EISPIRATEN

Looks like GMR on the way up to Sunset Peak.

Nice hike! I went there a dozen years ago, took the south trail instead. Much the same, walking through trees until they were gone and then just a lot of slow uphill. My summit was in June so there was a lot more snow all over than what your pictures show. And the best part - prime rib dinner at Qui...

Girl Hiker wrote: ↑My Whitney permit has been canceled two years in a row due to fires

I was planning to go backpacking up Shadow Creek since a few permits opened up last week. Now all I can do is go visit Potato Mountain? Is Stoddard Peak outside the NF?

For what it's worth the FS has closed all the National Forests in California that it manages - basically all of them except Humboldt-Toyaibe.

Hmm, that sounds like Mt Williamson.

I have a few since I've been up there 30+ times. IMG_0417.jpg June 2009, the note told some guy to head over to Pine so he could meet up with the rest of his group. IMG_0569.jpg September 2010 IMG_1043.jpg October 2011, group hike with the Whitney Portal Message Board gang. IMG_2049.jpg June 2012, g...

In my neighbor's front yard...

Way too hot for me to consider walking out there. I hiked Charleston in November one year, had just enough light to get that done.

That's a lot of carrying over bad biking trail.
About 10 years ago I saw a half dozen guys riding on the backbone area as I was descending. Had to wait for all of them to clear the narrow trail.

Great backpacking trip! The photos are great. I idea of backpacking is still foreign to me, but I can see the payoff in your trip with big miles and so much area you got to visit. Sleeping with mosquitos sounds pretty awful. Do you think the mosquitos are a feature of the area or just this time of ...

Box lake is as far as you went on the trail? I've been there a few times, best place to take people as an introduction to the Sierras.

Dont forget about Topsy Turvy Lake in the same group.
That area would be a nice easy backpack weekend.

How were the water levels in creeks/lakes? Looks decent from your pics. The mapped places all had water. It's still early, although I talked to some folks in town who said this year is about two months ahead of schedule - meaning my trip would normally be the levels at end of August. The seasonal s...

Blue Lake is one of my favorite places to visit. I can sit at the outflow side for hours looking at scenery and watching the fish.
Nice to see Dingleberry, it seems worth the walk next time I'm up there.

Frosty Chalet is one of my favorite places! Joseph's has apparently been purchased since it now has a different name.

Thanks for sharing this! I really miss the high country. I guess weather was at issue, but you should've done the extra few steps to Blaney Hot Sprs. The public spring (not the private resort ranch) is across-river from the trail, sits in a lovely meadow with grass ringing the 4m-wide pool, waist-d...

Thanks for the report and congrats on your epic trek. It took me awhile but I finally figured out how to stop losing my sunglasses on hikes. I don't wear them anymore. ...... I've seen some barefoot hikers negotiating rough, rocky terrain. I wonder how often they slice their feet. Seems very limiti...

I wish that I was brave enough to take a long trek like that all alone backpacking. By the way, I didn't know that there was a shuttle from Alabama hills. Good to know. I go out solo but on the JMT highway I am never alone. The sheer number of permits per day guarantee that I will see people at lea...

Finding the phone was fortunate - no one camping at that spot? Otherwise how would we get the flower pics? (thanks for sharing them, I like the purple one)

Day 5 pics: DSC06501.jpg A very windy night, my tent finally blew over in the morning while I was cooking up hot chocolate. DSC06503.jpg This morning I get to walk down this canyon before yet another uphill trek. DSC06519.jpg Down in Tully Hole, last shade for a while. DSC06521.jpg These switchbacks...

Day 4 pics: DSC06417.jpg Another morning view. DSC06427.jpg Random stream crossing. DSC06434.jpg Had to sit here for a while just to cool off on the long long trek up to Silver Pass. DSC06442.jpg I thought Silver Pass was just ahead, wrong again as it was another three hours. DSC06449.jpg Another co...

Day 3 pics: DSC06327.jpg Morning view as I walked up toward Senger Creek. DSC06332.jpg Senger Creek, excellent break spot. I also saw my only deer of the trip. DSC06344.jpg Lower Sallie Keyes Lake. There was a Bald Eagle parked on a rock across the way. DSC06359.jpg Heart Lake as I kept climbing up ...

Day 2 pics: DSC06277.jpg Morning view from my campsite. DSC06281.jpg Trekking down the canyon this morning. DSC06289.jpg Near the creek is nice, this was part of my five miles of misery where the mosquitos were particularly voracious. DSC06291.jpg This guy didn't escape the bugs. DSC06299.jpg Water ...

Day 1 pics: DSC06218.jpg Morning view of Mt Whitney from the Alabama Hills. IMG_8158.jpg Parking lot in Bishop near the Police station and shuttle stop. Last-minute gathering of all the hiking goods. DSC06219.jpg Part pavement, part dirt road walk up to North Lake. A couple vehicles passed me on the...

My Sierra sojourn this year.... June 19-23, 2021 I planned for six days and nearly 70 miles on this sojourn, entering the backcountry via Piute Pass and exiting over Duck Pass into Mammoth Lakes. As can happen in the wilderness, plans change and I walked out a day earlier and a few miles shorter. Th...

My neighbors got me some Bigfoot socks to wear on my Sierra journey last week. I brought them along and used them for my (very tasteful) International Hike Naked Day photo-shoot. Think Red Hot Chili Peppers.......

Looks like you can see just about forever up there, nice walk!
Wear wool, it doesn't stink.
Definitely about the end of the season for front range.

Thanks for the TR. That's the first time I've heard of a ranger checking permits in the Cucamonga Wilderness. I wonder how many people bother to fill out that form these days. When I first started hiking that area you had to get the form from the visitor center. It was annoying. Since I'm older tha...

Do the PCT hikers bypass any of the same brushy areas or are they just powering through all that stuff?

I like that baby blue eyes, and never knew the name of the hairy vetch. Thanks for these!