橫渡雪山+ 登頂美國本土最高峰 惠特尼14505ft

Sierra Nevada 在西班牙語的意思是白雪覆蓋的鋸子。Sierra Nevada 座落在北美洲大盆地（Great Basic）西南緣的山脈，遠看像一把鋸子，因此而得其名。由北到南全長約400英里（640公里），東西寬約70英里（110公里），最高的山峰，惠特尼峰（Mt. Whitney 14,505ft)。聳立在孤松鎮（LonePine)的西邊。著名的約翰穆爾步道（John Muir Trail）乃是沿著雪山（Sierra Nevada ）山脊，北從優勝美地，南到惠特尼峰，全長共220英里。 大家都只知道約翰穆爾步道（John Muir Trail）這條縱走的路線，很少人知道High Sierra Trail 這條橫渡雪山（Sierra Nevada ）。有人認為 High Sierra Trail 比John Muir Trail 更美，壯觀。 High Sierra Trail 全長 72英里，總爬升17490 ft ，總下降9718ft。因為西邊登山口在美洲杉國家公園，東邊登山口在孤松鎮，兩個登山口相距約7個多小時的車程，接駁上有技術上的問題，所以，很多人也就走來回，共130公里。 High Sierra Trail 西邊的入山證不用抽籤，比較好拿。 登山口在6700 英尺的Crescent Meadow ，沿著Middle Fork Kaweah River 往東行，越過不少溪流，還可以享受野溪溫泉，翻過分水嶺Great Western Divide, 經過Guitar Lake 從惠特尼峰的西邊登頂美國本土最高峰惠特尼峰（Mt. Whitney 14,505ft)。從這邊登頂比從東邊壯麗很多。 Day 1 - to Bearpaw Meadow (11.4 miles/18.2 km):The trail leaves from Crescent Meadow on the southeast edge of the Giant Forest. For the first half-mile, the trail travels through shady, well-watered terrain covered with dense forests of red and white fir, sugar pines, and occasional giant sequoias. The trail then emerges onto a warm, south-facing slope at Eagle View. From here, you can see back to Moro Rock to the west, down to the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River, and ahead to the glaciated peaks of the Great Western Divide. The nearly-level trail then passes through part of the area burned by the Buckeye Fire in 1980. Spring-fed streams cross the trail late into the season. Creek crossings may be hazardous early in the summer. Be sure to check conditions when you pick up your permit. Beyond the junction with the Seven Mile Hill Trail, which connects the High Sierra and Alta Trails, the trail crosses the steep slopes and bluffs of the south side of Alta Meadow and Alta Peak. During 1930, a trail crew working with an air compressor and rock drills spent nearly the entire summer blasting a 1-mile (1.6 km) stretch of trail through this area. Hikers taking a more leisurely trek to Mt. Whitney may wish to camp along one of the two forks of Nine Mile Creek (8.8 miles/14.1 km). After passing Nine Mile Creek, the trail descends to Buck Canyon, a spectacular canyon well-known for floods, avalanches and rockslides. After crossing Buck Creek, the trail climbs some 500' in slightly over a mile (152 meters in 1.6 km), arriving at the Bearpaw Meadow area 11.4 miles (18.2 km) from the trailhead. In addition to camp sites, this is the location of the Bearpaw Meadow Camp, a simple tent hotel run by the park concessionaire (reservations required). Day 2 - to Big Arroyo Junction (11 miles/17.6 km): East of Bearpaw, you begin your ascent into the Great Western Divide. After passing some nice campsites at Lone Pine Creek (13.1 miles/21.0 km from the trailhead), the trail follows a long series of switchbacks, overshadowed by the Angel Wings, a sheer granite wall to the north of the trail. The route crosses Hamilton Creek just above the lower Hamilton Falls and climbs another series of switchbacks to Big Hamilton Lake (16.6 miles/26.6 km). The popular campsites here offer outstanding views and fair to good fishing for brook, rainbow and golden trout. Beyond Big Hamilton Lake, there is nowhere to go but up! The climb begins with a series of sweeping switchbacks across the bluffs to the north of the lake, before turning east towards the sheer-walled avalanche chute known as Hamilton Gorge. In 1932, Park Service engineers erected a steel suspension bridge across the Gorge, but in the winter of 1937, a massive avalanche tore the bridge from its moorings and swept its twisted wreckage down to the shores of Big Hamilton Lake. You can still see the bridge's concrete foundations and a few scrap metal remains, but the trail now uses a ledge and tunnel that were blasted by the Civilian Conservation Corps the next summer. East of Hamilton Gorge, the trail enters the alpine life zone of the Sierras, a region where the short growing season, avalanches and lack of soil make life impossible for plants other than herbs and low shrubs. Precipice Lake, which is nestled beneath the north wall of Eagle Scout Peak, often stays frozen into mid-summer. Beyond the lake, the route passes a series of shallow glacial ponds, to finally arrive at Kaweah Gap on the Great Western Divide (20 miles/32 km). From this pass at 10,700' (3261 meters) it is only a few hundred vertical feet down to the open valley of the Big Arroyo. The trail continues a steady to moderate descent to the campsites at Big Arroyo Junction (22.5 miles/36 km). Day 3 - to Moraine Lake (8 miles/12.8 km) or Upper Funston Meadow (12 miles/19.2 km): After 2 strenuous days of hiking, the journey from Big Arroyo to Moraine Lake is relatively easy. If you have a tighter schedule, you may wish to bypass Moraine Lake, an extra .8 miles (1.3 km), and proceed directly to Upper Funston Meadow, at the bottom of the Kern Trench. After leaving Big Arroyo Junction, the trail makes a moderate ascent up the north wall of the Big Arroyo, providing views of the east side of the Great Western Divide. Once it reaches the Chagoopa Plateau, the trail levels off, and soon reaches a junction on a tributary of Chagoopa Creek. The right-hand trail branches off from the main High Sierra Trail to Moraine Lake (30 miles/48 km from Crescent Meadow). The left-hand trail follows a more direct route across the Chagoopa Plateau, rejoining the Moraine Lake Trail at Sky Parlor Meadow (30.8 miles/49.3 km). From here, it descends to the bottom of the Kern Trench. The drop is moderate at first, but concludes with a series of steep, rocky switchbacks. This stretch of the trail can be long and dry, so be sure to fill your water bottles at Sky Parlor Meadow. To reach Upper Funston Meadow (34.5 miles/55.2 km), turn south (right) upon reaching the bottom of the canyon. Day 4 - to Junction Meadow (13.7 miles/21.9 km from Moraine Lake/9.7 miles; 15.5 km from Upper Funston): If you are coming from Moraine Lake, continue about 1 mile (1.6 km) beyond the lake to rejoin the High Sierra Trail at Sky Parlor Meadow. Descend into the Kern Trench, but turn north (left) upon reaching the bottom. If you are coming from Upper Funston, retrace your steps to the junction with the trail from the Chagoopa plateau, and continue north along the bottom of the canyon. The Kern River Trail drops into a marshy area beyond the junction, then leads through a forest of Jeffrey pine and incense-cedar. Keep an eye through the trees to the west to catch a glimpse of Chagoopa Falls tumbling down from the rim of the canyon. At 36.8 miles/58.9 km from the trailhead (excluding the side-trip to Moraine Lake), you will arrive at Kern Hot Springs, complete with a crude cement bathtub in which to soak your aching muscles. The water from the spring is 115 degree F (46 degrees C). The tub is only a few feet from the cold, rushing Kern River, and runoff from the tub mixes with river water to create a warm pool, allowing you your choice of temperatures for bathing. (Please, no soap in the river or tub.) If your schedule allows, you may wish to camp here, but you must stay in the designated camp sites, which are often heavily used. Beyond Kern Hot Spring, the trail continues along the bottom of the glaciated valley of the Kern River. This canyon runs almost due north and south for about 25 miles (40 km) along the Kern Canyon fault. The trail ascends steadily to Junction Meadow (42 miles/67.2 km). Hiking along the bottom of the canyon can be hot and dry during the middle of the day. If you have camped at Kern Hot Springs, however, remember that cold air from the surrounding peaks flows down the canyon at night, and that the sun will not clear the 2000 to 5000' (610 to 1524 meter) high canyon walls until relatively late in the morning. Day 5 - to Crabtree Meadow (8.9 miles/14.2 km): Leave the park-like Jeffrey pines of Junction Meadow and cross a steep, rocky slope covered with manzanita and currant. Soon, the trail begins to climb out of the Kern Canyon, offering increasingly impressive views of the canyon to the south, and west to the Kaweah Peaks, which were to the east of you three days ago when you came over Kaweah Gap. At 48.9 miles from the trailhead (78.2 km), you will reach the junction with the John Muir Trail, which runs from Yosemite Valley to the summit of Mt. Whitney. There are campsites here, as well as at Crabtree Meadow (53.1 miles/85 km). Guitar Lake (56.6 miles/90.6 km) is the last campsite with water before the summit of Mt. Whitney. Day 6 - to the summit of Mt. Whitney: If you have arranged for transportation from Whitney Portal and this is the last day of your trip, this will be a long day (19.1 miles/30.6 km). You may also camp at Trail Camp (65.7 miles/105.1 km from the trailhead) or Outpost Camp (68.7 miles/109.9 km) on the east side. If you are hiking back to Giant Forest, plan to return to Crabtree Meadow (round trip to the summit, 16.8 miles/26.8 km). PS: 入山證每人＄15 PS: 需要帶冰爪，若是今年雪下太多，7月初，高山的雪應該還未融，尤其 Kaweah Gap