Many a times I've driven home from the Eastern Sierra exhausted, defeated, and without summit.
Why not add yet another story to that list?
History:
It's been over seven months since my last trip into the Sierras. Admittedly, a long time for me. My work has kept me busy with a switch in aircraft and eventually a switch in jobs. I was only able during this time to get out to the hills once during the month of December. I spent a relaxing day with Kristine, Russ, and his daughter Jaida at Squarenail.
Below: Kristine belays me on another slab route at Squarenail.
At the beginning of April with my work schedule beginning to ease up and I knew it was time finally get back out. Oh, but where?
California's 14er's. To date my successful list consists:
- Mt. Whitney
- Mt. Muir
- Mt. Russell
- Mt. Williamson
- Middle Palisade
- Mt. Sill
- Mt. Shasta
- White Mountain
- Mt. Langley
- North Palisade
- Mt. Tyndall
- Split Mountain
How about Split Mountain?
However a couple of questions needed to be answered before I launched off on a 14er attempt. First and foremost, with the lowest recorded snow pack - Is there and how much snow? Secondly, am I in any kind of shape to go into the mountains?
I decided to give myself two days worth of recon trips into the mountains on summits I was already familiar with. The old' Kaiser Peak (10,300') above Huntington Lake and Mt. Silliman (11,200') above Lodgepole in Sequoia National Park. My hike of Kaiser peak revealed NO snow on any south facing slope and spotty snow above 10,000'. North facing slopes were carrying snow above 10,000' but there was a distinct lack of base to the snow depth. Car-to-car hike of Kaiser was 4 hours with a 30 minute lunch on top. The following week I made the drive up to Lodgepole where the hike to Mt. Silliman begins. In previous years, I found as much as a foot of snow at the parking lot. This year, the campground was open with many campers. The forecast had a chance of snow showers with possible accumulations up to 2". Ehh, I though...
After five hours of plodding away in rain, then sleet, followed by snow I found myself on top of Mt. Silliman for the second time. Car-to-car was 9 hours that day.
From my two hikes, my research indicated that Split Mountain should be very do-able. All of the approach and most of the climb should be snow free with eastern/northern aspects carrying small amount of consolidated snow.
Prologue:
Split Mountain has an accessibility problem! Although not a technical climb, most consider the crux of the mountain the 4X4 dirt road to the trail head. There have been many heralding accounts on this drive reported on the internet. Generally speaking this is a non graded unmaintained dirt road in the Owens Valley.
You'll note in the Google Earth pic above that your drive on 395 goes past Split Mountain all the way to Big Pine. In fact, the turn off (Elevation 4,600') is from Glacier Road (The road to the Palisades). The McMurry meadow road as it is known, drives south behind the Crater Mountain, then past the turnoff to Birch Creek Trail head. It then ascend to an elevation of 6,500' at McMurry meadow, crosses Fuller Creek, and descends until crossing Tinemaha Creek at 5,500'. Eventually, the dirt road begins the journey back up the hill towards the Red Lake Trail head at an elevation of 6,600'. The road after McMurry meadow is designated as high-clearance 4X4 road all the way until the trail head.
Internet reports indicate that most Subaru's with their all wheel drive where making it on the road. However, the issue really comes with clearance. Large loose rocks littered the dirt path making for slow going and a lot of scraping bottoms. However, the ultimate story in survival and craziness comes from none other than Russ himself. You see, Russ actually climbed Split Mountain years back and hence the reason he was not on this trip. His car at the time - The one and only Geo Metro. He reported a hellacious road that almost destroyed the Metro and actually rolled it on its side at one point in time. I knew I had a full trip in front of me even before making it to the trail head.
The Plan:
- Day #1 - Early start, drive to the trail head and hike up to Red Lake (6 miles and 4,000' gain) and overnight.
- Day #2 - Early start, and ascend the route "North Slope from the East". The route was rated as Class 3. Descend via the same route. Grab my overnight bag back at Red Lake and return to the trail head. Drive home.
Weather/Conditions Forecast:
- High pressure with on-shore flow would keep build-ups away for a few days.
- Interestingly enough a late spring storm has just deposited some snow in the high elevations and the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center issued a report.
- Above freezing temperatures and strong late April sun will quickly spike the avalanche danger as the snow surface gets wet.
- Wind slabs & Loose wet are the two concerns.
Wednesday April 29th 2015:
At 5:00 am I was out and on my way from Fresno. This drive I've done sooo many times before. It's five hours to Lone Pine and that is stopping in Tehachapi gas and food. I arrived at the super cool Eastern Sierra Inveteracy Visitor Center for a wilderness permit. The issuing ranger was mega psyched that I was going up to Red Lake/Split Mountain. Due the the accessibility and demanding hike they do not issue many permits for that area all year. In fact, I was handed an trail/condition report to turn in when I got back.
- It should be noted that Split Mountain is a popular technical winter/spring ski decent. In particular, East Couloir is a "50 Classic Ski Descents of North America"
- In 2011 a couple where killed in a spring avalanche on Split Mountain. Read article here.
I stopped off at Elevation Climbing in Lone Pine to pick up a freeze dried dinner as I had found out that my supplied had finally been exhausted. A quick hit of Subway as well for some lunch and I was on my way up 395 towards Big Pine. I reached Big Pine and turned off on the Glacier Road towards the Palisades. I stopped just outside of Big Pine and shot the photo below.
What can be seen in the picture above is Split Mountain (14,064') in the background (right) and Timemaha Peak (12,519') in the foreground (left). This vantage point is actually looking up into the Timemaha drainage and not the Red Lake drainage which is around far left behind the Timemaha Peak. However, Split Mountain's north slope (class 2) is clearly seen. Also seen is the eastern snow chutes that gain the north ridge (class 3). It was from this vantage point I made the call to bring my ice ax, crampons, mountain boots, heavy gloves. This alone adds 10 pounds to my bag.
I quickly reached the dirt turn to the McMurry meadow and begin the hour long journey back south towards Split Mountain. The first eight miles where pretty uneventful and the road was graded. Periodically, I come across closed cattle gates which I would have to open, drive through, then close again.
McMurry meadow is the green high point on the road in the picture above. As seen in the picture below, the road is still low clearance passable until this point.
Very shortly after passing the meadow, the road crosses Fuller Creek and then descends into something that resembles a small creek drainage. This goes on for over 1000' of vertical drop. It was very slow going and would be extremely painful for a low clearance cars. 4WD not required because gravity is helping but coming out might be an issue due to the looseness of the rock on the road.
I rocked and swayed slowly back and forth over large rocks for the next four miles. At 1:00 pm I arrived at the Red Lake trail head.
By 1:30 pm I was hiking away from my car. It was a HOT day and it hadn't occurred to me how warn it would be due to the lower than normal elevation of this trail head. Most eastern sierra trail heads start at 8000'. Red Lake like Shepard's Pass trail, starts down in the Owens Valley at the mid 6000's. Sadly, I had not packed for warn weather. I was wearing my heavy soft shell pants with my long sleeve thermal top. Throw a 40 pound pack and 80 degree heat... You get the point, I suffered.
The trail is described as "unmaintained". Russ reported that he got lost off the trail many times. I found plenty of use trails that would eventually rejoin what looked like the "main" trail. However, without paying very close attention, it was easy to get off the main path.
Initially, the trail ascends 700' before traversing back into the canyon. This picture below is taken at this point looking back down towards my car at the trail head. You can see there was nothing around for miles.
Upon turning the corning I was greeting with a very slight breeze and some inspiring views.
Although no Big Horn Sheep, I saw plenty of deer.
I'm not going into elaborate detail of my foiling and suffering up this 'path' to the lake, but it kicked my butt! 4,000 feet in six miles carrying a 40 pound bag is asking for a beating. I could feel my body out of mountain shape. The heat only compounded on all that and I had a hell of a time getting up to Red Lake. I knew that if I didn't get up to at least the lake, my chances of a summit were in doubt. I didn't realize that blowing all my energy on just getting to the lake might kill my chance on making a summit the following day.
Above: My Google Earth depiction of the 'trail' to red lake.
Below: About 3/4 of the way the trail ascends vertically through dense underbrush with running water. Since this was still early season, there where no leaves on the underbrush. I've read reports on the internet of this section just being downright jungle like in this summer.
7:00 pm - Five and a half hours later I arrive at Red Lake (10,500'). I'll admit, the view of Split Mountain was pretty impressive but exhaustion had taken its toll.
I found some amazing campsites on the east side of the lake complete with wind breaks. I had only brought my bivy sack to save weight so I unloaded my bag.
I wasn't feeling the best and had was starting to think I might have a case of heat exhaustion. I put on my layers as the temperature dropped with the setting sun. I made some dinner which I could barely eat and tried to force myself to drink lots of water. Yeah, I had over done it!
Above: Alpine glow on Split Mountain
Below: Looking south from my camp at Red Lake
A little after 8:00 pm I settled into by bag and fell asleep within 30 minutes. The moon was almost full, and without a tent I might as well been sleeping on a rock with a spot light on it. I had a sneaking suspicion that I wasn't going to feel 100% when my alarm would go off in seven hours. I hadn't eaten that much nor sleep much the night before. I realized... I had done it again. I had over exerted myself with a big drive + big hike. Oh well, we'll see how I feel at 04:00 in the morning.
Thursday April 30th 2015:
04:00 - Nope.
05:00 - Nope.
06:00 - Ehh, sun is up now. Still not feeling the best.
07:00 - Well, never mind about that. Best to keep sleeping.
09:00 - OK, much better but too late to go climb.
So, No Split for me. I had a leisurely morning at camp drinking my coffee and eating oatmeal. The views that morning were very nice and I snapped a few good pictures.
Above: Pano of Red Lake with Split Mountain
Below: St-Jeans-Couloir
By 10:30 I packed up and was heading back down the trail.
Downhill, rested, and cool went much easier than the opposite of all those.
Above: Indian paintbrush flower.
Below: Some kind snake - doesn't looks like a rattlesnake.
Below: Random Cinder cone west of Aberdeen.
By 1:00 pm I was back to my car. After a quick rinse off at the spring next the trail head and I begun the drive out to 395. This time around I wanted to try the "alternate, non-legal" road out. In my research about this route I found that from the last public paved road (Near the Tinemaha campground) to Fuller Creek intersection was about 2 miles. 3/4 of a miles of that was "rough exposed alluvium." The gist of this route which is depicted as the yellow line on the Google Earth picture below is to connect the McMurry meadow to the Tinemaha Campground Road. An abandoned gravel mine sits between the two and a mile long alluvial expanse from there on.
I had to decode the instructions in reverse since I was traveling out. Eventually, I found the extremely unmarked turnout that "follows a fence line". You'll note the quality of the road in the picture below. This goes on for about 3/4 of a miles and although non 4WD, high clearance is pretty much a must.
I never found any gates or "Private Property" signs so I always proceeded. There were a few dirt turnoffs to the property adjacent (south) of this road. I believe this was marked as private. I found it interesting the my car's on board navigation couldn't give me directions but indeed showed some kind of road here.
Perhaps no more than 40 minutes after leaving the Red Lake trail head I was pulling on to 395 heading home. I found the alternate driving route a significant savings in time. The ONLY sketchy part was the 3/4 mile section before the McMurry road. It should be noted the only sketchy part of the McMurry road is the downhill section that I mentioned on my drive in. This alternate route is as bad as that section, but has the advantage on being on a low grade opposed to the McMurry meadow road.
OK, enough about the road. What did I learn here?
- It would be best to drive in the evening the day before and camp out at Tinemaha campground or even the trail head.
- Drive the alternate route. Saves a lot of time driving in and wear/tear on the way out.
- Hike the approach to Red Lake in the morning when temps are much cooler.
- Arrive to the lake at a decent time and recharge.
- Summit + hike out/drive out all very do-able next day. Still wouldn't want to do the drive out at night.
I should really submit this picture of the Taco to Toyota. I snapped this at the intersection of McMurry meadow road and the "alternate path".
Until next time, no Split for me.
-Aaron
