We descend from South Lake, picking up a hitch hiker on the way. Turns out he is from Hong Kong and is in the Sierra with his wife doing the Muir Trail. He describes risking life and limb crossing the high passes of the trail choked with this year's unusually high and late melting snow pack. He is writing a guide book and making a DVD for foreign travelers to the Muir trail. Claims to have hiked it's 220 mile length 24 times.
We drop him in Bishop, stopnon for my 8 cherry turnovers at Schat's Bakery, then head north out of town for Mammoth. Mammoth is 3000' higher than Bishop which equates to 15 degrees cooler. A much more comfortable temperature to do laundry and food and gear sorting. As we climb the grade out of Bishop darned if the oil light and buzzer don't wink on again. Temp gauge looks okay, maybe a little warmer than usual, but certainly not overheated. Plenty of oil. Hmmmm. We limp into Mammoth and divide to conquer. Sally sets up camp in the Laundromat while I seek out a way to change the oil, hoping replacing the 4000 mile old oil will help the old beast. I buy a turkey basting pan at the grocery store, dumpster dive for a
used milk jug in back of a latte shop, find the oil recycling place in town and buy five quarts of 20-50 and a new filter at the NAPA. The Mammoth high School student parking lot has a piece of shade, so I do the change there. Sal and I have lunch at Subway while letting the van cool, then we empty all the gear out to expose the engine and water reservoir. It is down about a quart. I add in enough to fill it and the overflow tank, and we are off to make another food drop, this time by car at Red's Meadow a 22 mile drive from Mammoth, down and then up another very large grade.
We drop the food off at Red's, pay the $35 storage fee and spend a delightful hour talking with some kids thru hiking the PCT. We give them the offer we give all PCT bikers we meet. If they will call us when the reach the Columbia and tell us what they want for a food drop and dinner, we will meet them at White Pass with whatever goodies they desire. Steaks, pies, ice cream . . . whatever. We have done this for three years and have yet to have a taker. But, El Presidente (his trail name-real name Reagan Bush-no kidding!) took our name and number and swore he would call, so we will be anticipating his call sometime in September.
The van performed perfectly on the grade out of Red's. Was it the oil or the water? Don't know-Don't care.
Next, it is back to Tuolumne, a climb from 7000' to 11,000' for the van, a true test of the repair work. It is second gear and 28 mph (luckily it is late in the afternoon and no one gets stuck behind us-damn Volkswagons!) most of the climb, but the temp stays down and the oil pressure holds.
We pick up a permit for an overnight hike to Clouds Rest, a 15 mile round trip, secure camping in the campground, treat the kids at the wilderness office to half a dozen donuts and the kids at the camping office to Cherry Turnovers and we are off to pack our packs for the hike tomorrow.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Tuesday, July 13th
Tuesday, July 13th
Monday, July 12
Monday, July 12
Today we drive to Lee Vining and find a hotel for Sally to stay at once she leaves the van at Tuolumne after dropping me off at Road's End for the high route. Then down to Mammoth to check out the bargains at "The Castaway", the local thrift shop run by the nurses at the town hospital. I find a nice baseball mitt for three dollars and Sally finds some nice tops and some dinner plates for her math classroom. We skip town and head further south to Bishop, with visions of cherry turnovers at Schat's Bakery. It is a supreme show of willpower to walk out of Schat's with only two turnovers, although I do put in an order for eight to be picked up the next afternoon.
We pop across the street to go swimming at the public pool only to find it closed on Mondays. The lady at the visitor's center suggests the hot bath and mineral pool 7 miles out of town, Keough's Resort. In the brochure it looks quite elegant. When we walk in we discover a well maintained cement pool with clap board walls built around it. It looked like it was constructed in the 40's. Although it was old and not at all glamorous, the water was great. We both felt clean, mineralized and refreshed after an hour and a half of soaking and swimming.
A quick stop at the Von's for some last minute items, then out of town and up the hill to South Lake. Bishop sits at about 4000'. South Lake is at 9,700'. The distance is 22 miles. This makes for a continuously steep and long road. It was 99 degrees when we left Bishop. Also, there was a strong head wind. Sounds like a recipe for VW Van disaster? It was. About 5 miles out of town the oil light and oil pressure buzzer blinked on, even with fairly high rpms. Sally was driving at the time, and handed the wheel to me, not wanting to be the one that blew the engine. This hill is steep. Now, you might not notice in a "normal" car, but I had to stay in second gear at 28 mph to make it up. The oil light and buzzer plipped on again a few more times, but I nursed it along to the end of the road at South Lake. Whew! Did that engine smell hot! The temp gauge was a little above normal, but seemed reasonable consider the outside temps.
Anyway, we found a place to camp and I started packing Gary's, Andy's and my food into my Kelty frame pack. The idea was to have me freight it in to Dusy Basin for a food drop for us to pick up after week one of the hike. I got all the food (3 people for 11 days-99 meals plus snacks) all into 4 bear cans, loaded them onto my pack, added some personal items like food, rain gear etc and put it on the scale. 75 pounds! I was not expecting it to weigh that much. I put the pack on. I Iove that old Kelty. You load 75 pounds on your back and it feels comfortable. I walked about a quarter mile to the campground entrance to see how it felt. Still felt great. But. Wait a minute. Hold on a second. Let's think this thru. I am to go by myself, climb 2000' over eight miles thru a 12,000' pass with this thing on my back and then return, all in the same day? Three days before the start of a 200 mile trek I have been planning for nine months? Ego or common sense? If I injure myself performing this food cache it will knock me out of the trip. But, when I was young I wouldn't hesitate to do this. I'm now 56. Knees get sore. Recover time is longer. Hmmmm. Sally sees me standing outside the van, the monster on my back, contemplating my future. To her credit, she did not chirp in with an opinion, but let me wrestle with my ego versus reality conflict.
In the waning light I set the pack on the picnic table, stepped inside the van and decided Gary, Andy and I would hike out to get the food rather than me risking lugging it over the pass. Sally heartily agrees with this decision.
A late, quick spaghetti dinner, and it is off to sleep.
Today we drive to Lee Vining and find a hotel for Sally to stay at once she leaves the van at Tuolumne after dropping me off at Road's End for the high route. Then down to Mammoth to check out the bargains at "The Castaway", the local thrift shop run by the nurses at the town hospital. I find a nice baseball mitt for three dollars and Sally finds some nice tops and some dinner plates for her math classroom. We skip town and head further south to Bishop, with visions of cherry turnovers at Schat's Bakery. It is a supreme show of willpower to walk out of Schat's with only two turnovers, although I do put in an order for eight to be picked up the next afternoon.
We pop across the street to go swimming at the public pool only to find it closed on Mondays. The lady at the visitor's center suggests the hot bath and mineral pool 7 miles out of town, Keough's Resort. In the brochure it looks quite elegant. When we walk in we discover a well maintained cement pool with clap board walls built around it. It looked like it was constructed in the 40's. Although it was old and not at all glamorous, the water was great. We both felt clean, mineralized and refreshed after an hour and a half of soaking and swimming.
A quick stop at the Von's for some last minute items, then out of town and up the hill to South Lake. Bishop sits at about 4000'. South Lake is at 9,700'. The distance is 22 miles. This makes for a continuously steep and long road. It was 99 degrees when we left Bishop. Also, there was a strong head wind. Sounds like a recipe for VW Van disaster? It was. About 5 miles out of town the oil light and oil pressure buzzer blinked on, even with fairly high rpms. Sally was driving at the time, and handed the wheel to me, not wanting to be the one that blew the engine. This hill is steep. Now, you might not notice in a "normal" car, but I had to stay in second gear at 28 mph to make it up. The oil light and buzzer plipped on again a few more times, but I nursed it along to the end of the road at South Lake. Whew! Did that engine smell hot! The temp gauge was a little above normal, but seemed reasonable consider the outside temps.
Anyway, we found a place to camp and I started packing Gary's, Andy's and my food into my Kelty frame pack. The idea was to have me freight it in to Dusy Basin for a food drop for us to pick up after week one of the hike. I got all the food (3 people for 11 days-99 meals plus snacks) all into 4 bear cans, loaded them onto my pack, added some personal items like food, rain gear etc and put it on the scale. 75 pounds! I was not expecting it to weigh that much. I put the pack on. I Iove that old Kelty. You load 75 pounds on your back and it feels comfortable. I walked about a quarter mile to the campground entrance to see how it felt. Still felt great. But. Wait a minute. Hold on a second. Let's think this thru. I am to go by myself, climb 2000' over eight miles thru a 12,000' pass with this thing on my back and then return, all in the same day? Three days before the start of a 200 mile trek I have been planning for nine months? Ego or common sense? If I injure myself performing this food cache it will knock me out of the trip. But, when I was young I wouldn't hesitate to do this. I'm now 56. Knees get sore. Recover time is longer. Hmmmm. Sally sees me standing outside the van, the monster on my back, contemplating my future. To her credit, she did not chirp in with an opinion, but let me wrestle with my ego versus reality conflict.
In the waning light I set the pack on the picnic table, stepped inside the van and decided Gary, Andy and I would hike out to get the food rather than me risking lugging it over the pass. Sally heartily agrees with this decision.
A late, quick spaghetti dinner, and it is off to sleep.
Sunday, July 11
Up before light and on the trail down to the Valley. This early morning travel has it's advantages. Very cool and comfortable. Very few people. No direct sun. We got to enjoy Nevada Falls by ourselves. It was in full bloom, torrents of water hurling off the face crashing on the apron below. Vernal was equally impressive. We got to the Valley about 9:30 and caught the free shuttle bus to the lodge. It is interesting to note what a novelty you become once in the Valley if you are carrying a backpack. Little kids stare at you as if you descended from the moon and clean, well heeled tourists treat you with curiosity.
We got off at the lodge, secured an outside table by leaning our packs against it and went inside the lunchroom, emerging with a spinach and walnut salad. We enjoyed the salad and people watching until the pool opened at 11:00. An hour soaking off the trail dirt, then a couple hours touring the Valley haunts: Awanhee Hotel, grocery store, Ansel Adams studio, Degnan's Pizza Loft then off to the bus stop for the Shuttle to Tuolumne. 7:15 sees us dropped at the Tuolmne store. A quick walk to our van and soon we are at the camping kiosk finding an empty site. A quick sorting of the food and the dirty clothes and we hit the sack.
Monday, July 12, 2010
We'll have fun if it stops raining
Today, Thursday, July 8 it finally did not rain on us. The first two days of our hike dawned with cloudless skies, but by 10am the first hints of small puffy clouds began to form. As the day heated up, these little puffs of condensed moisture grew until about 2pm they obscured the sun, then thickened, turned black and began pelting us with rain about 3 or 4. Of course, we could see the events and predict our future, so we were snug in our tent both days as the first drops started to fall. About 7pm, the energy in the atmosphere dissipated, the rain stopped and we crawled out of our tent to watch night fall, so back into the tent for sleep and up the next morning to cloudless skies and a repeat weather performance.
But today, Thursday we are at our garden oasis of the Sierra, Emerick Lake. The clouds began to form, but never threatened, and we enjoyed a delightful day by the outlet fishing, exploring and reading. We built a small fire to cook the fish and enjoyed two very fat 16" and 14" trout.
Tomorrow we head down the hill to Merced Lake.
But today, Thursday we are at our garden oasis of the Sierra, Emerick Lake. The clouds began to form, but never threatened, and we enjoyed a delightful day by the outlet fishing, exploring and reading. We built a small fire to cook the fish and enjoyed two very fat 16" and 14" trout.
Tomorrow we head down the hill to Merced Lake.
Chuck
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
A First Day Out
Tuesday, July 6
Drove into Tuolumne Meadows early yesterday morning after spending the night in the van just outside the park, about a mile from the Tioga Pass entrance. We stopped at the camping office, securing site 48 on loop A, our desired location due to the signal strength of cell service. Any loop further down the alphabet sees a decrease in reception, and we had some business to attend to securing flights and accommodations for Scott Lyons' wedding in Tahoe over Labor Day.
So now I find myself hunkered down in the tent halfway up the grade to Evelyn Lake at 4:20 in the afternoon listening to thunder claps and rain pelting the tent. The clouds started forming about 11 this morning and have been building up to this moment.
We hiked about 8 miles in today and quit just at the right time. We had just got the tent pitched and were beginning to relax when the first drops came slicing in. It spurred a truth session. We both were feeling the afternoon sleepies but neither had mentioned it to the other, so we retired to the tent to sleep off the afternoon rainstorm.
There is so much water!! The Tuolumne was too swift and deep to cross to our favorite campsite. Coming up the grade toward Evelyn the hillside was awash in water. Every creek bed that is usually dry was brimming with water.
Also, it is amazing how different an area looks at different times of day. I have been up this trail a dozen times, but usually in the early morning. Today, we climbed it in the afternoon, and it was like we were at a different place. No morning sun to cast dynamic shadows, just the flat light of an overcast sky. Even repeating a trail can bring new experiences and joys.
Drove into Tuolumne Meadows early yesterday morning after spending the night in the van just outside the park, about a mile from the Tioga Pass entrance. We stopped at the camping office, securing site 48 on loop A, our desired location due to the signal strength of cell service. Any loop further down the alphabet sees a decrease in reception, and we had some business to attend to securing flights and accommodations for Scott Lyons' wedding in Tahoe over Labor Day.
So now I find myself hunkered down in the tent halfway up the grade to Evelyn Lake at 4:20 in the afternoon listening to thunder claps and rain pelting the tent. The clouds started forming about 11 this morning and have been building up to this moment.
We hiked about 8 miles in today and quit just at the right time. We had just got the tent pitched and were beginning to relax when the first drops came slicing in. It spurred a truth session. We both were feeling the afternoon sleepies but neither had mentioned it to the other, so we retired to the tent to sleep off the afternoon rainstorm.
There is so much water!! The Tuolumne was too swift and deep to cross to our favorite campsite. Coming up the grade toward Evelyn the hillside was awash in water. Every creek bed that is usually dry was brimming with water.
Also, it is amazing how different an area looks at different times of day. I have been up this trail a dozen times, but usually in the early morning. Today, we climbed it in the afternoon, and it was like we were at a different place. No morning sun to cast dynamic shadows, just the flat light of an overcast sky. Even repeating a trail can bring new experiences and joys.
Chuck
Sunday, July 4, 2010
The Approach
I conceived of doing the Sierra High Route a couple summers ago, but waited until Sally and I got to go to Europe last year before putting a plan into action. It has been nine months since I floated my first feelers out to friends and family about participating in the trip. The nine months have now passed and only two weeks remain. Anticipation is a good thing, like the build up to Christmas, but finally getting to go is better. I can't count how many times I packed and repacked my gear, worried over the calorie and nutritional content of my menu, played scenarios in my mind, etc. It is nice now to be on the road, physically headed in the direction. A peace of mind now has replaced the anticipation.
Speaking of anticipation, trying to anticipate, or guess, the snowfall 9 months ahead of time is impossible. When scheduling the dates of the SHR I could go early in the year and hope for a light snow year, go late and hope for a heavy snow year or choose the middle and hope for average snow fall. We all know that the average never happens, it is that artificial mean generated by mathematics, but I picked the average anyhow and set the starting date at mid-July, hoping to have the last of the winter's snows melting off in the first weeks and dry conditions in the last two weeks. Ooops. Missed the mark. 150% of normal snowfall this winter with a slow spring melt off. As I drive through the Mt. Shasta area I see tons of snow piled on the north, east and west slopes. Only the south slopes have surrendered their white coating to the summer sun. So, we will be on snow for much of the route. Easier on the knees, quicker on the descents, but wetter on the feet. The blinding glare and 10,000'+ elevation will require judicious sun block applications. Hopefully, the flowers will break through for us to enjoy.
Speaking of anticipation, trying to anticipate, or guess, the snowfall 9 months ahead of time is impossible. When scheduling the dates of the SHR I could go early in the year and hope for a light snow year, go late and hope for a heavy snow year or choose the middle and hope for average snow fall. We all know that the average never happens, it is that artificial mean generated by mathematics, but I picked the average anyhow and set the starting date at mid-July, hoping to have the last of the winter's snows melting off in the first weeks and dry conditions in the last two weeks. Ooops. Missed the mark. 150% of normal snowfall this winter with a slow spring melt off. As I drive through the Mt. Shasta area I see tons of snow piled on the north, east and west slopes. Only the south slopes have surrendered their white coating to the summer sun. So, we will be on snow for much of the route. Easier on the knees, quicker on the descents, but wetter on the feet. The blinding glare and 10,000'+ elevation will require judicious sun block applications. Hopefully, the flowers will break through for us to enjoy.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Sierra Summer
It used to be "Let your fingers do the walking . . .". Now it is "Let your thumbs do the talking". So, once again my thumbs are flying over my iPhone's keypad typing out the story of our summer adventures.
It is 9:20 in the evening and we are headed south on I-5 in Salem. Destination: Yosemite. Sally has two weeks of hiking in front of her, and I have six. Besides the obvious goals of having fun and seeing the Sierras from south to north, I am really hoping to shed a winter's accumulation of fat. "Chuck's 45 day diet". Catchy title, eh?
Tuolumne Meadows tomorrow night. Rest area tonight for us. Gotta love this Westfalia
It is 9:20 in the evening and we are headed south on I-5 in Salem. Destination: Yosemite. Sally has two weeks of hiking in front of her, and I have six. Besides the obvious goals of having fun and seeing the Sierras from south to north, I am really hoping to shed a winter's accumulation of fat. "Chuck's 45 day diet". Catchy title, eh?
Tuolumne Meadows tomorrow night. Rest area tonight for us. Gotta love this Westfalia
Chuck
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
