Botany of the Sierra Nevada with Matt Berger

Itinerary:

Day 1 - We will leave from Cottonwood Pack Station, hike over Trail Pass and through Bullfrog and Tunnel Meadow, and make camp by the creek on the edge of Tunnel Meadow.

Day 2 - Hikers will explore Ramshaw Meadows in search of Abronia alpina, the rare flower endemic to this area. Hikers can return to camp, or continue on to explore Templeton meadows.

Day 3 - We will pack up camp and hike along Golden Trout Creek to Big Whitney Meadow.

Day 4 - We will explore Big Whitney, find the hidden spring, identify trees, flowers, grasses, moss, and lichen, and seek out the rare Golden Trout that populate the creeks in this area.

Day 5 - We will pack up camp, hike up and over Cottonwood Pass, and out to Cottonwood Pack Station. Guests are welcome to join us for dinner at Merry-Go-Round Chinese restaurant in Lone Pine.

Difficulty: This trip covers a minimum of 25 miles. The Golden Trout is known as one of the more accessible areas in the High Sierra, and much of the hiking is on reasonably graded, well-maintained trail meandering through the meadows, and day hikes can be as challenging as folks prefer. The hikes on Day 1 and Day 5 over Trail and Cottonwood Pass are steep, switchbacky, and rocky, with significant elevation gain and loss. Our longest day is about 9 miles, but with 2 layover days there is ample time for folks to rest and recuperate.

Mileage Breakdown:

Day 1 - 9 miles from Cottonwood Pack Station to camp in Tunnel Meadow

Day 2 - Day hike, 2-10 miles, depending on guest preferences. This will be a leisurely hike with plenty of stops to identify plants.

Day 3 - 7 miles from Tunnel Meadow to Big Whitney Meadow

Day 4 - Day hike, 2-10 miles. There is much to see in Big Whitney Meadow and hikers can explore as much or as little as they prefer

Day 5 - 9 miles from Big Whitney to Cottonwood Pack Station

Minimum: 25 miles

With Day Hikes: 30-45 miles

What's Included:

• Packers, mules, a cook, and a botanist / hiking guide

• A backcountry camp including a kitchen, latrine, rainfly, comfy chairs, a first aid kit, and a small library of maps and guidebooks

• All Meals - each day we will enjoy a hot breakfast, cowboy coffee, tea, and cocoa, a DIY lunch spread, snacks, appetizers, a big dinner, and dessert

• Trip planning, permits, and guides trained in Wilderness First Aid

What's excluded:

• Travel to and from Cottonwood Pack Station

• Your personal hiking and camping gear

• Travel insurance

• Booze

• Staff tips (which are optional but appreciated)

What to bring:

You can find a list of necessary clothing and equipment here. Each guest is permitted 30 pounds of gear, including a personal bag, a tent, and sleep setup. Guests often pack fishing poles, extra warm clothing, a book, art supplies, and wine or beer. Mules enable us to bring some extra comforts, and you will hike each day with only your daypack.

Please bring a map - we prefer the Tom Harrison Map of the Golden Trout Wilderness, which can be purchased online or at one of the many outdoor stores in Lone Pine.

Learn more about pack trips here.

Meet Your Guides

Matt Berger - Botanist, Hiking Guide:

Matt Berger is a botanist with an expertise in the flora of the Sierra Nevada, Great Basin, Mojave Deserts, and Cascade Range. He is also a passionate backpacker, having completed the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail -  the triple crown of thru-hiking. He works as a field technician conducting rare and invasive plant surveys throughout the West. Matt writes about botany on instagram as @sheriff_woody_pct, where he’s helped thousands of people to get educated and excited about plants. On this trip he’ll be identifying the plants and ecosystems you’ll be trekking through, and answering questions about the flora and fauna of the mountain meadows. Matt never tires of talking about plants, be it gnarly old foxtail pines or tiny wildflowers and grasses, all have pivotal roles to play in the montane ecosystems.

Kelly Kate Warren - Backcountry Cook, Fisheries Technician:

Kelly Kate has been working in the wilderness for 13 years, as a trail worker, backcountry cook, wilderness ranger, youth educator, guide, and field biologist. 

She’s spent the last 5 summers cooking for pack trips out of Cottonwood Pack Station, and the Golden Trout Wilderness is her favorite area in the Sierra. She spends each Fall in the Northwest, monitoring Steelhead populations for Watershed Restoration projects in Eastern Washington and Oregon. She’s worked in fisheries restoration on and off for over a decade. She’s excited to expand her knowledge of the flora of the Sierra, and share her love of biology in general and the Golden Trout Wilderness in particular.

Mark Midgett - Mule Packer, Wilderness Guide, Citizen Scientist:

Mark grew up on the California coast, and has been working with mules since the 1970s. He's a lifelong horseman, hunter, and fisherman, with a passion for ecology and wildlife conservation.

As a citizen scientist Mark has been monitoring deer and mountain lion populations in the Owen's Valley for over 20 years. He is one of 2 black packers working in the Sierra, and he's been packing mules and guiding pack trips for over 30 years.

In 2016, Mark helped to rescue a threatened population of endangered Golden Trout from Volcano Meadows, packing 52 fish 15 miles out of the Wilderness on 2 mules named Trudy and Fancy.

Mark is a phenomenal guide and storyteller with decades of experience navigating the High Sierra, caring for mules, and sharing his love of wildlife.