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Hiking partner: Kings Canyon-JMT-Whitney Portal Mid Jun ’09


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Home Forums Campfire Hiking Partners / Group Trips Hiking partner: Kings Canyon-JMT-Whitney Portal Mid Jun ’09

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Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
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  • #1234823
    Sikandar Shaikh
    Member

    @ss_bkpkr

    Locale: Upstate NY

    Looking for a partner for a backpack from Kings Canyon/Roads End through the Southern JMT to Whitney and out at the Portal. Ideally Jun 15-20, '09

    #1485738
    Ken Helwig
    BPL Member

    @kennyhel77

    Locale: Scotts Valley CA via San Jose, CA

    I might be interested. Though you might want to reconsider the dates. Their is still quite a bit of snow on the passes and I would imagine Forrester Pass would be a interesting challenge as well as Trail Crest, but not as much

    #1485850
    Kendall Clement
    BPL Member

    @socalpacker

    Locale: Cebu, Philippines

    I might like to go if you can go after June 30th.

    #1485869
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    It's a beautiful trip I wouldn’t mind doing again.

    Are you going the roads end, paradise, woods creek, rae lakes, forester route or roads end, vidette meadows, forester?

    I agree with Ken snow in june is something to be considered.

    #1485929
    Michael Whiteside
    Member

    @ruralbackpacker

    Locale: Northern California

    Just curious, since you are from NY, how are you planning on getting to Kings Canyon?

    I hiked the JMT last summer and that part of the trail is incredible.

    Good luck with the snow.

    Michael

    #1485961
    Dave T
    Member

    @davet

    .

    #1485978
    Sikandar Shaikh
    Member

    @ss_bkpkr

    Locale: Upstate NY

    First: my trip dates are constrained by other factors.
    Next: travel: JetBlue(free)to Oakland; Amtrak to Fresno;
    Fresno to Road's End, TBD; (Local volunteers??)
    Family from Whitney back to Orange County.
    Route: Road's End-Paradise-(how can one pass up a trip to Paradise)-Rae Lakes-Glen Pass-Vidette-Forrester-Whitney.
    Alternates/Contingencies:
    Glen Pass iced over: Call family for pick-up at Road's End
    (I carry a Satellite Phone.)
    Forrester is an ice slide: Find the High Sierra Trail.
    Would crampons be an effective alternative to an ice axe?
    I'll tune my snow/ice sensors flying over the Sierra.

    #1485987
    Dave T
    Member

    @davet

    .

    #1486014
    les lloyd
    BPL Member

    @denaliguide

    Locale: new zealand & alaska

    as a guide on denali with 13 summits heres my 2 cents worth. i would rather have an ice axe than the crampons. you wont need the crampons for long or very often and would not be worth the weight. you can cut huge steps with the axe if you need to cross any snow. also if you do any glissading the axe is a neccessary tool. just make sure you know how to do a self arrest. otherwise you should probably wait till later in the day and the snow softens up. then just plunge step or kick steps.

    #1486095
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Sikandar-

    Once the day is set let me know I should be able to get us a ride from Fresno Amtrak to Roads End (I'll be arriving Fresno Amtrak too) I'll be coming up from Orange County

    -Roger

    #1486116
    Robert Blean
    BPL Member

    @blean

    Locale: San Jose -- too far from Sierras

    > Would crampons be an effective alternative to an ice axe?

    In a word, NO.

    Other posts are good — just one thing to add — crampons can help prevent slipping in the right conditions. However, once you do slip they are no help. You will want to self-arrest with that ice axe while keeping your crampons up in the air before you catch them on something and hurt yourself.

    — MV

    #1486137
    Ken Helwig
    BPL Member

    @kennyhel77

    Locale: Scotts Valley CA via San Jose, CA

    Bob is right. Once you self arrest with crampons you are SOL. The thing about self arrest is that you also dig your feet into the snow as hard as you can. With crampons on, it is rather hard to do.

    The snow will be an issue. Dunno if you have ever crossed Forester before, but it is a sight to see, and you are left wondering how the heck they built the trail over it. I am not trying to disuade you, it's just that it is dangerous. An option that could help. If Forester is impassable,You could cross over Kearsarge and hitch to town. Less stressful but unfortunately less fun than crossing Trailcrest and summiting Whitney. Good luck on your trip. I cannot attend due to the date.

    #1486504
    Sikandar Shaikh
    Member

    @ss_bkpkr

    Locale: Upstate NY

    Roger,
    Thanks for your response.
    Would you like to make further communication via PM?
    I entered the email adr. in my profile.

    #1486599
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    sure

    #1499207
    Andrew Schroeer
    Member

    @idefix04

    I am planning on traversing Bishop Pass the first week of June. Would anybody do this without an ice axe or crampons?

    Thanks.

    #1500155
    Sikandar Shaikh
    Member

    @ss_bkpkr

    Locale: Upstate NY

    I have changed the planned dates; starting Jul.13; finish Jul. 18. 'Postholer' averages show no snow in Southern JMT in July. Glenn/Forrester passes?
    Reservations already made: Jet Blue to Long Beach.
    Best ride so far from Fresno to Roads End is Yellow Cab.

    #1502181
    Peter Burke
    Member

    @fishmonger

    Locale: Midwest

    68% of normal – the first PCT hikers will probably be over Forester in the first week of June, followed by the rest of the bunch. The Snow is melting fast again, just like last spring. Tioga Pass will open for the coming weekend.

    see for yourself – there's actually more snow in Yosemite than in Kings Canyon:

    http://tenaya.ucsd.edu/tioga/

    I have never had a problem with the high passes in mid june when snow was below 100%.

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