High Sierra Glimpses, Part 2.

[W I S N E R !]

A few thoughts on the value of good partners and a belated trip report from early September 2016, out rambling rambling and roaming with Tom K. again.

Sweeping the Garden: High Sierra Glimpses, Part 2.

 

[Matthew / BPL]

Beautiful photos. Interesting narrative. I’m a Sierra noob but I think I’ve read Baxter and Sawmill are long, tough slogs. Would you recommend them? Why/why not?

[Jay Wilkerson]

 

 

[Ben C]

Really nice to have a hiking partner like that.  I have a couple friends I regularly hike with.  We mesh in most ways but have little differences in style.  With a good hiking partner, the differences melt away after a few days.  Friendships that are solidified in the mountains become stronger back home.

[Andy Duncan]

I appreciate how you capture the feeling of a strenuous journey and gratitude for friendship in such a condensed format. . .and your photos provide a welcome reprieve from late season cabin fever. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

When an impromptu trip like this one turns out to be so memorable, there are reasons beyond the kind disposition of the mountains gods at work. I think Craig nailed two of the most important ones. It was one I shall remember long after I have hung up my pack and boots.

Edit: I don’t know how I forgot this when I first posted. Thanks, Craig, for another awesome ramble!

Note to Matthew: I don’t know that I’d recommend Baxter as an introduction to the East Side passes. It is a long, strenuous route with some sketchy route finding, perhaps best saved for when you have acquired more experience on the challenges common to East Side hiking in general. If you are in good shape and want to test yourself on a slightly less challenging route, I’d suggest doing a day hike or over nighter on the Sawmill Pass trail. That is about as strenuous as Baxter, but with less route finding issues. Your main problem there will be heat if you don’t get a very early start, due to an initial long slog up an east facing slope exposed to the sun. After that you will be in forest cover and the hiking is very straightforward. It is about 8.5 miles to Sawmill Lake at ~10,000′, with a gain of ~5300′. All in all a good day’s work and a solid introduction to passes like Baxter, Taboose, and Shepherd. For slightly mellower
hikes that will still give you valuable experience, consider Kearsarge, Bishop, Piute, or Cottonwood/New Army Passes before trying Sawmill.

[W I S N E R !]

A good one indeed Tom.

It seems to me that Baxter’s East Side is more forgiving than the West.  While the East requires some route finding in the beginning, once you’re up out of the creek it’s pretty straightforward.  But figuring out how to get from Baxter Lakes to the JMT is weird.  I think it’s safe to say I’ll probably be doing a different XC route every time I attempt it.  If we were anywhere near the “real” route, is was completely unapparent to me.  What this trip report and photos don’t capture are the couple hours of bushwhacking and scrambling down some pretty steep stuff to get to the JMT in the valley below.  Tom and I enjoyed this leg of the trip a lot, but suffice to say it was the type of territory where wrenching an ankle or going head over heels is a real possibility.  Like many places, the contours on the map make it appear far easier than it is.  We got to the bottom, looked up, and really had to laugh at what we came down to get back into the valley.  I remember getting an interesting look from some JMT hikers when they asked where we came from and we pointed up….

[Anonymous]

I would have to agree you. The west side of the pass was much more challenging, partly because we were more or less fully committed at that point. It was hands down my personal favorite part of the entire hike. Bob Gross came up from Dollar Lake a couple of years ago, and said there are faint traces of a trail from time to time, mostly the odd cairn, but he had the advantage of starting out following a distinct trail from Dollar Lake on the uphill section. He also said it requires “a bit of imagination” to pick it up, which leads me to think that, like you, if I ever repeat the route, the XC portion would almost certainly be a different line than the one we chose. Good fun, no matter how you go about it.

[Adam White]

I’ve read a number of your trip reports, and always enjoy them. You are concise and eloquent, and capture thought-provoking ideas on paper extremely well–philosophy lessons captured in trip reports. Thanks for sharing (this, and past ones–and thanks in advance for future ones!).

I’ve always been a predominantly solo backpacker, but started exploring off-trail a bit this year. I was unwilling to do that solo, and so started hiking with companions. It’s been great–like you, I consider myself quite lucky to have found people that are reliable and compatible. When I hike solo, there’s adventure and accomplishment (and usually suffering, but that’s my choice). With a companion, there’s camaraderie and fun and still adventure–maybe even more adventure, but of a slightly different flavor. Sometimes there’s still suffering, but again it’s by choice; misery-loves-company and all that, so any optional suffering results in even more camaraderie.

[Matthew / BPL]

Tom, thanks for answering my question and sharing the list of recommended passes. I’ve through-hiked the JMT and been up in the lakes above Sabrina. Your suggestions are all destinations I’ve got on my short list for next summer. I’ll save Sawmill for later.

[Michael L]

Good work guys.  enjoyed the writeup on your blog, Craig.  Sun suit is nice.  Do you find the shirt breathes?  I have been using the Patagonia sun stretch shirt of late and like it.

[Anonymous]

“Tom, thanks for answering my question and sharing the list of recommended passes. I’ve through-hiked the JMT and been up in the lakes above Sabrina. Your suggestions are all destinations I’ve got on my short list for next summer. I’ll save Sawmill for later.”

Any time, Matthew. Given you’ve already hiked the JMT and been into Sabrina Basin, I think you’re probably already capable of doing Sawmill. But by the time you finish that list, you’ll be ready for sure. Given your experience, when you do get around to Sawmill, I’d suggest you make it a 4-5 day trip and go over the pass into the headwaters of Woods Creek. It is a gorgeous area that you could easily spend a couple of days exploring, and it doesn’t get a lot of traffic. It’s one of those little side drainages that the JMT/PCT crowd burns right by. Reminds me of Bench Lake, Vidette Lakes, and Center Basin in that regard.

[Matthew / BPL]

This is gold, Tom. Thank you. The JMT was a blast but I knew I was blazing past so much good stuff.

[Matthew / BPL]

Michael, I love, love, love, love, LOVE the Patagonia Tropic Comfort Hoody. I often skip sun gloves and just use the thumb loops and long sleeves to cover my hands. I don’t care for the material or cut in the 2016 version, preferring the 2015 version. My fingers are crossed the 2017 version will see some revisions.

[W I S N E R !]

Thank you for the compliment Adam.

@Michael about the Patagonia Tropic Comfort Hoody II, I believe I have the current version.  I think it breathes fine, especially for alpine conditions.  I did have it on during a local trip recently on a hot/humid day, it felt a bit sticky then….but anything likely would have.   What I especially like is the cut of the hood.  I don’t think I ever took it off; full sun protection coupled with a hat (shields the sides very well), yet it never felt claustrophobic.  I even had it on in some serious wind and it stayed put.  I’m completely sold on it.

[Matthew / BPL]

The absolute best thing ever is when the sun is behind you and there’s a breeze coming at your face. At that point I ditch my hat and the hood inflates and feels all breezy. It’s great.

[Author]

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