Another installment: Days 2 and 3

On day 2, I ate lunch at Kaweah Gap, enjoying the view looking at the Pants Pass area to the northeast, Black Kaweah and the Kaweah Range to the east, and Big Arroyo to the southeast. I cannot believe I didn't take any pictures! The area is expansive wilderness. From that point, I left the High Sierra Trail, and headed northeast. Part way to my destination, rain broke out, so I huddled under my parka for a while. I made it to my campsite, at the outlet of Lake 10725 in Nine Lake Basin. (You can view this map, even zoom in on satellite view, and see the spot where I camped.


Looking back from my camp site toward Kaweah Gap and Eagle Scout Peak.

I had read, from this web report, Trans-Sierra trip, August 2004, where they wrote, "This lake had some nice big trout in it, probably from a hatchery, unfortunately." So I went prepared with some recommended lures and equipment, to try to catch one of those "nice big trout". Unfortunately, I think that lake is completely devoid of fish. The water was crystal clear, and peer as I could into its depths, never did I see a trace of any fish. I walked the banks for several hours casting my line in various places, but not a bite! So much for "hatchery plants". I am thinking the report I read was referring to the next lake below, closer to Kaweah Gap. It was teeming with fish, others were catching them, but they were small.

So part 1 of my fishing fantasy was a bust.

Next day, I wanted to try to climb Black Kaweah. I rose at dawn, packed a day pack along with my SPOT Tracker unit, and headed back toward Kaweah Gap. I had spent lots of time peering at maps, thinking I might climb this peak from the north, even though Secor did not mention it being accessible from that side. After viewing the steep slopes in person, there was no way. So then I followed what I thought was a route that would work. Secor mentioned climbing via the "west ridge". Unfortunately, I hadn't packed a map showing all the valleys coming off BK, and I thought "west ridge" meant the ridge extending to the west from the peak. Baloney! Apparently he really meant the south-extending ridge to the west of the primary southern approach. Here's the map.

Not knowing I was on a futile route, I hiked half a mile down the Big Arroyo section of the HST, then cut diagonally over and up to what I thought was the correct ridge.

I ate my breakfast by the Big Arroyo creek.


I spent hours climbing steep third class rock with lots of loose boulders. By lunch time, I reached my high point, where I could finally see the Black Kaweah summit ...another half mile to the east!!! I had topped out on a false summit.

My view of the peak:


It would have taken hours to try to traverse the treacherous section to get to the correct route. I gave up that idea, enjoyed my lunch, and took pictures.

As I rested there, I could hear, and the could see, two climbers making their way to the actual summit.


At my high point, I found this rock. I thought it was a meteorite at first, because it was extra heavy -- must have had lots of iron and minerals -- but it was not. Meteorites have a rounded outer shape.


Looking down from where I had climbed.


My camp site is by that lake in the center.


A zoomed-in view of Mt Whitney and the needles from my viewpoint.


Back to my camp, for the second night. This is the only time I set up my parka tent, since it was overcast and rain threatened. But it never rained. I had forgotten my tent stakes on this trip.


The next morning, I was going to head up and over Pants Pass.