Prologue
I finished my last tutoring gig and headed out of town. It was going to be about a five hour drive to the trailhead. I had a wonderful long conversation with my daughter while leaving town and then listened to podcasts for the rest of the drive. I ended up missing the turn that would have taken me over Monitor Pass, but it worked out well because I was glad to avoid those windy roads in the dark. I made it to the trailhead at 10:30 p.m. and set up the car for a night's sleep.
Day 1
Miles: 16.24 + 1.80= 18.04
Total Miles: 16.24 + 1.80 = 18.04
Elevation Gained: 4934 ft + 331 ft = 5265 ft
Elevation Lost: 1752 ft + 190 ft = 1942 ft
It was not a great night to sleep in the car, but when is it a great night sleep in the back of a Honda Pilot? I was up at 5:30 a.m. I broke down my sleeping gear and repacked my backpack for my three days in the backcountry. After a Starbucks cold brew and a waffle, I was on the trail by 6:30 a.m. It felt a bit surreal to realize I had climbed this pass for the first time just four months earlier during summer break. On that trip, there were forty to fifty cars in the trailhead parking lot. On this trip, I was the only car in sight.
This was truly a shoulder season trip, coming in the first week of November in between a pair of high elevation snowstorms. The temperature was in the high thirties when I took my first steps of the morning and got cooler as I climbed. The elevation, cold air and steepness of the trail slowed me down considerably in the first few miles up to the initial lakes, Pine Lake and Upper Pine Lake.
This was truly a shoulder season trip, coming in the first week of November in between a pair of high elevation snowstorms. The temperature was in the high thirties when I took my first steps of the morning and got cooler as I climbed. The elevation, cold air and steepness of the trail slowed me down considerably in the first few miles up to the initial lakes, Pine Lake and Upper Pine Lake.
Pine Creek Pass was beautiful, calm and serene. I stopped to dry off, have a snack and put on some sunscreen. I soaked it all in and used my binoculars to take a look at the following day’s off-trail pass, Pilot Pass. Since it was a north/south facing pass, the north side had far too much snow for me to feel comfortable descending it from the opposite side. That would change my plans for the trip a bit. I would have to see what the best alternative would be later on.
Pine Creek Pass looking south-east.
My hike down French Canyon was beautiful. The farther I walked, the more my body became fatigued. My feet, hips and shoulders were all so sore. I left the trail at about mile eleven at a planned cut around a corner ridge of a steep outcrop, which led me back with the Piute Creek Trail. I climbed for hundreds of feet until I reached the place I had marked on the map to cut up to Packsaddle Lake. By then, I was exhausted and ready to be done for the day. First days are always tough, and so is being 57 years old.
I crossed Piute Creek and got some water as I was pretty dehydrated. I had neglected to drink enough all day. Exhaustion will do that and send a person into a vicious circle: not drinking enough led to low energy, which made me less motivated to drink, which pushed me even deeper into low energy. After hiking off-trail for about half a mile, I found a terrific spot under a copse of trees. I unpacked and set up my sleeping gear, and then headed off on a short side quest to see Packsaddle Lake and the smaller unnamed lakes around it.
After seeing Packsaddle Lake, the deepest in the cirque, and taking some pictures, I found a smaller unnamed lake that was a little more out of the cold biting breeze and sat down to cook dinner. The colors of the ridge to my left changed by the minute as I cooked and ate my double burrito dinner.
After seeing Packsaddle Lake, the deepest in the cirque, and taking some pictures, I found a smaller unnamed lake that was a little more out of the cold biting breeze and sat down to cook dinner. The colors of the ridge to my left changed by the minute as I cooked and ate my double burrito dinner.
Packsaddle Lake
Colors and shadows around camp.
Humphreys Peak
Once finished, I packed up quickly and wandered back toward camp, passing a couple more small unnamed lakes. Arriving back at camp, I finished setting up for the night and got all my gear organized. I knew it was going to be a long night, and I wanted everything I needed within easy reach.
Little did I know how long a night it would be. It was fully dark a little past five, and I was completely settled in my sleeping bag by 5:45 p.m., the same time that, in the summer, I would have stopped for dinner before getting in five to seven more miles of hiking.
My plan was to watch a lot of downloads to pass the evening. I watched for about an hour and then was dazzled by a completely dark sky, as the nearly full moon would not rise for another hour and a half. I passed the time staring up at the stars, seeing numerous satellites and shooting stars, and taking short stretches to rest my eyes.
Little did I know how long a night it would be. It was fully dark a little past five, and I was completely settled in my sleeping bag by 5:45 p.m., the same time that, in the summer, I would have stopped for dinner before getting in five to seven more miles of hiking.
My plan was to watch a lot of downloads to pass the evening. I watched for about an hour and then was dazzled by a completely dark sky, as the nearly full moon would not rise for another hour and a half. I passed the time staring up at the stars, seeing numerous satellites and shooting stars, and taking short stretches to rest my eyes.
Day 2
Miles: 10.95
Total Miles: 28.99
Elevation Gained: 2618 ft
Elevation Lost: 2123 ft
At some point in the evening, I decided to watch a bit more on my phone, but within about twenty minutes I could not keep my eyes open. That began the pattern of deep, dream infused sleep followed by waking to change position. At about three in the morning, I put on my second layer of warm clothes and was able to continue the pattern until about 6:30 in the morning. It had been thirteen hours in the sleeping bag. Days are short and cold at this time of year.
In twenty six degree temperatures, I made coffee and breakfast from the warmth of my sleeping bag while I watched the sun hit the summits, then the rocky slopes and finally the forest all around my camp.
In twenty six degree temperatures, I made coffee and breakfast from the warmth of my sleeping bag while I watched the sun hit the summits, then the rocky slopes and finally the forest all around my camp.
Cold, cold night.
A little after 7:30 a.m. I was back on the trail. My body felt remarkably better than it had the afternoon prior, and with all the rest that was not surprising. Since I would not be able to take the interesting off-trail line over Pilot Pass because of the snow on the northern side I had seen through binoculars the day before, I would be traveling back along relatively the same route for a bit. I knew that at some point I would be making my way up a very steep forested slope to get into the basin holding all the magical lakes I had come to explore.
Running water down lower in a spot that gets more sun.
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Ice up higher in a spot that gets less sun.
Same creek.
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An hour and a half later it was thirty five degrees, and in another hour it had risen to forty five degrees, a welcome twenty degree shift since I had woken up.
I was actually only on the same trail as the day before for about three miles before cutting off and heading off-trail in the same direction I had come the day before, with a slightly different line. The difference was that this time I stayed off trail and on the east side of French Creek all the way until the climb I had scoped out the day before. The icy meadow and partially frozen creek were beautiful to follow.
The climb ascended without letting up. Rocks of all sizes strewn between lodgepole pine on the forest floor made finding footing much easier. After about an hour and a half, I reached the top.
I was actually only on the same trail as the day before for about three miles before cutting off and heading off-trail in the same direction I had come the day before, with a slightly different line. The difference was that this time I stayed off trail and on the east side of French Creek all the way until the climb I had scoped out the day before. The icy meadow and partially frozen creek were beautiful to follow.
The climb ascended without letting up. Rocks of all sizes strewn between lodgepole pine on the forest floor made finding footing much easier. After about an hour and a half, I reached the top.
Top of the ridge looking back on the invisible French Canyon deep down in the trees.
I walked a short distance over the plateau and then dropped down to Chevaux Lake. There, I took off my pack, got some water, had a snack, put on some sunscreen and soaked up the beauty. This was the first of many lakes I would see today.
Chevaux Lake mostly frozen over.
Hiking north, I made my way up the moderate climb through rocks and windswept lodgepole pine to Alsace Lake, which had spectacular views of the surrounding peaks. Just as I came around the last corner to the lake’s edge, a large brown and white White-tailed Jackrabbit bounded past me about twenty feet ahead. I crept around the corner where I had seen it dart, but never saw it again. This had been the third large jackrabbit I had seen during my summer in the Sierras. Lucky me….twelve times over.
Paris, Puppet and Moon Lakes were all quite inspiring, sitting in such a grand landscape of forest, rock, peaks and sky.
Paris, Puppet and Moon Lakes were all quite inspiring, sitting in such a grand landscape of forest, rock, peaks and sky.
I made my way over a couple of ridges. The last brought me to French Lake, where I got some water before climbing up onto the ridge behind the lake for some sunlight and warmth. There, I purified water and made and ate dinner before heading out at 4:00 p.m., trying to beat the 4:30 p.m. sunset at whatever spot I would choose to set up camp.
French Lake
View from camp.
All settled in.
Day is done.
Day 3
Miles: 8.47
Total Miles: 37.46
Elevation Gained: 495 ft
Elevation Lost: 4029 ft
Yesterday, I arrived at camp with plenty of time to set up while watching a beautiful sunset. The colors were striking against the granite peaks, which were dotted with snow and covered in alpenglow. Once I was zipped up snug as a bug in my bag, I settled in to watch a couple of shows. When the sky turned completely dark, I laid back and stared at the stars for as long as I could keep my eyes open. Then came the hours of tossing and turning. This was the toughest night of sleep so far on the trip. I shifted around trying to get comfortable for most of the night, easing in and out of dreams. I felt colder when I finally woke up and saw the temperature had only dipped to thirty one degrees overnight. I knew the reason I had felt colder was not the temperature itself, but because I had been awake more often and had felt the cold more directly. I was up, packed and on the trail by 6:15 a.m., with almost a mile of off-trail travel left before reconnecting with the Pine Creek Pass Trail.
Sunrise from camp.
Back atop the pass.
Once I reached the trail, I took off a couple of layers and continued trying to thaw out my fingers and toes. The hike down was fascinating, interesting and beautiful. It always amazes me how much one misses when traveling in a single direction, only to be surprised by everything that appears when heading back the opposite way.
Although the creeks were still flowing, most of the standing water on and around the trail was frozen. I guessed this would be the last Sunday of the season with moving water. In just five days a pretty major storm was forecast to roll through this area. My guess was that by the same time next week, the whole region would be under at least a foot or more of snow, snow that would continue to deepen until the spring thaw.
The eight mile trail back to the car was beautiful and serene. On the way in I had seen no one. On the way out, I ran into one older fellow day hiking in the opposite direction.
Although the creeks were still flowing, most of the standing water on and around the trail was frozen. I guessed this would be the last Sunday of the season with moving water. In just five days a pretty major storm was forecast to roll through this area. My guess was that by the same time next week, the whole region would be under at least a foot or more of snow, snow that would continue to deepen until the spring thaw.
The eight mile trail back to the car was beautiful and serene. On the way in I had seen no one. On the way out, I ran into one older fellow day hiking in the opposite direction.
Hidden unnamed lake.
Icy descent.
Final descent into the valley floor.
The sunlight hit the tops of the peaks and slowly lowered as I descended. I decided not to stop for proper coffee and breakfast and instead continued straight to the car. I reached the trailhead at exactly 10:00 a.m. Still, not another car in sight.
Another amazing trip. This was the latest I had ever been able to complete a backcountry trip into the high Sierras. I felt very grateful to get one last trip in for the season. One never knows how long it will be before the winter snows melt away.
Another amazing trip. This was the latest I had ever been able to complete a backcountry trip into the high Sierras. I felt very grateful to get one last trip in for the season. One never knows how long it will be before the winter snows melt away.
TOTALS
Total Miles-37.46 ((31.79 ON Trail and 16.10 OFF Trail))
Total Gained Elevation- 8378 ft
Total Lost Elevation- 8094 ft
Pack Weight without food/water -9.96 lbs
CalTopo MAP
Total Gained Elevation- 8378 ft
Total Lost Elevation- 8094 ft
Pack Weight without food/water -9.96 lbs
CalTopo MAP