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Buford Posts: 459
12/10/2017
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Owens Valley is a desert right?
Quick backpacking trip over Labor Day. To avoid crowds and make permits easier, I did a lollipop loop in and out over one of the less traveled east side passes of the Sierra.
Nothing like waking up at sea level at 3:00 am, picking up a permit at Lone Pine at 8:00 am, hitting the trail at 9:30 am at 6k of elevation, and going over a 12k pass right after lunch:
I looked for Bighorn in a couple likely places on this trip and did not see any. I have yet to see them in the Sierra, guess I'll have to go back :
Spent about a mile on the Pacific Crest Highway, snapped the stereotypical shot and left the trail:
There must have been sixty lakes in the basin:
Upper most lake was still partially frozen over in September:
Calm winds, good reflections, flying bloodsuckers all go hand-in-hand:
Less than sixty lakes in this basin, but greater than 60 people meant time to move on quickly:
No dragons at the lake, no Bighorn Sheep either. There was other life:
Incoming storms alter plans to go over cross country passes and bag peaks. Incoming storms make great sunsets. Cellphone cameras don't capture sunsets well:
Hammered by rain all night, had to put up the shelter:
One last view from the pass:
Hopefully I make it back to Borrego next weekend.
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Links to my photos: ABDSP photos, Bighorn sheep photos, ABDSP time lapse video, Wildlife photos (mainly birds)
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Britain Posts: 604
12/10/2017
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Awesome ! Thanks for sharing, one of my favorite places.
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Cant drive 55
Britain
http://icorva.com
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rockhopper Posts: 668
12/10/2017
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We just missed each other! My Brother and I were at Sixty lake Basin in late September. Awesome place. We saw no other people. Still fussing and learning my new photo hosting.
Local Wild life
Climbing up Charlete Dome
Back side of fin dome.
Cave with ceiling smoke markings at 10,000ft +
edited by rockhopper on 12/10/2017
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ziphius Posts: 911
12/10/2017
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Awesome stuff Buford / rockhopper, thanks for sharing.
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http://www.coyotelearning.org
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Buford Posts: 459
12/10/2017
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Nice rockhopper! Did you get into Gardiner Basin? I wanted to but the incoming weather kept me from wanting to cross between Sixty Lakes and Gardiner. I saw few other people, except for the short section of PCT/JMT. I entered Sixty Lakes from the cross country notch and exited on the trail.
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Links to my photos: ABDSP photos, Bighorn sheep photos, ABDSP time lapse video, Wildlife photos (mainly birds)
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rockhopper Posts: 668
12/11/2017
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Buford, Great pics btw. Looking at your photos, they look like many of mine. We hiked the same areas days apart! Yes, we x-country day hiked to Gardiner pass. We found the very faint rarely used official USGS trail coming back. Part of the trail was obscured by an large avalanche. If you found the trail to Gardiner pass, you could huff a 50lb pack over but, the way we went (boulders and bushes) it would be tough! btw We entered Sixty lake basin via the trail and exited X-country the notch down to the Muir/PCT trail. Baxter lake/ Pass is awesome! We got dumped on with heavy rain also. Cheers!
Gardiner Pass
Bear Scat
Old timer. est 2000 years+
Snow Avalanche damage below Gardiner pass.
edited by rockhopper on 12/11/2017
edited by rockhopper on 12/11/2017
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
12/11/2017
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Not familiar with that area but looks nice. We did a 7 day backpack end of Sept over Crabtree Pass annd Rock Creek...never got around to posting anything but some photos and gps tracks are here if interested. Days were 40/50's and nights were below 20....cold.....
Beautiful country out there, thanks for sharing.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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tekewin Posts: 371
12/13/2017
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Awesome!!
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Britain Posts: 604
12/13/2017
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dsefcik wrote:
Not familiar with that area but looks nice. We did a 7 day backpack end of Sept over Crabtree Pass annd Rock Creek...never got around to posting anything but some photos and gps tracks are here if interested. Days were 40/50's and nights were below 20....cold.....
Beautiful country out there, thanks for sharing.
Wow looks like the same route we took back in the early 80's. Nice pics!
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Cant drive 55
Britain
http://icorva.com
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Rocko1 Posts: 597
12/18/2017
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Very nice! I would love to see this area.
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