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HIGH SIERRA: UPPER KERN BASIN : Exploring the Upper Kern River Basin ~ Oct 2-6, 2019(64) images

With a good forecast and diminishing winds it seemed like a loop up to Harrison Pass from Lake S. America to have a go at Gregory's Monument - Stanford was just the ticket. What the forecast didn't get right was the winds. A 2 day blow came along just as I arrived in the barren open upper basin. The temps were cold made even more so by the strong gusty winds. I bailed for the JMT and a trip to Forester Pass. Then the weather self corrected and it got warm and calm. Go figure. All in all a rather disappointing way to end the season. I really missed doing a real climb. Once I was out, the skies remained clear but the winds returned. Was hoping to enjoy some cowboy camping up on the Gorge Road. Got one calm day. By the night of the 9th, my last night in California, the winds were roaring and Bishop was enveloped in one big dust storm.   

7:15AM START, SHEPHERD PASS TRAIL

THE ALL TOO FAMILIAR VIEW OF WILLIAMSON AT THE TOP OF THE SWITCHBACKS OUT OF SYMMES CREEK

THE LONG VIEW TOWARDS SHEPHERD PASS WHICH YOU CAN'T QUITE SEE IN THIE VIEW

SUNRISE FROM A CAMP JUST BELOW THE POTHOLE TERMINAL MORAINE

THE SHORT SECTION OF MORAINE BELOW THE POTHOLE

180 DEGREE PIVOT FROM THE LAST PHOTO

LOTS OF TERRAIN LIKE THIS BEFORE THE HEADWALL SWITCHBACKS UP TO THE PASS

EASY WALKLING THRU THE CHAOS OF MORAINE BELOW SHEPHERD PASS

THE FINAL RISE TO THE PASS

AT THE TOP OF THE SMALL CHUTE BEFORE THE FINAL TRAVERSE TO THE TOP OF SHEPHERD PASS

THE SHORT TRAVERSE TO THE TOP OF THE PASS

NOW FOR THE LONG (3.3 MILES) WALK DOWN TYNDALL CREEK TO THE JMT.

ICE EVERYWHERE AS NIGHT TIME TEMPS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY BELOW FREEZING

STARING THE KERN RIVER LOOP TRAIL

VIEW WEST TO THE KERN RIVER FROM THE START OF THE PLEASANT DESCENT TO THE RIVER

THE OFTEN PHOTOGRAPHED VIEW OF A SMALL TARN NOT FAR FROM THE KERN RIVER

THE SECOND LAKE BEFORE THE TRAIL LEAVES THE KERN RIVER DRAINAGE AND HEADS UP TOWARD LAKE SOUTH AMERICA

END OF DAY 2 VIEW OF STANFORD AND GREGORY'S MONUMENT

SUNRISE DAY 3 - THUNDER PEAK ON THE GREAT WESTERN DIVIDE IN THE CENTER OF THE VIEW

EMERGING FROM THE FOREST AT ABOUT 11,500 FT

WATER EVERYWHERE IN THE UPPER KERN RIVER BASIN

HARRISON PASS - THE POINT OF DEPARTURE FOR A CLIMB OF GREGORY'S MONUMENT AND EVENTUALLY OVER TO STANFORD

MORE VIEWS OF GREAT WESTERN DIVIDE PEAKS FROM UPPER KERN RIVER BASIN

MORE VIEWS OF GREAT WESTERN DIVIDE PEAKS FROM UPPER KERN RIVER BASIN

HARRISON PASS AND THE SLOG UP TO GREGORY'S MONUMENT.

A MORE WIDE ANGLE VIEW OF HARRISON PASS AND MT STANFORD

SMALL TARN VIEW OF MILESTONE TO THUNDER

GREGORY'S MONUMENT FROM LAKE SOUTH AMERICA

THE VIEW SOUTH TO THE KERN RIVER CANYON FROM THE UGLY PASS ABOVE LAKE SOUTH AMERICA

LOOKING BACK AT THE STUPID PASS YOU COME DOWN FROM ON THE FINAL LEG OF THE UPPER KERN RIVER BASIN LOOP

NOW ON HEADING NORTH ON THE JMT LOOKING FOR WATER AND A PLACE TO STAY

END OF DAY 3. FINAL A CAMPSITE WITH A VIEW

LATE DAY VIEW OF FORESTER PASS AND SKI MOUNTAINEER COL (ON THE RIGHT)

END OF DAY VIEW OF TYNDALL FROM THE JMT AT ABOUT 11,600'

END OF DAY VIEW OF TYNDALL FROM THE JMT AT ABOUT 11,600'

SHORT ENGINEERED SECTION OF JMT ON THE WAY NORTH TO FORESTER PASS

MORNING DAY 4. HEADED NORTH TO FORESTER PASS

MELLOW WALKING ON THE WAY NORTH TO FORESTER PASS

HARD TO BELIEVE THERE IS A TRAIL THAT SLIPS THRU THE NARROW NOTCH IN THE KINGS KERN DIVIDE.

ANOTHER OF THE LAST BIT OF TRAIL BEFORE THE JMT STARTS ITS SWITCHBACKING ASCENT OF THE SCREE AND CLIFFS TO THE RIGHT OF THE PASS.

THE LAST LONG SECTION OF THE FINAL SWITCHBACK THAT TAKES HIKERS TO THE TOP OF FORESTER PASS

THE COOLEST PART OF WHOLE AFFAIR

A BETTER VIEW OF THE FINAL SECTION OF THE TRAIL TO FORESTER PASS ON THE SOUTH (KERN) SIDE

EASY THIRD CLASS TERRAIN ON THE WAY TO MOUNTAINEERS POINT

JUNCTION PEAK FROM MOUNTAINEERS POINT

PEAK 13,353 AND MT KEITH FROM MOUNTAINEERS POINT

UNIVERSITY PEAK FROM MOUNTAINEERS POINT

CLASSIC VIEW SOUTH FROM MOUNTAINEERS POINT

JOHN MUIR TRAIL FROM MOUNTAINEERS POINT

BACKPACKER ARRIVING AT FORESTER PASS

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