Mt. Humphreys Magic and Inspiration, John Muir Wilderness, 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 to the pass and cross into the high country on our first day. Our 40-mile route will be largely on-trail, with one day of cross-country hiking. We will loop down the Piute Creek drainage, head up French Canyon and then back over to Humphreys Basin.  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 much of the trip above tree line and 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 headwaters of the San Joaquin river, Upper Honeymoon Lake, Merriam Lake, and many others.

Day 1: We leave from North Lake and head up to Piute Pass.  At the Pass we trek even higher to find 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 moderate challenge due to the high altitude and our heavy packs.

Day 2: We head down the Piute Creek drainage before heading up toward the Honeymoon Lakes (not to be confused with the identically named lakes in the Pine Creek drainage).  We will cover 8 miles, descending nearly 2,000 feet before regaining nearly 1,000 feet. 

Days 3-4: Continuing down Piute Creek, we are surrounded by soaring granite walls that dwarf our presence, providing a radically different perspective from that of Piute Pass. Upon reaching lovely Hutchinson Meadow, we head up French Canyon until the turnoff for Merriam Lake.  This will be a moderate day of the trip with another 6 miles and about 1,500 feet gained and lost.  Our efforts will be rewarded as we reach the classic cirque surrounding Merriam Lake. On day four, 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 5: Leaving our inspirational layover spot, we will be well rested for another scenic day of 6 miles with about 1,000 feet gained and lost.  We will make our way back to French Canyon and head up until we cut across to the area around L Lake where we will find a secluded, but scenic campsite.

Day 6: On the sixth day, we head cross-country, gaining 1,000 feet over Puppet Pass and losing about 500 feet over the course of 5 miles before making camp in the vicinity of Humphreys Lakes.  We will have one last night to enjoy another gourmet dinner and the Milky Way as the full moon, which has been waning throughout the trip, enters the last quarter of its cycle.

Day 7: Our last day takes us back over Piute Pass and to the trailhead at North Lake.  We should be back to our cars by early to mid-afternoon on Saturday. 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 Sunday, August 28; we plan to be on trail before 10:00 a.m.

The closest airports are Reno (225 miles and 4 hours), Los Angeles (300 miles and 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 own carpools to the campground.

Please do not make travel arrangements until the leader has confirmed you as a trip member.

Accommodations and Food

The trip price includes all meals from breakfast on day one through lunch on day seven and 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/strenuous” (4) as we will experience significant elevation gains and losses while traveling 5-8+ miles/day with a significant cross-country day. On a couple of days, you may wonder why the trip was not simply rated “strenuous” (5), and it will be important to remember that trip ratings take a holistic view of the trip as several of our days are less challenging.

The ability to hike 10 miles at high altitude 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 elevation 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 on 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, bear canister, pots, utensils, stove, first-aid kit, trowels, ropes, and group tarp. Your share of the group load -- a bear canister and another item -- will be about 18 pounds at the start of the trip. This share of the group load will occupy at least as much space as three one-gallon milk jugs, so limit your personal gear to less than 25 pounds. 

Trip members are expected to furnish their own backpack and personal gear. Be prepared for the extremes of our alpine environment. Don't skimp on 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 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 that covers the whole trip.

Books:

• Roper, Steve, A Climber’s Guide to the High Sierra. Sierra Club Books.
• Secor, R.J., The High Sierra. Mountaineers Books.
• Whitney, Stephen, A Sierra Club Naturalists Guide to the Sierra Nevada. Sierra Club Books.
• Winnett, Thomas and Jason, Sierra South. Wilderness Press.
• Muir, John, The Mountains of California. Sierra Club Books.
• Hill, Mary, Geology of the Sierra Nevada. University of California Press.
• Farquhar, Francis P., History of the Sierra Nevada. 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 habitat and wilderness. We will start our backpack trip in the John Muir Wilderness, named for 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 a number of 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 own 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!

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and will operate under permits from Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park and Inyo National Forest.