Tioga Pass, Smioga Pass – N. Cascades Hwy opens soon!

[Heroique]

Okay, before all the Yosemite worshippers grab their pitchforks, any sensible person knows that the early opening of Tioga Pass this year (May 7th, as Preston reports) is very good news indeed. :)

After all, Tioga Pass is really quite beautiful as mountain passes go, a national treasure – indeed, many outdoors people would even say it’s almost as beautiful as Washington Pass via the North Cascades Highway. Yes, everyone should experience Tioga Pass before they die.

Now for the only mountain pass news that could possibly top Tioga Pass news: Forest officials are projecting that the North Cascades Highway to Washington Pass (State Route 20 in Wash. state) will open next week, perhaps as early as May 11th, only four days after Tioga Pass! That’s soon after giant snow machines, coming from opposite directions, meet each other – and road crews repair guard rails, torn by winter rock falls and destructive snow slides.

Washington Pass (5,477 feet) doesn’t reach nearly as high into the sky as Tioga Pass (9,943 feet), but who measures beauty by altitude? By that measure, Death Valley would be quite an ugly place. And did I mention the diverse, LF-worthy scenery you drive through to get up here, going either way? Desert from the East, Evergreens from the West.

Let’s just say that outdoors people are unable to blink during the Cascadian ascent.

Bring your LF gear, and see you up there! :cool:

Tachi 4x5
Schneider XL 110mm/5.6
Velvia-50
Epson 4990/Epson Scan

[ROL]

Well, of course you're right, and you're not.

I think you miss the point about TP. It is not the pass itself, but the access it provides to the Yosemite high country, the East Side, and Whoa Nelli to most of California (~10% of the nation's population, like it or not) residing on the wrong (err... west) side of the range. It is the only and southernmost pass to breach the crest in some 200 miles (thankfully :)).


Under the Wave, Tioga Pass
http://www.rangeoflightphotography.com/albums/Tuolumne/Under%20the%20Wave%2C%20Tioga%20Pass.jpg

Oh, and BTW, you still win.

[Joseph Dickerson]

Heroique,

That's cool news, truly beautiful country.

The Whoa Nellie Deli is an institution in our part of the world, but then Twisp, WA has the Cinnamon Twisp Bakery. Just as good, and cheaper! I know 'cause last fall we broke down coming over the pass and spent a week in Twisp waiting for parts for the van. We were initially really bummed but Twisp proved to be a total delight. Ironically, the parts came from Carpenteria, about 40 miles from home.:confused:

JD

[Heroique]

Twisp, WA has the Cinnamon Twisp Bakery.

I know people in Seattle who patiently wait for Washington Pass to open so they can get there. “It’s for the awesome drive, up the mountains, down the Methow valley,” they say. We all know it’s really for the Bakery. Great for replenishing calories lost by hiking. :D

-----
Washington Pass will remind people of these two stunning Mount Rainier passes (East side), so it might make sense to include the latest opening info about them, too:


• Cayuse Pass (4,675 feet, State route 410/123 junction) opens Tuesday, May 8th.
• Chinook Pass (5,430 feet, State route 410) might open by Memorial Day.

Looks like next week is “open-the-gates” week for many Washington scenic access areas.

Break out those boots, everyone – I mean snowshoes!

[Scott Knowles]

Chinook and Cayuse Pass being open is one thing, but 15+ feet of snow at the passes is another, and the start of seasonal snowmelt was delayed by the recent cold spell and new snow last week and into the weekend. And there is 14 feet at Paradise. To use snowshoes, first you have to get on top of it. But at least the north-south highways (410 and 123) on the east should open next week. Only Chinook Pass will be later in May about the time the Stevens Canyon Highway opens for the season.

[Heroique]

To use snowshoes, first you have to get on top of it.

Here we are “getting on top of it” – a little West of Washington Pass, last May.

Scott’s right, if you want to hike, snow shoe, or cross-country ski, you gotta climb-up first!

Time to head for these mountain tops & tall trees again, can’t wait...

[ross]

I can't wait either Heroique. Thanks for the reports. Time to load some film holders.....

[Drew Wiley]

Sonora Pass is also opening, which certainly rivals Tioga for beauty. I imagine Kaiser Pass
will open early too, for those of you who like wide panaromas of the high Sierra and enjoy
the fun of steep narrow roads.

[Jim Galli]

Just for the record, Tonopah, Nevada is the same elevation as Lake Tahoe.

[Heroique]

An important update: the two Snow Kings coming from opposite directions met today at 11:00 a.m.!

Here’s the mean green machine climbing from the East, just below Washington Pass. :D

Now it’s just mopping up – Thursday (May 10th) looks like opening day.

[Drew Wiley]

Mr. Galli - would you kindly furnish us with some representive Smith/Pinkham shots of the
ski run in Tonopah? I assume the chair lift is attached to some rusting smokestack.

[Jim Galli]

Mr. Galli - would you kindly furnish us with some representive Smith/Pinkham shots of the
ski run in Tonopah? I assume the chair lift is attached to some rusting smokestack.

We ain't got no stinkin' ski run, but we got gambling :)

[Joseph Dickerson]

We ain't got no stinkin' ski run, but we got gambling :)

Jim,

I gambled on a lunch in Tonopah once...I lost (it).

JD

[Vaughn]

Backpacking in the North Cascades (around Glacier Peak) was very beautiful and interesting -- interesting in that the timberline is so low due to the higher latitude than the Sierras and Trinities that I am use to.

Might go for a week hike during the last week of May or first week of June in my old stomping grounds (The Yolla Bolly - Middle Eel Wilderness) as most of the snow will probably just about be gone by then.

Vaughn

[Drew Wiley]

I stumbled into the hotel in Austin NV one cold morning for breakfast. I had been out for over a week, and that AM I had been shooting in a snowstorm. The town looked deserted, and I doubt they had any business all week. I was filthy, unshaved, and covered with bits of sage etc. They were so happy to see someone they served me on real China, real
silverware, and probably the most generous breakfast I've ever paid for. Think it was only
five bucks, but I left a $20 tip.

[domaz]

Backpacking in the North Cascades (around Glacier Peak) was very beautiful and interesting -- interesting in that the timberline is so low due to the higher latitude than the Sierras and Trinities that I am use to.

Might go for a week hike during the last week of May or first week of June in my old stomping grounds (The Yolla Bolly - Middle Eel Wilderness) as most of the snow will probably just about be gone by then.


That's another big difference between the North Cascades and the Sierras. Snow in the North Cascades is typically still out in force until July. You will always hit snowy areas unless you hike in just August or September in the Cascades.

[ROL]

My recollection of the big difference between the volcanic Glacier Peak Wilderness – North Cascades and the Sierra is that there were no soft granite boulders upon which to rest my sorry 10 year old's backpacking ass (...the theory being that the rocks get softer the higher you go).

[Vaughn]

No granite in the Yolla Bollys either (coastal range of NoCal). Just a mad mix of rock and material uplifted from the ocean bottoms (Franciscan Formation). Outcrops of chert high on ridges that were formed 14,000 feet below at the bottom of the sea from dead one-cell creatures, compacted and thru heat and pressure made into hard layered rock (whites, reds, purples -- quite nice). Some greywacke and other rocks (including jade). Mountains made to fall down! Kept me busy when I was a wilderness ranger/trail builder in those mountains!

What I remember of the Glacier Peak Wilderness was hiking above tree line, then stepping quickly down into incredible dense forests of red ceder (if I remember that right -- it has been 30+ years). The Yolla Bollys have some incredible sugar pine, ponderosa/jeffery pines and Doug firs stands.

[Drew Wiley]

Another totally incorrect stereotype about the Sierras. Although they are far south of the
Cascades, travel elevations are typically much higher, so you will get snow somewhere all
year long. Some years the Spring thaw comes in Sept - last year was like that (this year
is relatively dry). And I've been in serious blizzards in the Sierra every month except July.
Last yr I was talking to a backcountry ranger who had recently recovered two hypothermic bodies due to that "gentle wilderness" stereotype. It seems to happen to
someone virtually every year, but last year to quite a few.

[Vaughn]

I have been in a white-out situation (with lightning hitting around me) in the Yolla Bollys in the middle of July at 6000 feet elevation. Did not last long enough (an hour, perhaps) to be a serious problem and when the clouds lifted and the sun came out, 300 feet below me was snow-free. The mules did not care for it much.

[Drew Wiley]

All nite thunderstorms are almost a memorial day tradition on some of the more exposed peaks. But it's the heat thunderstorms in Aug which can get spectacular. I remember reading books by lightining flashes on summer nites, they were so frequent. My mule days
are long over, but when I was a kid the pack station stables and cabins were at 8000 ft,
but the watertank a couple thousand higher up the ridge. The ladies had just finished washing dishes when a lighting bolt hit the water pipe running down the side of the hill.
Just as they walked into the dining room, the kitchen sink literally exploded!

[Jim Graves]

Another totally incorrect stereotype about the Sierras. Although they are far south of the
Cascades,..... .


Actually, the Cascades southern end is Mount Lassen in Northern California ... quite close to the north end of the Sierras.

[Drew Wiley]

Jim - depends on where you're from. Geologists have a really hard time classifying what
lies south of Lassen because it's so mixed up. I certainly don't think of it as Sierra until
you run into significant stretches of fault-block granite. All through the range you've got
a certain amt of roof pendant material and volcanic odd's n' ends, including some pretty
big volcanoes like Mammoth Mtn. But these are basically neighbors of the huge north to
south granitic uplift. We've got a similar classification problem here on the coast, where
geologists coined the term Franciscan Formation for all the mixed up crud they didn't want
to bother analyzing in detail. That seems to be the case south of Lassen until you head
south around the Lk Tahoe basin and extensive granite.

[John Kasaian]

All nite thunderstorms are almost a memorial day tradition on some of the more exposed peaks. But it's the heat thunderstorms in Aug which can get spectacular. I remember reading books by lightining flashes on summer nites, they were so frequent. My mule days
are long over, but when I was a kid the pack station stables and cabins were at 8000 ft,
but the watertank a couple thousand higher up the ridge. The ladies had just finished washing dishes when a lighting bolt hit the water pipe running down the side of the hill.
Just as they walked into the dining room, the kitchen sink literally exploded!

Which pack station were you working at?

[Drew Wiley]

John - it was right there above Huntington at Badger Flat, by the Potter Pass trailhead.
I don't know who owns it now, maybe D&F. Back then it was owned by a wild family of
Nevada mustangers. The operation at Florence was a different family, who happened to
be my neighbors, if you count a long hike over one of the Tables being next door.

[Drew Wiley]

More details, John ... the Huntington Lk operation was founded by Floyd Fike way back.
He partially overlapped China Charlie who explored all that backcounty of Big Creek, behind
Florence etc, for whom China Pk is named. Another pioneer family, the Cunninghams, were
active in packing too, and then Carl Smith came along, who set up the Blayney Mdw dude
ranch, now called Muir Trail Ranch upriver from Florence. There were no zoned restrictions
for who could operate where like today. And I don't think any of them made a buck back
then. It was more for fun and snickering about the city dudes eating all the dust and
getting saddle sore. The food was abominable. Not exactly eco-tourism like people expect
today. But it was great fun, though I didn't do it for long. I always preferred to be on foot
because you could get into far more places. But you'd be amazed just how many peaks
had horses ridden up them long before the Sierra club started claiming "official" ascents.

[Jim Graves]

Jim - depends on where you're from. Geologists have a really hard time classifying what
lies south of Lassen because it's so mixed up. I certainly don't think of it as Sierra until
you run into significant stretches of fault-block granite. All through the range you've got
a certain amt of roof pendant material and volcanic odd's n' ends, including some pretty
big volcanoes like Mammoth Mtn. But these are basically neighbors of the huge north to
south granitic uplift. We've got a similar classification problem here on the coast, where
geologists coined the term Franciscan Formation for all the mixed up crud they didn't want
to bother analyzing in detail. That seems to be the case south of Lassen until you head
south around the Lk Tahoe basin and extensive granite.

No, Drew ... it really doesn't matter where you're from ... your personal opinion [and personal connection to the southern Sierra] aside ... the vast majority of geologic opinion sets the northern edge of the Sierra Nevada Range just south of Mount Lassen. Here's a nice reference: LINK (http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2010AM/finalprogram/abstract_182384.htm)

[ROL]

I hardly know what's more pathetic, old men fighting for their memories or the use of the inaccurate term Sierras for the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. :p

[tgtaylor]

Jim is correct in asserting that Mount Lassen is a member of the Cascade Range.

I took a California Geology course in college where I learned that the volcanoes that make up the Cascade Range are the result of active subduction of the Gorda and Juna de Fuca Plates. Both Mount Shasta and Lassen are being fed magma that is generated by the subduction of the Gorda Plate beneath the North American Plate and therefore are members of the Cascade Ranges by definition.

Thomas

[Vaughn]

I hardly know what's more pathetic, old men fighting for their memories or the use of the inaccurate term Sierras for the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. :p

Or those who mistake the finger for the moon...:)

I am heading into the Trinity Alps this coming weekend, and probably spending a couple weeks in the Yolla Bollys starting mid-June. The question is; Do I take the 4x5, the 5x7 or wimp out completely and just take the Rolleiflex? I just developed a bunch of rolls of 120 from my backpacks into the Yolla Bollys last Spring. Dang -- they got me all excited about heading into the wild again this Spring/early Summer!

Vaughn

[Heroique]

And Juan de Fuca feeds, most famously, Mount St. Helens.

-----
Which gets me thinking ... knowing where you are in the mountains is certainly better than just knowing the names of mountains, but knowing both is best:

The “Sierra” (or the synonym, “Sierras”) refers to a number of mountain ranges of the earth, including many here in the U.S. – especially the Sierra Nevada we’re talking about.

The more specific term “Sierra Nevada” still refers to many ranges in the world, but only one here in the U.S.

People may be curious about “North Cascades.” These are the mountains (of the Cascade Range) north of Mount Rainier, all the way up into Canada. That’s why we have a “North Cascades Highway” and a “North Cascades National Park.”

[Vaughn]

Which gets me thinking ... knowing where you are in the mountains is certainly better than just knowing the names of mountains, but knowing both is best:

Mistaking the Map for the Territory
16x20 Silver Print from a 4x5 negative (Gowland Pocketview w/ 150mm Caltar IIN)
Memorial Day Weekend -- many years ago while on an incredible 4-day backpack trip. Its my finger, so I guess it is a self-portrait warning myself.

[tgtaylor]

Eat your heart out Vaughn.

Thomas

[Drew Wiley]

Between Lassen (definitively the southermost major peak of the Cascades) and the Honey
Lake fault, where batholithic intrusions begin, the nomenclature is up for grabs. But until
you actually get on the south side of Tahoe, the granite is highly discontinuous. The classic studies by Bateman & Warhaftig etc contain lots of studies on the northern Sierra.
And it is largely a different animal than the southern Sierras.... yup, Sierrrrras. Heard plenty
of geologists use that expression themselves. Matter of fact ... as per education at least,
I'm a geologist!

[Heroique]

Mistaking the Map for the Territory. …It’s my finger, so I guess it is a self-portrait warning myself.

Is that chiseled for true north or magnetic north?

:cool:

[Jim Graves]

Drew ... Definitely different ... I've done almost all of my backpacking in the north state ... hiking the high granite of the southern Sierras is a whole 'nuther ballgame ... I've left the peaks and treeless expanses to two of my younger (way tougher) brothers.

[Drew Wiley]

Well I am certainly concentrating on the higher parts of the range while I still can, that is,
with a view camera load. My dad, who himself had a quite a geology background, hauled me out of school when I was a kid for two-week long field trips all thru the northern Sierra
and Cascades. That was obviously a long time ago. Now it's my nephew and his geophysics
company taking grad students into the same territory. Of course, when a formal paper is
written for publication it's the Sierra Nevada. But in daily parlance, geologists use just as
many slang expressions as anyone else, many of them unprintable. A totally different animal from either the Cascades or northern Sierra is Steens Mtn in SE Oregon. Talk about
an interesting spot, both geologically and photographically!

[Vaughn]

Is that chiseled for true north or magnetic north?

:cool:

Sorry, I did not have a compass with me at the time. :rolleyes:

It is actually an engraved metal plate installed on a bolder on top of Sentinel Dome (where we camped for the night with Yosemite Falls booming across the Valley). Since the compass "rose" looks more like a star, I think it should point to the North Star, but they did not ask me my opinion when they installed it.