A High Sierra Expedition [Pic heavy]

[GowerGulch42]

When day broke, we had a big day ahead. We needed to hike about 10 miles to Golden Trout Lake, near Paiute Pass. To do so, we had to lose substantial elevation to 9,400' (from our camp at 11,000') then climb back up to 11,000 feet to our campsite. The hike down French Canyon was amazing. The steep canyon walls and looming peaks like Merriam Peak and Pilot Knob kept the eye busy.


DSC_0424 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr


DSC_0438 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr


DSC_0442 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr


DSC_0460 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr

It began to rain after our lunch at Hutchinson Meadow, which made for a largely miserable ascent up Paiute Canyon. By mid-afternoon, the rain cleared and we were treated with views of Glacier Divide and the Matthes Glaciers.

IMG_9633 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr


DSC_0478 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr

We were tired and miserable by the time we reached the upland below Desolation Basin and Paiute Pass, so we set up camp near the trail in another boulder field. This one had staggering views of Mt. Humphreys, Goethe Peak (13,264) and Muriel Peak (12,937).


IMG_9661 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr

The afternoon clouds partly cleared to selectively light peaks and valleys.

DSC_0493 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr


IMG_9659 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr


DSC_0523 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr


DSC_0541 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr


DSC_0588 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr


DSC_0589 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr


DSC_0646 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr

The night sky on our final night was the best yet.

DSC_0669 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr

As dawn broke, we had one final climb - a mere 400 feet to Paiute Pass, and then a steep descent to our vehicles.

IMG_9694 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr


DSC_0680 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr

Summit Lake is used as a control site by the California Cooperative Snow Survey. I know this because I found a sign on a pole some 25 feet above the ground!

DSC_0688 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr

The Gang at the pass (11,423')

IMG_3539 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr

To save room on this post, here's a picture showing the lakes we passed on the way down. It was only about 4 miles from here, and 2.5 of those were nearly level. From front to back, Paiute Lake, unnamed, and Loch Leven.


DSC_0696 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr

The Piute Crags towered above the canyon:

DSC_0715 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr

And finally, we were faced with a steeply switchbacking trail down what was basically a cliff to the car, located at 9,200 feet.


DSC_0719 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr


IMG_9734 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr

One final shot looking back up the trail we just completed:

IMG_9745 by Andrew Dunning, on Flickr


Thanks for joining us. I have about 1,000 other pictures from this trip and about a dozen panoramas. I'll get to those eventually.