Author Topic: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra  (Read 46844 times)

Brad Young

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The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« on: July 27, 2011, 07:09:16 AM »
Yes, it's the title of an excellent guidebook about backpacking in the south part of the range. It's a book that has always fascinated me and, finally, this trip, we got to see and experience some of the areas described by it; we were there, and "self propelled" for 3 1/2 days.

We're in Disneyland now though. Three days and four nights. This family vacation is definitely "well balanced."

To start, my friend Dean helped us with the long drive to Kennedy Meadows trailhead. We didn't get going on the trail though until after 3:00 in the afternoon. But, after all, when a young beauty is hiking with her "Dirty Girl Gaiters," what does time matter?







The hike along the South Fork of the Kern River was warm, but very pretty and mostly flat:







After just five miles, with the sun already behind the mountain and with no further assured camping (with water sources) for another six miles, we decided to camp at a pleasant little spot alongside Clover Meadow:





As usual, the girls each did a full share of setting up camp (Katie especially get's right on setting up the tent, while, normally, I get water and Tricia helps with the tent and starts getting sleeping bags out and deployed).

And that's it for the first day. Not much milage, but we were back on the trail, back on our way, and "all systems go" for another 49 mile trip.

Brad Young

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2011, 09:27:05 AM »
Saturday started out beautifully (and stayed that way all day). As always backpacking, I was up a little early for my breakfast while the girls slept:








We hiked up Crag Canyon for two pretty miles, gaining 1,000 feet of elevation (this was the first of a lot of elevation gain today - part of one of the biggest, hardest PCT days we've had):









After reaching the top of this drainage, we started down into Beck Meadow. This meadow joins with Monache Meadow, which is the largest meadow in the Sierra Nevada:







Continued easy hiking eventually led to an idyllic setting at a bridge over the South Fork Kern River, just under seven miles from our start:





Note in that last photo, the big peak on the horizon? That's Olancha Peak, one of the more prominent mountains in the south-most Sierra. More than ten more miles of hiking, 3,500 feet of elevation gain, and the rest of the day would take us to a point on it's shoulder where we'd eventually just crap out for the day near the only source of water we could find.

Meanwhile though, lunch at the river was very nice;











That last photo, by the way, shows the effects of eating freeze dried blueberries.

From the river we started up gradually. This part of the Sierra is flatter than what we're used to up north. At least it is in some places:







As we got higher the scenery became more alpine:









Here's the view looking back into Beck Meadows from up high (if it looks like a long way to have hiked, well, it felt that way too):





By the time we'd gotten up onto the Olancha Peak massif, we were getting close to tired. Lots of uphill, warm temps and full packs made this a significant hike. Finally, after 17.3 miles, we came across a small stream and a nearly flat spot. The sun and our energy levels were very low on the horizon. We dropped packs and made camp (with a nice view to the west):







And that was the end of the second day. I've known for years that the girls can do long, hard day hikes, but on those they've carried little or no weight. Now I  know now that they can also do the same hikes with weight (and, here, the difficulty wasn't just the distance of 17.3 miles; we gained almost 5,000 feet total in those miles, up to an elevation of 10,500 feet).

In a way this was a critical test. In a year, when we can get back on the trail, we'll likely do seven or eight days of similar distances in a row, with weight and with lots of serious passes.

Up next: more wonderful, beautiful Sierra Nevada hiking. And a reminder that water isn't everywhere in the southern Sierra.

skully

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2011, 01:28:06 PM »
Right on, Brad & Co.  :)
Man, the grass & such is raging in the burn area, huh? I'm not too hip on the DG gaiters, but then I'm not a "dirty Girl" either.  ;)
Thanks a heap, ya'll.
Holy crap! oh, please little hook stay, please stay, that's right you're fine........And  Yes! off THAT manky shit. Whew.

mungeclimber

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2011, 01:34:44 PM »
really nice.  looking forward to more...
On Aid at Pinns... It's all A1 til it crumbles. - Munge

mynameismud

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2011, 02:52:58 PM »
Stellar.  Like the head high flowers.  Almost a bushwhacking pic.  kinda got excited.

good times.
Here's to sweat in your eye

Brad Young

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2011, 04:59:07 PM »
Day three was another beauty, but tough work too. Once we started packing we made quick work and got back on the trail:





Four easy miles led past Gomez Meadow, across flats to Death Canyon, which we thought might be the last source of water for ten miles (it was):







We tanked up on food and water there, expecting next a 2,000 foot elevation gain in the sun.:







Here's a shot of my band-aided and taped foot, which hurt every step, all because of a stupid move on my part: I "repaired" my hiking shoe with shoe-goo type material and then didn't check it to see how the repair went. It was only at the trail-head that I realized that I had just this one pair of hiking shoes and that the left shoe had unremovable little blobs of glue right where they would rub my little toe badly (more on this one later):





We only treated and took three liters of water from Death Canyon. This was mostly because that's how many water bottles we had; it was also partly because I was too reluctant (spelled l-a-z-y) to pull out the six liter bag we use when we get to camp and fill and carry part of that. I turns out that maybe I should have done so. Up we started into a series of 22 switchbacks:





We rested often, since it was still fairly early:





Near the top of the climb we reached again the true pacific crest (defined as where, on one side of an imaginary line, one fallen drop of rainwater runs to the Pacific Ocean, whereas on the other side of the line it runs to the Great Basin). The views from this point down to the Owens Valley were dramatic:







We topped out on the climb, but still had seven miles to go to a sure source of water. And water was needed; we ran out of our mere three liters just partway through the seven miles:





At least the views back toward Olancha Peak were sublime:





Eventually we arrived at a low rise of forest between two large meadows; this was actually on the pacific crest again. Although it looked dry, looks were deceiving, Diaz Meadow had a well-flowing creek and we tanked up in camp for the rest of the afternoon.

And this campsite was among the best. Lots of water, lots of flat, soft ground, lots of afternoon left, great views, and no mosquitos (at least until a short period right at dusk):









And so passed day three and another fun 14.7 miles. The long afternoon set us up for a relatively early start and 12 miles to the pickup point on the next day.

Brad Young

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2011, 07:23:56 AM »
Another beautiful California morning started our fourth day:







But it was still a little chilly at 9,800 feet:




A quick few miles led us to Mulkey Pass, the first of three passes on the PCT from which one can bail to the Horseshoe Meadow trailhead:





Trail Pass came next on what amounted to a large half-circle around Horseshoe:







After less than eight miles we came to Cottonwood Pass where we would leave the PCT down to the trailhead and Vicki. Here's Tricia almost to Cottonwood:





Here's Katie having just left the PCT:





We ate lunch up high before heading down the many switchbacks:





The hike from Cottonwood to the trailhead took an hour. Vicki and I had thought we'd meet up there at about 2:00 p.m. (she drove from home to the trailhead that morning); she got there about 15 minutes "late" and we arrived six minutes after she did:









Once at the car we packed and cleaned up as best we could for the drive to Disneyland. After four days of nursing my foot the sock, bandaids and tape all came off as one with the skin (never again take an untested shoe - I'm old enough to know better!):





And so ended another good journey. We hiked just over 45 miles on the trail, bringing our total milage from the Mexican border to just over 747. We had fun. And that's it now for around a year. Next summer we'll pick up from this point with the goal of backpacking all the way to Tuolumne Meadows, followed by another trip to Sonora Pass (50 minutes from our house, what a contrast to the early days on the trail when the drive down took 10 hours!).

Brad Young

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2011, 08:16:16 AM »
Oh, and one for the Stroms:


mungeclimber

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2011, 08:36:41 AM »
MULKEY MEADOWS!!! WOOT!!!

my favorite ghetto of the Sierra

barely running rivulets of rust colored water in cow pie infested meadows.

Did that trip starting at Cottonwood when I was a teenager. The trail was grim going up and down over horse trails.

First lightning on a backpack.

digging the 'higher' part of this trip as it includes areas where I've been.
On Aid at Pinns... It's all A1 til it crumbles. - Munge

skully

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2011, 03:37:12 PM »
YOWZA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!6!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!5!!!!!!!!!!2!!!!!!!
Nice foot Gobi, Brad. I knew there'd be some carnage.  ;)
Heal that thing up, man. It hurts just to look at.
Holy crap! oh, please little hook stay, please stay, that's right you're fine........And  Yes! off THAT manky shit. Whew.

Brad Young

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2011, 08:44:04 PM »
MULKEY MEADOWS!!! WOOT!!!

my favorite ghetto of the Sierra

barely running rivulets of rust colored water in cow pie infested meadows.

Did that trip starting at Cottonwood when I was a teenager. The trail was grim going up and down over horse trails.

First lightning on a backpack.

digging the 'higher' part of this trip as it includes areas where I've been.

Wow, glad we could reawaken some memories (although maybe they would have been better left alone?). The switchbacks up to Cottonwood (which we came down) will be a formidable uphill when we go back next year.

mungeclimber

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #11 on: July 29, 2011, 08:43:06 AM »
are all your PCT entries on the East Side, or starting at high elevation roads?
On Aid at Pinns... It's all A1 til it crumbles. - Munge

Brad Young

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2011, 08:49:18 AM »
From now until Donner Pass most will be from highway passes (120, 108, 4, 88, etc...). The next one entry though will be from Horseshoe Meadow, which is reached from Lone Pine.

mungeclimber

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #13 on: July 29, 2011, 09:29:46 AM »
Highways or East Side entries, or all the way to 120 from Horseshoe on the next push?
On Aid at Pinns... It's all A1 til it crumbles. - Munge

lasher

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #14 on: July 29, 2011, 09:47:16 AM »
I recognize that blueberry tongue! 

Ouch on the blister.  You really should know better.

Brad Young

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #15 on: July 29, 2011, 06:07:41 PM »
Highways or East Side entries, or all the way to 120 from Horseshoe on the next push?

That is an excellent question, one that will certainly have to wait until I'm de-Disneylanded and will also probably wait until early next Summer. We'll do some training backpacks early next Summer and then see.

You should join us for such a trip. Of all our climbing partners you're the one who climbed first extensively with Katie. You should join her on a backpack too.

mungeclimber

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #16 on: July 29, 2011, 09:03:55 PM »
Would love to. My own annual family backpack trip got kyboshed due to work travel overlapping that i can't get out of.

I have lots of areas that I haven't been into that I would like to check out.

I also have a couple backpacking + climbing trip ideas if you need ideas for training trips.

one thing to do also is a replenisher hiker that comes in while you are in the high country. You get fresh fruit, sweets, a good evening meal, then can ditch your trash with the replenisher too.
On Aid at Pinns... It's all A1 til it crumbles. - Munge

jewelzsez1

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #17 on: August 04, 2011, 03:13:52 PM »
Looks like another great PCT chapter -- given your post hike destination, we might just call it your very own "California Adventure." I'm especially impressed with the backpack sizes and distances given the weight. Too bad we'll have to wait so long to see what happens next...I was just starting to enjoy this book.

Brad Young

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #18 on: August 04, 2011, 05:56:26 PM »

given your post hike destination, we might just call it your very own "California Adventure."


Now that's really quite clever (those of us who've been to Disneyland in the last ten years will get it).

Shawn

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Re: The PCT Volume 16: Self Propelled in the Southern Sierra
« Reply #19 on: August 05, 2011, 05:05:18 PM »
Looks like another excellent installment in your ongoing PCT saga with the girls.  The pictures and narrative are great, as usual.  Makes me totally want to put this experience high up on my to-do list.  Alas, Julie is more fixated on "just climbing" for now... ;-)

<btw, my 1st post, yipee!>