The Sierra

Half Dome

The first time I ever saw the Sierra Nevada (Spanish for "snow covered mountains") was in 2016, on a student trip I was leading to Yosemite National Park.  The overall goal for the teacher and the students was to summit Half Dome, a prominent granite spire in the heart of Yosemite Valley.  We were there for a total of 4 days, and the itinerary was tightly structured, so the opportunity for me to explore was limited.  Nonetheless I was suitably impressed with the landscape and vowed to return in the future.

Little did I know then that my next encounter would occur 2 years later, when I would attempt to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, a continuous 2651 mile trek through California, Oregon, and Washington.  That story is for another post, but on this occasion I entered the Sierra at a place called Kennedy Meadows, and for the next 400 miles walked through the most awe inspiring and rugged mountains I had ever seen.

Even though I traveled through the heart of the range, which extends north and south through central California, I did not have the luxury of time to enjoy it.  Hiking the PCT in a single season requires the diligence often associated with a full time job, as the hiker needs to average 18 miles per day in order to reach the Canadian border in Washington before the snow flies in the Cascade range.  It was frustrating but necessary to pass so quickly through the majesty of the "the range of light", which is how John Muir referred to the mountains.

When my PCT hike ended later that summer, I committed myself to return to the Sierra the following year and take more time to really see and experience the place.  And accordingly, I have been back on three separate occasions to immerse myself in the spectacular scenery.

The Range of Light

John Muir always disagreed with the name Sierra Nevada, proposing instead that the name given to the mountains reflect what he called their luminous quality.  I can't say that I disagree, as early morning and late afternoon light make the mountains appear to glow.  But in all fairness nevada is appropriate, as in winter the range can get buried in massive quantities of snow.

As the first geographic obstacle to storms originating from the Pacific Ocean, the peaks (many rising above 14,000 feet) wring prodigious amounts of water from the clouds, resulting in tens of feet of snow in a single storm and leaving the Great Basin region to the east without appreciable moisture.

Geographically defined as roughly 400 miles long and anywhere from 50 to 80 miles wide, the Sierra is part of what is known as the American Cordillera, a chain which roughly parallels the western edge of both North and South America.  This part of the range is relatively young, with uplift beginning around 5 million years ago.

Glaciers then carved steep valleys which resulted in some amazing prominence, the verticality measured by distance from valley floor to peak.  On the eastern slope of the Sierra, it's not uncommon to see 10,000 feet of elevation gain in just a few miles, which helps explain the jaw dropping perspective.

The environment here is undeniably rugged.  Although there are a fair number of trails that allow travel into the remote backcountry, they are in many cases steep, rocky, and subject to damage from rockfall or heavy spring runoff, and not all trails see maintenance or frequent use.

On extended trips such as the PCT or John Muir Trail, the ability to resupply is extremely limited, and in most cases require exiting the mountains via steep, high passes with a long descent to the nearest town, with a similarly difficult return trip.  And much of the Sierra have stringent bear deterrent requirements, meaning all food must be carried and stored in approved bear resistant containers.

Muir Pass in early June 2018

Sierra weather is surprisingly temperate in the summer months, but snow can and does occur anytime of year, and after heavy snow years there can still be significant amounts that linger well into June and July, especially on north facing slopes and at higher elevations.  In those circumstances hikers would be wise to carry additional gear such as spikes or crampons, gaiters, and ice axes (as well as the knowledge on how to use it).

Of course snow melt is what feeds the numerous rivers, creeks and streams, with early season (May - June) runoff that can make it dangerous to ford the many unbridged crossings.

Also it is not uncommon during what is sometimes referred to the monsoon season (late July - August) to experience daily afternoon thunderstorms, which necessitate being well clear of higher, exposed areas like summits and passes due to frequent lightning.

The Lay of the Land 

Devil's Postpile National Monument

The Sierra encompasses a wide range of public lands, comprised of Sierra, Sequoia, Inyo, Tahoe, Eldorado, Stanislaus, and Plumas National Forests. Inclusive to the forests are designated Wilderness areas such as John Muir, Ansel Adams, Desolation, Emigrant, Dinkey Lakes, Monarch, Golden Trout, and South Sierra.

Then there's the National Parks and a Monument; Yosemite, mentioned at the beginning of this post, and Devil's Postpile National Monument near Mammoth Lakes.

Equally beautiful but not as well known is Kings Canyon - Sequoia National Park.  Here is found one of the oldest and largest living organisms, the mighty Sequoia tree.

Sequoia

The largest Sequoia ever discovered measured 311 feet tall, and another specimen had a trunk diameter of 29 feet.  If left to grow undisturbed, a lifespan over 3000 years is not uncommon.  The tree is natively found only in the Sierra, but has been introduced widely in other parts of the world.

The mountains themselves are composed of granite, basement rocks formed deep underground.  The appearance is dominated by light colored, coarse grained stone, which is likely why Muir attributed an incandescent quality to their appearance.  The overall steepness, lack of soil, and harsh high altitude environment limits trees and other vegetation to low angle slopes and valley floors, leaving the naked rock to soar high above the landscape.

Many people are surprised to learn that the highest mountain in the continental U.S. is not in Colorado.  Although the Rocky Mountains have 58 peaks that rise to 14,000 feet or more, the prize goes to California for Mt. Whitney at 14,505 feet, with an additional 11 peaks rising over 14,000 in the Sierra.

Plaque placed in 1930

View from the summit of Mt. Whitney

Yours truly at the summit in 2018

The trail to the summit

A defining feature of traveling the Sierra are the many mountain passes.  The most commonly hiked trail south - north (or vice versa) incorporates both the PCT and the John Muir Trail, and traversing this route means 9 major passes over 10,000 feet, with the highest being Forester Pass at 13,180'. Approaches and descents to the passes frequently require gaining and losing over 3000 feet, and combined with lower oxygen levels at altitude and a typically heavy pack means a sustained physical effort is needed to negotiate them.

I have to comment on another feature that entrances me - water.  As a long time resident of the desert southwest, water is usually the most important consideration in any extended outdoor activity.  The absolute scarcity of this precious resource where I live is why I hold it in such reverence, and to travel in an area where it is abundant beyond need is a paradigm shift for me.

What It's All About 

I have spent a considerable amount of time in the Colorado Rockies, as well as extensive travel throughout the Intermountain West.  I lived in the foothills of the Wind River Mountains in Wyoming, a classic example of superlative mountain ranges.  I'm no stranger to massive, towering peaks that reach for the sky.

But there is a something, an indefinable quality about the Sierra that gives me a feeling I have not experienced elsewhere - and it makes me keep wanting to go back for more. Whatever it is, I'm not the only one who has felt that way.

Instead of continuing to try and convince anyone of what a profound effect the Sierra has had on me, I am going to simply post a selection of pictures from my travels to the region.  The images after all will do a much better job than I at trying to explain that feeling.