TR: Into The Blue- Tunemah Lake, Blue Canyon, Goddard Creek At Last! 7/29 - 8/7/21

[SSSdave]

Your exciting trip, thank you has me thinking of planning out a trip back to that area.

Good to see ML still has a large fish despite being well known for such over decades. Have not been there in 3 decades but have never read anything about rainbows in the lake. A prime example of a successful large golden lake with outlet spawning. From Florence, it is arguably the best 3 day river August fishing backpack in the range, especially the upper section above the Evolution junction that lakeitis visitors tend to ignore. It would require 3 days for this person to reach Martha. Note in 2019 I went as far as the Evolution junction in June just for the big whitewater but river has too much flow then to fish. Mid August after normal winters in that area is best for scenery with wildflowers.

So with 6 days on a trip dedicated to long trail days, that would leave 5 days for semi base camping over 11 days, about as long as I'm willing to do. Have also not been to 10232 or Tunemah basins but if I did would do so off trail from the west. Instead just remaining in the SF San Joaquin basin would be plenty. The overlooked rarely fished other lunker lake to hit semi-base camping is huge lower Davis where Goldens also spawn in the outlet. Note I've climbed Goddard twice and been along Davis. The first 7 miles above Florence has little to offer but that does keep many away.

[michaelzim]

@cgundersen Indeed, we were in remote terrain.

PS. And what has happened to all the big mammals? We saw one deer in 11 days on our early June trip and zero deer/elk/bears on our latest 11 day trip. It's not as if you weren't in remote enough terrain?

My own speculation about the bigger mammals is that like us, they suffered from the incredibly awful 3 months of smoke last year. Being that close to the fires and living openly in that suffocating air for so long must surely have been toxic eventually? I mean it would be for us in short order. Many of the smaller mammals could burrow underground and possibly escape the worst of it like we do by staying indoors. The birds too must have had a helluva time of it trying to fly though all that and figure their migration routes in such trashed visibility over much of the West, let alone the Sierras.

Like I said, speculation, but it makes sense to me.

Best ~ Michaelzim

[zwoij]

Fantastic report. Sekihiker got me interested in Tunemah with a post some years ago. This helps keep it at the top of my wish list.

[Wandering Daisy]

This year the view from the basin below Tunemah down to Goddard Creek was hazy- on my previous day-hike the skies were clear and the view was good. There are also little ponds and nitches to explore below the larger lakes. The way Harlen when in is the most scenic way to get there, although going in via Blackcap Trail is easier.

[Rockyroad]

Another great report and photos from you. I especially like the photo of where Goddard Creek plummets down. I'm curious, did you two eat those 11 fish in 1 meal?

[robertseeburger]

Really enjoyed the trip report Ian. And Michael's as well.

Pics great as usual.

I really followed closely the route you used to get between West fork of Goddard Creek and Tunemah.
When I return someday, this looks ( and you make it sound) like a great route..cutting off time and complexity. I had looked previously at using Libby Pass and kind of went..."nah"..(steep snow early season, crud later).

Agree with Giantbrookie that this area is one of the finest in the Sierra.

Curious why you chose Florence Lake to start the trip. I have two trips in the area and did one out of Courtright and Hell for Sure, and the other out of Wishon. I find the first 15 miles or so from Florence boring. But perhaps it is fastest to get to Martha.

Nice golden by the way.

When I climbed Finger Peak, I saw GiantBrookie's signature in the register. Not too many people climb this, so I imagine you saw my signature!
I also climbed the easy southeast slope. It was pretty easy.

When you climbed Tunemah peak, you climbed one of the most isolated peaks in the Sierra..

And one other weird thing. In my two trips in the area, including the lakes east of Tunemah, I also saw a ton of bear scat. I was wondering what are they doing there? And then in a trip in Sept 2019, I saw a bear at Martha lake ( posted a picture) at 11000 feet and he we was clearly coming DOWN from the vicinity of REinstein Pass. Perhaps the bears like to spend the summer in Goddard Creek?

Great report!

[michaelzim]

@robertseeburger

I will leave the main reply to Ian when he gets back, but can comment a bit on these two aspects:

I really followed closely the route you used to get between West fork of Goddard Creek and Tunemah.
When I return someday, this looks ( and you make it sound) like a great route..cutting off time and complexity. I had looked previously at using Libby Pass and kind of went..."nah"..(steep snow early season, crud later).

Curious why you chose Florence Lake to start the trip. I have two trips in the area and did one out of Courtright and Hell for Sure, and the other out of Wishon. I find the first 15 miles or so from Florence boring. But perhaps it is fastest to get to Martha.

A. So, never having looked at Secor and also referencing Wandering Daisy's wonderings about more direct routes to Tunemah - from the Finger Peak basin and even upper Blue Canyon basin...I guess one section of what we loosely called "Mercury" pass was therefore "Libby Pass" = that section due north of Tunemah lake and dropping into the little basin with the unnamed small lakes and ponds. The flip over from there to the Finger Peak basin is really just a saddle/ridge to cross and I guess class 2 on the east south-east slope, and very simple class 1 on the west north-west slope.
Indeed it cut out the need to go south over Blue Canyon Pass, then Dykeman Pass, and then Alpine Pass - so was quite a time and distance saver. As mentioned in my TR, was rather "andrenalizing" for me, but would be nothing too challenging for those comfortable with some exposure.

B. The Florence Lake entry v. say Hell for Sure via Red Mountain Basin, or the options from Blackcap Basin.
Well, that was my choice, as it offered a gentle grade and trail for the first two days - which are traditionally tough for me due to the jump from near sea level, etc., etc. Also I had been to Red Mountain Basin and Blackcap in recent years and found the entries long and tedious. Golly, my daughter and I somehow took nearly three days just to get to Portal Lake from Wishon! So two days to Martha from Florence actually seemed like a shorter route.

Also, I found much of the trail from Florence (well from the ferry drop off) through lower Goddard Canyon to be impressive.
The first section is more open woodland/forest than either the Wishon or Courtright entries - which to me are much more closed in, with limited views and trails that seem to go on forever.
Yes, the Florence trail gets pretty ho-hum through the Muir Trail Ranch mess (and some confusing trail detours too) but is spectacular once get close to the Piute bridge then follow the San Joaquin River S.F. on the PCT/JMT towards the Evolution Valley junction.
Goddard Canyon proper was a delight. I thought from the topo it would be kind of closed in and darkish, but it was not at all. Very pretty country, especially as got further up it closer to Martha.

Hope that fills in the gaps a bit. Best ~ Michaelzim

[Harlen]

Rockyroad asks:

I'm curious, did you two eat those 11 fish in 1 meal?

Yes we did, and it was not that hard. I do practice the time-honored tradition of exaggerating the size of my fish... I think you're supposed to, to make the fish feel better about themselves.

[grampy]

@robertseeburger

I will leave the main reply to Ian when he gets back, but can comment a bit on these two aspects …

… Hope that fills in the gaps a bit. Best ~ Michaelzim

Michael -
Though I’m commenting in spite of my own ignorance of that area, I think you answered the two questions quite well; at least I got a lot from it. And I appreciated the fact that you and Ian each did your own reports, each with your own perspective and unique style. What an awesome trip !

[Harlen]

robertseeburger writes:

When I climbed Finger Peak, I saw GiantBrookie's signature in the register. Not too many people climb this, so I imagine you saw my signature!
I also climbed the easy southeast slope. It was pretty easy.

Hello Robert, and thanks for your comments.
I admit to ambivalence regarding summit registers. I try not to notice them, and the knowledge that every mountain has this human detritus on its very highest peak saddens me.
Re. the relative scenic merits of the entry routes, I have to agree with Michael, and the others, and choose Goddard Canyon over Maxon & Wishon. After the ferry drop-off, I really enjoy the open, park-like feel of the Jeffrey and Juniper forest, compared to the tight, view-less woods out of Maxon TH. You must like the meadows of Post-corral Creek, and some of the bright granite domes, which are very nice too. I especially like the higher country of both routes, and I notice that you too mention only the first 15 miles of Goddard Canyon.

Due to Giantbrookie's recent, and amazing fishing trip with Dawn, I will choose to head in from Wishon next time, and spend a day or two fishing on the way. That must also color your judgement of the routes, considering the beauty of Golden trout in your hands!