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Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
Steve C #41891 03/04/15 10:00 PM
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Here are the numbers from SB.
Only question: Above you wrote this trip would be "the end of June (6/20-6/28)", but the dates below are for August.

From To Miles Gain Loss Elev Miles
Onion Valley Kearsarge Pass 4.7 2,700 11,800 5
Kearsarge Pass Vidette Mdws 4.0 -2,200 9,600 9
Vidette Mdws Forester Pass 7.4 3,600 13,200 16
Forester Pass Tyndall Creek 5.0 -2,200 11,000 21
Tyndall Creek Wallace Creek 4.4 500 -1,100 10,400 26
Wallace Creek Crabtree C.O. 3.4 600 -200 10,800 29
Crabtree C.O. Crabtree R.S. 0.8 -100 10,700 30
Crabtree R.S. Whitney Summit 7.5 3,800 14,500 37
Whitney Summit Crabtree R.S. 7.5 -3,800 10,700 45
Crabtree R.S. PCT Junction 1.3 -300 10,400 46
PCT Junction Rock Creek R.S. 6.7 900 -1,500 9,800 53
Rock Creek R.S. Soldier Lakes 3.4 1,500 11,300 56
Soldier Lakes N.A.P. Jct 0.5 11,300 57
N.A.P. Jct H.M. C.O. 6.1 1,400 -1,300 11,400 63
H.M. C.O Horseshoe Mdw 4.0 -1,400 10,000 67
---- ------ ------ ------ ---
Totals 66.7 15,000 -14,100 11,127 67

Itinerary
-----Date------ ---Embark--- ---Camp---- Miles Gain Loss Grade %
Day 1: Sat 6/20 Onion V. TH Vidette Mdw 8.7 2700 -2200 +11% -10%
Day 2: Sun 6/21 Vidette Mdw Camp 11,200' 3.6 1300
Day 3: Mon 6/22 Camp 11,200 Tyndall Cr. 8.8 2300 -2200 +9% -9%
Day 4: Mon 6/22 Tyndall Cr. Guitar Lk 11.1 2400 -1400 +7% -6%
Day 5: Tue 6/23 Whitney! Whitney! 10 2500 -2500 +10% -10%
Day 6: Wed 6/24 Guitar Lk. Rock Cr. R.S. 11.5 900 -3100 +5% -7%
Day 7: Thu 6/25 Rock Cr. R.S. Cottonwood Lks 7 2900 -1600 +10% -13%
Day 8: Fri 6/26 Cottonwd Lks Horseshoe Mdw 6 -1100 -3%
---- ----- -------
Totals: 66.7 15000 -14100

Last edited by Steve C; 03/16/15 11:48 PM.
Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
Steve C #41892 03/04/15 10:21 PM
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Good catch. I was originally planning a trip for a Scout troop, plans fell through so I picked dates that worked better for me.

smile


@jjoshuagregory (Instagram) for mainly landscape and mountain pics
Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
britonwhit(ney) #41894 03/05/15 07:02 AM
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Is this the sign?



Alan

Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
Snacking Bear #41897 03/05/15 10:20 AM
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Originally Posted By: Snacking Bear
Good catch. I was originally planning a trip for a Scout troop, plans fell through so I picked dates that worked better for me.

smile

SB, what are your new dates. I'll fix the table above.

Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
Steve C #41899 03/05/15 01:49 PM
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Would also be curious as to last nights camp location and route. NAP or Army Pass?

Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
John Sims #41905 03/05/15 06:16 PM
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My wife and I will be heading SOBO toward Forester Pass on the 22nd, if we stay on schedule from South Lake. We plan to get a Whitney exit permit at the counter, but we're also considering Horseshoe Meadows, which is our current permit. I'll stay tuned to see how your plans develop.

Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
John Sims #41906 03/05/15 06:52 PM
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Originally Posted By: John Sims
Would also be curious as to last nights camp location and route. NAP or Army Pass?


Well John, I can't be so sure. I've never done NAP, but I've been up the Cottonwood side of AP twice, and since it is 700 feet lower I'd imagine I'd go up over that way and spend the last night in Cottonwood lakes as a last hurrah.

If I'm bumming I may sleep low at Soldier Lakes and hump up over on the last day.

I'm relatively flexible...


@jjoshuagregory (Instagram) for mainly landscape and mountain pics
Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
Steve C #41907 03/05/15 07:03 PM
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Originally Posted By: Steve C
Originally Posted By: Snacking Bear
Good catch. I was originally planning a trip for a Scout troop, plans fell through so I picked dates that worked better for me.

smile

SB, what are your new dates. I'll fix the table above.


6/20-6/26

I'm probably going to add an extra day (6/27) I'll recalculate later... For now this gives a pretty good picture of what I'm shooting for: a moderate long-term trip.

Doing the HST last year in 84 hours made me realize the advantages to slowing down... sick


@jjoshuagregory (Instagram) for mainly landscape and mountain pics
Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
Snacking Bear #41908 03/05/15 10:17 PM
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Originally Posted By: Snacking Bear


Well John, I can't be so sure. I've never done NAP, but I've been up the Cottonwood side of AP twice, and since it is 700 feet lower I'd imagine I'd go up over that way and spend the last night in Cottonwood lakes as a last hurrah.

If I'm bumming I may sleep low at Soldier Lakes and hump up over on the last day.

I'm relatively flexible...


June might be interesting due to snow. Most folks tend to avoid Old Army Pass due to cornice that forms toward the top. I guess that Cottonwood Lakes would be more private, but there is a nice camping area on the west end of Long Lake (NAP route).

View from NAP. Long Lake is second lake



West end is on the "near" end of the lake, camping amongst the trees. The pic does not capture the scale of the camping area, or the size of the lake.



More pics available at: http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthreads.php/galleries/32059/Horseshoe_Meadows_-_Army_Pass_#comments

Many choices and paths to consider grin

Last edited by John Sims; 03/05/15 10:39 PM. Reason: Add pictures
Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
John Sims #41911 03/06/15 07:49 AM
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So John, what do you recommend for a route through this area at the end of a 100-miler? We'll be looking for simplicity at this point in the trip, not so much camping or fishing. Nice pix.

Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
SierraNevada #41916 03/06/15 10:41 AM
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Last year was my 50th year of hiking in the Sierras.

I do the Kern River loop two to three times a year. Last year I was down in the Kern for a week May 4th.

My trips of this nature end with the crossing of either Army or New Army Pass depending on conditions.

The May 4th trip had me turn around at Wallace Creek and the JMT/PCT. However, my last 2 days of hiking normally, go with something like this. If I camp at Wallace Creek, I camp at Lower Rock Creek and then head up Rock Creek and out the same day. If I camp at Lower Crabtree, I camp at the entrance to New Army Pass, at the trail junction. There are 2, very large campsites. One on each side of the stream that comes out of the canyon. Camping there allows me to exit the same day (if I leave the campsite at 8am, I am on the pass at 9:45 and at the car by 1:30....I always take the South Fork Trail in and out. It cuts off an hour, or about 2 miles)

Last late September/the first of October I came through this area and the stream was flowing very well.....not so much for Guyot creek.

Very nice campsite for the last day. This campsite is half a mile from Soldier.

The site, at the entrance is 2.3 miles to New Army Pass, and 7 to the trailhead, or about 2 less if you take the South Fork Trail.

If you are not familiar with the South Fork trail, or travelling a half mile or so cross country to get to it, I would avoid this as a first time unless you are good at (easy) route finding.

The climb out of Rock Creek to Soldier is short but hideous. I always hate doing it because it normally occurs at the end of the day.

Last early June, I did the above hike and exited New Army. There was still a 20 foot cornice to go over....very easy, nothing difficult .

paul

Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
Paul #41918 03/06/15 04:52 PM
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Good beta. No issues with off-trail, I prefer it unless it involves a lot of bushwacking. Cornices and avalanche hazard of any sort really creep out my wife big time - can't do that, but I'll map out the rest of these routes. Seems like this can save some time on the exit. Thanks, Paul.

Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
SierraNevada #41919 03/06/15 05:59 PM
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The Old South Fork Trail doesn't show on all maps, but it is very visible and well travelled.

There are two ways to connect with the trail. The first is to jump off the trail at the stream crossing from Long Lake I have done this a couple times, but particularly don't like it because of the obstacles encountered down to South Lake.

Since I normally descend Army, I cross over at the end of lake 1 and junction with the trail from New Army. From there I just walk off the gentle slope and head south thru the trees and after a half mile or so meet up with the new trail to South Lake.

When you are at South Lake, turn to your left and you'll see a well used path that follows the stream down the canyon.

This trail, meets up with the main trail just before the first stream crossing (if hiking north). At that point, it's 3o minutes or so to the trailhead.

FYI..... you will come to an old trappers cabin on the trail This cabin is about quarter of a mile from the main trail junction.

paul

Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
SierraNevada #41922 03/06/15 10:47 PM
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Originally Posted By: SierraNevada
So John, what do you recommend for a route through this area at the end of a 100-miler? We'll be looking for simplicity at this point in the trip, not so much camping or fishing. Nice pix.


Honestly speaking I'm not really the right guy to ask. My idea of camping involves a Quality Inn or Comfort Inn.

Nonetheless, I would say that weather and trail conditions should dictate your decision. On the attached map you can see my preferences if weather and trail conditions do not enter the equation. I would take the shortest route, without extra climbing. However, it is more likely that Army Pass will still have snow. It faces more North East, and gets less sun.



Both routes are worth the price of admission, and will be enjoyed I think.

Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
John Sims #41926 03/07/15 06:03 PM
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"My idea of camping involves a Quality Inn or Comfort Inn."

John, say it isn't so!

Come on, you've got to rough it up like me . . . go with Motel 6!

(Unless booking.com finds something even cheaper.)

laugh

Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
63ChevyII.com #41969 03/16/15 04:37 PM
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I had decided to add an additional day, so I'm going to e-mail Steve C. my new spreadsheet about updating my itinerary.

I don't expect him to post it, but I added a short day in Bubbs creek for an extra bit of acclimatization or time to bag a peak if were feeling it.

I also have a few maps with my potential campsites... John does bring up an additional issue with my final AP v. NAP route into Cottonwood.

Long lake sounds like a good second-choice campsite, although my favorite site in Cottonwood is the bluff in between C-Lakes 3 & 4. Less crowded than the sites at the head of Lake 4.

I know some people do have issue finding the trail over AP, though the two times I've been up that way (once in a hail/rain/t-storm) it was an easy to follow trail (in a little disrepair) though I never felt that it was that sketchy. The top, however, is a north-facing slope, and those are trouble. I love the views of Langley's SE ridge and the lakes coming down AP!


@jjoshuagregory (Instagram) for mainly landscape and mountain pics
Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
Snacking Bear #41970 03/16/15 11:49 PM
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Itinerary updated above.

Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
Steve C #41971 03/17/15 12:25 PM
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Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we will start hiking the HST starting June 17 grin

Thanks for the offers Snacking Bear, I appreciate it! Will you go on your trip solo if you have no one to join you?

Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
63ChevyII.com #41972 03/17/15 02:45 PM
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Thanks Steve!

63ChevyII, you betcha! Besides, going up Whitney I've never really been totally alone. So many folks...


@jjoshuagregory (Instagram) for mainly landscape and mountain pics
Re: HST vs. Onion Valley vs. Horseshoe Meadows to WP
Snacking Bear #41975 03/17/15 05:37 PM
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Would love to see you on the trail SB, but we're going in August, not June. The typo in the spreadsheet through off my first post.

I learned more about the options in the C-Lakes area. thanks

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