TR: Dodging T-storms in the High Sierra

[awhite4777]

I've posted many trip reports to BPL over the years, but never posted them here. However, I think this one might be a little bit of fun for HST'ers. Allow me to elaborate:

As I began exploring more and more cross-country in the Sierra (particularly off of Roper's beaten path), I've begun to realize that one aspect of the wilderness that I cherish is the fact that adventure is still possible; adventure being the process of exploring cross-country places with the burden of route-finding decision-making on your shoulders, the explorer. GPS tracks are not available for these places, and thoroughly-documented descriptions of route-finding are not available. This is important, because as soon as those things are available, the unknowns are decreased, and the area is de-unknowned. Much like increasing entropy, the process of de-unknowning is irreversible.

I recognize that this is a conclusion and philosophy that others have been espousing for years (others being some on this site). It's a personal decision, perhaps there is no right and wrong, and to each their own--but that's my take on it.

I wrote a lengthy sermon on that topic as part of the last trip report I posted to BPL, so I'll cut myself off here. However, I did one more thing with that last trip report--I was intentionally vague on both the micro-routefinding decisions (which I think should not be de-unknowned) but also the macro-route: Where did we go? I didn't intend to protect that information, but rather, I just thought it would be a fun mini-mystery for readers to look at the photos and read the text and piece together where we went.

I did that again with my most recent trip report, and shared it with the BPL crowd, but nobody offered any guesses as to where we went. Perhaps it was too challenging? Or perhaps my message was confusing as to what I thought it was important to protect (micro- vs macro-routefinding).

Nonetheless--and finally coming full circle to the first sentences of this post--I'm posting here for two reasons: 1) we're all passionate about the Sierra here, so all trip reports are good trip reports, and 2) I think the Sierra Sleuths that reside here will be able to piece together our route in no time, and maybe (hopefully!), it will be a little bit of fun to do so. So please, take a stab at it, and post your hypothesis!

I PDF'ized the trip report, it is here: https://ontheswitchbacks.files.wordpres ... r_2018.pdf

And, to make this post not a completely drab wall of text, here's some eye candy:

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Cheers and happy sleuthing!

Adam

[AaronRDavis]

Rae Lakes Loop? Seriously though, I'll take a guess.. the "spectacular lake" you visited...Bench Lake?

[balzaccom]

That one peak looks like SEven Gables....so up Bear Creek? Sorry that I can't spend more time on this today, but I have to go have some fun...

[awhite4777]

...Seriously though, I'll take a guess.. the "spectacular lake" you visited...Bench Lake?

You nailed that! Which, since I offered no photos nor other descriptions of the lake, means I suspect you've figured out the route at large... Want to hazard a guess at the itinerary?

Six passes (five of them unique--we went over one twice), two peaks...

[awhite4777]

Well, the sleuths over at BPL came up with it, so I'll post it here:

Day 1: Roads End -> Glen Pass -> Rae Col -> Basin Notch -> Woods Creek Crossing
Day 2: Woods Creek Crossing -> Window Peak Drainage -> Explorer Pass -> Bench Lake -> Upper Basin
Day 3: Upper Basin -> Split Mountain -> Upper Basin -> Pinchot Pass -> Woods Creek Crossing
Day 4: Woods Creek Crossing -> Painted Lady -> Glen Pass -> Roads End

More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/96747006@ ... 9440271775