Talusdancers

Owen has posted a Twenty Lakes Basin 2004 Trip Report.

***October 15-17

Cathedral Lakes Weekend (Cathedral Lakes 2004) is now Twenty Lakes Basin Weekend. As it turns out overnight parking at Tuolumne Meadows trailheads ends on October 14. Therefore Cathedral Lakes will not be accessible for overnight use the weekend we want to be there, October 15-17. No problem – from Tioga Lake, the planned trailhead BBQ/carcamp site just outside of Tuolumne Meadows, it is just a few miles north to Saddlebag Lake and the trailhead for Twenty Lakes Basin, thus it is actually closer than the Cathedral Lake trailhead.

***New Itinerary – Talus Dancers – Twenty Lakes Basin Weekend – October 15-17, 2004

***Friday afternoon
– drive to Tioga Lakes camprground, trailhead BBQ, carcamp

***Satuday
– short drive to Saddlebag Lake, park, hike via Lundy Pass to Cascade Lake, camp

***Sunday
– explore a little, hike out, drive home

***Important stuff

Suggest bringing your trailhead BBQ supplies from home, since once in the mountains at this time of year, there is not much available.

Total mileage is just over 8 miles. Vertical is not demanding.

No solar/composting toilets (bring TP for traditional unloading method)

No bear lockers, but bear canisters are _not_ required, but recommended – we’ll likely need 1 for every 3 persons, so we’re covered. I may bring my Ursack.

Entire trip is above 10000 feet – be ready for the sublime, late-season (the fall colors!) sub-alpine.

***Weather
- If there is a giant snowstorm, put away your gear ’til next spring. We’ll have to make sure the gate for Saddlebag Lake is still open (barring a big snowstorm it should be), and that Tioga Lake or other nearby campground (i.e. Junction or Saddlebag) is still open as advertised.

***Previews:

http://www.trailpeak.com/index.jsp?cat=hike&con=trail&val=1201
http://brandon_liew.tripod.com/California/20_Lakes_Basin/20_Lakes_Basin.html
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Cathedral Lakes 2004 has now morphed into Twenty Lakes Basin 2004. Owen writes:

Cathedral Lakes Weekend is now Twenty Lakes Basin Weekend. As it turns out, overnight parking at Tuolumne Meadows trailheads ends on October 14. Therefore Cathedral Lakes will not be accessible for overnight use the weekend we want to be there, October 15-17. No problem – from Tioga Lake, the planned trailhead BBQ/carcamp site just outside of Tuolumne Meadows, it is just a few miles north to Saddlebag Lake and the trailhead for Twenty Lakes Basin, thus it is actually closer than the Cathedral Lake trailhead.

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***New fall trip info
posted:

• Fletcher Lake 2004 details have been updated. This trip now spans 4 days if you take advantage of the possibility of a late Thursday arrival. It is also possible to arrive on Friday and join us on the trail. Crazed Talusdancers have been know to arrive on Friday evening and hike up after dark. An early Saturday arrival would let you join us for one evening.
• Cathedral Lakes 2004 has been added for the following weekend. This is a short low-stress trip on the last weekend of the somewhat-regular season at Tuolumne Meadows.

Mid-October can be one of the most beautiful times of the year in the Sierra. While early snow is possible, and colder temperatures are likely, clear and warm days are also common and the crowds have left.
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Cathedral Lakes Overnight – October (15)16-17

Oops! This trip has now morphed into Twenty Lakes Basin 2004 as described by Owen:

Cathedral Lakes Weekend ( aka Cathedral Lakes 2004) is now Twenty Lakes Basin Weekend (Twenty Lakes Basin 2004). As it turns out, overnight parking at Tuolumne Meadows trailheads ends on October 14. Therefore Cathedral Lakes will not be accessible for overnight use the weekend we want to be there, October 15-17. No problem – from Tioga Lake, the planned trailhead BBQ/carcamp site just outside of Tuolumne Meadows, it is just a few miles north to Saddlebag Lake and the trailhead for Twenty Lakes Basin, thus it is actually closer than the Cathedral Lake trailhead.

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This trip has been put on hold. See Big Pine Lakes 2006.
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***Or, more accurately,
Mammoth to South Lake 2005. And perhaps John Muir Trail 2006?
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***July 31 – August 15, 2005

***Contents

Gear

Food/Package Drops

Trailhead BBQ

Itinerary

Post-Trip Plans

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***Gear

Owen has posted his gear list and Dan’s equipage list is also online. Those who have not done such a long trip before should perhaps plan a bit more carefully than usual. The trick is to be sufficiently equipped for likely conditions without bringing so much gear that your already-heavy pack becomes a monster.

Due to the length of this trip we are likely to see a greater range of conditions than we might see on a shorter trip – ranging from rather hot and dry to thunderstorms of varying ferocity. Because of the heavy winter snowfall we will likely encounter wetter conditions and more snow patches than usual for this time of year – and an abundance of mosquitos.

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***Food/resupply drops
You will eat – and carry! – food for a total of 13 breakfasts, 14 lunches, 13 dinners, and daily snacks on the trail. Plan carefully or, better yet, obsessively!

SUPPLY – at start of trip

7 breakfasts

7 snacks

7 lunches

6 dinners

FIRST RESUPPLY (day 2) – at Reds Meadow Resort (store and diner)

1 breakfast, which may be purchased at the resort diner

2 snacks

2 lunches

2 dinners, 1 of which may be purchased at the resort diner

misc supplies

– We will stash 2 days of food the Reds Meadow Resort store for $1 per day per resupply package (i.e. 5 gallon bucket or garbage bag in a max. 14″x14″x24″ cardboard box sealed). The plan: On day 1 of our trip, when we get off the mandatory shuttle bus at Agnew Meadows (the 1st stop), two of us will remain on the mandatory shuttle bus with the first resupply cache, take it to the Reds Meadow Resort store (the last stop), register it, then return to Agnew Meadows on the same or next mandatory shuttle bus heading back up. This small resupply is necessary because the resupply at Muir Trail Ranch is on day 9 and bear canisters officially hold 6 days of food/supplies for one person, 7 days if you work at it at bit. (Though Dan recalls that he did manage to cram enough food into a canister for a 9 day trip on one occasion. See details here.)

SECOND RESUPPLY (day 9) – at Muir Trail Ranch

5 breakfasts

5 snacks

5 lunches

5 dinners

misc supplies

– A mile and a half or so off JMT from the northern Florence Lake Junction is Muir Trail Ranch. They have a package drop service for $45.

Basically, the 2nd resupply must contain 5 full days of food: 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 days of snacks, and 5 dinners. Adding a few treats isn’t a bad idea. You’ll appreciate them a lot

You are likely to become increasingly ravenous as the trip gets into the second week, so think about increasing the daily food ration for the last 5 days. Trust us on this. Owen is adding a non-dehydrated Tasty Bite dinner; Dan will include a couple of extra soup mixes, some chocolate, and perhaps a small bag of cookies.

Keeping in mind the limited space in the 5 gallon bucket you will use to mail your cache, you can include other items to replenish your dwindling supplies on Day 9: sunscreen, mosquito repellant, soap/shampoo, film, etc.

You may not include extra fuel – the Postal Service will not ship it. Fuel (white gas and some canisters) should be available for sale at MTR, but you should double check ahead of time and have a backup plan.

Owen has posted information about food selection, packing, and other considerations, including his very fancy and very specific menu for the trip. On his Equipage list, Dan rattles on at great length concerning backpacking food and preparation and related topics.

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***Trailhead BBQ

Assignments for the traditional night-before-hitting-the-trail barbecue at our camp site follow:

• Kevin & Jill: Beer & Beverages, big stryofoam ice chest & ice
• OE & Sarah: grilled veggies [only a little] & white sweet corn
• Evan & Cori: paper plates, plastic cups, plastic utensils, paper towels
• Ryan & Jen: lighter fluid, small potatoes, some wine
• Owen & Caroline: cooking utensils, firewood, and dessert
• Dan: appetizers [crackers & cheese...?], chips

Don’t forget that everyone supplies his/her own barbecuables – generally in the form of meat, poultry, seafood, or vegetable, though creative variations and alternatives are welcomed. We’ll shop enroute to our carcamp site, Four Jeffrey – likely at Von’s in Bishop.

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***Itinerary

***July 31 (Day 0): Call to Order

Drive to Bishop, CA, stop at Von’s (for Trailhead BBQ stuff) and Schat’s Bakery (for dessert!),

drive to Four Jeffrey Campground, grab 2 adjacent campsites,

drive to South Lake just up the road (exit point of hike), stash 3 cars (11 seats) at trailhead parking lot,

back at Four Jeffrey, trailhead BBQ, carcamp.

***August 1 (Day 1): Agnew Meadows to Gladys Lake

Drive to Bishop, stop by Von’s (for any day 1 fresh food and any non-bakery food breakfast items including Starbucks) and Schat’s Bakery (for breakfast pastry, fresh squeezed OJ),

continue on to Mammoth,

park cars at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area Main Lodge Parking Lot,

take mandatory shuttle ($7 fare) to Agnew Meadows traihead 8400′ 0.0 miles -

Resupply cache mission to Reds Meadow (see above)

Begin hike!

Shadow Lake footbridge 8760′ 3.8 miles

Rosalie Lake 9350′ 1.5 miles

Gladys Lake 9780 ‘ 0.6 miles

Daily total mileage:
***5.9 miles

***August 2 (Day 2): Gladys Lake to Reds Meadow

Trinity Lake 9180 ‘ 1.8 miles

Minaret Tr. Jct. 8150′ 2.0 miles

‘Postpile Jct.’/to Reds Mdw. 7400′ (2.0 miles – to Reds Meadow) – pick up 1st resupply cashe at Reds Meadow Resort store (store has a nice selection of bottled and canned beer), optional dinner at Reds Meadow Resort Cafe (before 7pm), 10 minute hike north to Reds Meadow Campground, hot showers (free, decripit, but working facilities)

Daily total mileage:
***5.8 miles + mileage around Reds Meadow

***August 3 (Day 3): Reds Meadow to Deer Creek

Crater Creek 8700′ 3.6 miles

“lovely” Upper Crater Mdw. 8920 ‘ 0.9 miles (campsites on fringe)

Deer Creek 9120′ 2.2 miles fill water! Poor-fair overused campsites

Daily total mileage:
***6.7 miles

***August 4 (Day 4): Deer Creek to Purple Lake

Duck Lake Tr. Jct. 10150′ 5.8 miles (poor-fair overused campsites at ford)

Purple Lake outlet 9900′ 2.3 miles (campsites on West shore)

Daily total mileage:
***8.1 miles

***August 5 (Day 5): Purple Lake to Squaw Lake

Lake Virginia 10335′ 2.1 miles

Tully Hole 9520′ 1.9 miles

Cascade Vly. Tr. Jct. 9130′ 1.1 miles

[Squaw Lake] 10300′ 1.5 miles (one or two exposed campsites)

Daily total mileage:
***6.6 miles

***August 6 (Day 6): Squaw Lake to Mono Creek Bridge

Goodale Pass Tr. Jct. 10550′ 1.0 miles

Silver Pass 10900′ 1.2 miles

Silver Pass Crk. Ford 9640′ 2.8 miles

No. Frk. Mono Crk. crossing 8940′ 1.2 miles

Mono Pass Tr. Jct. 8270′ 1.4 miles

Mono Crk. Steel bridge 7750 ‘ 1.5 miles (to Lake Edison/Vermilion Rst.)

Daily total mileage:
***9.2 miles

***August 7 (Day 7): Mono Creek Bridge to Bear Diversion Dam Trail

[Bear Ridge] Tr. Jct. 9980′ 4.6 miles

Bear Diversion Dam Tr. Jct. 9040′ 1.6 miles (numerous campsites beyond)

Daily total mileage:
***6.2 miles

***August 8 (Day 8): Bear Diversion Dam Trail to Marie Lake

Lake Italy Tr. Jct. 9300′ 2.0 miles

East Fork Bear Crk. Jct. 9350′ 1.2 miles

Rosemarie Meadow 10010′ 1.4 miles

Marie Lake outlet ford 10570′ 1.6 miles (exposed camping)

Daily total mileage:
***6.2 miles

***August 9 (Day 9): Marie Lake to Muir Camp

Selden Pass 10900′ 0.9 miles

Senger Creek ford 9740′ 3.7 miles

Florence Lake lateral 8400′ 2.2 miles

Florence Lake Tr. Jct. 7890′ 1.7 miles

Muir Trail Ranch (off JMT) 7700′ 1.5 miles – pick-up 2nd resupply cache

Daily total mileage:
***10.0 miles

***August 10 (Day 10): Muir Camp to McClure Meadow

Back to Florence Lk. Tr. Jct. 7890′ 1.5 miles

Piute Pass Tr. Jct. 8050′ 1.8 miles (numerous campsites)

Log footbridge 8470′ 3.8 miles

McClure Meadow 9650′ 3.5 miles (ranger station – postcard view)

Daily total mileage:
***10.6 miles

***August 11 (Day 11): McClure Meadow to Wanda Lake

[Evolution Lake outlet] 10850′ 3.5 miles

Evolution Lake inlet 10850′ 1.4 miles

Wanda Lake outlet 11400′ 2.4 miles

[Wanda Lake inlet] 11400′ 1.2 miles

Daily total mileage:
***8.5 miles

***August 12 (Day 12): Wanda Lake to Little Pete Meadow

Muir Pass 11955′ 1.0 miles

Helen Lake 11617′ 1.3 miles

[Little Pete Mdw.] 9000′ 5.0 miles

Daily total mileage:
***7.3 miles

***August 13 (Day 13): Little Pete Meadow to Dusy Basin
(Happy B-Day Dan!)

Bishop Pass Tr. Jct. 8710′ 0.7 miles

Upper Dusy Basin Lakes 11000′ 4.6 miles

Daily total mileage:
***5.3 miles

***August 14 (Day 14): Dusy Basin to South Lake

Bishop Pass 11972′ 1.0 miles

South Lake 9600′ 6.0 miles

Daily total mileage:
***7.0 miles

Total trip mileage: 103.4

drive to Mammoth, nice dinner, hotel, or drive directly home.

***August 15 (Day 15): Return to the Unreal World

Drive home.

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***Post-Trip Plans

Details soon, or more like eventually. For some of us this will involve a hotel and a nice dinner in Mammoth on the evening of August 14, followed by a drive home on August 15.

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Early planning ideas from an email from Owen to Dan on September 9, 2004.

Tentatively: July 30 – August 13, 2005

***Food/package drops

A mile off JMT from the northern Florence Lake Junction is Muir Trail Ranch and Blaney Hot Spring. They have a package drop service for $45: http://www.muirtrailranch.com/resupply.html

The other place to do resupply is Vermilion Valley Resort who also has a package drop service for only $10. http://www.edisonlake.com/default.asp?page=resupply. However in addition to a 1 mile jaunt off JMT it requires additional ferry ride across Lake Edison ($16 round trip fare) which runs just twice a day (morning and late afternoon), so we would have to time it right so as not to ‘miss the boat.’ http://www.edisonlake.com/default.asp?page=shuttle Also it is 42.3 miles from Agnew Meadow to the Edison Lake junction, and 58.1 miles from Edison Lake junction to South Lake, which is a slightly less uneven division of the trip, but since the 2nd half of the route is harder, I think I would rather do the easier, larger chunk first as afforded by resupplying at Muir Trail Ranch, which affords good soaks in Blaney Hot Springs to boot! Vermilion Valley Resort looks very attractive though for when we do the JMT Thru-hike in 2006 (3 weeks). http://www.edisonlake.com/

Of course if we do it right, we won’t have to resupply at all!

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***July 30 – August 13, 2005?
Devil’s Postpile area to North Lake via the JMT?
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Caroline and her dad.
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