new lake is revealed, a good time for a short break. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Black Rock Pass crests the Great Western Divide and crossing it leads to a different world. The western part is hot, scrubby foothills and some forests, but now it is all alpine mountains with lakes and ragged granite peaks. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65qxs3ceo6uaWqRGHi1NpdfOwgs4QJ_0o_hfeuxZ3WrFXxRMmLLOjrvq27y1k0RKmnrDCqKaMXlLQe8-HSYcM1UO0hy3r5thAvQYRU2QFO2xzC5qhGk2GdIDfChcbT7DQDrHAok3E8LvP/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65qxs3ceo6uaWqRGHi1NpdfOwgs4QJ_0o_hfeuxZ3WrFXxRMmLLOjrvq27y1k0RKmnrDCqKaMXlLQe8-HSYcM1UO0hy3r5thAvQYRU2QFO2xzC5qhGk2GdIDfChcbT7DQDrHAok3E8LvP/w480-h640/FBA24C58-CBC6-42E2-9665-92D86516A4EA_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big 5 lakes - I think #2</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The first basin is Little Five Lakes, which came highly recommended. "Definitely a place to camp", "spend more than a day here" seems to be the summary. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">One ranger considers it the most magical spot and his favorite in the whole Sierra. Well, wasn't my experience. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Now early afternoon with a biting sun and even more directly biting mosquitoes, this was instead one of the "why am I doing this?" times. I don't think Little Fives Lakes is to blame. I got there between 1-2pm, my least favorite part of the day, and was welcomed by hungry mosquitoes. Slathering myself in Picaridin kept them from biting or landing on me, but didn't change the dial from miserable to pleasant. I'd rather be going up Blackrock Pass. I had lunch near the intersection of my route and Big Arroyo and somewhat listlessly explored the next lake as well, but can't say it was enjoyable. Flying bugs and hot sun overwhelmed whatever charms the Little Five Lakes basin had. My visit to Little Five Lakes was a bust. That July is </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">peak season for mosquitoes in the Sierra is not a new observation:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>"The Sierra mosquitoes are courageous and of good size... They sting anywhere, any time of day, wherever they can find anything worth while, until they are themselves stung by frost."</i></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>Muir, John. The Complete Works of John Muir: Travel Memoirs, Wilderness Essays, Environmental Studies & Letters (p. 716). Madison & Adams Press. </span></span></div></div></blockquote><div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">After an hour or two, I decided that this requires a change of plan, I wouldn't stay here, and continued. Slowly trudged along towards the Big Five Lakes basin with repeated breaks. Still too many bugs, and too hot, and too much sun, or sand, or maybe it went up and down too much, or trees in the way. By 3.30, I found a spot without flying bugs, sun was at a lower angle, and I made coffee and started liking where I was. After a long break, I continued towards the Big Five Lakes and the rest of the day was lovely again. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3qttt9N_AwiAu5u8kZtKD0tCT3zLyCy2_jwQaLTdN6Lt0VH9gSTlMzLpcFcXI8SyELuai_wQDWZ1icXCp_Xm-a_1OuNEl0oey0gxkbQQJiVHQRChEzIHPP3J_wvxXyPgjcZBES37QjaL/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3qttt9N_AwiAu5u8kZtKD0tCT3zLyCy2_jwQaLTdN6Lt0VH9gSTlMzLpcFcXI8SyELuai_wQDWZ1icXCp_Xm-a_1OuNEl0oey0gxkbQQJiVHQRChEzIHPP3J_wvxXyPgjcZBES37QjaL/w480-h640/20057C04-2D01-4972-9D75-7E14782401C9_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading towards the Big Five Lakes Basin, life is good again</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Only one of the lakes in the Big Five Lakes basin was on my planned route, the others would be a detour on an </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">unmaintained spur trail going west. It was still early and now I was happy to do this detour (which would be an out and back). This part is definitely off the beaten path, by lake 3 it is so unbeaten that it becomes hard to make out any trail. People come here as I saw good sites to camp that clearly had seen use within the last month. It is a bit swampy, lots of grass, and unsurprisingly buggy. I continued to lake 4 and found an excellent sandy area slightly above the lake, bug free until sunset. </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnvsMRE2rs2WkP61GjXKFiNxRdhAIIb6NAUeX56rg4kgTkHpSDL3vcsbRqSIh-WWDgm3U_uADSNToLcEHigXS8v16WVb-Xa5wLor3upNonCcv3ZXQixzDUPbiLXzRdp9OqQm8miFw5NeK/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnvsMRE2rs2WkP61GjXKFiNxRdhAIIb6NAUeX56rg4kgTkHpSDL3vcsbRqSIh-WWDgm3U_uADSNToLcEHigXS8v16WVb-Xa5wLor3upNonCcv3ZXQixzDUPbiLXzRdp9OqQm8miFw5NeK/w480-h640/FBA24C58-CBC6-42E2-9665-92D86516A4EA_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake 3, I think</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDRg_Z-Hu0DNoQF6AyZuwgD192A8S2hW4ShZNMIN7F3xBovUMCCN2BZccUuSAxUzKMT8VDdDIzW62z77FDC90W3_I_QBF-8s1cW1643KFQgJYZBry2_xLFonJinSv5eL-ac2XQG-KVRnl/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDRg_Z-Hu0DNoQF6AyZuwgD192A8S2hW4ShZNMIN7F3xBovUMCCN2BZccUuSAxUzKMT8VDdDIzW62z77FDC90W3_I_QBF-8s1cW1643KFQgJYZBry2_xLFonJinSv5eL-ac2XQG-KVRnl/w480-h640/6D203F73-86F3-4E83-8A9E-126B6D88541E_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The trail is getting overgrown. This is a slightly elevated path above the swamp, now getting hemmed in by trees that want to grow on the elevated part as well. It looks as if somebody tried to plant a row of trees, but it is just that the trees started growing where they didn't get stepped on. There is still room to get through, but not much longer, now the trees will win. I encountered this repeatedly, maybe 4 times just between lakes 2 and 3, a sign of too few hikers on this side trail. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Around 7.30/8.00, I had to put up the inner tent as mosquitoes started showing up. As I looked out, there were a dozen of them hanging on the net outside trying to join me on the inside. I didn't have to stay indoors for very long. It was a moonless night and the stars were great, which I rather see directly than filtered through netting. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">By 10, the bugs had left and I was outside again.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> I couldn't sleep well (nor the next day) and attribute the difference to the elevation on the second and third night, almost 1000m higher than the first night. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />In the morning I retraced my steps to the main route - sort of. It wasn't the same way I came until I joined up with the more established trail from lake 2 back to the intersection. Lake 1 is on the main route and substantially downhill from the other lakes. While I didn't see anybody on the trail this day, it is clear from the trail condition that this sees many more visitors than lakes 2-5. </span></div><div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBk-px8mG0aS8ehcscx4GmH7OctkQQ8pWal-9As2WX3_9k8ORwzL_k9P_wyEkOKlYH0a7HGLoezljzJrMzc-gOG1GgILDUDS0Q4soFYcQ59l9e9UrBxlkVwS4CN0BOjtS2kXnwgMDVLNC/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBk-px8mG0aS8ehcscx4GmH7OctkQQ8pWal-9As2WX3_9k8ORwzL_k9P_wyEkOKlYH0a7HGLoezljzJrMzc-gOG1GgILDUDS0Q4soFYcQ59l9e9UrBxlkVwS4CN0BOjtS2kXnwgMDVLNC/w480-h640/77EA65BE-F395-4A76-8DE8-EF123DBA243F_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Five Lakes # 1</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The Five Lakes trail is paralleled by Big Arroyo and Big Arroyo trail (1-2 km aerial distance to the northeast, the canyon in the next photo) and the High Sierra Trail (another 1 km beyond that, probably along the foot of the mountains). On the far side of the High Sierra Trail are the Kaweah Peaks: Kaweah Queen, Black Kaweah, Red Kaweah, and Mt Kaweah. Every one of them is over 4000m. The High Sierra Trail is about halfway between from where I took the picture and the mountain tops. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqW869KHpo9ze4PZpYZoLSFIuomXyAk7k2KzzP-1WG-0tvLaJl5Tfqt3B4gY8s6Gofp5JojYcV2iw1msgyrQh6aih8vZxfOHfWdZMjtNt-kLZ_6fdUHrjbg6pr4pDExJ8MLw2s9qQrZZb/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqW869KHpo9ze4PZpYZoLSFIuomXyAk7k2KzzP-1WG-0tvLaJl5Tfqt3B4gY8s6Gofp5JojYcV2iw1msgyrQh6aih8vZxfOHfWdZMjtNt-kLZ_6fdUHrjbg6pr4pDExJ8MLw2s9qQrZZb/w640-h480/4A53CD9C-9D14-41D9-A129-06B7A11359EB_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left to right, that is Black Kaweah, Red Kaweah, and Mt. Kaweah<br />Big Arroyo is the canyon in the foreground</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">At the eastern end of the 1st Big 5 Lake, I briefly lost the trail again and followed a creek, which would have gotten me into Big Arroyo. But as it got steeper and steeper and the creek became more a waterfall, I realized that this was not the right way. First I have to go over another ridge, so uphill, not downhill! Afterwards, there is a steep downhill into Lost Canyon. A slide obliterated the trail and it is almost as much of a bushwhack as my earlier error would have been, the difference being that here obviously many other people have recently tried to find a way. But not a trail yet, just many attempts at finding one - which eventually recreates one. More sliding than walking, but a preparation for the even longer and steeper slide down Sawtooth. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCJoW7ymk2uBcYFF9O4GZKpuSYZpQVAyQCUfxBCddf_uNVbBXosWdzGj2PA1FAkuKsMW0VPyzeym-7bYGeJVPchmG4lnGRylKQKl5n0E3Koam-w-6uYWU6XC5cKblAclzKJr5CVngzkrr/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCJoW7ymk2uBcYFF9O4GZKpuSYZpQVAyQCUfxBCddf_uNVbBXosWdzGj2PA1FAkuKsMW0VPyzeym-7bYGeJVPchmG4lnGRylKQKl5n0E3Koam-w-6uYWU6XC5cKblAclzKJr5CVngzkrr/w300-h400/092B4895-E519-4C11-B86F-CBB0D0FC7C55_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">At the bottom, crossing a log leads into the sweet Lost Canyon. A narrow forested canyon with a clear stream and small interspersed meadows. Gentle uphill, shady, and it is such a sweet place that even a hike during the bad time of day is pleasant (now it was about 2 pm). </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />Eventually trees peter out, revealing and a much fiercer granite vista.</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oUu43oU_4UVWTrNWh5hwTSoqDsKfjsmiUw35tizjeywS0mzUuXVItuaOZ6WhcX1ni3MLUF3l1HIca4SuaEF2JoPS3UA8vSjZRqfQI-tG5VFLf6Pfkgk3H03frh9ChzhAaoGULgSNtgI1/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oUu43oU_4UVWTrNWh5hwTSoqDsKfjsmiUw35tizjeywS0mzUuXVItuaOZ6WhcX1ni3MLUF3l1HIca4SuaEF2JoPS3UA8vSjZRqfQI-tG5VFLf6Pfkgk3H03frh9ChzhAaoGULgSNtgI1/w480-h640/CA9F2690-2DC5-490C-80D4-8D79CA2AA548_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching the end of Lost Canyon with a pointy Sawtooth Peak </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The back of Lost Canyon has a double climb, first to Columbine Lake and then to Sawtooth pass. It looks intimidating from the approach, but the first half to Columbine is surprisingly easy, with a very developed, almost manicured, path. The second part, from Columbine Lake to Sawtooth, isn't any of that. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Op062oLLhR6TgdQqcoJ2vZCdgPzMjROVdf8_5LqkAaZ-7XLfKjiYkLVBvFtcEIf_iqw-Fd-Yuj9XCEXmm6CNqLmP-Plck58-PVjrw-OfF8Kys8lVouofMhCFjfloA-VltFZsSqlT6jRJ/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Op062oLLhR6TgdQqcoJ2vZCdgPzMjROVdf8_5LqkAaZ-7XLfKjiYkLVBvFtcEIf_iqw-Fd-Yuj9XCEXmm6CNqLmP-Plck58-PVjrw-OfF8Kys8lVouofMhCFjfloA-VltFZsSqlT6jRJ/w480-h640/177BC17B-BAC8-486F-A358-2A65F7990036_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">going up to Columbine Lake - a lot of effort must have gone <br />into building this trail!</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Columbine Lake may be the highlight of the route. It comes as a surprise, tucked into a bowl of granite on the Great Western Divide near the top. Camping is possible, but there are only 3 or 4 suitable sites and the rangers discourage camping because human waste has been an issue. The area is fragile and overused. At this altitude, everything moves more slowly. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeVQHKkvXrxS7-wEY5NAYJpNijq8La4Jp0zOEAfefO9SjIyPlIbKSReB3GrXXWYfyxWhTuH0GEyIa3gSpoVwVuAj9ON94Rgo9EwP7nNdXzX32Q6J9puNXwO15NyKKQ1PPkhyt8uccZ1AA/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeVQHKkvXrxS7-wEY5NAYJpNijq8La4Jp0zOEAfefO9SjIyPlIbKSReB3GrXXWYfyxWhTuH0GEyIa3gSpoVwVuAj9ON94Rgo9EwP7nNdXzX32Q6J9puNXwO15NyKKQ1PPkhyt8uccZ1AA/w640-h480/F72D164F-79CD-4C71-83B4-FB5ADF4AAF1D_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Columbine Lake, with Sawtooth Peak and Pass behind it</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The outflow of Columbine Lake is Cliff Creek, so now I cross it again (which at its origin is just a tiny little creek). The climb to Sawtooth pass is hard, big rocks. Initially there are some cairns and at the end a trail reappears (gravel), but the middle part can be confusing and require some backtracking to find a route (at least for me). </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi219-pt2iT9pIkwNaNzP-qCK97yMuSOyWe71S_I1-JMjJEUoyOdhAqHc1ObFej5i1KPFJHGKX73llG0aRaHa8BacKYnVpIq_9hlzRmdVSYt2OropqDewT2ByAWlEu8eL1xi4exldIAhlp_/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi219-pt2iT9pIkwNaNzP-qCK97yMuSOyWe71S_I1-JMjJEUoyOdhAqHc1ObFej5i1KPFJHGKX73llG0aRaHa8BacKYnVpIq_9hlzRmdVSYt2OropqDewT2ByAWlEu8eL1xi4exldIAhlp_/w480-h640/4D367CCA-9794-4FD9-8AD2-E8AA0D62D50A_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The way to the top</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOqYQ5izAoN9RKuxNQWKOUj-OmOHirqqWf8r8VjWE1rZuweeTNUDhOBAUbBQjFt7pl2vEz8Wy_dAHOgA94AZcjRSEJUs18XZjShyuGug6EjyyhpkocfS1S8nbibKBR34k0Y9dI071y7GN/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOqYQ5izAoN9RKuxNQWKOUj-OmOHirqqWf8r8VjWE1rZuweeTNUDhOBAUbBQjFt7pl2vEz8Wy_dAHOgA94AZcjRSEJUs18XZjShyuGug6EjyyhpkocfS1S8nbibKBR34k0Y9dI071y7GN/w300-h400/9ADC748B-DD91-4B9F-BA41-A844F645FDEC_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">From the top of the pass, I had read about "complicated route finding", "constant side-hilling", "slow descent". The closest to a trail runs along the ridge for a while. The ranger said that some people try this, but also that it isn't worth trying to find a trail and instead go straight down. From the top it is clear where you want to go and straight down the chute is almost a fun jog/slide down. Like running down a sand dune. The "almost" is only because gravel doesn't feel as nice as sand and you want to avoid bigger rocks. A really fast and (I think) easy descent. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjyR2pkNT6YxnEujTFq2Nclw4ojnQlCPGyyEb9_wgC2mjiWPvlYnseZf2UkA35AThNvUBJZk7qh2gqxnX7C7gev2gD12Eb8IsiIoSuSozUQWl2Gjlg4lStmw0ucHTDm8hTxUM_S0gFXIH/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjyR2pkNT6YxnEujTFq2Nclw4ojnQlCPGyyEb9_wgC2mjiWPvlYnseZf2UkA35AThNvUBJZk7qh2gqxnX7C7gev2gD12Eb8IsiIoSuSozUQWl2Gjlg4lStmw0ucHTDm8hTxUM_S0gFXIH/w480-h640/2FAAAE65-D5D4-400B-AC1D-E3CCED85FD49_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sliding/jogging down the chute is the easiest and fastest way</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">At the bottom of the chute, the trail continues to the two Monarch Lakes. They are popular, but right after Columbine, I found them rather disappointing. Lower Monarch is marked as wilderness camping and it has a lot of visitors, there were maybe 6 tents. So popular that it even has a toilet. That was a dud, so I continued to the upper Monarch Lake, a terrace up and with a steep climb on a primitive/unmaintained/no trail, but only for 1 km. Yet that climb is enough to discourage people, even for a visit, and I had the upper lake to myself. On the populated side of the Western Divide and close to Mineral King, these lakes are not in the same league as the pristine lakes on the other side. Upper Monarch even has a dam. I'll skip those lakes in the future. </span></span><p></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKUKU6sYRCqGU8PhnhtPOT8EywD9BULe7DYVJaOvLpZEa7tC1Yls-9ZI60eNQiJuS6Ecd7DeHEAxEUJFV32SBztOEcvQtthZHEIdL12pye32aA4msAYOb3Yb1mS-2DC3CLi7XT13Bv0Hu/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKUKU6sYRCqGU8PhnhtPOT8EywD9BULe7DYVJaOvLpZEa7tC1Yls-9ZI60eNQiJuS6Ecd7DeHEAxEUJFV32SBztOEcvQtthZHEIdL12pye32aA4msAYOb3Yb1mS-2DC3CLi7XT13Bv0Hu/w300-h400/956B8AFE-C90B-4CC0-9803-7869141B187C_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">upper Monarch lake</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I put the inner tent up for mosquitoes, but like the previous night, it was only necessary during dusk. Most of the night I was just outside, but it was another very restless night. I couldn't get comfortable (despite nice sandy ground, pleasant cool temperatures) and my mind was racing. Monarch lakes are still over 3000m and I just think that elevation takes a longer acclimatization. Up to 2500m seems to be fine immediately. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHIpieNBQi6CIqjK4_P1CL6QYMpdM_QEZLqgGkgQR4PG2vIh8JnCP11MUV27L7-wuYBtR2JJJix9j94W3t0Iw13uta897Jy-Zk9d_ey-X6lcrhJxXCmb7K458MiRQbrEsvrfsQnioOj-W/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHIpieNBQi6CIqjK4_P1CL6QYMpdM_QEZLqgGkgQR4PG2vIh8JnCP11MUV27L7-wuYBtR2JJJix9j94W3t0Iw13uta897Jy-Zk9d_ey-X6lcrhJxXCmb7K458MiRQbrEsvrfsQnioOj-W/w480-h640/4A0CCC34-AD1E-4536-94DC-51E4B545C8BE_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lower Monarch Lake and Mineral Peak</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">From Monarch Lake, it is only about 2 hours back to Mineral King, all downhill. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgs7j-35YcZcnEj2763Lh_utKN_iOqaGHKMZrqR0sZdTzwHh6F_Ns_FW51eqEzOqN1vE5Cfiisu8x_Wx6D-NesPwaV-kJG0_47N1FSBpCq5hTeZDVA_EXvFp-EDJnJtqXqaXjQiGnuZ8e/" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgs7j-35YcZcnEj2763Lh_utKN_iOqaGHKMZrqR0sZdTzwHh6F_Ns_FW51eqEzOqN1vE5Cfiisu8x_Wx6D-NesPwaV-kJG0_47N1FSBpCq5hTeZDVA_EXvFp-EDJnJtqXqaXjQiGnuZ8e/w300-h400/63B2F3FF-CF35-40D2-898A-E89C4E2DD1A9_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Back on Mineral King road. Is the road descends, there are a few Sequoias along the way. But none like in the main part of the National Park. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgs7j-35YcZcnEj2763Lh_utKN_iOqaGHKMZrqR0sZdTzwHh6F_Ns_FW51eqEzOqN1vE5Cfiisu8x_Wx6D-NesPwaV-kJG0_47N1FSBpCq5hTeZDVA_EXvFp-EDJnJtqXqaXjQiGnuZ8e/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiQZH82JcGaFXw0upAe9Mnh6Xl_r3QR5NQO9FR_WQtp7YWMGmgHe34mqt9V33KZ20D4f-mkdYEpBFf07hfbkXFnJXGWhYsfBGTo9oIkbJ6lsWp-RcthLF51Fqdv7Ahl2DjxfUn7fe2ToK/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiQZH82JcGaFXw0upAe9Mnh6Xl_r3QR5NQO9FR_WQtp7YWMGmgHe34mqt9V33KZ20D4f-mkdYEpBFf07hfbkXFnJXGWhYsfBGTo9oIkbJ6lsWp-RcthLF51Fqdv7Ahl2DjxfUn7fe2ToK/w300-h400/CAE6C1DA-58CF-4D6E-A57B-5F8B936BEE30_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div></div><p></p></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-66801826022538992432021-06-22T08:40:00.000-07:002021-08-11T20:51:13.777-07:00Eastern Sierras - Kearsarge Pass to Kings Canyon<p></p><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURWSlG718aXEscDRjVNqgy_Y03PCYMrW_x4QuJOPDq5BgFyv42QTqsh6m50cX4sH-PKI_YsLsRsr2u3-5pmWo96UtLHmU7GwFtqe25DsUZ8HHcRb1f2wXWJEFv7WMbYiJv6IJrlOVGdSV/w640-h480/0CCD34E9-4187-428D-B857-AC058A9FBFDE.jpeg" /></a><br />Morning light on the Kearsarge Pinnacles from our camp at the 2nd Kearsarge Lake<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Straight north from Los Angeles are the Mojave and Great Basin Deserts. Driving through the arid valley along Highway 395, it is hard to believe that hundreds of clear lakes lie within an aerial distance of 10 miles just behind the mountain barrier to the west. Only to the west, though. The mountains and valleys to the east (like Death Valley) are desolate. </span></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #11100f; font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">We went the weekend of June 20, a time when it is still </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">easy to get wilderness permits on short notice, even for a popular trailhead like Kearsarge Pass, which goes into Kings Canyon National Park from the east. Timing was perfect, temperatures were pleasant, the days were not hot and the nights were no longer cold. No mosquitoes yet (I slept outside, didn't use a tent), which would change quickly. Some big fat mosquitoes were around, but very sluggish and barely for an hour. No tiny, hungry, aggressive ones yet, possibly because the week before still had freezing temperatures. Those would be out by early July (and indeed I encountered them at similar lakes 2 weeks later on the Mineral King loop in Sequoia National Park). </span><br /><br />There is no easy way to get past the mountain barrier, only strenuous ones. However, one is noticeable easier and shorter than the others: Kearsarge Pass Trail. This comes at the price of extreme popularity (well, popular for something that involves physical activity and is not near a major city). From trailhead to the pass is less than 8 km and only 800 m elevation gain (<5 miles; about 2600 feet). Nearby alternatives, Baxter, Sawmill, or Taboose, are twice the effort because they start much lower. Sawmill is 20km long with 2000m of gain. </span></span><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Any of those passes serves as a gateway to the many lakes and peaks in the high mountain and connects with the famous long distance John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails. Because it is the easiest, many through-hikers use the Kearsarge Pass to resupply in Independence. In fact, that's what a long distance hiker did 150 years ago: </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">"A good mountain trail conducts out of the valley at the head along the edge of the cascading river, and across the range by the Kearsarge Pass to Owens Valley, which we followed, and reached Independence on the east side of the Sierra in two days. From here we set out for the summit of Mt. Whitney."</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Muir, John. The Complete Works of John Muir: Travel Memoirs, Wilderness Essays, Environmental Studies & Letters (p. 72). Madison & Adams Press. </span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Because it starts high and quickly reaches some lakes, Kearsarge trail is popular with day hikers and families, some even bring inflatables. It may be the fastest escape from desert heat. The first lake, Little Pothole, is at 3000m.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The trail to Kearsarge Pass starts gaining elevation immediately, but on switchbacks with a gentle grade. Initially dry with sagebrush and manzanita vegetation. Very soon there is is a turnoff to the Golden Trout Lakes, a primitive trail that sees little use and is much more difficult (some scrambling and trail finding needed) than the Kearsarge trail. For just an overnight without crossing into Kings Canyon (Golden Trout does not go over the crest), I would try Golden Trout myself. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The main trail climbs to the first lake within another 2 km, a basin holding Little Pothole Lake, and the beginning of trees. And shortly after that </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Gilbert Lake, a very pretty lake with views of tall peak towering over Kearsarge trail, University Peak, which is over 4000m. The campsites around Gilbert Lake are highly used. Now briefly within trees, a trail crosses Independence Creek to </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Matlock and Bench Lakes, just before Flower Lakes. That is a lot of lakes in such a short distance! </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">After Flower Lake is when I think the real climb starts, maybe because it is now on talus/scree slopes and beyond the tree line. I certainly huffed and puffed from here, but took a break overlooking Heart Lake, 5 km from the trailhead. A sharp curve with some shade trees, a focal point to take a break from the effprt to have a sandwich. Good we had enough water; </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Heart Lake or the Big Pothole (coming next) are near the trail, but a scramble down (and back up) to get water (the earlier lakes are easily accessible). G</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">reat views of the lake and University Peak about 3 km away from the resting point. While not visible, there are another 2 lakes between Heart Lake and University Peak. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDdV9rvRuF8HSBZvnVFm09IrCExFz0ZcDnwPx-enIZiuEEGvoSS9gbfGShFwIe3yXxCQM1jfbyvxMpUwLEqvkoByV31zwVK8WLXeigXLhYQP_II2rqkLgKyAGR0Gn_V1XZ23fgVXO1JDa1/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="841" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDdV9rvRuF8HSBZvnVFm09IrCExFz0ZcDnwPx-enIZiuEEGvoSS9gbfGShFwIe3yXxCQM1jfbyvxMpUwLEqvkoByV31zwVK8WLXeigXLhYQP_II2rqkLgKyAGR0Gn_V1XZ23fgVXO1JDa1/w576-h640/34247CE5-9B00-4F57-8789-365A29965C11_1_105_c.jpeg" width="576" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Heart Lake and University Peak behind it</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;">On with climbing switchbacks, the next basin is </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Big Pothole Lake (4.2 miles), with more views of the rugged peaks and ridges around University Peak.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvZtZm1ZD97Q_Howe3TiWcEKQiV_JnpiKIr1kUT63Q8pejkaOKykJGRVN1DAce6rPbZgaBM5_kvULOamPCeHNIbnR_HksJWpO-gjxiykAKyyc4rRqN5oE_Wor1BfUdAnx-XY70yqgE9KG/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="937" height="573" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvZtZm1ZD97Q_Howe3TiWcEKQiV_JnpiKIr1kUT63Q8pejkaOKykJGRVN1DAce6rPbZgaBM5_kvULOamPCeHNIbnR_HksJWpO-gjxiykAKyyc4rRqN5oE_Wor1BfUdAnx-XY70yqgE9KG/w640-h573/364CEEB0-63A2-456F-B004-B4BB50515B5C_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Big Pothole Lake</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Looks like we're almost there, but it is a really long final switchback to </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">the top of Kearsarge Pass at 3600m, where signs mark the border of Kings Canyon National Park. </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbD5_0mWF-0BLz4igSiYyqjGmGYpslhKGBZHWHtkWVh-eWMwzef4c62O9nlk4escLnTndgToXvwdiD0oDrC9mdX2ZAJQQEyzpaz100QMbcUt_eb2g8_kdYtQs3oibDc1RZH6kr5xg63vD/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1144" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbD5_0mWF-0BLz4igSiYyqjGmGYpslhKGBZHWHtkWVh-eWMwzef4c62O9nlk4escLnTndgToXvwdiD0oDrC9mdX2ZAJQQEyzpaz100QMbcUt_eb2g8_kdYtQs3oibDc1RZH6kr5xg63vD/w640-h384/A18F5C18-6DBA-4C88-88A5-AD78FA648DC4_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Still on the "almost there" part</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkKiLGeiJhRH9cYYYJGeHtJENNQYPji7SrGJ8cGryEadSwU99A0EKtBZah4e8NNy-VrHev2yueJsh4cYHjC0P9GcF__Vb1_sz6XwWwCe19ysBvJ7G3MUHADKbWevPhyNLo825num6zPX1/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1144" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkKiLGeiJhRH9cYYYJGeHtJENNQYPji7SrGJ8cGryEadSwU99A0EKtBZah4e8NNy-VrHev2yueJsh4cYHjC0P9GcF__Vb1_sz6XwWwCe19ysBvJ7G3MUHADKbWevPhyNLo825num6zPX1/w640-h384/C533CD08-018C-456E-B88F-966BA5226825_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">This is where day hikers turn back because passes have the common property that it goes down the other side and by now everybody had enough climbing. So they just get a view of the Kearsarge Pinnacles, Kearsage Lakes and Bull Frog Lake, but we head down. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The main destinations, other than connecting with the John Muir Trail, are </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">the Kearsarge and Rae Lakes or Charlotte Lake. We went to the Kearsarge Lakes and found an excellent camp site on lake 2. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqNsPlx8XDuBRMI7nRiq7zkcJ-DephYgmLfH-ZluzLTW1dO_D7RK9DO6z6p_NIP9RFGoP7KOdViJAlczrt9XdGMWZvepWBtS89LMzKU-d1Y9MSY-oxxkHKJ82fPpRP8g9zn3XSLgHTzvI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1144" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqNsPlx8XDuBRMI7nRiq7zkcJ-DephYgmLfH-ZluzLTW1dO_D7RK9DO6z6p_NIP9RFGoP7KOdViJAlczrt9XdGMWZvepWBtS89LMzKU-d1Y9MSY-oxxkHKJ82fPpRP8g9zn3XSLgHTzvI/w640-h384/D1376E2C-B1AA-426B-83E1-2E54AC632C77_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">An overnight hike over Kearsarge into Kings Canyon may sound like an adventure, but 150 years ago, it served utilitarian purposes:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="font-family: georgia; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">"We found a mountaineer who had come across the range by the Kearsarge Pass to catch trout for the purpose of stocking a number of small streams ....he caught large numbers ... and put them into tin cans to be transported on mules. He had already carried a train-load over the pass, and said that by frequently changing the water at the many streams and lakes on the way, nearly all the trout were kept alive to the end of their long and novel excursion."</span></i></div><div><div style="font-family: georgia; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Muir, John. The Complete Works of John Muir: Travel Memoirs, Wilderness Essays, Environmental Studies & Letters (p. 1793). Madison & Adams Press. </span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;"><div><div style="font-family: Times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">From Kearsarge Pass, the trail drops about down steeply to the valley which then continues to descent more slowly to the John Muir Trail. After the steep descent, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">there is a branch trail to Kearsarge and Bullfrog Lakes. Kearsarge Lakes are a prime destination in themselves. Bullfrog Lake is particularly beautiful, but no camping or animal grazing is allowed near the lake. The curse of its attractiveness, which otherwise would lead to substantial damage (walking around the lake, the vegetation is more vulnerable as well). The Kearsarge Pass Trail connects with the John Muir Trail shortly before the big descent down to Vidette Meadow (going left/south). Charlotte Lake is a short distance beyond the end of the Kearsarge Pass Trail (right/north along the lakes trail, straight ahead otherwise). Rae Lakes isn't that much further, but there is Glenn Pass in between, as high as Kearsarge, so better saved for another day. The Rae Lakes loop seems to be another extremely popular hike, but everybody seems to start from Kings Canyon. It works just as well via Kearsarge, >80% is the same route, maybe from the East adds 5km. More than offset by a much shorter drive from Santa Monica (3 1/2 hours to Onion Valley vs 5 hours to Zumwalt). More time on trails, less in the car! </span></span></div></div><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGT9nO1mCIAu5wZO0U78GL2Vxr9ltdW7FVo-iGaz5M_UqfSZfGIKlNoykkPT_lNVughuplgO8YqBfSVUK3sE-FN7TrxxWssPy5DFLZD_TGnb9ZnpOjHRuQiOyry6wCTOQ9fsnwy14-C9B/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1893" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGT9nO1mCIAu5wZO0U78GL2Vxr9ltdW7FVo-iGaz5M_UqfSZfGIKlNoykkPT_lNVughuplgO8YqBfSVUK3sE-FN7TrxxWssPy5DFLZD_TGnb9ZnpOjHRuQiOyry6wCTOQ9fsnwy14-C9B/w592-h640/7571818B-DBAB-4938-A5B3-B7441CD0937D_1_201_a.jpeg" width="592" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bull Frog lake is the prettiest of the lakes</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrtoQyM1rqtOxsfceKq2B51SotoJN2PzCEIMZ5bqswjpsbWjlOuvAmpaRfKRyZIBQT0-J19ObipVlPfWCijOQkKO9TGLV4NZvVkA1KYabZuzVfQVs2SazT6ZT3xpiqapny9_PYUScw4x0/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrtoQyM1rqtOxsfceKq2B51SotoJN2PzCEIMZ5bqswjpsbWjlOuvAmpaRfKRyZIBQT0-J19ObipVlPfWCijOQkKO9TGLV4NZvVkA1KYabZuzVfQVs2SazT6ZT3xpiqapny9_PYUScw4x0/w640-h480/E0017FF7-9F14-4E79-9020-1DBB19F54A92_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset at Kearsarge Lake 3 and Kearsarge Pinnacles</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2gM2MgNSEiMx5Z4C01X2cqyZbnYVLa3CsNxrBYEwXfUfwTK5wX-i8vbKLSNI7lZYAQcDN84ySrPkdqme5IAKoKWhwhIEPfc3SgmiEHeucg7kLscNxAcZY-EJFy3S2Re89UBgrIn7D0lW/w606-h640/A596FEAE-5C4C-4080-A7C6-DB7B1AD776AE_1_201_a.jpeg" width="606" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early morning the next day</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #11100f; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrePI48aYl3Wwg5G4KuM6a1EE4-Me8F6b2kYQyUPGhNvqA-enPDSVa0YSSzRlX6hLWbJbcOXUP2cWpQgIAAb4uZBxT7e73ca1lkCdm6Y1dueHLhOvRN9e6gAlTcNiDBgEdrZTtmnLTeut/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrePI48aYl3Wwg5G4KuM6a1EE4-Me8F6b2kYQyUPGhNvqA-enPDSVa0YSSzRlX6hLWbJbcOXUP2cWpQgIAAb4uZBxT7e73ca1lkCdm6Y1dueHLhOvRN9e6gAlTcNiDBgEdrZTtmnLTeut/w480-h640/52F473A6-96E7-44C9-AF50-C08E65462832_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">heading back</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmd1DIPuR8zz_Rs2AHPIRC-13E-6FWJR-60rHbiw_zk34vmbbabIxR_vJah4V3s47t1KGcb0uY5yHlFFLrru1tDq2chtxXrepwkrOgY-oqajkEopoBrhb9haiRu4Cwo8MOmFGkmjDskFwh/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="898" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmd1DIPuR8zz_Rs2AHPIRC-13E-6FWJR-60rHbiw_zk34vmbbabIxR_vJah4V3s47t1KGcb0uY5yHlFFLrru1tDq2chtxXrepwkrOgY-oqajkEopoBrhb9haiRu4Cwo8MOmFGkmjDskFwh/w640-h624/2A2ED579-99AC-47E8-8E33-8340947963E6_1_105_c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></span></div></div><div style="font-family: georgia;"></div></div></div><div><div><br /></div></div></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-60208411834307218182021-05-25T19:56:00.005-07:002021-10-04T11:37:57.213-07:00Joshua Tree Backpacking - April 2021<p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: 16px; text-size-adjust: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhasvV7OrZfqvrSDE24Pd47KoQxW-X-uomOvu9eTNDke7VHCOLHGwWZzCa6nqj4DEyA6IKgd134FQxnn04Ksl7DtQ8QtoZeWTuuE2WK0sAK_d7zhCPwLFEh6tsoiio69d3Qaohr3xWote/s2048/AEED9181-42F9-4625-9C04-7553311F511E.heic" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhasvV7OrZfqvrSDE24Pd47KoQxW-X-uomOvu9eTNDke7VHCOLHGwWZzCa6nqj4DEyA6IKgd134FQxnn04Ksl7DtQ8QtoZeWTuuE2WK0sAK_d7zhCPwLFEh6tsoiio69d3Qaohr3xWote/w640-h480/AEED9181-42F9-4625-9C04-7553311F511E.heic" width="640" /></a></span></p><p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: large; text-size-adjust: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before it is getting too hot, a hike the CRHT in Joshua Tree last weekend in April, which is about as close to a through-hike as feasible in JT. The CRHT runs for 38 miles from Black Rock (on the western end) to the North Entrance. I think most of the area it goes through is classified as wilderness, although it crosses two paved (and two unpaved) park roads. It makes for an easy 2 nights out (starting Friday afternoon, then all day Saturday, and finishing Sunday morning). </span></p><p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: 16px; text-size-adjust: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEUCGsH-ruE9kAYXZv4QfbFbfm7E9PjuZ03fMQQ35pToybZDkodUlvgbcVjPcGptOLHuBnomClcf-Ts2wvT9OtIAvrkvs4SjbmRxvl1WpLqyXSxMSdMkQQDV9-iEwZoVb0sLddz7f5WZB/s2048/5B4BA94B-E559-490F-A849-892A15CDE409.heic" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEUCGsH-ruE9kAYXZv4QfbFbfm7E9PjuZ03fMQQ35pToybZDkodUlvgbcVjPcGptOLHuBnomClcf-Ts2wvT9OtIAvrkvs4SjbmRxvl1WpLqyXSxMSdMkQQDV9-iEwZoVb0sLddz7f5WZB/w300-h400/5B4BA94B-E559-490F-A849-892A15CDE409.heic" width="300" /></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3MefXDoRChYN_DXq6Vbgf-BVgoZ418ghH9Tvbqz1jSHDOre-0hE5t_fUlAAB7yVWdNbTip8ZRjT6zmpXJAKruLKDxpe_Xh1aNKTaDBz_Qzi-Uwan7mBPEkjaaw6ynSY-8O-_9uwTNKmRT/s2048/5B9FBD4E-DE1F-4AAE-89A2-604426E38C35.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3MefXDoRChYN_DXq6Vbgf-BVgoZ418ghH9Tvbqz1jSHDOre-0hE5t_fUlAAB7yVWdNbTip8ZRjT6zmpXJAKruLKDxpe_Xh1aNKTaDBz_Qzi-Uwan7mBPEkjaaw6ynSY-8O-_9uwTNKmRT/w300-h400/5B9FBD4E-DE1F-4AAE-89A2-604426E38C35.heic" width="300" /></a></p><p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: 16px; text-size-adjust: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: large; text-size-adjust: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I had my 2nd COVID vaccine on Wednesday (April 21) and was miserable the next day, so didn't start with the group. However, I felt better later and then started from Covington Flats and caught up with them. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4zOZUHnJORNwlDvjTu7AhqOAS26btRltDhLDtRC_dNVmN33jvryzb0-FxpPcRNMJViGiNjNMKQnDvVPX2yTBPBybraAQk6a8-mYNDayqdj_QzB_cihdfaqI891Qi6-BAVuxWWSYss-fP/s2048/B9B5D32B-EA7F-4705-BEC5-B55CFC8AB0E4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4zOZUHnJORNwlDvjTu7AhqOAS26btRltDhLDtRC_dNVmN33jvryzb0-FxpPcRNMJViGiNjNMKQnDvVPX2yTBPBybraAQk6a8-mYNDayqdj_QzB_cihdfaqI891Qi6-BAVuxWWSYss-fP/w640-h480/B9B5D32B-EA7F-4705-BEC5-B55CFC8AB0E4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: large; text-size-adjust: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5fMBGmDKqDI8w0TiTQFZcBrM0RklnU1MY1j39DZaYlQ3n-2TAkxZIW6FPkAX1buxqEh2OzH30f305pvRf-u-pAoCtRh4q3RnXo9eHVGlrtnNDgFd1RrzZDhnEO1G6mB01Yu-LCvs6XHa/s2048/77C8D4EB-F9F0-415F-8690-C1118696E718.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5fMBGmDKqDI8w0TiTQFZcBrM0RklnU1MY1j39DZaYlQ3n-2TAkxZIW6FPkAX1buxqEh2OzH30f305pvRf-u-pAoCtRh4q3RnXo9eHVGlrtnNDgFd1RrzZDhnEO1G6mB01Yu-LCvs6XHa/w480-h640/77C8D4EB-F9F0-415F-8690-C1118696E718.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My camp night 1</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbePhNuPFc9y5C7_JQYoDwNjBLPRIGOX7RhTWlsGL1AFumFvg79rPSsJ6GWyE2l_B_OZZIb9JNC0ux1t3XKMACD8jU2k4cFvdI2EecNLPkbyaiISQSHopn_6oI15p-xORmgl3gYaPGIF0/s2048/CF9147EC-AE74-4ADB-BB9B-597355AD0EC9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbePhNuPFc9y5C7_JQYoDwNjBLPRIGOX7RhTWlsGL1AFumFvg79rPSsJ6GWyE2l_B_OZZIb9JNC0ux1t3XKMACD8jU2k4cFvdI2EecNLPkbyaiISQSHopn_6oI15p-xORmgl3gYaPGIF0/w352-h264/CF9147EC-AE74-4ADB-BB9B-597355AD0EC9.jpeg" width="352" /></a></p><p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: large; text-size-adjust: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;">I did not see anybody else on the trail on Friday until I caught up with them. The backcountry trails are empty, even though the park is congested along the paved roads - very typical for National Parks. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mYvPUDPu1BnxafF0q36mS8ryKjuW7Nj0C93mA2W58sPE2naEY1V1j2Zadyx4twTNrs2-xQWr-oxtZghzy_5tz-rfwvGASbOKbAW3ABZ6xTPGZ-eZEfopuo3hITEQx93GqbuSrBA-J3XJ/s2048/B895F0CF-177F-402F-80B7-16BF1101C155.jpeg" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2mYvPUDPu1BnxafF0q36mS8ryKjuW7Nj0C93mA2W58sPE2naEY1V1j2Zadyx4twTNrs2-xQWr-oxtZghzy_5tz-rfwvGASbOKbAW3ABZ6xTPGZ-eZEfopuo3hITEQx93GqbuSrBA-J3XJ/w640-h480/B895F0CF-177F-402F-80B7-16BF1101C155.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view from my camp night 2 (it was higher up on a ledge)</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: 16px; text-size-adjust: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbCvfXtGzq_3o7RkcDudk4YwCfuqJO-2dzOMHzu_DluOsSiMkKRV59NmFkLDErLuiNPRv9HJ0Yq-Xza0_WXkxrJKyGkRTgveEmRV0mOfdF41Ex153dZieup6nezpXZ2vJBga4j4onUT1n/s2048/20BA47E4-A849-43B6-B988-356C84F5096D.heic" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbCvfXtGzq_3o7RkcDudk4YwCfuqJO-2dzOMHzu_DluOsSiMkKRV59NmFkLDErLuiNPRv9HJ0Yq-Xza0_WXkxrJKyGkRTgveEmRV0mOfdF41Ex153dZieup6nezpXZ2vJBga4j4onUT1n/w479-h640/20BA47E4-A849-43B6-B988-356C84F5096D.heic" width="479" /></a></div><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">The nicest part is in the middle, between Covington Flats and Ryan Campground. Most of the trail -the middle 25-30 miles - is at higher elevation, very pleasant temperatures in the last week of April. Days in the 70s, nights high 40s/low 50s. The initial stretch is a sandy uphill (from Black Rock to Covington Flats), the last stretch (White Tanks to North Entrance) a sandy downhill, the least attractive parts of the hike. There is no water along the trail, not even near a detour, so it is necessary to cache water along the way. This is easily done at one of the backcountry boards when the trail crosses a park road; also the NPS recommendation. The birds know how to pick water containers, though, so there is the trade-off between easier to carry out containers (thin plastic) and bird proof. In the first case, you may find your water partly emptied (I saw holes in the top, and they knock the containers over). Water is highly valued by everybody in the desert! </span><p></p><p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJ0-57jK29F94dEMamMPkXafpM_-xUapw1_OZ2IRlWFClY7WEr1ffZfDXNZHMTyayDWETbNq_tq-jIXVpj8RNiAK4MmS-lL8dlumc_q20iuf_Mwy5oxqDAYe9xfiTYLzrxaddrrPhc3Nn/s2048/F400774E-AEBA-4507-B65C-327C7327D726.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="479" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJ0-57jK29F94dEMamMPkXafpM_-xUapw1_OZ2IRlWFClY7WEr1ffZfDXNZHMTyayDWETbNq_tq-jIXVpj8RNiAK4MmS-lL8dlumc_q20iuf_Mwy5oxqDAYe9xfiTYLzrxaddrrPhc3Nn/w640-h479/F400774E-AEBA-4507-B65C-327C7327D726.jpeg" width="640" /></a> </div><p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">A fair amount of hikers and runners (maybe a dozen) on the last 11 miles on Sunday, but that stretch parallels the park road, maybe why it is used more. Amazingly, near the end, two women ran by and I talked to them. They had started only 5 hours before at the other end, fully self-supported (i.e. they carried all their water). So if you are fit enough, the whole through-hike can be done in half a day! But 5 hours for 38 miles is truly impressive as these are not easy miles mostly because of the sand (which sucks up a lot of energy) and also has some climbing. </span></p><p><span face=""Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(17, 16, 15); color: #11100f; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpeQbrUhTchvEApbhOCX_EuKqrSA2nc1VfOMzpxcXNxUY5eRyvCo9Y2EtvnPZBb-yGnWZG_gafI6OjAsdoVBi4hg-r7r4Ebf6jtjBBdFqvdsl8W7ZbMTUlotrk1XypaZzI4J-L_ecSG14/s2048/A8F89AB9-6800-448A-A9D3-68B950EFF76A.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpeQbrUhTchvEApbhOCX_EuKqrSA2nc1VfOMzpxcXNxUY5eRyvCo9Y2EtvnPZBb-yGnWZG_gafI6OjAsdoVBi4hg-r7r4Ebf6jtjBBdFqvdsl8W7ZbMTUlotrk1XypaZzI4J-L_ecSG14/w481-h640/A8F89AB9-6800-448A-A9D3-68B950EFF76A.heic" width="481" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">while not extremely the sandy, there are many stretches where you can feel the difference</td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGWVBQmD6aEAYl1k9lblVbhAW5Psql0hMDqvH5MhHs0UjZw9AjYL5D0v5iKMdz2OTe03tdZbSKOEV30v2gfByM50E3Q2XaPqjd1KE3_StSsBev6kCN-8dzD-xgzS84Qe-sqHsgNj56Aea/s2048/35FC4BDF-F2F0-4AAE-9162-CDDB91B848AD.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGWVBQmD6aEAYl1k9lblVbhAW5Psql0hMDqvH5MhHs0UjZw9AjYL5D0v5iKMdz2OTe03tdZbSKOEV30v2gfByM50E3Q2XaPqjd1KE3_StSsBev6kCN-8dzD-xgzS84Qe-sqHsgNj56Aea/w640-h481/35FC4BDF-F2F0-4AAE-9162-CDDB91B848AD.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><br />Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-15857477931416420382021-05-19T12:18:00.000-07:002021-06-22T21:11:34.187-07:00Sespe Wilderness: Fishbowls and Cedar Creek Loop <div class="separator"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUH0gE4KxAIcoN-3HcF2bGgjkKpbX6y-GuwdCtkaVpn07QguekRm1kAKy49BV1mApfUJap09ioVfn78xkQ-bB7llumAHQRtCQkNpKqu9cVJNBlyHveMsfqOKjkOhg3NP5NAMBrhMdOTMwr/w565-h640/C74DD2F2-2BD3-4D8C-A4AB-B5C4CC84C438_1_201_a.jpeg" width="565" /></a><br /><br />Before it gets too hot in the summer, a day hike in the Sespe Wilderness/Los Padres National Forest during the first week in June. I left Santa Monica at about 9.30 and was on the trail by 11.30. The Sespe doesn't have much shade, so it is best for spring - or between the two heatwaves we currently have. Temperatures were very pleasant, upper 60s, maybe low 70s. <br /><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5BigbusxLNIke0MxkURMkJDqE1jEfT5yN7ZdWtGxS50FhZXX0hhshi-sJkfnIfeeYmTF8fHQmJJYl6FJN8QUp70tNp8WQFgh5-y3D1PWe9850z_Q8cPXERJYue-yA2yB3V22UMw4_waQ/w400-h300/71846DD3-4B4F-4D80-87A0-4EA65D67A1C1.heic" width="400" /></a><br />I did the Fishbowls/Cedar Creek loop, about 21 km, as a day hike, but it works well as an overnighter as there are two campsites, both about 2 hours from the Fishbowls trailhead (Cedar Creek going clockwise, Fishbowls counterclockwise). It connects with other trails, so much longer loops are possible. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=12.3/-119.1584/34.6454&trac...</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuh_ons1cbtkChZRbX9NxBIJ1c2g1beQ5BA5Hda6an19XPDXaCUPUzTpGA8Awfjh8n6SZ2ITJl0m92sTkvuzWn5KvCFHVytxuAJ4v2YklbP24no7sBANQ34xfrxl6aSaGthb9b1ftsa8-M/w300-h400/65527AB8-9F83-451E-B586-0695AEF19796.heic" /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMTqfoSkvAWpcbNuvklgkjc6uB3IqvrnRUbALNgmO8qhRJiBDJvfuiZ4_LY4C7T57BEuEygQG3GE0pLtbZMx6fp_Y5-e0I2eJYckYdx26FUeYo2KX_WsJXdsh6thB8eaPo21bOlvcaY4n/w300-h400/13944B2B-8ACA-4F8B-B613-97D1BB5F7686.heic" /></a><br /><br />There still was water with many small crossings, but about to become stagnant and then dry up for the season.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#" style="clear: left; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhuJmrAdaE7y-kDMyzUXo-fR9heHZVAZ1lKOUbn75LIPvkbUJ6Y9UHXhc6alWb8hbxSnUtG63Jgl7gmOZzIoO7YrNbPy8JbK4BIudcNH71765GTKhrdQ1XBfPQngGFM4ji0W0NgLKSIpP/w300-h400/16004F10-BD85-42D9-9D3F-258E95C22BD0_1_201_a.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fishbowl Campsite</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYofgNaQVNQGbujmbgpDZ4eo1dK_NHr1jBKgqRRL372Y-VPoA4I1k-ZBJXTX42lj1hQl0ASZxYAyDMSQwd9OTuNta3weKFPU1fiBnpzmb0VOYSnpD8u9xY8J4qzOs8bp2OlxnUjE7MwYU4/w300-h400/8804CCB1-8ACC-475A-B6E1-8648BB0AF1F4.heic" /></a><br /><br /><br />From Cedar Creek trailhead back to Fishbowl is a dirt road. I didn't see anybody on the trail, only one group of overnight hikers when I got back to the trailhead.<br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVGWIX-CPDkH0qatmOIwPCkIxF7wlykL6Q7wLK3vAG8I5necsX0uX0SodH_01ui8TdYqU71_yf4LG3YV1Dijkz9LjFgZKxoD-vPaT0k2DUJLJe3GcxjN-bYV2kKY2jpIoLVZsXBBLouoV/s320/8CC9EFDE-F342-4485-B2FA-94E576C05743.heic" /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3r5TwLUjSA3Yu0RN4wXnSSutcO5jOnt8t5InEzV5sLd0BcpUhyphenhyphenad8ujlrDjIcJx7FbauZF6W5SocaAY_-Bbp184AZln8kAFkRSbNd8n5N9yI5DMsyUWx2S2kDaO9hcCw7zH_T6DpJbkG/s320/2FA04822-7A5C-4535-8B0A-8ABE6A2AE020.heic" /></a><br /></span><br /><div><div><p></p></div></div></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-42560398373710947682021-04-21T19:58:00.000-07:002021-06-22T21:07:00.633-07:00Pinnacles National Park<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vYhcxMYV6-vTjAi3P9acG2SdqgsVAmQIupobILp99yHCS2V3siexT4MAAoJWuzUbcXDmPVTpP8JHp61xoN_8KRxpGNteyxLF_AjzNXr80CMSflJf6MCiflZRC7ta-unjOmsQLX9SagCY/s2048/1AECEDD9-CFE2-4195-910C-2FC0D4D79E7E.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vYhcxMYV6-vTjAi3P9acG2SdqgsVAmQIupobILp99yHCS2V3siexT4MAAoJWuzUbcXDmPVTpP8JHp61xoN_8KRxpGNteyxLF_AjzNXr80CMSflJf6MCiflZRC7ta-unjOmsQLX9SagCY/w480-h640/1AECEDD9-CFE2-4195-910C-2FC0D4D79E7E.heic" width="480" /></a></p><span style="font-size: medium;">Pinnacles National Park was already designated as a National Monument by Teddy Roosevelt, but it had to wait a long time to get promoted to National Park - by Obama in 2013. I hadn't been there and was still on the theme "...before it gets too hot" and now it was already late April. Windshield added for the highway stretch, planning to take I-5 north, then cross through the Los Padres National Forest to Paso Robles.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVb_NqKctL0HJJqErbhPGvl2L6uBafJsr2ICdzDIYww03BWgmgLgF94fTmXLjfU330o1GsY88H2TVoB0ygGxQqhiknHNtxEYA9oWL4dtFrW-kXO9oS-2GN5P8Ubqc30sJDroSHDuslpUhz/s2048/38F664E0-5B67-4DC0-B46A-136570955C2D.heic" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVb_NqKctL0HJJqErbhPGvl2L6uBafJsr2ICdzDIYww03BWgmgLgF94fTmXLjfU330o1GsY88H2TVoB0ygGxQqhiknHNtxEYA9oWL4dtFrW-kXO9oS-2GN5P8Ubqc30sJDroSHDuslpUhz/w300-h400/38F664E0-5B67-4DC0-B46A-136570955C2D.heic" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Getting ready, not too hot in SM</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEls-rCDtB5M5bZfcY0AtE9Sdz9UWEw2NaDanTWkh3r6S7amABD_P08FIJyycrSNfv_92bABCLrg3R3x-x2mSj8VmnKhYaQlORzAGXK6tmAeZZdFM2a1jJx8jht30xlpyZZaFdF7mIkPa/s2048/A540D1A4-D22C-4438-B869-272B722EE997.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEls-rCDtB5M5bZfcY0AtE9Sdz9UWEw2NaDanTWkh3r6S7amABD_P08FIJyycrSNfv_92bABCLrg3R3x-x2mSj8VmnKhYaQlORzAGXK6tmAeZZdFM2a1jJx8jht30xlpyZZaFdF7mIkPa/w300-h400/A540D1A4-D22C-4438-B869-272B722EE997.heic" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">and way too hot in the Central Valley, but the cow was mesmerized by the motorcycle</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Temperatures were miserably hot as soon as I got over Tejon Pass and the next morning I went very early into the Park because I wanted to hike. I may have been the first person in the park that day. </span><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw54GSR61LK1jaGnwh6mrFMZPiACWcb2DyCzh2SJlkQqq8QJCfJkLf1qdf_3cGuARJnhbYqG5YLdtoBoXyn1v0n134Co_4pNTiaW74VppiV5Bq_vRN1KoImoZEveLSxF-xwa9u8uhzSY5u/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw54GSR61LK1jaGnwh6mrFMZPiACWcb2DyCzh2SJlkQqq8QJCfJkLf1qdf_3cGuARJnhbYqG5YLdtoBoXyn1v0n134Co_4pNTiaW74VppiV5Bq_vRN1KoImoZEveLSxF-xwa9u8uhzSY5u/w300-h400/IMG_1579.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bit of shade on the dirt roads in Los Padres</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzaObCrSDN5uZxZ0fxzTEa8x1M5L-Lm6pA64TLZQK30u2yOlev3_b5OHk29310OWt2sKeNOY1xboFXDWvtiPuU8lXMwTLR7eJfhSmwgi1BAeCX-IuM46R3ft3uVSnSDYARcQ-SwHraIIwt/s2048/7C53A5EA-74C7-439C-99C2-338C99E206F9.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzaObCrSDN5uZxZ0fxzTEa8x1M5L-Lm6pA64TLZQK30u2yOlev3_b5OHk29310OWt2sKeNOY1xboFXDWvtiPuU8lXMwTLR7eJfhSmwgi1BAeCX-IuM46R3ft3uVSnSDYARcQ-SwHraIIwt/w300-h400/7C53A5EA-74C7-439C-99C2-338C99E206F9.heic" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early in the morning in Pinnacles</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IoyrV0icGbJVTzFefaGh46DUoVkMo0Ij4hWd6Y4HrCQEGMckBH8DFrEG81XmpAuHiXdrzfTKdYFi3FGHbggtdWRAJoSPl91fiq5bsrPSgxYLX0QVT3XL7_Chp1W971mN2AFNKJYWZRXh/s2048/CD88B7DD-ECAE-4631-90A8-7F53FEB1CA9E.heic" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IoyrV0icGbJVTzFefaGh46DUoVkMo0Ij4hWd6Y4HrCQEGMckBH8DFrEG81XmpAuHiXdrzfTKdYFi3FGHbggtdWRAJoSPl91fiq5bsrPSgxYLX0QVT3XL7_Chp1W971mN2AFNKJYWZRXh/w300-h400/CD88B7DD-ECAE-4631-90A8-7F53FEB1CA9E.heic" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Substantial climb, good to do while it is cool</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The park is tiny! I started from the west entrance, hiked over the high area to the east and then back on the other side. And was back by 11 in the morning (hot by then - also a full parking lot). All quite pleasant, but nothing more spectacular than a hike in the Santa Monica mountains (like Boney Mountain). </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV822lG-H6nr_LnuTQEvMk7jT7u2aFo8zPgvTLOcHJvrpaTFoOyVlC33OEQyQYUTjmajQcmBDlomprhivA2WXjZ-WoMJlSpeOfWARm4e_L2JlGsX_Gq9RPc0UUt5yKIZoNg7sVID2-sSsf/s2048/A688E9E0-20C6-4C30-9E3A-43EF4F3ADDF9.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV822lG-H6nr_LnuTQEvMk7jT7u2aFo8zPgvTLOcHJvrpaTFoOyVlC33OEQyQYUTjmajQcmBDlomprhivA2WXjZ-WoMJlSpeOfWARm4e_L2JlGsX_Gq9RPc0UUt5yKIZoNg7sVID2-sSsf/w300-h400/A688E9E0-20C6-4C30-9E3A-43EF4F3ADDF9.heic" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pinnacles NP</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p></div></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-80812649494894590142021-04-05T21:05:00.000-07:002021-08-11T20:53:14.670-07:00February 2021 Bikepacking in Santa Barbara Backcountry <p> </p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvWlKtKg2SBxdpXnB0FbeywU_XgWIrDlh_OaoA0ous7__f_K8u7IwhIpNzQh0T2TQ6LXFw-iP6rtW-u9jN3v7ml4AcfhLWeH0mSiJGlT5Tslyej4pOJv35KTwHQeBhjZOV93NFKBbsIeb/s3211/IMG_1406.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="3211" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvWlKtKg2SBxdpXnB0FbeywU_XgWIrDlh_OaoA0ous7__f_K8u7IwhIpNzQh0T2TQ6LXFw-iP6rtW-u9jN3v7ml4AcfhLWeH0mSiJGlT5Tslyej4pOJv35KTwHQeBhjZOV93NFKBbsIeb/w640-h195/IMG_1406.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This February, Europe and most of the US experienced an unusually cold month with some brutal storms. Even in Texas, not exactly a cold place at any time, some people died from hypothermia in their homes. In Southern California, however, temperatures were pleasant. Not one drop of rain yet in February either (and only 1 week left in February). Well, soon it'll be wildfires and heatwaves. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>My last bikepacking trip in the Los Padres was in April 2020 and that week was too hot and water was already hard to find (one night was filtering from a stale pond). So now's the time to go out! And even though I have ridden through the Santa Barbara Backcountry many times on the </span><span>Tour de Los Padres, I actually don't know it well because then it was at the end of a multi-day ride and I was ready to get home and didn't linger. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The best way into the backcountry is going up Romero road (which despite its name is a lovely trail), always fun although it is heavily used (in this case, maybe you pass somebody every 15 minutes or so, lots of dog walkers). It is a steady climb, but not very hard, a bit more than 1 1/2 hours with a loaded bike. The bottom 1/3 is somewhat steeper, the top 1/3 a bit rockier (mostly loose rocks that keep falling on the trail), the middle 1/3 is easy.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWQLDW3iZ8PlkLDFFWBEEjJADrbWntKqogtRzL8sDZEUMOE9VX94EO21srPK-3ecTRQ71un1Lsi0ygL1KpUGuNzGFEl2E02ECP78tmH8rs0u_ahciFk4CjEvpLp_iKhXIgCdf-mrmhHYk/s2048/IMG_1356.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWQLDW3iZ8PlkLDFFWBEEjJADrbWntKqogtRzL8sDZEUMOE9VX94EO21srPK-3ecTRQ71un1Lsi0ygL1KpUGuNzGFEl2E02ECP78tmH8rs0u_ahciFk4CjEvpLp_iKhXIgCdf-mrmhHYk/w640-h480/IMG_1356.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Romero Canyon Road, it is narrower than the name suggests, but wider and flatter than Romero Trail. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYyrJviUhYp8kto0KKtNB3nDCBjJVAKcryB223ZVq_v5iSInnezRCQ7r5nRCbnRr4LFqh6j4fS2GCkxv9ZQWbvKHgwMK-I2k-X-sa0xCCOCpVUHlYmWOMGzwKDETyMdgnbK81T67Z1laH/s2048/IMG_1416.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYyrJviUhYp8kto0KKtNB3nDCBjJVAKcryB223ZVq_v5iSInnezRCQ7r5nRCbnRr4LFqh6j4fS2GCkxv9ZQWbvKHgwMK-I2k-X-sa0xCCOCpVUHlYmWOMGzwKDETyMdgnbK81T67Z1laH/w240-h320/IMG_1416.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a bit rockier in the top 1/3 <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGxgSDwu0O6k1sl1dw3jCXCxA0Y5RMiNh5a8dUQtYNgHGKA9MnxOfg3NgC_UwKdZ3ewZgtaCe-5sv-na68KBk2wmULC_ECZHAhyphenhyphen-cO1SO0BSfpcoAbxTJtb4jWABKdl4ZQPC1A_63vIIM/s2048/IMG_1412.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGxgSDwu0O6k1sl1dw3jCXCxA0Y5RMiNh5a8dUQtYNgHGKA9MnxOfg3NgC_UwKdZ3ewZgtaCe-5sv-na68KBk2wmULC_ECZHAhyphenhyphen-cO1SO0BSfpcoAbxTJtb4jWABKdl4ZQPC1A_63vIIM/w400-h300/IMG_1412.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On top and now down into the backcountry </td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">From Romero saddle, it drops down into the Santa Ynez valley. Santa Ynez is one of the largest rivers in the Central Coast, 150km long, supplies the water for Santa Barbara, Montecito, and other towns. Yet can dry out completely in the summer - or to my surprise even in February in this upper part.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">I didn't see anybody for 24 hours after Romero saddle. That is probably different if the gates are open and cars are allowed on the Romero-Camuesa dirt road again. But now that area is closed with several gates, at least one of them is newer. The first one is at Romero saddle. Motorcycles could get through the top gate and down for a mile or so into into the Divide Peak OHV area. But there weren't any and past the Divide Peak turnoff, there was a tighter gate (you have to climb over it) and no motorized traffic beyond it. From here on it is quiet and empty. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5-yArnTMzaIcrJhSVdB6WXcj0kOSMC9FAIykPX16ROAFxTmj9MjYyj561kEc9jAs7Lc5MNAD3k2FJqMVdo59HNbWPuoPlxTuMD1zz_u0g6GfnLFsRn94iQh43W8Ilf1hyKa6FCePlNZ1/s2048/IMG_1408.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5-yArnTMzaIcrJhSVdB6WXcj0kOSMC9FAIykPX16ROAFxTmj9MjYyj561kEc9jAs7Lc5MNAD3k2FJqMVdo59HNbWPuoPlxTuMD1zz_u0g6GfnLFsRn94iQh43W8Ilf1hyKa6FCePlNZ1/w240-h320/IMG_1408.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turnoff to the single track into Blue Canyon, <br />but I continue on the road, will get there later</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I went down the road and turned towards Ojai first, along the Murietta-Juncal road. It is best done on a bicycle rather than hiking because it is a dirt road - very easy riding, tedious hiking. <span style="background-color: white; color: #414141; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jameson Lake is not really a lake (there are none around here), but a reservoir and inaccessible/fenced off. It is the first of several reservoirs on the Santa Ynez river (Gibraltar Reservoir and Lake Cachuma are the other two). I took a small side trip towards Alder camp and there was some flowing water, but I just stayed at the bottom. The trail towards Alder Camp (Franklin Canyon Trail) would only be good for hiking, not biking, but even hiking doesn't look that promising as it is very overgrown and also has poison oak. Anyway, staying on the road so far avoids scrapes, ticks, or poison oak - I'll collect those later. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #414141; white-space: pre-wrap;">The views of Jameson Lake and canyon are nice, especially when crossing over Murietta Divide (I turned around there, didn't continue to Ojai). </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1PLFfBlZX5eyDL8u8IJqEukdxmn3vFG0ZkyOOSYJ9Ex1hPrdW2d-jwouBoyY_R6m1jKDZkh_P0JlKXsJrKASyEzu5hNJUiPYWMDWlWJyjUdNWg9swXpZ4ynuMqRxLQ3u8Ttg8IYeQ93V/s2048/IMG_1404.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1647" data-original-width="2048" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1PLFfBlZX5eyDL8u8IJqEukdxmn3vFG0ZkyOOSYJ9Ex1hPrdW2d-jwouBoyY_R6m1jKDZkh_P0JlKXsJrKASyEzu5hNJUiPYWMDWlWJyjUdNWg9swXpZ4ynuMqRxLQ3u8Ttg8IYeQ93V/w320-h257/IMG_1404.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81s0PMkgHzNFV4_b7E173jK6NsIzfbEHhRSk2EBd9Z_R17XJtgaiCCDAkKrccZMaNPoPTaXar9vREdzTdW_YD35GxHoK4L4S3VmG8LBFF0vjTjJW1F0fkORLVRka2SYpdNGnCHlYaTBkJ/s2048/IMG_1362.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81s0PMkgHzNFV4_b7E173jK6NsIzfbEHhRSk2EBd9Z_R17XJtgaiCCDAkKrccZMaNPoPTaXar9vREdzTdW_YD35GxHoK4L4S3VmG8LBFF0vjTjJW1F0fkORLVRka2SYpdNGnCHlYaTBkJ/w300-h400/IMG_1362.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTb-nxAEDjn1aF_fzEGo8qRssqVvGtw-r9vVOdIe-Zxrd3qZxvmtwx5sRe4xwzcUc9OhOalsY5XiWuq30wiqrhcJ0hq6nRaycskCR5utmKNceabujK_UUyphHgImuMPMY32yvaPSZpYqS/s2048/IMG_1364.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTb-nxAEDjn1aF_fzEGo8qRssqVvGtw-r9vVOdIe-Zxrd3qZxvmtwx5sRe4xwzcUc9OhOalsY5XiWuq30wiqrhcJ0hq6nRaycskCR5utmKNceabujK_UUyphHgImuMPMY32yvaPSZpYqS/w300-h400/IMG_1364.JPG" width="300" /></a></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnIIlTP8sMD8K5zK_S2jfo3r6PvfsJ4_zHDlCMn8PwaXr1kNyXlQHOgSJxO8sSy32DzR9K1zq37HSLxWFbxzRMVuCg-Mjy4cJJxqiB0ylili_Nq2NkuDfjKVOtwnFZvBQyc5LTWd8AGxa/s2048/IMG_1360.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnIIlTP8sMD8K5zK_S2jfo3r6PvfsJ4_zHDlCMn8PwaXr1kNyXlQHOgSJxO8sSy32DzR9K1zq37HSLxWFbxzRMVuCg-Mjy4cJJxqiB0ylili_Nq2NkuDfjKVOtwnFZvBQyc5LTWd8AGxa/w300-h400/IMG_1360.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jameson Lake (showing clearly that this is the water supply for the coastal towns)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">After getting back to the intersection of Romero-Camuesa and Juncal roads and a little uphill again, I turn right into Blue Canyon. It starts as a nice single track trail:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtyuI3kf9b6ipuCBAEhhITga3PAYaadzmErD64TijCxzGEO8DWL8UkM1ldB3v0vdQT8vg0jZK_gYo0naizKgne0kcM4tD1giTS-PcrF_-F1grdSoo9SP-1y1be4Qmpll0FccDYI-y0wc9/s2048/IMG_1366.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtyuI3kf9b6ipuCBAEhhITga3PAYaadzmErD64TijCxzGEO8DWL8UkM1ldB3v0vdQT8vg0jZK_gYo0naizKgne0kcM4tD1giTS-PcrF_-F1grdSoo9SP-1y1be4Qmpll0FccDYI-y0wc9/w480-h640/IMG_1366.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beginning of Blue Canyon</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">But the trail quickly deteriorates: Overgrown, washouts, poison oak. Only a few miles before it meets the Romero trail coming from above, but those miles were slow and not fun and I was getting tired. Also collected all the scrapes and poison oak needed for a trip (no ticks, or maybe they got scraped off by the brush). </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRGRuShaTmsLQZHNcZYLf9XBP_MgEvFT8Dk4qHVguaFq63XAKgtXXdvMGUa7h-B5YDswpWeE6KB_xWanKeogkqJ9w2XE7MrAcRtuCiXTIo2BQHGEJnzfVBld383Wl5oFN-K01fIK0IE4b/s2048/IMG_1368.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRGRuShaTmsLQZHNcZYLf9XBP_MgEvFT8Dk4qHVguaFq63XAKgtXXdvMGUa7h-B5YDswpWeE6KB_xWanKeogkqJ9w2XE7MrAcRtuCiXTIo2BQHGEJnzfVBld383Wl5oFN-K01fIK0IE4b/w480-h640/IMG_1368.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Blue Canyon</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Once it meets Romero, the trail is fine again. There are also a few nice campgrounds, even with fire rings, benches, and a shovel (to extinguish the fire). Those aren't marked on any maps I have. Now it was getting late in the afternoon.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWc-sbqiXKNDcluXlOB11_8g7cEdQGnwAZiw3y82UzM71WMhG4zwGa0uWJlSJkEq_sQsbIg2sy4j3o2JjZ2IoyGgk2pnTRLMNQzxues8hOyjsTv9gZ35lfcmzHbTr04i3PTEwp6xPLLrZb/s2048/IMG_1370.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWc-sbqiXKNDcluXlOB11_8g7cEdQGnwAZiw3y82UzM71WMhG4zwGa0uWJlSJkEq_sQsbIg2sy4j3o2JjZ2IoyGgk2pnTRLMNQzxues8hOyjsTv9gZ35lfcmzHbTr04i3PTEwp6xPLLrZb/w400-h300/IMG_1370.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the campsites I did not know about</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLRI2wOiaUWE_hF3uWSmZzo8Q_ndgCvr5byqZZ-osxwIhyoG8nFC_yjvqf0TCx4B-OkEIAVFJ6ZS_h0Sir73Z-Gf5rWScIelGBwesa1sZbzvw3CUVb1rKhDMq4m6exxh-O76y_zeKDiwz/s2048/IMG_1374.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLRI2wOiaUWE_hF3uWSmZzo8Q_ndgCvr5byqZZ-osxwIhyoG8nFC_yjvqf0TCx4B-OkEIAVFJ6ZS_h0Sir73Z-Gf5rWScIelGBwesa1sZbzvw3CUVb1rKhDMq4m6exxh-O76y_zeKDiwz/w300-h400/IMG_1374.JPG" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I continued until Cottam camp and stayed there. Surprisingly, it was surrounded by flowing water and usually there is no water. And just as surprising, the big river around there where I usually find water (Santa Ynez) was completely dry. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Pa5oY_JvmHgPwYuSFwkETS31ApdH2WDnBk45VO5zOg92vOQyVwdE0ydH4CfNbwmqxoPIkTui_s3IoELpGSMO0hUtbbxjldpFNn6pXOdQJ0s-VcaQ9Hxe4JGupmrdq27d6ci7bWMQglBj/s2048/IMG_1381.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Pa5oY_JvmHgPwYuSFwkETS31ApdH2WDnBk45VO5zOg92vOQyVwdE0ydH4CfNbwmqxoPIkTui_s3IoELpGSMO0hUtbbxjldpFNn6pXOdQJ0s-VcaQ9Hxe4JGupmrdq27d6ci7bWMQglBj/s320/IMG_1381.JPG" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the morning, I connected back to the dirt road (5N33), past Mono Camp, and took a bath at Little Caliente Hot Springs. If 5N33 is open to cars again, there will be more people, but maybe that area stays closed for good. It has been 2 or 3 years already. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSaypgQ50-U3CMc9NAvIFYJOBFKwFaT8SKfCnudekesWxSTnl1Nm-KAoFlGIcTyQyoZlqoFMndHv1vQRsUqeHcEiiMueOnud_0IC5Dm6aG2rR8vhKCLNDoq48MDnXVdWIIlfGao6aL_j_/s2048/IMG_1386.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSaypgQ50-U3CMc9NAvIFYJOBFKwFaT8SKfCnudekesWxSTnl1Nm-KAoFlGIcTyQyoZlqoFMndHv1vQRsUqeHcEiiMueOnud_0IC5Dm6aG2rR8vhKCLNDoq48MDnXVdWIIlfGao6aL_j_/s320/IMG_1386.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxJLi1FfU3QlpHJyrpk2IM7eFaDS5e3N7Jsnk7qAV7lEPIUMHBLr9CLYafxkxkJrUjINNURIqwu8_W7EPLXDXqQuBBwwNvj3fbYijWzUO-6lFDIpW8n9eIVq7qWgnT3octhvOKe6jHxGH/s2048/IMG_1395.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxJLi1FfU3QlpHJyrpk2IM7eFaDS5e3N7Jsnk7qAV7lEPIUMHBLr9CLYafxkxkJrUjINNURIqwu8_W7EPLXDXqQuBBwwNvj3fbYijWzUO-6lFDIpW8n9eIVq7qWgnT3octhvOKe6jHxGH/s320/IMG_1395.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then I took the dirt road back, very easy ride (unlike Blue Canyon the day before). I had filled up water before leaving camp. The hot springs are not a good place to get water (unless you love the sulphur taste) and the Santa Ynez River was dry (I've never seen it dry before). I suspected that the reservoir was holding back the flow. Strangely, as I get to the intersection of Juncal and Romero-Camuesa again (still below the reservoir), there was water in the Santa Ynez (yet further downstream the river bed was dry). Then up to the saddle and back down Romero to the car. </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eXBr4CI5SP-K69jNVu4MyrghGwRptD2wunm5hFSw3zYXTk4sVAxxiHMo1lfZ9KRqyVOmf3C89jn4rhlHvx4rJ_a_U2wiZdy7gBJUEr9-yyfpVlO3FATdALtIPPFjVZTz1lNmd929eqtR/s2048/IMG_1402.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1931" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eXBr4CI5SP-K69jNVu4MyrghGwRptD2wunm5hFSw3zYXTk4sVAxxiHMo1lfZ9KRqyVOmf3C89jn4rhlHvx4rJ_a_U2wiZdy7gBJUEr9-yyfpVlO3FATdALtIPPFjVZTz1lNmd929eqtR/w378-h400/IMG_1402.JPG" width="378" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">Afterwards I finally refinished our living room table.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br />Before:</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3thEGPAuJGcqh4uaeK473o9brO_V7LtlZd_MD2rsjpZ-83zYe15qhQ25hzW8kDBFXrBn_HYAIoFXO5GJRpFrl7rTERg7Mdk-Z3U-0vplX1Qggm6mRFK8aGyXWU797bu2Lr9Ue3Dqa5kAD/s2016/table+before+refinishing.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3thEGPAuJGcqh4uaeK473o9brO_V7LtlZd_MD2rsjpZ-83zYe15qhQ25hzW8kDBFXrBn_HYAIoFXO5GJRpFrl7rTERg7Mdk-Z3U-0vplX1Qggm6mRFK8aGyXWU797bu2Lr9Ue3Dqa5kAD/w300-h400/table+before+refinishing.jpg" width="300" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnIjwuLYDr4iGbrx7Vjym-ERH7UAv7X2NXdi88qcZ5TsSTPCE_IRRUijR6N57L1IcufU1aVl4KvRVXFt7B4B1L869UD0P98_qUZBxdbBdhmYdD1GAQsyv2QlWwEj4EMKTauv2UPFsqkuU/s2016/Table+before+refinishing+1.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnIjwuLYDr4iGbrx7Vjym-ERH7UAv7X2NXdi88qcZ5TsSTPCE_IRRUijR6N57L1IcufU1aVl4KvRVXFt7B4B1L869UD0P98_qUZBxdbBdhmYdD1GAQsyv2QlWwEj4EMKTauv2UPFsqkuU/w300-h400/Table+before+refinishing+1.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">After sanding and 2 coats of linseed oil</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVD-qsgbc7nazIhcKarVLnemmubXI67Db1PuvT2QTLH_cmoP1qVFAn7I2zKFRcaVX6AtplwWDlgdaaUAxv4PKTQCtEan5BHTbBPuJjBPRpapmI4ZMpdGr4Im6Wu0VRiVftmwBtcCYbOA7/s2016/Table+after+refinishing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVD-qsgbc7nazIhcKarVLnemmubXI67Db1PuvT2QTLH_cmoP1qVFAn7I2zKFRcaVX6AtplwWDlgdaaUAxv4PKTQCtEan5BHTbBPuJjBPRpapmI4ZMpdGr4Im6Wu0VRiVftmwBtcCYbOA7/w480-h640/Table+after+refinishing.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-5504196058661236052020-07-05T13:09:00.006-07:002020-07-05T14:09:39.483-07:00Trans North California 2020 <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LiwVSmvBT0Y/Vkp7lgR1rNI/AAAAAAAAD3c/icdPaENdb0U/s1600/IMG_0045.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="800" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LiwVSmvBT0Y/Vkp7lgR1rNI/AAAAAAAAD3c/icdPaENdb0U/w600-h800/IMG_0045.JPG" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mendocino Woodlands, one of my favorite parts of the ride </td></tr>
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<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0JV7Mpsk_SGnl-MJUIDi-LD_mheef7_cQ-s0tqeARt6aGetSRO5ggpe1Lj-s-8qCg8gG2sXndJOo4BqHKFcol3KMf5fcP6EEUb2oBzKYGFieYpQBqYzs8_HpK3jJoQ1G4kYbSADakG-f/w586-h781/IMG_0816.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="586" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the Mendocino Woodlands<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0JV7Mpsk_SGnl-MJUIDi-LD_mheef7_cQ-s0tqeARt6aGetSRO5ggpe1Lj-s-8qCg8gG2sXndJOo4BqHKFcol3KMf5fcP6EEUb2oBzKYGFieYpQBqYzs8_HpK3jJoQ1G4kYbSADakG-f/s4032/IMG_0816.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><font face="inherit" size="5"></font></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><span><br /></span></font></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<font face="inherit" size="5"><span>The Trans North California bikepacking route, developed by Doug Frederick, is a 600km route from the Nevada/California border to the Pacific Ocean in Mendocino (about 200km longer than the Tour de Los Padres). </span><a href="https://transnorthcalifornia.blogspot.com/">TNC Homepage</a><span> </span></font></div>
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<font face="inherit" size="5"><span>My last ride on the full route was in 2015, so it was time for a return - especially since there won't be any bike riding in Europe this year (Now would be the month to ride across G</span><span>ermany, a route I really like: </span><a href="https://rolandsturm.blogspot.com/2016/07/bikepacking-trans-germany.html" target="_blank">Trans Germany</a><span>) </span></font></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtPWjPHNzBMQHwbjPdvmZW0_wYU4AZs1Dx8loPzCzaebrSzMRlL1vTlbDXHFsaTn2POv50S0rM6WfIiFjjdYE5W8U4OX3g90OefJRSz3qBj1ZaLbmdpWIJQE3MnxfB9xxr0jZbfJFDLAA/s1574/Screen+Shot+2015-11-16+at+5.39.38+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="1574" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtPWjPHNzBMQHwbjPdvmZW0_wYU4AZs1Dx8loPzCzaebrSzMRlL1vTlbDXHFsaTn2POv50S0rM6WfIiFjjdYE5W8U4OX3g90OefJRSz3qBj1ZaLbmdpWIJQE3MnxfB9xxr0jZbfJFDLAA/w625-h263/Screen+Shot+2015-11-16+at+5.39.38+AM.png" width="625" /></a></div>
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<font face="inherit" size="5"><span>Good time windows to ride the full Trans North California route are elusive. </span></font><span style="font-size: x-large;">The route starts in Verdi (near Reno) and climbs up into an area just a bit north of Truckee that has very high annual snowfall.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Before June, the mountains are likely impassable with snow. The middle section is near sea level and average day temperature in the central valley 35 C (96 F) in the summer. So October/November, when peak temperatures are down and there isn't snow in the mountains yet? That used to be Doug's plan, but it didn't work reliably because California's third annual season is fire: </span></div><div><font face="inherit" size="5">
<span>In 2018, the Ranch Fire was blazing through Mendocino National Forest in October and burned </span><span>burned 1600 km2 (~400,000 acres) along the route (and further east and north, the Camp Fire destroyed the town of Paradise at the same time). In 2017, 2 smaller fires suddenly popped up along the route in October and also led to closure/evacuation orders. </span><br />
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<span>June seemed promising this year with moderate temperatures even in the central valley. My trusted steel Niner has been put to pasture, even the third fork has been rebuilt a few times and yet doesn't work great, wheels were on the last leg. I bought a used titanium Seven and I love it. Feels very similar to the steel Niner or Mariachi (of which we have 2), but is built up with much nicer components and also a bit lighter. Still the old-fashioned rear spacing (135mm) and I don't give up my front derailleur either (so continue running 2x10). </span></font></div><div><font size="5"><br /></font><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkbXK-EuADQ4dFfctbdUffM2x93-AHxHi5HlE_UpXp7IiDMo1Wg8mNw_AZWLwJ8WpHjNwj6iZe0X3B9HolYDPdXkiOpB48yuNxEfQ7pxxLbNGS8mZdHJljWg9-qp1W-Pf8dGf7fWNzkh_/w586-h781/IMG_0772.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="586" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the beginning of the route at the Nevada/California border. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><font face="inherit" size="5">
</font><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkbXK-EuADQ4dFfctbdUffM2x93-AHxHi5HlE_UpXp7IiDMo1Wg8mNw_AZWLwJ8WpHjNwj6iZe0X3B9HolYDPdXkiOpB48yuNxEfQ7pxxLbNGS8mZdHJljWg9-qp1W-Pf8dGf7fWNzkh_/s4032/IMG_0772.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="5"></font></a><font face="inherit" size="5"><span><br /></span><span>There was a group start and race this year as well <a href="http://trackleaders.com/transnorcal20">Trackleaders: transnorcal20</a>, but I started on my own on an afternoon. I also no longer have a Spot tracker, gave that up a few years ago because I really dislike that company. I was briefly forced </span></font><span style="font-size: x-large;">by family members</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">to re-subscribe and that only caused additional annoyance, so I never will become another Spot customer. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><font size="5">The route starts with an immediate climb, and not an easy one. It isn't that long, it isn't that steep, it isn't that high up in the mountains. But still not easy. Maybe because I am not acclimatized and it goes to the highest points of the total route right then. </font></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9rv_S7WpL0LufQDfCuhuUezcyQ7jXyNJXYAL1HbVcCFo5M8HOl9IvIA9L2gd9M-F5MWJ-CrjKhD-PQRnaG3Vxy5CUpGoDyrbd_MruhaPcvsBsSqUJXQLIy1NFRnEMdwONy77bBdZ3aO6/w625-h469/IMG_0773.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="625" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Around Stampede Reservoir, early on the route<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9rv_S7WpL0LufQDfCuhuUezcyQ7jXyNJXYAL1HbVcCFo5M8HOl9IvIA9L2gd9M-F5MWJ-CrjKhD-PQRnaG3Vxy5CUpGoDyrbd_MruhaPcvsBsSqUJXQLIy1NFRnEMdwONy77bBdZ3aO6/s4032/IMG_0773.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="5"></font></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">The first few hours are mainly dirt road riding, but rocky and loose, a recipe for saddle sores (caused initially by chafing) and numb hands. I started in the afternoon because I wanted to camp still in the high mountains and because I remember that the first day of the route is hard on hands and bottom, so better to spread that out. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">The Eastern Sierra stretch is not my favorite terrain, dry, and very similar to Southern California mountains. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Much of the afternoon is on Henness Pass Road, with a few detours in between. </span></div><div><font size="5"><br /></font><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcquyI9fr7ZMs-w8LuHdBK1Gl6c7nvJRdpVElzzyZuyFBJjFewlzVZ0h1e3oaNTxtk1Nf8JkYgCO0rjoJi5aKFsDTzA3g4NH6aTtm71c43K1_WFhDqSVU8Q4FucjSOAYvJpMF0OBKUyJQV/s4032/IMG_0775.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcquyI9fr7ZMs-w8LuHdBK1Gl6c7nvJRdpVElzzyZuyFBJjFewlzVZ0h1e3oaNTxtk1Nf8JkYgCO0rjoJi5aKFsDTzA3g4NH6aTtm71c43K1_WFhDqSVU8Q4FucjSOAYvJpMF0OBKUyJQV/w586-h781/IMG_0775.JPG" width="586" /></font></a><font face="inherit" size="5"><br /><br /></font><font size="5">When I reached Henness Pass, clouds were coming in and it got surprisingly cold. I put on all my layers and this was still afternoon - but now came a road descent to Jackson Meadows. At Jackson Meadows, the sun was out again and I warmed up. </font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font size="5"><br /></font></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="976" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ohVq4Uk0Ma5jsDjXk5NlVODXxG4_JKow6-Kz4xF-zfKKjm8UB3dLQ7WglBTfIZPxvbRVGPPKvWkRejYc601JHJ-8ks-AOcZwKohABZ7AV8jhohTslGCyhzXSPxEKi9Wvr38gSgVVDVx4/w733-h976/IMG_0778.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="733" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jackson Meadows Reservoir<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ohVq4Uk0Ma5jsDjXk5NlVODXxG4_JKow6-Kz4xF-zfKKjm8UB3dLQ7WglBTfIZPxvbRVGPPKvWkRejYc601JHJ-8ks-AOcZwKohABZ7AV8jhohTslGCyhzXSPxEKi9Wvr38gSgVVDVx4/s4032/IMG_0778.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="5"></font></a></div><br /></div><div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;">
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW76N9pBbbP1ntaz9avutpkF0sex7hKW77iJbTe_9xjeEbm7fMoJQPxu2XQve3K7HZz9AkytxNlsuPH-crcGnbbTeVvV3owKl_NV-6L77X2Fukn289SGyvnuiCOWm-OV29gEEBCLMCb3OE/s1600/PA100006.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW76N9pBbbP1ntaz9avutpkF0sex7hKW77iJbTe_9xjeEbm7fMoJQPxu2XQve3K7HZz9AkytxNlsuPH-crcGnbbTeVvV3owKl_NV-6L77X2Fukn289SGyvnuiCOWm-OV29gEEBCLMCb3OE/w640-h356/PA100006.JPG" width="640" /></font></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><font face="inherit" size="2">At Jackson Meadows Reservoir, which is at my back. The Yuba river fills and empties it.</font><font face="inherit" size="5"> </font></td></tr>
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<font face="inherit" size="5"><span><br /></span></font><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><span>Last time I filtered water from the reservoir, which is a bit awkward because the Sawyer water filter system works better with a flowing source. Now I noticed that there were several campgrounds that had piped water. It wasn't clear why they were closed, no covid signs, so it may still have been the annual winter closure why the gates were locked. But the water hydrants were working. I took that as a good sign and went around the reservoir and stayed on the far end for the night. Compared to the planned wild camping, this was very luxurious: Piped water, picnic table, fire ring, bear-proof metal storage for food. Probably a very crowded area as soon as the gates are opened, but that night there was just me. </span></font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3hyphenhyphen7vRpSAYpmtvP9S1Jux8EvKkH6zsXkMQ9hdN739WZTnoH4XzogrA-wjtHKW-XfaugLdFpAV_R1QZV4vBMIp3GG3B-XyyHkpIkZVGyPPQYyYOTiRZK3drTwF3igUp6CMMmDimLzVchi/s4032/IMG_0782.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3hyphenhyphen7vRpSAYpmtvP9S1Jux8EvKkH6zsXkMQ9hdN739WZTnoH4XzogrA-wjtHKW-XfaugLdFpAV_R1QZV4vBMIp3GG3B-XyyHkpIkZVGyPPQYyYOTiRZK3drTwF3igUp6CMMmDimLzVchi/w586-h781/IMG_0782.JPG" width="586" /></font></a></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><span><br /></span></font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><span><br /></span></font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">The next morning was lovely, the first longer climb is still early in the morning when it is cool. </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgro1p6zy67TDmKSIfrbBM3eQ1iXfltZ0HNgJwtk_dNAWJLqe6aD5OIAW6ixi36XavSnVzxh_WFQQrLYCwtNovXOSYUMxu-g79pbccAfyKfnLg2m4aHn-gzHxbsStz1w3gwAocp2p_IgqkG/s4032/IMG_0789.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgro1p6zy67TDmKSIfrbBM3eQ1iXfltZ0HNgJwtk_dNAWJLqe6aD5OIAW6ixi36XavSnVzxh_WFQQrLYCwtNovXOSYUMxu-g79pbccAfyKfnLg2m4aHn-gzHxbsStz1w3gwAocp2p_IgqkG/w586-h781/IMG_0789.JPG" width="586" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing the not-so-mighty Middle Yuba river. Not North or South or East or West or Upper or Lower, just the Middle.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></font></div><div><br /></div><font size="5"></font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">By starting mid-day and camping at Jackson Meadows, I reach one of the highlights of the whole route still fresh and can enjoy the lovely trails around Forest City. </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gaAbJN9U0KI/Vkp7lr2KQoI/AAAAAAAAD3c/bzxd2ndjfF8/s1600/PA100008.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gaAbJN9U0KI/Vkp7lr2KQoI/AAAAAAAAD3c/bzxd2ndjfF8/s640/PA100008.JPG" width="640" /></font></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><font face="inherit" size="2">Smooth flowing single track before Forest City, can't find better trails that that</font></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pqaUsGymWp8/Vkp7lkKUW3I/AAAAAAAAD3c/K8WkULmAf6M/s1600/PA100010.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pqaUsGymWp8/Vkp7lkKUW3I/AAAAAAAAD3c/K8WkULmAf6M/s640/PA100010.JPG" width="640" /></font></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><font face="inherit" size="5">Those trails are always worth riding</font></td></tr>
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</font><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrmSONQbgxvHDnT5txIJQceoR2eL3dSj9ytg96bldvcJUl3rHOzhgmbKmCJftg70ys-bYtQuuBnwL3fom7V4yt1ynbxghdnQN4BFEytcjl5ZpftJJyQ3QYMpb6z3g2nsZnMWtN3BmLD0u/w586-h781/IMG_0791.JPG" width="586" /></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><span><br /></span></font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><span>The Forest City trails end with a climb back up to Henness Pass road and the next 100km will be trending downhill for a net loss of 1500m into the central valley.</span></font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4jtwXWoUSRWLkPE1aWsp3pMPMybqrmH0QmE_PiAvlP8N3F2dPUWuc7wSYLzcU6NfbPBcsMaNgIE5B8eXJDhFRro8KenWIclRGL7fVvT1gypwLufS3A83pWHV4mQTbBzzN0zxkVC4PkUp/s4032/IMG_0003.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4jtwXWoUSRWLkPE1aWsp3pMPMybqrmH0QmE_PiAvlP8N3F2dPUWuc7wSYLzcU6NfbPBcsMaNgIE5B8eXJDhFRro8KenWIclRGL7fVvT1gypwLufS3A83pWHV4mQTbBzzN0zxkVC4PkUp/w625-h469/IMG_0003.JPG" width="625" /></font></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><font face="inherit">Bullards Bar Reservoir</font></td></tr></tbody></table><font face="inherit" size="5"><br /></font><font face="inherit" size="5"><span>I had no good strategy for the central valley and was concerned about the heat. But the last weather forecast I saw put a nail into it: 41 C (107 F) and there was no way I would even try to ride. Kathy picked me up and instead of camping I stayed in an airconditioned hotel room in Davis. She shuttled me to the other side the next morning. </span></font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><font face="inherit">Willow Creek Trail, a motorcycle route, but smooth flowing forest trail, in the Mendocino National Forest</font></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><font face="inherit">Eel River</font></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><font face="inherit">Lovely single track around Lake Mendocino</font></td></tr>
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Anya joined me on the other highlight of the route, which is the last 35 mile stretch from Comptche to Mendocino. The final stretch is easily underestimated because it is all at low elevation and short. However, there are many sharp ups and downs, mostly single track. Those 35 miles are slow and take about 5 hours of riding time. I really think it is worth camping just before them than trying to push through in the evening or even at night. Many riders seem to skip some or even most of the section because they just want to be done (the direct route from Comptche to Mendocino is just about 15 miles pavement miles). </font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><br /></font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font face="inherit" size="5">The real route is much better than staying on pavement. There is a private forest owned by the Conservation Fund shortly after Comptche. Doug got permission to use it. This year, there was a change because of scheduled logging in some parts of the forest. But the alternative was maybe even better and a</font><font face="inherit" size="5"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;">nother highlight that deserves to be documented: The road in the Conservation Fund forest ends at the Big River and there is thick vegetation along the river. Usually hard to find your way and in any event would involve bushwhacking. But Doug already did all the bushwhacking for us, a freshly cleared trail across Big River:</span></font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><br /></font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCy5xjMuwrdpNwPqacwmhChbEU0Hq08d7VNvYaw-x2wJjJmtW9t0TMDaUdLxHb1q_N3X3F6gmC3FmZCrc0INeL7Y3lWKHHFZlkO6WBsunowZwGaLr80nNkPdAB67DYMbj9ZoR8nofVWyIg/w586-h781/IMG_0797.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="586" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly cleared trail!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUjMw-1VvkPTZ8VKsdWtLfWTtr3A6Pw18F5o3Vl1IfIxk_baDhshZRmXSl9PqRaZ9Cau0sWirTD3x1YyjcUWhyphenhyphenKT1c4CQ1GGVq-KC17J4bhGB-Q5BqFlY444dG_JIBL-1Ya3jfBGa_Ace/w586-h781/IMG_0798.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="586" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No bushwhacking needed on our end to cross the Big River<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUjMw-1VvkPTZ8VKsdWtLfWTtr3A6Pw18F5o3Vl1IfIxk_baDhshZRmXSl9PqRaZ9Cau0sWirTD3x1YyjcUWhyphenhyphenKT1c4CQ1GGVq-KC17J4bhGB-Q5BqFlY444dG_JIBL-1Ya3jfBGa_Ace/s4032/IMG_0798.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><font face="inherit" size="5"></font></a></div><font size="5"></font></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4-vAS0WHKPWGvqnewcsrHL7Wi-Ob7tkFyIXhyyOPt5G4xtJOYtp3oFsVUjRMpHf_MhSPKinIAFajdBXMeKY-cz4C6WpWrmnzJ73N9KyEWYZ1677WauZOk7_rR7e2RFd7b8Hz9Y-xARIO/w586-h781/IMG_0803.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="586" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big River isn't really THAT big. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4-vAS0WHKPWGvqnewcsrHL7Wi-Ob7tkFyIXhyyOPt5G4xtJOYtp3oFsVUjRMpHf_MhSPKinIAFajdBXMeKY-cz4C6WpWrmnzJ73N9KyEWYZ1677WauZOk7_rR7e2RFd7b8Hz9Y-xARIO/s4032/IMG_0803.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="5"></font></a></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><br /></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font face="inherit" size="5">What surprises me about TCF forest is the similarity to Germany. Much of the riding on the TransGermany feels like riding the TCF forest roads. </font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><br /></font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font face="inherit" size="5">Then comes a maybe half hour climb out of the TCF forest and on the single tracks in the redwoods (the Mendocino Woodlands). </font></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1987700480157598071" itemprop="" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 690px;"><font face="inherit" size="5"><br />
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</font><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font size="5">The Woodland forest has a very magical feel to it. It also can be very confusing. This was my third time there and the first time I actually found exactly all the trails that Doug had planned. </font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font size="5">After puttering around at the bottom, there is another hard climb at Manly Gulch. Just about 300 m gain, but hard 300m. On top, you need to make the right turn (namely right). I have missed that before... But a right turn connects to paved Little Lake Road, which goes to Mendocino. Many riders have given up here and continued on the road to Mendocino. The intended route is a bit trickier as it goes off the road quickly, first some trails to the right, then to the left (we got lost briefly there again). If you are tired, hungry, thirsty, best to stay on the road. The trail is mildly technical, many sharp kicks, and on the descent some very steep sections (in fact, so steep that I decided to walk). </font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font size="5"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font size="5">Once down at the bottom, in fact very close to where we came by an hour or two earlier, we pick up the river trail for another hour along Big River into Mendocino. </font></div>
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Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-83243893806693352982020-07-04T18:30:00.007-07:002020-07-05T12:17:27.287-07:00Years 6 of the Tour de Los Padres Bikepacking Route<div class="separator"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikUBaYGvJ_jJ4iEkPHOwk_WQ8BKaUnaGljfwcsjiMjRfsUocmnBJj6iLEZs2d2gCdvFPuWX5rCVBFpgOV-u0DTcwkWKlJQji_d_xbpF0RL8Ygy9NaW30gY98EDXf6lJAOQj0yDFMXv1ImZ/s4032/IMG_0646.JPG" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="Boulder Canyon Trail is HARD work going up" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikUBaYGvJ_jJ4iEkPHOwk_WQ8BKaUnaGljfwcsjiMjRfsUocmnBJj6iLEZs2d2gCdvFPuWX5rCVBFpgOV-u0DTcwkWKlJQji_d_xbpF0RL8Ygy9NaW30gY98EDXf6lJAOQj0yDFMXv1ImZ/w480-h640/IMG_0646.JPG" title="Boulder Canyon Trail is HARD work going up" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boulder Canyon Trail is a hard climb from Ozena!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Tour de Los Padres, a multi-day bikepacking route in Southern California scouted by Erin Carroll has moved from being a newcomer to an established event. 2020 is its 6th year! </span><span style="font-size: large;">I wrote up reports for the first two years, but not since. </span><a href="https://rolandsturm.blogspot.com/2014/04/" style="font-size: large;">2014 TDLP report</a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="https://rolandsturm.blogspot.com/2015/04/tour-de-los-padres-2015-2nd-edition.html" style="font-size: large;">2015 Second TDLP</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Until this year, it was a point-to-point bikepacking route from Frazier Park to Santa Barbara mostly through the Los Padres National forest (with excursion into the Carrizo Plain and the Temblor Range). For 2020, Erin created a 400+ km loop. <a href="https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32225046">Los Padres 2020 loop</a> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Covid-19 ended any plans for a group event or grand depart for 2020. In fact, during the most promising time, the "shelter in place" order discouraged any travel that would require going to stores. However, </span><span style="font-size: large;">backcountry trails and camps were open and Obin and I went for an overnighter to check out the new route parts in clockwise direction from Frazier Park to Santa Barbara. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font size="4"><b>New Trails for 2020</b></font></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There was still a lot of snow in April and we did not go to the top of Mt Pinos (in any event, not a new trail, but a great single track). Even the paved road to Mt Pinos was closed at the bottom. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfO_g0l-JGdOX_e3kT6t-YQh5UpQhDmbQSqYknkTBLolKrmUkj3C3aCL3uB2ZbaoQu3FsZjh9nXk-DFoVxylXzdkeCs6DrTn-WNE0LShkbBs7LJSQpgyzrmK3yOzwVo2-dA_TiddPt8S-6/s1600/IMG_20190323_132941.jpg" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfO_g0l-JGdOX_e3kT6t-YQh5UpQhDmbQSqYknkTBLolKrmUkj3C3aCL3uB2ZbaoQu3FsZjh9nXk-DFoVxylXzdkeCs6DrTn-WNE0LShkbBs7LJSQpgyzrmK3yOzwVo2-dA_TiddPt8S-6/w200-h113/IMG_20190323_132941.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Instead, we took the horse trail, connected with Lockwood Valley road, and then onto the dirt roads/trail that were new to us. The nice surprise was that the gates to the dirt roads were locked, no motorized traffic. That presumably was still the winter closure (there were no Covid signs or alerts anywhere in that area). In any event, the time of year to do this stretch is before it is opened to ATVs, which is probably May 1. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lockwood Creek</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTj5ECqkPnbhoP8oWumOW2XxixtBkPos1ctN-aPo4_T5WyPiuhtpd01ilhwhzrS07W3qJ8gbl226KAMC6yDZ768Mf2iryfHJl11OF8USodisjxx8ANFIL8CE4Gnh6jO7RfdlyPbu4wnT2K/s4032/IMG_0631.JPG" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTj5ECqkPnbhoP8oWumOW2XxixtBkPos1ctN-aPo4_T5WyPiuhtpd01ilhwhzrS07W3qJ8gbl226KAMC6yDZ768Mf2iryfHJl11OF8USodisjxx8ANFIL8CE4Gnh6jO7RfdlyPbu4wnT2K/s640/IMG_0631.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lockwood creek, shortly afterwards starts a very steep rocky climb, the Miller Jeep Trail</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Overall a fairly rocky stretch with very steep ups and downs and we took a break at the top. </span><span style="font-size: large;">This whole section is open to motos at other times of the year, so not smooth single track but rough jeep trail. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">I liked the second half a lot, the Yellowjacket Trail. It is a surprise, looks like there is no way out without substantial climbing, but then there is a hidden way. Also plenty of water around here at this time of year even though this has the feeling of a dry section otherwise. Still </span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">slow going, but it isn't long before we get spit out onto Lockwood Valley road and that is a long pavement stretch, up to Ozena Fire Station. At the fire station, we get off onto real hiking-type single track, the Boulder Canyon Trail. It starts nice, but becomes a very tough push. Unfortunately, we also managed to start this in the afternoon on a fairly warm day. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiCv1iYmrHfD54vDWvvPJKrMq0vapjR3VOoYb8g3pkJHOXZVixY28E3boczojBHi_8CGDpj3t97IkB1Ue8VRXKfwAqQvfSlexNcGU1EsAbH3rJz7I8br5Rx3YmS18DLg_ZKHlsWaDChdX/s4032/IMG_0638.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiCv1iYmrHfD54vDWvvPJKrMq0vapjR3VOoYb8g3pkJHOXZVixY28E3boczojBHi_8CGDpj3t97IkB1Ue8VRXKfwAqQvfSlexNcGU1EsAbH3rJz7I8br5Rx3YmS18DLg_ZKHlsWaDChdX/s640/IMG_0638.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up Boulder Canyon Trail<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<div><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;">Break time, which is needed as this climb takes several hours! I suspect it is the single hardest climb on the route in the clockwise direction. Even though it looks green, water is getting sparse. Very different from the previous stretch, which looks dry and yet has water everywhere. There is water at the bottom in the creek, but then it gets sparse. There is supposedly McGuire spring part way up and not far from the trail, but friends who went hiking a few weeks later said it was terrible (we didn't look for it ourselves). <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFr43K28L_dMm2dpImC9btnmhYnG-Y_scavkh1EoU4Lzfuv4KZF5JmRWGF6GWc8PmEpDYM8YLmqJktXxoLT2lR3Xu5ZN2AG3n9EHjJ87f6vrahQ0OQKRjY1abKGSKEUIM1m472EvGZRA9x/s4032/IMG_0672.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDimFKNrbTE9Fkxki-3P4g0iKlR2WuFww_o1FXe0RQe7YXyhLPV00IHFfbeikhDyMaokbxLhAbTxMH0ZVm6P_XXFCmWqHzxZsp92aLgmEUABlduJ3p74aMa7udy4zILld2f_Wyd4dGi8pT/s4032/IMG_0643.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDimFKNrbTE9Fkxki-3P4g0iKlR2WuFww_o1FXe0RQe7YXyhLPV00IHFfbeikhDyMaokbxLhAbTxMH0ZVm6P_XXFCmWqHzxZsp92aLgmEUABlduJ3p74aMa7udy4zILld2f_Wyd4dGi8pT/s320/IMG_0643.JPG" /></a><div><font size="4"><br /></font></div><div><font size="4">The top had snow, but no water. This connects to Reyes Peak and there is a road. The car parking campgrounds were closed, here because of Covid rather than seasonal closure. It was getting dark and very windy. And after a hot afternoon, now we were cold! We dropped down a bit to Chorro Springs, which was more sheltered and also had water. No longer flowing, just a pool, but the water was still fine. Certainly good enough for the night.</font></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3sEfLh2livija9c4amXsDAe-4-PF3wFpS_NBFxujT959aa68AKnZR72wAnJxgTangkHQ-eGyRuE2Y0BMKYcyInq-_EbioUmSM17zxfc_lc26oJdzi2Ig2KaxwnzHlX7rw1pmD9KG7K7o/s4032/IMG_0651.JPG" style="font-size: large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3sEfLh2livija9c4amXsDAe-4-PF3wFpS_NBFxujT959aa68AKnZR72wAnJxgTangkHQ-eGyRuE2Y0BMKYcyInq-_EbioUmSM17zxfc_lc26oJdzi2Ig2KaxwnzHlX7rw1pmD9KG7K7o/w375-h500/IMG_0651.JPG" width="375" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camping at Chorro Grande<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><font size="4"><br /></font><span style="font-size: large;">But we rolled down the Chorro Grande trail early in the morning to have breakfast at Oak, which has better water - a nice running creek. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzZW-MTLScz3vXjZRs3Oc3-nOIK78gSTEMdwea8lnD063aBzXXUC6-Ga6C0_7Ijxp0cFMgCaGC85Qoyof2J7YTe_QztyQVwWKBbrnQMFieX0OzplUCJrqWJGSexO13Ti0rFt_i0ekqaSt/s4032/IMG_0657.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzZW-MTLScz3vXjZRs3Oc3-nOIK78gSTEMdwea8lnD063aBzXXUC6-Ga6C0_7Ijxp0cFMgCaGC85Qoyof2J7YTe_QztyQVwWKBbrnQMFieX0OzplUCJrqWJGSexO13Ti0rFt_i0ekqaSt/w469-h625/IMG_0657.JPG" width="469" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chorro Grande trail early in the morning<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JJqwnlpXO3183YXXOHDk51xe_zYCsBADyg46L08L3LRY5S2Obn48RTslQVGqPWRkWX49cEKTwwVZQAJtbp_cmHTmdAoFezsG0BC5MS7V9dZmsIxYkE4PwUY_pv-m2-PWValOWIwp28tN/s4032/IMG_0660.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JJqwnlpXO3183YXXOHDk51xe_zYCsBADyg46L08L3LRY5S2Obn48RTslQVGqPWRkWX49cEKTwwVZQAJtbp_cmHTmdAoFezsG0BC5MS7V9dZmsIxYkE4PwUY_pv-m2-PWValOWIwp28tN/w586-h781/IMG_0660.JPG" width="586" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chorro Grande Trail<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Chorro Grande ends on Highway 33. We saw some cars parked there, but only one hiker near the road. Otherwise, we hadn't seen anybody since leaving pavement the previous afternoon. While this is a long stretch on a road, it also goes very fast this direction (presumably a little bit slower the other direction, but it wouldn't be much of a climb) and it was pretty in the morning and almost traffic-free. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Near Rose Valley, the climbing starts again. Not easy, but nothing like Boulder Canyon. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCb_Rk0pQ-exy8uXc9cWApbScPJJHx5VzQjV2E0pv9_qVazTb7RW3bWJ1SiryWoLdxlk2pziIxG8nOcspXuEdjlt4t-w3cHLZoYeza1ngZ9v22lcVuZvz5jTW0rBf1ko1Qe7wg9dOPSVFd/s4032/IMG_0663.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCb_Rk0pQ-exy8uXc9cWApbScPJJHx5VzQjV2E0pv9_qVazTb7RW3bWJ1SiryWoLdxlk2pziIxG8nOcspXuEdjlt4t-w3cHLZoYeza1ngZ9v22lcVuZvz5jTW0rBf1ko1Qe7wg9dOPSVFd/w469-h625/IMG_0663.JPG" width="469" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Eventually, we are up on Nordhoff Ridge and then comes the spectacular descent into Ojai, mostly Gridley Trail<br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcnjn5ScNlHMjFuX7Lv6IngBnawCgX5X5ZLHnBt0fyUeec_ZVcI0DG2tnXPCdMJU-HQ6fyP57DOHRmGm_S0Y5wVIrUb6uyJ0ts3OItflhBSlPlqv0o9xzfi9lreO-zlQkvYrPksujB3J7/s4032/IMG_0665.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcnjn5ScNlHMjFuX7Lv6IngBnawCgX5X5ZLHnBt0fyUeec_ZVcI0DG2tnXPCdMJU-HQ6fyP57DOHRmGm_S0Y5wVIrUb6uyJ0ts3OItflhBSlPlqv0o9xzfi9lreO-zlQkvYrPksujB3J7/w469-h625/IMG_0665.JPG" width="469" /></a></div>
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The afternoon got somewhat frustrating. It was an unusually hot day, somehow we had picked about the hottest day in April and in one of the hottest sections of the route. Just getting around Ojai (we didn't go into the town, but stayed around the trails around it) was tough - and I also managed to bend my derailleur. It got worse.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Our plan was to camp in the upper Santa Ynez area and the next morning do Romero to Santa Barbara and get picked there. There is a paved road to the Matilija trailhead, but as we got there, a grumpy local yelled at us, claiming this is closed to bicycles and there is no way through. Tempers were running high there (temperature and Covid?), he was also complaining about cars being parked, people in the creek. As we stood there (I also tried to straighten out my derailleur), two sheriff cars arrived. They waved friendly at us, apparently these two cyclists weren't the problem (it might have been nude bathers?), but we decided to better get away from there and returned on pavement to get picked up in Ojai a day early. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><font size="4">So not entirely successful, but still good to be out during strange times. </font></div><div><br /></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-6623330334401399202020-07-03T18:31:00.072-07:002020-07-04T21:21:08.960-07:00Catching up on 2019 Tour de Los Padres ride report<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uJQ7R42A0U9InnCnukfFOZ35AR3FPyhaWd5gAyJ0kiGTDf4ZgMztVmMlL8hqFf36xKAbCSOpdkw09QyZyb57lKOBPvFbkFfT6zKG8OUy1y715RKGf-m9EEdlq7sCjBYBJrSib3botyvv/s1600/IMG_20190324_091014.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uJQ7R42A0U9InnCnukfFOZ35AR3FPyhaWd5gAyJ0kiGTDf4ZgMztVmMlL8hqFf36xKAbCSOpdkw09QyZyb57lKOBPvFbkFfT6zKG8OUy1y715RKGf-m9EEdlq7sCjBYBJrSib3botyvv/w625-h351/IMG_20190324_091014.jpg" width="625" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the Carrizo Plain <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The Tour de Los Padres route is never easy and funky weather in 2019 made a diverse route even more unusually diverse. 3 days of drying out in heat, 1 day of cold soaking. The average would have been great! But the variation less so. </span><span style="font-size: large;">I got to SB around 7 pm on Monday, very cold and wet, just a day after I had been wishing for cold and wetness while counting miles for shade and water at Chokecherry. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">As in previous years, the main route was a point-to-point, starting in Frazier Park and ending in Santa Barbara and going through the Carrizo Plain. I joined the group start, or at least the shuttle to Frazier Park and the group dinner the night before. However, I don't like to stay in a motel, nor in town, so I tend to climb up the dirt road on the backside of Mt Pinos at night and camp on top. I don't roll back down to town in the morning for the group start, though, and according to Erin as a consequence declares me to "</span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: birdseye, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">hold the record for the most course deviations over the last 6 years, while never actually having to "bail out"! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The fast riders pass me usually around Ventucopa - as Brian Lucido and Gregg Dunham did this year. Oh, here they come already (at the Pistachio Company in Ventucopa, the green bike is mine):</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo630a4WWM2sE-J1jqWM1Vc3eCC-R_Xp-NMJVNiXJ0r5M4PbSX_J4bcxUSIyL4coKgtYbSuNowo_HhCUK3P74aVCOTh2-huMytbz8IQaUvGasNmP-Go4hyD2Avwav9_zjkeNOSvEHjyNMl/s602/P4260031.JPG" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="602" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo630a4WWM2sE-J1jqWM1Vc3eCC-R_Xp-NMJVNiXJ0r5M4PbSX_J4bcxUSIyL4coKgtYbSuNowo_HhCUK3P74aVCOTh2-huMytbz8IQaUvGasNmP-Go4hyD2Avwav9_zjkeNOSvEHjyNMl/w625-h430/P4260031.JPG" width="625" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No fooling around Brian, Gregg is just behind you. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-KjlzVwChDnry7Z1THyAH-n2c6GpKGlhepb0omdYQcDVWySs5B6E3VmumGgHy5cXQLzVAJgTibhTXX6DeUaoMqTFnDkhahCrhrj82Efs6DhwwvyFgnUx62Q0Z7Wn45ueXg5jd9d0F6-e/s584/P4260032+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="584" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-KjlzVwChDnry7Z1THyAH-n2c6GpKGlhepb0omdYQcDVWySs5B6E3VmumGgHy5cXQLzVAJgTibhTXX6DeUaoMqTFnDkhahCrhrj82Efs6DhwwvyFgnUx62Q0Z7Wn45ueXg5jd9d0F6-e/w625-h458/P4260032+%25282%2529.jpg" width="625" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No fooling around here, Gregg. Brian already left. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div><br /></div><div>The Pistachio Company is the last reliable water for a long, long time. In fact, it wasn't until about 20 hours later that I found water again, then a rather unattractive cow trough. </div><div><br /></div><div>On I roll, up on Highway 33 until Erin finds a very funky way to get into the Carrizo Plain. Not the regular route (which would be annoying: longer on a busy highway, then a dirt road), no, something involving fence hopping, hike a bike, then a harder climb (but certainly worth it). I was wondering where Blake Bockius is, usually he is with the front pack. But this is a hot day, which slows down old people and Blake is almost as old as I am. Sure enough, it wasn't until the Carrizo Plain, seeminly hours later (but maybe just one) that he came by. </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0-a-p1ZN8eOK_b8h_pVNe2UCqD-0HFV8n-1-w9bs2aSN09EnmEuEDSSCMqEsSVUKWSMu-rvdT-CkWXxs66qBc4gETZo-QejLeb1yoB7sVnXmcBqdMPzgrFq_NBT84Yt-od-rygOW75CA/s643/P4260052.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="643" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0-a-p1ZN8eOK_b8h_pVNe2UCqD-0HFV8n-1-w9bs2aSN09EnmEuEDSSCMqEsSVUKWSMu-rvdT-CkWXxs66qBc4gETZo-QejLeb1yoB7sVnXmcBqdMPzgrFq_NBT84Yt-od-rygOW75CA/w500-h301/P4260052.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blake is still much faster than me<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 1; text-align: left;">The Carrizo Plain is bounded by two mountain ranges, the Temblor, which is to the northeast, and the Caliente, which is to the southwest, and is cleaved by the San Andreas Fault. The fault is often photographed here because movements show up clearly. There is an exhibit along Buckhorn road, which we take. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 1; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 1; text-align: left;">I was pretty wiped and camped in the Carrizo Plain well before Soda Lake. Although I've camped in here before, repeatedly, I apparently missed a key resident before. It is the home of the Giant Kangaroo Rat! Some Giant Kangaroo Rats live elsewhere, in small pockets elsewhere in the the San Joaquin valley, but mostly they are here. And I got to see many of them. They are kind of cute, nicer than regular rats, and not really that giant. But their hopping around at night (on two legs, they are like kangaroos in that respect) can get a bit unnerving. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMKy_mcRqSV6t8n6HZnZ8UNcWbAWhuNDWB_oYK8eOTHlNR6kGgRu8PLbFq5JESFwxyqdJEllm-uFn7Iwvsi5liWecd4HThQwQR7LI8WJtkbg4BrxqxwcFEbMMDcDz8pXJGA44aknr7_6Q/s750/CPw9l6lUwAAyCcO.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMKy_mcRqSV6t8n6HZnZ8UNcWbAWhuNDWB_oYK8eOTHlNR6kGgRu8PLbFq5JESFwxyqdJEllm-uFn7Iwvsi5liWecd4HThQwQR7LI8WJtkbg4BrxqxwcFEbMMDcDz8pXJGA44aknr7_6Q/w400-h266/CPw9l6lUwAAyCcO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 1; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The next morning is usually nice. There is a fairly hard climb up into the Caliente Range, but it is always pretty. The afternoon, once the sun is at full force and the temperatures are up, are a different story. Especially once you run out of water. It is hard to find. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The dry stretches help to appreciate the challenges travelers in the Southwest had to overcome in the past - without GPS, waypoints to water, and slower on foot or wagon than we are on bicycles. In my motorcycle blog posts in Mojave, I collected quotes from the 1850 (also a wet winter) travelers across the Mojave desert (Manly and Rogers party, the Jayhawkers) , who suffered much worse and some didn't make it. Comparing our outdoor experience with that from 150 years ago helps to appreciate how easy life is these days even when it feels hard!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">"There was now before us a particularly bad stretch of the country as it would probably take us four or five days to get over it, and there was only one water hole in the entire distance. This one was quite salty, so much so that on our return trip the horses refused to drink it, and the little white one died the next day." William Lewis Manly (1894), Death Valley in '49, Ch. 11</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">TDLP, even with camping, never has more than 30 hours or so without reliable water - and we know where those are. </span></div><div style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjO9fo_0_pqyDvz8rYlgfr0FPaPTzb5nZnS8KMtfk4KBUNWbvWm35sGhy4zdkWu_rgNlktnpnnnLrglk7GMaOZ26DLjIcjz-hbp5tUScyh6C7IzMo0P7An3KNI7CMC38TLevnU1Ypg12e/s2040/58784897_10218078099211457_1705872671083855872_o+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="2040" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjO9fo_0_pqyDvz8rYlgfr0FPaPTzb5nZnS8KMtfk4KBUNWbvWm35sGhy4zdkWu_rgNlktnpnnnLrglk7GMaOZ26DLjIcjz-hbp5tUScyh6C7IzMo0P7An3KNI7CMC38TLevnU1Ypg12e/w625-h469/58784897_10218078099211457_1705872671083855872_o+%25281%2529.jpg" width="625" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0j0Hgg3Nr7CkdyUgC__6_1wkBr0mlxLCjnwkRc2yqxKGJWxCKTF0Uk9V21dpOFAHvmBeBsmmjX8a-Bp8mxA8hGK6vIB1aY4jaEwtVSwdYpbvQfpNWclxRw25KTLb45EmUehOyCEvu-c36/s960/58610143_10218078099731470_8219286477792608256_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="915" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0j0Hgg3Nr7CkdyUgC__6_1wkBr0mlxLCjnwkRc2yqxKGJWxCKTF0Uk9V21dpOFAHvmBeBsmmjX8a-Bp8mxA8hGK6vIB1aY4jaEwtVSwdYpbvQfpNWclxRw25KTLb45EmUehOyCEvu-c36/w595-h625/58610143_10218078099731470_8219286477792608256_o.jpg" width="595" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On top of the Caliente Range in the morning - but the next sets of canyons will take all afternoon<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9H8T-x0jg4zJWF6onFNMP7jUvVIRC5gzILN0rSLByVKRb7IkNmeB1ttPyn514jSWZpATyYkC7fABW_axDzmHzgQjk8B2_dMuHMnNP82eh6lrQt9IPsQkzC2bi7RFKahN01U4tNws41UBp/s2040/58639077_10218078100011477_7604662248119730176_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><br /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">And the afternoon never is fun. It does get hot in the Caliente Range. And there isn't much water (or at least not very attractive water) until Gifford Springs. It was strangely full, even overflowing, and I got a shower while filling up my water bottles - you can see the water splashing down on the side</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohQdJHbMQ51ST26qIt_x-WrrCSsy8DK8oRZacaH4J1dfUaVfniRj1OTA005aYi41iXAUAga5Q9wu6wg0ext2fbqvJh-8Vy5P8Xdzdhx8OI7GH1k9MR7Uf3mFp8J4NAr9AtIMSf4-Q3AI2/s960/59350557_10218078099051453_8368428761879674880_o.jpg" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="653" height="976" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohQdJHbMQ51ST26qIt_x-WrrCSsy8DK8oRZacaH4J1dfUaVfniRj1OTA005aYi41iXAUAga5Q9wu6wg0ext2fbqvJh-8Vy5P8Xdzdhx8OI7GH1k9MR7Uf3mFp8J4NAr9AtIMSf4-Q3AI2/w666-h976/59350557_10218078099051453_8368428761879674880_o.jpg" width="666" /></a></span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">No up on the other side and even though the temperatures have cooled down, the day in the sun took its toll. I found a nice campsite off Sierra Madre road, maybe halfway up the long climb. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Day 3 was the usual, much of it along Sierra Madre road. Could be nice, but this time too hot and too dry. It reminded me of Manly's book about crossing the Mojave:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span>"Our thirst began to be something terrible to endure. We were so nearly worn out that we tried to eat a little meat, but the mouth would not moisten it enough so we could swallow and we had to reject it. It seemed as if we were going to die with food in our hand because we could not eat it. We talked a little and the burden of it was a fear that we could not endure the terrible thirst a while longer." William Lewis Manly (1894), Death Valley in '49, Ch. 10</span><span><br /></span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Now, I didn't suffer that much. I never ran completely out of water, but it happened to Gregg I believe, who was so thirsty that he couldn't eat. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9H8T-x0jg4zJWF6onFNMP7jUvVIRC5gzILN0rSLByVKRb7IkNmeB1ttPyn514jSWZpATyYkC7fABW_axDzmHzgQjk8B2_dMuHMnNP82eh6lrQt9IPsQkzC2bi7RFKahN01U4tNws41UBp/s2040/58639077_10218078100011477_7604662248119730176_o.jpg" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="2040" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9H8T-x0jg4zJWF6onFNMP7jUvVIRC5gzILN0rSLByVKRb7IkNmeB1ttPyn514jSWZpATyYkC7fABW_axDzmHzgQjk8B2_dMuHMnNP82eh6lrQt9IPsQkzC2bi7RFKahN01U4tNws41UBp/w625-h469/58639077_10218078100011477_7604662248119730176_o.jpg" width="625" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty views from Sierra Madre Road in the morning<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><font size="4">It was another long dry day, too hot and too dry to be enjoyable. But as I reached the highest point of the day, near Big Pine Summit, there was lightning, now the goal was to get down quickly. In other years, I stopped for a hike up to the mountain top, but this was clearly not advisable this year. </font></div><div><font size="4"><br /></font></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8-JJC_kcpSEARPfEVwI5HDw2TgfMpPSoDuSd3bDp-7WHmyWvG6l3h83jYvpumAtyA_8QCmSCoyRy8GG9BktGtnsEDS7Y7bvJ342omgPQIQnGq5fI9kKXmmKBhfD_Sz2Jq4LeMLIGOe0x/s2040/57425261_10218078100211482_7792910007573413888_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="2040" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8-JJC_kcpSEARPfEVwI5HDw2TgfMpPSoDuSd3bDp-7WHmyWvG6l3h83jYvpumAtyA_8QCmSCoyRy8GG9BktGtnsEDS7Y7bvJ342omgPQIQnGq5fI9kKXmmKBhfD_Sz2Jq4LeMLIGOe0x/w625-h469/57425261_10218078100211482_7792910007573413888_o.jpg" width="625" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Around sunset, a thunderstorm was coming in<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><font size="4"><br /></font></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The next morning was very different. It was cold and damp and the surface has become so muddy that I even had to walk some downhill stretches as the tires got too clogged with mud. Fortunately, these were short stretches, but frustrating anyway. Couldn't we just get a middle between yesterday and today? </span></div><div><br /></div><div><font size="4"><br /></font></div><div><font size="4"><br /></font><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlvAQabqh-NVu5ju2R281RhvTjEVE5x70R78UIo3CIqJM0KKTBuASM9kJnEOgldp_knbvbLrU8yMj1Oiauwi-m1FT6K2ijI0WBD9ukkAokc0G2ufFKi1xpryNyvY7odrUSeSHqsDjA-Pb/s960/58695663_10218078100691494_5633537473486258176_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="715" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlvAQabqh-NVu5ju2R281RhvTjEVE5x70R78UIo3CIqJM0KKTBuASM9kJnEOgldp_knbvbLrU8yMj1Oiauwi-m1FT6K2ijI0WBD9ukkAokc0G2ufFKi1xpryNyvY7odrUSeSHqsDjA-Pb/w583-h781/58695663_10218078100691494_5633537473486258176_o.jpg" width="583" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaKI12vxaMsqA2Vn_shGB0KjW4TyW_nm6VLkc1BUoDZf2Vo8SCFbohJ2STKSTPukr3dZ8PnksfwW_TxBwysxI99WyST0ywlUJv88b9GN_rnud9KNBIvPKOGctpqK9dvHGVUh3_ohlnOIj/s960/58708047_10218078101611517_3396847883029315584_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="700" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaKI12vxaMsqA2Vn_shGB0KjW4TyW_nm6VLkc1BUoDZf2Vo8SCFbohJ2STKSTPukr3dZ8PnksfwW_TxBwysxI99WyST0ywlUJv88b9GN_rnud9KNBIvPKOGctpqK9dvHGVUh3_ohlnOIj/w569-h781/58708047_10218078101611517_3396847883029315584_o.jpg" width="569" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocky roads cause slashed tires<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>This hadn't happened to me before on a trip, so maybe slashing a tire was overdue. I had spare tubes and a tire boot (the gash would have been too big without closing it up) and I got going within 15 minutes or so. But cold and unpleasant 15 minutes. </div><div><br /></div><div>The big dirt road was destroyed during a fire a few years ago and mustard weed have taken over. Usually, such gentle bushwhacking is fine, maybe even enjoyable. Not today: Those weeds were cold and wet and made the descent miserable. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOALAsREPnWASZKn59x0U0B2-CsmSpO23qY6kGJT7I528rByQDHyl9reoy0htYAg3c5-XktF2hXGGNijTHbSIIU6JGVWmPJAFZC0uX3tYoXFg5zgF-rHUirFADv7XzVFvZZ8sn7Pa08hki/s960/59189014_10218078101091504_8411109432447991808_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="715" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOALAsREPnWASZKn59x0U0B2-CsmSpO23qY6kGJT7I528rByQDHyl9reoy0htYAg3c5-XktF2hXGGNijTHbSIIU6JGVWmPJAFZC0uX3tYoXFg5zgF-rHUirFADv7XzVFvZZ8sn7Pa08hki/w583-h781/59189014_10218078101091504_8411109432447991808_o.jpg" width="583" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>But eventually the descent comes to an end. There is the fun Camuesa Connector trail and then it is time to cross the Santa Ynez river. The mightiest Santa Ynez flow I've ever seen, but it still is less than knee height. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-Px0Ug4srPT2_Ne7pSsCo9qQD1rND6hyaCTBOcfnmEb3evoxF50EFweCFkryIpdf50P4ZAhxlxAkUI4CM4MsoES__1wMy8JseZtcPnYTcGUH574LHDmcZLUyhnPOrBy58DXudERMq8Gl/s2040/59422807_10218078101251508_6278799543127506944_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="2040" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-Px0Ug4srPT2_Ne7pSsCo9qQD1rND6hyaCTBOcfnmEb3evoxF50EFweCFkryIpdf50P4ZAhxlxAkUI4CM4MsoES__1wMy8JseZtcPnYTcGUH574LHDmcZLUyhnPOrBy58DXudERMq8Gl/w625-h469/59422807_10218078101251508_6278799543127506944_o.jpg" width="625" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>There is one long climb left after the river, then there could be the lovely Romero single track downhill. However, my rear tire was too fragile for single track riding and I took a shortcut via Gibraltar road, which is a paved road. Less interesting, but then I had never ridden it and I've gone Romero up and down many times. But Romero is the better way! <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-62671710682846479072020-04-07T15:52:00.004-07:002021-03-18T22:03:40.818-07:00Winter Motorcycle Trip #4: Last sections of the California Backcountry Discovery Route<span style="font-size: large;">April 2019: Benton to Death Valley</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOvTZzYyJygCLBQ_-EJKqHFu4cPAmRCzNgl8m0D8Wokhq1jjgljXKM_vzLmm0nosrujc-brjrIoHs8pPDfLMvNCnHjJU-wf5Gvyt75jxzSZf72Uf8SGOIyzK9bwSRpAB7pJe1q2p777IV/s1600/P4160232.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOvTZzYyJygCLBQ_-EJKqHFu4cPAmRCzNgl8m0D8Wokhq1jjgljXKM_vzLmm0nosrujc-brjrIoHs8pPDfLMvNCnHjJU-wf5Gvyt75jxzSZf72Uf8SGOIyzK9bwSRpAB7pJe1q2p777IV/s640/P4160232.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A chilly April day, more snow falling in the Eastern Sierras</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />It still is an unusually cold year, late April and it feels like mid-winter (Southern California midwinter, though). In fact, my first mountain bike trip, Erin Carroll's Tour de Los Padres was pushed to the end of April because of all the snow. So it is yet to come. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Instead, I first head off for another motorcycle trip on the new CA</span><span style="font-size: large;"> BDR (backcountry discovery route). The CA BDR route was released January 2019 and I got the map as soon as it was printed. I did the first 5 sections in February on a 1000 mile loop: <a href="http://rolandsturm.blogspot.com/2019/02/" target="_blank">CA Backcountry Route</a>. Now I want to do the remaining part of the route, which is f</span><span style="font-size: large;">rom Death Valley to Benton, mostly along the Eastern Sierra.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Death Valley itself is now getting hot, temperatures between 35 and 40 degree celsius. Not unbearable yet, that will happen soon, but hot. Later than usual because I have been to Death Valley 3 times already this year (in January, February, and March) and was cold there every time (and got rained on)! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Forecast was for pleasant temperatures, but sure enough, I got rained on (and only because I wasn't at altitude yet)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmB9eX39hlyBK2cSL9rqbD4uR-P8FstW9aZd51LkBcMF8yAns63YLFLxlUT9iJcGahyOiqkvJ8dduaZKb5doUeq-gFvHg4o9qICoGyZkLfo7kqnfCmdrINhae1uuYxG6hwMUNi_7QQw_S/s1600/P4160230.JPG"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmB9eX39hlyBK2cSL9rqbD4uR-P8FstW9aZd51LkBcMF8yAns63YLFLxlUT9iJcGahyOiqkvJ8dduaZKb5doUeq-gFvHg4o9qICoGyZkLfo7kqnfCmdrINhae1uuYxG6hwMUNi_7QQw_S/s640/P4160230.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Section 7 of BDR: Bishop to Lone Pine - can't avoid the valley</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was going north to south and when I turned off Death Valley Road (coming out of Big Pine) at a higher elevation, there was too much snow to get through. And no tracks ahead of me, so it looks like that: </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkLTXo3Vten9Mv6tc9yJT5L-xFugDvwwd7OUKAczeIfHM218mIwQJriHRfYZGjzvK2sEer5CfxvCS_LvQXdZPzAv0oJmYPJ9pqdTJ04SE3cttwsxVuT5gUEyRPjG4LxqMNADV4c-F7HFx/s1600/P4170262.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkLTXo3Vten9Mv6tc9yJT5L-xFugDvwwd7OUKAczeIfHM218mIwQJriHRfYZGjzvK2sEer5CfxvCS_LvQXdZPzAv0oJmYPJ9pqdTJ04SE3cttwsxVuT5gUEyRPjG4LxqMNADV4c-F7HFx/s640/P4170262.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papoose Flat/ Mazourka Canyon had too much snow to get through</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJIXUpvZ70qan68u-qrhT4Lgt-yK6p1ksAzDB1Lz8vU3YTZG-mnwaI2rDTNRiGhWLMUueg69XcbDjlOHB3RtpcNLUDeAqBsz3vyAIU-6FFcarg5FBHRti4O5bQlrJmeV8O_h5fUeZf1f_/s1600/P4170264.JPG"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJIXUpvZ70qan68u-qrhT4Lgt-yK6p1ksAzDB1Lz8vU3YTZG-mnwaI2rDTNRiGhWLMUueg69XcbDjlOHB3RtpcNLUDeAqBsz3vyAIU-6FFcarg5FBHRti4O5bQlrJmeV8O_h5fUeZf1f_/s640/P4170264.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had to turn back and took the easier valley route in the Owens River Valley. Typical for Southern California, there is very little water to be seen even in what could be the river bed. Much of the water tends to be underground and surface water only appears briefly after winter storms. Until about 100 years ago, the river drained into this valley and there was enough to be a lake between Lone Pine and Olancha. In the early 1900s, the Water Wars started when Los Angeles bought land upstream to have water rights. Beginning in 1913, the Los Angeles Aqueduct diverted enough water from the Owens River that the river bed and former lake dried out. </span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7_WEvnEYzk9PWpq8Kvqxe47AQB1P5yXAEs3UcoszDn2TqHhh55IAgCcAE80X-KCFVcgIrAWj05D7kVEgNvYzoGdgntykIfyRNEVNt82B6_drMfYFAOEJ4l7sxkOgcDrvXTuru52v1uO0/s1600/P4170249.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7_WEvnEYzk9PWpq8Kvqxe47AQB1P5yXAEs3UcoszDn2TqHhh55IAgCcAE80X-KCFVcgIrAWj05D7kVEgNvYzoGdgntykIfyRNEVNt82B6_drMfYFAOEJ4l7sxkOgcDrvXTuru52v1uO0/s640/P4170249.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the Owens River valley, since 1913 mostly dry as the water goes to Los Angeles</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Somewhat boring, mostly just a wide dirt road that parallels Highway 395. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Might as well just stay on pavement (the only reason not to do that is that the XT225 can't keep up with the very fast traffic). There was a small detour to the Reward Mine, which was a bit interesting. The trail to the Reward Mine is quite steep and rocky. It is possible to ride into the mine for a bit, but I didn't. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwRUXYH8CD_k3diIG54HiEEUrwM8UA23wRcfn0FBN8oX_BkMEe6p4oAjxrEXqxGK8iqK3DsQOe9c0SJg4Kq2jSwivJHmiWbIO8ub16NIJ_63Eua5NlvI1MV7uIHT04EhCwsM47CdoV5sQ/s1600/P4170260.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwRUXYH8CD_k3diIG54HiEEUrwM8UA23wRcfn0FBN8oX_BkMEe6p4oAjxrEXqxGK8iqK3DsQOe9c0SJg4Kq2jSwivJHmiWbIO8ub16NIJ_63Eua5NlvI1MV7uIHT04EhCwsM47CdoV5sQ/s640/P4170260.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9DGhHyawlKgGVoanNhhWn-EdK0isO8aud_22Qrxgk4P4FlKICZRIbLEnN8T0McjQhuHFYxgAAkWur2X0Y1EQuFdhxRiuXZ0Pu9sYDcRghFE8MB1utv9fYb-PcAtcvKEYRJtjqUxyRioc/s1600/P4170253.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9DGhHyawlKgGVoanNhhWn-EdK0isO8aud_22Qrxgk4P4FlKICZRIbLEnN8T0McjQhuHFYxgAAkWur2X0Y1EQuFdhxRiuXZ0Pu9sYDcRghFE8MB1utv9fYb-PcAtcvKEYRJtjqUxyRioc/w640-h480/P4170253.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old Owens river and lake bed in the valley are dry</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxIMVSiT5eb9WwKqnNL7PwcXePBqC7Inkg9qaigYWNLh3-QP4hRCG2yMHwZrJ3T-MwuN_dlr3254788Ldm9Ixp8yKGggGmWjcEVKpzYI_rQoWgntH1feH4hUxd2AUBqhZgFbWfWc_usVq/s1600/P4170252.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxIMVSiT5eb9WwKqnNL7PwcXePBqC7Inkg9qaigYWNLh3-QP4hRCG2yMHwZrJ3T-MwuN_dlr3254788Ldm9Ixp8yKGggGmWjcEVKpzYI_rQoWgntH1feH4hUxd2AUBqhZgFbWfWc_usVq/s640/P4170252.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The route crosses the highway at the Manzanar Historic site, one of ten concentration camps where Japanese-American citizens or resident Japanese were interned during the Second World War. The brief next stretch is nice, connecting back to Lone Pine via the Whitney Portal Road. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwdvSor1VHwZSORgYoJO8pM3oJuxPXsyY6hEM7PeZl6v8TGBZ-wdLA62JJggu2LSFkHIzv4kZdVGeeltm-a0kGRgcWMhg5paGSg_WlZ6VluAG70sbvnUwkNLFQ3SIP8lDxuT-t8O0BgjI/s1600/P4170256.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwdvSor1VHwZSORgYoJO8pM3oJuxPXsyY6hEM7PeZl6v8TGBZ-wdLA62JJggu2LSFkHIzv4kZdVGeeltm-a0kGRgcWMhg5paGSg_WlZ6VluAG70sbvnUwkNLFQ3SIP8lDxuT-t8O0BgjI/s640/P4170256.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Alabama Hills </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I camped in the Alabama Hills. Nice rock formation at the bottom of the big mountains. Although weather was getting gloomy and it seems remote, lots of campers out there. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIDUKWTjh_BPUFIXdNOFzc6vJupf5roNumWNP-L8WXpNoRerPPC7NmEGOPMFo333BCr37tOzNk9jXxwazTt8uSOpg1USWucvoqjjj200fCV7Z15WuWiaKcsrgGMaMnIIWJ9srIhnKwQRU/s1600/P4160233.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1453" data-original-width="1600" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIDUKWTjh_BPUFIXdNOFzc6vJupf5roNumWNP-L8WXpNoRerPPC7NmEGOPMFo333BCr37tOzNk9jXxwazTt8uSOpg1USWucvoqjjj200fCV7Z15WuWiaKcsrgGMaMnIIWJ9srIhnKwQRU/s640/P4160233.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQLoNUbj8bjQ1Vhdhek2c25UGoSO5UwIhquiugDjdGplswPrf9V0jCR5uqMjigGzTxwNOETUfS71fsn-NwETLa0-UhvYHrnMdHy-iem6NaC840WqbuZPoNu-FYlOCtsCDGaJ2zW7cmfH1/s1600/P4160237.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQLoNUbj8bjQ1Vhdhek2c25UGoSO5UwIhquiugDjdGplswPrf9V0jCR5uqMjigGzTxwNOETUfS71fsn-NwETLa0-UhvYHrnMdHy-iem6NaC840WqbuZPoNu-FYlOCtsCDGaJ2zW7cmfH1/s640/P4160237.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Section 6 of BDR: Lone Pine to the Death Valley "Racetrack"</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The idea was to ride up to the Cerro Gordo Mine/Ghost Town, down Saline Valley, up Lippincot. It is a long dirt road up to Cerro Gordo</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Cerro Gordo was sold recently to a group of people who want to redevelop it as a tourist attraction. From what I gather, the primary owner is a young guy from Texas who plans to move up here and work on it himself. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">As soon as I stopped, a caretaker came out to check on what I'm doing (and reminding me that this is private property and can't go anywhere here). So in transition, not clear what will happen to it. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPd-M9dlTzuvyzG4KYKTWlfhlymPRrneKmpCQfnZ1_7icQ8xW3ZscmOsfTIQd1D-2FJ8OGxPVBXW2W3vHo3JnuaESdJiZefwLgp9g8y9w475sw5WXCl37Nh90rLdZ44NddAx-LFyte91Ly/s1600/P4170274.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPd-M9dlTzuvyzG4KYKTWlfhlymPRrneKmpCQfnZ1_7icQ8xW3ZscmOsfTIQd1D-2FJ8OGxPVBXW2W3vHo3JnuaESdJiZefwLgp9g8y9w475sw5WXCl37Nh90rLdZ44NddAx-LFyte91Ly/s640/P4170274.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCme_xSxvUspH8mSRXma2MImsAFF5VQ3omYLFJFIh3Icq7jrG_GPuzLSiE-doqiq4ykHbNzIwAWJVcfOaD4KzavB3PJ5A-__V04UpE6knS8NeC-bqZS-gG9NdCMlEFQ9NpnS9pe_nrvhyphenhyphenI/s1600/P4170279.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCme_xSxvUspH8mSRXma2MImsAFF5VQ3omYLFJFIh3Icq7jrG_GPuzLSiE-doqiq4ykHbNzIwAWJVcfOaD4KzavB3PJ5A-__V04UpE6knS8NeC-bqZS-gG9NdCMlEFQ9NpnS9pe_nrvhyphenhyphenI/s640/P4170279.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: start;">In 2020, there was a fire at Cerro Gordo and some of the biggest buildings are gone by now (the old hotel). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: start;">Past Cerro Gordo, the descent becomes quite rocky and challenging. More technical, very different from the dirt road that goes up to Cerro Gordo. Once at the bottom, I found it confusing and couldn't immediately find the trail, which should be the White Mountain Talc road. According to the map, not difficult riding (whereas coming down Cerro Gordo was marked as "experts only"). Eventually I found one, although it seemed quite rocky and not exactly an easy ride. But not boring, so I took it and it was fun riding. Somehow, though, it didn't seem right. And after a while, I had the feeling that I've been here before. Then the feeling got stronger and I found myself at Cerro Gordo again!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: start;">OK, that was a sign to go back to pavement and start heading home. Lippingcott and Racetrack have to wait for another time. </span></div>
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Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2350520912855729089.post-56104444242533278102019-03-12T20:34:00.002-07:002021-10-03T07:15:17.950-07:00Winter Desert Trip #3: LA to Vegas<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Geologist cabin and Striped Butte in Death Valley, on day 2</span></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Much, maybe most, of Southern California is desert, an area that I have largely ignored in the 3 decades I have lived here: Too hot, dry, dusty, hostile. This winter I want to catch up and an unusually cold and wet winter gives a longer time window. It is hard to do this on a bicycle without first developing a good route. The terrain doesn't naturally lend itself to cycling. Distances are long and there can be a lot of sand. Maybe a winter bikepacking route can be developed and I'm doing some scouting, but with a motorcycle. It isn't clear how well a cycling route would work, I have seen a lot of promising trails, but connecting them without soul crushing junk miles is a challenge. Some is unavoidable: There always seems to be a sandy valley between mountain ranges. Those valleys have not been easy to travelers in previous years, the Death Valley '49 had a particularly tough time. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;"><i>Searles Valley and the Slate Range. </i></span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">From William Lewis Manly (1894), Death Valley in '49, The Jayhawkers story, as they descended into Searles Valley from the Slate Range</span></i>: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i>"To the left a large lake could be seen and from their previous experience they concluded it to be salt and the valley they were coming to was very sandy. It must be crossed before there was any possibility of water. One of their number had already died of thirst and fatigue and all were suffering terribly. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i>The valley seemed about eight miles across and before they were half way over Mr. Isham, one of their party sat down, perfectly exhausted, and said he could not take another step. No one was able to assist him or give him a drink of water and they could not tarry to see if rest would refresh him. They could only look sadly at him and pass on in silence. The thought came to everyone that perhaps it would be his turn next to sit down and see the others pass on. In fact the probability of any more of them living another day was very poor, for they all grew weaker and weaker with every hour." </i></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">The quotes here come from the Jayhawkers experience. In my January blog post, I used quotes from Manly's report of his own journey. He took a different route out of Death Valley and overtook the Jayhawkers in the Mojave desert.</span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">This time I join a supported trip by Coyote Trail Adventures (Steve Walker, his wife Jennifer, and their friends John Sides and Gil Busick). It is a point-to-point motorcycle ride of about 400 miles over 3 days from north of Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Riding into Las Vegas after being out in the wilderness (and even getting snowed on over the last mountain pass) is going to be quite a culture shock. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">I have ridden with Steve and John before and am impressed with their knowledge of the Mojave desert (which was unknown to me) and dirt biking (not my area of expertise either). I usually do my own routes without support, but it is a different style (more of a backcountry/nature experience, not on motorcycle either). Going with them offers a new learning experience and that is the real value to me, it is beyond the </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">convenience of not having to organize anything. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">On my last motorcycle trips, </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">I rode my Yamaha XT 225, which is a very mild trail bike. It can go everywhere the hardcore motorcycles can go, but much more slowly, mainly because the suspension gets overwhelmed as the pace picks up. It brays and bucks </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">when being pushed, </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">like the wild burros in this area. Steve suggested that I </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">rent a KTM 350 for this trip, a much more aggressive motorcycle (three times the power, better suspension, 6 inches taller, but less weight) so I have an easier time keeping up. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Steve is not pushy and tries to avoid hurting people's feelings. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">He could be more forceful, but maybe in that social circle, people's self-esteem is too closely linked to their possessions or self-assessed riding skills. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">I think it is a good idea to follow Steve's or John's suggestions when motorcycling is concerned.</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">So a KTM for me this time. </span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">I would not buy a KTM 350 myself. They are ugly, expensive, overly tall (seat height is 97cm or about 38 inches), require lots of maintenance (oil change every 15 hours, complete engine rebuild every 130 hours!), and rattle on highways. </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">We start near Red Rock Canyon State Park near Cantil, although went around it on the west side. Another Red Rock Canyon, but this one in Nevada just before Las Vegas concludes our ride on day 3. Our group is 5: Steve and John lead the ride; Ni</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">ck, the road manager for the Americana pop band Lord Huron, from Nashville, and Albert from Cleveland are the other participants. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting off on day 1</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Descending into Searles Valley (Trona) on day 1. The Slate Range is the small front range, Panamint Valley behind it, then the Panamint Range with snow-capped Telescope Peak, and Death Valley behind it. </span></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">We stay at cabins Steve has found near Trona, but since we arrive early, we have time to ride up to some abandoned mines in the nearby mountains. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01yNQXMhReYdE0WYs3regMTpdOzXzdK3HKaetsNwJq52QKjlT6NVUn3qWxRxmcfCfndKqd3N92W1PWmvgMQNuhKGiPPKi9NeoQ40YKDq-siVcyP117yCR4L_6WMllywOhv7K1nCpV8x98/s1600/P3080126.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01yNQXMhReYdE0WYs3regMTpdOzXzdK3HKaetsNwJq52QKjlT6NVUn3qWxRxmcfCfndKqd3N92W1PWmvgMQNuhKGiPPKi9NeoQ40YKDq-siVcyP117yCR4L_6WMllywOhv7K1nCpV8x98/s640/P3080126.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Late afternoon ride into the mountains, this formation had an almost unreal color in the late afternoon light, hard to capture on a photo. </span></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Day 2: </span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Very surprising, there is a real waterfall in Searles Valley. It is intermittent, of course, but this year runs unusually full. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">The winter of 1849/1850 was also unusually wet. But first, the Jayhawkers had to get down from the Slate Range and across the valley before there was any chance that they could find water. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MnXrPAtERSrWMbd959lXRLw5p7CZSKEMta55RT2tWnv42iWEXNN5nDRJBrF1lLLGNHZxweRIrDqxz8Vo4gHVnV-CHJwNjYcl7kRPuqS77f_iRWucvEHx9UXNKXOomZ0lAHAlUHFw02lt/s1600/P3090146.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MnXrPAtERSrWMbd959lXRLw5p7CZSKEMta55RT2tWnv42iWEXNN5nDRJBrF1lLLGNHZxweRIrDqxz8Vo4gHVnV-CHJwNjYcl7kRPuqS77f_iRWucvEHx9UXNKXOomZ0lAHAlUHFw02lt/s640/P3090146.JPG" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Those who bore farthest to the right, steering toward a pile of tremendous rocks, found a little stream of good water which flowed only a short distance and then sank into the sand.... Some took two canteens of water and hurried back to Mr. Isham who they found still alive but his mouth and throat so dry and parched, and his strength so small that he was unable to swallow a single drop, and while they waited he breathed his last. With their hands and feet they dug away the sand for a shallow grave. " </span><i style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">William Lewis Manly (1894), Death Valley in '49, The Jayhawkers story</span></i></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">After </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">the waterfall, we got into some deeper sand where the riding gets a bit squirrely. Better for burying your companions than the rocks in the Slate Range the previous day(s): </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;"><i>"Both parties began the ascent of a black and barren range, containing no water, but in the bed of a ravine near the summit they found some damp sand and tried to dig with their hands to find some of the precious fluid. But no water came, and in the morning one of their number Mr. Fish died and was left unburied on the barren rocks. No doubt his bones could be found there to-day".</i></span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Sand is especially wobbly at slow speed and on a bicycle it is almost impossible to get enough speed to glide over it. More speed makes it easier and that's where an engine has a big advantage. John zoomed by and waved us on, trying to encourage us to speed up, but regardless of his gesturing, Albert or I didn't follow his prompt. </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">We enter the Slate Range on Stockwell Mine Road and descend on the eastern side into Panamint Valley through Fish Canyon (the '49ers ascended the range here). </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTLC_jeDAzDSjIb3L6SCqB7iYTsfrDLGFAmu8-TYRqMN5ZJgBlOo5copUySd3bw77SD2flXA3m-I6a-bmQERPjdSXcVwwL9J0JmE16NshnOiJ4LVygyAMXp3Wwq_jh1iH4dhmxLna8vVV/s1600/P3090152.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTLC_jeDAzDSjIb3L6SCqB7iYTsfrDLGFAmu8-TYRqMN5ZJgBlOo5copUySd3bw77SD2flXA3m-I6a-bmQERPjdSXcVwwL9J0JmE16NshnOiJ4LVygyAMXp3Wwq_jh1iH4dhmxLna8vVV/s640/P3090152.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Day 2, we just crossed the Slate Range and are descending into Panamint Valley, Telescope Peak ahead, Death Valley on the other side. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><i>"Down the mountain they went, on the west side and instead of Los Angeles, which some of them expected to see, they saw only a salt lake in the midsts of a barren desert valley and their route lay directly across it. They traveled in several directions as they went across."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">The 49'ers were going the opposite direction from us, so the quote above refers to seeing the Panamint Valley from the other side. It must have been another despairing sight. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: center;">Instead of the short cut that would save time over the much longer Old Spanish Trail to Los Angeles, they hit mountain range after mountain range with a dry valley. The dry mud flats or salt marshes were deceiving as from a distance they look like lakes. Next they would get into Searles Valley, no view of Los Angeles either, only of many more days of desert. </span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: center;">"These dry lake beds deceived them many times. They seemed as if containing plenty of water, and off the men would go to explore. They usually found the distance to them about three times as far as they at first supposed, and when they reached them they found no water, but a dry, shining bed, smooth as glass, but just clay, hard as a rock. Most of these dry lakes showed no outlet, nor any inlet for that matter, though at some period in the past they must have been full of water. Nothing grew in shape of vegetables or plants except a small, stunted, bitter brush". </span></span>William Lewis Manly (1894), Death Valley in '49, The Jayhawkers story</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br />We go around the salt marsh on the southern side and climb into the Panamint Range via Goler Canyon (also shows as Coyote Canyon Road on some maps). It is a jeep trail that goes into Death Valley National Park past Barker Ranch, where Charles Manson and his group where arrested (almost incidentally, the arrest was for vandalism, the sheriff and National Park Service only later realized that they captured a mass murderer and his followers). </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6RzfmMyGxuHHQMR9m2djZ_eVXE_tQyfovujXVIm5TQXs1frVj6vbmQDTRFBA6r9Z_YRY4-mNc3ghH1OFNAHH6Ft7lIykgAL_t5Osk_hSQnjDOoRtk7KB4kinkAI5kxuukp7Zv1Oq6Yh1Y/s1600/P3090157.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6RzfmMyGxuHHQMR9m2djZ_eVXE_tQyfovujXVIm5TQXs1frVj6vbmQDTRFBA6r9Z_YRY4-mNc3ghH1OFNAHH6Ft7lIykgAL_t5Osk_hSQnjDOoRtk7KB4kinkAI5kxuukp7Zv1Oq6Yh1Y/s640/P3090157.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ascending the Panamint Range in Goler Canyon, look for all the brown round cacti growing on the rocks</span></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">On that stretch, the tall seat of the KTM did get me. The group took a break and I rolled up to them. But when I stopped, my foot didn't reach the ground and I tipped over. For me, the extra suspension and ground clearance isn't worth the extra effort of getting on and off the bike or comfortably stopping for taking a picture. They are very competent, great once you move in dirt, but just not very practical motorcycles. Twice the power I need, but a weak rear frame that is likely to crack with luggage, needs oil changes even in the middle of a shortish trip, and the seat height even makes a chore of anything other than keeping going. The same "race" pretensions that mar the bicycle market. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhyphenhyphentQY9DxANjL6xkGJyLJ4quexdO7sw7spfrZ__QSIOPKhYGas9I6-TQv1Xs_wERu58obXUUDh2yzxjRSdfsmlc6Hx4EgYQAOsRtb1G1KOiPGl1whTYn_pvo5mgi5E1VYElPqnUl6yCuN/s1600/P3090170.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhyphenhyphentQY9DxANjL6xkGJyLJ4quexdO7sw7spfrZ__QSIOPKhYGas9I6-TQv1Xs_wERu58obXUUDh2yzxjRSdfsmlc6Hx4EgYQAOsRtb1G1KOiPGl1whTYn_pvo5mgi5E1VYElPqnUl6yCuN/s640/P3090170.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is Death Valley proper, Badwater further to the left. </span></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">At the bottom, we are very briefly on West Side Road, which is atrocious washboard. It wasn't always that bad, we did a family bike ride on West Side road in December 2011. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0CjceiMfHSZTdgQESDJtM0CYmYcJfO1Z2l5t5PY9wjf2wGFqewpwP8hC0cv9_pC5xl-weVcgZMmAGc01x_spsP1omIgf8kHCLNG7KyyhIYJXqmGMhsyR907awF4hS9cBTTry5FjIu6XV/s1600/IMG_2561.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0CjceiMfHSZTdgQESDJtM0CYmYcJfO1Z2l5t5PY9wjf2wGFqewpwP8hC0cv9_pC5xl-weVcgZMmAGc01x_spsP1omIgf8kHCLNG7KyyhIYJXqmGMhsyR907awF4hS9cBTTry5FjIu6XV/s640/IMG_2561.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Family bike ride on West Side Road in December 2011</span></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Obin and I also rode Titus Canyon then, which at the moment is closed. Pretty, although a wide sandy dirt road isn't that much fun on a bicycle either. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tuwdjJ_HiRZO05ghSkMtHzWsS1cOoxSPqqd5LRxa07ehK_WAQiFOB1_nEDFYy46hxRCV5NulGsrM2d__W2HQxKf4Ajr1eToUUGGYUMzMbzWVcxYAjMpfI5iL8XdXOvWiTCXMlAnWK9eH/s1600/IMG_2610.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tuwdjJ_HiRZO05ghSkMtHzWsS1cOoxSPqqd5LRxa07ehK_WAQiFOB1_nEDFYy46hxRCV5NulGsrM2d__W2HQxKf4Ajr1eToUUGGYUMzMbzWVcxYAjMpfI5iL8XdXOvWiTCXMlAnWK9eH/s640/IMG_2610.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Titus Canyon, December 2011</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Before whining too much about road condition, people had bigger concerns here in the past, long before there was any road in Death Valley:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">"Five days they traveled, without finding water, and small supply they took along had been consumed. For lack of water they could not eat or sleep.... The range of mountains they had been aiming for still seemed far away and the possible show for reaching it seemed very poor indeed, and the prospect of any water hole between them and the mountains poorer yet. Hope was pretty near gone." </span>William Lewis Manly (1894), Death Valley in '49, The Jayhawkers Story</i></span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Towards the end of the day, we cross the Amargosa River and go over a small mountain range between highway 127 an</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">d 178. The Amargosa River is almost 300 km long. It drains the high desert northwest of Las Vegas, then flows south into the Mojave Desert, and finally makes a sharp turn north again into Death Valley where it disappears in Badwater. Except, it is not a typical river because most of the water is underground. The Amargosa only flows above ground for short stretches in the Amargosa Canyon and near Beatty. I presume what we cross what normally is a dry wash (the real water is underground), and only has water because of recent rainstorms. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaqWjFYPio53J3PAzj5T8-lAM-nBh8AjK8PRW61OHWJuuc6jLwN6za63l2G-1fZLj-J54VNSaO_k8Hl1sfEMxe_WWlfhso0Qh8gmLxIP3a2Aew1N9sI8-XxIz7-n2m5Ai-kY3hqbDNuQ_W/s1600/amargosa+river+crossing+la+to+vegas+motorcycle+ride.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaqWjFYPio53J3PAzj5T8-lAM-nBh8AjK8PRW61OHWJuuc6jLwN6za63l2G-1fZLj-J54VNSaO_k8Hl1sfEMxe_WWlfhso0Qh8gmLxIP3a2Aew1N9sI8-XxIz7-n2m5Ai-kY3hqbDNuQ_W/s400/amargosa+river+crossing+la+to+vegas+motorcycle+ride.jpg" width="361" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Near the end of day 2, we cross the Amargosa River, or at least a usually dry bed along its direction that right now has water because of recent storms.</span></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">And soon the next big mountain range comes into view. The snow capped mountain is Charleston Peak, we will cross a bit further south through Red Rock Canyon. Las Vegas is in the valley behind it. </span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1k4rTnsoezpkIueAN2jl4p_bRCkAgOQc4aDO4HDLz0hlxLiB6labd30_ePycnCyzEU_5XFz2B-Z9xNAx4rRA8VMGjG-fYoZh4ib4BvHVzmley5uOoU13Cao7sjSuGO2e3aCrQfNMWzYS/s1600/P3090174.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1k4rTnsoezpkIueAN2jl4p_bRCkAgOQc4aDO4HDLz0hlxLiB6labd30_ePycnCyzEU_5XFz2B-Z9xNAx4rRA8VMGjG-fYoZh4ib4BvHVzmley5uOoU13Cao7sjSuGO2e3aCrQfNMWzYS/s640/P3090174.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think that is the Nopah Range in the front, Pahrump in the valley behind it, and Charleston Peak in the distance. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUB-qwMGyoCTv5NzoF_k5O2ssXb5bOQao5yFSBixUgisOlFSja4cP3UDtkXhB2nzogur-Wjv_-18sXuC4yMw26Rbuj0aQC_lPrr_D-d1WRtREMg1znfPTuXnh11kLYm_A-YlNyaBbNj4zE/s1600/P3090180.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUB-qwMGyoCTv5NzoF_k5O2ssXb5bOQao5yFSBixUgisOlFSja4cP3UDtkXhB2nzogur-Wjv_-18sXuC4yMw26Rbuj0aQC_lPrr_D-d1WRtREMg1znfPTuXnh11kLYm_A-YlNyaBbNj4zE/s640/P3090180.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve going down the single track towards Highway 178</td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Nick was probably the most competent motorcyclist after John and Steve, </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Albert may have been in the middle, </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">but I generally felt like going a bit slower, so they had to wait. As I arrived at a </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">more technical climb, John was waiting for me, the others had already tackled it, although I just saw how Albert took a hard fall and limped off near the top. Unfortunately, he also twisted his ankle and that limited his enjoyment of the last day. I had stopped at the bottom and talked to John about the line I saw to go up. He snorted "hah, that's a novice idea" and took a line I had not noticed before. I followed his line, which ended up being smoother than the one I would have taken. </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Day 2 was the longest distance, about 150 miles and ended in Tecopa Springs. But the toughest section is from the geologist cabin to the center of death valley. Not because it is any technical challenge, but because it is a long rocky road that we ride at high speed. </span> <span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Albert called it "bone-jarring". I also felt pretty beaten up at the end of the day and enjoyed the hot tub in Tecopa Hot Springs more than I usually would. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFYtCOOpCRFJVR1Vhdug_Xsnmj2CMrce0HoB-c610jEW8sMeTIOI92MDL9OWVFRBheDo-P8R-3m3fFcDJDdgcv8h50WAhIHsxBbnQ6DFI2WnYrSQGkX8QTUzPGZ3VF_rSgxXr8AWA789v/s1600/P3090191.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFYtCOOpCRFJVR1Vhdug_Xsnmj2CMrce0HoB-c610jEW8sMeTIOI92MDL9OWVFRBheDo-P8R-3m3fFcDJDdgcv8h50WAhIHsxBbnQ6DFI2WnYrSQGkX8QTUzPGZ3VF_rSgxXr8AWA789v/s640/P3090191.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our rooms are just to the left, hot tub as well. There is a band stand and a band was playing from 6 on. </td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">We stayed at Tecopa Hot Springs, somewhat of a hippie place. They had live music, a slightly shaky band playing classic rock/pop tunes. I shared a room with Gil and our room had direct access to a hot tub. After dinner, I was getting cold again, my joints were still hurting, and the band was getting on my nerves. The drummer missed the beat when he did a roll on his toms and the mandolin player had an out-of-tune pair of A strings. Sitting in the hot tub with the water coming in cut those sounds enough to make the music even enjoyable. </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4iKR4TAMYyBHHf4fO2A9XOSvw7OwEwQ-ZBFwyFh4KvYdXfba6T40tSCOOYQeXvJwphOBuPoKDJ8suKMHlt89FgpFnUANwJ8WOIGFd08jPBVtmohFHDM7F_4PIcTnJ4yaK3l1fsCvmb2v/s1600/P3090190.JPG"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4iKR4TAMYyBHHf4fO2A9XOSvw7OwEwQ-ZBFwyFh4KvYdXfba6T40tSCOOYQeXvJwphOBuPoKDJ8suKMHlt89FgpFnUANwJ8WOIGFd08jPBVtmohFHDM7F_4PIcTnJ4yaK3l1fsCvmb2v/s320/P3090190.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMXFJfgjOeGpG1k1zv_YRV4weypxv2R7CmtezCaCGfsebWqDqlnRkcTyfXmpbxAYoz1hkA5aj9GLsdf1UDaojirTsTb2RuA9nL0-nsm_MzX-UFc2bHVZIdtssFMB3zLGoZnmJi8GcFR1h/s1600/P3090187.JPG"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMXFJfgjOeGpG1k1zv_YRV4weypxv2R7CmtezCaCGfsebWqDqlnRkcTyfXmpbxAYoz1hkA5aj9GLsdf1UDaojirTsTb2RuA9nL0-nsm_MzX-UFc2bHVZIdtssFMB3zLGoZnmJi8GcFR1h/s320/P3090187.JPG" width="320" /></a></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyykuULCTTTKx4WCkiVK8wtjQpaciB50U8OQISZfwCuroUSoUr6HHjAKkpY4zHxtm79fdFs-KI_CDJXm-ovnWh1o0VSnDX0SURMmce8Q7kglULFE8GkZkj9AYjVj9tlm-Mkn_SRe-RWApW/s1600/P3090192.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyykuULCTTTKx4WCkiVK8wtjQpaciB50U8OQISZfwCuroUSoUr6HHjAKkpY4zHxtm79fdFs-KI_CDJXm-ovnWh1o0VSnDX0SURMmce8Q7kglULFE8GkZkj9AYjVj9tlm-Mkn_SRe-RWApW/s640/P3090192.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salt marsh around Tecopa Hot Springs watered by the Amargosa River</td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Day 3:</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">A cold and gloomy day. We even got snow in the afternoon going over the pass into Red Rock Canyon. The first miles are near Kingston Peak and give a view into the valley with the Dumont Dunes, the town of Baker would be to the left/south and Death Valley to the right/north. With low hanging clouds, the photo fails to convey the impressive view.</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPgOedJ5FrSnUAvBoSFwcmAvUO0A7eFzmheIEQ_mlIFRuCag6IIRx_2oJYLXbxEmxmy1AOLLFcrXBrYot4NyJpyEj8W7jBBD9NGRLcN4q9U-PNdVsl_IsEGLmQBMh55fMS99hixWlieMA/s1600/P3100203.JPG"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPgOedJ5FrSnUAvBoSFwcmAvUO0A7eFzmheIEQ_mlIFRuCag6IIRx_2oJYLXbxEmxmy1AOLLFcrXBrYot4NyJpyEj8W7jBBD9NGRLcN4q9U-PNdVsl_IsEGLmQBMh55fMS99hixWlieMA/s640/P3100203.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Then we had a long sandy stretch to </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">the appropriately named village Sandy Valley. I was happily moving at around 30mph in the deep sand. The handlebars wobble a bit, but it also isn't too fast to get nerve wrecking. I was definitely riding in my happy spot. The others went ahead a bit faster. A taco stand was parked in front of the Trails End General Store where a teenage girl took orders on her spiral bound notebook in English and Spanish and then conveyed them (in Spanish) to an older man next to her who assembled them. We now were in Nevada and she confirmed "Yes California is not far from here". She took her job seriously and would be a conscientious restaurant manager. According to Google Earth, California was about 1400 meters from the Taco stand.</span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">John took his helmet off and barked out in frustration: "Roland, WHAT are you doing? I can't ride THAT SLOW in the sand!" Clearly exasperated, he pointed out that in his world the minimum speed limit to ride in deep sand is 40 mph. He was struggling how to explain such an obvious fact. "Have you ever waterskied?" No. "Well, you can't waterski slow either". I told him that 30mph was about as fast as I felt comfortable there. Any faster, and I wasn't confident I would see or recognize obstacles. But he would have none of that: "And if we go that slow, it is like being at Disneyland and doing teacups all the time and never get to ride the Matterhorn". Disney teacups were a recurrent theme, I got the distinct impression that neither John nor Steve like teacups. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqXUAsQ0uR_DqZXcAIy_bKONThQP-iCLjV3rCumbwuyuKsk4vwz-5YibHhagAcPlSkfYlwWpYkj-7OXTNnYIB2LDC-q3So-5Fudy7WH7JCS7O-RQXVaBVrfkgosj64LVkS1mTtctN7u05/s1600/IMG_0733.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqXUAsQ0uR_DqZXcAIy_bKONThQP-iCLjV3rCumbwuyuKsk4vwz-5YibHhagAcPlSkfYlwWpYkj-7OXTNnYIB2LDC-q3So-5Fudy7WH7JCS7O-RQXVaBVrfkgosj64LVkS1mTtctN7u05/s640/IMG_0733.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I don't have insights about Disney's Matterhorn, but here is the real Matterhorn seen from a hike a few years ago. Not hiking on the Matterhorn itself, which is a very difficult climb. I believe this is the North Face, which wasn't climbed until the 1930s. We're teacupping it. </span></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">The weather got gloomier and it started to snow a </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">bit, so pictures that usually would be spectacular don't look like much. The very last stretch is the famed Red Rock Canyon. Mostly because it is a really pretty canyon that also sees lots of tourists from the Las Vegas side. Among offroad motorcyclists, it is apparently also known for the rocky uphill section that gets very congested during the annual LA-Barstow-Vegas ride the day after Thanksgiving. It is a fun section. Too bad it isn't very long, it is already over just when you get the hang of it, maybe just 1/4 mile. The rocky section is sufficiently challenging </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">that I probably would not have tried it by myself on a solo trip and turned around, but it isn't that hard on a small motorcycle or on a bicycle </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">(downhill only, would be pushing this uphill direction)</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">. Having seen it, I'd do it on my 225 on a solo trip, but would not do it by myself on a 400+ pound motorcycle. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQe591x6qil5vulrf5lneqQ36Ck-XhO2WN-ooM8Ul8tA2iSc8DT3XvtJedcIRmqO5-rRMFsl2DS2re7Wv81pDV18pKXQC10VSpXY66rB4pZOoyTSuGmT_OW3h3qTBZU3qE-p9rB1gkE66/s1600/P3100206.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQe591x6qil5vulrf5lneqQ36Ck-XhO2WN-ooM8Ul8tA2iSc8DT3XvtJedcIRmqO5-rRMFsl2DS2re7Wv81pDV18pKXQC10VSpXY66rB4pZOoyTSuGmT_OW3h3qTBZU3qE-p9rB1gkE66/s640/P3100206.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve starting the rocky section of the Red Rock Canyon climb.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyglzSiW7p-udu0g5Krf8efwvy1LgUwunPArpD1eNhPkBNB4ny6wJylgq-UamJuIVnWgaC6cioNjFv0s-aP5bhlgkDFCoFQN9f3pi_cyTdzGUGRsYrYrY61YxrDOLFisp83sLMzycA_jkZ/s1600/IMG_4228.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyglzSiW7p-udu0g5Krf8efwvy1LgUwunPArpD1eNhPkBNB4ny6wJylgq-UamJuIVnWgaC6cioNjFv0s-aP5bhlgkDFCoFQN9f3pi_cyTdzGUGRsYrYrY61YxrDOLFisp83sLMzycA_jkZ/s640/IMG_4228.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm having a go at it</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyejSJlNgEri7AqFTb2InEuCLbgue7YvJuXegDJE5VuviYsfb8RnDUmFGQFE5ZQJ6HJxW3numADkTCFqSn89Hd0CTgv_klpuTEsfdZOSdS2gmVEOmnsvOCzMi0ssg25DH89o3oHgRUVFy6/s1600/P3100211.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyejSJlNgEri7AqFTb2InEuCLbgue7YvJuXegDJE5VuviYsfb8RnDUmFGQFE5ZQJ6HJxW3numADkTCFqSn89Hd0CTgv_klpuTEsfdZOSdS2gmVEOmnsvOCzMi0ssg25DH89o3oHgRUVFy6/s640/P3100211.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">And we're on top and it is snowing. Now 5 miles down to the pavement into Las Vegas</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhos7fVYKIcJyC56_zDfPhbg5pvD2zptvXHKI1NcxdSg4VxdkL5V76te1uFoDpbtYswnoCzX_Rb3PB5T_seGCtIOpoHF3SXrS6xak1dVY5ZTuXTpjuJ0fntgAQ2V8zDDFOQ5Wyj5WpkZpDm/s1600/P3100215.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhos7fVYKIcJyC56_zDfPhbg5pvD2zptvXHKI1NcxdSg4VxdkL5V76te1uFoDpbtYswnoCzX_Rb3PB5T_seGCtIOpoHF3SXrS6xak1dVY5ZTuXTpjuJ0fntgAQ2V8zDDFOQ5Wyj5WpkZpDm/s640/P3100215.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The KTM in Red Rock Canyon, Nevada, shortly before we get to the pavement leading into Las Vegas. Coming down the mountain, the soil fairly suddenly turns red. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1Eqg0owTjCdWhA8pppTORtW4UlZyJwAFHznFNuoxJcNTVZ0i6fuGfmF2cFx_DE1y08tfH-edKANf1cNAaaKM6M-fP-EYo3RQYl0i3MC9ZvHGBF_HM-JxYtGquJFiTDlqX8rNv1JPW1gP/s1600/P3100222.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1Eqg0owTjCdWhA8pppTORtW4UlZyJwAFHznFNuoxJcNTVZ0i6fuGfmF2cFx_DE1y08tfH-edKANf1cNAaaKM6M-fP-EYo3RQYl0i3MC9ZvHGBF_HM-JxYtGquJFiTDlqX8rNv1JPW1gP/s640/P3100222.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">On a sunny day, Red Rock Canyon must be spectacular, but it was very gloomy</span></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Already at the bottom, there is a bit of a shock as we come out in a big parking lot. Hundreds of people milling around. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Nobody on the other side of the mountain. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">On the 5 mile descent, I think we saw only 3 hikers, then a few jeeps within a mile or so of the parking lot. Almost makes me want to turn around and go back up into the mountains.</span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">While it is still 25 miles to central Las Vegas, within minutes it feels like suburbia. New housing developments right and left, big intersections with long signal changes. Congestion isn't aggravating yet, but surely will be once those developments are finished. Soon it'll be as miserable as Los Angeles. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMY0zNyJkON1gA_IWMwQKG67hkFD34aFtuzFXoWzVbDPtu-1aiy2xZczNfGI1tSx-Xn9Np2Z8DjDA5xkyCsNBD4GxRyI85COGIsre3UkRFPzVFyC5nEMmai6y59NmLriiJCn1MAgDGoR_f/s1600/P3100225.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMY0zNyJkON1gA_IWMwQKG67hkFD34aFtuzFXoWzVbDPtu-1aiy2xZczNfGI1tSx-Xn9Np2Z8DjDA5xkyCsNBD4GxRyI85COGIsre3UkRFPzVFyC5nEMmai6y59NmLriiJCn1MAgDGoR_f/s640/P3100225.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the South Point Casino in Las Vegas</td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">We have dinner in the South Point Casino. It is the end of the trip for Nick and Albert who are staying in the hotel, the rest of us drive back to Palmdale in the van afterwards. </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">At dinner, I also get the full background on teacups. Steve supports visitors on the LA-Barstow-Vegas ride, which is such a well known event in the offroad motorcycle community that people come for pilgrimages. Motorcycle logistics are difficult (much more than joining a bicycle ride!) and it is also common to fail. Many participants underestimate distance, duration, or difficulty and don't finish. Steve tries to make sure that his customers end in Las Vegas and see all the highlights, especially Red Rock Canyon, along the way. That could mean encouraging them to ride the highway instead of the route to skip slow sections or even load them into a van to make up time. The Disney analogy is that the teacups are whoops and other stretches along the full route that take time and effort and some people skip those. </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Driving back on I-15, we see helicopters covering the Mint 400 desert race still under way. Near Primm, some cars race along the freeway, going at a much faster speed. The motorcycles raced the day before, covering about 250 miles in under 5 hours (at least the top 3 did). So I guess for an ex desert racer like John, puttering along at 30 mph in an easy sand section this morning must be painful! </span><br />
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Roland Sturmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14354413135616410226noreply@blogger.com0