Griffith & Charleston via Harris Springs Road

pics by Harlan W. S.
May 16, 2009

 

19 miles round trip, 4920’ accumulated elevation gain.

 

Kim, Ali and I decided on a conditioning hike that would avoid the still-snowy slopes of the lower South Loop Trail (SLT).  I wanted to break in some heavy, waterproof mountaineering boots; Kim wanted to verify that approach shoes are very slippery on snow; and Ali wanted to test his theory that if you fall asleep near the summit of Charleston, you become covered with red mites.

 

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GPS trace of the trip.

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View E over Harris Peak (La Madre at R).

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View W at top of meadow on Griffith.

 

 

 

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Bridge Mt to SE.

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Beyond the meadow, we stayed

on the rocky N side of Griffith to

avoid the snow.

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Kim, with view E to LaMadre.

Ali showed up a few minutes later, and drank

a beer left in the register box.

 

 

 

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Griffith to E as we hit the SLT.

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Kim and Ali chug across an unavoidable snow field.

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Next we followed the ridgeline,

instead of the trail; the latter was designed

by people on crack.  If  you look carefully at R, you’ll see my compadres

 

 

 

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Charleston from ridgeline.

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Once again, Kim and Ali at right.

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They pick different paths near the snowfield.

 

 

 

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NNW to Chaz.

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Mummy is in back of me.

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Kim on top.  At this point, Ali was

sleeping off the beer and feeding the mites.

 

 

 

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One of a pleasant couple who had

slogged up the SLT from Cathedral TH.

The Sisters and Mack’s Peak in back.

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View back SE.

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Kim and Ali slog back across the snow

on one of the many SLT undulations.

 

 

 

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Bridge, Rainbow and Wilson.

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At this point Kim-- anxious to complete

her study on approach shoes and snow--

tweaked her knee and began to walk

a bit like Pa Kettle.

 

 

 

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LaMadre in back; in front you can see our trail (once a road) back.

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South over Lovell Canyon.

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