There are three access routes through the eastern boundary of the Emigrant Wilderness: the Bond Pass trail from the PCT in northern Yosemite NP; the unmaintained [hard to follow] path from Cinko Lake over Emigrant Pass and the old mining road from Leavitt Lake over Big Sam down to High Emigrant Lake. The latter is by far the shortest and most accessible of the routes.

My last foray into the High Sierra for 2018 was another solo hike of five days, completing a circuit from Leavitt Lake over Big Sam to Grizzly Meadow, then over Bond Pass to the PCT, northbound to Kennedy Canyon and exiting via the mining road down to Leavitt Lake. The weather was excellent, albeit with cold winds at higher elevations and waking in the deep canyons to gloomy cool mornings.

While on the PCT, I had the privilege of meeting southbound thru-hikers from the Canadian border, passing the 1,000-mile waypoint from the Mexican border. The trail-names I remember is Starter, Dayglo, Yellowjacket, Bearhair, Donkey, Mouse and Glissade. Go, guys!

In early September, Bob and I decided to tackle the rather difficult section of Roper's Sierra High Route from French Canyon through the Bear Lakes Basin to Lake Italy. It involved crossing two Passes, Feather and White Bear, which are potentially hazardous if you stray from the recommended route. We managed to do just that on both Passes, leaving us shaken but still determined to continue ... not that retracing our steps was a safer option! 

We completed the crossing without breaking anything but did have some scary moments on the southern approach to Feather Pass and the northern descent from White Bear Pass. Crossing Feather Pass itself was okay, but finding the correct route up from La Salle Lake was tricky and now realize we took the most difficult choice. White Bear Pass on the northern side is a beast: Roper and others make it clear to avoid the left side when descending because of Class 4 slabs. So, we went down the right side, through small tumbled rocks mixed with willow bushes, not finding a regular use trail, and finally being surrounded by large talus in the center. Not a happy descent!

We had a problem making the initial connection with the Italy Lake Trail when hiking out to the JMT from Teddy Bear Lake, but the situation improved after reaching the first meadow along the creek. 

A trip to die for, but fortunately not on! This was an adventurous solo hike, mostly cross-country, over four Passes along the Silver Divide. The first was crossing Hopkins Pass from Big McGee Lake into the Upper Hopkins Basin ... in a thunderstorm. Two crossings were on Roper's High Route: Bighorn Pass above Laurel Lake and Shout of Relief Pass above Rosy Finch Lake; completing a link between Mono Creek Trail and McGee Pass Trail. The last crossing was on the well-trodden trail over the 12,000' McGee Pass. My point of entry and exit was the McGee Pass trailhead.

After dropping down from Shout of Relief Pass, I set up camp for two nights at Tully Lake, taking a day off to explore the continuation of the High Route along the spacious granite benches to Cotton and Issac Walton Lakes. The highlight of the trip was extending my exploration to Hortense Lake which is located above Isaac Walton. The complicated climb to view Hortense Lake was well worth the effort.

Out there for a total of eleven days, I needed a food resupply from VVR and a good excuse for eating/drinking up large! Also the opportunity for hot showers and laundry.  As always at VVR, there was a gathering of fascinating people.

An exciting return to the Miter Basin following our two exploratory visits last year. Bob and I entered the Basin using the rather desperate access above the western shore of Lower Soldier Lake. This use trail switchbacks up a very steep, loose rock gully, that terminates on a ridge that separates the Lake [and hiker wannabes] from the extensive granite slabs that populate the lower sections of the Basin. Once there and avoiding the hidden vertical walled gullies, moving up into the Miter is a delight, an easy hike to Sky Blue Lake.

Our enjoyment of being back in the area was tempered by daily thunderstorms after midday, including a three hour deluge at our first campsite at the Flat Rock. On the fourth day we attempted the cross country journey from Flat Rock, up past Sky Blue Lake to Crabtree Pass, but turned back 600' below the Pass because of Thunderstorms. On the fifth day, we exited the Basin on the easier [and safer] route that connects to the Upper Soldier Lake canyon. Spent our last night near that lake and next morning climbed the use trail that connects with the Mount Langley summit route. From there it's mostly downhill to New Army Pass and out to the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead.

My last Spring foray along the PCT was a return to the section from Trail Pass, southbound to the bridge over the South Fork of the Kern River. In the company of Bob Williams, we left Horseshoe Meadow on June 6th, spending nights at the Corral spring, Death Canyon and Bear Trap Meadow on the Olanche Pass trail. We made a day hike from Bear Trap to the Kern Bridge and back, then hiked out over Olanche Pass to Sage Flat on June 10th. Although most of the hike was above 10,000 feet, there was no snow on the Trail which was our primary reason for choosing this section.

We were probably the only south-bounders on the Trail, but passed up to thirty thru-hikers northbound each day. This passing parade included: Blue and Heaps from New Zealand, Redworm and Snake Eater from Denmark, Ofer from Israel, Stormtrooper from Hong Kong, Nightingale from Utah, Catchup from Michigan, Hashbrown from Bishop, Ikea from Canada, Dingo from Ohio, Buzzkill from Bishop, Mowgli from Tennessee, Ed from Seattle and Coconut from Colorado [pickup on Hwy 395].

I’m back in civilization after two weeks stuffing around in the wilderness of Northern California.  Fitter, thinner, but beat-up from the forests that are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep [thanks Robert Frost].  Another simple backpacking trip that turned into a memorable adventure … with snakes, hillbillies, their snarling dogs, pot growers, Brother Bear and very few other hikers. 

It took four days walking from Old Station to Burney Falls, before continuing the 32 miles to Moosehead Creek, only to turn back because of deep soft snow on the Trail west of Moosehead .  I met two thru-hikers [go Smiley-Face and old Swiss guy] who'd jumped from Kennedy Meadows because of late snow conditions in the High Sierra.  The forest northwest from Burney Falls was beautiful in its variety of trees, not unlike Washington State:  Mostly Douglas Fir and Western White Pine, then White Fir, Red Fir and many Incense Cedars … and the Dogwood bushes came into flower during the time I was out there. 

Water sources along these sections of the PCT were few and far between ... and when found, often difficult to access.

The decision this Winter to head south and hike the PCT from the Mexican Border to Idyllwild, thus avoiding the heavy snow further north in the Sierra Nevada seemed like a good idea.  Based on long term weather forecasts for southern California in February and March, it should have been an easy hike along well graded trails, with only the problem of limited water sources.  In the event, from February 18th to March 2nd, high winds and blizzard conditions made the adventure more challenging than we needed. 

Despite the difficulties, we hiked a total of 80 miles from the Mexican Border to Warner Springs that included a number of snow days hanging out in cabins and lodges.  My highlight was getting a ride in the backseat of a Police Cruiser from off the Montezuma Highway to Warner Springs … to collect the vehicle we’d left there.  The young officer found us hiking down the Highway in blizzard conditions, took pity on the old folks and offered to get me to my vehicle.  Said he was sorry I would have to sit in the backseat because the right front seat was covered in manuals.  Before allowing me into the Cruiser, he wanted assurance that I wasn’t carrying a gun or knife, but did excuse my metal knees!

Because of continued bad weather we decided to terminate our adventure at Warner Springs. We're now planning to complete this PCT section in December 2018.