T A L U S D A N C E R S

Cottonwood Lakes to Shepherd Pass,

August 4 - 12, 2007

Trip Report by Owen.

August 4

Travel day from the Bay Area (lunch at TPR) and San Diego (80+

mph). Only Owen and Ernie's trucks were willing to make it up the

4WD road to Symmes Creek trailhead to leave a vehicle at our exit

point. Traditional Talus Dancers Trailhead BBQ and carcamp at

Horseshow Meadows Campground.

August 5

At the trailhead at Horseshoe Meadows: Ryan B, Owen, Dan, Ernie,

Jen, Ryan E, Sarah, Collin. Ryan B's total packweight - ca. 60 lbs.

Owen's total packweight - 27 lbs. Dan's camera gear alone - 12 lbs.

Photo used by permission.

Lunch and naps in a meadow at the base of the moraine below

Cottonwood Lakes Basin.

Entering Cottonwood Lakes Basin. Mt. Langley is on the right.

Dan and Ernie chillin' at the west end of Long Lake and its meadow

near our first camp. There were three other parties camped near us for

a total of a couple dozen campers at the lake that night. It was quite

noisy.

Great ancient tree next to our camp at Long Lake.

Owen's poncho-tarp set-up in wind-break configuration.

August 6

Marching up the switchbacks to New Army Pass. Talus Dancers in

the foreground. Unknown party in the background.

Hidden, Long, and South Fork Lakes below New Army Pass.

Dan and Ernie nearing the top of New Army Pass.

Sarah at the brink [of New Army Pass].

New Army Pass summit shot.

Owen on descent to Rock Creek.

Turn-off to Soldier Lake. Soldier Lake is at the head of the canyon,

Miter Basin lies beyond. We took the left fork to skirt the westshore

of the lake where we lunched and as planned, bid Ernie off. He

camped at Soldier Lake, then headed over Old Army Pass to

Cottonwood Lake No. 5, then back out to Horseshoe Meadow. From

the northwest corner of Soldier Lake, we mounted the ridge above the

westshore and followed it north into Miter Basin.

Traveling through Miter Basin.

Aiming towards Sky Blue Lake.

Ryan and Jen and their luxurious set-up at Sky-Blue Lake. This is

why Ryan's pack is 60 lbs.

Sarah in an area reserved for serious reading at Sky Blue Lake.

Dinner at Sky Blue Lake.

Dusk at Sky Blue Lake.

August 7

Following the creek above Sky Blue Lake enroute to Crabtree Pass.

The entire way from Sky Blue Lake to Crabtree pass involved much

route finding. Sometime a use-trail could be followed, but most of

the time it was a matter of looking for ducks and other hiker's

footprints and accessing our collective mountain instincts. It was

easier than advertised, we did quite well. It helped to have the topo

map for the area nearly memorized (what I do instead of reading

books in camp). The route is well rated at class 2.

Finding a well placed duck on the way from Lake 12125 to Crabtree

Pass.

Discussing the route on a perch above Lake 12125.

The final scramble to Crabtree Pass.

Lunch on Crabtree Pass.

View over the other side. As expected, it appeared rather precipitous.

I had extensively researched this part of the trip and had much respect

for it. Our route down followed the obvious use trail that began just

to the left of our lunch spot as one looks towards the Crabtree Lakes.

Upper Crabtree Lake, our destination for the day appears at the upper

right of the photo.

The use-trail was steep and very slippery, so much so that a few times

we had to walk like crabs. We thought that perhaps this caused the

name of the pass. As it turns out, the pass, the lakes, and the meadow

below were named for W.N. Crabtree, who ran cattle in the meadow

over a century ago. We descended from the pass carefully and

without major incident.

Following the scant but adequate path along the northern shore of the

lake below the pass, like astronauts exploring the planet Earth. Mt.

McAdie is at the upper right of the photo. Crabtree pass itself is to

the right, just out of the range of the photo.

Descending the extensive patio like slabs above Upper Crabtree Lake.

Note - on approach to Upper Crabtree Lake from upstream, do not

descend all the way to the lake following the creek. Cliffs at the

shore block progress around the lake. Stay right and mount the bluff

above the northern shore of the lake . . .

. . . then descend the slabs to the beautiful crescent beach at the north

shore . . .

. . . above which there are spectacular campsites. I laid out on the

beach for quite some time. It had been a long and adverturous day.

Photo used by permission.

August 8

Ryan E., Sarah and Jen taking in Upper Crabtree Lake once more

before departing.

Lower Crabtree Lake, with the first forests in days.

Crabtree Meadow, looking in the direction of the lakes.

At Crabtree Meadow, we picked up a real trail again, had lunch near

the Crabtree Ranger Station, then continued on the John Muir Trail

north towards Wallace Creek. I had never seen so many people on a

trail in the middle of the Wilderness.

Sandy Meadow, from JMT.

Sarah and Collin sitting contently in camp at Wallace Creek.

August 9

Meadow north of Wallace Creek on JMT.

Bighorn Plateau with the Kaweah's in the background. 2007 was a

record dry year, so though it was August, the grass looked like

September/October already.

Lunch and naps at the tarn on Bighorn Plateau, with Mt. Whitney

looming in the distance.

Onward on the JMT to Tyndall Creek.

Bathing in Tyndall Creek near our camp . . . the ultimate Wilderness

spa, right across the trail from the bear box. The granite slabs,

warmed by the sun, in turn warm the wateräwell, just a little.

August 10

At Tyndall Creek, we turned off the JMT and onto the Shepherd Pass

Trail. This was a gentle, pleasant, walk in the [national] park.

Mt. Tyndall overseeing us packing up and lacing our shoes after lunch

at Shepherd Pass.

Descending Shepherd Pass. There is a trail all the way.

It was a long descent. We passed a number of backpackers who were

ascending. They all appeared daunted.

The Pothole. A perfect example of chaos in the Universe.

The trail goes through it.

Shepherd Canyon is spectacular. This colorful wall rises above Anvil

Camp, our final camp.

Happy hour at Anvil Camp. Despite her late start, Karen hiked up 8

miles and 4000 vertical feet from Symmes Creek (our exit point) to

join us for our last night in the Wilderness.

August 11

Mt. Williamson, as viewed enroute to Symmes Creek and the

end of our trip.

After collecting vehicles left at Horseshoe Meadows, then Owen and

Dan at back at Symmes Creek, we headed to Bishop where we had

Carl's Jr. (having fixated on it for the days preceding) then on to

Mammoth where Dan met up with his family and the rest of us

checked into the Rodeway Inn (our traditional Quality Inn being

completely booked), followed by real showers and a festive post-hike

dinner upstairs at Roberto's with Dan's family. Being used to

turning in at sunset for the past week, everyone went to bed early.

August 12

Being used to doing so for the past week, everyone was up at sunrise.

Breakfast was fancy bagels at the fancy Intrawest Village at

Mammoth, then we all headed home.

Owen.