John Muir Wilderness
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Piute Pass John Muir Wilderness |
October 1, 2013
At the summer home of friends Gary and Sharon, every morning begins
with a great view of Mount Tom. Although it is only the
41st-highest peak in California, Tom's
2,000-foot prominence enables it to dominate the near landscape.
Mount Tom at sunrise
As of midnight this morning, much of the federal government has been forced to shut down because the lunatic fringe in Congress doesn't want our President to get credit for anything at all. Go figure. The three of us, however, are not so dysfunctional that we will be kept from our appointment with Piute Pass.
Getting started entails a three-quarter mile walk to the actual trailhead
Sharon and Gary and I are bundled up relatively heavily, because it still is early morning and fall is in the air; much of our clothing should not be needed later, though. A road leads to the trailhead at a campground where daytime parking is not allowed. I visited the nearby Lamarck Lakes on this very same date four years ago (Hike #70). It's about time that I returned here.
Left in 2009, straight on today
Right away it is necessary to cross the North Fork of Bishop Creek, which we will be following for most of the day. I promptly stumble on one of the rocks, affirming a nagging feeling that I am not firing on all cylinders today.
North Fork Bishop Creek
After a brief stint in the trees, we emerge from the forest, finding spectacular scenery all around.
Gray crags on the left
Orange crags on the right
It still is a long way up to the first lake
I confess to my companions that I seem off my feed this morning; or at least,
that's my excuse for holding up the group. Could my long walk yesterday
up in Lake Canyon be slowing me down a bit? Possibly. Just for the
hell of it, I pop a couple of Ibuprofen — a first for me.
Although those pills have been hiding in my pack for many years, they might
still have some medicinal value.
There are many stair steps today
In season, the waterfall here is gorgeous
After two and a half miles and a 1,500-foot climb, we finally reach the first lake. The going should be quite a bit easier from here.
Loch Leven
Unnamed ponds
The pass is barely visible in the distance
Another 200-foot climb gets us to the biggest lake on the route.
Piute Lake and Peak 12352
It had been suggested that we might stop here at the lakes due to my current impairment; but no. I visit with these two only once a year or so, and there is no way that I will cramp their style today. Besides, for whatever reason, I am feeling a bit better now.
Switchbacking through the boulders
The pass is another 500 feet up
Getting closer
>Gary has reached the top
Having done a lot of research, I knew about what to expect in terms of views; but of course there's nothing like being here. Starkness can be interesting.
Summit Lake and Humphreys Basin
Actually, there are many other lakes in that basin, all out of sight. In the background is the Glacier Divide, which hosts much of the permanent snow pack that remains in the Sierra. Behind that crest is Kings Canyon National Park, which is hosting no one as of today.
Beyond Summit Lake
That spectacular pyramid has no name
It is quite breezy now, but not cold at all; in fact, it feels great up here right now above 11,400 feet. Finding a spot that isn't too windy, Sharon and Gary sit down for a carefully prepared lunch, which always is a major part of their hiking day. I tend not to pack much food myself, but perhaps I should.
Lunching at Piute Pass
As we start back, the views change dramatically.
This is why I go hiking
Highway 168 lies between us and Table Mountain in the background, nestled conveniently out of sight at the base of the dark wall.
The last pond in the chain
Gary observes that this is a high-maintenance trail, meaning that care is required with each step. In order to enjoy the scenery, one must stop first or risk a fall.
Stairs are the order of the day
When not taking photographs, both of my friends tend to walk fairly rapidly. Although my photos aren't as good as Gary's, I take more of them, and that means more stops. Once again my companions have disappeared from sight, so I'll just have to walk faster in order to catch up.
Piute Lake and Peak 12691
Rocks below
Rocks above
Loch Leven is a quintessential example of a unique Sierra phenomenon
that is quite special to me — wherein a lake can literally
hang above an area below it. Sometimes a dam creates an artificial
setting, but here the effect is totally natural. I have hiked with
easterners whose minds were blown by the very existence of a high mountain
lake (there is no such thing in the Appalachians), not to mention one that
seems ready to eject its contents upon the world below.
Loch Leven will not be spilling over today
I finally have caught up with the others. Gary suggests that I have an unorthodox hiking style, but it works for me:
That's white rock, not snow, on the Piute Crags
The three of us are down to T-shirts now. The breeze has abated, and it is great hiking weather.
We're finished with the lakes, but not the mileage
Nice rocks
Nice curves
Nice dikes ⇔
Nice aspens
More dikes ⇔
More aspens
Rather than repeat my humiliation at the rock crossing, I detour around
it on a log provided for the purpose. It is a further one-mile
stroll to the car.
A mellow finish to a sublime outing
§: Well, I started this hike somewhat out of sorts; but by day's
end, I felt pretty damn good. The North Fork Bishop Creek Canyon was
even more scenic than I had anticipated. The only drawback was the
paucity of running water at the higher elevations; doubtless this trail is
especially beautiful in July and August.
| Scenery |  |
| Difficulty | |
| Personality |  |
| Solitude |  |
