TRIP
DESCRIPTION
INYO
MOUNTAINS BACKPACK
APRIL
25-May 3, 2009
RATING:
STRENOUS
Saturday
April 25, (Except for the shuttle crew) we will meet at the intersection of Hwy
395 and Manzanar/Reward Rd. at 0800 hours. See directions below.
At
0805 we will depart for Pat Keyes Trail head (approx. 5 miles) to begin our
hike.
DAY
ONE (Saturday) we will backpack from the Pat Keyes Trail head at approx. 3600
feet to our first night camp just below the spring at 7500 feet. THE SPRING IS
DRY. I spent several days hauling water up the trail so we wouldn't have to
haul extra water with a full pack. We will each have one gallon of Crystal
Springs pure Spring Water (bottled at the source) at the camp but it comes with
a price. Each person will have a one-gallon plastic container to deal with. You
can use it for your water container on the trip or cut it up into little pieces
or whatever, but we must take them with us and not leave them.
Elevation
gain 3600 feet
DAY
TWO (Sunday) we will continue up to the Inyo crest at 9500 feet and hike along
the ridge between Cougar and Pat Keyes Canyons. Then we will drop down to the
ruins in Pat Keyes Canyon at 7000 feet. where we will make camp. There should
be plenty of water at the campsite.
Elevation
gain 2000+ feet Loss 2500 feet
DAY
THREE (Monday) Hike up to the ridge between Pat Keyes and McElvoy canyons with
a possible side hike to a ruin on the ridge, then down to McElvoy canyon mill
site to camp for the night. This is a great old ruin with extensive rock work
There should be plenty of water in McElvoy Canyon.
Elevation
gain 1000+ feet Loss 2350 feet.
DAY
FOUR (Tuesday) A hard day. We will hike to the Keynote Ridge carrying water for
a dry camp on the ridge. We must carry enough water to last until Wednesday
night’s camp.
Elevation
gain 2500 feet
DAY
FIVE (Wednesday) we will backpack to the mine in Keynote Canyon and to
“Beveridge Ridge Cabin Then . down to the old mining town of Beveridge in
Beveridge Canyon (This was a really remote mining town complete with post
office during the 1880’s.) and to “Frenchy’s” Cabin where we will camp. THE
WELL IN KEYNOTE CANYON IS DRY. We will have plenty of water in Beveridge
Canyon.
Elevation
gain 1300 feet loss 2900 feet
DAY
SIX (Thursday) We will again need to carry our water for a dry camp at the
Bighorn Cabin in Hunter Canyon. We will hike up to the Hunter Ridge then down
to the Bighorn Cabin where we will camp.
Elevation
gain 2200 feet. Loss 1400 feet
DAY
SEVEN (Friday) we will hike down to the mill site in Hunter Canyon which we
should reach by noon and where we will fill our water containers and hike up to
the ridge for a dry camp.
Elevation
gain 1200 feet Loss 2000
DAY
EIGHT (Saturday) hike out Hunter Canyon Trail to cars we left at trail head. Approx.
5 hours. And then drive to the Saline Valley Hot Springs where we will spend
Saturday night.
Elevation
loss 4600 feet
DAY
NINE (Sunday) We will leave the Hot Springs Sunday morning and drive back to
the Pat Keys Trail head in the Owens Valley to pick up the cars we left there.
Features:
Very
remote seldom visited area.
Fantastic
views.
Old
mining ruins.
Possible
Bighorn and Mountain Lion.
Beautiful
Pinion and Bristle cone forests
Distances:
Approximately
475 miles from the Bay Area via hwy's 50/395.
Equipment:
Bring
cold weather and rain gear. The nights should be cool at these elevations.
Bring
water containers to meet your needs. (At least two gallons recommended)
Bring
your own food, stove, tent and cooking pots etc. It is recommended that you try
to share stove and or tents with someone.
Bring
a first aid kit with blister paraphernalia etc and personal medications.
Bring
warm clothing. Hats, gloves etc. Also sunglasses, sunscreen, bug repellant,
flashlight or headlamp with fresh batteries.
Wear
long pants and good sturdy boots. We will be on trails most of the way but they
are primitive and we will lose them sometimes
Maps:
USGS
7.5 Min Topos: Bee Springs Canyon, Pat Keyes Canyon, New York Butte, and Union
Wash.
DIRECTIONS:
Directions
for SHUTTLE CREW:
The
SHUTTLE crew will meet Friday morning at 9:00 at the campground at the
intersection of Hwy. 395 and Hwy. 168. If you are coming from the South on Hwy
395 it is ½ miles North of Big Pine and if you are coming from the North on Hwy
395 it is 15 miles South of Bishop on the East side of Hwy 395.
We
will transfer packs to certain vehicles. We will also transfer everyone’s end
of hike items to certain vehicles.
Some
will depart for the trail end in Saline Valley where they will leave certain
vehicles and one vehicle will drive them back to Lone Pine.
Some
will have a fun day in the Owens Valley.
We
will all meet again at the park in LONE PINE at the North end of town by the
tennis courts at about 4:00 PM. We will have dinner in Lone Pine and then drive
to the Pat Keys trail head where we will camp for the night.
Directions
for everyone else:
For
those who do not yet know how to find the Pat Keys trail head (where the group
will camp on the night before departure),
I
will meet the rest of the group on Saturday Morning at 8:00 AM. At the
intersection of Hwy 395 and the Manzanar/Reward Road.
This
road is on the East side of Hwy 395. If you are coming from the North it is 5.5
miles South of Independence.
If
you are coming from the South it is 10.5 miles North of Lone Pine.
We
will drive to the Pat Keys trail head and meet up with the rest of the group.
Looking
forward to seeing you all there!