Good Times on the Silver Divide
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:30 am
Finally I got to take the trip I spent all those months planning and asking people questions about. I sincerely appreciate all the comments and advice I received from many of you!
So on Sat, Aug 26 a friend of mine (Ken) and I set out from Devil's Postpile near Mammoth. The plan was to hike out to Fish Creek and follow it all the way up Cascade Valley, then x-country up to some lakes along the Silver
Divide above Tully Hole reputed to have good fishing, then x-country up to the base of McGee Pass and take the trail over the pass and then back down the canyon to the 2nd car left in waiting at the McGee trailhead. Grand Total = about 50 miles, give or take.
The first day was tough: full packs, no acclimitization to altitude, and an 8-10 mile planned trek to a campsite on Fish Creek. Ken actually puked at about 80% of the way there, but attributed this to the trail mix not sitting so well on his stomach. Oh the trail mix. We would come to love it.
Here's the view down the trail. We've come about 3-4 miles and have 6 or more to go to Fish Valley, way distant at mid-picture.
Finally we reach the switchbacks down to the valley/creek. Here is a view looking up valley from the trail. Fish Creek is below, Iva Bell hot springs are at the head of the valley. We won't make it that far this day.
Here is a view of the bridge at Island Crossing, not far from our camp. Fishing was good here.
Here is a sample, slightly smaller than the average. I caught a nice 11" hybrid near here the first night. Many were caught, they all look alike, why take more than 1 pic:
The next day we took it easy to recover somewhat, poking slowly up the valley towards Iva Bell so that we could recover and
fishing many pools along the way. Fishing was more of the same...nymphing was very effective early-mid day. At the end of the day we pitched camp near the hot springs and I climbed up to the top of the valley and found the highest spring pool.
The hot waters were a welcome relief to my aching muscles. The single malt scotch didnt hurt either.
The next day we headed up the trail to climb out of Fish Valley and into Cascade Valley, following Fish Creek. Here is a view from the switchbacks, the spring I sat in is near the top (about 80% of the way up) on the left. You cant see it though.
The section of Fish Creek above Iva Bell and before Cascade Valley proper had some really sweet looking pools and camping areas, a fine destination in its own right.
Eventually we reached Second Crossing...a wet crossing.
There were many waterfalls and plunge pools in this section.
Evetually we reached our campsite, a spot I used before two years ago October. The stream is slower here and yields lots of fun and feisty fish. I saw a huge deer and her fawn cross the stream only 40 yards from me.
Up the valley we poked the next day, taking plenty of time to stop and fish. Ken enjoyed this nice plunge pool.
I found another.
Complemented with more meadow sections and the ever-nearing Silver Divide in the distance.
We came upon a great campsite, we had to scramble down towards the river but we were at the head of a huge waterfall (sorry, pics didnt turn out good). Ken and I took turns pulling nice hybrids out of the plunge pool.
Meanwhile the Silver Divide loomed above the top of the falls. This pic sucks. The colors I saw while fishing this evening were spectacular.
The next day we headed up towards the JMT crossing and Tully Hole. There was yet another creek crossing.
Nearing Tully Hole we could look up and see the top of the bench that held our destination for the day, Hortense Lake. We would have to cross-country up there. It was an interesting climb but I was stoked that my route-finding was adequate.
Fish Creek in Tully Hole.
So on Sat, Aug 26 a friend of mine (Ken) and I set out from Devil's Postpile near Mammoth. The plan was to hike out to Fish Creek and follow it all the way up Cascade Valley, then x-country up to some lakes along the Silver
Divide above Tully Hole reputed to have good fishing, then x-country up to the base of McGee Pass and take the trail over the pass and then back down the canyon to the 2nd car left in waiting at the McGee trailhead. Grand Total = about 50 miles, give or take.
The first day was tough: full packs, no acclimitization to altitude, and an 8-10 mile planned trek to a campsite on Fish Creek. Ken actually puked at about 80% of the way there, but attributed this to the trail mix not sitting so well on his stomach. Oh the trail mix. We would come to love it.
Here's the view down the trail. We've come about 3-4 miles and have 6 or more to go to Fish Valley, way distant at mid-picture.
Finally we reach the switchbacks down to the valley/creek. Here is a view looking up valley from the trail. Fish Creek is below, Iva Bell hot springs are at the head of the valley. We won't make it that far this day.
Here is a view of the bridge at Island Crossing, not far from our camp. Fishing was good here.
Here is a sample, slightly smaller than the average. I caught a nice 11" hybrid near here the first night. Many were caught, they all look alike, why take more than 1 pic:
The next day we took it easy to recover somewhat, poking slowly up the valley towards Iva Bell so that we could recover and
fishing many pools along the way. Fishing was more of the same...nymphing was very effective early-mid day. At the end of the day we pitched camp near the hot springs and I climbed up to the top of the valley and found the highest spring pool.
The hot waters were a welcome relief to my aching muscles. The single malt scotch didnt hurt either.
The next day we headed up the trail to climb out of Fish Valley and into Cascade Valley, following Fish Creek. Here is a view from the switchbacks, the spring I sat in is near the top (about 80% of the way up) on the left. You cant see it though.
The section of Fish Creek above Iva Bell and before Cascade Valley proper had some really sweet looking pools and camping areas, a fine destination in its own right.
Eventually we reached Second Crossing...a wet crossing.
There were many waterfalls and plunge pools in this section.
Evetually we reached our campsite, a spot I used before two years ago October. The stream is slower here and yields lots of fun and feisty fish. I saw a huge deer and her fawn cross the stream only 40 yards from me.
Up the valley we poked the next day, taking plenty of time to stop and fish. Ken enjoyed this nice plunge pool.
I found another.
Complemented with more meadow sections and the ever-nearing Silver Divide in the distance.
We came upon a great campsite, we had to scramble down towards the river but we were at the head of a huge waterfall (sorry, pics didnt turn out good). Ken and I took turns pulling nice hybrids out of the plunge pool.
Meanwhile the Silver Divide loomed above the top of the falls. This pic sucks. The colors I saw while fishing this evening were spectacular.
The next day we headed up towards the JMT crossing and Tully Hole. There was yet another creek crossing.
Nearing Tully Hole we could look up and see the top of the bench that held our destination for the day, Hortense Lake. We would have to cross-country up there. It was an interesting climb but I was stoked that my route-finding was adequate.
Fish Creek in Tully Hole.