Talusdancers

***The Glacier Point adventure
seems to be taking shape. We’ll drive up on Friday and hit the trail – going partway to Glacier Point that day. We’ll go the rest of the way on Saturday and have lots of time to gawk at Ysemite Valley and the snowy crest of the Sierra Nevada.

The weather is starting to look a bit interesting. Daily high temperatures on Friday-Sunday at 7000-8000 look to be in the mid- to high- twenties, and there is a probability of some snowfall. From the weather service:

***FRIDAY
…MOSTLY CLOUDY… SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS… HIGHS AT 5000 FEET 32 TO 38…AT 8000 FEET 21 TO 27.

***FRIDAY NIGHT
…MOSTLY CLOUDY… SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS… LOWS AT 5000 FEET 30 TO 38…AT 8000 FEET 17 TO 27.

***SATURDAY
…SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY… HIGHS AT 5000 FEET 33 TO 39…AT 8000 FEET 22 TO 28.

***SATURDAY NIGHT
…MOSTLY CLOUDY… A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS… LOWS AT 5000 FEET 31 TO 39…AT 8000 FEET 18 TO 28.

***SUNDAY
…MOSTLY CLOUDY… A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS… HIGHS AT 5000 FEET 33 TO 39…AT 8000 FEET 22 TO 28.

Earlier I wondered if this would be the last trip of winter or the first trip of summer. It is looking more like the last trip of winter…
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***How about a late-season snow camping trip
on April 4-6… assuming there is some snow left? We’re hoping for Glacier Point, but we’ll see.
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***Added a few more pictures
of the 2000 Whitney trip.
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Most of the group on top of Mt. Whitney – Dan and Brandon arrived a bit later. August, 2000.
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The group at Whitney Portal at the end of the trip. August, 2000.
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Dan added a couple of group pictures from the 2000 Onion Valley to Mt. Whitney trip.
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2000 Whitney trip participants.
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(Update: May 11, 2003 – Originally planned for Memorial Weekend, we are going to delay this trip due to the overabundance of snow this year. As of the beginning of May the snow depth and the Bunny Flat parking lot is 16 feet! We may try a bit later – perhaps in late June or early July.)

Yes, Shasta again.

Dan is now 0 for 2 on Shasta attempts so it is time to get him to the top. (Dan says, “It’s not my fault!”

Friday – Hardcore folks and those who want more time to acclimate leave work early and drive to Bunny Flat trailhead to “camp” (if that is what you call sleeping in your car) overnight.
• Saturday – Sane and gainfully-employed participants join the early-arrivers at Bunny Flat and ascend to Helen Lake base camp.
• Sunday – Rise early (very early!) and climb the Avalanche Gulch route to the summit. Return to Helen Lake base camp by mid-day or early afternoon. Likely descend to at least Horse Camp.
• Monday – Backup summit day in case conditions make a Saturday attempt impossible or unwise.

Some variations include:

• Gradual approach – Camp at Horse Camp on Saturday night. Climb to Helen Lake base camp on Sunday. Climb Shasta, descend to Bunny Flat and drive home on Monday.
• Variation for aggressive early arrivers – Those who can arrive very early on Friday evening and/or hike with headlamps could ascend to Horse Camp on Friday, encouraging earlier acclimatization.

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***Why it is not Dan’s fault.

Dan’s feeble defense for not summiting on two previous attempts: “On the first occasion I accompanied a large group of high school and middle school kids on a Shasta climb. Although nearly everyone on the trip did summit I had promised my then-11-year-old son that he could make the decision about whether or not to climb once we reached Helen Lake. He decided not to. The second attempt was the following year with Owen who tried valiantly to pretend that his injured foot really didn’t hurt – all the way to Horse Camp where we realized the folly of attempting the summit with an injury.”
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***2003 plans
- The picture is starting to become clearer…

Dan is thinking vaguely about a late-March XC-skiing overnight to Glacier Point.

Possible spring Mt. Shasta reconnaissance to Horse Camp?

Mt. Shasta climb on Memorial Day weekend.

Some of us are joining a weeklong canoe/backpack trip in British Columbia in July

The annual summer expedition looks to be a grand South Lake to Onion Valley trip into Dusy Basin, then south over Mather, Pinchot, and Glen passes, exiting over Kearsarge Pass to Onion Valley. Early August.

Other adventures will come up both before and after this main event.

We’ll likely end the backpacking season with the now-traditional mid-October trip to Fletcher Lake – with a stop at Tioga Lodge on their last day of the season.
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