Technical difficulty
Off trail cross-country hiking.
Physical difficulty
Strenuous
Length
5 days
4 nights
2010 Dates
June 5-9
or custom programs at any time
Price
$625
Ratio
1 guide: 4 participants
Prerequisites
High level of physical condition and prior backpacking experience.
Inclusions Price includes guiding, permits, group climbing gear, tents, kitchen gear, breakfasts, lunches and dinners (you bring hot/cold drinks and snack items). Scheduled dates include USFS trail fees. Private programs do not. Local accommodation is not included.
This is one of the most interesting and amazing trips that we've done in recent years. Offering a detailed look at the oft-snubbed White Mountains of California this hike will be of interest to just about any serious backpacker, naturalist, and moderate mountaineer, especially now that this area is slated for designation as Wilderness in a bill introduced in 2008. The White Mountains run roughly north/south, paralleling the Sierra. Though they are only some 60 miles in length they are not diminutive by any stretch of the imagination: White Mountain Peak is one of California's 14ers and popular due to it's elevation and the easy road to its summit. White Mountain is about the only place on the entire length of this walk were you are likely to encounter other humans though. This is a remote and rugged range with interesting wildlife and topography and view that are unrivaled, even by Sierra standards.
Itinerary
Camp elevations are high so it is essential that you get at least one night, preferable three nights, sleeping at 9,000' or higher prior to the trip.
Day One: We meet at the world headquarters of Sierra Mountain Center for the pre trip meeting. After a pack check prior we shuttle to the trailhead near Crooked Creek in the Whites.The shuttle takes nearly three hours and we may stop for a short hike en-route. From there an easy hour walk will bring us to our camp at just below 10,000' in Cottonwood Meadow.
Day Two: About 2/3 of this day is on informal use trails and ancient Indian trails as we make our way to an unnamed pass near Mt. Barcroft. Camp this night is at 11,200 and snow will be our water source. This is a relatively short day and will allow time for a walk unencumbered by our large packs to get the outstanding views back to Cottonwood Basin and to the east out to Fishlake Valley.
Day Three: This is a very long day and requires a pre dawn start. Now we start to get into the heart of the range. Ascending animal and Indian trails towards Mt. Barcroft we may come across a group of desert bighorn sheep. We'll certainly see signs of these animals as we're now entering their habitat above tree line on open rocky slopes. We briefly intersect the now closed White Mountain road. Breathing hard, we ascend to the summit of White Mountain Peak and enjoy the last vestiges of civilization at the old research cabin on the summit. Now leaving the developed world for the next three days we head north off the peak to a short 3rd class ridge, which traverses from the summit. This is the most difficult section of the hike but before long we are on the stunning wide-open slopes and plateaus of the range. We travel along the ridge crest to a camp (elevation 11,200') at the headwaters of Cabin and Birch Creeks, where springs provide water for the night.
Day Four: The hike today begins with a long but gentle uphill through improbable grasslands and wide-open meadows, with lots of running water. The five-mile walk along Pellisier Flats is one of the many highlights of the trip. The area is entirely above 12,000' and is alpine tundra, with miniature wildflowers and remarkably flat terrain. Our final camp is just past Mt. Dubois at over 13,000'. The campsite will depend upon the condition of the springs and snow patches since we are dependent upon locating a water source.
Day Five: We have some options here but either way it's a big day with a lot of elevation loss. We may go over Montgomery and drop north west down a spine of Montgomery to a pick up at Morris Creek. Or we may choose to avoid the peak and head due east off the Jump Off. Much of this is second class so be prepared for a rite of passage of a White Mountain Hiker.
This is a pristine and little traveled area. We must do our utmost to minimize our impact on the land and leave no evidence of our presence. This means a higher than normal awareness of our potential impacts and doing what we can to leave no trace of our passage. Your guide will brief you thoroughly on our “Leave no Trace” practices. This is a trip to extreme high elevations. Our itinerary takes this into account but the terrain limits where we can reasonably hope to camp. We've done our best to place camps in the lowest spots available but we still will wind up with a camp above 13,000'. It is essential that you have at least one night and preferably three nights immediately prior to the trip at high elevation. Look at this as an investment in your trip and in your health.
