Talusdancers

***Whew!
Reading the news reports today (two climbers die on El Cap, 3 backpacking parties rescued from snow), it looks like we can be glad that all of the talusdancers completed their fall trips safely. Read Owen’s Twenty Lakes Basin 2004 Trip Report for a taste of the early winter storm that came through the Sierra last weekend.

Now I’m wondering if it might be possible to find a place to cross-country ski this weekend. By my calculations, a quick trip this weekend might allow me to ski during eight different months this season!

- Dan
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Friday evening – drove to Okuye Farm in Livingston CA, discussed gear with Mo and Alan, jacuzzi.

Saturday morning – Jean (Alan’s mom, age 67) arrives home from birdwatching in Belize, pack gear, drive through Yosemite. Entire park is choked with smoke from fires.

Saturday afternoon – at Mono Visitor’s Center we check weather and roads: chance of snow after midnight, 4″ accumulation Sunday, Tioga Pass Rd. and Saddlebag Lake Rd. to close Sunday afternoon. We determine that a hike to 20 Lakes Basin is too risky (what if the storm is early, they don’t plow Saddlebag Lake Rd. you know, they just lock the gate!). We pick up extra wine, beer, and firewood, grab campsite at Tioga Lake campground, go on a 3 mile loop hike to the Bennetville mine and ‘ghost town’ and back via a closed TPR and Tioga Lake dam, make fabulous dinner (Caesar’s Salad, Tabouli, Falafel, Pita, Shrimp Scampi, hot chocolate with Yuk).

Sunday 12:01am – with Jean in her Mountain Hardwear tent, Mo/Alan in a bomber TNF Talus tent, and me in my TNF Soloist bivy (never again in a blizzard), the storm hits with unforecasted ferocity: strong winds, heavy snow – some campers take-off, but we are just too warm. cozy and sleepy. I hear the traffic on highway 120: cars zooming by on dry pavement, cars moving along in wet slush, then cars inching along on snowy roads, at least a plow goes by, the wind is picking up and it is snowing harder – time to evacuate…

Sunday 6am – we pack up in a blizzard with 4 inches of snow on the ground, drive up to the pass in a blustery snowscape (good thing we took my 4×4 SUV with monster tread tires) to find the gate shut. We turn around and head into Lee Vining, take Monitor Pass and Ebbetts Pass (just before it closed) over the Sierra. This was my first time through Ebbetts…very beautiful. Brunch at ‘The Grounds’ in Murphy, drive through torrential rain with a funnel cloud in the distance. Arrive back at Okuye Farm mid-afternoon, quick visit with office-mate Monte at his parent’s farm a few miles away (Monte and Alan played together in the Atwater H.S. marching band – it’s a small world), then drive home in heavy traffic and heavy rain.

…We experienced the exact point of transition from fall to winter in the high Sierra. All along 120 (eastside), 395, 89 and 4, the fall colors were EXPLODING.

TPR was in the process of setting up for winter. The store area had the lights on and the windows open…with the sofas and rugs, it looked very cozy. Alan and Mo want to go for 3-4 days this winter/spring with a bunch of us (you, me, George and Co.).

Posted by Owen. October 17, 2004.
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***Trip reports
- Dan has posted the Cathedral Lakes 2004 Trip Report and Owen has posted the Twenty Lakes Basin 2004 Trip Report.

There’s nothing left of 2004 now… except for skiing!
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Cathedral Lake. October 10, 2004.
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Cathedral Peak. October 9, 2004.
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Fall colors on the shore of Lower Cathedral Lake. October 10, 2004.
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Owen and Jane near Lower Cathedral Lake. October 10, 2004.
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Trip participants were Owen, Dan, Jane, and Mark.

Some of us arrived late on Thursday night (October 7) at the Tioga Pass area. We all met up at the Tuolumne Meadows Fletcher Lake Trailhead between 9:00 and 10:00 am on Friday. Due to concerns by one participant about the potential for cold at Fletcher Lake (snow was in the forecast) we changed plans and decided to do the shorter trip to Lower Cathedral Lake instead.

After a fair amount of last-minute packing and gear storage, we finally got on the trail a bit before noon, and had a relatively uneventful hike up the 3.5 miles trail to Lower Cathedral Lake where we found nice campsites (and no summer crowds!) near the outlet stream. Although the weather forecast did include a possibility of a front coming though in the evening, the night was calm and clear.

Lower Cathedral Lake. October 10, 2004.

After getting up to sunny skies and only somewhat cold (for the season) weather, we decided on a general plan of action that included Upper Cathedral Lake, the ridge to the right of Cathedral Peak, and Budd Lake. We crossed the outlet stream and followed the lake shore in a counter-clockwise direction until we reached the dry meadow section on the far side. Here we lateralled up the dome-like rock face, generally heading to the left, until we crossed the ridge and dropped to Upper Cathedral Lake.

From here we could see our next objective, the left end of the long saddle to the right of Cathedral Peak. We headed generally up and slightly to the left, at times following the faint path of previous hikers, until we topped out on the open ridge from which we could see Budd Lake below and to our right. Crossing many intermediate gullies, we traversed over to Budd Lake for lunch.

Cathedral Peak. October 9, 2004.

After lunch we headed back up toward the same ridge, but this time aimed for the end closer to Echo Peaks – more to the left from the perspective of Budd Lake. At the top we paused to admire the spectacular view taking in Cathedral Peak, Echo Peaks, Mt. Hoffman, Mt. Conness, and others too numerous to name. As we took a few photos we began to notice a few snowflakes falling from the darkening clouds, and before long we had a pretty good snowfall (of graupel) going.

Dan, Owen, Mark, and Jane on the ridge near Cathedral Peak. October 9, 2004.

We headed down from the ridge, taking a route to Upper Cathedral Lake that went a bit to the left – and the snow continued. We rejoined the Muir Trail near Upper Cathedral and followed it to the junction to Lower Cathedral. Snow continued as we reached Lower Cathedral Lake and our campsite, but it stopped just about the time we managed to get shelter set up. Soon the sun came out and almost all the clouds blew away.

That night there was no more precipitation, although the wind kicked up a bit later on. On Sunday morning we awoke again to sunshine and relatively nice temperatures, although the wind made it seem a bit colder.

Fall colors along the shore of Lower Cathedral Lake. October 10, 2004.

We headed out to Tuolumne the way we had come in, arriving back at our cars at 1:00, and then driving up to the pass for lunch at TPR.

Owen and Jane in the meadow near Lower Cathedral Lake. October 10, 2004.

Posted by Dan. October 17, 2004.
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***We’re back

Dan, Owen, Mark, and Jane on ridge near Cathedral Peak. October 9, 2004.

The Fletcher Lake 2004 trip morphed into the Cathedral Lakes 2004 trip… which is somewhat ironic since next week’s Cathedral Lakes trip has also morphed into something else. Confused? So are we.
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Dan, Owen, Mark, and Jane on ridge near Cathedral Peak. October 10, 2004.
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