How difficult is the High Sierra route? I am in the early stages of planning a section hike and looks like I will probably be solo. Whats the easiest section to start with?
I'm an east coast boy but an experienced backpacker with a summit of Rainier my only altitude experience.

You mean the Sierra High Route? There's Roper's book on it, and online descriptions like this one. Andrew Skurka sells a mapset of it. And a series of podcasts at backpacker.com - http://web.archive.org/web/20070927145125/http://rodale.typepad.com/backpacker_podcasts/2006/08/index.html

It's pretty doggone difficult, lots of talus scrambling, slow going. Not going to be something I will be doing.

Not exactly the best at getting words in the right order, Sierra High Route, I actually have to read a post 5 times to make sure.
I have the book and was inspired by the backpacker article last year and am going to buy the maps but wanted to get a few opinions on the easiest part of the route before I by maps.

Ask Steve Armstrong, over on Backpacker.com. He has done it a number of times. He changes user names like underwear, but uses his regular name when not having fun with folks still I believe, I haven't been there for four years or so, so I may have old info.

How hard is a diffiuclt question. The route was designed by a rock climber who probably could solo 5.8 quite easily and is comfortable on steep snow. This is not your average backpaker. I have done about 80 percent of the route but not as a through-hike. It is a mixed bag. Some trails, some really nice easy off-trail travel, and some really hard passes and a few spots that I think are downright dangerous. One key for the route is to keep your pack light. Another is to be comfortable on easy 3rd class rock with the pack on. And you need to be a good navigator and good at picking out the best micro-route.

To me the parts that I have done have been fun and yet challenging but not too terrifying. I have done extensive rock climbing and mountaineering. It is a long route and I have generally done sectioins at a slower pace than the book suggests. THe hardest part so far was the pass above Wahoo Lake. I really never want to do that again. Mainly because it is quite loose - an easy place to be pinned down by a boulder.

I would say that if you have not done some mountaineering you may find it on the difficult side. You can make it as physically hard as you want by going slow or fast.

The sections of the Sierra High Route that I have done were challenging, scenic, and fun. On the parts I have done, between Pine Creek Pass and the Evolution Basin, there is quite a bit of talus hopping, easy class 3 scrambling and trail hiking. I did this stretch solo and was pretty comfortable the entire route. Then, I have been climbing and mountaineering for at least 50 years. I recommend this section if you are planning only a part of the SHR. There are places where one would want some prior experience at relaxed rock climbing and practice on fairly steep snow if you go early in the year. If you go early, an ice axe and rudimentary crampons would be useful.

I presume that your experience on Mt. Rainier was on the Camp Muir-Disappointment Cleaver route. If so, you might want to brush up a bit on your rock and ice skills before trying the complete SHR; it is more difficult than is Rainier by the Camp Muir route.

If you take this section of the SHR, you will need to arrange transportation between the Pine Creek trailhead and the South Lake trailhead. This of course assumes that you enter and leave via Pine Creek Pass and Bishop Pass. It is not too bad a trip hitchhiking though but it took me the better part of a day to get from South Lake to my car at Pine Creek TH; there is not as much traffic up Pine Creek so you might have a wait.

Thanks Pika, thats great info, I did the Rainier route you described and trained as best I could considering my location, I actually would like to do Rainier again on a harder route this year but not sure if I can afford it, my overall plan was a second summit of Rainier in order to prepare myself for an attempt at Denali in 2011 when I'm 40.
The SHR would be alot less expensive and still a great challenge, and training for it with the exception of altitude is realistic, lots of places with steep loose scree and areas for basic rock climbing available out here.
I do want the easiest section to start and would have 7days to comlplete it.
thanks again

There are a couple of less crowded, somewhat more challenging routes up Rainier. One of them is via the Kautz Glacier; there is an ice fall to negotiate which makes it interesting. The other is the Tahoma Glacier/Sickle route. This route starts on the west side at a 3,000 foot trail head. Because of the elevation gain, it is best to plan for at least three days on this route; two days up and one day down allowing for an overnight rest at high camp the day you summit. From the high camp, there are some spectacular views of the Tahoma Glacier and Sunrise Amphitheater. Neither route involves much in the way of high angle ice but both are scenic and give one a real feeling of accomplishment.

Some of the more challenging routes such as Liberty Ridge require more developed ice and loose rock skills as well as a major commitment to pushing the route. Also some scary, scary places on Liberty Ridge.

I lived in Washington for over 30 years and have climbed Rainier over 20 times by most of the major routes and including a winter ascent. I still want to do it again but not sure I'll have the time.

If I can afford it I will try the Kautz climb with RMI, its an expidition seminar style climb with lots of training which is what I'll need if Mckinley is in my future.

I am researching the the SHR you mentioned and it seems like that is what would be realistic for me. Thanks again.

Great! You'll love it.