SUPER SIERRA HIGH ROUTE | An Off-Trail Adventure From Yosemite to Whitney
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- The ultimate High Sierra backpacking adventure- a link-up of the Yosemite High Route, Sierra High Route, and Southern Sierra High Route, starting north of Yosemite and ending south of Mt. Whitney for a total of 305 mostly off-trail miles over 23 days. I hope you enjoy, and maybe find some inspiration for your own adventures.
For more information on the route, check out my trip report on Reddit:
/ trip_report_the_super_...
Gear list (with links) for this trip, including camera gear:
www.lighterpac...
Note that if you would like to help my channel at no extra cost to you, the Amazon links are affiliate links which means that if you purchase anything after clicking through, I will get a small commission. Thank you!
Hey there- a big thanks to everyone who has watched and enjoyed the video! One quick thing: a decent amount of people have asked me how to go about hiking this route, in terms of permits, logistics, resupply, maps, etc. Keeping in the spirit of responsible off-trail wilderness travel, I would encourage anybody interested in trying it to seek out the map sets and guidebooks for the individual routes, create your own itinerary, and then get in touch with the ranger station nearest your starting trailhead to obtain a permit. For some basic information and guidance, check out my trip report on Reddit, linked in the description.
I never even considered a trip like this, hiking over passes without trails and class 2 and class 3 climbing. I’m not adventurous and I’m much too much of a chicken to have ever attempted this kind of trip. Thank you so much for sharing this incredible adventure and experience!
Never say never :)
@@DanStenziano That is true Dan! I am really enjoying the 45 minute long trip on almost no trails across the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountains from northern Yosemite to Mt Whitney! I love Bishop Pass and have actually been there several times. We always stayed at Parchers Resort and drove up to South Lake to start our hike. The view at the Pass is awe inspiring, just the countless trail less passes on your 300 mile journey.
Never forget 😂 guide books are written in sarcasm 😅
Few minutes into the video I stopped watching it on my phone and switched to the tv. Kicked back on the couch and enjoyed the whole thing. One of the best trail videos I’ve watched.
That's what I like to hear! 😀
I just did the same thing haha I said to myself this screen isn't doing the Sierras justice
@@preston93lane Check out the Hiking Norweigian's videos on the big screen. They're great too.
Exactly!
Beautiful work, Dan! Congratulations on conquering this beast of a route.
Mate, you have produced a gem in this piece. The video was awesome on my big screen TV. I was reminded of how beautiful the Sierra are on, and off, the trail. We’ll done.
Thank you! Appreciate hearing that, glad you enjoyed it
Watched it again to get ready for your presentation next week. Looking forward to hearing of your insights and knowledge.
Excellent video, Dan! Sure makes me want to see the high Sierras....however, your two partners are the most understated guys I've ever seen interviewed! They could learn the meaning of "loquacious"...:)
Thanks! Haha, Armstrong can be loquacious when he wants to be, but neither of them love the camera
Awesome Dan. Clearly an incredible amount of work put into this. Well done, came out great 👍
Thanks Greg!
So epic! You always had good tips for my Whitney!
Congrats on your achievement. Great 👍 video, enjoyed watching it very much...
Wow. So stunning. Thanks. Now Im hungry to hike (again). 🤙🙂
pretty much a perfect film of a hike.. the voiceovers.. bits to camera.. aktion & of course the awesome scenery. congratulations on putting it together & to you all for completing the route
Love the long form video and the route has made its way onto our bucket list
Wow!!! This is an absolutely incredible adventure AND a very well done documentary! So good.
Damn, this is hard core awesome. Congratulations on being a real life bad ass. I salute you
Awesome video. Loved the Sierra. What an amazing adventure. Congratulations to all of you.
Super Spicy! Congrats on the route. Fantastically done vid with amazing footage! Nice work Dan!
Man, this is so amazing and inspiring. Thank you for uploading.
Well done. Thanks so much. So inspiring.
wow this looks like an amazing trip and lots of preparation... learned a lot, thanks!
Was on Muir Pass when it was covered in snow. Honestly didn't recognize it. Loved the video tho!
Amazing!
wow! Fantastic scenery Dan. I didn't want to see it initially as I am going to do the SHR this summer - but, then I broke down:-) I have a question for you. Is this the first time you are using the SLR on the trail or did you use it on the PCT/CDT as well? I guess I am trying to find out if the scenery you captured is so beautiful because the SLR does great justice to it or could a good cell phone as well have done justice? I have been told that a camera is like a paint brush. Paint brush does not make a picture. The artist and the subject matter make the picture. What do you think? I am wondering if I should get a DSLR or just stick to my cell phone. I am not going to publish or print. Maybe a blog for friends.
Thanks :) hope you have a blast on the SHR.
As for phone vs camera... there are some clear advantages to using a camera: you have full control over settings and can get the image to look how you want, you have a much larger sensor which results in cleaner and less noisy images especially in low light, and you just generally have a lot more features and options.
If you want to look at my old videos to compare, my PCT videos were shot on a budget smartphone (moto g3), my CDT videos were shot on a Sony a5100 (apsc mirrorless) in 1080p, and this was shot on a Sony a6600 (same family of cameras, just with more features, better colors) in 4K. In my opinion the videos got better as I upgraded my setup. But I also got better at shooting, and learned a lot about video settings. I think I could make videos with my old camera now and still be very happy with them.
All this said, modern phone cameras are getting really good and are perfect for practicing basic stuff like composition. I would say only get a camera if it will enhance your experience and you want to geek out a little more. You don’t need one to get good blog photos.
@@DanStenziano Thanks for the quick reply. I was looking at other SHR videos as well. Man, your video is just miles apart in terms of clarity/beauty/narration etc. Great job. Did you post process a lot? When I did the JMT, I remember it was very bright and so many of the pictures etc were overexposed (using the Sony RX100). But yours look awesome even though I am sure it was bright. My later hikes were shot using Google Pixel 2 and I thought they were better than RX100. Maybe you should make a tutorial on video settings, editing one of these days so that we can learn the art of filming like you:-) Great stuff.
@@muralichinnakonda8944 I don’t process a ton. I just do basic stuff- exposure correction, white balance correction, tweak saturation, occasionally add stabilization. I don’t really like the look of heavily stylized color grading. Also I used a variable ND filter on this video which helped a lot with getting even exposures and dealing with the Sierra sun. Maybe a video on making hiking videos could be fun :)
@@DanStenziano Will wait for the hiking video tips. I think I will stick to phone as me buying a DSLR will be like giving a DSLR to a monkey and expecting great stuff to come out:-)
@11:10 right above the hikers heads you can see some animals! wonder what they are...
Good eye! Pretty sure those are bighorn sheep. Never saw them sadly until I looked at the footage!
@@DanStenziano so awesome! cool to think about what is all around you that you sometimes dont notice...at least you got to see some later on! cheers!
Thank you for sharing your journey! I hiked the PCT this past year and am considering trying a high route sometime next summer. What's your opinion on your Slingfin Splitwing tarp? Love it? Hate it? Meh?
I like it quite a bit. If you can get by with just it and a groundsheet, your shelter will be less than 10oz which is awesome. It gives good protection from the rain for an open tarp, maybe 6-7/10, and if you position right it also gives good wind protection. Low profile good for tight spaces. Takes a little work to figure out how to get a tight pitch. Sagging is a bit of a problem, especially if the humidity is higher.
Love the vid! Can anyone tell me how you secure permits to do a hike like this being that you’re off-trail most of the time?
You just need to contact the ranger station for your starting trailhead and tell them roughly where you'll be camping each night.
Dan we are looking at doing the same route. Can we say that mid August to mid September would be doable meaning less snow on mountain passes?
That’s when we did it. There will be very little, if any, snow at that time in a normal year. Weather should be great but there’s always the risk of smoke in late summer.
@@DanStenziano thnaks Dan for quick reply. I am planning as I am typing. Would you recommend earlier to prevent possible fires? I just wanted to miss the bugs if possible. What would be your ideal recommended time frame to start? Again I appreciate the depth of detail you posted for the others following in your footsteps. Sure saves us some time.
@@stephenmattox4160 mid-august onward can be risky in terms of fire but it could also be perfect. No way of knowing for sure. For what’s it worth, I’m doing KCHBR this summer and was originally planning on early September but changed my mind to early August. Yes there will be bugs and higher chance of storms, but I feel more comfortable with that time frame given how the last couple fire seasons have played out.
@@DanStenziano thanks for the info. I will look up the KCHBR. Good luck on that route. This will be our first off route experience and looking forward to it. I will still have to continue to do my research but looking to leave mid August also. I will follow you on RUclips. Happy hiking my Friend!!!
Dan we bought the maps from Skurka for YHR and SHR. Is there anyway to put in the waypoint without doing it manually, meaning looking on his maps then dropping waypoints on software of CalTopo?
What is the name of the first lake in the video. Thank you
Twin Island Lakes, west of Banner and Ritter peaks
2:06 what lake is that ?
One of the Deer Lakes very close to Mammoth
well done
Thanks Kraig, means a lot coming from you
Had to watch it twice today, so good. Epic adventure, great cinematography, narration, and story. Standing applause, Dan. This is one of the best adventure films I've seen
Wow, thank you! I'm humbled and very glad to hear that!
Can we nominate this for an award? This is amazing!!! Thank you for sharing
Thanks guys, great video!! Here i am in my mancave most 80 years old with my hiking days just about over, but your hike took me to places ive always wanted to go to, just not to the extreme you guys took. Very professionally done, thx again!!!
Had a moment between tasks today and did what I occasionally do: search RUclips for Sierra High Route. I've seen all the videos, but then wait, here's a new one. Needless to say, my next task did not get done. Instead I went full screen and watched this straight through. Great work. Quiet presenting style, fantastic shots, nice coverage of the passes. First shot was awesome and it never stopped. Your crew is humorously quiet and calm; chillin' and walkin' -and hungry. I'm 65 and will probably not ever do this; none of my friends even wants to do a section of off-trail stuff, so I'm glad to see you guys in your 20s doing this for my vicarious enjoyment. So cool.
Find SOME part of this and go for it... :-)
Really enjoyed this one and saw areas of the Sierra I have never seen before - felt like I was there! Very very well done and am inspired! Wishing you all the best in 2021!🤠
Wow!!! Spectacular. The scene at 2:09... if you don't mind sharing, where is that?
Thanks! That is Deer Lakes, very close to the town of Mammoth Lakes
@@DanStenziano Haha, seriously!?! How did I not recognize that? I live in Mammoth and have hiked past Deer Lakes a few times.
@@DanStenziano my dad and I used to ride our dirt bikes up to laurel lake. Rip pops. He’d love watching this.
Lol omg my ultralightjerk sticker made it in the video fuck yes. I slapped that on there from my 2019 SOBO PCT hike.
Hahaha that's amazing!! I was hoping someone would mention and even better- it's the guy who left it there.
The filmmaking, editing and narration is high quality and engaging. It takes a special skill to provide something for everyone - the armchair hiker who is living vicariously through you, the trail hiker who may be inspired by it to stretch their comfort zone and the off-trail enthusiast who can now visualize the route and use it for planning their own adventure. As a hiker/trail runner/mountaineer, I would put this documentary up there with the best content from Mediocre Amateur, Billy Yang, Ginger Runner and other outstanding YT outdoor content creators. Congratulations and thank you.
Wow, thank you. Being a fan of those channels myself, that really means a lot!
This was excellent, so enjoyable. Thank you for posting!
That was lovely......thank you.
Fun fact: in the '80s my Bro and I were bushwhackin through Humphry's Basin and one morning the 6.4 MM Chalfant Valley Quake struck. The western flank of Mount Humphrys came down in a massive scree landslide. Very exiting.
Wow! That must have been incredible to watch.
Incredible journey, I also tried the SHR solo and had to bail. Hopefully I'll conquer it one day.
Really a testament to having mates around when the adventure gets real. You stayed within yourself- a humble but competent thru hiker that brought us along the crest (I took my wife to White Bear Lake and Vee Lake one year so we know the area around Bishop really well).
Absolutely incredible. I knew so many of the passes and summits you encountered but never from the vantage points you had. Considering the level of difficulty, it's amazing that you covered over 13 miles a day! Fantastic footage, great story telling, thanks so much! I gotta get out, like tomorrow!! Alas, the Sierras are closed till the 18th. I'll have to wait 😐
Glad you enjoyed it! Hope you can get out soon. Scary situation in CA…
Finally out! So many incredible shots in there. Relaxing watch, getting me stoked to get out there this summer!
What an incredible film! I've always wanted to try some off trail adventures but have no idea where to start. Any tips?
Thanks! To start, I would plan low risk trips where you can practice the skills (terrain association, compass use). I watched a ton of videos on navigation and basically every time I went hiking on a trail, I would try to work on my terrain association, even if I didn’t need it to follow the trail. You may need to get creative depending on where you live. I’m in upstate NY, so whenever I went to the Adirondacks, I’d sit on the summit of whatever peak and take compass bearings to other peaks I could see as well as just look at my map and really study how the contour lines look in real life.
After a bit of that, I would do an off trail dayhike (good to bring a friend). Anything is fine, my first one was in some random patch of forested public land and I just tried to get from point A to point B in the woods following a compass bearing.
Also, using gps is fine, especially as you’re building confidence.
Love it. I have my eyes set on moving to Reno. I miss the Sierra so much I think it's the best move!
@@hikinginjeans3221 Lol... Can you translate that?
Reno? How about Bishop :)
@@DanStenziano Bishop is only 3 hours away. Could be there after work! Bishop is a BIT small for my tastes. Plus, Cali taxes!
Thank you for showing me this through your eyes! Always believe in yourself because you're capable of anything you put your mind to.
Amazing stuff, fellas. Thanks for putting all the effort into filming and editing.
This is def. big screen tv material.
Didn't shoot it in 4k for nothing 😎
@@DanStenziano just watched it on my 55" it looked fantastic.
Wow! Blown away by how well this was shot and put together! Incredible! Great work! Greetings from Alberta, Canada!
Amazing! A-m-a-z-I-n-g! What an inspiration. I have to do this as well.
I was feeling pretty down and trapped by this damn coronavirus today, and this totally transported and inspired me. Thanks, and best wishes from rainy Somerset, England.
Happy to hear that :)
Wunderschöne Wanderung! Wooww!! Wunderschön gefilmt und dokumentiert! Thanks, mates!
Outstanding! Absolutely brilliant! Can't thank you enough for working so hard to share this with others.
Thank you so much for this story ! Man, your trip has really inspired me....
Merci et à la prochaine like we say in my country :)
What a beautiful film! As a JMT and PCT hiker, this gives me inspiration for more Sierra adventure. Congratulations on completing the route and the film! 👏 Thank you so much for sharing it!
Awesome! Thank you!
This is amazing! Great video!
Wow, I just came across your channel and subscribed!
Thank you and your friends for the amazing views ! Awesome extreme adventures! Stay safe 🙏
Incredible man! The work put into this is very inspiring. The videography and storytelling is
top notch👍 Glad I found your channel. Just subbed!
Thank you!
Love it! Thanks for the great video; super enjoyable thing to watch while doing a couple hours of cardio training to be in shape for this summer!
Man this is so well done! Congrats on the epic route and fantastic film. My friend and I are planning a similar route for this summer, can’t wait!
Hello from Vorarlberg Austria 😄 🇦🇹
Summary:
Up down, up down, up down.
End of trail "hungry"
Kind regards Leopold 🤗
That was awesome...congratulations!
Wonderfully shot and narrated.
Russel to blue lake pass in one day? With sluggo and foester in between? To me that’s gotta be one of the days you've gotta be most proud of. Were there other day sections like that?
That was one of the tough days. Other than that, the day we did Mt Baxter stands out. That mountain is slow going! But honestly, every day on a xc route is pretty hard lol
@@DanStenziano Just gotta say this is still the best high route video on youtube. Cheers for making it something I can share with family members and friends to have them know what I'm tryna solo, and why I'm both thrilled and intimidated each time.
These trail mixes are kinda "dry" in nutrition. Could add pumpkin, sesame or chia seeds for proper protein gain. Pumpkin seeds got 35/100gr etc. I understand that supermarket has to be really large to get these specific things but...its worth to look when in larger town coz you gonna save tons of space plus gain energy
Basically speechless. Incredible, breathtaking scenery. I could barely watch the cliff climbing. It would seem to me that completing that trip without a major injury would be about as likely as winning the lottery. Guess that's just part of being 70. The photography, editing, commentary, and soundtrack were really professional. A true, quality, mountaineering movie. Yet another feather in your cap , Dan. Hats off to you and your pals for an amazing journey and a wonderful presentation.
Thanks Charlie!!
That was absolutely wonderful. What an adventure, much like the expression on your face revealed at the end, I didnt want the video to finish. (I grew up in Rochester and moved to CA for school. I've stayed and am enjoying the Sierras. )
One of the very best!!! Amazing!! Thank you for taking us to places some of us can not even dreamed of hiking.
Thank you 💜
One of the best hiking videos on RUclips I've watched in many ways, nice narration, great editing, beautiful scenery. Most of all, I like your adventurous spirit. Thanks for the inspiration.
"Ambitious" is a fine descriptor for improv backpacking. I've used it a few times!
I think if you like glaciers and mountains, you should make it up here to the Bellingham WA REI, pick up your ice picks and ropes and do Kulshan and/or Baker before they melt away. Summer is best. With some training and gear, skipping across crevasses couldn't be any more dangerous than your Sierra scrambles...
Nice work man! Got to get back to the 'range of light'. Thanks for posting! I have spent quite a few summers up in those isolated nooks and crannies in the alpine zones above the Muir Trail and the PCT, your video brought back lots of fond memories.
This video was fantastic I was focused fixated by he composition. I work seasonally in the sierras. One I the most unreal place on earth.
Yes, always looked of to them distant hills from JMT and wondered why not give it a shot some day.... great job here.. true living, true adventure.
Amazing work, man! Great documentation throughout as well! Keep doing ambitious and fantastic adventures!
What a wonderful adventure and film! Thank you for sharing!
Well done! Love to be able to do this.
Incredible accomplishment and documentary. You should be super proud of yourself!
Love this, great job!
My hat off to you guys. If i was in my twenties i would try to do it. Great job. I go fishing Owens river. Driving home to Los Angeles i always imagine myself on top of the mountains i see while driving and you guys did it.
12:39 I really like this shot. The image quality improvement from the a5100 to the a6600 is hard to believe. Your editing/voice over skill has also improved a lot (compared to the CDT videos). l guess you also had more time for filming than in the CDT... Great stuff, looking forward to the next video! ATB!
Thanks! Appreciate the positive feedback 🙂
Great edit! Inspiring! Pretty bold rock hopping, and scrambling! There were a few spots that looked sketchy downclimbing.. reminds me of the places I’ve left my heart in the high places.
Incredible, and great visual work. I'd dreamed up something High from Carson pass to Toulumne, and popped on/off the Roper route further south. I'm too old for your version I fear, but it was great to see Lake Catherine again among other places. Thanks for the energy you put into the plans, the doing and the documentation.
Amazing video. If you pause it pretty much anywhere, it's desktop photo worthy.
I hiked the PCT this year and have been aching for a different kind of adventure ever since. You guys are a true inspiration and have lit a fire under me to do something like this. Time to start planning! Cheers!
-Alaska
Dan, kudos to your awesome adventure and much thanks for this video! This is one of the best I've seen that goes beyond the usual to actually capture the boundless beauty, the emotions, and sense of wonder brought on by the Sierras. I've been backpacking and mountaineering in the Sierras for 50 years. Just explored Second Recess, White Bear Pass, even Gables Lakes and Indian Lakes this year. Was at Tulainyo a while back and Junction Pass. So, it was great to see them again in your video. One thing that I saw happen to you and happens to me every time, is becoming overwhelmed, and the loss of words, when trying to describe the feeling of day after day of unrelenting incredibly beautiful mountains!
Phil, so glad you enjoyed the video! Means a lot to hear that from a long time explorer of the Sierra.
amazing hike and amazing accomplishment, congrats. Hope you have gone on to even more great adventures.
Absolutely incredible journey! Thank you for sharing this incredible accomplishment with us! After moving to Colorado from Southern California in 1994, climbing 5 of the 14K peaks was an other incredible experience for me. Now I prefer to ride my KTM in the local desert, and spend the rest of my time playing with my Macaw family. Thank you again my friend, watching this video brought back many wonderful memories of my life in the High Sierras!
Awesome video. Thanks for making it. Made me happy 😊
Holy Cow! what an adventure., Thanks for sharing.
Hello. What does one need to be able to do this? I don't mean supplies, I mean what permits/permission is necessary?
Mud Slide, his undies after 3 weeks on the Sierras.😂 Great Film.
Lol
@@DanStenziano We all know where he got that trail name haha
This is absolutely spectacular! I hope to reach this level one day. I'm going to climb White Mountain and Mt. Williamson next week, so taking steps toward it. This is definitely in my bucket list! Thank you for showing us the beautiful views and inspiring us all!
Did you hike down to Olancha Peak? I assume you definitely included Mt. Langley.
Actually neither. We exited the Sierra over New Army Pass, so we went right by Langley. We thought about running over to tag the summit but at that point we'd had our fill and decided to just wrap it up haha.
second time watching all the way through. this was very inspirational Dan!
What a great video, so inspirational. Heading up for the SHR this August. This video has me amped but somehow disappointed we're not doing the entire Super SHR. Maybe next year. THANKS for this BEAUTIFUL video. VERY well done!!!
Hope you have a great trip on the SHR!
great documentary. your hiking buddies must be the most boring people ive ever heard tho
awesome, only bad thing was your friends' cursing
Sorry about that. In retrospect maybe I should have censored.
@@DanStenziano Please keep it real. Thru hiker humor is awesome :-)
No, actually that was a good thing, and kept it real. You, Itmacableable, are a small-minded prude.
there is so much to see in the sierra nevada. watching this in October yearning for summer...
Wow! That’s amazing! Congrats 🎉
Yeah no words to describe this from you or me this goes beyond words this was….yeah, no words.