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John Morrow Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 1526 | TRs | Pics Location: Roslyn |
November rain, time to head for the desert.
Initial impetus to travel, however, was a wedding of special friends in Convict Lake, Sierra East side, by Mammoth CA.
Oct 26:
Began the drive landing in Lava Beds National Monument with enough time to search for pictographs and stretch my legs on a cinder cone and a lookout trail.
Picto 1 Picto 2 Picto 3 Picto 4 Picto 5 Schonchin Butte Schonchin from Hippo Butte Lava Beds Country Schonchin Lookout at Shasta at Schonchin Butte Lookout
Oct.28th:
After the wedding on the 27th, I took advantage of good Sierra weather to drive the Tioga Pass Road to Saddlebag Lakes TH near the Yosemite NP and Inyo NF divide. My goal was a scramble of Mt Conness 12,590' via its Class 2 East Ridge and White Mountain 12,051' via its Class 2 North Ridge. A fine loop! Despite constant 25 mph winds and the fact that the altitude was seriously kicking my ass.
Heading for Conness first on a user trail toward the gap between the two. Then heading up to Airplane Lake in open granite country, finishing on the east ridge.
At the TH: White and Conness Saddlebag area meadows Airplane Lake Over at White East Ridge Conness On the East Ridge Looking towards the Toover Wilderness Mount Conness 12,590 summit block final scramble View North Toward Toulomne Some fun scrambles over there
Then to the saddle and up the North Ridge of White. By hugging the base of ridge gendarmes I found great slabby and blocky scrambling. Much preferred to the rubble out on the NW slope. Descending out of the col back to Saddlebag was awful granite gravels on slab and deep sand and giant scree. But it was over fast.
North Ridge of White Mtn 12,057' Fun scrambling against buttresses Near the top View SE Mt Conness/White col below the descent col
Oct. 29 and 30:
Little Yosemite Valley of the Merced River overnight with scrambles of Half Dome and easy crosscountry to the two Quarter Domes in a nice loop from camp.
Yes, Half Dome, really! Trick was that after Oct 15 the cables come off their posts and lie on the rock for a perfect rope to prusik into! Class 3/4 Friction and a bit of pulling on the cable leads right up to the top of infamous Half Dome 8836' with no climbing permit required!!!!
Tommy did the research on this and what a find he pulled off! We both wanted to get back into the Sierras after looking up at them from the wedding. He was happy to hear the conditions I found the day before. Starting in on the Merced River trails (Mist Trail) to the falls and a backcountry camp in the Little Yosemite Valley in 4.5 miles:
Merced River Vernal Falls Yosemite Wilderness. Nevada Falls
Daybreak start to Half Dome:
the goal Tommy's psyched Tommy ties into cable With prusik to aid a fall I'd call it Class 4 friction Classic View! Tenaya Canyon
Crosscountry along the ridge over Tenaya Canyon to the Quarter Domes and then pack up and out to pizza and a hearth in the Yosemite Valley floor.
On to Quarter Dome West Q Dome Clouds Rest From East Q Dome Clark looks awesome for future! scene JMT towards Half Dome Trail junction. Yosemite Wilderness, CA
Driving back to Lee Vining we stopped at a famous photo viewpoint:
El Cap sunset which fall is this? El Cap from valley floor
We were anxious for more Yosemite but no overnight parking is allowed on the Tioga Road this late in the year, and it was getting COLD!
At some point I'll get to the desert!
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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Sculpin Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2015 Posts: 1376 | TRs | Pics
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Sculpin
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Mon Nov 12, 2018 9:30 am
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Great stuff for November. You sure have a knack for finding petroglyphs!
I'm stuck doing family business in the heavy smoke in the North Bay. And now I'm jealous!
Between every two pines is a doorway to the new world. - John Muir
Between every two pines is a doorway to the new world. - John Muir
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sticky buns Member
Joined: 29 Aug 2010 Posts: 175 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
Sweet stuff. You have a few especially nice photos in there -- Hippo Butte, Nevada Falls, "scene," and sunset, however classic.
I'm shocked at the lack of snow. I was at Saddlebag in mid-Nov two years ago, and it was mostly white. Give Cali some snow!
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MojaveGeek Member
Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 49 | TRs | Pics
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I am drooling over the clear blue skies (and current lack of snow) on Conness and White. It wasn't so pretty when I was there in August. Well I didn't hit White so I guess a good excuse to go back, not that one needs much of an excuse to get to places with views like that. Thanks for bringing back the memories.
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some names Member
Joined: 08 Jan 2012 Posts: 243 | TRs | Pics
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Nice trip report. Thank you. Your pictures are really good! We particularly liked the ones of the cables on Half Dome.
Mt Conness is such a good scramble.
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somesignaturehere and somesignaturethere
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DIYSteve seeking hygge
Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 12655 | TRs | Pics Location: here now |
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
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Sun Nov 18, 2018 2:49 pm
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ScottP Member
Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Posts: 397 | TRs | Pics
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ScottP
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Mon Nov 19, 2018 6:37 pm
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That's Bridalveil Fall.
To the Ahwahneechee, it was Pohono.
which fall is this?
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