SHR 2012 ~ Day 7: Palisade Basin to LeConte Canyon

Dan at the top of Potluck Pass.

Day 7 started with Potluck Pass. This was an easy pass that leads to the rest of Palisade Basin. After an easy scramble we were at the top enjoying some amazing views.

Miter Basin - Cottonwood Lakes 08/10/2012 - 08/12/2012

Storms in the distance along the PCT. 

This was a relaxing trip with lots of scenery and some good lighting thanks to the daily storms.

I took off last Friday morning at 4:30 am and by 7:30 am I was at the permit office in Lone Pine. No problem getting a walk-in permit for the Cottonwood Pass trail.

Cottonwood Pass seemed much easier than NAP and within two hours I was chasing the incoming storms to Soldier Lake.

Glacier Divide Loop ~ Piute Pass, Alpine Col, Lamarck Col 03/21 - 03/25/2013

After taking a few winter trips in the local San Jacinto mountains this winter I was excited to take a real Sierra winter trip. For my first real winter experience in the Sierras I decided to start from familiar ground, the North Lake trailhead near Bishop. The plan was to cross the Sierra Crest at Piute Pass, then cross the Glacier Divide at Alpine Col and finally back over the Sierra Crest at Lamarck Col. I had four days and three nights to make the loop on snowshoes. 

Driving out of Bishop for some big mountain adventure. 

JMT Side Trips in the Minarets Wilderness

The Minarets from Ediza Lake.

After reading some of the recent posts on the John Muir Trail Facebook page I noticed some people asking about side trips on the JMT.

SHR 2012 ~ Day 5: Marion Lake to Upper Basin

Lake Basin.

On Day 5 we traveled cross country through some of the most remote and beautiful areas of the High Sierra.

SHR 2012 ~ Day 6: Upper Basin to Palisade Basin

Frozen Lake Pass & Vennacher Needle from Upper Basin.

By Day 6 we joined the JMT in Upper Basin and for the first time in four days saw other hikers. 

SHR 2012 ~ Day 4: Horseshoe Lake to Marion Lake

Tehipite Dome from Windy Ridge.

On day 4 we got an early start and began contouring north toward Windy Ridge. It was easier than I expected to route find through the sparse forest. I was mostly eager to climb the granite passes and ridges, but the early walk through the forest was peaceful and reminded me of the many fall trips I enjoyed as a kid in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. 

SHR 2012 ~ Day 2: Bubbs Creek to Granite Pass

Kings Canyon.

Day 3 started out easy enough. Just a cruise down Bubbs Creek to Roads End. No problem. But by the time we got to the Copper Creek Trailhead it was 12:00 noon. . and hot. 90+ degrees at the start of this mostly exposed hike 5,000 feet up unrelenting switchbacks. I had been in the Sierras every other weekend all summer, climbing Class III passes and getting lots of trail miles in to stay in shape. Although it had been two weeks since my last trip I thought it would be reasonably doable, and it was a challenge but not all that bad.

SHR 2012 ~ Day 1: Onion Valley to Bubbs Creek/Spinx Creek Junction

The start of our journey at the Onion Valley trailhead.

Day 1 started with some logistics. After leaving our cars at the South Lake trailhead near Bishop we took a shuttle to Onion Valley. Although it was convenient to start and end this section of the SHR from the east side of the Sierra it meant that our first day would be spent hiking toward the official start of the route at the Copper Creek trailhead at Roads End. By the time we made it to Onion Valley it was already 10:30 am.

SHR 2012 ~ Day 3: Granite Pass to Horseshoe Lakes

Grouse Lake

Day 3 was the beginning of the cross country section of the SHR. After hiking a short time to the top of Granite Pass we left the trail and contoured northeast to Grouse Lake. The water in this pristine alpine lake was beautiful.