Silver Divide Inspiration, John Muir Wilderness, California

The Trip

The High Sierra has long been a profound source of inspiration for those fortunate enough to visit. This part of the Sierra’s John Muir Wilderness is renowned for its many lakes, granite canyons, domes, and multi-colored peaks. The wide vistas above our wilderness camps will afford us marvelous views of nighttime sky as the new moon coincides with the first day of our trip. These lakes, mountains, and stars will provide us with Muir’s “…advantages of solitude."

Our trip will begin on the west side of the Sierra at Edison Lake just outside the John Muir Wilderness. Camping at lakes every night, our 35-mile route will be mostly on-trail, with five miles of our trek off-trail. 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 wildflower season may have just passed, we should encounter several dozen wildflower varieties. We will 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. At night, we will find granite slabs upon which to watch the starry show above!

Day 1: We leave from Lake Edison, several hours east of Fresno, CA. We head into the wilderness, making camp at Graveyard Lakes. This first day of 7 miles and 2,300 feet of climbing will be a challenge due to the altitude and our heavy packs. It will be one of the two most difficult days of the trip. That night, we will be enchanted with the Milky Way, which will be a Pointillist streak on the moonless night.

Day 2: We head cross-country over the saddle that separates Graveyard Lakes from Peter Pande Lake. This day will be considerably shorter as we cover under 3 miles while climbing and descending less that 1,000 feet. However, the descending portion of our cross-country travel will take us over an extensive boulder field.

Day 3: Back on-trail, we have another relatively short day of 4 miles with about 1,000 gain and loss on our way to Lake of the Lone Indian. After lunch, there will be time to explore nearby peaks or Goodale Pass.

Day 4: We will hike a few miles on the John Muir Trail as we head to Tully Hole, after which we ascend by trail to the area near Cotton Lake, which is about ½ mile off-trail. We will cover 7 miles and gain 1,800 feet while losing 1,400 feet. However, our efforts will be rewarded with a layover day beneath the stunning colors of Red Slate and Red and White mountains. 

Day 5: 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 6: Leaving our inspirational layover spot with light packs, we will be well-rested for another scenic but challenging day of 8 miles mostly on-trail, gaining 1,700 feet while losing 1,900 feet. Crossing over Silver Pass, we expect to make camp at Sliver Pass Lake.

Day 7: Our last day takes us back to Lake Edison where the trip began. However, we will be at the east end of the lake and plan to take the ferry back to our original trailhead at the west end. These last 7 miles will pass quickly as we descend 2,700 feet. We should be back to our cars by early to mid-afternoon on Saturday. It is strongly recommended that participants plan return flights for the next day, Sunday, as there is no guarantee that we will return to the trailhead at the expected time.

Getting There

Our trip begins at a campground near Edison Lake, CA, three hours east of Fresno. We will meet informally the evening before the trip begins to get to know one another and begin to acclimatize to the altitude. Details regarding the meeting point, time, and directions will be sent to all trip members several weeks before the trip. The trip will officially start with breakfast on day one (Sunday). We plan to be on the trail before 9:30 a.m.

The closest airport is Fresno. Another airport alternative is San Francisco (250 miles) which is just over a 6-hour drive to the campground. Los Angeles airports are over 300 miles and 7 hours away. 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 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 seven and use of group camping gear. Creating masterpieces from dried and dehydrated fruits, vegetables, and meat is a passion of your assistant leader. There will be satisfying food for both omnivores and vegetarians. 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” (3) but this is somewhat misleading as we will experience significant elevation gains and losses while traveling six to eight miles on most 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 eight 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 likely not the trip for you. You must also be comfortable traveling off-trail and crossing long boulder fields with a heavy pack. And, even if you have hiked at high elevations, 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 70s 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, depending on the depth of the previous winter’s snows, 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 canisters, pots, utensils, stoves, first-aid kit, trowels, ropes, and group tarp. All water will need to be filtered. While we will have a water filter system for use at camp, we typically ask some of you to bring your own water filters for shared use during the day. However, depending on the status of the COVID crisis, we may adjust this and many other practices for the safety of the group.

Your share of the group load will be 14-18 pounds 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 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 your 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. And, be sure to test your new boots while wearing a full pack.

The trip leader will furnish an equipment list in late spring. In the meantime, feel free to contact the leader with any questions.

References

Maps:

• USGS 7.5” quadrangles maps can be ordered from the US Geological Survey at http://store.usgs.gov/ -- Graveyard Peak.
• Tom Harrison Maps (www.tomharrisonmaps.com) also has a Mono Divide High Country map, which covers almost 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.
• 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.

Website:

• Sierra National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/sierra/

Conservation

"The battle we have fought, and are still fighting, for the forests is a part of the eternal conflict between right and wrong, and we cannot expect to see the end of it. ... So we must count on watching and striving for these trees, and should always be glad to find anything so surely good and noble to strive for." — "The National Parks and Forest Reservations," speech by John Muir, Sierra Club Bulletin, 1896

During our evenings around camp and under the splendor of our starry canopy, we will discuss the environmental issues 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. Having just driven through hundreds of thousands of acres of forest burned in 2020 on our way to the trailhead, part of a record-breaking four million acres of burning in California, there can be little doubt that the nation has to deal with climate change and the related issues of forest management and rural housing development.

Given the political volatility of our times and the erosion of the environmental protections we have won, we may be facing a new set of threats and challenges to our natural heritage by the time we enter the wilderness in 2021!

While on this trip, feel free to ask the leaders about any conservation issues, as well as bringing 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 when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.