The High Sierra giveth…

Well BPL, it’s been a while since I posted a trip report.

It’s not you, it’s me.

Or rather, the other 9,831 things I’ve been trying to get done.

Excuses aside, here’s a trip report from an adventurous (and spectacular) trip last fall to the High Sierra: https://ontheswitchbacks.wordpress.com/2017/12/26/adventure/

I apologize for somewhat shamelessly linking to an external blog, but BPL’s forum software still drives fear into my heart. The blog is not monetized in any way.

The trip report opens with what is likely a contentious sermon. It’s one person’s opinion, but I’d gladly welcome further discussion here, especially from BPL’s sage denizens.

Here’s some eye candy, to complement this otherwise drab post:

There were no mosquitoes here. Nope, definitely none. That’s the way I choose to remember it.

Looking down on the highway below.

A granite amphitheater*.

* be honest, did you know there were two h’s in amphitheater? I just discovered it.

Yonder cornice, over which we are headed.

Mmmmm.

It could be many places in the Sierra. But where is it?

About to get wet feet.

Us guys, what that done some hikin’.

Robert stares down his nemesis.

Wonderfull writing, not a clue what route you took, mission accomplished!

— Rex

Thanks for sharing.

What a great hike you guys put together.  Your TR was beautifully written, eloquently conveying your frame of mind as you worked your way through challenges and were overawed by the beauty around you.  Everything a TR should be.  Thank you, Adam, for taking the time.

Great pics.

Tom K. and I were just discussing a version of the question of leaving things unknown…to what extent it’s appropriate, possible, or pointless.

Thanks.

Great trip report, I don’t blame you for pointing to the blog. You wrote a great story there, thank you for sharing.

Nice report, thanks, and your blog, some day I’m going to do a Sierras trip…

I always question whether to put more detail in a report and thus ruin the adventure of someone finding it themselves.  And spoil the wilderness by making it too well known.

I have decided to totally abstain from geotagging photographs on social media.

I have decided to not participate in Facebook groups about wilderness areas.

I will share information with people here (especially via PM and usually with the request that they be thoughtful about how they share the information).

Adam’s TR is great as always (I’m a big fan).

Great stuff. I recognize a couple spots but not many.

All, thanks for the feedback!

There’s a map in the Flickr album if you’re really jonesing for our whereabouts.

I thought it would be fun to write a trip report with ambiguity regarding locations–might be fun for the reader to try to do some sleuthing. But I don’t think that’s the real information that ruins adventures–I think it’s the excruciating detail on route finding (GPX files, annotated photographs, “instructions”, etc.) that does. So, even with the map; I kept the spoilers out of the writing, so hopefully I’m not eroding future adventures my any measurable amount.

Like Matt, I’m happy to share far more detail and information with anyone that desires it–but I prefer PM and offline dialogue.

Thanks for another great trip report. It was fun following along through some of my favorite High Sierra spots. . . and thanks for keeping the route vague. There are some mysterious water “features” along your route that I am glad you kept a mystery.

I especially liked seeing the big difference in the size of the cornice at the top of a certain pass (between Amp & Dumb). I was there the year before and was able to walk right over it. . .

great writing!

“I especially liked seeing the big difference in the size of the cornice at the top of a certain pass (between Amp & Dumb). I was there the year before and was able to walk right over it. . .”

It really threw me off.  When I passed through there in 2013, there was no cornice at all.  It was only after your comment about Amp and Dumb that I recognized the rocky run up to the pass, just below and on the right.

Thanks all!

A couple more pics of the much-discussed cornice (ca. 2017), for direct comparison with Andy’s image above:

Despite how imposing it looks (especially from afar!), it was pretty trivial to bypass.

That last photo is amazing. The cornice looks massive.

Thanks! Really enjoyed your story.