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). Enter the Sierra High Route (SHR). 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. Trip Dates for Section Hike: Headwaters Country. Since I don't want to have to carry my BV500 the entire time, I will likely be rationing from the start. 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”. (Photo by Gilberto Gil.). 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. 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). The plan is to begin at Horseshoe Meadows and hike north on the Southern Sierra High Route until reaching Bubbs Creek Trail. Whitney. For me it was Yosemite’s High Sierra Loop. This 70-mile route heads east across the Park, all the way to the summit of Mt Whitney, the highest point in California. I'm hoping to get a decent female time on the board for this one later this month. Nelson & Lind quit after 2 days, but Lucido set the FKT at 6d13h35m (unsupported). Here is the GPX file of how we managed to do this without a double-back. Planned start date Aug 19th. Wallace Creek to Guitar Lake – 6.8 miles, 1,530′ ascent. 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. It was established by Steve Roper and described by him in his book Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country, first published in 1982. 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. More than three decades after its first publication, the Sierra High Route is more popular than ever. Renee Elsdon Jacobs Roper's information was more general, he wanted people to explore, while Skurka provides more detail and precision. The hike from Wallace Creek to Guitar Lake … It's long, difficult with few easy opportunities for resupply. 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. I am grateful for the opportunity to visit these places that humans will hopefully never “conquer.” - Leor Pantilat. 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. 3) The final deviation was that I chose to take the less rocky NF4220 instead of riding past Red Lakes. Expedition Planner Sierra High Route. 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. Learn how to create your own. 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. Welcome to the map portion of Steve Howe's solo thru-hike of the Sierra High Route. 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. Beck envisioned this line across the southern Sierra as California's answer to the famous Haute Route of the Alps. The Laurel Lake Trail is about 0.4 miles farther up Mono Creek from the Second Recess Trail. 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. 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. Yosemite’s High … “And too much talus is tedious. Route descriptions, and a; Rudimentary GPX file. 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. 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. But, since Andrew Skurka published his topo map set and databook this may be changing. This map was created by a user. The John Muir Trail follows an established route for 211 miles and has a … Hiked the Sierra High Route? 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. 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. The name intentionally lacks the word “trail” as the majority of it calls for cross-country travel (i.e. 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. 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. Steve is BACKPACKER's Rocky Mountain editor, and he started this 37-day, 280-mile route on Saturday, August 26, 2006. From the lowest spot in North America to the highest point in the contiguous United States. 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. In fact, it is often confused with the “ High Sierra Trail,” which is an actual trail. (Editor Note:  The attached .gpx file is included as a general reference - it is likely incorrect - follow the Roper description; not this data file). The Sierra High Route is a 195 mile on and off trail route through the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Wed, 08/05/2020 - 03:21pm. It also had … This route is quite a bit longer, but I found it to be 100% rideable. For me, it offered an elixir for potent experience, unavoidable excisive self-reflection, and necessary acute outward observation. 2021 Dates. The name “Sierra High Route” is actually a pretty generic name. Location of the Sierra High Route in California But that is where the similarity ends. Check out my support page for more ways to help make the internet a more hiker-friendly place. 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. 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 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. Something completely unrelated but somehow relevant? 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. So long as I don't die, it should be pretty fun. The Southern Sierra High Route? 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. 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. It is rumored that more people attempt and climb Mt Everest each year than attempt and complete the Sierra High Route. Prior to Lucido, Andrew Skurka and Buzz Burrell hiked the SHR in 8d4h in July 1-8, 2008 (with resupply at Reds Meadow). At the south end turn left, away from the meadow, for the short connection to High Sierra Trail. 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. 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. 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?). 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). Lucido wrote a detailed report and provided his full GPS track, along with some great additional info, here. The Sierra High Route is an official name for an unofficial trail that runs mostly above timberline through the heart of the High Sierra. 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. 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