High Sierra Topix

Once, 2009, 13 days late August/early September. Included Half Dome, Rainbow Falls, and Whitney Summit. Call it 3 resupplies. I parked at the Tuolumne ranger office and left 3 days food in the bear box. First day from the Valley to Cathedral Lakes and picked this up morning day 2. The a 3 day resupply at Reds Meadow, and 6 day resupply at MTR. Also side tripped to VVR.

stevet wrote:Also side tripped to VVR.

Unless you didn't eat dinner there (which would have been a grave mistake) I think that counts as four.

I ate dinner and breakfast and had more than a few beers at VVR. As a resupply, let's say I "resupplied" them. Since VVR was not on my original itinerary I left them a dinner and a breakfast so I wouldn't have to carry the extra meals.

SSSDave-
Congrats on 200 backpacks!
I will never reach that milestone, since I took 15 years off for family.

I hiked Tuolumne Meadows to Whitney for my 50th birthday in 2012 (couldn't get a permit to start at Happy Isles). 9 days/8 nights. Great experience that I think about often when I can't sleep at night. I did Horseshoe to Bishop Pass this year and it was just as remarkable. Way different going the opposite direction with 5 more years on my personal odometer. I hope to finish the NOBO route next year (Bishop Pass to Yosemite valley).

cloudlesssky wrote:I hiked Tuolumne Meadows to Whitney for my 50th birthday in 2012 (couldn't get a permit to start at Happy Isles). 9 days/8 nights. Great experience that I think about often when I can't sleep at night. I did Horseshoe to Bishop Pass this year and it was just as remarkable. Way different going the opposite direction with 5 more years on my personal odometer. I hope to finish the NOBO route next year (Bishop Pass to Yosemite valley).

Wow! Impressive pace!

What is "Horseshoe"?

The same as Daisy. I've done most of the JMT as parts of other trips to other off-trail places. I've thought about doing the whole trail to see sections that I haven't hiked and to be out for longer than 10 or 12 days. On those trips, I often wished I could spend more consecutive days in the Sierra. About five years ago, I made plans to do the JMT and got as far as looking up places to resupply. But life intervened.

I attempted to do the JMT multiple years in a row and in 2012 I was only half successful. I was able to go from Happy Isles to Muir Trail Ranch.

But over the years since then I have completed every section except 2. From the Sawmill Pass Trail Junction to Vidette Meadow. Basically Rae Lakes and Glen Pass. And the section from Wallace Creek to Trail Crest. I have done lots of pieces of the JMT multiple times now including Muir Pass 3 times.

Maybe one day I will do the whole thing in it's entirety. I am planning on trying to see the Rae Lakes and Glen Pass next year so there will be one less area for me to explore in the Sierra.

Thru hiking has never been my thing. Probably been on 1/2 the trail as part of other trips. Have always preferred getting away from the crowds.

sekihiker wrote:What is "Horseshoe"?

Sorry, Horseshoe Meadow. I went over Cottonwood Pass to hit the PCT then headed north intersecting the JMT near Crabtree Meadow. Left the JMT in Le Conte Canyon and came out through Dusy Basin over Bishop Pass.