Trip Report
High Sierra Light Backpacking - Not a single bit of climbing
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Wednesday August 7, 2013 12:56am
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In the last 20 years, I think I have been backpacking once. Or twice. So it was time to see what this sport was all about now that we have the light light gear.
Our goal was simple: stay off the John Muir Trail... or any other major trail. We even managed to mostly stay off the major non-trail in the region: the Sierra High Route.
The Team: Chris and Toby and Me.
Our route in two photos (bivies 1-4 in red)
Below was our bivy set up: Big Agnes Seedhouse with just the fly and pole set up (fast fly) and the Kelty Cosmic 40 Down Bag and Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite. All which weighed 3-4 pounds per person.
Chris McNamara
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About the Author
Climbing Magazine once computed that three percent of Chris McNamara’s life on Earth had been spent on the face of El Capitan – an accomplishment that left friends and family pondering Chris’s sanity. He has climbed El Capitan more than 70 times and holds nine big wall speed climbing records. In 1998 Chris did the first Girdle Traverse of El Capitan, an epic 75-pitch route that begs the question, “Why?”
Outside Magazine called Chris one of “the world’s finest aid climbers.” He is the winner of the 1999 Bates Award from the American Alpine Club and founder of the American Safe Climbing Association, a nonprofit group that has replaced over 5000 dangerous anchor bolts. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley and serves on the board of the ASCA and the Rowell Legacy Committee. He has a rarely updated adventure journal, maintains BASEjumpingmovies.com, and also runs a Lake Tahoe home rental business. |
Comments
10b4me
Social climber
Lida Junction
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TFPU
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MisterE
Gym climber
Small Town with a Big Back Yard
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That camo frog is most excellent!
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skywalker
climber
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For 20 years I have been known to my friends as "anti-hiking boy". Not that I didn't hike, it just needed a climbing destination or "purpose". In reality I have found that at least 1/2 my time is spent hiking anyway getting to and fro' and I've grown to appreciate that time as well for its own "purpose".
TFPU!
S...
P.S. That 'camo frog' IS bad ass as the up-post mentions!
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Footloose
Trad climber
Lake Tahoe
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Very cool.
Love the off-trail theme!
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Pac8541
Trad climber
Queen Creek, AZ
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SPECTACULAR!! Was the fly fishing fruitful?
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Mark Sensenbach
climber
CA
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Looks super fun. What was some of your fav. food?
tfpu
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California, now Ireland
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Wimps. Try being put on hold with the Irish civil service like I am right this minute, now that is an epic. Hah hah.
Good TR Chris.
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Roxy
Trad climber
CA Central Coast
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"going to the mountains is going home" -Muir
great TR, and I love that frog!
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Cool trip! The Sierras are probably the best range in the country for off and obscure trail excursions.
I think one of the reasons many climbers are not enthusiastic about hiking is that their hikes are climbing approaches and so they are always laden down with climbing gear. A week's worth of food together with a full rack and two ropes isn't going to be all that pleasant.
The combination of modern light-weight gear and ditching the climbing equipment makes for a different experience which, I think, many climbers would enjoy far more than they realize.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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I can agree with you R.
We used to say that backbacking got you into shape for backpacking.
Such overblown egotism is misplaced. Each activity, climbing and packing, has its rewards.
Thanks for reminding us, Chris, and next trip take more good shots like these.
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wstmrnclmr
Social climber
Air B&B Town, USA
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Chris,
Having just gotten back into the backpacking scene through my girlfriend, the beautiful Miss Colleen, it is neat to get updated on all the new lightweight gear. She stays up on it as she's the pro. Notice the Big Agnes Seed House parked at the base of Star King. Also note new, lightweight beer can.
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
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I wonder how many climbers lost touch with backpacking when they discovered climbing. I am certainly one. Thanks for sharing.
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TwistedCrank
climber
Released into general population, Idaho
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Super-lightweight backpacking is awesome. But what would Norman Clyde say?
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Nice! Always wanted to get back to Dumbell Lakes. Also, I thought there was an old trail that paralleled Cartridge Creek. Maybe not?
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Norman Clyde would say "lighter gear means take more books".
Nicely done. Oddly enough I'd been thinking of making a similar trip (in notion, not in the same canyons) myself. I'm also Not a Backpacker but going light, off trail, across alpine country is always a fine endeavor. So many more options available.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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I've progressively reduced my overall pack weight as a young lad from something 60lbs a trip, to closer to 25lbs.
The heaviest thing is carrying the tequila for gatoritas!
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MikeL
Social climber
Southern Arizona
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Excellent. My wife wants for us to do this. She'll appreciate the TR. Thx.
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Reeotch
climber
4 Corners Area
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Thanks for that Sierra love . . .
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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Awesome pics and TR, I also loved the frog.
The hike in and the views are half of the fun in climbing for sure.
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crankster
Trad climber
No. Tahoe
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Excellent TR. Sometimes ropes can get in the way of fun.
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Awesome! One of the reasons I like to climb in Sierra is so I could pack in somewhere beautiful. Range of light is fantastic.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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You're forgiven for not climbing. The Sierra is so magnificent that you can easily be forgiven for "just" walking through the Church of Light. One summer I spent 13 weeks back-packing in the High Sierra and climbed only 5 peaks. And it was still a perfect trip.
PS Love the granite frog
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Some Random Guy
climber
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nice! so there are no more skeeters to worry about? sleeping in the open.
i'm prolly gonna do something similar by the end of august.
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