High Sierra Topix

johnbarrett wrote: ↑Mon Sep 14, 2020 1:11 pm Tried to return to our vehicle last Friday after doing Italy Pass/JMT/Mono Pass. Ran into large washout on the road around 9500 ft elevation. Had to turn around. Beware. No easy way down from this washout. Probably could be done but we didn't feel it was worth the risk.

John

Yep, true story.

johnbarrett wrote: ↑Mon Sep 14, 2020 1:11 pm Tried to return to our vehicle last Friday after doing Italy Pass/JMT/Mono Pass. Ran into large washout on the road around 9500 ft elevation. Had to turn around. Beware. No easy way down from this washout. Probably could be done but we didn't feel it was worth the risk.
John

It is fairly sketchy to descend into it, but you can go high above the trail to find a much easier crossing. There is sort of a "use trail" that has developed. So, if you're descending and you find your way cutoff by the washout, turn left and ascend until you are at a place where the slope angle is less. You'll see a little path going across. Once you've done this, you can descend fairly easily back to the trail then continue until you run into a 2nd (lower) washout. The lower one is easy to avoid by simply cutting the switchback (again, there is a little usepath). I went up this with my daughter and a friend on day 1 of an 8 day trip back in July so the lower washout was the first one in the following report: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=20842