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We bought a small Carson trailer called the Kalispell. It's main claim to fame is that it held the land trailer speed record at 141.998 for a while ( Kalispell land towed record attempt ). It is tiny with an 11 foot box, but easy to tow and just right for Sierra day hiking base camp. In late October we set off for an 11 day adventure.
Due to family obligations, the timing of the adventure was a little past the optimum fall schedule. We left San Diego about 9 AM and had an easy drive to 395 and on to Tuttle Creek BLM campground, just out of Lone Pine. Our original objective was to drive up to Horseshoe Meadows without the trailer and check out he Cottonwood Lakes, to find a good campsite to stage for Mt. Langley, a 14,000 ft mountain over Old Army Pass.
We picked the top site on the South side of the creek, a part of the campground that was closing in a few days. It was practically deserted, with a clean pit toilet close by and the nice murmur of the creek for good sleeping. The weather was threatening and the chances for Cottonwood Lakes for tomorrow looked slim.
Our plan B for the next day was a hike up the North side of Tuttle Creek toward the West. It was basically a 6 mile bushwack, which would allow us to get back to camp if it started to rain. Like most BLM land, it is multi-use and the cattle have had their way with it. Still pretty nice hiking and we were tired by the end of it. The views were good from up canyon, across the valley toward the end of the White Mountains.
Had a nice experience of both alpenglow and the moon as we enjoyed our last night at Tuttle Creek.
Since the access road to Horseshoe closed the next day, we prepared to head to the Pleasant Valley BLM campground, just North of Bishop. Kathy noticed the junction box from the truck to the trailer was smoking, so I disconnected our plug to the truck. Now we were driving with no trailer lights or brakes. 395 is a series of small towns with nice people, but it is not the technology nexus that characterizes SoCal. We headed for the big town of Bishop and tried a few places. The look on the faces when I described the situation did not endear much confidence until we went to Auto Tech, behind NAPA parts. He had us on our way in an hour, once he got to it.
Life is good, we are on our way again! The BLM campground is aptly named the Pleasant Valley Pit Campground. It looks like they were mining for something and then quit. It's saving grace is that the camping fee is $2 and there are 4 pit toilets. It is a hangout for dirt bag climbers and other riff raff and hangers on. It brings a variant on the light bulb joke. How many climbers does it take to fill a campsite?
Because of our age and lack of sound equipment, we chose to camp on the rim of the pit, overlooking the Mad Max type montage at our feet. We packed our packs, drank some wine and anticipated the jewel of our trip, the hike up from North Lake to Piute Pass and maybe beyond to Desolation Lake. It was really quite quiet and we were exhausted from running around and worrying about car crap.
Our next morning burned bright and cold. We took the Ed Powers Rd. back way to North Lake while enjoying the burst of fall color from the Aspens hitting the right elevation. At the trail head, more cars than expected. A couple were taking a horse and two mules out of their trailer and feeding them. We waved, not much return.
It was cold at the onset and once again am wondering if still have what it takes to take 32 degrees. My hands hurt and barely keeping up with Kathy on the way up the first part from North Lake. It is steeper at the start and the creek makes the freezing temps feel colder. Finally, about 25 minutes out, the warmth of moving had it's way and no more hand pain. Kathy takes off the down vest she has borrowed and we get down to hiking, our strong suite. Ice is everywhere and the trail is full of water. Mostly we are just using the trail as a guide.
The aspens at altitude are truely going off. The color is never captured totally in a picture. The leaves flutter and they are making way for the bareness of winter. We are now moving without hesitation and with expectation to make the pass and maybe more. We reach the first hunter before the horse people catch us. All the hunters we saw were at the prime of their deal. Mid thirty's or older, strong and I think Kathy found handsome. Kathy and I ruminated about how they would get a deer down after terminating it's lifespan. Kathy is more at ease with these kind of questions, so I just played dumb (very easy).
The second guy we encountered looked beat. I do snow camping and would guess his pack at 55#/60# without a dead deer. Kathy asked him, " how do you get the deer to the trailhead? He patiently explained that the deer must be male to do the required procedure. First, you must take the horns. Then, eliminate the fur and bones. Take the remaining 80# or so of meat into your winter pack, tent and sleeping bag, plus food , water and stove. Maybe make two trips! Wow! These guys are tough.
Finally, the final question. We have not seen shit for deer. Where do you expect to find them? Our oracle from Big Pine was named Tom. He had a beautiful bow, no pulleys, and a quiver full of arrows that I would stake my life on being home made. He was handsome and full of life. Had the smallest pack of the hunters so far or that we saw. He had surfed the Wedge and was an LA surf guy who knew Blacks very well. In his early 30's had given up on SoCal and moved to Big Pine.
So, the answer is kind of simple. The deer are in the Sierra on the West side until the first snow falls. Then they want to get back to the wonderful relatively warm winter of the Buttermilk's, just outside of Bishop. They brave the hunters to get over the pass to the promised land. Duh, why didn't I think of that? Tom had spent 10 years trying to get a deer with his bow. He had plenty with his rifle, but this year didn't get a tag, except for bow. He said he was older and could just enjoy shooting his bow and having a few beers on the top ridge. Somehow, I didn't believe him. His last comment was "It's Halloween night and maybe this is the time".
We kept working our way up and got at the point of Piute Lake and the pass. The lake had the tell tail freezing part that foretells the coming winter. We got to the top of the pass, but kind of knew that our late start had doomed any chance for Desolation Lake. The wind had come up and the day was going by too fast. Kathy had stated a 1 PM turn around time and we just didn't have enough daylight.
We finished the pass at 11,400 and went North until we intersected a secondary trail that looked good for Desolation Lake. At 11,700, just below Mt. Humphrey, we realized that it was time to turn around and head back. It reminded me of a ski 25 years back that involved the Goeth Glacier and some friends.
On this trip I found some dry ground to set my tent. Mt. Humphreys is a worthy goal for any mountaineer.
Kathy captured my favorite view of this lake chain. We made the car after 8 hours and 14 miles. What a great day!
We did hike to the Hilton Lakes the next day, one of the goals of the trip. Kathy's maiden name sake was up Rock Creek Canyon, about parallel to Rock Creek Lake. It was a 9 mile round trip, with only 500 ft elevation gain. A bit like a German forest in that the trees were close together. Kind of weird to have this above 10,000 ft. Still, a nice day in the back country.
Storm clouds were brewing when we got back to camp. Packed everything up in preparation for an early start tomorrow. It has been a cold trip so far and time to get to the sun and desert of Death Valley.
We took 136 East from Lone Pine and soon joined with 190. We weren't sure where to camp so just decided to stay somewhere that felt good. Immigrant road was out because we were longer than 25 feet. Went past the turnoff for Darwin and then over a 4200 foot pass. Made a steep descent and ended up at Panamint Springs Resort, the only private operation in the park. They pipe water from 8 miles up canyon and get electricity from a diesel generator. Having been at Stovepipe Wells, decided this would be home for a few days.
It was a rather spartan resort to say the least, but the views were big in scope and the sun felt good. We could see across the desert to the North to the Panamint Dunes, which were billed as the most isolated dunes in the park. Our hiking map purchased at the Lone Pine Ranger Station showed a high clearance road on the East side of the Valley, leading out to a 8 mile round trip to the dunes. The view from our camp in the evening made it quite irresistible.
It took about an hour to negotiate the five mile dirt road out to the dunes because the road had been degraded from recent flash floods this season. Many of the dirt roads in the park are closed for this reason. It was kind of deserted at the "trail head" at the end. There was no trail, so it was kind of a point to point hike, being mindful of the features behind the truck. We definitely wanted to get back to it.
It was a lot more of a hike than we expected, because of the loose sand and steady uphill. At the start, we thought the dunes were close, but we just kept going and going. The creosote and other small bushes were very scraggly with mostly dry branches with a little green from the recent rains. Occasionally, we would cross the foot prints of one fellow pilgrim to the dunes from a few days or weeks ago.
As we approached the dunes, their beauty became more pronounced. The sand was rather firm, except for the steeper sections. It reminded me of being in the snow, where the erosion of water might make a seemingly secure area subject to slides or worse. Spooky!
The best looking plant on the hike was found in the dunes. How unlikely can this lonely bush be?
I will always remember the serenity of this special place. Kathy is just between the two sand humps. She was reading a book she downloaded to her iphone!
We were happy to get back to the truck. For some reason we both had a premonition that the vehicle might not start. Even if it proved to be true, we had plenty of water and the highway was only 5 miles away. Not like a lot of situations in Baja Sur, where being in a solo vehicle is a big deal. The truck started fine but on the way back we got into a sand storm, where visibility was down to 10 feet at times.
Our adventures were not over yet. The next morning the truck actually didn't start for the first time in my 8 years of ownership, though it is almost old enough to buy liquor. Since there is no cell phone coverage in the Panamints, we used the resort sat phone to call Miller's Towing in Lone Pine. We got our trailer into the day use area by the time the tow truck arrived. Back to Lone Pine, where the mountains were plastered with a foot of new snow and it was quite cold. John Miller, Oscar the tow truck driver and Jess the mechanic were the best. They provided transportation to lunch and our motel room. The next morning we were back on the road to pick up our trailer and head to the rest of Death Valley. Don't really care too much for the "drive by" nature of the park, but whatever. Back to free camping at Peg Leg's in Borrego after a night at Dumont Dunes. Great trip thanks to Kathy's patience and good ideas about keeping things real.
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