High Sierra National Forests, Parks, and Wilderness Areas General Information. (We highly recommend renting before you buy so as to find what suits you best, since a full setup is pretty pricey). What’s your opinion on solo hiking the High Route? So, I'm looking to shave a few days off the route. It utilizes some secondary trails and a few major trails but it mainly travels through off trail terrain. Many thanks, Steve. 36 miles. Visit this page to check availability. In the High Sierra, you should only need a permit from the agency where your trip starts. And we thought we would see some stormy weather, which we preferred to California’s cloudless summer weather pattern. Thanks for subscribing! Here are a few reasons why… (1) The SHR features many steep passes, many big climbs, many Class 3 scrambles, many miles of boulder fields, and constant exposure to thunderstorms. Kearsarge start $1875 April 26-May 2 Shepherd start $1650 April 27-May 2 …or custom programs in May ... -9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). Box 559 Prather, CA 93651 559-855-5355 (TDD) 559-855-5367 ... Campfire permits are free If you want to hike the SHR in sections, get the guidebook—there are trailhead access descriptions. I recommend this system especially for the SHR because there is only one convenient opportunity to buy supplies en route—at Tuolumne Meadows, where there is a small grocery store about two miles down Tioga Road. Kearsarge start I’m not aware of any guaranteed technique to avoid a fine, e.g. We had to pay to park our car for a few days and was 14 dollars. The newsletter is sent once per month, max, and normally contains informative reviews and skill tutorials. I assume SOBO is the better direction, but a permit from Yosemite would be harder to get right? But I think most backpackers would appreciate having a hiking partner to help navigate, discuss decisions, and help out in the event of an emergency. The encyclopedia of Sierra travel. The next day we cross Shepherd Pass before descending Tyndall Creek to the Kern River and camp alongside Milestone Creek. Particularly the info about resupplies, and permits. This map was created by a user. I hate bear canisters. Do you think I will regret it, provided the temperatures remain the same? Much appreciated. Bears are not interested in humans, but they are interested in our food, and this is partly why bears are a major management consideration in the Sierra. Two aussies (myself and my partner SImon), have just found out about this amazing trail, and are now avidly researching it, to make it happen in the next year or so. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. If you are going late in the season, you’ll probably want to travel south: the northern sections of the route are more likely to get whacked with snow first. The better location at which to resupply is Red’s Meadow, which is located about 118 miles north of Road’s End and 77 miles south of Mono Village. The purpose of Creek Fire Order No. Read an account of skiing the High Route with SMC by Ray Purcell. The Sierra High Route traverses the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range from South to North or vice versa. We will be carefully selecting equipment to reduce weight and we will work with you to ensure that packs do not weigh more then about 45 pound plus the weight of your skis when we start out. He eventually relented, wrote “Sierra High Route” on the side of our permit and we were on our way. This is a long tour and pack weight needs to be kept as low as possible. Looked at rec.gov to get a wilderness permit for inyo national forest but they didn’t have twin lakes/mono village as an exit point. I offered $60 + gas (about $80 total) and received about five emails from available drivers within 30 minutes; you could probably ask for less and still find someone. We do not include accommodation in the pricing but can make local suggestions for you. If so, the Sierra High Route is for you. Since there is a lot of walking off trail, how exactly do permits work? Since there is a lot of walking off trail, how exactly do permits work? Red’s receives a lot of resupply boxes from John Muir Trail hikers and they have a good system in place; the fee is $25/box. If you are not travelling early or late, then you can chose to either way. We’ll then descend into the lush meadowlands below … SMC does not rent ski equipment, but we work with Mammoth Mountaineering (760-934-4191) to get you set up on the correct equipment. After we reached Mono Village and washed up in the lake, we hitch-hiked into Bridgeport with one of the many Mono car-campers. so I will not comment. This saves weight, and allows me to “take my warmth with me” in the morning when I get out of my bag and in the middle of the night when I have to pee. I’ve been hiking in the high Sierra backcountry for over 15 years and am just buzzing to start the route this summer. The High Sierra is managed by several agencies, but you only need a permit from the agency that manages the trailhead from which you are starting. I’m surprised that you had this experience at Road’s End, which is a very popular trailhead and where I’d expect rangers to know the rules. Newsletter signup, If you haven’t spoken with a Sierra Mountain Center employee yet and wish to check availability and fit of a program, please call or use this form: Quick Reservation Request. Starting in the low desert of the Eastern Sierra and crossing some of the more rugged parts of the Sierra Nevada this is not a tour for the beginning skier. Learn to research conditions, select gear, plan meals, make maps, and more. This 210- to 220-mile, 20- to 30-day cross-country journey could be the premier mountain trek in the Lower 48. The view from this pass is one of the finest on the entire High Route. Depending on an area’s popularity and fragility, some require permits for any visit, some only for overnight trips, and some not at all. This June when I got to Road’s End to pick up a permit, I was dealt a surprise when the Ranger informed me that I should have gotten permits for every jurisdiction that we were passing through on the hike. LNT - Let's work together to protect our precious mountain environment. Identification of flora and fauna of the Sierra. I’ve got a 0F mummy bag, and trying to shave off some pounds. Hi friends. Hope to see you all out there this summer. Close. With respect, Andrew, the most beautiful photos (and the most beautiful views) are while facing into the sun, because shadows highlight everything, even at mid-day. Buzz and I both carried canisters. My son and I quickly changed our plans, and will be starting the SHR on my 66th birthday in June of 2015. The encyclopedia of Sierra travel. Buzz and I had no issues in early-July obtaining a permit via the walk-up approach, though if we had prepared earlier we would have reserved a permit to avoid the risk. If you will be accessing the park through the Jennie Lakes wilderness (Sequoia National Forest), obtain a permit … The High Sierra is managed by several agencies, but you only need a permit from the agency that manages the trailhead from which you are starting. Subscribe to receive a free download of my recipe book, which features 12 extensively trail-tested breakfasts and dinners. They are heavy (1 lb, 15 oz for the lightest model, the Bearikade Expedition from Wild-Ideas), they are an added expense, and they are uncomfortable to carry (their cylindrical shape fits awkwardly in small packs, and their hard sides inflict bruises if not cushioned correctly). Published by The Mountaineers. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A heavy pack increases mental fatigue and makes these tasks more difficult. Laws, John Muir, The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada. Nicknamed Peter, the author vanished during a trip to the Minarets in 1933, his body was found after an intense search, and his book was published posthumously. Acute and overuse injuries are more likely with a heavy pack, which frankly makes them downright dangerous. April 27-May 2. 2020 © Andrew Skurka. So, I'm looking to shave a few days off the route. The classic and original route starts from the sagebrush and pines west of Independence and ascends Symmes Creek spending the first night at Anvil Camp. 7 days, 6 nights. If you do not reserve your permit beforehand, approximately one-quarter of the permits are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. (The LTBMU was carved out of the surrounding National Forests that previously shared management of the Tahoe Basin. The winter of 2007-08 began strong, but its strength faded and Spring arrived early. Traveling light on the SHR is even more important than on a standard backpacking trip. This is not a trail hike, but instead follows high alpine passes and basins, avoiding both trails and below treeline travel wherever possible. The permit, itself, doesn't cost anything. 10. 13,000 feet of ascent; 12,200 of descent. First skied in its entirety in 1975 by Sierra veteran Dave Beck, this subtle line linking high passes and long contours around huge snow filled bowls has become the goal of many a backcountry skier. A follow-up question. There are black bears in the High Sierra, lots of them. Hikers in August and September will experience drier conditions and few mosquitoes, but the melted-out mountains will not look as majestic and the scree fields will be more exposed. Permits guarantee that each visitor gets important basic education before their wilderness trip. I make up the difference by wearing most of my clothing to bed. I can’t speak to access points other than the two termini because I’m not from the area and because we stayed on the trail the entire time. Published by The Mountaineers. The route is the brainchild of long time Sierra climber and wanderer, Steve Roper, who pieced the route … and proceeded to regularly outsmart the humans who tried to protect their food by hanging it, burying it, and even sleeping next to it. It was conceived as a more diehard alpine alternative to the JMT by outdoor adventurer, climber, and author Steve Roper in the 1990s. Sierra High Route: Permits, alternate start/end points. I would greatly appreciate hearing from you after complete your hike. Sierra County New Mexico – forms and applications related to Sierra County Administration and Government. The SoSHR is a route in keeping with the spirit of the original SHR, and a route we believe would be close to John Muir’s heart. Sierra High Route. I’m thinking of using a 20F bag and lightening my load, still being well below 29F. 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