Kern River & Kern Peak Backpack (CA Sierra)

pics by Harlan W.S. & Eric K
July 02-04, 2011

The first day we backpacked in 11.5 miles to the junction between the Kern River and Golden Trout Creek. The second day we hiked to Kern Peak, 11.5 miles RT, along rushing streams and sparse snow (up high). Then we backpacked out 11.5 miles on the last day, with a refreshing hail/rain storm.

Kevin #2 woke up cold at 1AM on the 2^nd day, and set out for Kern Peak by headlamp at 3:30AM, with no moon! He got a bit confused, but made the summit, and met us at about 10AM on his way down. I found his lone trip in the dark quite impressive. The rest of us didn’t start for the peak till 8AM.

The USFS personnel has warned us that we needed ice axes and crampons to get over Trail Pass. They were working from reports about 2 weeks old; in reality, the meadows at 9400’ to 8900’ were quite warm, and there was very little snow in Trail Pass. Michelle and I had loaded down with all sorts of snow gear and heavy boots to kick steps (in nonexistent snow at Trail Pass!). My heavy, waterproof boots got very wet and hot, and I constantly battled with blisters on my bath-tub-for-hours soft feet. Michelle got some scary blisters on her heels. Even with all the water crossings, this is more of a trail-runner-type trip.

100k map with GPS trace. Blue marks the backpack route in and out, red the hike to Kern Peak.	24k map for the Kern Peak hike.	Day one—we stumble in.
Mulkey Meadows.
Penstemons near camp.	Day 2. We left camp at 8AM for the faint trail to Kern Peak. Some of the side spurs were better marked!	Leo has a deep philosophical conversation with the snow.
Cinquefoil, as we hit the timberline.	Parry’s Primrose.	View NE as Leo trucks up. There are remnants of an old fire lookout on top, with an old cast iron stove.
View ~NNW, with Langley to R, and the Kaweahs in middle.		Kaweahs.
Kevin #1 and Eric are down below; they were on top within 15 minutes.		Another panoramic shot.
Kern is an SPS summit, probably because it is so damn hard to get there, and because the views are quite good.
AYC	Lupines	One of many stream crossings.
	Snow plant, a saprophyte	Blue bells
Scarlet columbine	Eric uses a log for a stream crossing.	These looked like scarlet gilias, but need to check.
Bear poop.	Lupines.	The station near camp – there is an “administrative pasture” nearby, and the building has a looked room with no windows but a sign reminding one to turn off the gas!
Back at camp ~3:30PM. A pack train with at least 10 horses and 12 mules came by; the driver said they were out for a week.	My tent.	Campsite.
Eric’s tent.	Kevin #2’s non-tent; Leo spreads bear lure.	Kern Peak from camp.
Penstemons again!	As we leave, the dust (which is 10% dried horse poop) encourages us to hold back.	Evening primrose growing on what looks like very inhospitable ground.
Kern Peak from Tunnel Meadows.	Before Trail Pass, we got rain and hail. After we descended N of the pass, we got this view of Cirque and Langley.
And you can’t see the damage on my heels! If it were not for 3 changes of socks, boot drying overnight, and lots of tape, I would have been a hurtin’ puppy.