Kaweah Basin via Shepherd Pass and Kern Canyon-Sequoia NP 8/19-8/26/2011

[Bob Gross]

"The good news is that the main backpacking season in the Sierra is only 3-4 months away."

Tom, the way the winter is going, the main season may be sooner than that.

–B.G.–

[Anonymous]

"The good news is that the main backpacking season in the Sierra is only 3-4 months away."

The sooner the better. I've got a raging case of the Seattle blues.

[Bob Gross]

"Seattle blues"

You know, that could be terminal. We could take up a collection and try to have you put out of your misery.

Unfortunately, the Sierra Nevada backcountry skiing is not great this year.

–B.G.–

[Anonymous]

"We could take up a collection and try to have you put out of your misery."

All contributions to The Kirchner Benevolent Fund gratefully accepted. Tax deductible, too. ;=)

[Bob Gross]

Tom, for you I recommend one two-night dosage of Lake South America. Your misery might be cured.

–B.G.–

[Adan Lopez]

I can't tell you how good this trip report is. Thank you for taking me there with you. And for not boring me with gear. The drama of the landscape and the emotion it inspired, came through loud and clear. absolutely wonderful.

[USA Duane Hall]

I was over Colby Pass last summer, a week or so ahead of you, pretty tough it looked like to where you were and to where I was supposed to go. I stuck to the easier plan and headed over Colby Pass to a lake below Colby Lake.
Duane

[Anonymous]

"I was over Colby Pass last summer, a week or so ahead of you, pretty tough it looked like to where you were and to where I was supposed to go."

Duane – It can be challenging in places, but the payoff is worth the effort. I hope you go back and give it a shot next year. You won't regret it.

[Anonymous]

Great report. This trip summary may have been your treatment for "cabin fever" Tom, but reading it has given me a bad case of it. And I have reached that age too at which I am cramming as much in as i can thanking God daily for giving me the health to still do it.

@ Bob: thanks for the recipe.

[Anonymous]

"And I have reached that age too at which I am cramming as much in as i can thanking God daily for giving me the health to still do it."

I find it puts a whole different perspective on my trips. There is an indescribable sweet-sad quality to my perception of my surroundings that somehow intensifies the whole experience. It's hard to put into words. Maybe you understand what I am getting at?

As for cabin fever, I hope I never develop an immuniy to it. That will truly mean the end is nigh. ;)

[Tom Clark]

Jay,
"Simply Spectacular! Way Jealous and I definitely have Cabin Fever"

From your avatar it looks more like "cuben fever." ;)

[Bob Gross]

Tom, when I pass through this same area, I think back to what it must have felt like for members of the Brewer Party when they came exploring in 1864. Think about those guys leaving their camp and gear at Lake Reflection and making a dash over to Tyndall. It kind of makes me proud to be traveling the same ground (however, with my gear still on my back).

–B.G.–

[Robert Perkins]

Tom, Thanks for sharing the excellent trip report and photos! I am doing a semi-loop in that area this summer going in and out from Symmes Creek trailhead via Shepherds Pass. I wanted to hike in an area that I haven't been to, and this fit the bill. I won't be doing the cross-country, ( although I am re-thinking that now ), but going over Colby Pass, Elizabeth Pass, and then coming back via the HST. Thanks for the heads-up on Junction Meadow. It WAS one of the spots I was thinking of stopping…I will re-think that as well. I wanted to avoid coming back up Wallace Creek and the JMT, ( as I will be doing it later in the summer ), how is the scenery going North of Junction Meadow heading towards Lake S. America/Upper Kern ?

Thank-you for taking the time to post that trip report. It got me even more excited for this summer!

[jscott]

+1 Bob's remarks: read Brewer's book; it's fantastic in and of itself and tells a story that everyone hiking in the Sierras will enjoy. Then read King's book as well, which covers some of the same territory. But remember: these guys were writing in a time when tall tales about the west were common. Mark Twain for example proudly proclaimed how he exaggerated to make good salable copy for his newspaper all the time. King's story about outracing thieves on horseback between Merced and Modesto is a fantastic read but probably indulges in a bit of exaggeration.

I nominate Eastwood to make this movie!

[Anonymous]

"Thanks for the heads-up on Junction Meadow. It WAS one of the spots I was thinking of stopping…I will re-think that as well. I wanted to avoid coming back up Wallace Creek and the JMT, ( as I will be doing it later in the summer ), how is the scenery going North of Junction Meadow heading towards Lake S. America/Upper Kern ?"

Robert – If you are going in over Shepherd Pass, what is your route going up to Colby Pass? Will you be going down Kern Canyon to Junction Meadow and then up the Colby Pass trail? Or will you take the JMT to Wallace Creek then down to Junction Meadow and up the Colby Pass trail? Those are the only possibilities that occur to me starting from Shepherd Pass. If you have something in mind that I have overlooked, let me know and we can go from there. In either case, the scenery from Junction Meadow to the head of Kern Canyon is nothing special unless the Kern River is running high, in which case the waterfalls can be spectacular. However, once out of Kern Canyon, you are in the Upper Kern Basin, and it is one of my most favorite areas in the Sierra, second only to Kaweah Basin. The Kern Canyon trail continues all the way to Lake South America. Although it can be a little sketchy in places, it is not difficult to follow if you pay attention. Alternatively, since the Upper Kern Basin is wide open, you also have the option to go cross country via any number of routes, depending on what you would like to see up close, and still end up at Lake South America. From there back to Shepherd Pass is a piece of cake.

[Anonymous]

"Think about those guys leaving their camp and gear at Lake Reflection and making a dash over to Tyndall."

That was back in the days when men were men, Bob. We are wimps by comparison, especially when you consider what they had for gear.

[Bob Gross]

"That was back in the days when men were men, Bob. We are wimps by comparison, especially when you consider what they had for gear."

You are probably right, Tom. Those days were even pre-John Muir.

Those old explorers had wool coats and maybe thin wool blankets for warmth. Probably a cast-iron pot for cooking over a campfire. Bacon, biscuit mix, and coffee. They didn't even have decent maps, which is why they were exploring.

None of our high-tech fabrics and titanium. None of our dehydrated meals. None of our GPS thingies.

–B.G.–

[Robert Perkins]

I was looking at heading along Walllace Creek going in and I wasn't sure if I wanted to do Wallace Creek going out or the section heading north from Junction Meadow. I didn't want to retrace too much of the trip, but I may use the Upper Kern trail both ways instead of the Wallace Creek route. Any particular suggestions on a preferrable direction? They both come out reasonably close in mileage, so it is probably a 'wash' either way. Let me know if you have any insight, thanks again Tom.

[Anonymous]

"Any particular suggestions on a preferrable direction? They both come out reasonably close in mileage, so it is probably a 'wash' either way."

It is indeed a 'wash' either way mileage wise. I've done it both ways and if I were looking to get the most bang for my buck, Id go in via Wallace Creek, then go straight up Kern Canyon into the the Upper Kern Basin on the way back. It's easier to pick up the waterfalls in Kern Canyon going north, and also you'd be thoroughly acclimated and carrying light packs by that time, making it easier to pick a cross country croute in the Upper Kern Basin on your way to Lake South America. Either way, you should seriously consider spending a day in Milestone Basin. It is drop dead beautiful and puts you right smack in the middle of what I consider the best section of The Great Western Divide. You might even end up spending 2 days. The place can really grow on you.

[Robert Perkins]

Thanks Tom, I will do some research on the Milestone area.

One other question. Is there a fairly straightforward cross-country route from the Kaweah Gap/Nine Lake Basin area to Kaweah Basin or Picket Creek?

[Anonymous]

"Is there a fairly straightforward cross-country route from the Kaweah Gap/Nine Lake Basin area to Kaweah Basin or Picket Creek?"

You have two choices, Robert: 1) Using the Tom Harrison Mt Whitney High Country Trail Map, locate the named branch of Chagoopa Creek. Follow it up the broad gulley and past the tarn directly below and north of Mt Kaweah. Then drop down a scree slope and you are in Kaweah Basin. From there on, just follow the water down past the last lake to where it drops off a cliff band and you are in the drainage of the unnamed east fork of Pickett Creek. Stay on the left side of the creek until you come to the outlet of the tiny lake below, cross a logjam, and follow the right side of the creek down to the Kern Kaweah River. I won't try and describe the route in detail, as it is complex micro route finding and, in any case, I wouldn't want to spoil the fun. Suffice it to say, it is a delightful and beautiful route. Some people don't like the scree slope as you drop into The Basin, but I don't think it's any big deal. Just pay attention to what you are doing and you will be fine. 2) Using the map mentioned above, from lower 9 Lakes Basin ascend to lake 11682 below Kaweah Queen and pick your way up to Pyra Queen Col directly south of the Queen. It's a scramble over the col. Once on the other side, work your way south easterly down to an interminable talus/boulder field and from there pick up the creek described in option one, above. Then follow the route as described in option one, above. Save your legs by staying on the granite slabs as long as you can before getting out on the talus field..

Of the two, the Chagoopa Creek route is by far the easiest, but slightly longer. Take your pick.

[Robert Perkins]

Excellent! Thanks again Tom!

[Bob Gross]

Someday Tom will get really old and will pass away. Now we know where to have his ashes scattered.

–B.G.–

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