Sierra Club Outings | Lake Hopping in the Silver Divide

Lake Hopping in the Silver Divide
July 28-August 6, 2008

Highlights:

See the spectacular vistas of the Silver Divide
Swim in idyllic high alpine lakes and streams
Enjoy two layover days to explore remote lakes

Includes:

All meals
Mid-trip packer assist
Group cooking gear, supplies and great company

Located between Mammoth Lakes and King�s Canyon, the Silver Divide is home to numerous alpine lakes and stunning high vistas. We will enter from the west end of Thomas Edison Lake and spend the next nine days travelling from lake to lake over spectacular passes and sprawling basins. Most campsites will be at 9,000 to 10,000 feet making this a true alpine adventure. Our route will take us to the Graveyard Lakes and then over a cross-country pass into the Peter Panda and Olive Lakes region for a layover day. Refreshed, we will then head eastward to meet the John Muir Trail over Silver Pass to Silver Lake and then on to Mott Lake for a second layover day where we can explore remote Bighorn and Rosy Finch Lakes. We complete our trek by returning to the east end of Edison Lake for one last night before taking the morning water taxi back to our starting point.

Day 1: We meet on the afternoon of our first day at Vermillion Campground at the west end of Thomas Edison Lak, just 100 miles east of Fresno. After introductions, we will set up camp for our first group dinner, pack checks, and trip overview. We will settle into our tents for a restful night's sleep to ready ourselves for our early start the next morning.

Day 2: After breakfast and a final pack check, we head north up Cold Creek toward Devil's Bathtub Lake . This first day is planned as a leisurely five mile hike gaining 1,500 feet while we acclimate to the higher elevation. We will have lunch along the trail and should arrive at our 9,200 foot lake-side camp early enough to take a swim, or to take a relaxing hike around the lake.

Day 3: After a hot breakfast in the crisp mountain air, we begin our 8-mile hike by descending into beautiful Graveyard Meadows and then climbing 1,600 feet into the Graveyard Lakes region. We will explore the numerous lakes that populate this basin and scout our next day's cross-country adventure. Our campsite will again be lake-side at 10,000 feet.

Days 4 and 5: Our third travel day takes us cross-country over �Fox Pass � into the Peter Panda Lakes region. Pass and trail conditions will determine our precise route, but our goal is to explore the Peter Panda and Olive Lake areas covering approximately four to six miles cross-country and then camp at the east end of Peter Panda Lake. There we will enjoy our first layover day and meet our packers with a fresh supply of food. The layover day will allow us to relax and recover or to strike out and explore the far reaches of Peter Panda Lake, Olive Lake, and Anne Lake.

Day 6: Refreshed after our layover day, we begin to make our way eastward down canyon by Grassy Lake and the Lake of the Lost Indian before joining the John Muir trail to head south. We cross Silver Pass to our next night's campsite at Silver Lake (10,500 feet) where we can swim in this high alpine lake before we settle in for a late dinner and early night's sleep. We will have traveled approximately eight miles, after a 1,200 foot descent and 1,800 foot climb over Silver Pass.

Day 7 & 8: We begin our seventh day by descending 1,500 feet down Silver Pass Creek to meet the North Fork of Mono Creek. Here we turn east and follow the North Fork up 1,200 feet to Mott Lake for our second layover day. On the eighth day we awaken to a high alpine morning and can spend the day just relaxing or head out cross-country to the more remote reaches of Bighorn, Rosy Finch, or Blue Jay Lakes.

Day 9:On our final day in the wilderness, we head back down the North Fork through Pocket Meadows where we meet the Mono Creek Trail which takes us back to the east end of Thomas Edison Lake and our last night's camp. We will arrive in the mid to late afternoon and will have one final relaxing night before heading back home.

Day 10: We will rise early to pack our stuff, and have a quick breakfast before catching the 9 am water taxi back across the lake to our waiting cars, where we will be re-introduced to reality.

The trip begins and ends at the west end of Thomas Edison Lake, on the west side of the Sierras. We will meet at the Vermillion campground at 3-4 p.m. on the first day of the trip. The closest airport is in Fresno, California, about 70 miles from our trailhead. There is no public transportation to the area, but a roster of the participants will be provided well ahead of time to assist those who would like to arrange carpools. Detailed driving directions will be provided at a later date.

Since we will be at or above 10,000 feet for most of the trip, spending the first night at the already significant altitude of our 7,500-foot roadhead campsite will help us acclimatize.

The first meal will be a group dinner in the campground on the day one. The last meal will be breakfast on our last day. Trip participants will share cooking and meal clean-up duties. The menu will be mostly vegetarian with some meals including meat as an option. We will have plenty of food carefully squeezed into the bear canisters, so there's no need, or space, for additional personal food. If you have special dietary restrictions, please check with us well in advance of the trip about whether we can accommodate them.

This trip has an overall rating of moderate, but several days involve long distances with large elevation gains and cross-country travel making them strenuous. Elevations on this trip range from 9,000 to 11,000 feet, exclusive of peak climbs, and most camps are near 10.000 feet. Participants are highly encouraged to arrive a day or two prior to the trip start date to spend some time at altitude (above 7,000 feet) to help with acclimatization.

Participants must have previous backpacking experience in an alpine environment to be approved for the trip. Some of our trip will be off-trail, cross-country. Cross-country hiking not only requires strong aerobic conditioning, but superior balance and agility, especially carrying a heavy pack at high altitude. Participants must maintain a regular fitness program including practice hikes with a 40-pound pack and boots starting at least one month before the trip. Out of fairness to all participants, the difficulty of this trip requires a careful screening process.

August in the High Sierra typically brings beautiful weather conditions. However, backpacking in remote wilderness areas requires that we be prepared for extreme conditions that can occur at any time. At lower elevations temperatures can reach 80 degrees while nights at high elevations can dip into the 20's. Thunderstorms or snowstorms can occur at any time of the year, with sudden cloudbursts of wind, rain, lightning, and hail.

The success of the trip relies upon the active contribution of all participants. Participants are expected to assist with cooking, cleaning, camp set-up and breakdown, food storage, and adhering to "Leave No Trace" guidelines. The stronger hikers may be asked to assist weaker hikers on more difficult stretches. While the leaders are trained and experienced volunteers, they are not paid professional guides.

We will use bear canisters for commissary food storage and each participant will be carrying one bear canister and incidental group equipment with a total weight of about 18 pounds at the start of the trip. A list of recommended personal equipment can be found at www.knapsack.org/basic_equipment.html. Try to limit your personal gear to 25 pounds including 2 quarts of drinking water, such that your total pack weight including your share of the commissary does not exceed 45 pounds.

Cross-country travel requires sturdy, durable backpacking boots. Full leather boots with rubber lug soles are highly recommended. The leather should be thoroughly waterproofed to withstand the rigors of prolonged contact with snow and water.

The leader will work with each participant well in advance of the trip to answer any questions about the appropriate equipment for this trip. A general rule is �light is right'.

A good overall map of our area is Tom Harrison Cartography's �Mono Divide High Country Trail Map� published at the 15-minute scale.

Our trek will primarily be within the Ansel Adams Wilderness area in the Sierra National Forests. The Sierra Club was instrumental in establishing these wilderness areas as part of the Wilderness act of 1964. We will experience first hand not only the unique beauty of this area but also the fragile nature of its ecology. Air pollution, acid rain, logging, rural development and grazing are just some of the threats to these otherwise pristine environments. The Sierra Club continues to sponsor and promote national legislation and local activities to protect these wilderness areas. While on this trip your leaders will address specific conservations issues and programs that you can participate in.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

Jindra Goodman is an experienced backpacker who has participated in and lead many High Sierra outings with the Sierra Club. In addition, she has backpacked in New Zealand, Nepal, Patagonia, and the Alps. She is also an active member of several wilderness search and rescue teams.

E-mail: jgoodman@sjsu.edu