Trip Report Sawmill Loop Kings Canyon 7-26-19 to 8-4-19
Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2019 8:33 am
Every year we all go through the trip planning process and something just sticks in our mind and rises to the top. For me, after several false attempts, last year it was just to finally get to Tunemah Lake. And I made it. This year in the winter, I really wanted to go see the basins west of Pinchot Pass and climb Arrow Peak. The problem was...how to get there? With the bridge out near Paradise Valley, I finally wrestled it to the ground in my mind that the best way to do this was to (gulp) go over Sawmill Pass. Something I had never done before. I finally ordered up a permit in April ( probably not necessary but it gave me peace of mind) guessing that the end of July should be ok for snow, even in a big snow year. Pictures to come.
My usual modus operandi for backpacks is to wake up about 4 am, drive across Tioga Pass and pick up permit about 9-10 AM, get to trailhead about 11 or 12, and then start hiking. I climb about 2-4 thousand feet and arrive at a campsite "pleasantly exhausted"...meaning very tired but "mind and body are still intact". This has worked many times...but failing me twice. Going up Shepherd Pass a couple of years ago, starting in the heat, I crapped out before Anvil Camp..staggering to a campsite with a small creek nearby. Since this was the first backpack of the year, I attributed the result to poor conditioning. And then, going up Taboose Pass in 2016, the same thing happened. I started out in the desert with 95 degree heat and crapped out at the first stream crossing. The difference was this was the second trip of the year for me and I KNEW I was in shape. So therefore I knew it was a matter of heat and hydration and fuel. I rested for a while, drank a lot, and was able to resume my way and get up 4000 feet.
I may be dumb by I am not stupid.
I realized that that my usual modus operandi doesn't work for the 4 ball busters ( Shepherd, Taboose, Baxter, and Sawmill). I was too stubborn to admit it before, but realized that if I was to do it again, I would either start in the evening or preferably first thing in the morning. With Sawmill having the longest desert section, I chose to start in the morning. With that in mind, I drove up the night before, arrived at midnight at the trailhead, plopped a spare sheet and airmattress on the ground next to my car (sleeping bag and air mattress were packed and I didn't want to spend time packing them in the morning) and tried to sleep. Set the alarm for 4:50 AM. It started raining 5 minutes later. ( I have seen several reports on HST on the ferocity of the rainstorms on 7/25). I gave up and just tried to sleep in the car. Got maybe 2 hours sleep. Not good.
So much for the preamble if that bored you. On to the trip.
At least the rain cooled things off. It rained a little in the morning while I was hiking. Even with the rain, it was 75 degrees when I started. Still sweating profusely but could have been worse. A view from about 2000 feet up, back to the trailhead. It took me nine hours of slow steady hiking, but I finally made it to Sawmill Lake, which was my goal for the day. I actually took a catnap next to the hogback for 20 minutes or so. But in any event, this was my goal, so I was pleased. Elevation gain 5400 feet. Most I have done on a first day since my youth. So the change in process for me seems to have worked.
A view of Sawmill Lake. I only had to do 1300 feet more to get to the top of Sawmill Pass, so I thought it would be easy. But I was suffering now from what I call "the second day blahs". I clearly had not recovered from the effort of the first day. I was very slow getting to the top of the pass. At least I had planned a minimal day.
A view from the top of the pass. Frankly, the view from Sawmill Pass in both directions is not as good as most.
In any event , I made the short hike down to Woods Lake and camped. Very nice lake, pretty basin. I did a little fishing, and then had time to explore a couple other lakes in the basin. I found this one ( west of Woods Lake) to be quite nice. Reminded me of Precipice Lake a little. The next morning I crossed Woods Creek ( I was a little worried about this, but it wasn't difficult at all), joined the Muir Trail down Woods Creek for a couple of miles and then started up the slope east of Window Creek.
A view looking toward Rae Lakes. I finally made it to Window Peak Lake and camped there. I had always wanted to come here. An isolated lake without trails that few visit.
I didnt know you could actually see the window in Window Peak. You can just barely make it out to right of the summit. I spent quite a bit of time and effort trying to figure out how to get from Window Peak Lake to the basin west of Bench Lake. I PM'ed a couple of HST members and did a lot of reading. I had hoped to go over Explorer Pass for a direct connection, but I gave up on that expecting there to be too much steep snow on the north side. So, the best report I had was Rouguephotonic's famous 111 days in the Sierra from 2012, where he went over White Fork Saddle and White Fork Pass. I chose to do this thinking it was probably doable. I planned a retreat down either Window Creek or White Fork if I ran into trouble. I don't carry ice ax or crampons.
A view ( fantastic) as I went up Window Creek, looking back at the lake and Mount Clarence King.
There was lots of snow. I had to cross or go around a couple of steep snow slopes. Looking down to the creek. Somewhere in here is where Ranger Randy died. I had heard he probably tried and failed to cross a snow bridge. I could see how that could happen here. A view looking up toward Explorer Pass. At this point I was glad I chose not to go here. A view of Mount Clarence King from White Fork Saddle. Mount Clarence King dominates the view from this pass. And another view of Explorer Pass from White Fork Saddle
I am going to have to split my TR into a couple sections.. all for now.. part 2 coming later.
My usual modus operandi for backpacks is to wake up about 4 am, drive across Tioga Pass and pick up permit about 9-10 AM, get to trailhead about 11 or 12, and then start hiking. I climb about 2-4 thousand feet and arrive at a campsite "pleasantly exhausted"...meaning very tired but "mind and body are still intact". This has worked many times...but failing me twice. Going up Shepherd Pass a couple of years ago, starting in the heat, I crapped out before Anvil Camp..staggering to a campsite with a small creek nearby. Since this was the first backpack of the year, I attributed the result to poor conditioning. And then, going up Taboose Pass in 2016, the same thing happened. I started out in the desert with 95 degree heat and crapped out at the first stream crossing. The difference was this was the second trip of the year for me and I KNEW I was in shape. So therefore I knew it was a matter of heat and hydration and fuel. I rested for a while, drank a lot, and was able to resume my way and get up 4000 feet.
I may be dumb by I am not stupid.
I realized that that my usual modus operandi doesn't work for the 4 ball busters ( Shepherd, Taboose, Baxter, and Sawmill). I was too stubborn to admit it before, but realized that if I was to do it again, I would either start in the evening or preferably first thing in the morning. With Sawmill having the longest desert section, I chose to start in the morning. With that in mind, I drove up the night before, arrived at midnight at the trailhead, plopped a spare sheet and airmattress on the ground next to my car (sleeping bag and air mattress were packed and I didn't want to spend time packing them in the morning) and tried to sleep. Set the alarm for 4:50 AM. It started raining 5 minutes later. ( I have seen several reports on HST on the ferocity of the rainstorms on 7/25). I gave up and just tried to sleep in the car. Got maybe 2 hours sleep. Not good.
So much for the preamble if that bored you. On to the trip.
At least the rain cooled things off. It rained a little in the morning while I was hiking. Even with the rain, it was 75 degrees when I started. Still sweating profusely but could have been worse. A view from about 2000 feet up, back to the trailhead. It took me nine hours of slow steady hiking, but I finally made it to Sawmill Lake, which was my goal for the day. I actually took a catnap next to the hogback for 20 minutes or so. But in any event, this was my goal, so I was pleased. Elevation gain 5400 feet. Most I have done on a first day since my youth. So the change in process for me seems to have worked.
A view of Sawmill Lake. I only had to do 1300 feet more to get to the top of Sawmill Pass, so I thought it would be easy. But I was suffering now from what I call "the second day blahs". I clearly had not recovered from the effort of the first day. I was very slow getting to the top of the pass. At least I had planned a minimal day.
A view from the top of the pass. Frankly, the view from Sawmill Pass in both directions is not as good as most.
In any event , I made the short hike down to Woods Lake and camped. Very nice lake, pretty basin. I did a little fishing, and then had time to explore a couple other lakes in the basin. I found this one ( west of Woods Lake) to be quite nice. Reminded me of Precipice Lake a little. The next morning I crossed Woods Creek ( I was a little worried about this, but it wasn't difficult at all), joined the Muir Trail down Woods Creek for a couple of miles and then started up the slope east of Window Creek.
A view looking toward Rae Lakes. I finally made it to Window Peak Lake and camped there. I had always wanted to come here. An isolated lake without trails that few visit.
I didnt know you could actually see the window in Window Peak. You can just barely make it out to right of the summit. I spent quite a bit of time and effort trying to figure out how to get from Window Peak Lake to the basin west of Bench Lake. I PM'ed a couple of HST members and did a lot of reading. I had hoped to go over Explorer Pass for a direct connection, but I gave up on that expecting there to be too much steep snow on the north side. So, the best report I had was Rouguephotonic's famous 111 days in the Sierra from 2012, where he went over White Fork Saddle and White Fork Pass. I chose to do this thinking it was probably doable. I planned a retreat down either Window Creek or White Fork if I ran into trouble. I don't carry ice ax or crampons.
A view ( fantastic) as I went up Window Creek, looking back at the lake and Mount Clarence King.
There was lots of snow. I had to cross or go around a couple of steep snow slopes. Looking down to the creek. Somewhere in here is where Ranger Randy died. I had heard he probably tried and failed to cross a snow bridge. I could see how that could happen here. A view looking up toward Explorer Pass. At this point I was glad I chose not to go here. A view of Mount Clarence King from White Fork Saddle. Mount Clarence King dominates the view from this pass. And another view of Explorer Pass from White Fork Saddle
I am going to have to split my TR into a couple sections.. all for now.. part 2 coming later.