Sierra Snowpack at 161% of Historic Average April 2019

[El Pescador]

Have you ever read a newspaper article, and ONE WORD jumps off the page at you!  It did to me on Sunday.

The word:    BLACKCAP ....

This article states the historic amount of Sierra Nevada snowpack - now above 161% of average.  Great news, but the word BLACKCAP  reely caught my eye.



See, in 1971, as a Boy Scout, on my way to being an Eagle Scout, our small troop: Troop 649, did a 5 Day Backpack trip to Guest Lake, next to Blackcap Mountain.

Early June, the mosquitoes were off the hook- so many, that we lived with long sleeve windbreakers, bluejeans and headnets.  My Mother made me a headnet out of cheesecloth from her kitchen.

BUTT the just-after-snowmelt and the huge population of mosquitoes, made for FISHING HEAVEN.

We parked at Courtright Res., hiked along the North Fork of the Kings River, and camped at Guest Lake for 3 days.

Fishing was SO GOOD, I caught 44 hard fishing Rainbow trout BEFORE breakfast one morning.  I caught one trout 4X!!!  How do I know, I used a folding scissor and JUST NIPPED off the tips of the trout's fins.  That how.

IF I wasn't sitting at the campfire, with my face in the smoke, I was out fishing.

One afternoon, a huge rock broke off high on the Blackcap Mountain steep slope, and caused an ever LARGER avalanche of rocks that all cascaded into Guest Lake on the SE side of the lake - none of us had EVER seen such a slight.  Sorry, but in 1971 I did not own or have access to a camera.  I know, maybe that lead me to be the    ....     Highschool... Yearbook....   Photographer!!!!!



The news article photograph is taken on the Blackcap Basin - just 1 or 2 miles SE of Blackcap Mountain.  Taking snow samples sounds like a great job to have and enjoy.


Fred, Jonathan, Big Tim, you all might have walked to Guest Lake over the years, BUTT let's find out.

I've never been back, have thought about doing that trip again, just not in the early summer.  

I hate mosquitoes!!!!

Wayne

[foakes]

In August of 1972, I was 19, Wayne —

Did a solo 9 day backpack into this region.  Started at the Rancheria trailhead that accessed what was later to be known as "Woodchuck Country" in Crown Valley.  This was just South of Wishon Reservoir.

Recall looking at Finger Rock, heading up and around to access Chimney Lake, Woodchuck Lake.  Camped first night at Chimney.  Headed out the next morning over Black Cap Pass down into Halfmoon Lake.  Spent 6 days there as a base camp to explore Scepter Lake, Crown Lake, and others.  I was in the meadow pictured with the PG&E snow marker that is pictured in your article.

Excellent fishing.

Amazing to be at a remote natural lake at 9000', in August, for six days — and never see another person.

Had a '66 Ford Bronco with a soft top and doors, standard trans "three on the tree", and a 170ci straight six.  Glad to get back to it after 9 days out. 

I still recall the taste of those rubbery scrambled eggs, Tang, and early backpacking food that tasted more like the packaging than the ingredients.  Had a Swedish Stove that used white gas and had brass components. 

Funny, how close to 50 years later — I can still recall the trail exactly, the terrain, the rocks, and trees.  I believe the Pass was 10,200'.  Trailhead started about 6,500'.

Always been like that — one trip, and the trail, along with details and important points — is never forgotten.

The area is heavily used now, by pack trains of campers on horses leading mules or pack stock.

Good deer hunting back there around Hoffman, Finger, and up higher — but I never shot one that far back in — because all I would be able to carry out would be the backstraps.  Figured it was about a 32 mile round trip — not counting the day trips out of base camp at Halfmoon.

Thanks for sharing, Wayne!

It is indeed, going to be an epic year in the Sierras.

Best,

Fred

[mo65]

Fishing was SO GOOD, I caught 44 hard fishing Rainbow trout BEFORE breakfast one morning.  I caught one trout 4X!!!  How do I know, I used a folding scissor and JUST NIPPED off the tips of the trout's fins.  That how.

   Been a long time since I witnessed fishing that good. Great post Wayne.

[Ron Jones]

Just saying, in August of 72 I was growin in my momma!
Ron Jones

[El Pescador]

...  Had a Swedish Stove that used white gas and had brass components.  

Best,
Fred

Fred!!!  


WOW!!!

Like this Swedish stove with brass components!!!!  A  SVEA 123 stove?  Still in use for this overweight backpacker!!!









Along with this aluminum cookset!!!





Fred, my SVEA 123 Stove and cookset is used EVERY SUMMER since my parents gave it to me at age 14.  

I don't even bother with White Gas, I use regular gas from the gas station.  It has NEVER clogged, or failed to light up.

Heats a quart of water in 3-4 minutes at 9,000'.

Don't even how how many miles I've carried it in my pack pack.

Have even used it to make Jiffy Popcorn!!!!

Wayne

[foakes]

That Sigg-Tourist is a really good nesting set with that stove, Wayne — very compact and versatile.

Mine was an old Optimus with a blue metal case.

For the last 20 years, I have used a MSR Whisperlite.

I would like to find a complete set of Sigg-Tourist backpacking pots like yours.  Some of my friends have used theirs for well over 50 years.

Best,

Fred

[MarkT]

Mammoth will be open until the 4th of July!

[Gfish]

My first stove was a bulky Coleman that was super dependable. Upgraded to the MSR Whisperlite and it was better, but only riding around in my backpack cause it was smaller and lighter. It seemed to be negatively impacted by temp. and elevation. Now I have a little Japanese(Gigo?)unit that screws onto the compressed gas cylinder, with a pezo igniter--best yet.
Hope there isn't any flooding this Spring/Summer with all that snow pack. Guess it depends on the weather and where the burned areas are.

[MarkT]

I used a Coleman Peak1. Bigger than a Svea but cooks much faster!

[foakes]

Here is the simplest, most reliable, little backpacking stove that I have ever seen.

It was new when I got it maybe 15 years ago in a tackle store inventory buy.  Just was in one of the boxes.

It runs on any type of fuel — gasoline, white gas, Coleman fuel, whatever...

No moving parts — super strong construction.

Puts out some serious BTU's with a blue flame and wind protector.

It is absolutely bullet-proof.

Never used it, except to try it out.  It is impressive and amazing.  Think it is from the 50's.

It rests in an emergency pack inside my truck.

Best,

Fred

[Brendan]

This article states the historic amount of Sierra Nevada snowpack - now above 161% of average.  Great news, but the word BLACKCAP  reely caught my eye.
As impressive as that is, I'm sure the population has blown up proportionally to make that go away quicker than in the past. Love the story's from all of your times spent up there.
Brendan 

[CapeFish]

I used a Coleman Peak1. Bigger than a Svea but cooks much faster!

I have a Coleman like this as well, just black in colour, think it is the Peak 400, great stove, it has become temperamental now and needs new spares which are so expensive it is not worth replacing unfortunately.