Gary-Summer: July 15, 2013 - Tyndall Frogs Ponds

Monday, July 15, 2013

July 15, 2013 - Tyndall Frogs Ponds

Title: July 15, 2013 - Tyndall Frogs Ponds

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail

Starting location: About 10,600' on Bubb's Creek

Destination: Tyndall Creek

Actual Destination: Tyndall Frog Ponds

Distance: 9.8 ¹

Start Time: 7:00

End Time: 4:30

Travel Time: 9:30 (1.03 mph)

Moving Time: 5:39 (1.73 mph)

Elevation Rise: 2,706' ¹

Maximum Elevation: 13,100

Description:

Slept somewhat restless. I think Sherri did also. Got up around our normal time. But the sky seems darker, but the only clouds are far off. Probably means more clouds this afternoon. It will do us well to get over Forester Pass earlier than later.

Wall below Forester

The trail does climb, but we are in the woods. Glad we have climbed a few passes before this one. We know it is a long haul, but you can never be too prepared for something like this one. We even pass by where we stayed 40 years ago, even though, it takes a it of remembering to see the spot.

Bubbs Creek Drainage

Still, it is up, up, and more up. But along the way, there are jaw dropping views. So we keep going. Doing a whole lot better than Glen yesterday. While we travel about 4 miles and climb 2,500'. But given that, we really did not start to breath hard until about 12,000' elevation. Even then, we were able to go pretty well. The grading of the trail is probably one of the best we have seen.

Another thing is the vistas keep on showing new views of the slopes we have been looking at. The clouds which have been forming constantly give us a new backdrop to the mountains. Not only that, but when we lower our eyes, our gaze is met by delicate flowers growing on whatever soil they can find.

After hours of hiking, we finally have made it to the top of Forester Pass. Out of all the people who have passed us, only two remain-Chris and Steve from Minneapolis. They are waiting for Chris's father. We have been around them for the past couple of days. The views are fabulous in both direction. We are at the boundary of Sequoia and Kings Canyon. You can even see over into the eastern side of the Sierras. We stay up there for about an hour.

Up to Forester

South from Forester

Looking back at Forester

Down Forester

Then we start down. This is a trail cut from the side of a cliff. Just phenomenal! You are looking straight down some thousand feet. Yet the trail is wide enough for a horse. But, you do not want to go too far away from the side of the cliff wall. Hope the pictures come out. We did find some trail art-was this for us? Or am I being narcissistic?

When we reach the first creek from a tarn, we stop for lunch. Chris, Steven and George all have stopped here as well. Relaxing, and enjoyable, but we are baking a bit in the high altitude sun. So we start down towards Tyndall Creek. It is a long trek down. The sun does wear on us. But even more so, is the pounding and skipping around of going downhill. Unless you do some of these long Sierra downhills, you may think that downhill must be easier than the climb. But going uphill, you get into a rhythm of step, breath, step, breath. Downhill, most of the time, there is not such a nice spacing as that.

We do stop for a break along the way. There are some big marmots scampering around. We are asked if one of them is a wolverine-nope. We finally make it to the woods, which provides some protection from the sun. Then in a little ways, we see Tyndall Creek itself. George and group have already found themselves a place. But we think we have a little bit more energy, so we go on.

Towards Tyndall Creek

We debate whether to stop at the frog ponds or up on Bighorn Plateau. So we climb the 400' up to the frog ponds. Once we get there, we rest for a bit, then decide to stay. Found a nice site by the trail (36.63479, -118.38577). A hiking group from Orange has already pitched their tents the sites close to the pond. The other sites are nice, but if others come, people will be tent to tent to tent.

Today's JMT Lesson: You have only reached the top when you have arrived. (From a fellow hiker)

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Oatmeal and add-ins, such as dried peaches, strawberries, nuts, granola. Tang.	Peanut Butter and Nutella on crackers Humus	Unstuffed Potatoes Milano Mint chocolate cookies	Clif Bar, Jelly Bellies, CytoMax, Propel, GORP, Bank Balls

¹The supplied figures above come from either the book John Muir Trail: The essential guide to hiking America's most famous trail by Elizabeth Wenk or from topo maps. There was only partial tracks for today in my GPS. Below is the readings from today's status on the GPS. I view it as only somewhat accurate.

Distance: 10.0 miles

Elevation Rise: 1,708'

Maximum Elevation: 13,100'