Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion North Fork Booty

A few weeks ago I scooted up the North Fork drainage and over Carillon Col to explore Carl Heller's east ridge and the Wallace Creek Basin. It was really warm on the approach and I stashed some gear. Should anyone be heading up that way, keep an eye out for a large felled tree on the left side of the trail, just about the point that the Impala comes into view. There's a read beanie, a Patagucci jacket + wind hood gloves, and a headlamp tucked just out of view--find them and they're yours. I'm afraid I won't be back up in the Zone this summer and I feel terrible about leaving that stuff behind. My loss = your reward.

The Impala? Where in the N Fork? Is this up the gully leaving the MWMT? The E Ledges? LBSL? Clyde Meadow? UBSL?

My brother and I will (hopefully be exiting) the wilderness via N Fork coming OUT of Wallace Lakes in Early August.

The Impala is the big granite feature on the east side of the drainage, above Clyde Meadow, on the way to the Cleaver. If you're dropping down from higher country, keep an eye out on the right side of the trail, BELOW the big slabby zone that almost runs with water. Hopefully the marmots won't have had their way with that stuff!

Have a great time, BTW!

Thanks!

By "Cleaver" do you mean pinnacle ridge? The ridge that connects Thor Peak to the Whitney massif? There is also a peak called the Cleaver on the Sierra crest just northeast of Mount Carillon above Wallace and Carillon Creeks. It is pretty far from Clyde Meadow in my mental image.

The Cleaver.

Having been through that area probably more times than mostly anyone else in the last two years, I have no idea where this "loot" might be.

Bob: That's the Cleaver I know of. From Clyde Meadow, one has to change directions and climb well over 12.5k' to get to the Cleaver, semantically it did not seem "on the way" to my mind. I now believe that OP meant 'as he was on his way to (his objective) the Cleaver.' I think he stashed his gear (if it is still there) around the talus field below Thor Peak (on the south side of the creek) that you cross after LBSL and before getting to the slabs that lead to Clyde Meadow and UBSL above.

OP: the gear is stashed between LBSL and UBSL? At a lower elevation than the slabs?

The drainage runs W-E, would you say this impala is on the southerly or northerly side?

You can see Impala on Caltopo.

Well I'll be darned.

Never noticed that feature on CalT before. I've actually climbed it/near it! Doug T head I was trying Mt. Russell and asked if I'd consider scoping out a class 3 route close to Carillon's SE ridge. Turned out to just be more sandy talus.

I'll keep an eye out in August unless I hear others retrieved the gear.