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Re: Maverick's 2017 Annual HST Meet-up

Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 4:06 pm
by maverick
The snow levels will make it very interesting this year.
Yes, it will, mosquito-wise too. :\

Re: Maverick's 2017 Annual HST Meet-up

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 12:26 pm
by Ashery
AlmostThere wrote:
tomba wrote:
AlmostThere wrote:I'm eyeballing that steep chug up Arrow Creek thinking it's probably pretty gnarly.
Instead of going up Arrow Creek, I think you can get there by going up the next creek east, west from Window Peak. See the points labeled "Arrow Peak Descent 1" and "Arrow Peak Descent 2" on this map.
Oh, where's the fun in easy routes?
Easy way in to make timing easier and more reliable. Once things become more open ended, falling off one's itinerary, or even pretty much going without one entirely, doesn't really mean much.

Re: Maverick's 2017 Annual HST Meet-up

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 9:37 am
by Shhsgirl
Does anyone know the best route in to avoid having to carry ice axe and crampons?

Re: Maverick's 2017 Annual HST Meet-up

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 10:16 am
by AlmostThere
Ashery wrote:
AlmostThere wrote:
tomba wrote:
AlmostThere wrote:I'm eyeballing that steep chug up Arrow Creek thinking it's probably pretty gnarly.
Instead of going up Arrow Creek, I think you can get there by going up the next creek east, west from Window Peak. See the points labeled "Arrow Peak Descent 1" and "Arrow Peak Descent 2" on this map.
Oh, where's the fun in easy routes?
Easy way in to make timing easier and more reliable. Once things become more open ended, falling off one's itinerary, or even pretty much going without one entirely, doesn't really mean much.
I'm really not even sure how to interpret what you said there.

Re: Maverick's 2017 Annual HST Meet-up

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 10:56 am
by Dave_Ayers
Shhsgirl wrote:Does anyone know the best route in to avoid having to carry ice axe and crampons?
I think your best bet is to start at Road's End, head up Paradise Valley, and then up the "Arrow Peak Descent 2" and "Arrow Peak Descent 1" tags at the map Tomba linked to. Most of the climb on that route above 8,000 feet has south exposure and its lower than coming over Arrow Pass.

Re: Maverick's 2017 Annual HST Meet-up

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 1:37 pm
by maverick
Does anyone know the best route in to avoid having to carry ice axe and crampons?
Check your PM. :)

Re: Maverick's 2017 Annual HST Meet-up

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:00 am
by richlong8
I noticed the question on ice axe and crampons. I was going to head over Taboose, and eventually go south of Bench Lake to Arrow Pass. Any thoughts on Arrow Pass in a heavy snow year, anyone?

Re: Maverick's 2017 Annual HST Meet-up

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 2:09 pm
by maverick
Just time you climb for when the snow is not hard and icy in the early morning and you will be fine Rich, also the eastern side of the pass will be getting a descent amount of sun exposure during the day.

PS Take spikes as a back up.

Re: Maverick's 2017 Annual HST Meet-up

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 8:45 pm
by Wandering Daisy
I have a plan worked out, but cannot really commit to the trip yet. I will not reserve a permit, because of potential family conflicts. I promised to take my grand daughter backpacking and may be tied up with that in Colorado.

Hope to combine two trips- South Lake to Roads End via Middle FOrk Kings, Simpson Meadow and Volcanic Lakes (assuming I can cross Palisades Creek at the bridge that is out). Resupply (hopefully my husband can come down and spend a day or so and bring my supplies). Then to Arrow Basin- out via Bench Lake- High Route back to Dusy Basin and back to South Lake. May reverse the whole thing. Plan on two 8-day trips.

Where in Arrow Basin are you planning on camping?

Has anyone crossed Palisade Creek at the old bridge site? Do you think it will be feasible this year?

Plan B consists of two trips out of Roads End - in-and-out to Simpson Meadow and upper Middle Fork and loop that includes Arrow Basin. Logistically easier but not the eaisiest way to see the Middle Fork Kings River. May be better to make an in-and-out to Volcanic Lakes and Kid Lakes and save the Kings River for another trip.

Re: Maverick's 2017 Annual HST Meet-up

Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2017 3:59 am
by Hobbes
Last year Pali creek looked like death at the old bridge. This was on 6/2 after a normal winter. I would think any river trip like the kern, king, sq, etc might be a bad idea this year.

This is what I wrote about last year: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=14472&start=12#p108344

So, let's go over day 3 schedule: begin hiking @ 6am to get over Muir, reach Monster rock 5-6+- hours later (I don't count hanging around a bit talking to other hikers). Now it's 11-12 noon - beginning to near witching hour. Ah, but we're at 9.5k, and we get to hike downhill to Simpson meadow @ 8k, which take a little under 3 hrs. So, we get to Simpson meadow around 2:30pm and it's 84 degrees - in the shade. Along the exposed sections of the trail (thankfully, mostly under tree canopy), with the sun bouncing off the granite cliffs, it's hotter - maybe a lot hotter.

Regardless, I'm now in full melt-down mode. As I mentioned earlier, Andy is the king of finding both great camping/bivy locations as well as excellent rest stops. So, he sees this clearing right below the old washed out Palisades creek bridge where we can sit down, get out of the sun & rest a bit. Even better, it's got a small backwater whirlpool that has somehow formed just feet away from a very full flowing Palisades creek. In fact, Pali is running at certain death levels - one slip and you're a goner, for sure.

But there's no way I'm not going in - I'm way overheated, I'm tired, and well, I'm going in. As a water guy, I'm familiar with the feeling of turbulence & weightlessness in heavy surf situations, so my spidey senses were on full maximum alert. So, leaving my shoes on for extra traction (believe it or not, they had dried from the morning's snow/fords), I carefully got about a foot away from shore and did a 'push up' type of dunk to get fully immersed. (There was no way I was going in any deeper or nearer to the main current.) The water of course was fresh snow melt, so the freezing cold water felt exhilarating. I quickly jumped up, out and clambered onto a nice smooth boulder - much like a wet cat. Words cannot describe how good this felt just sunning myself on a hot rock in the middle of rapidly flowing Palisades creek.