Me, sitting on a couch in an air-conditioned room after having enjoyed a filling breakfast, says “hell yes, I'm going over those passes – no way am I going to take those alternates”. With access points noted along the way, the route can be broken into week-long segments, and hikers can choose segments for their skill level. off-trail hiking). The Lowest to Highest Route takes the hiker from Death Valley (280 ft below sea level) to the summit of Mt.Whitney (14,495 ft), via a combination of trails, lightly used 4WD tracks and cross country travel.It is a journey marked by extremes and contrasts rather than trail signs. The hike from Wallace Creek to Guitar Lake … Enter the Sierra High Route (SHR). worth it. But it is an expert route–not for novices, youth groups, bad knees, or even experienced trail hikers new to … Planned start date Aug 19th. Wikipedia states "Very few people have hike the entire Sierra High Route in one trip." These terms imply that I have somehow conquered the mountains but instead it’s the mountains that have given me everything on my visits to the high Sierra – the inspiration, the motivation and the memories that will last a lifetime. At the four-way junction on the very edge of Giant Forest, bear left along High Sierra for 0.25 mile to Eagle View. However, Alan Dixon (aka Adventure Alan) has mapped and described what he's dubbed the Southern Sierra High Route (SoSHR) which I am hoping to connect to the SHR into a SoSHR+SHR extended trip (Full SHR?). The High Route is point-to-point, beginning on the west side of the Sierra in Sequoia National Park and ending on the east side north of Yosemite National Park. Status. Wallace Creek to Guitar Lake – 6.8 miles, 1,530′ ascent. We’re at the Symmes Creek trailhead, in the high desert sage out Onion Valley Road west of Independence, about to embark on the Sierra High Route. The 400 mi / 640 km long range is home to Mount Whitney (the highest point in the Continental United States), Lake Tahoe (the largest alpine lake in North America), three National Parks (Kings Canyon, Sequoia, and Yosemite), and is spotted with groves of giant sequoias (the largest trees on Earth). Roper's Sierra High Route begins at Road's End in Kings Canyon National Park and ends in Mono Village at Twin Lakes just southwest of Bridgeport along Highway 395. You can then follo… Something completely unrelated but somehow relevant? Prior to Lucido, Andrew Skurka and Buzz Burrell hiked the SHR in 8d4h in July 1-8, 2008 (with resupply at Reds Meadow). It was established by Steve Roper and described by him in his book Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country, first published in 1982.Roper did not really envision the High Route as a thru-hike, but rather imagined people would do it in sections, and he laid out his book that way. https://www.gaiagps.com/hike/united-states/california/yosemite-national-park In fact, it is often confused with the “ High Sierra Trail,” which is an actual trail. After running up the bottom of the Kern Canyon, it turns east, climbing parallel to Wallace Creek up to the junction with the John Muir Trail, 49 miles (79 km) from the starting point. Our resupply points will be an out-and-back over Bishop Pass (the northern terminus of the SoSHR) and a second over Mammoth Pass (the shuttle from Red's Meadow isn't running this year) – breaking the trip into three sections. Where the boundary of Yosemite National Park overlaps with the Sierra Crest, from Dorothy Lake Pass in the north to Rodgers Peak in the south, there exists a … Sierra High Route California, Pre-Departure, Sierra Nevada. Sierra High Route hikers spend more time on rock than they do on dirt. The “Sierra High Route” was created by Steve Roper – author of the book “ Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country. In the last year, I have made a conscious effort to get off the beaten path and explore the vast alpine terrain in our backyards. It also had … Pioneered by Dave Beck in 1975, this ski tour became an instant classic. The Sierra High Route is an official name for an unofficial trail that runs mostly above timberline through the heart of the High Sierra. As a thru-hike it can feel somewhat disjointed, with challenging and remote off trail sections broken up with often fairly long trail sections, particularly on the John Muir Trail. More than three decades after its first publication, the Sierra High Route is more popular than ever. It skews at high elevations of between 9,000 to 11,500 feet and only occasionally connects with the John Muir Trail. Welcome to the map portion of Steve Howe's solo thru-hike of the Sierra High Route. He's podcasting once a day from his evening camp, and we'll be updating this map daily with a new waypoint showing where he's pitching his tent. Trip Dates for Section Hike: Headwaters Country. I'm hoping to get a decent female time on the board for this one later this month. (Editor Note: The attached .gpx file is included as a general reference - it is likely incorrect - follow the Roper description; not this data file). On my SHR journey, or any trip to the high Sierra for that matter, I do not feel as if I have “bagged” or “tagged” or “crushed” anything. This 210- to 220-mile, 20- to 30-day cross-country journey could be the premier mountain trek in the Lower 48. Wed, 08/05/2020 - 03:21pm. The High Sierra Trail begins at Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park then heads up the canyon of the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River, past the majestic beauty of Hamilton and Precipice Lakes, and then traverses the Great Western Divide at Kaweah Gap 10,700 feet. The High Sierra Trail has two great ascents – the first one over Kaweah Gap and the Great Western Divide, and the second over the Eastern Sierra and Trail Crest at Mt. It descends into Big Arroyo, then climbs up to the Chagoopa Plateau, and drops down again into the Kern River Canyon. The Sierra High Route (not to be confused with the High Sierra Trail – a 71 mi / 114 km trail from Sequoia National Park to Whitney Portal) was conceived by Steve Roper and is described in his book Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country. The pair were not pushing for time, but doubtless set the FKT to that date. “And too much talus is tedious. Route descriptions, and a; Rudimentary GPX file. Roper's information was more general, he wanted people to explore, while Skurka provides more detail and precision. It starts high in the Palisades, the most rugged sub-range in the Sierra, and offers a summit of Mt Sill 14,154′ (4,314 m). But that narrow band bordering the 10,000 ft level in the High Sierra is unique.” John Muir, Ansel Adams and David Brower all devoted their lives to praise of that same magical zone. Renee Elsdon Jacobs The name “Sierra High Route” is actually a pretty generic name. The Sierra High Route (SHR) is an alternate route — not a trail — through the high Sierra Nevada suggested by Steve Roper in his 1990 book Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline County.It somewhat parallels the John Muir Trail (JMT) for most its length, and … The First Edition of the Yosemite High Route Guide is 85 percent complete, and now available for immediately download. It was established by Steve Roper and described by him in his book Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country, first published in 1982. It is rumored that more people attempt and climb Mt Everest each year than attempt and complete the Sierra High Route. The route follows a general direction but no particular trail, thus causing little or no impact and allowing hikers to experience the beautiful sub-alpine region of the High Sierra in a unique way. It's long, difficult with few easy opportunities for resupply. I've been wanting to hike this route for a while now and (hopefully) this is about to be the year I check it off the ever-growing list of “imaginary and/or actual lines across the Earth I need to walk.”. This high elevation Trans Sierra High Route Ski , tour is one of the ranges' most spectacular tours and a rite of passage for any California, backcountry skier. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Yosemite Grant Act, I want to share my favorite trip to Yosemite National Park. Whitney. We are not aware of any specific FKT attempts on the High Route until August 2015, when, coincidentally, Brian Lucido and Luke Nelson (with Cody Lind) began their FKT attempts just 1 day apart. Here is the GPX file of how we managed to do this without a double-back. Description Itinerary Resources This is “it”; the ultimate Sierra Classic ski tour. Yosemite’s High … Check out my support page for more ways to help make the internet a more hiker-friendly place. But things can change quickly out on the trail. The first stretch is (or at least looks to be) the longest. 2021 Dates. I hiked the Sierra High Route with 2 friends as an alternate to the John Muir Trail while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail Southbound in 2017. Hiking | Sierras, CA: Sierra High Route | On this burly, 200-plus-mile traverse, which crosses 33 passes and barely touches established trails, you can find Alaska-size scenery, complete solitude, and just enough risk to keep things interesting. This map was created by a user. Some of the passes – like Frozen Lake Pass and Snow Tongue Pass – are notoriously “difficult” and even have alternate routes to avoid them. This 70-mile route heads east across the Park, all the way to the summit of Mt Whitney, the highest point in California. 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. Lucido wrote a detailed report and provided his full GPS track, along with some great additional info, here. Much of the route is above 9,000 ft / 2,743 m and although it overlaps some with the PCT/JMT – including taking the trail over Mather Pass and Muir Pass – many of the passes are far from the normal Sierra trekking routes. Leave a comment below and let me know what to expect (and whether I have any idea what I'm in for). In "Timberline Country, The Sierra High Route", Steve Roper describes Lower Mills Lake as one of the most beautiful in the Sierra and he describes a Class 2 route over Gibbot Pass to Lake Italy. Kearsarge start $1875 April 26-May 2 Shepherd start $1650 April 27-May 2 …or custom programs in May. Roper did not really envision the High Route as a thru-hike, but rather imagined people would do it in sections, and he laid out his book that way. There are so few truly wild places remaining in the world, particularly in a populous state like California, where one can find nature in its purest and unfettered form. The John Muir Trail follows an established route for 211 miles and has a … I want these mountains to remain wild forever. Learn how to create your own. The Sierra High Route (SHR) is a 195-mile trekking route that runs north-south across the heart of the Sierra Nevada Range, through Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park, John Muir Wilderness, Ansel Adams Wilderness, and Yosemite National Park. I've spent a lot of time in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains – hiking through them twice on the Pacific Crest Trail (in both snow-free and snow-covered conditions) and making countless other (shorter) trips in via both the eastern and western slopes. In total, I expect the route to be around 246.6 mi / 396.87 km with around 52,463 ft / 15,991 m of elevation gain and to take between 16 and 20 days. Nelson & Lind quit after 2 days, but Lucido set the FKT at 6d13h35m (unsupported). So long as I don't die, it should be pretty fun. But, since Andrew Skurka published his topo map set and databook this may be changing. The Sierra High Route is a 195 mile on and off trail route through the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Steve is BACKPACKER's Rocky Mountain editor, and he started this 37-day, 280-mile route on Saturday, August 26, 2006. Since I don't want to have to carry my BV500 the entire time, I will likely be rationing from the start. Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country, The 2020 Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey - Part I: NOGO, The Pacific Crest Trail Gear Guide: Class of 2019 Survey, The Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hiker Survey (2019), List of Deaths on the Pacific Crest Trail, The Pacific Crest Trail Survey: Seven Years of Data in Review. The Sierra High Route is a 195 mile on and off trail route through the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. The route follows a general direction but no particular trail, thus causing little or no impact and allowing hikers to experience the beautiful sub-alpine region of the High Sierra in a unique way. The High Sierra Trail leads from Crescent Meadow up the canyon of the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River, crossing the Great Western Divide by the 10,700' (3261 meters) pass known as Kaweah Gap. This route is quite a bit longer, but I found it to be 100% rideable. The Sierra High Route. After a magical experience on the Sierra High Route, it has become a lifetime goal to bring that vision of high travel to the Cascades, hopefully culminating one day with completion of the Cascade High Route. This High Route through the Sierras that Roper shared is a gift to, and treasure for, our particular slice of culture, both literally and in spirit. Stated simply, the Sierra Nevada is an extraordinary example of our planet's geological capabilities. The Sierra High Route (not to be confused with the High Sierra Trail – a 71 mi / 114 km trail from Sequoia National Park to Whitney Portal) was conceived by Steve Roper and is described in his book Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country. TrailnameBackstroke Sierra High Route 2017 The Sierra High Route (SHR) is a largely off-trail exploration devised by Steve Roper in the 70's that runs down the center of the Sierra Nevada. http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/585/ropers-sierra-high-route-ca. (Photo by Gilberto Gil.). 3) The final deviation was that I chose to take the less rocky NF4220 instead of riding past Red Lakes. For me it was Yosemite’s High Sierra Loop. Beck envisioned this line across the southern Sierra as California's answer to the famous Haute Route of the Alps. Location of the Sierra High Route in California But that is where the similarity ends. From the lowest spot in North America to the highest point in the contiguous United States. The Laurel Lake Trail is about 0.4 miles farther up Mono Creek from the Second Recess Trail. At the south end turn left, away from the meadow, for the short connection to High Sierra Trail. No ordinary guidebook, Sierra High Route leads you from point to point through a spectacular 195-mile timberline route in California's High Sierra. For me, it offered an elixir for potent experience, unavoidable excisive self-reflection, and necessary acute outward observation. Expedition Planner Sierra High Route. From there, we'll continue north following the Sierra High Route for the remainder of the journey. The plan is to begin at Horseshoe Meadows and hike north on the Southern Sierra High Route until reaching Bubbs Creek Trail. Not fun, but (maybe?) I am grateful for the opportunity to visit these places that humans will hopefully never “conquer.” - Leor Pantilat. In July 2012, I hiked 54 miles in seven days (one was a rest day) through some of the best of Yosemite’s high country. Instead of continuing north on the Pacific Crest Trail/John Muir Trail past Kearsarge Pass and over Glen Pass, we'll take Bubbs Creek Trail west until reaching Road's End in Kings Canyon National Park. The name intentionally lacks the word “trail” as the majority of it calls for cross-country travel (i.e. The SoSHR begins at Horseshoe Meadows – west of Lone Pine – via the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead and climbs into the Sierra via New Army Pass before making north over the summit of Mount Whitney and continuing north – parallel to (and sometimes on) the John Muir Trail – before exiting the mountains via Bishop Pass and ending at South Lake (west of Bishop). Hiked the Sierra High Route? As such it has one of the longest and most convoluted car shuttles anywhere. 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