High Sierra Topix

Hello, everyone! I joined a couple of years ago to research a three-night trip from Pine Creek Trailhead to Honeymoon Lake, French Canyon, Humphrey's Basin, and Piute Pass to North Lake Trailhead. It was an amazing time despite the torrential rainfall and lightning every afternoon (it was during that monsoonal moisture in July 2018). My buddy and I made it back to Bishop an hour before a rockslide closed the road from North Lake for a week!

My first backpacking trip was to Pear Lake in Sequoia National Park way back in the summer of 1994. Now I'm 47 and just got back into regular hiking and backpacking a few years ago. I day-hike the mountains of southern California year round, and I squeeze in 1-2 backpacking trips each summer in the eastern Sierra. Since 2015 I've visited Dusy Basin, Rae Lakes (from Kearsarge Pass), Chicken Spring Lake, and the trip I mentioned above.

I really value the insight and inspiration I find in this forum and I hope to contribute trip reports in the future.

Hi Harrison,

Welcome to HST!

Hi: I have been backpacking pretty extreme cross country routes solo and with my husband and son for nearly 20 years. For several years I worked seasonally for NPS in Yosemite Wilderness. I have been lurking for years without registering and finally registered because a saw a post about "pothole pass" by a member and I wanted to ask about coordinates for the pass. I currently reside off Ebbetts Pass at 7200 feet, which is great because it means I no longer struggle to acclimatize on the first day. This year my husband and son will be logging a few hundred miles. Cgunderson posted a trip wayyy back in 2007 that I have been wanting to do for years. It is here:http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... f=1&t=2405. I want to ask this user if they have a more detailed description and coordinates (prefer UTM) for "pothole" pass and for where they crossed sluggo. I'm leaving for Hutchings on Tuesday.

Fun fact about me: I have walked the every fork of the Merced River in side Yose.
Another fun fact: I love fishing and field filleting.
Another fun fact: I usually don't agree with Secor about what is an "easy scramble" and honestly I am skeptical Roper ever went to Hutchings or Upper Lyell given that he called it "uninteresting."

Hi sd,
Since you're heading out Tuesday, I'll post here, too. I did respond to you via email and a short note in the Backpacking section. Briefly, the pothole ridge is certainly a bit cantankerous, simply because there are lots of big chunks of loose talus. Still, what I'll add to the post I wrote for the same loop I did last year, is that once you reach the lip of the "dam" that created the pothole, it's a diagonal shot up to the ridge leading into the western Hutchings drainage. There really is no obvious or preferred route on the wide field of talus you'll be staring at. But, as I've noted repeatedly, if you are not going solo, you'll want to maintain separation as you head uphill, because things are so loose. As for Sluggo, it's pretty much just a steady slog right up the middle as you head for the low-point on the ridge. And, I agree with your assessment: Hutchings and Lyell Fork canyons are way to gorgeous to be dismissed! Cameron

Hi all - I've found this forum to be a great resource over the years. Thanks to all who have contributed!

I have a trip planned to loop around Ansel Adams from the west side coming up...if we can make it up to Lake Catherine. Will be lurking around the site more for good advice on that route.

Hi, I'm Trent and a new member here. I've grown up in the outdoors and did some easy backpacking with my family from an early age such as dinkey lakes and ladybug. Now 27, I enjoy the less traveled trails and cross country. Currently I use Google earth, cal topo, maps and trail reports to plan my trips. I enjoy pretty much everything outdoors. Number one lesson I"ve learned over the years is always have a backup for water and fire.

Hi Hurdler12 and Trent,

Welcome aboard HST!

From the old RCL board. Glad to find you guys staying alive.

Hi,
My days of backpacking the Sierra and the Trinity Alps are over as I'm retired. I did my hiking in the 1950's and 60's , in many ways the best times to hike the high country. I just ran across the site and would like to relive some of my trips by reading the trip reports and seeing the photos posted here.
Regards,
Eric Kollgaard

Hi Eric,

Welcome aboard HST!