High Sierra Topix

maverick wrote:

You're confusing me for LTM01.

Sure did, at least in some of my reply, which is why we prefer everyone starting their own thread instead of piggybacking off of someone else's, which is why you now have your own thread.

Got it; then people will complain there are too many threads of people asking for 4-6 day loop hikes....

It can be confusing around these parts.

sambieni wrote:Wouldn't Rowell require one to walk via Roaring River -> Sugarloaf?

Yes. But in the morning instead of hitting it midday as I did, going over Silliman Pass....

@almostthere so are you saying the whole Lodgepole -> Roaring River is a slog? Is Silliman/Twin Lakes/RAnger LAkes area not worth it?

sambieni wrote:@almostthere so are you saying the whole Lodgepole -> Roaring River is a slog? Is Silliman/Twin Lakes/RAnger LAkes area not worth it?

The logistics for us worked out thusly: get the permit and hike to Silliman Pass, camped at one of the lakes on the other side. Start in the morning and hike down some into Belle Canyon - by midafternoon we're still hiking in sandy low elevation former forest, in the sun. Starting at Rowell would have cut off quite a bit of hiking and got a jump on things -- take a few miles of burnt out forest out of the equation, and complete most of the exposed sandy stuff earlier in the day. You get further along toward Roaring River and it gets more forested as you're out of the area of that old fire. Not climbing over Silliman saves a day or so. I should have followed my impulse - we had four cars, we could easily have piled into one, driven for less than an hour, and cut a day off the trip so we could have done a layover in Deadman and hike up to Big Bird Lake.

sambieni wrote:so are you saying the whole Lodgepole -> Roaring River is a slog? Is Silliman/Twin Lakes/RAnger LAkes area not worth it?

I don't think that's a slog. Silliman Pass is beautiful as are Ranger and Lost Lakes. The part AT is worried about is just from Comanche Meadow/Sugarloaf to Roaring River, it's sandy and can be hot later in the day. I would contend that it's no reason to skip Lodgepole and the abovementioned areas just to avoid a little unpleasantness. If you can get around the sand do it, but don't miss out on some awesome scenery in order to. After hiking the HST last year I hated the Kern River section, as it was mid-80s, sunny, sandy, and long. But I wouldn't dismiss a hike that involved going through it again just because of that. There's plenty of good to counter the occasional bad section.

I'd still get out there faster, to lay over in cloud or deadman. Leave Silliman for that trip to the Tablelands when the permit to Pear doesn't work out...

In fact, I'm pretty sure my aversion to the section of trail in question was largely due to how gorgeous it was once we got there, and resentment set in that it took that long to get out there - needless to say working out how to minimize the approach is on my mind, because I'm not going to spend all my time getting there. I even considering hauling it all over Avalanche Pass, but then I'd be drawn over to Sphinx Lakes instead.... too many great places to be out there.

Nobody on this forum has done the trip thru Sugarloaf or traveled the trail between Sunset Meadow and Roaring river as much as I have as I patrolled the area for NPS for 9 seasons and have returned several times on my own since then, last time being last summer.

As AT said the slog thru Sugarloaf is a hot, nasty, dirty, dusty, 3 miles. In fact it made me decide to be a stock ranger at Roaring River. If I was going to go thru that dusty trail I'd rather be up on a horse! Unless it was after a recent rain if I walked thru the valley my calves would be black with accumulated dirt and sweat.

That said the traditional loop out of lodgepole is still a nice trip. I would do it counter clockwise. The traiI from Silliman pass to Comanche Meadow is not too dusty. The worst part of the trip is between Comanche Meadow and Ferguson Creek. Schedule yourself to go thru Sugarloaf as early as possible. I would want to be at the Ferguson Creek Crossing no later than 10 am. There will still be a hot 3 miles to Roaring River. Deadman Canyon is a delightful visual treat. If the Sierra continues to get hammered with snow, Elizabeth Pass is likely to have snow in late August, but probably just the last 300 to 400 feet of vertical. And any snow from July on is likely to be dimpled with large suncups. As AT said it is highly unlikely that there will be a cornice. To negotiate Elizabeth Pass you want to start by 8 am from Upper Ranger Meadow, so that when you get to the snow it will be firm but slightly softened.

Good luck and safe travels whatever you decide.

@oldranger

Well, Deadman Canyon loop it is. Tried to get Rae Lakes; too popular for my blood, but just to say I have done it. Permitting team at SEKI gave me Twin Lakes -> High Sierras instead. So the loop around Deadman it is.
Old Ranger - thanks for the fair warning . Given our speed and plan, we likely will be faced w/ a midday-afternoon trudge through the sand. Bummer. But still good times ahead.

I don't think that's a slog. Silliman Pass is beautiful as are Ranger and Lost Lakes.

Agree, have mentioned in previous posts, Lost Lake is one of the prettiest lakes with a trail to it on the western side of the Sierra.

Looks like need to cancel Deadman Canyon permit due to work... Now trying to set myself up for solo trip few days later that as a JMT section hike so I can complete JMT summer 2018 going Reds - > Whitney. This summer, I would need to do Thousand Island Lake - > Yosemite Valley. (I did Reds -> Thousand Island last summer as part of a loop).

I can get permitted for:
1) High Trail - 8.5 miles to Thousand Island and 2,400 foot gain
2) Rush Creek - 7.4 miles to Thousand Island and >3,300 foot gain

Which would you prefer to do? (Yea, its a bit 50/50).
I have done the High Trail back from Thousand Island Lake to Agnew Meadows; simple, easy trail.

I would be YARTS'ing it back from Yosemite Valley to June Lake or Mammoth Lakes to grab my car once done.