Five Inspirational Days Below Mt. Humphreys, California

The Trip

 “The scenery of all the passes, especially at the head, is of the very wildest and grandest description – lofty peaks massed together, and laden around their bases with ice and snow; chains of glacier lakes; cascading streams in endless variety, with glorious views, westward over a sea of rocks and woods, and eastward over the strange ashy plains and volcanoes and mountain ranges of Mono and Inyo. Every pass, however, possesses treasures of beauty all its own, and the finding of these is one of the mountaineer’s exceeding great rewards.” – John Muir, Scribner’s Monthly March 1879

The John Muir Wilderness has long been a profound source of inspiration for those fortunate enough to visit. This part of the Sierra is renowned for its high mountain passes, its many lakes, and its endless granite basins. Mt. Humphreys anchors this area and its distinctive shape and unusual coloring have made it the subject of many of noted photographer Galen Rowell’s best-known works.

Our trip will take us into the High Sierra from the east side, over Piute Pass and into Humphreys Basin. Our first view into the basin from the pass will yield one of the classic views, as Muir said, “of a sea of rocks.” This will be the beginning of our many, “…great rewards.”

From our starting point at North Lake, we climb over Piute pass and cross into the high country on our first day. Our 20-mile route will be mostly on-trail, with at least a day and a half of cross-country hiking. We will make a counterclock wise circuit of Humphreys Basin exiting by way of the Desolation Lakes. We will pass stately lodgepole pines at lower elevations, which give way to Sierra juniper higher up, before giving way to treeless granite. While the prime flower season will likely have passed, our ramblings will take us through many meadows where we should still see a few late-blooming wildflowers. We spend most of the trip above tree line and will have the opportunity to see the work of the glaciers up close. And, we will pass (and stop at and swim in!) an assortment of streams and lakes.

The Project

Day 1: We leave from North Lake and head up to Piute Pass. At the pass, we trek even higher to a secluded lake with magnificent views of a snow-capped escarpment to the south and Mt. Humphreys to the north. This first day is only 6 miles, but we climb over 2,500 feet which will be a challenge due to the high altitude and our heavy packs. 

Day 2: We head cross-country into Humphreys Basin and will find a campsite near one of the Humphreys Lakes, with a view of magical Mt. Humphreys from yet another dramatic angle. We will only cover 3 miles, descending and gaining a few hundred feet. 

Day 3: On our layover day, we will be free to climb nearby peaks and passes, wander off to nearby lakes, or just snooze in the sun.

Day 4: After our layover, we will head west towards Forsaken Lake and descend to Desolation Lake. From there we will take a used trail by Lower Desolation Lake and rejoin the Piute Pass trail before the pass. We will then return to either our Day 1 campsite or a nearby lake for one last night to enjoy a final gourmet dinner and a last view of the Milky Way. We will cover about 6 miles, descending and gaining about 1,000 feet.

Day 5: Our last day takes us down to Piute Pass and the trailhead at North Lake. We should be back to our cars by early to mid-afternoon on Friday. However, it is recommended that participants plan return flights for the next day as there is no guarantee that we will return to the trailhead at the expected time.

Please bring a flexible demeanor with you on the trip. The itinerary may change due to unforeseen conditions or circumstances. Whatever route we take, ours will be enjoyable and inspirational – in this place that “possesses treasures of beauty all its own.”

Getting There

Our trip begins in a campground near North Lake outside of Bishop, CA. We will meet informally the evening before the trip begins to get to know one another and begin to acclimatize to the altitude. The trip will officially start with breakfast on Monday, August 12 and we plan to be on the trail around 9:30 am.

The closest airports are Reno (225 miles and 4 hours), Los Angeles(300 miles and 5 hours), Reno (300 miles and 5.5 hours), and San Francisco (350 miles and 6 hours). A group roster will be provided well before the trip to assist trip members who want to form their carpools to the campground.

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

The trip price includes all meals from breakfast on day one through lunch on day five and the use of group camping gear. Creating masterpieces from dried and dehydrated fruits, vegetables, and meat is a passion of your assistant leader. You may even find yourself signing up for future trips just for the food! A nutritious, high-energy diet is planned. Participants will be divided into cook crews so everyone will have a chance to prepare (and clean up) a day’s meals.

Trip Difficulty

Our trip is rated “moderate/level 3” primarily due to the low mileage. However, we will experience significant elevation gains and losses on the first and last days while traveling 6+ miles on those days. There is also a day and a half of cross-country hiking.

The ability to hike 6+ miles at high altitudes with a full backpack is a necessity. You must be comfortable carrying a heavy backpack. The need for mental and physical preparation cannot be overemphasized. If you have never hiked long distances at high elevations with a heavy pack, this is not likely the trip for you. And, even if you have, you will need to train for the challenge. If you are in excellent physical condition before the trip starts, you will find the rewards well worth the challenges!

The High Sierra is renowned for its excellent summer weather. However, afternoon thunderstorms are common and even extended rainstorms can occur at this time of year. Temperatures can range from the 80s at midday down to the 20s at night. A cold, wet day in the 50s is not expected, but would not be a surprise. And, we may encounter snowfields on small portions of our route. Proper clothing for these extremes is critical.

Equipment and Clothing

We will provide the group equipment, including food, a bear canister, pots, utensils, a stove, a first-aid kit, trowels, ropes, and a group tarp. Your share of the group load will be about 15 lbs. at the start of the trip – a bear canister and another item. This share of the group load will occupy at least as much space as three one-gallon milk jugs – so limit your gear to less than 25 lbs.

Trip members are expected to furnish their own backpacks and personal gear. Be prepared for the extremes of our alpine environment. Don't skimp on the tent, rain suit, or boots. Adequate protection from the vagaries of the "gentle wilderness’s" inclement weather is a must! Don't wear new boots on the trip. Allow at least a month of near-constant wearing of new boots to get them broken in. 

The trip leader can furnish a custom equipment list early in the summer. In the meantime, see http://www.knapsack.org/basic_equipment.html for a list of suggested gear.

References

Maps:

Maps can be ordered from the US Geological Survey at http://store.usgs.gov/ -- Mt. Darwin, Mt. Hilgard, Mt. Henry (just the campsite area), and Mt. Tom USGS 7.5” quadrangles. Tom Harrison Maps (www.tomharrisonmaps.com) also has a Mono Divide map which covers the whole trip.

Books:

• A Climber’s Guide to the High Sierra, Steve Roper. Sierra Club Books.
• The High Sierra, R.J. Secor. Mountaineers Books.
• A Sierra Club Naturalists Guide to the Sierra Nevada, Stephen Whitney. Sierra Club Books.
• Sierra South, Thomas, and Jason Winnett. Wilderness Press.
• The Mountains of California, John Muir, Sierra Club Books.
• Geology of the Sierra Nevada, Mary Hill, University of California Press
• History of the Sierra Nevada, Francis P.Farquhar, University of California Press

Websites:

• General information and photos about Sierra Club High Sierra backpacking – http://www.knapsack.org
• Inyo National Forest information about the area and the John Muir Wilderness -- http://www.fs.usda.gov/inyo/

Conservation

“If people in general could be got out into the woods, even for once, to hear the trees speak for themselves, all difficulties in the way of forest preservation would vanish." – John Muir

The Sierra Club's history is steeped in efforts to preserve endangered habitats and wilderness. We will start our backpack trip in The John Muir Wilderness, named after the founder of the Sierra Club. During our trip, we will discuss this long, effective, and illustrious history of public land protection by the Sierra Club – discussing several specific actions and personalities behind these campaigns.

During our evenings around camp, we will also discuss the environmental issues still confronting us as Sierra Club members and citizens of the planet. Most importantly we will share ideas about climate change and how it affects even the remote corners of the Sierra that we will visit. 

While on this trip, feel free to ask the leaders about any conservation issues, as well as bring environmental issues of concern in your community to discuss with others. Since the days of John Muir, the Sierra Club has maintained that its outings program provides a perfect opportunity for members to both enjoy the fruits of past conservation victories and learn about current concerns. Our trip will carry on this tradition!