Sierra High Route in Winter

[Tod Bloxham]

Has anybody done the Sierra High Route from Wolverton (west) to
the Onion Valley (east). A buddy of mine and I are planning on
doing this in winter/spring of '96 and we are seeking any
information we can get our hands, or eyes on. Books, maps,
personal experience would be very helpful...

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[Tod Bloxham]

[DavTaft]

Yeah, did it with three other guys May 8-13 last, hoping for spring,
getting mostly winter. Articles in Backcountry & Outside magazines last
year. Good trip description in Backcountry Skiing in the High Sierra, by
John Moynier. Topos we used were 1:24 Mt Williamson, Mt Kaweah, Triple
Divide, Lodgepole, Giant Forest.

Flew from Reedly to Independence with Hart Drobish...excellent pilot, and
a backcountry skier to boot. Got shuttled up to the approach to Shephard's
Pass by Inyo-Moma shuttle (Hart can help put this together).

Wags in town now refer to trip as "Sierra High Rut", because of the surge
in traffic, and even though we were the third party of the season, tracks
were laid down, and we had snowfall only the 2nd to last day (over a foot
of it, though). Be prepared for usual high altitude weather and the need
for a light pack for your skiing pleasure. We were glad to have ice axes,
though crampons overkill. Shepherd's Pass and and Triple Divide only
heartbreakers in terms of length of approach (and lack of oxygen).

Only big pain in butt was our car at the other end, which we drove up at
beginning of trip to Giant Forest, and paid big bucks to get shuttled to
(because of major snowfall) at the end of the trip. Meeting a party
halfway would be preferable with key exchange, but then there are the
risks...

E-mail for more particulars.

....David