Day 6 - Upper Kern Basin to Lake Reflection - 8.9 Miles, 2200' climbing

            Woke up at 6am to see big puffy clouds filling the sky to the south.  Not sure what to do, we ate breakfast, took pictures, and explored around.  Getting restless, decided to move on to farthest shelter along trail and check weather then.  On the trail a little after 8, passing several ponds with many campsites.  The trees grew smaller and the views began to open up as we climbed towards lake south america.  The biggest lake we passed on the way, at 11250' or so, had great views and several camps with shelter on the NE side.  Would provide a great view at sunrise and sunset.  The clouds continued to build, as did the wind, but the clouds were split over the main crest of the range to the East and the great western divide to the west, leaving blue skies over us.  Decided to head over the pass, breezing up the slope to Lake South America and right on by.  It is a large, but plain lake, surrounded by level grass shores.  Headed up the lowest gully to the west of harrison pass, then hung a right up to the pass.  Slippy-slidy rock and the elevation made it slow going up the last bit.  The pass was marked with a pile of rocks.  The first 50' was pretty steep and we used our hands to help us down.  The rest of the way was fairly steep and gravely, making for quick descent.  As the steep portion of the pass flattened out into the basin, talus started to take over and the going slowed.  We talus hopped around a few small lakes, following the general route of the old trail, which was mostly gone.  Views of Mt Brewer and North/South Guard began to open up.  The terrain became more slabby and we descended more quickly.  We hit trees and good shelter around 11,000' and stopped for a lunch break at a lake near 10,700'.  Looked like rain was on the way so we kept moving on and arrived at Lake Reflection a little after 1 pm.  We set up camp on the east shore right near the log jam, good shelter, but it looked like better camping on the west side of the outlet.  Though it seemed like weather was about to hit us the whole day, it didn't rain until after 2, and only for 15 mintues or so.  Hung out and relaxed, then explored the east shore before dinner.  Quite a log jam at the outlet, very cool.  Decided to eat dinner at a nice ledge about half way down the east shore and about 100' above the lake.  Probably a campable spot in fair weather.  After dinner we plotted our course for tomorrow's hike over Longley Pass.  Clouds dispersed, calm weather, maybe tomorrow will be clear?

Day 7 - 6.2 Miles, 2400' climbing

            Awake at 6, clouds moving in and very windy.  Stayed in bed until 6:30, unsure about heading over the pass.  Walked the east shore and decided to start heading up the pass as there were several sheltered spots on the route up Longley Pass.  Ate a quick breakfast, packed up and shipped out by 7:30.  Looped back to lower outlet and then along north shore of lake, keeping low for the most part, never more than 50' above the lake.  At the first patch of trees on the west shore there were some camping spots, but nothing great.  Onward and upward, staying along the creek through a narrower and steeper talus section.  The creek was mostly hidden beneath large talus and only rarely exposed.  Encountered a second patch of trees about 800' above the lake, not much shelter, but would work if needed.  From here we headed up slabs on the right side of the creek and moved quicker, hitting a "bowl" at about the 3320m mark.  We headed straight up a chute in the middle, a faint trail was present.  This route seemed a little better than the slabs to the far left and steeper chute to the left and it took us straight up to lake 3496.  From here we headed along the north shore of the lake and hitched a right up a gully near a small peninsula in the lake.  We traversed to the right (east) and then doubled back towards the pass and down to a tarn not shown on the map, but just above lake 3600m.  From here the last slope to the pass was clearly visible and we headed up sandy/gravely slopes to the top.  The snow cornice on top was nearly gone and we topped out around 10:30.  The wind had died down a little, but there were many big clouds over head and blowing in from the south.  The descent was very gradual at first, walking across a sandy flat to a point with a good view of the cunningham creek headwaters and south guard lake.  Headed northwest towards south guard lake and hit cunningham creek around the 3500m mark.  We crossed the creek, and climbed down over slabs, across the meadow and into some scrubby trees.  Trees got bigger as we descended, and we found a spot to set up the tent around 10900'.  It was only 11:30, but weather was questionable so we set up the tent, ate, and climbed in again.  We waited for the storm as dark clouds gathered overhead, but nothing came.  We were directly under a line of blue sky and dark clouds, winds from the west pushed the clouds up against the ridge we had just crossed.  Read and relaxed until around 6, then got out to cook dinner.  Ate by our camp, then hustled up above treeline just as the alpenglow was fading.  Great color, but missed out on a clear view of the mountains in the light.  Back to camp and to bed so we could get an early start up mt. brewer in the morning.

Day 8 - 13.5 miles, 3100' climbing

            Up at 5:45, cold breakfast, moving by 6:15.  A little frosty in the meadow and some icy spots, but pretty warm out.  Nice morning light, not a cloud in the sky.  Hugged the SE shore of South Guard Lake, then up towards South Guard.  Headed north towards Brewer, dropping down to a chain of lakes at the base of the southwest slope.  Up to the saddle between Brewer and South Guard, then up the main chute of Brewer towards the summit block.  Topped out around 8:30, still no clouds to be seen.  Hung out on top and took pics for an hour or so.  Great views in all directions.  Leisurely pace on the way down, back to camp before noon.  Couldn't find a great route through the south guard lake area, kind of rough going both to and from.  Ate lunch, broke down camp, and started down Cunningham Creek.  Stayed to the north side of the creek for the most part.  Cut N and W through dense willows for 50' or so, then picked up switchbacks from a faint old trail.  Down into the forest, easy going.  Forced out onto the slope above cloud canyon for the last 800' or so, quite a bushwhack.  Great views of the whaleback and big wet mdw, Christians favorite part of the trip...  Hit the trail in cement table mdw area around 3, then down to roaring river where we camped.  Long day, took it easy in camp and had a fire.

 Day 9 - 13.4 miles, 2500' climbing

            Slept in until 7:30 after yesterday's long day, not on the trail until 8:40.  Hot and dry on the way out, back to the car a little after 1, ice cream and drinks at the visitor center, then back to san diego.