A week in the Sierra's

[kellymoe]

I just returned from a 45 mile backpacking trip that lasted Monday thru Friday. I started at South Lake and headed over Bishop Pass into Dusy Lakes Basin. Headed down to Le Conte Cyn then down the Middle Fork of the Kings River to Palisades Creek. Up Palisades to Mather Pass, down to the South Fork of the Kings and then out over Taboose Pass.

Saw bear, deer, marmots etc. Rained, hailed, lightning and thunder, absolutely stunning weather.

I brought my fly pole and caught fish for dinner along the way. Fishing was great, especially in the creeks.

I need to do more of this, it's good for the soul to get out of the car and walk away.

Sorry for the short TR but really what more is there to say?

 

[AZCPP]

Nice!

 

[Johnny Dollar]

lovin' it.

:campfire:

 

[firemansxterra]

nice pics and it sounds like you enjoyed getting away from everything...that's a must do from time to time...give the soul time to recharge!

 

[kellymoe]

It had been almost 25 years since I backpacked multi day like that. I missed the pain and aclimation. By the 3rd day I was feeling good again and wished I could stay another week.

nice pics and it sounds like you enjoyed getting away from everything...that's a must do from time to time...give the soul time to recharge!

 

[jeepmedic46]

I just returned from a 45 mile backpacking trip that lasted Monday thru Friday. I started at South Lake and headed over Bishop Pass into Dusy Lakes Basin. Headed down to Le Conte Cyn then down the Middle Fork of the Kings River to Palisades Creek. Up Palisades to Mather Pass, down to the South Fork of the Kings and then out over Taboose Pass.

Saw bear, deer, marmots etc. Rained, hailed, lightning and thunder, absolutely stunning weather.

I brought my fly pole and caught fish for dinner along the way. Fishing was great, especially in the creeks.

I need to do more of this, it's good for the soul to get out of the car and walk away.

Sorry for the short TR but really what more is there to say?

I hear that.

 

[Boulos Studios]

Saw bear,

how far away was the bear from you?

Great trip!

Maher

 

[kellymoe]

how far away was the bear from you?

Great trip!

Maher

When we crested a rise on our way to the top of Taboose Pass we startled the bear right on the trail. I was a little further down trail and still came within 50 feet of it. The guys in front of me said they almost bumped into it. It took off like a rocket.

 

[OneTime]

Man you make me miss home! My girls said they had 80 in Valencia this week and heard Monday the beaches were 90.

 

[spressomon]

When we crested a rise on our way to the top of Taboose Pass we startled the bear right on the trail. I was a little further down trail and still came within 50 feet of it. The guys in front of me said they almost bumped into it. It took off like a rocket.

A friend of mine was telling me about how incredibly scenic (as if there is a place in the Sierra that is not scenic ;-) Tehipite Valley is. But he said, coming from the Bishop Pass side of the Sierra there used to be a bridge that you could cross the Middle Fork of the Kings River(?) but it had was washed out a number of years ago. And there isn't really a safe way to cross this normally fast and deep river to get to Tehipite Valley from the East. Know anything about this? Looking into it for a potential summer '09 backpack destination.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[cnynrat]

A friend of mine was telling me about how incredibly scenic (as if there is a place in the Sierra that is not scenic ;-) Tehipite Valley is. But he said, coming from the Bishop Pass side of the Sierra there used to be a bridge that you could cross the Middle Fork of the Kings River(?) but it had was washed out a number of years ago. And there isn't really a safe way to cross this normally fast and deep river to get to Tehipite Valley from the East. Know anything about this? Looking into it for a potential summer '09 backpack destination.

Thanks,
Dan

It's been a long time since that bridge was there. I backpacked into Tehipite Valley probably 20 years ago, and the bridge wasn't there then. I was coming from Kings Canyon (middle fork of the Kings River IIRC). I came down into LeConte Canyon late one afternoon and found no bridge, and quite a large, deep and fast flowing river, even in early September. With no other obvious alternative I set up camp and figured I'd look around the next day for a way across.

The next day I started working my way downstream along the south side of the river and within a mile or so came to a very large tree that had conveniently fallen across the river. It was probably 4-5' in diameter. I scooted across the tree and continued down river to Tehipite Valley. No telling whether the tree is still there all these years later.

I spent a couple days in Tehipite Valley without seeing another soul. The geological formations are strikingly similar to Yosemite - there is a large dome and a number of hanging valleys along the rim. However, the floor of the valley is quite a bit lower elevation compared to Yosemite so the flora is mainly typcial high desert scrub. I remember seeing yuccas, and not too many trees. Still, worth a visit.

I do remember fishing in the North Fork of the Kings River being absurdly good. One evening I think I caught three trout for dinner in 4 casts.

There used to be a trail that came down into Tehipite Valley from the north that could be accessed from a trailhead on the west side of the Sierras, probably somewhere around Courtright Reservoir. I've never taken that trail, and am not sure it's still maintained.

My, this post has brought back some fond memories from a long time ago!

 

[kellymoe]

Depending on the snow year it shouldnt be too hard to find a way across the MFK around the Le Conte Ranger Station or further down stream. From July on during a normal year, fording the river should be easy. I have never been to Tephite but have seen pictures of Tephite Dome and pictures from a group of kayakers that carried their kayaks over Bishop Pass:Wow1: and down to the MFK then kayaked out.

Both of these pictures are of the MFK River Canyon from the Bishop Pass trail.

 

[cnynrat]

I Googled around a bit and found some more info on the routes into Tehipite Valley. This is from the guide book called High Sierra by R.J. Secor, published in 1999.

The trail I recalled that leads directly into Tehipite Valley from the north branches off from the Crown Valley trail, which originates at the Crown Valley trailhead. I'm not sure where that is - I've never used that trailhead. It looks like it might be 16-17 miles from the trailhead down into Tehipite Valley. That is probably the shortest hiking route, but may not be the most interesting.

As I mentioned in the earlier post I came over the divide between the S. fork of the Kings River down to the Middle Fork at Simpson Meadow on the Granite Pass trail. The guidebook talks about the trail crossing over the river on a large log near Simpson Meadow, so at least in 1999 the log I used was still there. I was probably there in the early-mid '80's. The guidebook also mentions a waist deep ford just above Simpson meadow. That jives with my memory that it was a pretty big river at that point, and I was there in early September.

 

[spressomon]

cnynrat & kellymoe: Thank you both for your info and photos! Looks like a place I have to see! I have spent all my Sierra backpacking north of Mt Humphreys. My brother and I did an incredibly beautiful trip into the Rock Creek and out Pine Creek drainages in August '06. We timed it just perfectly: Huge water and wildflower bloom like I've never seen before.

But I do want to see the Bishop Pass and south areas!

 

[nwoods]

I'm getting out plenty, but I need to get UP more. We topped out just before Chicken Foot lake along the Rock Creek trail. My daughter had reached her limit, and frankly, I was happy to stop there too, not in the shape I need to be for long distance alpine hikes.

Here is a view of one of the lower lakes along the Rock Creek trail: